Introduction Studies of Plasma-Focus discharges within the PF-360 facility equipped with needle D 2 O-ice target

Numerous PF experiments, which were performed in many laboratories all over the world showed a promising scaling of the neutron yield (Y n ) from D-D fusion reactions. Some investigations extended this scaling to a multi-MJ and multi-MA level Experimental set-up Recent studies within the PF-360 facility have been carried out by using larger coaxial electrodes of 120 mm and 170 mm in diameter, respectively. Both electrodes were 300 mm in length, and the main ceramic insulator, embracing the basis of the inner electrode, was 80 mm in length. The main experimental chamber of the PF-360 facility was filled with pure deuterium under the initial pressure, which was varied from 5.1 mbar to 12.0 mbar. PF discharges were powered from a capacitor bank of 288 µF. Abstract The paper describes a new technique which has been investigated in order to overcome the neutron saturation effect and to increase the neutron yield from the plasma-focus (PF) discharge

M (2000) Studies of Plasma-Focus discharges within the PF-360 facility equipped with a planar D2O-ice target. Nukleonika 46;S1:65–68 37Results of large scale Plasma-Focus experiments and prospects for neutron yield optimization

Introduction Many Plasma-Focus (PF) experiments, which were performed in different laboratories, showed an optimistic scaling of the neutron emission. These scaling laws for the fusion neutron yield (Y n ) from the Plasma-Focus facilities are described by the simple formulae: where W 0 is the initial energy input, I max is the maximum value of the main discharge current, α = 2.0-2.2 as well as β = 3.3-4.4 depend on a machine type and input energy value. For the PF-360 facility There were some papers, which suggested that it is possible to extend this scaling to a higher discharge current and initial energy values [1], but there is no experimental verification of this hypothesis so far. On the contrary, it was found that the promising scaling laws are valid only up to some critical levels, at which the neutron yield saturates (or even decreases) The PF-360 machine was built during the turn of the 70s and 80

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Abstract The paper describes experimental studies of Plasma-Focus (PF) discharges carried out within the modernized PF-360 facility, which was operated with an additional D 2 -gas puffing into the region of the collapsing current sheath and PF pinch formation, i.e. into space in front of the electrode outlet. The main aim of these studies was to increase a neutron yield from PF discharges by using fast deuteron beams, which are usually emitted from a pinch column and which can interact with additional D 2 -gas target

Formation of GeO2 under Graphene on Ge(001)/Si(001) Substrates Using Water Vapor

The problem of graphene protection of Ge surfaces against oxidation is investigated. Raman, X-Ray diffraction (XRD), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) measurements of graphene epitaxially grown on Ge(001)/Si(001) substrates are presented. It is shown that the penetration of water vapor through graphene defects on Gr/Ge(001)/Si(001) samples leads to the oxidation of germanium, forming GeO2. The presence of trigonal GeO2 under graphene was identified by Raman and XRD measurements. The oxidation of Ge leads to the formation of blisters under the graphene layer. It is suggested that oxidation of Ge is connected with the dissociation of water molecules and penetration of OH molecules or O to the Ge surface. It has also been found that the formation of blisters of GeO2 leads to a dramatic increase in the intensity of the graphene Raman spectrum. The increase in the Raman signal intensity is most likely due to the screening of graphene by GeO2 from the Ge(001) surface

Association of the common genetic polymorphisms and haplotypes of the chymase gene with left ventricular mass in male patients with symptomatic aortic stenosis.

We investigated the association between polymorphisms and haplotypes of the chymase 1 gene (CMA1) and the left ventricular mass index (LVM/BSA) in a large cohort of patients with aortic stenosis (AS). Additionally, the gender differences in cardiac remodeling and hypertrophy were analyzed. The genetic background may affect the myocardial response to pressure overload. In human cardiac tissue, CMA1 is involved in angiotensin II production and TGF-β activation, which are two major players in the pathogenesis of hypertrophy and fibrosis. Preoperative echocardiographic data from 648 patients with significant symptomatic AS were used. The LVM/BSA was significantly lower (p<0.0001), but relative wall thickness (RWT) was significantly higher (p = 0.0009) in the women compared with the men. The haplotypes were reconstructed using six genotyped polymorphisms: rs5248, rs4519248, rs1956932, rs17184822, rs1956923, and rs1800875. The haplotype h1.ACAGGA was associated with higher LVM/BSA (p = 9.84 × 10(-5)), and the haplotype h2.ATAGAG was associated with lower LVM/BSA (p = 0.0061) in men, and no significant differences were found in women. Two polymorphisms within the promoter region of the CMA1 gene, namely rs1800875 (p = 0.0067) and rs1956923 (p = 0.0015), influenced the value of the LVM/BSA in males. The polymorphisms and haplotypes of the CMA1 locus are associated with cardiac hypertrophy in male patients with symptomatic AS. Appropriate methods for the indexation of heart dimensions revealed substantial sex-related differences in the myocardial response to pressure overload

Association between tagging and potentially functional SNP in the CMA1 gene and natural logarithm of LVM/BSA.

<p>*Adjusted for gender, age, ejection fraction, maximal aortic gradient.</p>#<p>significance after correction for multiple comparisons: p<0.0125.</p

Linkage Disequilibrium structure at the <i>CMA1</i> gene locus.

<p>Linkage Disequilibrium pattern (Heat Map) is represented by pairwise D′ values between SNPs with MAF>5% based on genotypes from HapMap (CEU population). r2 values (x100) calculated for each SNPs pair are given in the squares. Blank squares represent r2 values equal to 100. Rectangles are used to indicate Tagging SNPs.</p