2,923 research outputs found
Spin-mediated dissipation and frequency shifts of a cantilever at milliKelvin temperatures
We measure the dissipation and frequency shift of a magnetically coupled
cantilever in the vicinity of a silicon chip, down to mK. The dissipation
and frequency shift originates from the interaction with the unpaired
electrons, associated with the dangling bonds in the native oxide layer of the
silicon, which form a two dimensional system of electron spins. We approach the
sample with a m-diameter magnetic particle attached to an ultrasoft
cantilever, and measure the frequency shift and quality factor as a function of
temperature and the distance. Using a recent theoretical analysis [J. M. de
Voogd et al., arXiv:1508.07972 (2015)] of the dynamics of a system consisting
of a spin and a magnetic resonator, we are able to fit the data and extract the
relaxation time ms and spin density
spins per nm. Our analysis shows that at temperatures mK magnetic
dissipation is an important source of non-contact friction.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figure
Finite temperature molecular dynamics study of unstable stacking fault free energies in silicon
We calculate the free energies of unstable stacking fault (USF)
configurations on the glide and shuffle slip planes in silicon as a function of
temperature, using the recently developed Environment Dependent Interatomic
Potential (EDIP). We employ the molecular dynamics (MD) adiabatic switching
method with appropriate periodic boundary conditions and restrictions to atomic
motion that guarantee stability and include volume relaxation of the USF
configurations perpendicular to the slip plane. Our MD results using the EDIP
model agree fairly well with earlier first-principles estimates for the
transition from shuffle to glide plane dominance as a function of temperature.
We use these results to make contact to brittle-ductile transition models.Comment: 6 pages revtex, 4 figs, 16 refs, to appear in Phys. Rev.
Population-based mammography screening below age 50: balancing radiation-induced vs prevented breast cancer deaths
Introduction:Exposure to ionizing radiation at mammography screening may cause breast cancer. Because the radiation risk increases with lower exposure age, advancing the lower age limit may affect the balance between screening benefits and risks. The present study explores the benefit-risk ratio of screening before age 50.Methods:The benefits of biennial mammography screening, starting at various ages between 40 and 50, and continuing up to age 74 were examined using micro-simulation. In contrast with previous studies that commonly used excess relative risk models, we assessed the radiation risks using the latest BEIR-VII excess abso
Fast-Neutron Activation of Long-Lived Isotopes in Enriched Ge
We measured the production of \nuc{57}{Co}, \nuc{54}{Mn}, \nuc{68}{Ge},
\nuc{65}{Zn}, and \nuc{60}{Co} in a sample of Ge enriched in isotope 76 due to
high-energy neutron interactions. These isotopes, especially \nuc{68}{Ge}, are
critical in understanding background in Ge detectors used for double-beta decay
experiments. They are produced by cosmogenic-neutron interactions in the
detectors while they reside on the Earth's surface. These production rates were
measured at neutron energies of a few hundred MeV. We compared the measured
production to that predicted by cross-section calculations based on CEM03.02.
The cross section calculations over-predict our measurements by approximately a
factor of three depending on isotope. We then use the measured cosmic-ray
neutron flux, our measurements, and the CEM03.02 cross sections to predict the
cosmogenic production rate of these isotopes. The uncertainty in extrapolating
the cross section model to higher energies dominates the total uncertainty in
the cosmogenic production rate.Comment: Revised after feedback and further work on extrapolating cross
sections to higher energies in order to estimate cosmic production rates.
Also a numerical error was found and fixed in the estimate of the Co-57
production rat
How to detect late-onset inborn errors of metabolism in patients with movement disorders - A modern diagnostic approach
We propose a modern approach to assist clinicians to recognize and diagnose inborn errors of metabolism (IEMs) in adolescents and adults that present with a movement disorder. IEMs presenting in adults are still largely unexplored. These disorders receive little attention in neurological training and daily practice, and are considered complicated by many neurologists. Adult-onset presentations of IEMs differ from childhood-onset phenotypes, which may lead to considerable diagnostic delay. The identification of adult-onset phenotypes at the earliest stage of the disease is important, since early treatment may prevent or lessen further brain damage. Our approach is based on a systematic review of all papers that concerned movement disorders due to an IEM in patients of 16 years or older. Detailed clinical phenotyping is the diagnostic cornerstone of the approach. An underlying IEM should be suspected in particular in patients with more than one movement disorder, or in patients with additional neurological, psychiatric, or systemic manifestations. As IEMs are all genetic disorders, we recommend next-generation sequencing (NGS) as the first diagnostic approach to confirm an IEM. Biochemical tests remain the first choice in acute-onset or treatable IEMs that require rapid diagnosis, or to confirm the metabolic diagnosis after NGS results. With the use of careful and systematic clinical phenotyping combined with novel diagnostic approaches such as NGS, the diagnostic yield of late-onset IEMs will increase, in particular in patients with mild or unusual phenotypes.</p
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