Influence of the atomic-wall collision elasticity on the coherent population trapping resonance shape

We studied theoretically a coherent population trapping resonance formation in cylindrical cell without buffer gas irradiated by a narrow laser beam. We take into account non-zero probabilities of elastic ("specular") and inelastic ("sticking") collision between the atom and the cell wall. We have developed a theoretical model based on averaging over the random Ramsey pulse sequences of times that atom spent in and out of the beam. It is shown that the shape of coherent population trapping resonance line depends on the probability of elastic collision.Comment: 18 pages, 5 figure

Adiabatic population transfer via multiple intermediate states

This paper discusses a generalization of stimulated Raman adiabatic passage (STIRAP) in which the single intermediate state is replaced by $N$ intermediate states. Each of these states is connected to the initial state \state{i} with a coupling proportional to the pump pulse and to the final state \state{f} with a coupling proportional to the Stokes pulse, thus forming a parallel multi-$\Lambda$ system. It is shown that the dark (trapped) state exists only when the ratio between each pump coupling and the respective Stokes coupling is the same for all intermediate states. We derive the conditions for existence of a more general adiabatic-transfer state which includes transient contributions from the intermediate states but still transfers the population from state \state{i} to state \state{f} in the adiabatic limit. We present various numerical examples for success and failure of multi-$\Lambda$ STIRAP which illustrate the analytic predictions. Our results suggest that in the general case of arbitrary couplings, it is most appropriate to tune the pump and Stokes lasers either just below or just above all intermediate states.Comment: 14 pages, two-column revtex style, 10 figure

ECR plasma cleaning: an in-situ processing technique for RF cavities

A condition for Electron Cyclotron Resonance (ECR) can be established inside a fully assembled RF cavity without the need for removing high-power couplers. As such, plasma generated by this process can be used as a final cleaning step, or as an alternative cleaning step in place of other techniques. Tests showed filtered dry air plasma can successfully remove sulfur particles on niobium surface while the surface oxygen content remains intact

Cholesterol Influences Voltage-Gated Calcium Channels and BK-Type Potassium Channels in Auditory Hair Cells

The influence of membrane cholesterol content on a variety of ion channel conductances in numerous cell models has been shown, but studies exploring its role in auditory hair cell physiology are scarce. Recent evidence shows that cholesterol depletion affects outer hair cell electromotility and the voltage-gated potassium currents underlying tall hair cell development, but the effects of cholesterol on the major ionic currents governing auditory hair cell excitabilityare unknown. We investigated the effects of a cholesterol-depleting agent (methyl beta cyclodextrin, MβCD) on ion channels necessary for the early stages of sound processing. Large-conductance BK-type potassium channels underlie temporal processing and open in a voltage- and calcium-dependent manner. Voltage-gated calcium channels (VGCCs) are responsible for calcium-dependent exocytosis and synaptic transmission to the auditory nerve. Our results demonstrate that cholesterol depletion reduced peak steady-state calcium-sensitive (BK-type) potassiumcurrent by 50% in chick cochlear hair cells. In contrast, MβCD treatment increased peak inward calcium current (∼30%), ruling out loss of calcium channel expression or function as a cause of reduced calcium-sensitive outward current. Changes in maximal conductance indicated a direct impact of cholesterol on channel number or unitary conductance. Immunoblotting following sucrose-gradient ultracentrifugation revealed BK expression in cholesterol-enriched microdomains. Both direct impacts of cholesterol on channel biophysics, as well as channel localization in the membrane, may contribute to the influence of cholesterol on hair cell physiology. Our results reveal a new role for cholesterol in the regulation of auditory calcium and calcium-activated potassium channels and add to the growing evidence that cholesterol is a key determinant in auditory physiology

Why Are Outcomes Different for Registry Patients Enrolled Prospectively and Retrospectively? Insights from the Global Anticoagulant Registry in the FIELD-Atrial Fibrillation (GARFIELD-AF).

Background: Retrospective and prospective observational studies are designed to reflect real-world evidence on clinical practice, but can yield conflicting results. The GARFIELD-AF Registry includes both methods of enrolment and allows analysis of differences in patient characteristics and outcomes that may result. Methods and Results: Patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) and ≥1 risk factor for stroke at diagnosis of AF were recruited either retrospectively (n = 5069) or prospectively (n = 5501) from 19 countries and then followed prospectively. The retrospectively enrolled cohort comprised patients with established AF (for a least 6, and up to 24 months before enrolment), who were identified retrospectively (and baseline and partial follow-up data were collected from the emedical records) and then followed prospectively between 0-18 months (such that the total time of follow-up was 24 months; data collection Dec-2009 and Oct-2010). In the prospectively enrolled cohort, patients with newly diagnosed AF (≤6 weeks after diagnosis) were recruited between Mar-2010 and Oct-2011 and were followed for 24 months after enrolment. Differences between the cohorts were observed in clinical characteristics, including type of AF, stroke prevention strategies, and event rates. More patients in the retrospectively identified cohort received vitamin K antagonists (62.1% vs. 53.2%) and fewer received non-vitamin K oral anticoagulants (1.8% vs . 4.2%). All-cause mortality rates per 100 person-years during the prospective follow-up (starting the first study visit up to 1 year) were significantly lower in the retrospective than prospectively identified cohort (3.04 [95% CI 2.51 to 3.67] vs . 4.05 [95% CI 3.53 to 4.63]; p = 0.016). Conclusions: Interpretations of data from registries that aim to evaluate the characteristics and outcomes of patients with AF must take account of differences in registry design and the impact of recall bias and survivorship bias that is incurred with retrospective enrolment. Clinical Trial Registration: - URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov . Unique identifier for GARFIELD-AF (NCT01090362)

HE-LHC: The High-Energy Large Hadron Collider – Future Circular Collider Conceptual Design Report Volume 4

In response to the 2013 Update of the European Strategy for Particle Physics (EPPSU), the Future Circular Collider (FCC) study was launched as a world-wide international collaboration hosted by CERN. The FCC study covered an energy-frontier hadron collider (FCC-hh), a highest-luminosity high-energy lepton collider (FCC-ee), the corresponding 100 km tunnel infrastructure, as well as the physics opportunities of these two colliders, and a high-energy LHC, based on FCC-hh technology. This document constitutes the third volume of the FCC Conceptual Design Report, devoted to the hadron collider FCC-hh. It summarizes the FCC-hh physics discovery opportunities, presents the FCC-hh accelerator design, performance reach, and staged operation plan, discusses the underlying technologies, the civil engineering and technical infrastructure, and also sketches a possible implementation. Combining ingredients from the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), the high-luminosity LHC upgrade and adding novel technologies and approaches, the FCC-hh design aims at significantly extending the energy frontier to 100 TeV. Its unprecedented centre-of-mass collision energy will make the FCC-hh a unique instrument to explore physics beyond the Standard Model, offering great direct sensitivity to new physics and discoveries

Improved risk stratification of patients with atrial fibrillation: an integrated GARFIELD-AF tool for the prediction of mortality, stroke and bleed in patients with and without anticoagulation.

OBJECTIVES: To provide an accurate, web-based tool for stratifying patients with atrial fibrillation to facilitate decisions on the potential benefits/risks of anticoagulation, based on mortality, stroke and bleeding risks. DESIGN: The new tool was developed, using stepwise regression, for all and then applied to lower risk patients. C-statistics were compared with CHA2DS2-VASc using 30-fold cross-validation to control for overfitting. External validation was undertaken in an independent dataset, Outcome Registry for Better Informed Treatment of Atrial Fibrillation (ORBIT-AF). PARTICIPANTS: Data from 39 898 patients enrolled in the prospective GARFIELD-AF registry provided the basis for deriving and validating an integrated risk tool to predict stroke risk, mortality and bleeding risk. RESULTS: The discriminatory value of the GARFIELD-AF risk model was superior to CHA2DS2-VASc for patients with or without anticoagulation. C-statistics (95% CI) for all-cause mortality, ischaemic stroke/systemic embolism and haemorrhagic stroke/major bleeding (treated patients) were: 0.77 (0.76 to 0.78), 0.69 (0.67 to 0.71) and 0.66 (0.62 to 0.69), respectively, for the GARFIELD-AF risk models, and 0.66 (0.64-0.67), 0.64 (0.61-0.66) and 0.64 (0.61-0.68), respectively, for CHA2DS2-VASc (or HAS-BLED for bleeding). In very low to low risk patients (CHA2DS2-VASc 0 or 1 (men) and 1 or 2 (women)), the CHA2DS2-VASc and HAS-BLED (for bleeding) scores offered weak discriminatory value for mortality, stroke/systemic embolism and major bleeding. C-statistics for the GARFIELD-AF risk tool were 0.69 (0.64 to 0.75), 0.65 (0.56 to 0.73) and 0.60 (0.47 to 0.73) for each end point, respectively, versus 0.50 (0.45 to 0.55), 0.59 (0.50 to 0.67) and 0.55 (0.53 to 0.56) for CHA2DS2-VASc (or HAS-BLED for bleeding). Upon validation in the ORBIT-AF population, C-statistics showed that the GARFIELD-AF risk tool was effective for predicting 1-year all-cause mortality using the full and simplified model for all-cause mortality: C-statistics 0.75 (0.73 to 0.77) and 0.75 (0.73 to 0.77), respectively, and for predicting for any stroke or systemic embolism over 1 year, C-statistics 0.68 (0.62 to 0.74). CONCLUSIONS: Performance of the GARFIELD-AF risk tool was superior to CHA2DS2-VASc in predicting stroke and mortality and superior to HAS-BLED for bleeding, overall and in lower risk patients. The GARFIELD-AF tool has the potential for incorporation in routine electronic systems, and for the first time, permits simultaneous evaluation of ischaemic stroke, mortality and bleeding risks. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier for GARFIELD-AF (NCT01090362) and for ORBIT-AF (NCT01165710)

Inclusive and multiplicity dependent production of electrons from heavy-flavour hadron decays in pp and p-Pb collisions

Measurements of the production of electrons from heavy-flavour hadron decays in pp collisions at root s = 13 TeV at midrapidity with the ALICE detector are presented down to a transverse momentum (p(T)) of 0.2 GeV/c and up to p(T) = 35 GeV/c, which is the largest momentum range probed for inclusive electron measurements in ALICE. In p-Pb collisions, the production cross section and the nuclear modification factor of electrons from heavy-flavour hadron decays are measured in the p(T) range 0.5 < p(T) < 26 GeV/c at root s(NN) = 8.16 TeV. The nuclear modification factor is found to be consistent with unity within the statistical and systematic uncertainties. In both collision systems, first measurements of the yields of electrons from heavy-flavour hadron decays in different multiplicity intervals normalised to the multiplicity-integrated yield (self-normalised yield) at midrapidity are reported as a function of the self-normalised charged-particle multiplicity estimated at midrapidity. The self-normalised yields in pp and p-Pb collisions grow faster than linear with the self-normalised multiplicity. A strong p(T) dependence is observed in pp collisions, where the yield of high-p(T) electrons increases faster as a function of multiplicity than the one of low-p(T) electrons. The measurement in p-Pb collisions shows no p(T) dependence within uncertainties. The self-normalised yields in pp and p-Pb collisions are compared with measurements of other heavy-flavour, light-flavour, and strange particles, and with Monte Carlo simulations