Variations in D/H and D/O from New FUSE Observations

We use data obtained with the Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer (FUSE) to determine the interstellar abundances of DI, NI, OI, FeII, and H2 along the sigh tlines to WD1034+001, BD+393226, and TD132709. Our main focus is on determining the D/H, N/H, O/H, and D/O ratios along these sightlines, with log N(H) > 20.0, that probe gas well outside of the Local Bubble. Hubble Space Telescope (HST) and International Ultraviolet Explorer (IUE) archival data are used to determine the HI column densities along the WD1034+001 and TD132709 sightlines, respectively. For BD+393226, a previously published N(HI) is used. We find (D/H)x10^5 = 2.14 + 0.53 - 0.45, 1.17 + 0.31 - 0.25, and 1.86 + 0.53 - 0.43, and (D/O)x10^2 = 6.31 + 1.79 - 1.38, 5.62 + 1.61 - 1.31, and 7.59 + 2.17 - 1.76, for the WD1034+001, BD+393226, and TD132709 sightlines, respectively (all 1 si gma). The scatter in these three D/H ratios exemplifies the scatter that has been found by other authors for sightlines with column densities in the range 19.2 < log N(H) < 20.7. The D/H ratio toward WD1034+001 and all the D/O ratios derived here are inconsistent with the Local Bubble value and are some of the highest in the literature. We discuss the implications of our measurements for the determination of the present-epoch abundance of deuterium, and for the different scenarios that try to explain the D/H variations. We present a study of D/H as a function of the average sightline gas density, using the ratios derived in this work as well as ratios from the literature, which suggests that D/H decreases with increasing gas volume density. Similar behaviors by other elements such Fe and Si have been interpreted as the result of depletion into dust grains.Comment: Accepted for publication in the Ap

Effective area calibration of the reflection grating spectrometers of XMM-Newton. II. X-ray spectroscopy of DA white dwarfs

White dwarf spectra have been widely used as a calibration source for X-ray and EUV instruments. The in-flight effective area calibration of the reflection grating spectrometers (RGS) of XMM-Newton depend upon the availability of reliable calibration sources. We investigate how well these white dwarf spectra can be used as standard candles at the lowest X-ray energies in order to gauge the absolute effective area scale of X-ray instruments. We calculate a grid of model atmospheres for Sirius B and HZ 43A, and adjust the parameters using several constraints until the ratio of the spectra of both stars agrees with the ratio as observed by the low energy transmission grating spectrometer (LETGS) of Chandra. This ratio is independent of any errors in the effective area of the LETGS. We find that we can constrain the absolute X-ray spectrum of both stars with better than 5 % accuracy. The best-fit model for both stars is close to a pure hydrogen atmosphere, and we put tight limits to the amount of helium or the thickness of a hydrogen layer in both stars. Our upper limit to the helium abundance in Sirius B is 4 times below the previous detection based on EUVE data. We also find that our results are sensitive to the adopted cut-off in the Lyman pseudo-continuum opacity in Sirius B. We get best agreement with a long wavelength cut-off. White dwarf model atmospheres can be used to derive the effective area of X-ray spectrometers in the lowest energy band. An accuracy of 3-4 % in the absolute effective area can be achieved.Comment: 15 pages, 7 figures, accepted for publication in Astronomy & Astrophysics, main journa

High-harmonic generation from a subwavelength dielectric resonator

Higher-order optical harmonics entered the realm of nanostructured solids being observed recently in optical gratings and metasurfaces with a subwavelength thickness. Structuring materials at the subwavelength scale allows us toresonantly enhance the efficiency of nonlinear processes and reduce the size of high-harmonic sources. We report the observation of up to a seventh harmonic generated from a single subwavelength resonator made of AlGaAs material. This process is enabled by careful engineering of the resonator geometry for supporting an optical mode associated with a quasi-bound state in the continuum in the mid-infrared spectral range at around λ = 3.7 μm pump wavelength. The resonator volume measures ~0.1 λ3. The resonant modes are excited with an azimuthally polarized tightly focused beam. We evaluate the contributions of perturbative and nonperturbative nonlinearities to the harmonic generation process. Our work proves the possibility to miniaturize solid-state sources of high harmonics to the subwavelength volumes

A Time Purified Separated Antiproton Beam At The AGS

Physic

Health System Support for Childbirth care in Southern Tanzania: Results from a Health Facility Census.

Progress towards reaching Millennium Development Goals four (child health) and five (maternal health) is lagging behind, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, despite increasing efforts to scale up high impact interventions. Increasing the proportion of birth attended by a skilled attendant is a main indicator of progress, but not much is known about the quality of childbirth care delivered by these skilled attendants. With a view to reducing maternal mortality through health systems improvement we describe the care routinely offered in childbirth offered at dispensaries, health centres and hospitals in five districts in rural Southern Tanzania. We use data from a health facility census assessing 159 facilities in five districts in early 2009. A structural and operational assessment was undertaken based on staff reports using a modular questionnaire assessing staffing, work load, equipment and supplies as well as interventions routinely implemented during childbirth. Health centres and dispensaries attended a median of eight and four deliveries every month respectively. Dispensaries had a median of 2.5 (IQR 2--3) health workers including auxiliary staff instead of the recommended four clinical officer and certified nurses. Only 28% of first-line facilities (dispensaries and health centres) reported offering active management in the third stage of labour (AMTSL). Essential childbirth care comprising eight interventions including AMTSL, infection prevention, partograph use including foetal monitoring and newborn care including early breastfeeding, thermal care at birth and prevention of ophthalmia neonatorum was offered by 5% of dispensaries, 38% of health centres and 50% of hospitals consistently. No first-line facility had provided all signal functions for emergency obstetric complications in the previous six months. Essential interventions for childbirth care are not routinely implemented in first-line facilities or hospitals. Dispensaries have both low staffing and low caseload which constraints the ability to provide high-quality childbirth care. Improvements in quality of care are essential so that women delivering in facility receive "skilled attendance" and adequate care for common obstetric complications such as post-partum haemorrhage

Prevalence of parental supply of alcohol to minors: a systematic review

Parental supply of alcohol to minors (i.e. those under the legal drinking age) is often perceived by parents as protective against harms from drinking, despite evidence linking it with adverse alcohol-related outcomes. This systematic review describes the prevalence of parental supply of alcohol, as reported in the international literature. The review was registered with PROSPERO (CRD42020218754). We searched seven online databases (Medline, Embase, PsycINFO, CINAHL, Scopus, Web of Science and Public Health Database) and grey literature from January 2011 to December 2022 and assessed the risk of bias with the JBI Critical Appraisal Checklist. Among 58 articles included in narrative synthesis from 29 unique datasets, there was substantial variation in the definition and measurement of parental supply of alcohol. Overall prevalence rates ranged from 7.0 to 60.0% for minor-report samples, and from 24.0 to 8.0% for parent-report samples. Data indicate that parental supply prevalence is generally proportionately higher for older minors or later-stage students, for girls, and has increased over time among minors who report drinking. Literature on the prevalence of parental supply of alcohol is robust in quantity but inconsistent in quality and reported prevalence. Greater consistency in defining and measuring parental supply is needed to better inform health promotion initiatives aimed at increasing parents' awareness.Shannen van der Kruk, Nathan J. Harrison, Ashlea Bartram, Skye Newton, Caroline Miller, Robin Room, Ian Olver, and Jacqueline Bowde

Моделирование процесса колебаний штанги с независимой маятниковой навеской и системой стабилизации в вертикальной плоскости

Continuous improvement of field sprayer design aimed at performance increase by increasing the working width, requires a special approach to ensure reliability of the supporting rod structure and quality of technological process. The question of rod vibrations, which arise when the driving systems copy field rough surface and abrupt changes in speed of the unit, remains topical. At the design stage of supporting structures of the rods, special attention is paid to the substantiation of its geometrical parameters in the longitudinal and transverse sections; studies of changes in the characteristics of vertical and horizontal vibrations, taking into account the method of the rod hanging and the system used for its stabilization. This allows to ensure the reliability of the rod design and the required quality of the technological process. The article proposes construction of the rod independent pendulum suspension on the sprayer frame and its stabilization system based on the use of damping elements. The analytical studies sequence system was developed for rod vibrations analysis, depending on initial conditions, parameters and characteristics of the used damping elements, under which they are effectively damped. It is shown that at certain numerical values of the geometrical parameters of the rod, the suspension and vibrations damping methods, not only the numerical values of the functions are changed, but also the functions themselves that describe the process of the rod's vertical movement, including cases of resonance. The obtained theoretical results can be used for design and testing of machines with rod working units and allow, at design stages, to simulate the process of movement of various rod structures from external excitatory forces, and to determine patterns of changes in the characteristics of damped vibrations using different damping elements and their installation parameters.Постоянное совершенствование конструкций полевых опрыскивателей, направленное на повышение производительности путем увеличения рабочей ширины захвата, требует особого подхода к обеспечению надежности несущей конструкции штанги и качества выполнения технологического процесса. Актуальным остается вопрос колебаний штанги, возникающих при копировании ходовыми системами неровностей поля и резкими изменениями скорости движения агрегата. На стадии проектирования несущих конструкций штанг особое внимание уделяется обоснованию ее геометрических параметров в продольном и поперечном сечениях; исследованиям изменения характеристик колебаний в вертикальной и горизонтальной плоскостях с учетом способа подвешивания штанги и используемой системы ее стабилизации. Это позволяет обеспечить надежность конструкции штанги и требуемое качество выполнения технологического процесса. В статье предложена конструкция независимой маятниковой подвески штанги на раму опрыскивателя и система ее стабилизации, основанная на использовании демпферных элементов. Для нее разработана последовательность проведения аналитических исследований процесса колебаний штанги в зависимости от начальных условий, параметров и характеристик используемых демпфирующих элементов, при которых обеспечивается эффективное их гашение. Показано, что при определенных числовых значениях геометрических параметров штанги, способа навешивания и гашения ее колебаний происходит изменение не только числовых значений функций, но и самих функций, описывающих процесс движения штанги в вертикальной плоскости, включая случаи резонанса. Полученные теоретические результаты могут быть использованы при конструировании и испытаниях машин со штанговыми рабочими органами и позволяют на стадиях проектирования смоделировать процесс движения различных конструкций штанг от возникающих внешних возбуждающих сил и определить закономерности изменения характеристик затухающих колебаний при использовании различных демпфирующих элементов и параметрах их установки