27,673 research outputs found
Controlled Shock Shells and Intracluster Fusion Reactions in the Explosion of Large Clusters
The ion phase-space dynamics in the Coulomb explosion of very large ( atoms) deuterium clusters can be tailored using two consecutive
laser pulses with different intensities and an appropriate time delay. For
suitable sets of laser parameters (intensities and delay), large-scale shock
shells form during the explosion, thus highly increasing the probability of
fusion reactions within the single exploding clusters. In order to analyze the
ion dynamics and evaluate the intracluster reaction rate, a one-dimensional
theory is used, which approximately accounts for the electron expulsion from
the clusters. It is found that, for very large clusters (initial radius
100 nm), and optimal laser parameters, the intracluster fusion yield becomes
comparable to the intercluster fusion yield. The validity of the results is
confirmed with three-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations.Comment: 25 pages, 11 figures, to appear in Physical Review
Hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata) and Green Turtle (Chelonia mydas) Nesting and Beach Selection at Príncipe Island, West Africa
Hawksbills (Eretmochelys imbricata) and green turtles (Chelonia mydas) are the predominant nesting sea turtle species on the beaches of Príncipe Island in the Gulf of Guinea. The extent of nesting has been largely unknown, but such information is essential for management and conservation. Our study is the first island-wide nesting assessment. Results from the survey, conducted from 1 December 2009 to 18 January 2010 (during peak nesting season), show that the potential suitable nesting area (10 km) is scattered around the island’s 50 beaches. Sea turtles nested on 32 of the beaches (hawksbills, 20; green turtles, 28) and used 7.5 km of the suitable nesting habitat (hawksbills, 5.8 km; green turtles, 7.0 km). We estimated that 101 (95% CI = 86–118) clutches were deposited by 17-29 hawksbills and 1088 (95% CI = 999–1245) clutches were deposited by 166-429 green turtles on Príncipe from November 2009 to February 2010 (nesting season). Long-term green turtle nest count data collected from 2007/08 to 2015/16 suggest a positive trend. Analyses of clutch densities in relation to beach characteristics suggested that both species preferred areas where human presence is lower, which coincided with the most sheltered areas. These findings should be used to inform coastal planning and minimize impacts on nesting beaches, as Príncipe is currently targeted for tourism development. Overall, results highlight that Príncipe beaches are very important for the conservation of West African hawksbill and green turtle populations.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Diversidade genética de Dorstenia elata Hook. (Moraceae) em um fragmento de floresta atlântica
Dorstenia é o segundo maior gênero da família Moraceae, contendo espécies
endêmicas com qualidades medicinais e interesse farmacêutico. No Brasil, estão distribuídas entre os diversos biomas, inclusive na Floresta Atlântica, e são consideradas hotspot da biodiversidade (elevado nível de biodiversidade,
endemismo e alto grau de degradação). Contudo, devido a ação humana, esta
floresta vem tendo sua estrutura modificada, causando a redução da densidade
entre as espécies, afetando o modo de reprodução, polinização e distribuição do fluxo gênico entre e dentro de populações. Estes fatos podem levar a uma
diminuição da diversidade genética. Assim, o objetivo do presente trabalho foi
caracterizar a diversidade genética entre e dentro de populações de Dosrtenia elata em um remanescente de Floresta Atlântica no estado do Espírito Santo. Foram coletados três agregados de indivíduos de D. elata no Parque Estadual Mata das Flores (Unidade de Conservação), no município de Castelo. Para a caracterização molecular, foram utilizados 12 primers ISSR (Inter Simple Sequence Repeats), onde os dados obtidos foram analisados e submetidos à analises estatísticas referentes a diversidade entre e dentro de populações. Para análises intrapopulacionais, foi calculada a matriz de distância entre pares de indivíduos, realizada o cálculo da correlação cofenética e gerado um dendrograma de agrupamento das populações, que evidenciaram a formação de dois grupos, o primeiro contendo a população 1 e 2, e o segundo contendo a população 3. Isto pode ter ocorrido em virtude da distância geográfica entre as populações amostradas. Para as análises interpopulacionais, foi realizada a análise de variância molecular, calculado o Índice de Shannon, a heterozigosidade total esperada e o fluxo gênico. De acordo com os resultados obtidos, a maior variabilidade genética foi observada dentro das populações, e o fluxo gênico foi alto tanto entre quanto dentro de populações, indicando que não está havendo perda de diversidade genética devido as barreiras antrópicas ou geográficas, e que o método de dispersão tem grande influência na distribuição da diversidade genética em populações de Dorstenia elata.
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Multiscale model for the effects of adaptive immunity suppression on the viral therapy of cancer
Oncolytic virotherapy - the use of viruses that specifically kill tumor cells
- is an innovative and highly promising route for treating cancer. However, its
therapeutic outcomes are mainly impaired by the host immune response to the
viral infection. In the present work, we propose a multiscale mathematical
model to study how the immune response interferes with the viral oncolytic
activity. The model assumes that cytotoxic T cells can induce apoptosis in
infected cancer cells and that free viruses can be inactivated by neutralizing
antibodies or cleared at a constant rate by the innate immune response. Our
simulations suggest that reprogramming the immune microenvironment in tumors
could substantially enhance the oncolytic virotherapy in immune-competent
hosts. Viable routes to such reprogramming are either in situ virus-mediated
impairing of CD T cells motility or blockade of B and T lymphocytes
recruitment. Our theoretical results can shed light on the design of viral
vectors or new protocols with neat potential impacts on the clinical practice.Comment: 14 pages, 4 figure
Impact of aging on the auditory system and related cognitive functions: A narrative review
Age-related hearing loss (ARHL), presbycusis, is a chronic health condition that affects approximately one-third of the world’s population. The peripheral and central hearing alterations associated with age-related hearing loss have a profound impact on perception of verbal and non-verbal auditory stimuli. The high prevalence of hearing loss in the older adults corresponds to the increased frequency of dementia in this population. Therefore, researchers have focused their attention on age-related central effects that occur independent of the peripheral hearing loss as well as central effects of peripheral hearing loss and its association with cognitive decline and dementia. Here we review the current evidence for the age-related changes of the peripheral and central auditory system and the relationship between hearing loss and pathological cognitive decline and dementia. Furthermore, there is a paucity of evidence on the relationship between ARHL and established biomarkers of Alzheimer’s disease, as the most common cause of dementia. Such studies are critical to be able to consider any causal relationship between dementia and ARHL. While this narrative review will examine the pathophysiological alterations in both the peripheral and central auditory system and its clinical implications, the question remains unanswered whether hearing loss causes cognitive impairment or vice versa
Modelling radiation emission in the transition from the classical to the quantum regime
An emissivity formula is derived using the generalised
Fermi-Weizacker-Williams method of virtual photons which accounts for the
recoil the charged particle experiences as it emits radiation. It is found that
through this derivation the formula obtained by Sokolov et al using QED
perturbation theory is recovered. The corrected emissivity formula is applied
to nonlinear Thomson scattering scenarios in the transition from the classical
to the quantum regime, for small values of the nonlinear quantum parameter
\chi. Good agreement is found between this method and a QED probabilistic
approach for scenarios where both are valid. In addition, signatures of the
quantum corrections are identified and explored.Comment: 11 pages, 4 figures, submitted for publicatio
Dynamics and control of the expansion of finite-size plasmas produced in ultraintense laser-matter interactions
The strong influence of the electron dynamics provides the possibility of
controlling the expansion of laser-produced plasmas by appropriately shaping
the laser pulse. A simple irradiation scheme is proposed to tailor the
explosion of large deuterium clusters, inducing the formation of shock
structures, capable of driving nuclear fusion reactions. Such a scenario has
been thoroughly investigated, resorting to two- and three-dimensional
particle-in-cell simulations. Furthermore, the intricate dynamics of ions and
electrons during the collisionless expansion of spherical nanoplasmas has been
analyzed in detail using a self-consistent ergodic-kinetic model. This study
clarifies the transition from hydrodynamic-like to Coulomb-explosion regimes
Magnetically assisted self-injection and radiation generation for plasma based acceleration
It is shown through analytical modeling and numerical simulations that
external magnetic fields can relax the self-trapping thresholds in plasma based
accelerators. In addition, the transverse location where self-trapping occurs
can be selected by adequate choice of the spatial profile of the external
magnetic field. We also find that magnetic-field assisted self-injection can
lead to the emission of betatron radiation at well defined frequencies. This
controlled injection technique could be explored using state-of-the-art
magnetic fields in current/next generation plasma/laser wakefield accelerator
experiments.Comment: 7 pages, 4 figures, accepted for publication in Plasma Physics and
Controlled Fusio
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