Surrogate modeling of the CLIC final-focus system using artificial neural networks

Artificial neural networks can be used for creating surrogate models that can replace computationally expensive simulations. In this paper, a surrogate model was created for a subset of the Compact Linear Collider (CLIC) final-focus system. By training on simulation data, we created a model that maps sextupole offsets to luminosity and beam sizes, thus replacing computationally intensive tracking and beam-beam simulations. This model was then used for optimizing the parameters of a random walk procedure for sextupole alignment

Host transcriptome and microbiome interaction modulates physiology of full-sibs broilers with divergent feed conversion ratio

Efficient livestock production relies on effective conversion of feed into body weight gain (BWG). High levels of feed conversion are especially important in production of broiler chickens, birds reared for meat, where economic margins are tight. Traits associated with improved broiler growth and feed efficiency have been subjected to intense genetic selection, but measures such as feed conversion ratio (FCR) remain variable, even between full siblings (sibs). Non-genetic factors such as the composition and function of microbial populations within different enteric compartments have been recognized to influence FCR, although the extent of interplay between hosts and their microbiomes is unclear. To examine host–microbiome interactions we investigated variation in the composition and functions of host intestinal-hepatic transcriptomes and the intestinal microbiota of full-sib broilers with divergent FCR. Progeny from 300 broiler families were assessed for divergent FCR set against shared genetic backgrounds and exposure to the same environmental factors. The seven most divergent full-sib pairs were chosen for analysis, exhibiting marked variation in transcription of genes as well as gut microbial diversity. Examination of enteric microbiota in low FCR sibs revealed variation in microbial community structure and function with no difference in feed intake compared to high FCR sibs. Gene transcription in low and high FCR sibs was significantly associated with the abundance of specific microbial taxa. Highly intertwined interactions between host transcriptomes and enteric microbiota are likely to modulate complex traits like FCR and may be amenable to selective modification with relevance to improving intestinal homeostasis and health

PHENOLIC, FLAVONOID AND TANNIN CONTENT DETERMINATIONS AND IN-VITRO ANTI-OXIDANT ACTIVITY OF ROOT EXTRACTS OF SACCHARUM MUNJA ROXB.

Free radicals are reactive molecules involved in many physiological processes and have been associated with many diseases, such as ageing, cancer, arthritis, liver injury and cardiac complications. The fact between anti-oxidant potential and amount of polyphenolics compounds of Saccharum munja is very crucial co-relation because of its ehnomedicnal uses and experimental values. The total phenolics content were found to be 10.15±2.45 mg gallic acid equivalent (GAE)/g total flavonoids contents and total tannin contents were 11.34±1.20 mg RE/g and 14.54±0.52 mg GAE/g respectively of Saccharum munja. The ability of Saccharum munja root extract was found to inhibit reactive oxygen species (ROS) free radicals. In the present study, the relative antioxidant ability of Saccharum munja was investigated through two in-vitro models, such as antioxidant capacity by radical scavenging activity using, α, α-diphenyl-β-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and nitric oxide (NO) methods. The extracts were used at concentration 20, 40, 60, 80 and 100 µg/ml concentrations and radical scavenging activity was determined in terms of inhibition percentage. The IC50 (concentration required for 50% inhibition) were calculated for each radicals. The In-vitro free radical DPPH activities was found to 73.45 ± 0.25 and NO antioxidant activity were found to be 57.20 ± 1.15 at maximum concentration of 100µg/ml. This study proven the significant role of hydro-alcoholic extract of Saccharum munja Roxb. as a potential source of natural antioxidants. Keywords: polyphenolic, anti-oxidant, free radical etc

Integrating agriculture and health research for development: LCIRAH as an interdisciplinary programme to address a global challenge

The multiple burdens of persistent undernutrition and micronutrient deficiencies, along with the rapidly growing rates of overweight, obesity, and associated chronic diseases, are major challenges globally. The role of agriculture and the food system in meeting these challenges is very poorly understood. Achieving food security and addressing malnutrition in all its forms, a Sustainable Development Goal, requires an understanding of how changing food systems affect health outcomes and the development of new tools to design and evaluate interventions. An interinstitutional programme to address this interdisciplinary research challenge is described. Over the past seven years, the Leverhulme Centre for Integrative Research on Agriculture and Health has built a portfolio of successful and innovative research, trained a new cadre of interdisciplinary researchers in “Agri‐Health,” and built an international research community with a particular focus on strengthening research capacity in low‐ and middle‐income countries. The evolution of this programme is described, and key factors contributing to its success are discussed that may be of general value in designing interdisciplinary research programmes directed at supporting global development goals

A fast CCD detector for charge exchange recombination spectroscopy on the DIII-D tokamak

Charge Exchange Recombination (CER) spectroscopy has become a standard diagnostic for tokamaks. CER measurements have been used to determine spatially and temporally resolved ion temperature, toroidal and poloidal ion rotation speed, impurity density and radial electric field. Knowledge of the spatial profile and temporal evolution of the electric field shear in the plasma edge is crucial to understanding the physics of the L to H transition. High speed CER measurements are also valuable for Edge Localized Mode (ELM) studies. Since the 0.52 ms minimum time resolution of our present system is barely adequate to study the time evolution of these phenomena, we have developed a new CCD detector system with about a factor of two better time resolution. In addition, our existing system detects sufficient photons to utilize the shortest time resolution only under exceptional conditions. The new CCD detector has a quantum efficiency of about 0.65, which is a factor of 7 better than our previous image intensifier-silicon photodiode detector systems. We have also equipped the new system with spectrometers of lower f/number. This combination should allow more routine operation at the minimum integration time, as well as improving data quality for measurements in the divertor-relevant region outside of the separatrix. Construction details, benchmark data and initial tokamak measurements for the new system will be presented

Provisional Assessment of Candidate High-Temperature Thermal Conductivity Reference Materials in the EMRP “Thermo” Project

This article describes the provisional assessment of a short list of four candidate high-temperature thermal conductivity reference materials in a European research project, “Thermo.” These four candidate materials are low-density calcium silicate, amorphous silica, high-density calcium silicate, and exfoliated vermiculite. Based on initial tests on material composition and microstructure changes, dimensional stability, mechanical stability, chemical stability and uniformity, the best two candidate materials that would be considered for further detailed characterization in the next stage are low-density calcium silicate and high-density calcium silicate. These two materials are dimensionally, mechanically, and chemically stable, which are more robust and easier to handle than others. However, the specimens need to be selected to meet the requirement for material uniformity in terms of density, i.e., density variation within 2%

Zonal flows and long-distance correlations during the formation of the edge shear layer in the TJ-II stellarator

A theoretical interpretation is given for the observed long-distance correlations in potential fluctuations in TJ-II. The value of the correlation increases above the critical point of the transition for the emergence of the plasma edge shear flow layer. Mean (i.e. surface averaged, zero-frequency) sheared flows cannot account for the experimental results. A model consisting of four envelope equations for the fluctuation level, the mean flow shear, the zonal flow amplitude shear, and the averaged pressure gradient is proposed. It is shown that the presence of zonal flows is essential to reproduce the main features of the experimental observations.Comment: 19 pages, 7 figure

Yeast homologs of human MCUR1 regulate mitochondrial proline metabolism

Mitochondria house evolutionarily conserved pathways of carbon and nitrogen metabolism that drive cellular energy production. Mitochondrial bioenergetics is regulated by calcium uptake through the mitochondrial calcium uniporter (MCU), a multi-protein complex whose assembly in the inner mitochondrial membrane is facilitated by the scaffold factor MCUR1. Intriguingly, many fungi that lack MCU contain MCUR1 homologs, suggesting alternate functions. Herein, we characterize Saccharomyces cerevisiae homologs Put6 and Put7 of MCUR1 as regulators of mitochondrial proline metabolism. Put6 and Put7 are tethered to the inner mitochondrial membrane in a large hetero-oligomeric complex, whose abundance is regulated by proline. Loss of this complex perturbs mitochondrial proline homeostasis and cellular redox balance. Yeast cells lacking either Put6 or Put7 exhibit a pronounced defect in proline utilization, which can be corrected by the heterologous expression of human MCUR1. Our work uncovers an unexpected role of MCUR1 homologs in mitochondrial proline metabolism. Although some fungal mitochondria lack the calcium uniporter, many intriguingly encode homologs of the uniporter assembly factor MCUR1. Here, the authors show that in budding yeast, the MCUR1 homologs Put6 and Put7 regulate mitochondrial proline metabolism, a function also conserved in human MCUR1

Two-dimensional turbulence in magnetised plasmas

In an inhomogeneous magnetised plasma the transport of energy and particles perpendicular to the magnetic field is in general mainly caused by quasi two-dimensional turbulent fluid mixing. The physics of turbulence and structure formation is of ubiquitous importance to every magnetically confined laboratory plasma for experimental or industrial application. Specifically, high temperature plasmas for fusion energy research are also dominated by the properties of this turbulent transport. Self-organisation of turbulent vortices to mesoscopic structures like zonal flows is related to the formation of transport barriers that can significantly enhance the confinement of a fusion plasma. This subject of great importance in research is rarely touched on in introductory plasma physics or continuum dynamics courses. Here a brief tutorial on 2D fluid and plasma turbulence is presented as an introduction to the field, appropriate for inclusion in undergraduate and graduate courses.Comment: This is an author-created, un-copyedited version of an article published in European Journal of Physics. IOP Publishing Ltd is not responsible for any errors or omissions in this version of the manuscript or any version derived from it. The definitive publisher authenticated version is available online at doi: 10.1088/0143-0807/29/5/00