An EPROM-based function generator

A circuit is described to produce arbitrary time-dependent voltage functions derived from digital information stored in EPROMs. While this circuit is designed to be used as a modulator of the microwave pump source or a solid state low noise maser, it can be readily adapted for other applications

Goldstone Theorem in the Gaussian Functional Approximation to the Scalar ϕ4\phi^{4} Theory

We verify the Goldstone theorem in the Gaussian functional approximation to the $\phi^{4}$ theory with internal O(2) symmetry. We do so by reformulating the Gaussian approximation in terms of Schwinger-Dyson equations from which an explicit demonstration of the Goldstone theorem follows directly.Comment: 11 page

A wide bandwidth free-electron laser with mode locking using current modulation

A new scheme for mode locking a free-electron laser (FEL) amplifier is proposed based on electron beam current modulation. It is found that certain properties of the original concept (Thompson and McNeil 2008 Phys. Rev. Lett. 100 203901), based on the energy modulation of electrons, are improved, including the spectral brightness of the source and the purity of the series of short pulses. Numerical comparisons are made between the new and old schemes and between a mode-locked FEL and a self-amplified spontaneous emission FEL. Illustrative examples using a hypothetical mode-locked FEL amplifier are provided. The ability to generate intense coherent radiation with a large bandwidth is demonstrated

Objective measurement of habitual sedentary behavior in pre-school children: comparison of activPAL with actigraph monitors

The Actigraph is well established for measurement of both physical activity and sedentary behavior in children. The activPAL is being used increasingly in children, though with no published evidence on its use in free-living children to date. The present study compared the two monitors in preschool children. Children (n 23) wore both monitors simultaneously during waking hours for 5.6d and 10h/d. Daily mean percentage of time sedentary (nontranslocation of the trunk) was 74.6 (SD 6.8) for the Actigraph and 78.9 (SD 4.3) for activPAL. Daily mean percentage of time physically active (light intensity physical activity plus MVPA) was 25.4 (SD 6.8) for the Actigraph and 21.1 (SD 4.3) for the activPAL. Bland-Altman tests and paired t tests suggested small but statistically significant differences between the two monitors. Actigraph and activPAL estimates of sedentary behaviour and physical activity in young children are similar at a group level

Zero Temperature Thermodynamics of Asymmetric Fermi Gases at Unitarity

The equation of state of a dilute two-component asymmetric Fermi gas at unitarity is subject to strong constraints, which affect the spatial density profiles in atomic traps. These constraints require the existence of at least one non-trivial partially polarized (asymmetric) phase. We determine the relation between the structure of the spatial density profiles and the T=0 equation of state, based on the most accurate theoretical predictions available. We also show how the equation of state can be determined from experimental observations.Comment: 10 pages and 7 figures. (Minor changes to correspond with published version.

Transform-limited X-ray pulse generation from a high-brightness self-amplified spontaneous-emission free-electron laser

A method to achieve high-brightness self-amplified spontaneous emission (HB-SASE) in the free-electron laser (FEL) is described. The method uses repeated nonequal electron beam delays to delocalize the collective FEL interaction and break the radiation coherence length dependence on the FEL cooperation length. The method requires no external seeding or photon optics and so is applicable at any wavelength or repetition rate. It is demonstrated, using linear theory and numerical simulations, that the radiation coherence length can be increased by approximately 2 orders of magnitude over SASE with a corresponding increase in spectral brightness. Examples are shown of HB-SASE generating transform-limited FEL pulses in the soft x-ray and near transform-limited pulses in the hard x-ray. Such pulses may greatly benefit existing applications and may also open up new areas of scientific research

Systematic review of trends in emergency department attendances : an Australian perspective

Emergency departments (EDs) in many developed countries are experiencing increasing pressure due to rising numbers of patient presentations and emergency admissions. Reported increases range up to 7% annually. Together with limited inpatient bed capacity, this contributes to prolonged lengths of stay in the ED; disrupting timely access to urgent care, posing a threat to patient safety. The aim of this review is to summarise the findings of studies that have investigated the extent of and the reasons for increasing emergency presentations. To do this, a systematic review and synthesis of published and unpublished reports describing trends and underlying drivers associated with the increase in ED presentations in developed countries was conducted. Most published studies provided evidence of increasing ED attendances within developed countries. A series of inter-related factors have been proposed to explain the increase in emergency demand. These include changes in demography and in the organisation and delivery of healthcare services, as well as improved health awareness and community expectations arising from health promotion campaigns. The factors associated with increasing ED presentations are complex and inter-related and include rising community expectations regarding access to emergency care in acute hospitals. A systematic investigation of the demographic, socioeconomic and health-related factors highlighted by this review is recommended. This would facilitate untangling the dynamics of the increase in emergency demand

Theoretical Sensitivity Analysis for Quantitative Operational Risk Management

We study the asymptotic behavior of the difference between the values at risk VaR(L) and VaR(L+S) for heavy tailed random variables L and S for application in sensitivity analysis of quantitative operational risk management within the framework of the advanced measurement approach of Basel II (and III). Here L describes the loss amount of the present risk profile and S describes the loss amount caused by an additional loss factor. We obtain different types of results according to the relative magnitudes of the thicknesses of the tails of L and S. In particular, if the tail of S is sufficiently thinner than the tail of L, then the difference between prior and posterior risk amounts VaR(L+S) - VaR(L) is asymptotically equivalent to the expectation (expected loss) of S.Comment: 21 pages, 1 figure, 4 tables, forthcoming in International Journal of Theoretical and Applied Finance (IJTAF

The Roles of PPARs in the Fetal Origins of Metabolic Health and Disease

Beyond the short-term effects on fertility, there is increasing evidence that obesity or the consumption of an inappropriate diet by the mother during pregnancy adversely affects the long-term health of her offspring. PPAR and RXR isotypes are widely expressed in reproductive tissues and in the developing fetus. Through their interactions with fatty acids, they may mediate adaptive responses to the changes in the maternal diet. In the maturing follicle, PPAR-γ has an important role in the granulosa cells that surround the maturing oocyte. After fertilisation, PPAR-γ and PPAR-β/δ are essential regulators of placentation and the subsequent development of key metabolic tissues such as skeletal muscle and adipose cells. Activation of PPAR-γ and PPAR-β/δ during fetal development has the potential to modify the growth and development of these tissues. PPAR-α is expressed at low levels in the fetal liver, however, this expression may be important, as changes in the methylation of DNA in its promoter region are reported to take place during this period of development. This epigenetic modification then programmes subsequent expression. These findings suggest that two separate PPAR-dependent mechanisms may be involved in the fetal adaptations to the maternal diet, one, mediated by PPAR-γ and PPAR-β/δ, regulating cell growth and differentiation; and another adapting long-term lipid metabolism via epigenetic changes in PPAR-α to optimise postnatal survival