Self-amplified spontaneous emission for a single pass free-electron laser

SPARC (acronym of "Sorgente Pulsata ed Amplificata di Radiazione Coerente", i.e. Pulsed and Amplified Source of Coherent Radiation) is a single pass free-electron laser designed to obtain high gain amplification at a radiation wavelength of 500 nm. Self-amplified spontaneous emission has been observed driving the amplifier with the high-brightness beam of the SPARC linac. We report measurements of energy, spectra, and exponential gain. Experimental results are compared with simulations from several numerical codes

The effects of cadmium exposure on systolic blood pressure in rats.

<p>*P<0.05 vs matched exposure day of control group.^#P<0.05 vs first day of exposure of Cd-exposure group, determined using two-way ANOVA with Bonferroni’s post-test. The number of animals used is indicated in parentheses.</p

Sensitivity (pD2) and maximal responses (Emax) to phenylephrine, acetylcholine and sodium nitroprusside in aortic rings from cadmium-treated and control rats.

<p>The results are expressed as the mean ± SEM; Emax, maximal effect expressed as a percentage of the response induced by 75 mM KCl; pD2, -log one-half Emax. *P<0.05, Student’s t-test.</p

Densitometric analysis of western blot for eNOS protein expression (A) and NO production (B) in aortic rings incubated with DAF (2 mmol·L

<p>^−<b>1</b><b>).</b> Representative blots are also shown. *P<0.05, by Student’s t-test.</p

Phenylephrine concentration-response curves in the aortic rings of control and cadmium-exposed rats after SOD (A) or catalase (B) incubation.

<p>Densitometric analysis of the western blot to measure the superoxide dismutase Cu/Zn (Cu/ZnSOD) protein expression in the aortic rings of control and cadmium-treated rats (C). Representative blots are also shown. *P<0.05, Student’s t-test. The number of animals used is indicated in parentheses.</p

The effects of cadmium exposure on concentration-response curves to phenylephrine (A), acetylcholine (B) and sodium nitroprusside (C).

<p>*P<0.05, Student’s t-test. The number of animals used is indicated in parentheses.</p

Phenylephrine concentration-response curves in the aortic rings of control (A) and cadmium-exposed (B) rats after apocynin incubation.

<p>Differences in the area under the concentration-response curve (dAUC) in the aortic rings of control and cadmium-treated rats after apocynin incubation (C). Densitometric analysis of the western blot to measure the gp^91phox protein expression in aortic rings (D). Representative blots are also shown. *P<0.05, Student’s t-test. The number of animals used is indicated in parentheses.</p

The effects of endothelium removal (E⁻), L-NAME, losartan, enalapril, SOD, catalase and apocynin on the sensitivity (pD2) and maximal response (Emax) to phenylephrine in aortic rings from cadmium-treated and control rats.

<p>The results are expressed as the mean ± SEM; Emax, maximal effect expressed as a percentage of the response induced by 75 mM KCl; pD2, -log one-half Emax. E- endothelium removal, E+ intact endothelium, SOD, superoxide dismutase. P<0.05 <i>vs</i> control rats (^#) and cadmium-treated rats (*), determined using Student’s t-test.</p

Phenylephrine concentration-response curves after endothelium removal (A, B) or N-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester incubation (L-NAME, 100 µM) (D, E) in the aortic rings of control and cadmium-exposed rats.

<p>E-: endothelium-denuded, E+: intact segments. Differences in the area under the concentration-response curves (dAUC) in endothelium–denuded and intact segments (C) and in the presence and absence of L-NAME (F). * and+P<0.05, Student’s t-test. The number of animals used is indicated in parentheses.</p