706 research outputs found

    Community detection in complex networks via clique conductance

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    This is the final version. Available from the publisher via the DOI in this record.Network science plays a central role in understanding and modeling complex systems in many areas including physics, sociology, biology, computer science, economics, politics, and neuroscience. One of the most important features of networks is community structure, i.e., clustering of nodes that are locally densely interconnected. Communities reveal the hierarchical organization of nodes, and detecting communities is of great importance in the study of complex systems. Most existing community-detection methods consider low-order connection patterns at the level of individual links. But high-order connection patterns, at the level of small subnetworks, are generally not considered. In this paper, we develop a novel community-detection method based on cliques, i.e., local complete subnetworks. The proposed method overcomes the deficiencies of previous similar community-detection methods by considering the mathematical properties of cliques. We apply the proposed method to computer-generated graphs and real-world network datasets. When applied to networks with known community structure, the proposed method detects the structure with high fidelity and sensitivity. When applied to networks with no a priori information regarding community structure, the proposed method yields insightful results revealing the organization of these complex networks. We also show that the proposed method is guaranteed to detect near-optimal clusters in the bipartition case

    Enhancement of laser-driven ion acceleration in non-periodic nanostructured targets

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    Using particle-in-cell simulations, we demonstrate an improvement of the target normal sheath acceleration (TNSA) of protons in non-periodically nanostructured targets with micron-scale thickness. Compared to standard flat foils, an increase in the proton cutoff energy by up to a factor of two is observed in foils coated with nanocones or perforated with nanoholes. The latter nano-perforated foils yield the highest enhancement, which we show to be robust over a broad range of foil thicknesses and hole diameters. The improvement of TNSA performance results from more efficient hot-electron generation, caused by a more complex laser-electron interaction geometry and increased effective interaction area and duration. We show that TNSA is optimized for a nanohole distribution of relatively low areal density and that is not required to be periodic, thus relaxing the manufacturing constraints.Comment: 11 pages, 8 figure

    Hollow microspheres as targets for staged laser-driven proton acceleration

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    A coated hollow core microsphere is introduced as a novel target in ultra-intense laser-matter interaction experiments. In particular, it facilitates staged laser-driven proton acceleration by combining conventional target normal sheath acceleration (TNSA), power recycling of hot laterally spreading electrons and staging in a very simple and cheap target geometry. During TNSA of protons from one area of the sphere surface, laterally spreading hot electrons form a charge wave. Due to the spherical geometry, this wave refocuses on the opposite side of the sphere, where an opening has been laser micromachined. This leads to a strong transient charge separation field being set up there, which can post-accelerate those TNSA protons passing through the hole at the right time. Experimentally, the feasibility of using such targets is demonstrated. A redistribution is encountered in the experimental proton energy spectra, as predicted by particle-in-cell simulations and attributed to transient fields set up by oscillating currents on the sphere surface

    Temporal coherence of ultrashort high-order harmonic pulses

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    We have studied the temporal coherence of high-order harmonics (up to the 15th order) produced by focusing 100 fs laser pulses into an argon gas jet. We measure the visibility of the interference fringes, produced when two spatially separated harmonic sources interfere in the far field, as a function of the time delay between the two sources. In general, we find long coherence times, comparable to the expected pulse durations of the harmonics. For some of the harmonics, the interference pattern exhibits two regions, with significantly different coherence times. These results are interpreted in terms of different electronic trajectories contributing to harmonic generation. © 1998 American Physical Society

    The levels of trypsinogen isoenzymes in ovarian tumour cyst fluids are associated with promatrix metalloproteinase-9 but not promatrix metalloproteinase-2 activation

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    Proteolysis mediated by matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and serine proteinases is associated with cancer invasion and metastasis. Activation of latent proMMPs, and especially the proforms of the type IV collagen degrading gelatinases A and B (proMMP-2 and proMMP-9), is thought to be a critical step in this process. We have recently found that human tumour-associated trypsin-2 is a potent activator of proMMP-9 and it also activates proMMP-2 in vitro. Trypsinogen, MMP-2, and MMP-9 are expressed in ovarian cancer. To elucidate the function of trypsin in vivo, we studied whether high concentrations of trypsinogen-1, trypsinogen-2, their α1-proteinase inhibitor (API) complexes, and tumour-associated trypsin inhibitor (TATI) are associated with proMMP-2 and proMMP-9 activation in ovarian tumour cyst fluids. Zymography and immunofluorometric analysis of 61 cyst fluids showed a significant association between high trypsin concentrations and the activation of MMP-9 (P= 0.003–0.05). In contrast, the trypsin concentrations were inversely associated with the activation of MMP-2 (P= 0.01–0.02). Immunohistochemical analysis of ovarian tumour tissue demonstrated expression of trypsinogen-2 and TATI in the secretory epithelium. MMP-2 was detected both in stromal and epithelial cells whereas MMP-9 was detected in neutrophils and macrophage-like cells in stromal and epithelial areas. These results suggest that trypsin may play a role in the regulation of the MMP-dependent proteolysis associated with invasion and metastasis of ovarian cancer. © 2001 Cancer Research Campaign www.bjcancer.co

    Salmonella Isolated from Animals and Feed Production in Sweden Between 1993 and 1997

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    This paper presents Salmonella data from animals, feedstuffs and feed mills in Sweden between 1993 and 1997. During that period, 555 isolates were recorded from animals, representing 87 serotypes. Of those, 30 serotypes were found in animals in Sweden for the first time. The majority of all isolates from animals were S. Typhimurium (n = 91), followed by S. Dublin (n = 82). There were 115 isolates from cattle, 21 from broilers, 56 from layers and 18 from swine. The majority of these isolates were from outbreaks, although some were isolated at the surveillance at slaughterhouses. The number of isolates from the feed industry was similar to that of the previous 5-year period. Most of those findings were from dust and scrapings from feed mills, in accordance with the HACCP programme in the feed control programme. It can be concluded that the occurrence of Salmonella in animals and in the feed production in Sweden remained favourable during 1993–97

    Enhanced proton beams from ultrathin targets driven by high contrast laser pulses

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    The generation of proton beams from ultrathin targets, down to 20 nm in thickness, driven with ultrahigh contrast laser pulses is explored. the conversion efficiency from laser energy into protons increases as the foil thickness is decreased, with good beam quality and high efficiencies of 1% being achieved, for protons with kinetic energy exceeding 0.9 MeV, for 100 nm thick aluminum foils at intensities of 10(19) W/cm(2) with 33 fs, 0.3 J pulses. To minimize amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) induced effects disrupting the acceleration mechanism, exceptional laser to ASE intensity contrasts of up to 1010 are achieved by introducing a plasma mirror to the high contrast 10 Hz multiterawatt laser at the Lund Laser Centre. It is shown that for a given laser energy on target, regimes of higher laser-to-proton energy conversion efficiency. can be accessed with increasing contrast. The increasing efficiency as the target thickness decreases is closely correlated to an increasing proton temperature. (c) 2006 American Institute of Physics
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