Search for energetic cosmic axions utilizing terrestrial/celestial magnetic fields

Orbiting $\gamma$-detectors combined with the magnetic field of the Earth or the Sun can work parasitically as cosmic axion telescopes. The relatively short field lengths allow the axion-to-photon conversion to be coherent for $m_{axion} \sim 10^{-4}$ eV, if the axion kinetic energy is above $\sim 500$ keV (Earth's field), or, $\sim 50$ MeV (Sun's field), allowing thus to search for axions from $e^+e^-$ annihilations, from supernova explosions, etc. With a detector angular resolution of $\sim 1^o$, a more efficient sky survey for energetic cosmic axions passing {\it through the Sun} can be performed. Axions or other axion-like particles might be created by the interaction of the cosmic radiation with the Sun, similarly to the axion searches in accelerator beam dump experiments; the enormous cosmic energy combined with the built-in coherent Primakoff effect might provide a sensitive detection scheme, being out of reach with accelerators. The axion signal will be an excess in $\gamma$-rays coming either from a specific celestial place behind the Sun, e.g. the Galactic Center, or, from any other direction in the sky being associated with a violent astrophysical event, e.g. a supernova. Earth bound detectors are also of potential interest. The axion scenario also applies to other stars or binary systems in the Universe, in particular to those with superstrong magnetic fields.Comment: 9 pages, LaTeX, small changes in text and bibliograph

Just married: the synergy between feminist criminology and the Tripartite Cybercrime Framework

This article is a theoretical treatment of feminist epistemology of crime, which advocates the centrality of gender as a theoretical starting point for the investigating of digital crimes. It does so by exploring the synergy between the feminist perspectives and the Tripartite Cybercrime Framework (TCF) (which argues that three possible factors motivate cybercrimes – socioeconomic, psychosocial, and geopolitical) to critique mainstream criminology and the meaning of the term “cybercrime”. Additionally, the article examines gender gaps in online harassment, cyber‐bullying, cyber‐fraud, revenge porn, and cyber‐stalking to demonstrate that who is victimised, why, and to what effect are the critical starting points for the analysis of the connections between gender and crimes. In turn, it uses the lens of intersectionality to acknowledge that, while conceptions of gender and crime interact, they intersect with other categories (e.g., sexuality) to provide additional layers of explanation. To nuance the utilitarian value of the synergy between the TCF and the feminist perspectives, the focus shifts to a recent case study (which compared socioeconomic and psychosocial cybercrimes). The article concludes that, while online and offline lives are inextricably intertwined, the victimisations in psychosocial cybercrimes may be more gendered than in socioeconomic cybercrimes. These contributions align the TCF to the feminist epistemology of crime in their attempt to move gender analysis of digital crimes “from margin to centre”

Fast-timing measurements in neutron-rich odd-mass zirconium isotopes using LaBr3:Ce detectors coupled with Gammasphere

A fast-timing experiment was performed at the Argonne National Laboratory to measure the lifetimes of the lowest lying states of nuclei belonging to the deformed regions around mass number A 110 and A 150. These regions were populated via spontaneous fission of 252 Cf and the gamma radiation following the decay of excited states in the fission fragments was measured using 51 Gammasphere detectors coupled with 25 LaBr 3 :Ce detectors. A brief description of the acquisition system and some preliminary results from the fast-timing analysis of the fission fragment 100Zr are presented. The lifetime value of \u3c4 = 840(65) ps was found for the 2 + state in 100 Zr consistent within one standard deviation of the adopted value with 791 +26 -35 ps. This is associated with a quadrupole deformation parameter of 0.36(2) which is within one standard deviation of the literature value of 0.3556 +82 -57

Fast-timing measurements in the ground-state band of Pd114

Using a hybrid Gammasphere array coupled to 25 LaBr3(Ce) detectors, the lifetimes of the first three levels of the yrast band in Pd-114, populated via Cf-252 decay, have been measured. The measured lifetimes are tau(2+) = 103(10) ps, tau(4+) = 22(13) ps, and tau(6+) <= 10 ps for the 2(1)(+), 4(1)(+), and 6(1)(+) levels, respectively. Palladium-114 was predicted to be the most deformed isotope of its isotopic chain, and spectroscopic studies have suggested it might also be a candidate nucleus for low-spin stable triaxiality. From the lifetimes measured in this work, reduced transition probabilities B(E2; J -> J - 2) are calculated and compared with interacting boson model, projected shell model, and collective model calculations from the literature. The experimental ratio R-B(E2) = B(E2; 4(1)(+) -> 2(1)(+))/B(E2; 2(1)(+) -> 0(1)(+)) = 0.80(42) is measured for the first time in Pd-114 and compared with the known values R-B(E2) in the palladium isotopic chain: the systematics suggest that, for N = 68, a transition from gamma-unstable to a more rigid gamma-deformed nuclear shape occurs

Respiratory symptoms items from the COPD assessment test identify ever-smokers with preserved lung function at higher risk for poor respiratory outcomes an analysis of the subpopulations and intermediate outcome measures in COPD Study cohort

Rationale: Ever-smokers without airflow obstruction scores greater than or equal to 10 on the COPD Assessment Test (CAT) still have frequent acute respiratory disease events (exacerbation-like), impaired exercise capacity, and imaging abnormalities. Identification of these subjects could provide new opportunities for targeted interventions. Objectives: We hypothesized that the four respiratory-related items of the CAT might be useful for identifying such individuals, with discriminative ability similar to CAT, which is an eight-item questionnaire used to assess chronic obstructive pulmonary disease impact, including nonrespiratory questions, with scores ranging from 0 to 40. Methods: We evaluated ever-smoker participants in the Subpopulations and Intermediate Outcomes in COPD Study without airflow obstruction (FEV1/FVC ≥0.70; FVC above the lower limit of normal). Using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve, we compared responses to both CAT and the respiratory symptom-related CAT items (cough, phlegm, chest tightness, and breathlessness) and their associations with longitudinal exacerbations. We tested agreement between the two strategies (k statistic), and we compared demographics, lung function, and symptoms among subjects identified as having high symptoms by each strategy. Results: Among 880 ever-smokers with normal lung function (mean age, 61 yr; 52% women) and using a CAT cutpoint greater than or equal to 10, we classified 51.8% of individuals as having high symptoms, 15.3% of whom experienced at least one exacerbation during 1-year follow-up. After testing sensitivity and specificity of different scores for the first four questions to predict any 1-year followup exacerbation, we selected cutpoints of 0-6 as representing a low burden of symptoms versus scores of 7 or higher as representing a high burden of symptoms for all subsequent comparisons. The four respiratory-related items with cutpoint greater than or equal to 7 selected 45.8% participants, 15.6% of whom experienced at least one exacerbation during follow-up. The two strategies largely identified the same individuals (agreement, 88.5%; κ = 0.77; P < 0.001), and the proportions of high-symptoms subjects who had severe dyspnea were similar between CAT and the first four CAT questions (25.9% and 26.8%, respectively), as were the proportions reporting impaired quality of life (66.9% and 70.5%, respectively) and short walking distance (22.4% and 23.1%, respectively). There was no difference in area under the receiver operating characteristic curve to predict 1-year follow-up exacerbations (CAT score ≥10, 0.66; vs. four respiratory items from CAT ≥7 score, 0.65; P = 0.69). Subjects identified by either method also had more depression/anxiety symptoms, poor sleep quality, and greater fatigue. Conclusions: Four CAT items on respiratory symptoms identified high-risk symptomatic ever-smokers with preserved spirometry as well as the CAT did. These data suggest that simpler strategies can be developed to identify these high-risk individuals in primary care

Solving math problems: Where and why does the solution process go astray?

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