560 research outputs found
Effect of hydrogen adsorption on the quasiparticle spectra of graphene
We use the non-interacting tight-binding model to study the effect of
isolated hydrogen adsorbates on the quasiparticle spectra of single-layer
graphene. Using the Green's function approach, we obtain analytic expressions
for the local density of states and the spectral function of hydrogen-doped
graphene, which are also numerically evaluated and plotted. Our results are
relevant for the interpretation of scanning tunneling microscopy and
angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy data of functionalized graphene.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures, minor corrections to tex
Quasi-freestanding and single-atom thick layer of hexagonal boron nitride as a substrate for graphene synthesis
We demonstrate that freeing a single-atom thick layer of hexagonal boron
nitride (hbn) from tight chemical bonding to a Ni(111) thin film grown on a
W(110) substrate can be achieved by intercalation of Au atoms into the
interface. This process has been systematically investigated using
angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy, X-ray photoemission and absorption
techniques. It has been demonstrated that the transition of the hbn layer from
the "rigid" into the "quasi-freestanding" state is accompanied by a change of
its lattice constant. Using chemical vapor deposition, graphene has been
successfully synthesized on the insulating, quasi-freestanding hbn monolayer.
We anticipate that the in situ synthesized weakly interacting graphene/hbn
double layered system could be further developed for technological applications
and may provide perspectives for further inquiry into the unusual electronic
properties of graphene.Comment: in print in Phys. Rev.
Helium-3 and Helium-4 acceleration by high power laser pulses for hadron therapy
The laser driven acceleration of ions is considered a promising candidate for
an ion source for hadron therapy of oncological diseases. Though proton and
carbon ion sources are conventionally used for therapy, other light ions can
also be utilized. Whereas carbon ions require 400 MeV per nucleon to reach the
same penetration depth as 250 MeV protons, helium ions require only 250 MeV per
nucleon, which is the lowest energy per nucleon among the light ions. This fact
along with the larger biological damage to cancer cells achieved by helium
ions, than that by protons, makes this species an interesting candidate for the
laser driven ion source. Two mechanisms (Magnetic Vortex Acceleration and
hole-boring Radiation Pressure Acceleration) of PW-class laser driven ion
acceleration from liquid and gaseous helium targets are studied with the goal
of producing 250 MeV per nucleon helium ion beams that meet the hadron therapy
requirements. We show that He3 ions, having almost the same penetration depth
as He4 with the same energy per nucleon, require less laser power to be
accelerated to the required energy for the hadron therapy.Comment: 8 pages, 3 figures, 1 tabl
Light-Trap: A SiPM Upgrade for Very High Energy Astronomy and Beyond
With the development of the Imaging Atmospheric Cherenkov Technique (IACT),
Gamma-ray astronomy has become one of the most interesting and productive
fields of astrophysics. Current IACT telescope arrays (MAGIC, H.E.S.S, VERITAS)
use photomultiplier tubes (PMTs) to detect the optical/near-UV Cherenkov
radiation emitted due to the interaction of gamma rays with the atmosphere. For
the next generation of IACT experiments, the possibility of replacing the PMTs
with Silicon photomultipliers (SiPMs) is being studied. Among the main
drawbacks of SiPMs are their limited active area (leading to an increase in the
cost and complexity of the camera readout) and their sensitivity to unwanted
wavelengths. Here we propose a novel method to build a relatively low-cost
pixel consisting of a SiPM attached to a PMMA disc doped with a wavelength
shifter. This pixel collects light over a much larger area than a single
standard SiPM and improves sensitivity to near-UV light while simultaneously
rejecting background. We describe the design of a detector that could also have
applications in other fields where detection area and cost are crucial. We
present results of simulations and laboratory measurements of a pixel prototype
and from field tests performed with a 7-pixel cluster installed in a MAGIC
telescope camera.Comment: Proceedings of the 35th International Cosmic Ray Conference (ICRC
2017), Bexco, Busan, Korea. Id:81
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Viral-Assisted Assembly and Photoelectric Response of Individual Au/CdSe Core–Shell Nanowires
Individual viral-templated Au/CdSe core–shell nanowires were synthesized and electrically characterized at room temperature. The Au nanowire cores were constructed using a genetically-modified filamentous M13 bacteriophage as a scaffold. Au nanoparticles were selectively bound to the viruses and used as seeds for electroless deposition, forming continuous Au nanowires. The nanocrystalline CdSe shell material which formed a coaxial heterojunction with the Au nanowire was created by electrodeposition. Electrical characterization of the Au nanowires revealed resistance variations associated with the viral-templated assembly process. The photoelectrical response of the core–shell nanowires was used to assess the interaction between the two component materials. A correlation was found between the dark current of the Au/CdSe core–shell nanowire and the magnitude of the collected photocurrent.Engineering and Applied Science
Surgical treatment versus medical treatment in hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy
Sixty-three patients operated upon for HOCM and 49 patients selected for non-surgical treatment have been followed-up for 15 years. Pre-operatively, surgical patients had a higher left ventricular outflow tract gradient at rest and, on the average, more severe symptoms than non-surgical patients. Septal myectomy relieved the pressure gradient and symptoms more consistently than long-term treatment with β-blockers or verapamil. Within an average observation time of 7½ years, there was late deterioration or death in almost half of the non-surgical patients but in less than one-quarter in the operated patients. The 10 year mortality rate was 80% in the surgical series and 71% in the non-surgical series. In operated patients, pre-operative symptomatic status was significantly related to early and late mortality. In medically treated patients, mortality was unrelated to symptoms; however, it was significantly lower in patients receiving long term treatment with β-blockers or verapamil. In conclusion, a high basal pressure gradient associated to limiting symptoms is a clear-cut indication for surgery. Other indications are more debatable. In medically treated patients, long-term administration of β-blockers or verapamil is beneficial even without symptoms as it appears to improve prognosi
Who will use pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and why?: Understanding PrEP awareness and acceptability amongst men who have sex with men in the UK – a mixed methods study
Background:
Recent clinical trials suggest that pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) may reduce HIV transmission by up to 86% for men who have sex with men (MSM), whilst relatively high levels of PrEP acceptability have been reported to date. This study examines PrEP awareness amongst sub-groups of MSM communities and acceptability amongst MSM in a low prevalence region (Scotland, UK), using a mixed methods design.
Methods:
Quantitative surveys of n = 690 MSM recruited online via social and sociosexual media were analysed using descriptive statistics and multivariate logistic regression. In addition, n = 10 in-depth qualitative interviews with MSM were analysed thematically.
Results:
Under one third (29.7%) of MSM had heard of PrEP, with awareness related to living in large cities, degree level education, commercial gay scene use and reporting an HIV test in the last year. Just under half of participants (47.8%) were likely to use PrEP if it were available but there was no relationship between PrEP acceptability and previous PrEP awareness. Younger men (18–25 years) and those who report higher risk UAI were significantly more likely to say they would use PrEP. Qualitative data described specific PrEP scenarios, illustrating how risk, patterns of sexual practice and social relationships could affect motivation for and nature of PrEP use.
Conclusion:
These findings suggest substantial interest PrEP amongst MSM reporting HIV risk behaviours in Scotland. Given the Proud results, there is a strong case to investigate PrEP implementation within the UK. However, it appears that disparities in awareness have already emerged along traditional indicators of inequality. Our research identifies the need for comprehensive support when PrEP is introduced, including a key online component, to ensure equity of awareness across diverse MSM communities (e.g. by geography, education, gay scene use and HIV proximity), as well as to responding to the diverse informational and sexual health needs of all MSM communities
The Dynamic Relationship Between Social Support and HIV-Related Stigma in Rural Uganda
Background—Cross-sectional studies show that human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) stigma is negatively correlated with social support.
Purpose—The purpose of this study is to examine the bidirectional relationship between social support and HIV stigma.
Methods—We collected quarterly data from a cohort of 422 people living with HIV in Uganda, followed for a median of 2.1 years. We used multilevel regression to model the contemporaneous and 3-month-lagged associations between social support and both enacted and internalized stigma.
Results—Lagged enacted stigma was negatively correlated with emotional and instrumental social support, and lagged instrumental social support was negatively correlated with enacted stigma. Internalized stigma and emotional social support had reciprocal lagged associations.
Conclusions—Interventions to reduce enacted stigma may strengthen social support for people living with HIV. Improved social support may in turn have a protective influence against future enacted and internalized stigma
Quasiparticle bandgap engineering of graphene and graphone on hexagonal boron nitride substrate
Graphene holds great promise for post-silicon electronics, however, it faces
two main challenges: opening up a bandgap and finding a suitable substrate
material. In principle, graphene on hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) substrate
provides potential system to overcome these challenges. Recent theoretical and
experimental studies have provided conflicting results: while theoretical
studies suggested a possibility of a finite bandgap of graphene on hBN, recent
experimental studies find no bandgap. Using the first-principles density
functional method and the many-body perturbation theory, we have studied
graphene on hBN substrate. A Bernal stacked graphene on hBN has a bandgap on
the order of 0.1 eV, which disappears when graphene is misaligned with respect
to hBN. The latter is the likely scenario in realistic devices. In contrast, if
graphene supported on hBN is hydrogenated, the resulting system (graphone)
exhibits bandgaps larger than 2.5 eV. While the bandgap opening in graphene/hBN
is due to symmetry breaking and is vulnerable to slight perturbation such as
misalignment, the graphone bandgap is due to chemical functionalization and is
robust in the presence of misalignment. The bandgap of graphone reduces by
about 1 eV when it is supported on hBN due to the polarization effects at the
graphone/hBN interface. The band offsets at graphone/hBN interface indicate
that hBN can be used not only as a substrate but also as a dielectric in the
field effect devices employing graphone as a channel material. Our study could
open up new way of bandgap engineering in graphene based nanostructures.Comment: 8 pages, 4 figures; Nano Letters, Publication Date (Web): Oct. 25
2011, http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/nl202725
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