Pair production by Schwinger and Breit-Wheeler processes in bi-frequent fields

Counter-propagating and suitably polarized light (laser) beams can provide conditions for pair production. Here, we consider in more detail the following two situations: (i) In the homogeneity regions of anti-nodes of linearly polarized ultra-high intensity laser beams, the Schwinger process is dynamically assisted by a second high-frequency field, e.g. by a XFEL beam. (ii) A high-energy probe photon beam colliding with a superposition of co-propagating intense laser and XFEL beams gives rise to the laser assisted Breit-Wheeler process. Prospects of such bi-frequent field constellations with respect to the feasibility of conversion of light into matter are discussed

Field induced phase transition in the few photon regime

Some features of the field induced phase transition accompanied by the vacuum creation of an electron-positron plasma (EPP) in strong time-dependent electric fields have been discussed in the work [1] in the domain of the tunneling mechanism ($\omega \ll m$, where $\omega$ is the characteristic frequency of the external field and $m$ is the electron mass). In the present contribution the features of the this process will be considered in the few photon domain where $\omega \sim m$. We observe a narrowing of the transient domain of the fast oscillations and, mainly, a considerable growth of the effectiveness of the EPP production. Under these circumstances, we see an increase of the effectiveness of the EPP creation in the particular case of a bifrequent excitation, where both mechanisms (tunneling and few photon) act simultaneously [2,3].Comment: 6 pages, 4 figures, contribution to the Proceedings of the XXIII International Baldin Seminar on "High Energy Physics Problems", Dubna, Russia, September 19-24, 201

EFFECT OF CONTACT ANGLE AND TANK GEOMETRY ON THE CONFIGURATION OF THE LIQUID-VAPOR INTERFACE DURING WEIGHTLESSNESS

Effect of contact angle and space vehicle tank geometry on configuration of rocket propellant liquid-vapor interface during weightlessnes

Visualisation Tools for Multi-Perspective, Cross-Sector, Long-Term Infrastructure Performance Evaluation

Across different infrastructure sectors there are systems that help to monitor the current and near-future operation and performance of a particular system. Whilst Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) systems are critical to maintaining acceptable levels of functionality, they do not provide insights over the longer timescales across which strategic investment decisions play out. To understand how individual or multiple, interdependent, infrastructure sectors perform over longer timescales, capacity/demand modelling is required. However, the outputs of such models are often a complex high-dimensionality result-set, and this complexity is further compounded when crosssector evaluation is required. To maximise utility of such models, tools are required that can process and present key outputs. In this paper we describe the development of prototype tools for infrastructure performance evaluation in relation to different strategic decisions and the complex outputs generated from capacity and demand models of five infrastructure sectors (energy, water, waste water, solid waste, transport) investigated within the UK Infrastructure Transitions Research Consortium (ITRC). By constructing tools that expose various dimensions of the model outputs, a user is able to take greater control over the knowledge discovery process

A latent class analysis of parental bipolar disorder: examining associations with offspring psychopathology

Bipolar disorder (BD) is highly heterogeneous, and course variations are associated with patient outcomes. This diagnostic complexity challenges identification of patients in greatest need of intervention. Additionally, course variations have implications for offspring risk. First, latent class analysis (LCA) categorized parents with BD based on salient illness characteristics: BD type, onset age, polarity of index episode, pole of majority of episodes, rapid cycling, psychosis, anxiety comorbidity, and substance dependence. Fit indices favored three parental classes with some substantively meaningful patterns. Two classes, labeled “Earlier-Onset Bipolar-I” (EO-I) and “Earlier-Onset Bipolar-II” (EO-II), comprised parents who had a mean onset age in mid-adolescence, with EO-I primarily BD-I parents and EO-II entirely BD-II parents. The third class, labeled “Later-Onset BD” (LO) had an average onset age in adulthood. Classes also varied on probability of anxiety comorbidity, substance dependence, psychosis, rapid cycling, and pole of majority of episodes. Second, we examined rates of disorders in offspring (ages 4–33, Mage=13.46) based on parental latent class membership. Differences emerged for offspring anxiety disorders only such that offspring of EO-I and EO-II parents had higher rates, compared to offspring of LO parents, particularly for daughters. Findings may enhance understanding of BD and its nosologyThis study was funded by two Brain & Behavior Research Foundation (formerly NARSAD) Independent Investigator Awards (PI: Nierenberg), a Brain & Behavior Research Foundation Young Investigator Award (PI: Henin) generously supported in part by the SHINE Initiative, and an MGH Claflin Award (PI: Henin). We thank David A. Langer, Ph.D., Thomas M. Olino, Ph.D., and Meredith Lotz Wallace, Ph.D. for their consultation. (Brain & Behavior Research Foundation; Brain & Behavior Research Foundation Young Investigator Award; SHINE Initiative; MGH Claflin Award)Accepted manuscrip

BamView: visualizing and interpretation of next-generation sequencing read alignments.

So-called next-generation sequencing (NGS) has provided the ability to sequence on a massive scale at low cost, enabling biologists to perform powerful experiments and gain insight into biological processes. BamView has been developed to visualize and analyse sequence reads from NGS platforms, which have been aligned to a reference sequence. It is a desktop application for browsing the aligned or mapped reads [Ruffalo, M, LaFramboise, T, Koyutürk, M. Comparative analysis of algorithms for next-generation sequencing read alignment. Bioinformatics 2011;27:2790-6] at different levels of magnification, from nucleotide level, where the base qualities can be seen, to genome or chromosome level where overall coverage is shown. To enable in-depth investigation of NGS data, various views are provided that can be configured to highlight interesting aspects of the data. Multiple read alignment files can be overlaid to compare results from different experiments, and filters can be applied to facilitate the interpretation of the aligned reads. As well as being a standalone application it can be used as an integrated part of the Artemis genome browser, BamView allows the user to study NGS data in the context of the sequence and annotation of the reference genome. Single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) density and candidate SNP sites can be highlighted and investigated, and read-pair information can be used to discover large structural insertions and deletions. The application will also calculate simple analyses of the read mapping, including reporting the read counts and reads per kilobase per million mapped reads (RPKM) for genes selected by the user

Circlator: automated circularization of genome assemblies using long sequencing reads

The assembly of DNA sequence data is undergoing a renaissance thanks to emerging technologies capable of producing reads tens of kilobases long. Assembling complete bacterial and small eukaryotic genomes is now possible, but the final step of circularizing sequences remains unsolved. Here we present Circlator, the first tool to automate assembly circularization and produce accurate linear representations of circular sequences. Using Pacific Biosciences and Oxford Nanopore data, Circlator correctly circularized 26 of 27 circularizable sequences, comprising 11 chromosomes and 12 plasmids from bacteria, the apicoplast and mitochondrion of Plasmodium falciparum and a human mitochondrion. Circlator is available at http://sanger-pathogens.github.io/circlator/