Efficient Raman Sideband Generation in a Coherent Atomic Medium

We demonstrate the efficient generation of Raman sidebands in a medium coherently prepared in a dark state by continuous-wave low-intensity laser radiation. Our experiment is performed in sodium vapor excited in $\Lambda$ configuration on the D$_{1}$ line by two laser fields of resonant frequencies $\omega_{1}$ and $\omega_{2}$, and probed by a third field $$. First-order sidebands for frequencies $\omega_{1}$, $\omega_{2}$ and up to the third-order sidebands for frequency $\omega_{3}$ are observed. The generation starts at a power as low as 10 microwatt for each input field. Dependencies of the intensities of both input and generated waves on the frequency difference ($\omega_{1}-\omega_{2}$), on the frequency $\omega_{3}$ and on the optical density are investigated.Comment: 7 pages, 6 figure

Study of doubly strange systems using stored antiprotons

Bound nuclear systems with two units of strangeness are still poorly known despite their importance for many strong interaction phenomena. Stored antiprotons beams in the GeV range represent an unparalleled factory for various hyperon-antihyperon pairs. Their outstanding large production probability in antiproton collisions will open the floodgates for a series of new studies of systems which contain two or even more units of strangeness at the P‾ANDA experiment at FAIR. For the first time, high resolution γ-spectroscopy of doubly strange ΛΛ-hypernuclei will be performed, thus complementing measurements of ground state decays of ΛΛ-hypernuclei at J-PARC or possible decays of particle unstable hypernuclei in heavy ion reactions. High resolution spectroscopy of multistrange Ξ−-atoms will be feasible and even the production of Ω−-atoms will be within reach. The latter might open the door to the |S|=3 world in strangeness nuclear physics, by the study of the hadronic Ω−-nucleus interaction. For the first time it will be possible to study the behavior of Ξ‾+ in nuclear systems under well controlled conditions

Highly-parallelized simulation of a pixelated LArTPC on a GPU

The rapid development of general-purpose computing on graphics processing units (GPGPU) is allowing the implementation of highly-parallelized Monte Carlo simulation chains for particle physics experiments. This technique is particularly suitable for the simulation of a pixelated charge readout for time projection chambers, given the large number of channels that this technology employs. Here we present the first implementation of a full microphysical simulator of a liquid argon time projection chamber (LArTPC) equipped with light readout and pixelated charge readout, developed for the DUNE Near Detector. The software is implemented with an end-to-end set of GPU-optimized algorithms. The algorithms have been written in Python and translated into CUDA kernels using Numba, a just-in-time compiler for a subset of Python and NumPy instructions. The GPU implementation achieves a speed up of four orders of magnitude compared with the equivalent CPU version. The simulation of the current induced on 10^3 pixels takes around 1 ms on the GPU, compared with approximately 10 s on the CPU. The results of the simulation are compared against data from a pixel-readout LArTPC prototype

The DUNE far detector vertical drift technology. Technical design report

DUNE is an international experiment dedicated to addressing some of the questions at the forefront of particle physics and astrophysics, including the mystifying preponderance of matter over antimatter in the early universe. The dual-site experiment will employ an intense neutrino beam focused on a near and a far detector as it aims to determine the neutrino mass hierarchy and to make high-precision measurements of the PMNS matrix parameters, including the CP-violating phase. It will also stand ready to observe supernova neutrino bursts, and seeks to observe nucleon decay as a signature of a grand unified theory underlying the standard model. The DUNE far detector implements liquid argon time-projection chamber (LArTPC) technology, and combines the many tens-of-kiloton fiducial mass necessary for rare event searches with the sub-centimeter spatial resolution required to image those events with high precision. The addition of a photon detection system enhances physics capabilities for all DUNE physics drivers and opens prospects for further physics explorations. Given its size, the far detector will be implemented as a set of modules, with LArTPC designs that differ from one another as newer technologies arise. In the vertical drift LArTPC design, a horizontal cathode bisects the detector, creating two stacked drift volumes in which ionization charges drift towards anodes at either the top or bottom. The anodes are composed of perforated PCB layers with conductive strips, enabling reconstruction in 3D. Light-trap-style photon detection modules are placed both on the cryostat's side walls and on the central cathode where they are optically powered. This Technical Design Report describes in detail the technical implementations of each subsystem of this LArTPC that, together with the other far detector modules and the near detector, will enable DUNE to achieve its physics goals

Reducing the environmental impact of surgery on a global scale: systematic review and co-prioritization with healthcare workers in 132 countries

Background Healthcare cannot achieve net-zero carbon without addressing operating theatres. The aim of this study was to prioritize feasible interventions to reduce the environmental impact of operating theatres. Methods This study adopted a four-phase Delphi consensus co-prioritization methodology. In phase 1, a systematic review of published interventions and global consultation of perioperative healthcare professionals were used to longlist interventions. In phase 2, iterative thematic analysis consolidated comparable interventions into a shortlist. In phase 3, the shortlist was co-prioritized based on patient and clinician views on acceptability, feasibility, and safety. In phase 4, ranked lists of interventions were presented by their relevance to high-income countries and low–middle-income countries. Results In phase 1, 43 interventions were identified, which had low uptake in practice according to 3042 professionals globally. In phase 2, a shortlist of 15 intervention domains was generated. In phase 3, interventions were deemed acceptable for more than 90 per cent of patients except for reducing general anaesthesia (84 per cent) and re-sterilization of ‘single-use’ consumables (86 per cent). In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for high-income countries were: introducing recycling; reducing use of anaesthetic gases; and appropriate clinical waste processing. In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for low–middle-income countries were: introducing reusable surgical devices; reducing use of consumables; and reducing the use of general anaesthesia. Conclusion This is a step toward environmentally sustainable operating environments with actionable interventions applicable to both high– and low–middle–income countries

К вопросу выбора эффективных маркетинговых инновационно-инвестиционных проектов в машиностроении

У роботі обґрунтовано актуальність дослідження проблеми маркетингу інновацій як засобу підвищення конкурентоспроможності підприємств машинобудування. Проведено аналіз існуючих науково-методичних підходів до оцінки ефективності маркетингових інноваційно-інвестиційних проектів у сфері виробництва промислових товарів. Запропоновано методику вибору оптимального варіанта проекту з урахуванням впливу інвестиційних ризиків та інфляції.В работе обоснована актуальность исследования проблемы маркетинга инноваций как средства повышения конкурентоспособности предприятий машиностроения. Проведен анализ существующих научно-методических подходов к оценке эффективности маркетинговых инновационно-инвестиционных проектов в сфере производства промышленных товаров. Предложена методика выбора оптимального варианта проекта с учетом влияния инвестиционных рисков и инфляции.In the article the actuality of marketing of innovations problem investigation as a means of engineering enterprises competitiveness increase is substantiated. The analysis of existing scientific and methodical approaches to the estimation of marketing innovative and investment projects in the industrial goods production sphere was made. The methodology of optimal variant project choice considering the influence of investment risks and inflation was proposed

К вопросу выбора эффективных маркетинговых инновационно-инвестиционных проектов в машиностроении

У роботі обґрунтовано актуальність дослідження проблеми маркетингу інновацій як засобу підвищення конкурентоспроможності підприємств машинобудування. Проведено аналіз існуючих науково-методичних підходів до оцінки ефективності маркетингових інноваційно-інвестиційних проектів у сфері виробництва промислових товарів. Запропоновано методику вибору оптимального варіанта проекту з урахуванням впливу інвестиційних ризиків та інфляції.В работе обоснована актуальность исследования проблемы маркетинга инноваций как средства повышения конкурентоспособности предприятий машиностроения. Проведен анализ существующих научно-методических подходов к оценке эффективности маркетинговых инновационно-инвестиционных проектов в сфере производства промышленных товаров. Предложена методика выбора оптимального варианта проекта с учетом влияния инвестиционных рисков и инфляции.In the article the actuality of marketing of innovations problem investigation as a means of engineering enterprises competitiveness increase is substantiated. The analysis of existing scientific and methodical approaches to the estimation of marketing innovative and investment projects in the industrial goods production sphere was made. The methodology of optimal variant project choice considering the influence of investment risks and inflation was proposed

Birds

Background: The aim of this study was to investigate the presence of multidrug resistant yeasts in the faeces of synanthropic wild birds from the Bangsar suburb of Kuala Lumpur. Methods: Species characterisations of yeast isolates and determinations of antimycotic susceptibility profiles were undertaken using the commercial characterization kit, Integral System Yeasts Plus (Liofilchem, Italy). Results: Fourteen species of yeasts were detected in the bird faecal samples.Candida albicans was present in 28.89 % of bird faecal samples, Candida krusei (13.33%), Candida tropicalis (4.44%), Candida glabrata (4.44%), Candida parapsilosis (2.22%), Candida lambica (2.22%), Candida stellatoidea (2.22%), Candida rugosa (2.22%) and Candida lusitaniae (2.22%). Amongst the non-candidal yeast isolates, Cryptococcus laurentii was present in 6.67 % of bir