3,463 research outputs found
CONSERVED QUANTITIES FOR THE DENSITY-MATRIX AND THE DEGREE OF STATISTICAL MIXING
We investigate the conserved quantities for a closed, N-state quantum system. A simple derivation from the equation of motion for the density matrix shows that there is an infinite number of such conserved quantities. However, only the first N of these constants of the motion are independent. These constants uniquely determine the degree of mixing in the system, which is itself conserved. We discuss the relationship between these results, the properties of Hamiltonians under unitary transformation and van Vleck's principle of spectroscopic stability
The response of thick (10 μm) AlInP x-ray and γ-ray detectors at up to 88 keV
The development of new x-ray and γ-ray spectrometers based on AlInP photodiodes with increased quantum detection efficiency and improved energy resolution is reported. The spectroscopic responses of two AlInP p+-i-n+ mesa photodiodes (10 μm i layer, the thickest so far reported) were investigated at photon energies from 4.95 to 88.03 keV; the detectors and preamplifier were operated at 30 °C. Energy resolutions (full width at half maximum) of 750 ± 40 eV and 850 ± 30 eV at 4.95 keV were achieved with the two detectors. The energy resolution deteriorated with increasing photon energy; this was in accordance with the increasing Fano noise with energy and suggested negligible incomplete charge collection noise across the photon energy range investigated. The measured voltage output of each spectrometer was found to be linear as a function of incident x-ray photon energy. The count rate (measured at 8.63 keV) was also found to linearly increase with incoming x-ray photon flux for the investigated spectrometers. These results, which were obtained using the thickest AlInP photodiodes produced so far, suggest that AlInP detectors are highly promising candidates for future uncooled x-ray and γ-ray spectrometers
Electron spectroscopy with a diamond detector
An electronic grade single crystal chemical vapour deposition diamond was investigated as a prototype high temperature spectroscopic electron (β− particle) detector for future space science instruments. The diamond detector was coupled to a custom-built charge-sensitive preamplifier of low noise. A63Ni radioisotope source (endpoint energy 66 keV) was used to provide a spectrum of β− particles incident on the detector. The operating temperature of the detector/preamplifier assembly was controlled to allow its performance to be investigated between +100 °C and −20 °C, in 20 °C steps. Monte Carlo modelling was used to: a) calculate the β− particle spectrum incident on the detector; b) calculate the fraction of β− particle energy deposited into the detector; and c) predict the β− particle spectrum accumulated by the instrument. Comparison between the model and experimental data suggested that there was a 4.5 μm thick recombination region at the front of the detector. The spectrometer was demonstrated to be fully operable at temperatures, T, −20 °C ≤ T ≤ 80 °C; the results suggested that some form of polarisation phenomenon occurred in the detector at > 80 °C. This article presents the first report of an energy calibrated (≲ 50 keV) spectroscopic β− particle diamond detector
InGaP 2 2 pixel array for X-ray and -ray spectroscopy
A 2 × 2 square pixel In0.5Ga0.5P p+-i-n+ mesa photodiode array was fabricated and investigated for its suitability in photon counting X-ray and γ-ray spectroscopy. Each pixel, which had an area of 200μm×200μm and a 5μm thick i layer, was coupled to a low-noise charge-sensitive preamplifier and standard onwards readout electronics to form an X-ray and γ-ray photon counting spectrometer. The pixels were illuminated in turn with an 55Fe radioisotope X-ray source, an 241Am radioisotope X-ray and γ-ray source, and a 109Cd radioisotope X-ray and γ-ray source. The mean value (across all pixels) of the best energy resolution (Full Width at Half Maximum, FWHM) at 20 °C was 770 eV ± 30 eV at 5.9 keV, 840 eV ± 20 eV at 22.16 keV, and 870 eV ± 30 eV at 59.54 keV. The spectroscopic response of one of the pixels was then investigated at temperatures up to 100 °C; noise analysis was performed and the different noise contributions were identified. The FWHM at 100 °C was 1.29 keV ± 0.04 keV at 5.9 keV, 1.32 keV ± 0.06 keV at 22.16 keV, 1.34 keV ± 0.06 keV at 59.54 keV, and 1.43 keV ± 0.08 keV at 88.03 keV. The results indicate that the detector did not suffer from incomplete charge collection, and that the spectrometer had better energy resolution at 100 °C than any other multi-pixel radiation spectrometer so far reported
Incorporating Genetic Biomarkers into Predictive Models of Normal Tissue Toxicity.
There is considerable variation in the level of toxicity patients experience for a given dose of radiotherapy, which is associated with differences in underlying individual normal tissue radiosensitivity. A number of syndromes have a large effect on clinical radiosensitivity, but these are rare. Among non-syndromic patients, variation is less extreme, but equivalent to a ±20% variation in dose. Thus, if individual normal tissue radiosensitivity could be measured, it should be possible to optimise schedules for individual patients. Early investigations of in vitro cellular radiosensitivity supported a link with tissue response, but individual studies were equivocal. A lymphocyte apoptosis assay has potential, and is currently under prospective validation. The investigation of underlying genetic variation also has potential. Although early candidate gene studies were inconclusive, more recent genome-wide association studies are revealing definite associations between genotype and toxicity and highlighting the potential for future genetic testing. Genetic testing and individualised dose prescriptions could reduce toxicity in radiosensitive patients, and permit isotoxic dose escalation to increase local control in radioresistant individuals. The approach could improve outcomes for half the patients requiring radical radiotherapy. As a number of patient- and treatment-related factors also affect the risk of toxicity for a given dose, genetic testing data will need to be incorporated into models that combine patient, treatment and genetic data.NGB is supported by the NIHR Cambridge Biomedical Research Centre.This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from Elsevier via http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.clon.2015.06.01
Implementation of prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) in South Africa: outcomes from a population-based birth cohort study in Paarl, Western Cape.
OBJECTIVES: The coverage of prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) services in South Africa is variable. Identifying gaps in the implementation of these services is necessary to isolate steps needed to further reduce paediatric infections and eliminate transmission. SETTING: Two primary care clinics in Paarl, South Africa. PARTICIPANTS: 1225 pregnant women; inclusion criteria were 18 years or older, clinic attendance and remaining in area for at least 1 year. METHODS: Data were collected through the Drakenstein Child Health Study, a population-based birth cohort in a periurban area of the Western Cape, South Africa. A combination of clinic records, hospital records, national database searches and maternal self-report were collected during the study. RESULTS: Of the 1225 mothers enrolled in the cohort between 2012 and 2015, 260 (21%) were confirmed HIV infected antenatally and 1 mother tested positive in the postnatal period. Of those with documentation (n=250/260, 96%), the majority (99%) received antiretroviral prophylaxis or therapy (ART) before labour; however, there was a high rate of defaulting from ART noted during pregnancy (20%). All HIV-exposed infants with data received antiretroviral prophylaxis, 35% were exclusively breast fed until 6 weeks and 16% for 6 months. There were two cases of infant HIV infection (0.8%) who were initiated on ART but had complicated histories. CONCLUSION: Despite the low transmission rate in this cohort, reaching elimination will require further work, and this study illustrates several areas to improve implementation of PMTCT services and reduce paediatric infections including retesting at-risk HIV-negative mothers through the duration of breast feeding, infant HIV testing at any admission in addition to routine testing and improved counselling to prevent defaulting from treatment. Better data surveillance systems are essential for determining the implementation of PMTCT guidelines
Decision problems with quantum black boxes
We examine how to distinguish between unitary operators, when the exact form
of the possible operators is not known. Instead we are supplied with "programs"
in the form of unitary transforms, which can be used as references for
identifying the unknown unitary transform. All unitary transforms should be
used as few times as possible. This situation is analoguous to programmable
state discrimination. One difference, however, is that the quantum state to
which we apply the unitary transforms may be entangled, leading to a richer
variety of possible strategies. By suitable selection of an input state and
generalized measurement of the output state, both unambiguous and minimum-error
discrimination can be achieved. Pairwise comparison of operators, comparing
each transform to be identified with a program transform, is often a useful
strategy. There are, however, situations in which more complicated strategies
perform better. This is the case especially when the number of allowed
applications of program operations is different from the number of the
transforms to be identified
Local corrugation and persistent charge density wave in ZrTe3 with Ni intercalation
The mechanism of emergent bulk superconductivity in t ransition-metal intercalated ZrTe3 is investigated by studying the effect of Ni doping on the band structure and charge density wave (CDW). The study reports theoretical and experimental results in the range of Ni0.01ZrTe3 to Ni0.05ZrTe3. In the highest doped samples, bulk superconductivity with Tc < TCDW is observed, with a reduced TCDW compared with pure ZrTe3. Relativistic ab initio calculations reveal that Ni incorporation occurs preferentially through intercalation in the van der Waals gap. Analysis of the structural and electronic effects of intercalation indicate buckling of the Te sheets adjacent to the Ni site akin to a locally stabilized CDW-like lattice distortion. In contrast to the changes of TCDW observed in resistivity, experiments with low-temperature x-ray diffraction, angle-resolved-photoemission spectroscopy, as well as temperature-dependent resistivity reveal the nearly unchanged persistence of the CDW into the regime of bulk superconductivity. The CDW gap is found to be unchanged in its extent in momentum space, with the gap size also unchanged or possibly slightly reduced upon Ni intercalation. Both experimental observations suggest that superconductivity coexists with the CDW in NixZrTe3
Intergenerational change and familial aggregation of body mass index
The relationship between parental BMI and that of their adult offspring, when increased adiposity can become a clinical issue, is unknown. We investigated the intergenerational change in body mass index (BMI) distribution, and examined the sex-specific relationship
between parental and adult offspring BMI. Intergenerational
change in the distribution of adjusted BMI in 1,443
complete families (both parents and at least one offspring)
with 2,286 offspring (1,263 daughters and 1,023 sons) from
the west of Scotland, UK, was investigated using quantile
regression. Familial correlations were estimated from
linear mixed effects regression models. The distribution
of BMI showed little intergenerational change in the normal
range (\25 kg/m2), decreasing overweightness (25–
\30 kg/m2) and increasing obesity (C30 kg/m2). Median
BMI was static across generations in males and decreased
in females by 0.4 (95% CI: 0.0, 0.7) kg/m2; the 95th percentileincreased by 2.2 (1.1, 3.2) kg/m2 in males and 2.7
(1.4, 3.9) kg/m2 in females. Mothers’ BMI was more
strongly associated with daughters’ BMI than was fathers’
(correlation coefficient (95% CI): mothers 0.31 (0.27,
0.36), fathers 0.19 (0.14, 0.25); P = 0.001). Mothers’ and
fathers’ BMI were equally correlated with sons’ BMI
(correlation coefficient: mothers 0.28 (0.22, 0.33), fathers
0.27 (0.22, 0.33). The increase in BMI between generations
was concentrated at the upper end of the distribution. This,
alongside the strong parent-offspring correlation, suggests that the increase in BMI is disproportionally greater among
offspring of heavier parents. Familial influences on BMI among middle-aged women appear significantly stronger from mothers than father
Angles in Fuzzy Disc and Angular Noncommutative Solitons
The fuzzy disc, introduced by the authors of Ref.[1], is a disc-shaped region
in a noncommutative plane, and is a fuzzy approximation of a commutative disc.
In this paper we show that one can introduce a concept of angles to the fuzzy
disc, by using the phase operator and phase states known in quantum optics. We
gave a description of a fuzzy disc in terms of operators and their commutation
relations, and studied properties of angular projection operators. A similar
construction for a fuzzy annulus is also given. As an application, we
constructed fan-shaped soliton solutions of a scalar field theory on a fuzzy
disc, which corresponds to a fan-shaped D-brane. We also applied this concept
to the theory of noncommutative gravity that we proposed in Ref.[2]. In
addition, possible connections to black hole microstates, holography and an
experimental test of noncommutativity by laser physics are suggested.Comment: 24 pages, 12 figures; v2: minor mistake corrected in Eq.(3.21), and
discussion adapted accordingly; v3: a further discussion on the algebra of
the fuzzy disc added in subsection 3.2; v4: discussions improved and typos
correcte
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