Strong Quasiparticle Trapping In A 6x6 Array Of Vanadium-Aluminum Superconducting Tunnel Junctions

A 6x6 array of symmetrical V/Al/AlOx/Al/V Superconducting Tunnel Junctions (STJs) was fabricated. The base electrode is a high quality epitaxial film with a residual resistance ratio (RRR) of ~30. The top film is polycrystalline with an RRR of ~10. The leakage currents of the 25x25 mm^2 junctions are of the order of 0.5 pA/mm^2 at a bias voltage of 100 mV, which corresponds to a dynamical resistance of ~ 3 10^5 ohms. When the array was illuminated by 6 keV X-ray photons from a 55Fe radioactive source the single photon charge output was found to be low and strongly dependent on the temperature of the devices. This temperature dependence at X-ray energies can be explained by the existence of a very large number of quasiparticle (QP) traps in the Vanadium. QPs are confined in these traps, having a lower energy gap than the surrounding material, and are therefore not available for tunneling. The number of traps can be derived from the energy dependence of the responsivity of the devices (charge output per electron volt of photon input energy).Comment: 4 pages. presented at Low Temperature Detectors-

Perlindungan Hukum Bagi Penumpang Pesawat Udara Menurut Undang-undang No. 1 Tahun 2009 Tentang Penerbangan

Penelitian ini dilakukan dengan tujuan untuk mengetahui bagaimana pengaturan hukum terhadap penumpang pesawat udara dan bagaimana upaya perlindungan hukum saat mengalami kerugian pada kegiatan transportasi udara. Dengan menggunakan metode penelitian yuridis normatif dsimpulkan: 1. Dalam sistem hukum di Indonesia sudah terdapat beberapa peraturan di bidang transportasi udara di Indonesia, yaitu Undang-Undang No. 1 Tahun 2009 tentang Penerbangan, Peraturan Menteri Perhubungan No. PM 89 Tahun 2015 tentang Penanganan Keterlambatan Penerbangan (Delay Management) pada Badan Usaha Angkutan Udara Niaga Berjadwal di Indonesia, dan Peraturan Menteri Perhubungan No. 77 Tahun 2011 tentang Tanggung Jawab Pengangkut Angkutan Udara. Adapun dalam kegiatan transportasi udara perlu adanya perjanjian pengangkutan. Dengan adanya perjanjian pengangkutan, hak dan kewajiban para pihak yang terlibat di dalamnya dapat terjamin. 2. Dalam upaya perlindungan hukum saat mengalami kerugian pada kegiatan transportasi udara khususnya transportasi udara niaga, harus kita ketahui dulu bentuk-bentuk kerugian yang dapat dialami dalam kegiatan penerbangan yaitu keterlambatan, kehilangan dan kecelakaan baik yang menyebabkan luka-luka sampai kematian. Dengan meninjau bentuk-bentuk kerugian tersebut, maka ada beberapa aspek yang perlu diperhatikan sehubungan dengan pencegahan dan perlindungan konsumen bahkan semua pihak yang terlibat dalam transportasi udara, yaitu aspek keselamatan penerbangan, aspek kemanan penerbangan, aspek Kenyamanan selama penerbangan, aspek pelayanan, aspek penentuan tarif atau ongkos penerbangan, aspek perjanjian angkutan udara, aspek pengajuan klaim dan aspek perlindungan melalui asuransi. Kata kunci: Perlindungan hukum, penumpang, pesawat udar

Analisis Faktor – Faktor yang Mempengaruhi Job Satisfaction Auditor yang Bekerja pada Kantor Akuntan Publik di Jakarta

This study aims to examine the factors - factors that affect job satisfaction, the auditor who worked on KAP in Jakrta. The unit of analysis of this study is the auditor who worked on the public accounting firm in Jakarta. The number of samples is 120 auditors and the data processed using SPSS. The analysis performed included tests of validity, test reliability, test classic assumptions, multiple linear regression analysis including the F test, t test, and coefficient of determination. The results of the analysis of the study can be seen that the variable consideran leadership style, structure leadership style, and complexity of the task has a positive effect on job satisfaction. While the variable of time budget pressures have a negative influence on job satisfaction

First results of a cryogenic optical photon counting imaging spectrometer using a DROID array

Context. In this paper we present the first system test in which we demonstrate the concept of using an array of Distributed Read Out Imaging Devices (DROIDs) for optical photon detection. Aims. After the successful S-Cam 3 detector the next step in the development of a cryogenic optical photon counting imaging spectrometer under the S-Cam project is to increase the field of view using DROIDs. With this modification the field of view of the camera has been increased by a factor of 5 in area, while keeping the number of readout channels the same. Methods. The test has been performed using the flexible S-Cam 3 system and exchanging the 10x12 Superconducting Tunnel Junction array for a 3x20 DROID array. The extra data reduction needed with DROIDs is performed offline. Results. We show that, although the responsivity (number of tunnelled quasiparticles per unit of absorbed photon energy, e- /eV) of the current array is too low for direct astronomical applications, the imaging quality is already good enough for pattern detection, and will improve further with increasing responsivity. Conclusions. The obtained knowledge can be used to optimise the system for the use of DROIDs.Comment: 7 pages, 9 figures, accepted for publicaiton in A&

Sheep α-globin gene sequences: Implications for their concerted evolution and for the down-regulation of the 3' genes

In sheep as in man and most other mammals, there are two α-globin genes (Iα and IIα), which are expressed at different levels, the upstream gene being the most efficient. In α-globin gene triplication and quadruplication, this trend is confirmed, i.e., the α-chain output of the downstream genes progressively decreases. In this study, we have determined the complete sequence of the cDNAs and of both the introns in a triple-α haplotype in which each gene could be recognized for the presence of distinct alleles. The sequence analysis reveals that the bodies of the three α-globin genes are essentially identical (99.9% homology) and moreover indicates that the down-regulation of additional α-globin genes in sheep is not the effect of sequence variation from the Cap to the Poly(A) addition sites. This striking similarity among α-genes is higher than that seen in other mammals and is probably sustained by particularly efficient mechanisms of gene conversion and cross-over fixation

Open Collaboration: A Problem Solving Strategy That Is Redefining NASA's Innovative Spirit

In 2010, NASA?s Space Life Sciences Directorate announced the successful results from pilot experiments with open innovation methodologies. Specifically, utilization of internet based external crowd sourcing platforms to solve challenging problems in human health and performance related to the future of spaceflight. The follow-up to this success was an internal crowd sourcing pilot program entitled NASA@work, which was supported by the InnoCentive@work software platform. The objective of the NASA@work pilot was to connect the collective knowledge of individuals from all areas within the NASA organization via a private web based environment. The platform provided a venue for NASA Challenge Owners, those looking for solutions or new ideas, to pose challenges to internal solvers, those within NASA with the skill and desire to create solutions. The pilot was launched in 57 days, a record for InnoCentive and NASA, and ran for three months with a total of 20 challenges posted Agency wide. The NASA@work pilot attracted over 6000 participants throughout NASA with a total of 183 contributing solvers for the 20 challenges posted. At the time of the pilot?s closure, solvers provided viable solutions and ideas for 17 of the 20 posted challenges. The solver community provided feedback on the pilot describing it as a barrier breaking activity, conveying that there was a satisfaction associated with helping co-workers, that it was "fun" to think about problems outside normal work boundaries, and it was nice to learn what challenges others were facing across the agency. The results and the feedback from the solver community have demonstrated the power and utility of an internal collaboration tool, such as NASA@work

Canal switch and re-entry phenomenon in benign paroxysmal positional vertigo: difference between immediate and delayed occurrence

Studio prospettico ideato per la valutazione delle differenze tra la conversione canalare o il rientro degli otoliti nei canali semicircolari successivo alle manovre terapeutiche nei pazienti affetti da VPPB. Sono stati valutati 196 pazienti affetti da VPPB, 127 dei quali corrispondevano ai criteri di inclusione. L’età media dei pazienti era di 54.74 anni. Il canale orizzontale è stato coinvolto in 30 casi e il canale posteriore in 97 pazienti. I pazienti con sordità neurosensoriale presentavano forme ricorrenti di VPPB, rispetto a quelli con udito normale. L’immediato rientro canalare è stato diagnosticato in 3 pazienti con VPPB del canale laterale, tutti con nistagmo geotropo. 7 pazienti con VPPB del canale posteriore hanno presentato un rientro canalare immediato e 5 la forma ritardata. I pazienti con rientro canalare ritardato avevano precedentemente subito più di 2 manovre di riposizionamento. Il rientro canalare non è risultato connesso al tipo di manovra eseguita. Il tempo di attesa tra l’esecuzione della manovra liberatoria e il test di verifica si è rivelato importante ai fini del rientro canalare immediato. La recidiva della BPPV dopo un mese dalle manovre liberatorie si è riscontrata in 20 pazienti ed è stata più frequente in quei pazienti che hanno avuto un fenomeno di rientro canalare. La conversione canalare ed il fenomeno del rientro canalare rappresentano delle entità cliniche che devono essere considerate dal medico che tratta le VPPB. Appare importante distinguere un rientro da un fallimento della manovra in caso di forme immediate, o da una recidiva di patologia in caso di forme ritardate. L’esecuzione del test di verifica del successo terapeutico dopo manovre di riposizionamento deve avere un distacco temporale sufficientemente ampio al fine di evitare il reflusso immediato di otoliti nei canali.This prospective study was designed to evaluate the differences between immediate and delayed canal re-entry of otoliths after therapeutic manoeuvres in patients with benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV). A total of 196 patients with BPPV were visited and 127 matched our inclusion criteria. The mean age was 54.74 years. The horizontal semicircular canal (HSC) was involved in 30 cases and the posterior semicircular canal (PSC) in 97 patients. Patients with hearing loss in the ear affected by BPPV have a more recurrent form, compared to those with normal hearing. An immediate canal re-entry was recorded in 3 patients with HSC BPPV, all with geotropic nystagmus. In 7 patients with PSC BPPV, the immediate canal re-entry was detected and the delayed form was noted in 5 patients. The patients with the delayed canal re-entry underwent more than 2 previous manoeuvres. The canal re-entry was not related to the manoeuvre performed. The timing of the Dix-Hallpike test to verify the resolution of the BPPV had a significant role in immediate canal re-entry. A recurrence in the follow-up at least one month after treatment was recorded in 20 patients and was more frequent in patients that had canal re-entry. The canal re-entry or canal switch is a clinical entity that should be kept in mind of the neurotologist when approaching BPPV patients. It is important to distinguish it from recurrence when delayed and from manoeuvre failure when immediate. The timing of manoeuvre performing, in particular the final verification test after therapeutic sessions, is important to prevent the immediate reflux of particles into canals