5,912 research outputs found
The Jovian electron spectrum: 1978-1984
Observations of Jovian electrons through six consecutive 13-month Jovian synodic periods from 1978 to 1984 have been made by the University of Chicago electron spectrometer onboard the ISEE-3 (ICE) spacecraft. The Jovian electron spectrum was determined from 5 to 30 Mev and was found to have a shape which is not a power law in kinetic energy, but cuts off at approximately 30 MeV. The average shape of the spectrum over each of the six intervals of best magnetic connection remains the same for all intervals within uncertainties
The energy spectra of solar flare electrons
A survey of 50 electron energy spectra from .1 to 100 MeV originating from solar flares was made by the combination of data from two spectrometers onboard the International Sun Earth Explorer-3 spacecraft. The observed spectral shapes of flare events can be divided into two classes through the criteria of fit to an acceleration model. This standard two step acceleration model, which fits the spectral shape of the first class of flares, involves an impulsive step that accelerates particles up to 100 keV and a second step that further accelerates these particles up to 100 MeV by a single shock. This fit fails for the second class of flares that can be characterized as having excessively hard spectra above 1 MeV relative to the predictions of the model. Correlations with soft X-ray and meter radio observations imply that the acceleration of the high energy particles in the second class of flares is dominated by the impulsive phase of the flares
Acute effects of Hibiscus sabdariffa calyces on postprandial blood pressure, vascular function, blood lipids, biomarkers of insulin resistance and inflammation in humans
The acute impact of Hibiscus sabdariffa calyces (HSC) extract on postprandial vascular function and other cardiometabolic risk factors have not been studied previously. This study investigated the acute impact of HSC extract consumption on blood pressure (BP), vascular function and other cardiometabolic risk markers. Twenty-five men with 1% to 10% cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk (determined by QRISK 2) were randomised to consume either 250 mL of the aqueous extract of HSC or water with breakfast in a randomised, controlled, single-blinded, 2-meal cross-over study (ClinicalTrials.gov, NTC02165553) with a two weeks washout period between study days. BP was measured at baseline and hourly for 4 h. Flow mediated dilatation (FMD) of the branchial artery was measured at baseline, 2 and 4 h post intervention drink consumption. Acute consumption of aqueous extract of HSC caused a significant increase in % FMD ( < 0.001), a non-significant decrease in systolic BP (SBP) and diastolic BP (DBP); non-significant increase in urinary and plasma nitric oxide (NOx) and reduced response of serum glucose, plasma insulin, serum triacylglycerol and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels; significant ( = 0.026) improvement in the area under systemic antioxidant response curve (0 to 2 h); no significant changes in arterial stiffness following the acute consumption of the extract of HSC. Gallic acid, 4-O-methylgallic acid, 3-O-methylgallic acid and hippuric acid reached a maximum plasma concentration at 1 to 2 h post consumption of the extract of HSC. The extract of HSC improved postprandial vascular function and may be a useful dietary strategy to reduce endothelial dysfunction and CVD risk, although this requires confirmation
Perspectives for Positron Emission Tomography with RPCs
In this study we address the feasibility and main properties of a positron
emission tomograph (PET) based on RPCs. The concept, making use of the
converter-plate principle, takes advantage of the intrinsic layered structure
of RPCs and its simple and economic construction. The extremely good time and
position resolutions of RPCs also allow the TOF-PET imaging technique to be
considered. Monte-Carlo simulations, supported by experimental data, are
presented and the main advantages and drawbacks for applications of potential
interest are discussed.Comment: Presented at "RPC2001-VI Workshop on Resistive Plate Chambers and
Related Detectors", Coimbra, Portugal, 26-27 November 2001 (5 pages
Temperature dependence of the interlayer magnetoresistance of quasi-one-dimensional Fermi liquids at the magic angles
The interlayer magnetoresistance of a quasi-one-dimensional Fermi liquid is
considered for the case of a magnetic field that is rotated within the plane
perpendicular to the most-conducting direction. Within semi-classical transport
theory dips in the magnetoresistance occur at integer amgic angles only when
the electronic dispersion parallel to the chains is nonlinear. If the field
direction is fixed at one of the magic angles and the temperature is varied the
resulting variation of the scattering rate can lead to a non-monotonic
variation of the interlayer magnetoresistance with temperature. Although the
model considered here gives a good description of some of the properties of the
Bechgaard salts, (TMTSF)2PF6 for pressures less than 8kbar and (TMTSF)2ClO4 it
gives a poor description of their properties when the field is parallel to the
layers and of the intralayer transport.Comment: 10pages, RevTeX + epsf, 3 figure
Ariel 6 measurements of ultra-heavy cosmic ray fluxes in the region 34 or = Z or = 48
The Ariel VI satellite was launched by NASA on a Scout rocket on 3rd June 1979 from Wallops Island, Virginia, USA, into a near circular 625 km orbit inclined at 55 deg. It carried a spherical cosmic ray detector designed by a group from Bristol University. A spherical aluminum vessel of diameter 75 cm contains a gas scintillation mixture and a thin spherical shell of Pilot 425 plastic, and forms a single optical cavity viewed by 16 photomultipliers. Particle tracks through the detector may be characterized by their impact parameter p and by whether or not they pass through the cup of plastic scintillator placed between the sphere and the spacecraft body (referred to below as the Anti-Coincidence Detector or ACD). Individual particle charges are determined by separately measuring the gas scintillation and the Cerenkov emission from the plastic shell. This is possible because of the quite different distribution in time of these emissions
Remarks on Bootstrap Percolation in Metric Networks
We examine bootstrap percolation in d-dimensional, directed metric graphs in
the context of recent measurements of firing dynamics in 2D neuronal cultures.
There are two regimes, depending on the graph size N. Large metric graphs are
ignited by the occurrence of critical nuclei, which initially occupy an
infinitesimal fraction, f_* -> 0, of the graph and then explode throughout a
finite fraction. Smaller metric graphs are effectively random in the sense that
their ignition requires the initial ignition of a finite, unlocalized fraction
of the graph, f_* >0. The crossover between the two regimes is at a size N_*
which scales exponentially with the connectivity range \lambda like_* \sim
\exp\lambda^d. The neuronal cultures are finite metric graphs of size N \simeq
10^5-10^6, which, for the parameters of the experiment, is effectively random
since N<< N_*. This explains the seeming contradiction in the observed finite
f_* in these cultures. Finally, we discuss the dynamics of the firing front
HIV Point Of Care Diagnostics: Meeting The Special Needs Of Sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa, accounting for 70% of the 35 million people living with HIV worldwide, obviously carries the heaviest burden of the HIV epidemic. Moreover, the region’s poor health system occasioned by limited resources and inadequate skilled clinical personnel usually makes decentralization of HIV care difficult. Therefore, quality diagnostics that are easy to use, inexpensive, and amenable for use at point of care (POC) are a dire necessity. Clearly, such diagnostics will significantly lessen the pressure on the existing over-stretched centralized HIV laboratory services. Thankfully, some POC diagnostics are already being validated, while others are in the pipeline. As POC test kits emerge, implementation hurdles should be envisaged and planned for. This review examines emerging HIV diagnostic platforms, HIV POC product pipelines, gaps, perceived POC implementation challenges, and general recommendations for quality care.</jats:p
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