111 research outputs found
Gyrokinetic studies of the effect of beta on drift-wave stability in NCSX
The gyrokinetic turbulence code GS2 was used to investigate the effects of
plasma beta on linear, collisionless ion temperature gradient (ITG) modes and
trapped electron modes (TEM) in National Compact Stellarator Experiment (NCSX)
geometry. Plasma beta affects stability in two ways: through the equilibrium
and through magnetic fluctuations. The first was studied here by comparing ITG
and TEM stability in two NCSX equilibria of differing beta values, revealing
that the high beta equilibrium was marginally more stable than the low beta
equilibrium in the adiabatic-electron ITG mode case. However, the high beta
case had a lower kinetic-electron ITG mode critical gradient. Electrostatic and
electromagnetic ITG and TEM mode growth rate dependencies on temperature
gradient and density gradient were qualitatively similar. The second beta
effect is demonstrated via electromagnetic ITG growth rates' dependency on
GS2's beta input parameter. A linear benchmark with gyrokinetic codes GENE and
GKV-X is also presented.Comment: Submitted to Physics of Plasmas. 9 pages, 27 figure
Simulating Gyrokinetic Microinstabilities in Stellarator Geometry with GS2
The nonlinear gyrokinetic code GS2 has been extended to treat
non-axisymmetric stellarator geometry. Electromagnetic perturbations and
multiple trapped particle regions are allowed. Here, linear, collisionless,
electrostatic simulations of the quasi-axisymmetric, three-field period
National Compact Stellarator Experiment (NCSX) design QAS3-C82 have been
successfully benchmarked against the eigenvalue code FULL. Quantitatively, the
linear stability calculations of GS2 and FULL agree to within ~10%.Comment: Submitted to Physics of Plasmas. 9 pages, 14 figure
Interchain tube pressure effect in extensional flows of oligomer diluted nearly monodisperse polystyrene melts
Estudo epidemiológico dos sintomas do transtorno do déficit de atenção/hiperatividade e transtornos de comportamento em escolares da rede pública de Florianópolis usando a EDAH
Time of flight photoelectron momentum microscopy with 80 500 MHz photon sources electron optical pulse picker or bandpass pre filter
The small time gaps of synchrotron radiation in conventional multi bunch mode 100 500 MHz or laser based sources with high pulse rate 80 MHz are prohibitive for time of flight ToF based photoelectron spectroscopy. Detectors with time resolution in the 100 ps range yield only 20 100 resolved time slices within the small time gap. Here we present two techniques of implementing efficient ToF recording at sources with high repetition rate. A fast electron optical beam blanking unit with GHz bandwidth, integrated in a photoelectron momentum microscope, allows electron optical pulse picking with any desired repetition period. Aberration free momentum distributions have been recorded at reduced pulse periods of 5 MHz at MAX II and 1.25 MHz at BESSY II . The approach is compared with two alternative solutions a bandpass pre filter here a hemispherical analyzer or a parasitic four bunch island orbit pulse train, coexisting with the multi bunch pattern on the main orbit. Chopping in the time domain or bandpass pre selection in the energy domain can both enable efficient ToF spectroscopy and photoelectron momentum microscopy at 100 500 MHz synchrotrons, highly repetitive lasers or cavity enhanced high harmonic sources. The high photon flux of a UV laser 80 MHz, lt;1 meV bandwidth facilitates momentum microscopy with an energy resolution of 4.2 meV and an analyzed region of interest ROI down to lt;800 nm. In this novel approach to sub m ARPES the ROI is defined by a small field aperture in an intermediate Gaussian image, regardless of the size of the photon spo
Interobserver reliability of classification and characterization of proximal humeral fractures: a comparison of two and three-dimensional CT
Interobserver reliability for the classification of proximal humeral fractures is limited. The aim of this study was to test the null hypothesis that interobserver reliability of the AO classification of proximal humeral fractures, the preferred treatment, and fracture characteristics is the same for two-dimensional (2-D) and three-dimensional (3-D) computed tomography (CT). Members of the Science of Variation Group--fully trained practicing orthopaedic and trauma surgeons from around the world--were randomized to evaluate radiographs and either 2-D CT or 3-D CT images of fifteen proximal humeral fractures via a web-based survey and respond to the following four questions: (1) Is the greater tuberosity displaced? (2) Is the humeral head split? (3) Is the arterial supply compromised? (4) Is the glenohumeral joint dislocated? They also classified the fracture according to the AO system and indicated their preferred treatment of the fracture (operative or nonoperative). Agreement among observers was assessed with use of the multirater kappa (κ) measure. Interobserver reliability of the AO classification, fracture characteristics, and preferred treatment generally ranged from "slight" to "fair." A few small but statistically significant differences were found. Observers randomized to the 2-D CT group had slightly but significantly better agreement on displacement of the greater tuberosity (κ = 0.35 compared with 0.30, p < 0.001) and on the AO classification (κ = 0.18 compared with 0.17, p = 0.018). A subgroup analysis of the AO classification results revealed that shoulder and elbow surgeons, orthopaedic trauma surgeons, and surgeons in the United States had slightly greater reliability on 2-D CT, whereas surgeons in practice for ten years or less and surgeons from other subspecialties had slightly greater reliability on 3-D CT. Proximal humeral fracture classifications may be helpful conceptually, but they have poor interobserver reliability even when 3-D rather than 2-D CT is utilized. This may contribute to the similarly poor interobserver reliability that was observed for selection of the treatment for proximal humeral fractures. The lack of a reliable classification confounds efforts to compare the outcomes of treatment methods among different clinical trials and reports
Chiropractic care for paediatric and adolescent Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: A systematic review
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Psychostimulants are first line of therapy for paediatric and adolescent AD/HD. The evidence suggests that up to 30% of those prescribed stimulant medications do not show clinically significant outcomes. In addition, many children and adolescents experience side-effects from these medications. As a result, parents are seeking alternate interventions for their children. Complementary and alternative medicine therapies for behavioural disorders such as AD/HD are increasing with as many as 68% of parents having sought help from alternative practitioners, including chiropractors.</p> <p>Objective</p> <p>The review seeks to answer the question of whether chiropractic care can reduce symptoms of inattention, impulsivity and hyperactivity for paediatric and adolescent AD/HD.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Electronic databases (Cochrane CENTRAL register of Controlled Trials, Cochrane Database of Systematic reviews, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, CINAHL, Scopus, ISI Web of Science, Index to Chiropractic Literature) were searched from inception until July 2009 for English language studies for chiropractic care and AD/HD. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were applied to select studies. All randomised controlled trials were evaluated using the Jadad score and a checklist developed from the CONSORT (Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials) guidelines.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The search yielded 58 citations of which 22 were intervention studies. Of these, only three studies were identified for paediatric and adolescent AD/HD cohorts. The methodological quality was poor and none of the studies qualified using inclusion criteria.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>To date there is insufficient evidence to evaluate the efficacy of chiropractic care for paediatric and adolescent AD/HD. The claim that chiropractic care improves paediatric and adolescent AD/HD, is only supported by low levels of scientific evidence. In the interest of paediatric and adolescent health, if chiropractic care for AD/HD is to continue, more rigorous scientific research needs to be undertaken to examine the efficacy and effectiveness of chiropractic treatment. Adequately-sized RCTs using clinically relevant outcomes and standardised measures to examine the effectiveness of chiropractic care verses no-treatment/placebo control or standard care (pharmacological and psychosocial care) are needed to determine whether chiropractic care is an effective alternative intervention for paediatric and adolescent AD/HD.</p
Choline transporter gene variation is associated with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder
The neurotransmitter acetylcholine (ACh) plays a critical role in brain circuits mediating motor control, attention, learning and memory. Cholinergic dysfunction is associated with multiple brain disorders including Alzheimerβs Disease, addiction, schizophrenia and Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). The presynaptic choline transporter (CHT, SLC5A7) is the major, rate-limiting determinant of ACh production in the brain and periphery and is consequently upregulated during tasks that require sustained attention. Given the contribution of central cholinergic circuits to the control of movement and attention, we hypothesized that functional CHT gene variants might impact risk for ADHD. We performed a case-control study, followed by family-based association tests on a separate cohort, of two purportedly functional CHT polymorphisms (coding variant Ile89Val (rs1013940) and a genomic SNP 3β of the CHT gene (rs333229), affording both a replication sample and opportunities to reduce potential population stratification biases. Initial genotyping of pediatric ADHD subjects for two purportedly functional CHT alleles revealed a 2β3 fold elevation of the Val89 allele (nβ=β100; Pβ=β0.02) relative to healthy controls, as well as a significant decrease of the 3βSNP minor allele in Caucasian male subjects (nβ=β60; Pβ=β0.004). In family based association tests, we found significant overtransmission of the Val89 variant to children with a Combined subtype diagnosis (ORβ=β3.16; Pβ=β0.01), with an increased Odds Ratio for a haplotype comprising both minor alleles. These studies show evidence of cholinergic deficits in ADHD, particularly for subjects with the Combined subtype, and, if replicated, may encourage further consideration of cholinergic agonist therapy in the disorder
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