174 research outputs found
Measurement of XUV-absorption spectra of ZnS radiatively heated foils
Time-resolved absorption of zinc sulfide (ZnS) and aluminum in the XUV-range
has been measured. Thin foils in conditions close to local thermodynamic
equilibrium were heated by radiation from laser-irradiated gold spherical
cavities. Analysis of the aluminum foil radiative hydrodynamic expansion, based
on the detailed atomic calculations of its absorption spectra, showed that the
cavity emitted flux that heated the absorption foils corresponds to a radiation
temperature in the range 55 60 eV. Comparison of the ZnS absorption spectra
with calculations based on a superconfiguration approach identified the
presence of species Zn6+ - Zn8+ and S5+ - S6+. Based on the validation of the
radiative source simulations, experimental spectra were then compared to
calculations performed by post-processing the radiative hydrodynamic
simulations of ZnS. Satisfying agreement is found when temperature gradients
are accounted for
MESURE DES GRADIENTS DE DENSITÉ DANS L'INTERACTION LASER-PLASMA
Nous étudions la densité électronique et son gradient dans l'interaction d'un laser à CO2 avec une cible plane de polyéthylène, pour un flux laser de 1012 W/cm2. L'étude par interférométrie Jamin des profils de densité et la mesure strioscopique de son gradient, couplées à l'étude de l'image en rayons X du plasma conduisent à une valeur de 220 ± 80 µm de la longueur du gradient de densité. Ceci est confirmé par des mesures indirectes obtenues à partir du bilan optique de l'interaction et du seuil de génération de l'harmonique 3/2 ω0 du laser à CO2. Les conséquences de ces résultats sur les conditions de l'interaction sont discutées
Radiative properties of stellar plasmas and open challenges
The lifetime of solar-like stars, the envelope structure of more massive
stars, and stellar acoustic frequencies largely depend on the radiative
properties of the stellar plasma. Up to now, these complex quantities have been
estimated only theoretically. The development of the powerful tools of helio-
and astero- seismology has made it possible to gain insights on the interiors
of stars. Consequently, increased emphasis is now placed on knowledge of the
monochromatic opacity coefficients. Here we review how these radiative
properties play a role, and where they are most important. We then concentrate
specifically on the envelopes of Cephei variable stars. We discuss the
dispersion of eight different theoretical estimates of the monochromatic
opacity spectrum and the challenges we need to face to check these calculations
experimentally.Comment: 6 pages, 5 figures, in press (conference HEDLA 2010
Effect of third- and fourth-order moments on the modeling of Unresolved Transition Arrays
The impact of the third (skewness) and fourth (kurtosis) reduced centered
moments on the statistical modeling of E1 lines in complex atomic spectra is
investigated through the use of Gram-Charlier, Normal Inverse Gaussian and
Generalized Gaussian distributions. It is shown that the modeling of unresolved
transition arrays with non-Gaussian distributions may reveal more detailed
structures, due essentially to the large value of the kurtosis. In the present
work, focus is put essentially on the Generalized Gaussian, the power of the
argument in the exponential being constrained by the kurtosis value. The
relevance of the new statistical line distribution is checked by comparisons
with smoothed detailed line-by-line calculations and through the analysis of
2p-3d transitions of recent laser or Z-pinch absorption measurements. The issue
of calculating high-order moments is also discussed (Racah algebra, Jucys
graphical method, semi-empirical approach ...).Comment: submitted to High Energy Density Physic
Recommended from our members
Like Frying Multiple Eggs in One Pan: a Qualitative Study Exploring the Understanding of Inter-speciality Training in Cancer Care
High-quality cancer care is a key priority worldwide. Caring for people affected by cancer requires a range of specific knowledge, skills and experience to deliver the complex care regimens both within the hospital and within the community environment. In June 2022, the European Cancer Organisation along with 33 European cancer societies began working together to develop a curriculum for inter-speciality training for healthcare professionals across Europe. As part of the project, this research consisted of a qualitative survey distributed to the European Union societies via email. The aim of this paper is to disseminate the qualitative findings from healthcare professionals across Europe. Questionnaires were sent out to a convenience sample of 219 healthcare professionals and patient advocates with a response rate of 55% (n = 115). The findings identified that there were four key themes: 'What is inter-speciality training?', 'Barriers and challenges', 'Support throughout the cancer journey' and 'New ways of working'. These results are part of a larger needs analysis and scoping review to inform the development of a core competency framework which will be part of an inter-speciality curriculum for specialist cancer doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals across Europe. Healthcare professionals will be able to access education and training through the virtual learning environment and workshops and by clinical rotations to other specialties
Identification of tetrahydrocarbazoles as novel multifactorial drug candidates for treatment of Alzheimer's disease
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative brain disorder and the most frequent cause of dementia. To date, there are only a few approved drugs for AD, which show little or no effect on disease progression. Impaired intracellular calcium homeostasis is believed to occur early in the cascade of events leading to AD. Here, we examined the possibility of normalizing the disrupted calcium homeostasis in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) store as an innovative approach for AD drug discovery. High-throughput screening of a small-molecule compound library led to the identification of tetrahydrocarbazoles, a novel multifactorial class of compounds that can normalize the impaired ER calcium homeostasis. We found that the tetrahydrocarbazole lead structure, first, dampens the enhanced calcium release from ER in HEK293 cells expressing familial Alzheimer's disease (FAD)-linked presenilin 1 mutations. Second, the lead structure also improves mitochondrial function, measured by increased mitochondrial membrane potential. Third, the same lead structure also attenuates the production of amyloid-beta (A beta) peptides by decreasing the cleavage of amyloid precursor protein (APP) by beta-secretase, without notably affecting alpha- and gamma-secretase cleavage activities. Considering the beneficial effects of tetrahydrocarbazoles addressing three key pathological aspects of AD, these compounds hold promise for the development of potentially effective AD drug candidates
Gradient elasticity and dispersive wave propagation: Model motivation and length scale identification procedures in concrete and composite laminates
Nano-scale experimental findings reveal that wave propagation in heterogeneous materials is dispersive. In order to capture such dispersive behavior, in this paper gradient elasticity theory is resorted to. A popular gradient elasticity model arising from Mindlin's theory incorporates two internal length scale parameters, which correspond to one micro-stiffness and one micro-inertia term. As an extension of Mindlin's model, an expanded three-length-scale gradient elasticity formulation with one additional micro-inertia term is used to improve the description of microstructural effects in dynamics. A non-local lattice model is introduced here to give the above micro-stiffness and micro-inertia terms a physical interpretation based on geometrical and mechanical properties of the microstructure. The purpose of this paper is to assess the effectiveness of such a three-length-scale formulation in predicting wave dispersion against experimental and micro-mechanical data from the literature. The dispersive wave propagation through laminated composites with periodic microstructure is investigated first. Length scale identification is carried out based on higher-order homogenization to link the constitutive coefficients of the gradient theory directly to microstructural properties of the layered composite. Secondly, experimental dispersion curves for phonons propagating in aluminum and bismuth crystals are scrutinized, thus highlighting the motivation for including multiple micro-inertia terms. Finally, ultrasonic wave dispersion experimentally observed in concrete specimens with various sand contents and water/cement ratios is analyzed, along with length scale quantification procedures. It is found that the proposed three-length-scale gradient formulation is versatile and effective in capturing a range of wave dispersion characteristics arising from experiments. Advantages over alternative formulations of gradient elasticity from the literature are discussed throughout the paper
Magnesia-Based Cements: A Journey of 150 Years, and Cements for the Future?
This review examines the detailed chemical insights that have been generated through 150 years of work worldwide on magnesium-based inorganic cements, with a focus on both scientific and patent literature. Magnesium carbonate, phosphate, silicate-hydrate, and oxysalt (both chloride and sulfate) cements are all assessed. Many such cements are ideally suited to specialist applications in precast construction, road repair, and other fields including nuclear waste immobilization. The majority of MgO-based cements are more costly to produce than Portland cement because of the relatively high cost of reactive sources of MgO and do not have a sufficiently high internal pH to passivate mild steel reinforcing bars. This precludes MgO-based cements from providing a large-scale replacement for Portland cement in the production of steel-reinforced concretes for civil engineering applications, despite the potential for CO2 emissions reductions offered by some such systems. Nonetheless, in uses that do not require steel reinforcement, and in locations where the MgO can be sourced at a competitive price, a detailed understanding of these systems enables their specification, design, and selection as advanced engineering materials with a strongly defined chemical basis
- …