Snacks for children

"File: Food and Nutrition, 7/78/8M, 9/79/8M""Since young children cannot consume sufficient sized portions at meal time, between meal feedings are important. The day's food intake for meals and snacks needs to be based on the four food groups. (Check Home Economics Guidesheet, GH 1918 "Food For Fitness" for recommended foods and the number of servings per food group.) These foods provide nutrients to work together for building bones, blood, and muscles and to maintain good health."--First paragraph.Barbara Willenberg (Student in the Food and Nutrition Department at UMC), Ann A. Hertzler (State Extension Food and Nutrition Specialist

Intersubband gain in a Bloch oscillator and Quantum cascade laser

The link between the inversion gain of quantum cascade structures and the Bloch gain in periodic superlattices is presented. The proposed theoretical model based on the density matrix formalism is able to treat the gain mechanism of the Bloch oscillator and Quantum cascade laser on the same footing by taking into account in-plane momentum relaxation. The model predicts a dispersive contribution in addition to the (usual) population-inversion-dependent intersubband gain in quantum cascade structures and - in the absence of inversion - provides the quantum mechanical description for the dispersive gain in superlattices. It corroborates the predictions of the semi-classical miniband picture, according to which gain is predicted for photon energies lower than the Bloch oscillation frequency, whereas net absorption is expected at higher photon energies, as a description which is valid in the high-temperature limit. A red-shift of the amplified emission with respect to the resonant transition energy results from the dispersive gain contribution in any intersubband transition, for which the population inversion is small.Comment: 10 pages, 6 figure

Luttinger-Liquid Behavior in the Alternating Spin-Chain System Copper Nitrate

We determine the phase diagram of copper nitrate Cu(NO$_3$)$_2\cdot$2.5D$_2$O in the context of quantum phase transitions and novel states of matter. We establish this compound as an ideal candidate to study quasi-1D Luttinger liquids, 3D Bose-Einstein-Condensation of triplons, and the crossover between 1D and 3D physics. Magnetocaloric effect, magnetization, and neutron scattering data provide clear evidence for transitions into a Luttinger liquid regime and a 3D long-range ordered phase as function of field and temperature. Theoretical simulations of this model material allow us to fully establish the phase diagram and to discuss it in the context of dimerized spin systems.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figure

Gain without inversion in a biased superlattice

Intersubband transitions in a superlattice under homogeneous electric field is studied within the tight-binding approximation. Since the levels are equi-populated, the non-zero response appears beyond the Born approximation. Calculations are performed in the resonant approximation with scattering processes exactly taken into account. The absorption coefficient is equal zero for the resonant excitation while a negative absorption (gain without inversion) takes place below the resonance. A detectable gain in the THz spectral region is obtained for the low-doped $GaAs$-based superlattice and spectral dependencies are analyzed taking into account the interplay between homogeneous and inhomogeneous mechanisms of broadening.Comment: 6 pages, 4 figure

On the Response of an OST to a Point-like Heat Source

A new technique of superconducting cavity diagnostics has been introduced by D. Hartrill at Cornell University, Ithaca, USA. Oscillating Superleak Transducers (OST) detect the heat transferred from a cavity's quench point via "Second Sound" through the superfluid He bath, needed to cool the superconducting cavity. The observed response of an OST is a complex, but reproducible pattern of oscillations. A small helium evaporation cryostat was built which allows the investigation of the response of an OST in greater detail. The distance between a point-like electrical heater and the OST can be varied. The OST can be mounted either parallel or perpendicular to the plate, housing the heat source. If the artificial quench-point releases an amount of energy compatible to a real quench spot on a cavity's surface, the OST signal starts with a negative pulse, which is usually strong enough to allow automatic detection. Furthermore, the reflection of the Second Sound on the wall is observed. A reflection coefficient R = 0.39 +- 0.05 of the glass wall is measured. This excludes a strong influence of multiple reflections in the complex OST response. Fourier analyses show three main frequencies, found in all OST spectra. They can be interpreted as modes of an oscillating circular membrane.Comment: 10 pages, 16 figure

Incidence of unintended pregnancy among female sex workers in low-income and middle-income countries: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Objectives: To determine the incidence of unintended pregnancy among female sex workers (FSWs) in lowincome and middle-income countries (LMICs). Design: We searched MEDLINE, PsychInfo, Embase and Popline for papers published in English between January 2000 and January 2016, and Web of Science and Proquest for conference abstracts. Meta-analysis was performed on the primary outcomes using random effects models, with subgroup analysis used to explore heterogeneity. Participants: Eligible studies targeted FSWs aged 15–49 years living or working in an LMIC. Outcome measures: Studies were eligible if they provided data on one of two primary outcomes: incidence of unintended pregnancy and incidence of pregnancy where intention is undefined. Secondary outcomes were also extracted when they were reported in included studies: incidence of induced abortion; incidence of birth; and correlates/predictors of pregnancy or unintended pregnancy. Results: Twenty-five eligible studies were identified from 3866 articles. Methodological quality was low overall. Unintended pregnancy incidence showed high heterogeneity (I²\u3e95%), ranging from 7.2 to 59.6 per 100 person-years across 10 studies. Study design and duration were found to account for heterogeneity. On subgroup analysis, the three cohort studies in which no intervention was introduced had a pooled incidence of 27.1 per 100 person-years (95% CI 24.4 to 29.8; I2 =0%). Incidence of pregnancy (intention undefined) was also highly heterogeneous, ranging from 2.0 to 23.4 per 100 personyears (15 studies). Conclusions: Of the many studies examining FSWs’ sexual and reproductive health in LMICs, very few measured pregnancy and fewer assessed pregnancy intention. Incidence varied widely, likely due to differences in study design, duration and baseline population risk, but was high in most studies, representing a considerable concern for this key population. Evidence-based approaches that place greater importance on unintended pregnancy prevention need to be incorporated into existing sexual and reproductive health programmes for FSWs

Coherently averaged dual-comb spectroscopy with a low-noise and high-power free-running gigahertz dual-comb laser

We present a new type of dual optical frequency comb source capable of scaling applications to high measurement speeds while combining high average power, ultra-low noise operation, and a compact setup. Our approach is based on a diode-pumped solid-state laser cavity which includes an intracavity biprism operated at Brewster angle to generate two spatially-separated modes with highly correlated properties. The 15-cm-long cavity uses an Yb:CALGO crystal and a SESAM as an end mirror to generate more than 3 W average power per comb, below 80 fs pulse duration, a repetition rate of 1.03 GHz, and a continuously tunable repetition rate difference up to 27 kHz. We carefully investigate the coherence properties of the dual-comb by a series of heterodyne measurements, revealing several important features: (1) ultra-low jitter on the uncorrelated part of the timing noise; (2) the radio frequency comb lines of the interferograms are fully resolved in free-running operation; (3) we validate that through a simple measurement of the interferograms we can determine the fluctuations of the phase of all the radio frequency comb lines; (4) this phase information is used in a post-processing routine to perform coherently averaged dual-comb spectroscopy of acetylene (C2H2) over long timescales. Our results represent a powerful and general approach to dual-comb applications by combining low noise and high power operation directly from a highly compact laser oscillator

Use of biomarkers or echocardiography in pulmonary embolism: the Swiss Venous Thromboembolism Registry

Background: Cardiac biomarkers and echocardiography for assessing right ventricular function are recommended to risk stratify patients with acute non-massive pulmonary embolism (PE), but it remains unclear if these tests are performed systematically in daily practice. Design and methods: Overall, 587 patients with acute non-massive PE from 18 hospitals were enrolled in the Swiss Venous Thromboembolism Registry (SWIVTER): 178 (30%) neither had a biomarker test nor an echocardiographic evaluation, 196 (34%) had a biomarker test only, 47 (8%) had an echocardiogram only and 166 (28%) had both tests. Results: Among the 409 (70%) patients with biomarkers or echocardiography, 210 (51%) had at least one positive test and 67 (16%) had positive biomarkers and right ventricular dysfunction. The ICU admission rates were 5.1% without vs. 5.6% with testing (P = 0.78), and thrombolysis or embolectomy were performed in 2.8% vs. 4.9%, respectively (P = 0.25). In multivariate analysis, syncope [odds ratio (OR): 3.49, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.20-10.15; P = 0.022], tachycardia (OR: 2.31, 95% CI: 1.37-3.91; P = 0.002) and increasing age (OR: 1.02; 95% CI: 1.01-1.04; P < 0.001) were associated with testing of cardiac risk; outpatient status at the time of PE diagnosis (OR: 2.24, 95% CI: 1.49-3.36; P < 0.001), cancer (OR: 1.81, 95% CI: 1.17-2.79; P = 0.008) and provoked PE (OR: 1.58, 95% CI: 1.05-2.40; P = 0.029) were associated with its absence. Conclusions: Although elderly patients and those with clinically severe PE were more likely to receive a biomarker test or an echocardiogram, these tools were used in only two-thirds of the patients with acute non-massive PE and rarely in combinatio