89 research outputs found
Performance of an area variable MOS varicap weighted programmable CCD transversal filter
The performance of an electrically programmable CCD transversal filter (PTF) is presented in which tap-weight multiplication is performed by a novel and compact on chip voltage controlled area variable MOS varicap
An area-variable MOS varicap and its application in programmable TAP weighting of CCD transversal filters
Performance of an area variable MOS varicap weighted programmable CCD transversal filter
Neutrino masses from beta decays after KamLAND and WMAP (Updated including the NC enhanced SNO data)
The first data released by the KamLAND collaboration have confirmed the
strong evidence in favour of the LMA solution of the solar neutrino problem.
Taking into account the ranges for the oscillation parameters allowed by the
global analysis of the solar, CHOOZ and KamLAND data, we update the limits on
the neutrinoless double beta decay effective neutrino mass parameter and
analyze the impact of all the available data from neutrinoless double beta
decay experiments on the neutrino mass bounds, in view of the latest WMAP
results. For the normal neutrino mass spectrum the range (0.05-0.23) eV is
obtained for the lightest neutrino mass if one takes into account the
Heidelberg-Moscow evidence for neutrinoless double beta decay and the
cosmological bound. It is also shown that under the same conditions the mass of
the lightest neutrino may not be bounded from below if the spectrum is of the
inverted type. Finnaly, we discuss how future experiments can improve the
present bounds on the lightest neutrino mass set by the Troitsk, Mainz and WMAP
results. In the addendum we update the allowed ranges for the effective
Majorana neutrino mass parameter in view of the latest NC enhanced SNO data.Comment: Updated including the recent NC enhanced SNO data. Refferences added
and typos correcte
Dilepton production in heavy ion collisions at intermediate energies
We present a unified description of the vector meson and dilepton production
in elementary and in heavy ion reactions. The production of vector mesons
() is described via the excitation of nuclear resonances ().
The theoretical framework is an extended vector meson dominance model (eVMD).
The treatment of the resonance decays with arbitrary spin is
covariant and kinematically complete. The eVMD includes thereby excited vector
meson states in the transition form factors. This ensures correct asymptotics
and provides a unified description of photonic and mesonic decays. The
resonance model is successfully applied to the production in
reactions. The same model is applied to the dilepton production in elementary
reactions (). Corresponding data are well reproduced. However, when
the model is applied to heavy ion reactions in the BEVALAC/SIS energy range the
experimental dilepton spectra measured by the DLS Collaboration are
significantly underestimated at small invariant masses. As a possible solution
of this problem the destruction of quantum interference in a dense medium is
discussed. A decoherent emission through vector mesons decays enhances the
corresponding dilepton yield in heavy ion reactions. In the vicinity of the
-peak the reproduction of the data requires further a substantial
collisional broadening of the and in particular of the meson.Comment: 32 pages revtex, 19 figures, to appear in PR
Mapping geographical inequalities in childhood diarrhoeal morbidity and mortality in low-income and middle-income countries, 2000–17 : analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017
Background
Across low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs), one in ten deaths in children younger than 5 years is attributable to diarrhoea. The substantial between-country variation in both diarrhoea incidence and mortality is attributable to interventions that protect children, prevent infection, and treat disease. Identifying subnational regions with the highest burden and mapping associated risk factors can aid in reducing preventable childhood diarrhoea.
Methods
We used Bayesian model-based geostatistics and a geolocated dataset comprising 15 072 746 children younger than 5 years from 466 surveys in 94 LMICs, in combination with findings of the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2017, to estimate posterior distributions of diarrhoea prevalence, incidence, and mortality from 2000 to 2017. From these data, we estimated the burden of diarrhoea at varying subnational levels (termed units) by spatially aggregating draws, and we investigated the drivers of subnational patterns by creating aggregated risk factor estimates.
Findings
The greatest declines in diarrhoeal mortality were seen in south and southeast Asia and South America, where 54·0% (95% uncertainty interval [UI] 38·1–65·8), 17·4% (7·7–28·4), and 59·5% (34·2–86·9) of units, respectively, recorded decreases in deaths from diarrhoea greater than 10%. Although children in much of Africa remain at high risk of death due to diarrhoea, regions with the most deaths were outside Africa, with the highest mortality units located in Pakistan. Indonesia showed the greatest within-country geographical inequality; some regions had mortality rates nearly four times the average country rate. Reductions in mortality were correlated to improvements in water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) or reductions in child growth failure (CGF). Similarly, most high-risk areas had poor WASH, high CGF, or low oral rehydration therapy coverage.
Interpretation
By co-analysing geospatial trends in diarrhoeal burden and its key risk factors, we could assess candidate drivers of subnational death reduction. Further, by doing a counterfactual analysis of the remaining disease burden using key risk factors, we identified potential intervention strategies for vulnerable populations. In view of the demands for limited resources in LMICs, accurately quantifying the burden of diarrhoea and its drivers is important for precision public health
Anemia prevalence in women of reproductive age in low- and middle-income countries between 2000 and 2018
Anemia is a globally widespread condition in women and is associated with reduced economic productivity and increased mortality worldwide. Here we map annual 2000–2018 geospatial estimates of anemia prevalence in women of reproductive age (15–49 years) across 82 low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), stratify anemia by severity and aggregate results to policy-relevant administrative and national levels. Additionally, we provide subnational disparity analyses to provide a comprehensive overview of anemia prevalence inequalities within these countries and predict progress toward the World Health Organization’s Global Nutrition Target (WHO GNT) to reduce anemia by half by 2030. Our results demonstrate widespread moderate improvements in overall anemia prevalence but identify only three LMICs with a high probability of achieving the WHO GNT by 2030 at a national scale, and no LMIC is expected to achieve the target in all their subnational administrative units. Our maps show where large within-country disparities occur, as well as areas likely to fall short of the WHO GNT, offering precision public health tools so that adequate resource allocation and subsequent interventions can be targeted to the most vulnerable populations.Peer reviewe
Measurement of the charge ratio of atmospheric muons with the CMS detector
This is the pre-print version of this Article. The official published version can be accessed from the link below - Copyright @ 2010 ElsevierWe present a measurement of the ratio of positive to negative muon fluxes from cosmic ray interactions in the atmosphere, using data collected by the CMS detector both at ground level and in the underground experimental cavern at the CERN LHC. Muons were detected in the momentum range from 5 GeV/c to 1 TeV/c. The surface flux ratio is measured to be 1.2766 \pm 0.0032(stat.) \pm 0.0032 (syst.), independent of the muon momentum, below 100 GeV/c. This is the most precise measurement to date. At higher momenta the data are consistent with an increase of the charge ratio, in agreement with cosmic ray shower models and compatible with previous measurements by deep-underground experiments
Observation of a new Xi(b) baryon
The first observation of a new b baryon via its strong decay into Xi(b)^-
pi^+ (plus charge conjugates) is reported. The measurement uses a data sample
of pp collisions at sqrt(s) = 7 TeV collected by the CMS experiment at the LHC,
corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 5.3 inverse femtobarns. The known
Xi(b)^- baryon is reconstructed via the decay chain Xi(b)^- to J/psi Xi^- to
mu^+ mu^- Lambda^0 pi^-, with Lambda^0 to p pi^-. A peak is observed in the
distribution of the difference between the mass of the Xi(b)^- pi^+ system and
the sum of the masses of the Xi(b)^- and pi^+, with a significance exceeding
five standard deviations. The mass difference of the peak is 14.84 +/- 0.74
(stat.) +/- 0.28 (syst.) MeV. The new state most likely corresponds to the
J^P=3/2^+ companion of the Xi(b).Comment: Submitted to Physical Review Letter
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