Application of compact laser-driven accelerator X-ray sources for industrial imaging

X-rays generated by betatron oscillations of electrons in a laser-driven plasma accelerator were characterised and applied to imaging industrial samples. With a 125TW laser, a low divergence beam with 5.2±1.7 × 107photonsmrad−2 per pulse was produced with a synchrotron spectrum with a critical energy of 14.6±1.3keV. Radiographs were obtained of a metrology test sample, battery electrodes, and a damage site in a composite material. These results demonstrate the suitability of the source for non-destructive evaluation applications. The potential for industrial implementation of plasma accelerators is discussed

Search for Lorentz and CPT violation using sidereal time dependence of neutrino flavor transitions over a short baseline

A class of extensions of the Standard Model allows Lorentz and CPT violations, which can be identified by the observation of sidereal modulations in the neutrino interaction rate. A search for such modulations was performed using the T2K on-axis near detector. Two complementary methods were used in this study, both of which resulted in no evidence of a signal. Limits on associated Lorentz and CPT-violating terms from the Standard Model extension have been derived by taking into account their correlations in this model for the first time. These results imply such symmetry violations are suppressed by a factor of more than 10 20 at the GeV scale

Whole-genome sequencing reveals host factors underlying critical COVID-19

Critical COVID-19 is caused by immune-mediated inflammatory lung injury. Host genetic variation influences the development of illness requiring critical care1 or hospitalization2,3,4 after infection with SARS-CoV-2. The GenOMICC (Genetics of Mortality in Critical Care) study enables the comparison of genomes from individuals who are critically ill with those of population controls to find underlying disease mechanisms. Here we use whole-genome sequencing in 7,491 critically ill individuals compared with 48,400 controls to discover and replicate 23 independent variants that significantly predispose to critical COVID-19. We identify 16 new independent associations, including variants within genes that are involved in interferon signalling (IL10RB and PLSCR1), leucocyte differentiation (BCL11A) and blood-type antigen secretor status (FUT2). Using transcriptome-wide association and colocalization to infer the effect of gene expression on disease severity, we find evidence that implicates multiple genes—including reduced expression of a membrane flippase (ATP11A), and increased expression of a mucin (MUC1)—in critical disease. Mendelian randomization provides evidence in support of causal roles for myeloid cell adhesion molecules (SELE, ICAM5 and CD209) and the coagulation factor F8, all of which are potentially druggable targets. Our results are broadly consistent with a multi-component model of COVID-19 pathophysiology, in which at least two distinct mechanisms can predispose to life-threatening disease: failure to control viral replication; or an enhanced tendency towards pulmonary inflammation and intravascular coagulation. We show that comparison between cases of critical illness and population controls is highly efficient for the detection of therapeutically relevant mechanisms of disease

The development of advanced specimen testing and analysis techniques applied to fracture mechanics lifting of gas turbine components

SIGLELD:8019.3153(PNR--90179) / BLDSC - British Library Document Supply CentreGBUnited Kingdo

Pressure-Stabilized Cubic Perovskite Oxyhydride BaScO2H

We report a scandium oxyhydride BaScO2H prepared by solid state reaction under high pressure. Rietveld refinements against powder synchrotron X-ray and neutron diffraction data revealed that BaScO2H adopts the ideal cubic perovskite structure (Pm3?m), where oxide (O2–) and hydride (H–) anions are disordered. 1H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy provides a positive chemical shift of about +4.4 ppm, which can be understood by the distance to the nearest (and possibly the next nearest) cation from the H nucleus. A further analysis of the NMR data and calculations based on ab initio random structure searches suggest a partial cis preference in ScO4H2 octahedra. The present oxyhydride, if compositionally or structurally tuned, may become a candidate for H– conductors

Human lung fibroblasts present bacterial antigen to autologous lung T helper cells

Lung fibroblasts are key structural cells that reside in the submucosa where they are in contact with large numbers of CD4+ T helper cells. During severe viral infection and chronic inflammation the submucosa is susceptible to bacterial invasion by lung microbiota such as Nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHi). Given their proximity in tissue, we hypothesised that human lung fibroblasts play an important role in modulating T helper cell responses to NTHi. We demonstrate that fibroblasts express the critical CD4+ T cell antigen-presentation molecule HLA-DR within the human lung, and that this expression can be recapitulated in vitro in response to interferon (IFN)?. Furthermore, we observed that cultured lung fibroblasts could internalize live NTHi. While unable to express CD80 and CD86 in response to stimulation, fibroblasts expressed the co-stimulatory molecules 4-1BBL, OX-40L and CD70, all of which are related to memory T cell activation and maintenance. CD4+ T cells isolated from the lung were predominantly (mean 97.5%) CD45RO+ memory cells. Finally, cultured fibroblasts activated IFN? and IL-17A cytokine production by autologous, NTHi-specific lung CD4+ T cells, and cytokine production was inhibited by a HLA-DR blocking antibody. These results indicate a novel role for human lung fibroblasts in contributing to responses against bacterial infection through activation of bacteria-specific CD4+ T cells