8 research outputs found
Suppression and enhancement of the critical current in multiterminal S/N/S mesoscopic structures
We analyse the measured critical current in a mesoscopic
4-terminal S/N/S structure. The current through the S/N interface is shown to
consist not only of the Josephson component but also a
phase-coherent part of the subgap current. The current
is determined by the both components and and depends
in a nonmonotonic way on the voltage between superconductors and normal
reservoirs reaching a maximum at . The obtained theoretical
resultas are in qualitative agreement with recent experimental data.Comment: 4 page, 3 figures. To be puplished in PRB Rapid co
Exploring Cosmic Origins with CORE: Cluster Science
We examine the cosmological constraints that can be achieved with a galaxy cluster survey with the future CORE space mission. Using realistic simulations of the millimeter sky, produced with the latest version of the Planck Sky Model, we characterize the CORE cluster catalogues as a function of the main mission performance parameters. We pay particular attention to telescope size, key to improved angular resolution, and discuss the comparison and the complementarity of CORE with ambitious future ground-based CMB experiments that could be deployed in the next decade. A possible CORE mission concept with a 150 cm diameter primary mirror can detect of the order of 50,000 clusters through the thermal Sunyaev-Zeldovich effect (SZE). The total yield increases (decreases) by 25% when increasing (decreasing) the mirror diameter by 30 cm. The 150 cm telescope configuration will detect the most massive clusters (> 1014 M) at redshift z > 1.5 over the whole sky, although the exact number above this redshift is tied to the uncertain evolution of the cluster SZE flux-mass relation; assuming self-similar evolution, CORE will detect ⌠500 clusters at redshift z > 1.5. This changes to 800 (200) when increasing (decreasing) the mirror size by 30 cm. CORE will be able to measure individual cluster halo masses through lensing of the cosmic microwave background anisotropies with a 1-Ï sensitivity of 4 Ă 1014M, for a 120 cm aperture telescope, and 1014M for a 180 cm one. From the ground, we estimate that, for example, a survey with about 150,000 detectors at the focus of 350 cm telescopes observing 65% of the sky from Atacama would be shallower than CORE and detect about 11,000 clusters, while a survey from the South Pole with the same number of detectors observing 25% of sky with a 10 m telescope is expected to be deeper and to detect about 70,000 clusters. When combined with such a South Pole survey, CORE would reach a limiting mass of M500 ⌠2 â 3 Ă 1013Mand detect 220,000 clusters (5 sigma detection limit). Cosmological constraints from CORE cluster counts alone are competitive with other scheduled large scale structure surveys in the 2020âs for measuring the dark energy equation-of-state parameters w0 and wa (Ïw0 = 0.28, Ïwa = 0.31). In combination with primary CMB constraints, CORE cluster counts can further reduce these error bars on w0 and wa to 0.05 and 0.13 respectively, and constrain the sum of the neutrino masses, ÎŁmÎœ, to 39 meV (1 sigma). The wide frequency coverage of CORE, 60 - 600 GHz, will enable measurement of the relativistic thermal SZE by stacking clusters. Contamination by dust emission from the clusters, however, makes constraining the temperature of the intracluster medium difficult. The kinetic SZE pairwise momentum will be extracted with S/N = 70 in the foreground-cleaned CMB map. Measurements of TCMB(z) using CORE clusters will establish competitive constraints on the evolution of the CMB temperature: (1+z) 1âÎČ , with an uncertainty of ÏÎČ . 2.7Ă10â3 at low redshift (z . 1). The wide frequency coverage also enables clean extraction of a map of the diffuse SZE signal over the sky, substantially reducing contamination by foregrounds compared to the Planck SZE map extraction. Our analysis of the one-dimensional distribution of Compton-y values in the simulated map finds an order of magnitude improvement in constraints on Ï8 over the Planck result, demonstrating the potential of this cosmological probe with CORE
Exploring cosmic origins with CORE: Cosmological parameters
We forecast the main cosmological parameter constraints achievable with the
CORE space mission which is dedicated to mapping the polarisation of the Cosmic Microwave
Background (CMB). CORE was recently submitted in response to ESAâs fifth call for mediumsized mission proposals (M5). Here we report the results from our pre-submission study of the
impact of various instrumental options, in particular the telescope size and sensitivity level,
and review the great, transformative potential of the mission as proposed. Specifically, we
assess the impact on a broad range of fundamental parameters of our Universe as a function
of the expected CMB characteristics, with other papers in the series focusing on controlling
astrophysical and instrumental residual systematics. In this paper, we assume that only a
few central CORE frequency channels are usable for our purpose, all others being devoted
to the cleaning of astrophysical contaminants. On the theoretical side, we assume ÎCDM as
our general framework and quantify the improvement provided by CORE over the current
constraints from the Planck 2015 release. We also study the joint sensitivity of CORE and
of future Baryon Acoustic Oscillation and Large Scale Structure experiments like DESI and
Euclid. Specific constraints on the physics of inflation are presented in another paper of the
series. In addition to the six parameters of the base ÎCDM, which describe the matter content
of a spatially flat universe with adiabatic and scalar primordial fluctuations from inflation, we
derive the precision achievable on parameters like those describing curvature, neutrino physics,
extra light relics, primordial helium abundance, dark matter annihilation, recombination
physics, variation of fundamental constants, dark energy, modified gravity, reionization and
cosmic birefringence. In addition to assessing the improvement on the precision of individual
parameters, we also forecast the post-CORE overall reduction of the allowed parameter space
with figures of merit for various models increasing by as much as ⌠107 as compared to Planck
2015, and 105 with respect to Planck 2015 + future BAO measurements
Simple and reliable liquid nitrogen refill system
A very reliable liquid nitrogen level sensor has been developed. The sensor basically consists of two small resistors wound from copper wire. It is incorporated in an extremely simple electronic circuit which forms a complete automatic liquid nitrogen refill system. The noise immunity of the system is very high and no critical adjustments are necessary.</p
Hematological Responses in Juveniles after Training at Moderate Altitude
Aims To estimate associations between smoking initiation, smoking persistence and smoking heaviness and caffeine consumption, in two population-based samples from the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. Design Observational study employing data on self-reported smoking behaviour and caffeine consumption. Setting Adults from the general population in the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. Participants Participants from the Netherlands Twin Register (NTR: Nâ=â21,939, mean age 40.8 [SDâ=â16.9], 62.6% female) and the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC: Nâ=â9,086, mean age 33.2 [SDâ=â4.7], 100% female). Measurements Smoking initiation (ever versus never smoking), smoking persistence (current versus former smoking), smoking heaviness (number of cigarettes smoked) and caffeine consumption in mg per day through coffee, tea, cola and energy drinks. Findings After correction for age, gender (NTR), education and social class (ALSPAC), smoking initiation was associated with consuming on average 52.8 (95%CI 45.6 to 60.0; NTR) and 59.5 (51.8 to 67.2; ALSPAC) mg more caffeine per day. Smoking persistence was also associated with consuming more caffeine (+57.9 [45.2 to 70.5]) and +83.2 [70.2 to 96.3] mg, respectively). Each additional cigarette smoked per day was associated with 3.8 (2.0 to 5.6; NTR) and 8.6 (7.0 to 10.1; ALSPAC) mg higher daily caffeine consumption in current smokers. Smoking was positively associated with coffee consumption and less strongly with cola and energy drinks. For tea, associations were positive in ALSPAC and negative in NTR. Conclusions There appears to be a positive association between smoking and caffeine consumption in the Netherlands and the United Kingdom
Correction to: A genetic investigation of the well-being spectrum
In the original version of this article, unfortunately, in the acknowledgement section "National Institutes of Health (NIH, R37 AG033590-08) to J Cacioppo" was omitted. This has been corrected by publishing this erratum
Phenome-wide investigation of health outcomes associated with genetic predisposition to loneliness
Humans are social animals that experience intense suffering when they perceive a lack of social connection. Modern societies are experiencing an epidemic of loneliness. Although the experience of loneliness is universally human, some people report experiencing greater loneliness than others. Loneliness is more strongly associated with mortality than obesity, emphasizing the need to understand the nature of the relationship between loneliness and health. Although it is intuitive that circumstantial factors such as marital status and age influence loneliness, there is also compelling evidence of a genetic predisposition toward loneliness. To better understand the genetic architecture of loneliness and its relationship with associated outcomes, we extended the genome-wide association study meta-analysis of loneliness to 511â280 subjects, and detect 19 significant genetic variants from 16 loci, including four novel loci, as well as 58 significantly associated genes. We investigated the genetic overlap with a wide range of physical and mental health traits by computing genetic correlations and by building loneliness polygenic scores in an independent sample of 18â498 individuals with EHR data to conduct a PheWAS with. A genetic predisposition toward loneliness was associated with cardiovascular, psychiatric, and metabolic disorders and triglycerides and high-density lipoproteins. Mendelian randomization analyses showed evidence of a causal, increasing, the effect of both BMI and body fat on loneliness. Our results provide a framework for future studies of the genetic basis of loneliness and its relationship to mental and physical health
Exploring Cosmic Origins with CORE: Cluster Science
International audienceWe examine the cosmological constraints that can be achieved with a galaxy cluster survey with the future CORE space mission. Using realistic simulations of the millimeter sky, produced with the latest version of the Planck Sky Model, we characterize the CORE cluster catalogues as a function of the main mission performance parameters. We pay particular attention to telescope size, key to improved angular resolution, and discuss the comparison and the complementarity of CORE with ambitious future ground-based CMB experiments that could be deployed in the next decade. A possible CORE mission concept with a 150 cm diameter primary mirror can detect of the order of 50,000 clusters through the thermal Sunyaev-Zeldovich effect (SZE). The total yield increases (decreases) by 25% when increasing (decreasing) the mirror diameter by 30 cm. The 150 cm telescope configuration will detect the most massive clusters (>1014 M⊙) at redshift z>1.5 over the whole sky, although the exact number above this redshift is tied to the uncertain evolution of the cluster SZE flux-mass relation; assuming self-similar evolution, CORE will detect 0~ 50 clusters at redshift z>1.5. This changes to 800 (200) when increasing (decreasing) the mirror size by 30 cm. CORE will be able to measure individual cluster halo masses through lensing of the cosmic microwave background anisotropies with a 1-Ï sensitivity of 4Ă1014 M⊙, for a 120 cm aperture telescope, and 1014 M⊙ for a 180 cm one. From the ground, we estimate that, for example, a survey with about 150,000 detectors at the focus of 350 cm telescopes observing 65% of the sky would be shallower than CORE and detect about 11,000 clusters, while a survey with the same number of detectors observing 25% of sky with a 10 m telescope is expected to be deeper and to detect about 70,000 clusters. When combined with the latter, CORE would reach a limiting mass of M500 ~ 2â3 Ă 1013 M⊙ and detect 220,000 clusters (5 sigma detection limit). Cosmological constraints from CORE cluster counts alone are competitive with other scheduled large scale structure surveys in the 2020's for measuring the dark energy equation-of-state parameters w0 and wa (Ïw0=0.28, Ïwa=0.31). In combination with primary CMB constraints, CORE cluster counts can further reduce these error bars on w0 and wa to 0.05 and 0.13 respectively, and constrain the sum of the neutrino masses, ÎŁÂ mÎœ, to 39 meV (1 sigma). The wide frequency coverage of CORE, 60â600 GHz, will enable measurement of the relativistic thermal SZE by stacking clusters. Contamination by dust emission from the clusters, however, makes constraining the temperature of the intracluster medium difficult. The kinetic SZE pairwise momentum will be extracted with 0S/N=7 in the foreground-cleaned CMB map. Measurements of TCMB(z) using CORE clusters will establish competitive constraints on the evolution of the CMB temperature: (1+z)1âÎČ, with an uncertainty of ÏÎČ  2.7Ă 10â3 at low redshift (z  1). The wide frequency coverage also enables clean extraction of a map of the diffuse SZE signal over the sky, substantially reducing contamination by foregrounds compared to the Planck SZE map extraction. Our analysis of the one-dimensional distribution of Compton-y values in the simulated map finds an order of magnitude improvement in constraints on Ï8 over the Planck result, demonstrating the potential of this cosmological probe with CORE