1,274 research outputs found

    Enhancement of parity and time invariance violation in Radium atom

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    There are several factors which lead to a huge enhancement of parity and time invariance violating effects in the Ra atom: very close electronic levels of opposite parity, the large nuclear charge Z and the collective nature of T,P-odd nuclear moments. Experiments with Radium may be used to measure it's nuclear anapole, magnetic quadrupole and Schiff moments. Such measurements provide information about parity and time invariance violating nuclear forces and electron-nucleon interactions.Comment: 4 pages, RevTe

    Does enhanced nitrogen deposition represent a threat to Sphagnum and thus the sustainability of Scottish peatlands?

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    Nutrient limited ombrotrophic bogs and peatlands support high conservation valued ecosystems, potentially susceptible to current elevated levels of reactive nitrogen (N) deposition. Here, we present the effects and consequences of different N forms, wet, dry, reduced and oxidised N on the functioning of a bog moss, Sphagnum capillifolium. Sphagnum mosses maintain the acid, low nutrient conditions, crucial for the sustainability of peat lands, where productivity must exceed decomposition. Dry deposited ammonia substantially elevated shoot N status, which led to tissue breakdown loss of function and death in S. capillifolium. Wet deposited nitrate and ammonium also negatively affected S. capillifolium, significantly reducing shoot extension and cover and significantly elevating N status. These effects occurred over 5 years and were significant even at the lowest reduced N dose, 8 kg N ha-1 y1 (background = 8-10 kg N ha-1 y-1), highlighting the threat N poses for the effective functioning of bog ecosystems

    Volume and diagnosis: an approach to cross-border care in eight European countries

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    Objectives: Mobility of patients is a pertinent issue on the European Union's agenda. This study aimed to estimate the volume and main diagnoses of cross-border care in eight European countries, in order to provide policy makers with background information about the nature of patient mobility in Europe. Methods: This article reports the combined findings from three independent studies that compiled self-reported information on admissions data and main diagnoses from more than 200 hospitals in eight European countries. Results: The average volume of cross-border patients accounted for less than 1% of total admissions in the hospitals studied here. Diseases of the circulatory system (mainly acute myocardial infarction) and fractures were the most common reasons for hospitalisation of European patients abroad. Deliveries and other diagnoses related to pregnancy, pneumonia, appendicitis and other diseases of the digestive system, aftercare procedures, and disorders of the eye and adnexa were also common diagnoses for this population. Conclusions: Hospitals should reinforce their efforts to adapt the care provided to the needs of foreign patients in treatment areas that cover the most frequent pathologies identified in this populatio

    Experimental study of Taylor's hypothesis in a turbulent soap film

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    An experimental study of Taylor's hypothesis in a quasi-two-dimensional turbulent soap film is presented. A two probe laser Doppler velocimeter enables a non-intrusive simultaneous measurement of the velocity at spatially separated points. The breakdown of Taylor's hypothesis is quantified using the cross correlation between two points displaced in both space and time; correlation is better than 90% for scales less than the integral scale. A quantitative study of the decorrelation beyond the integral scale is presented, including an analysis of the failure of Taylor's hypothesis using techniques from predictability studies of turbulent flows. Our results are compared with similar studies of 3D turbulence.Comment: 27 pages, + 19 figure

    Effect of gas properties on the dynamics of the electrical slope asymmetry effect in capacitive plasmas : comparison of Ar, H2 and CF4

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    Tailored voltage excitation waveforms provide an efficient control of the ion energy (through the electrical asymmetry effect) in capacitive plasmas by varying the 'amplitude' asymmetry of the waveform. In this work, the effect of a 'slope' asymmetry of the waveform is investigated by using sawtooth-like waveforms, through which the sheath dynamic can be manipulated. A remarkably different discharge dynamic is found for Ar, H2, and CF4 gases, which is explained by the different dominant electron heating mechanisms and plasma chemistries. In comparison to Argon we find that the electrical asymmetry can even be reversed by using an electronegative gas such as CF4. Phase resolved optical emission spectroscopy measurements, probing the spatiotemporal distribution of the excitation rate show excellent agreement with the results of particle-in-cell simulations, confirming the high degree of correlation between the excitation rates with the dominant heating mechanisms in the various gases. It is shown that, depending on the gas used, sawtooth-like voltage waveforms may cause a strong asymmetry
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