A reduced model for shock and detonation waves. II. The reactive case

We present a mesoscopic model for reactive shock waves, which extends a previous model proposed in [G. Stoltz, Europhys. Lett. 76 (2006), 849]. A complex molecule (or a group of molecules) is replaced by a single mesoparticle, evolving according to some Dissipative Particle Dynamics. Chemical reactions can be handled in a mean way by considering an additional variable per particle describing a rate of reaction. The evolution of this rate is governed by the kinetics of a reversible exothermic reaction. Numerical results give profiles in qualitative agreement with all-atom studies

The social affordances of flashpacking: exploring the mobility nexus of travel and communication

The proliferation of digital devices and online social media and networking technologies has altered the backpacking landscape in recent years. Thanks to the ready availability of online communication, travelers are now able to stay in continuous touch with friends, family and other travelers while on the move. This article introduces the practice of ‘flashpacking’ to describe this emerging trend and interrogates the patterns of connection and disconnection that become possible as corporeal travel and social technologies converge. Drawing on the concepts of ‘assemblages’ and ‘affordances’, we outline several aspects of this new sociality: virtual mooring, following, collaborating, and (dis)connecting. The conclusion situates this discussion alongside broader questions about the shifting nature of social life in an increasingly mobile and mediated world and suggests directions for future research at the intersection of tourism and technology

Polarimetric radar characteristics of lightning initiation and propagating channels

In this paper we present an analysis of a large dataset of lightning and polarimetric weather radar data collected in the course of a lightning measurement campaign that took place in the summer of 2017 in the area surrounding Säntis, in the northeastern part of Switzerland. For this campaign and for the first time in the Alps, a lightning mapping array (LMA) was deployed. The main objective of the campaign was to study the atmospheric conditions leading to lightning production with a particular focus on the lightning discharges generated due to the presence of the 124¿m tall Säntis telecommunications tower. In this paper we relate LMA very high frequency (VHF) sources data with co-located radar data in order to characterise the main features (location, timing, polarimetric signatures, etc.) of both the flash origin and its propagation path. We provide this type of analysis first for all of the data and then we separate the datasets into intra-cloud and cloud-to-ground flashes (and within this category positive and negative flashes) and also upward lightning. We show that polarimetric weather radar data can be helpful in determining regions where lightning is more likely to occur but that lightning climatology and/or knowledge of the orography and man-made structures is also relevant.Peer ReviewedPostprint (author's final draft

Vertical-external-cavity surface-emitting lasers and quantum dot lasers

The use of cavity to manipulate photon emission of quantum dots (QDs) has been opening unprecedented opportunities for realizing quantum functional nanophotonic devices and also quantum information devices. In particular, in the field of semiconductor lasers, QDs were introduced as a superior alternative to quantum wells to suppress the temperature dependence of the threshold current in vertical-external-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VECSELs). In this work, a review of properties and development of semiconductor VECSEL devices and QD laser devices is given. Based on the features of VECSEL devices, the main emphasis is put on the recent development of technological approach on semiconductor QD VECSELs. Then, from the viewpoint of both single QD nanolaser and cavity quantum electrodynamics (QED), a single-QD-cavity system resulting from the strong coupling of QD cavity is presented. A difference of this review from the other existing works on semiconductor VECSEL devices is that we will cover both the fundamental aspects and technological approaches of QD VECSEL devices. And lastly, the presented review here has provided a deep insight into useful guideline for the development of QD VECSEL technology and future quantum functional nanophotonic devices and monolithic photonic integrated circuits (MPhICs).Comment: 21 pages, 4 figures. arXiv admin note: text overlap with arXiv:0904.369

Role of C-reactive protein in the bone marrow of Modic type 1 changes

Modic type 1 changes (MC1) are vertebral bone marrow lesions and associate with low back pain. Increased serum C-reactive protein (CRP) has inconsistently been associated with MC1. We aimed to provide evidence for a role of CRP in the tissue pathophysiology of MC1 bone marrow. From thirteen MC1 patients undergoing spinal fusion at MC1 levels, vertebral bone marrow aspirates from MC1 and intra-patient control bone marrow were taken. Bone marrow CRP, IL-1, and IL-6 were measured with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays; lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) was measured with a colorimetric assay. CRP, IL-1, and IL-6 were compared between MC1 and control bone marrow. Bone marrow CRP was correlated with blood CRP and with bone marrow IL-1, IL-6, and LDH. CRP expression by marrow cells was measured with PCR. Increased CRP in MC1 bone marrow (mean difference: +0.22 mg CRP/g protein, 95% CI [-0.04, 0.47], p=0.088) correlated with blood CRP (r=0.69, p=0.018), with bone marrow IL-1β (ρ=0.52, p=0.029) and IL-6 (ρ=0.51, p=0.031). Marrow cells did not express CRP. Increased LDH in MC1 bone marrow (143.1%, 95% CI [110.7%, 175.4%], p=0.014) indicated necrosis. A blood CRP threshold of 3.2 mg/L detected with 100% accuracy increased CRP in MC1 bone marrow. In conclusion, the association of CRP with inflammatory and necrotic changes in MC1 bone marrow provides evidence for a pathophysiological role of CRP in MC1 bone marrow. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved

EasyCloneMulti: A Set of Vectors for Simultaneous and Multiple Genomic Integrations in <i>Saccharomyces cerevisiae</i>

Saccharomyces cerevisiae is widely used in the biotechnology industry for production of ethanol, recombinant proteins, food ingredients and other chemicals. In order to generate highly producing and stable strains, genome integration of genes encoding metabolic pathway enzymes is the preferred option. However, integration of pathway genes in single or few copies, especially those encoding rate-controlling steps, is often not sufficient to sustain high metabolic fluxes. By exploiting the sequence diversity in the long terminal repeats (LTR) of Ty retrotransposons, we developed a new set of integrative vectors, EasyCloneMulti, that enables multiple and simultaneous integration of genes in S. cerevisiae. By creating vector backbones that combine consensus sequences that aim at targeting subsets of Ty sequences and a quickly degrading selective marker, integrations at multiple genomic loci and a range of expression levels were obtained, as assessed with the green fluorescent protein (GFP) reporter system. The EasyCloneMulti vector set was applied to balance the expression of the rate-controlling step in the β-alanine pathway for biosynthesis of 3-hydroxypropionic acid (3HP). The best 3HP producing clone, with 5.45 g.L(-1) of 3HP, produced 11 times more 3HP than the lowest producing clone, which demonstrates the capability of EasyCloneMulti vectors to impact metabolic pathway enzyme activity

Search for the rare decay KS0→μ+μ−K_S^0 \to \mu^+ \mu^-

A search for the decay $K_S^0 \to \mu^+ \mu^-$ is performed, based on a data sample of 1.0 fb$^{−1}$ of $pp$ collisions at $\sqrt(s)=7TeV$ collected by the LHCb experiment at the Large Hadron Collider. The observed number of candidates is consistent with the background-only hypothesis, yielding an upper limit of $B(K_S^0 \to \mu^+ \mu^-) < 11(9) × 10^{−9}$ at 95 (90)% confidence level. This limit is a factor of thirty below the previous measurement

Is overdiagnosis of prostate cancer leveling off? Recent changes in incidence and surgery rates in Switzerland

Many western countries, including Switzerland. Various organizations have recently recommended against routine screening, notably due to the high risk of overdiagnosis or overtreatment. Our aim was to examine whether recent changes in secular trends in the incidence and mortality of prostate cancer, as well as prostatectomy rates have been observed in Switzerland