Impedance and loss factor of a coaxial liner with many holes: effect of the attenuation

In the framework of the modified Bethe's diffraction theory, we study the energy lost by a relativistic particle beam traveling in a coaxial liner with many holes, including the effect of attenuation in the coaxial region. The interference among the holes is the main source of losses and is affected by the attenuation in the coaxial only over sufficiently long distances. We derive analytical formulas for all the interesting quantities and particular attention is given to clarifying the physical meaning of the results; numerical examples are considered using LHC-like parameters. (17 refs)

Task-Oriented Contact Optimization for Pushing Manipulation with Mobile Robots

This work addresses the problem of transporting an object along a desired planar trajectory by pushing with mobile robots. More specifically, we concentrate on establishing optimal contacts between the object and the robots to execute the given task with minimum effort. We present a task-oriented contact placement optimization strategy for object pushing that allows calculating optimal contact points minimizing the amplitude of forces required to execute the task. Exploiting the optimized contact configuration, a motion controller uses the computed contact forces in feed-forward and position error feedback terms to realize the desired trajectory tracking task. Simulations and real experiments results confirm the validity of our approach

Image Currents in Azimuthally Inhomogeneous Metallic Beam Pipes

We consider an ultra-relativistic particle travelling on-axis in an infinitely long cylindrical metallic beam pipe with azimuthally varying conductivity. A semi-analytical solution, obtained by applying approximate boundary conditions, predicts an image current distribution on the pipe walls practically independent of the azimuth, at least in the frequency range relevant for future machines such as the LHC. We discuss numerical simulations and bench measurements which confirm the theoretical predictions. Implications for the beam-induced ohmic losses in the copper coated, welded LHC beam screen are also addressed

On the time delay in binary systems

The aim of this paper is to study the time delay on electromagnetic signals propagating across a binary stellar system. We focus on the antisymmetric gravitomagnetic contribution due to the angular momentum of one of the stars of the pair. Considering a pulsar as the source of the signals, the effect would be manifest both in the arrival times of the pulses and in the frequency shift of their Fourier spectra. We derive the appropriate formulas and we discuss the influence of different configurations on the observability of gravitomagnetic effects. We argue that the recently discovered PSR J0737-3039 binary system does not permit the detection of the effects because of the large size of the eclipsed region.Comment: 7 pages, 2 eps figures, RevTex, to appear in Physical Review

On the possibility of measuring the Earth's gravitomagnetic force in a new laboratory experiment

In this paper we propose, in a preliminary way, a new Earth-based laboratory experiment aimed to the detection of the gravitomagnetic field of the Earth. It consists of the measurement of the difference of the circular frequencies of two rotators moving along identical circular paths, but in opposite directions, on a horizontal friction-free plane in a vacuum chamber placed at South Pole. The accuracy of our knowledge of the Earth's rotation from VLBI and the possibility of measuring the rotators'periods over many revolutions should allow for the feasibility of the proposed experiment.Comment: Latex2e, 8 pages, no figures, no tables, accepted for publication by Classical and Quantum Gravity. Typo corrected in the formula of the error in the difference of the orbital period

Chaotic Accretion in a Non-Stationary Electromagnetic Field of a Slowly Rotating Compact Star

We investigate charge accretion in vicinity of a slowly rotating compact star with a non-stationary electromagnetic field. Exact solutions to the general relativistic Maxwell equations are obtained for a star formed of a highly degenerate plasma with a gravitational field given by the linearized Kerr metric. These solutions are used to formulate and then to study numerically the equations of motion for a charged particle in star's vicinity using the gravitoelectromagnetic force law. The analysis shows that close to the star charge accretion does not always remain ordered. It is found that the magnetic field plays the dominant role in the onset of chaos near the star's surface.Comment: 9 pages, 4 figure

Synchronous Waves in the LHC Beam Screen with Ribbed Surface

The problem of the wake field generated by a relativistic particle travelling in a long beam tube with rough surface has been revisited by means of a standard theory based on the hybrid modes excited in a periodically corrugated rectangular waveguide. Slow waves synchronous with the particle can be excited in the structure, producing wake fields whose frequency and amplitude depend on the depth of the corrugation. The main features of the longitudinal wake, especially relevant for very short bunches, and its possible effect on proton bunches in the LHC beam screen with ribbed surface are discussed

A stochastic-hydrodynamic model of halo formation in charged particle beams

The formation of the beam halo in charged particle accelerators is studied in the framework of a stochastic-hydrodynamic model for the collective motion of the particle beam. In such a stochastic-hydrodynamic theory the density and the phase of the charged beam obey a set of coupled nonlinear hydrodynamic equations with explicit time-reversal invariance. This leads to a linearized theory that describes the collective dynamics of the beam in terms of a classical Schr\"odinger equation. Taking into account space-charge effects, we derive a set of coupled nonlinear hydrodynamic equations. These equations define a collective dynamics of self-interacting systems much in the same spirit as in the Gross-Pitaevskii and Landau-Ginzburg theories of the collective dynamics for interacting quantum many-body systems. Self-consistent solutions of the dynamical equations lead to quasi-stationary beam configurations with enhanced transverse dispersion and transverse emittance growth. In the limit of a frozen space-charge core it is then possible to determine and study the properties of stationary, stable core-plus-halo beam distributions. In this scheme the possible reproduction of the halo after its elimination is a consequence of the stationarity of the transverse distribution which plays the role of an attractor for every other distribution.Comment: 18 pages, 20 figures, submitted to Phys. Rev. ST A

Renal health after long-term exposure to tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) in HIV/HBV positive adults in Ghana

Objectives: The study assessed markers of renal health in HIV/HBV co-infected patients receiving TDF- containing antiretroviral therapy in Ghana. Methods: Urinary protein-to-creatinine ratio (uPCR) and albumin-to-protein ratio (uAPR) were measured cross-sectionally after a median of four years of TDF. At this time, alongside extensive laboratory testing, patients underwent evaluation of liver stiffness and blood pressure. The estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was measured longitudinally before and during TDF therapy. Results: Among 101 participants (66% women, median age 44 years, median CD4 count 572 cells/mm 3 ) 21% and 17% had detectable HIV-1 RNA and HBV DNA, respectively. Overall 35% showed hypertension, 6% diabetes, 7% liver stiffness indicative of cirrhosis, and 18% urinary excretion of Schistosoma antigen. Tubular proteinuria occurred in 16% of patients and was independently predicted by female gender and hypertension. The eGFR declined by median 1.8 ml/min/year during TDF exposure (IQR −4.4, −0.0); more pronounced declines ( ≥5 ml/min/year) occurred in 22% of patients and were associated with receiv-ing ritonavir-boosted lopinavir rather than efavirenz. HBV DNA, HBeAg, transaminases, and liver stiffness were not predictive of renal function abnormalities. Conclusions: The findings mandate improved diagnosis and management of hypertension and suggest targeted laboratory monitoring of patients receiving TDF alongside a booster in sub-Saharan Africa

High-resolution DCE-MRI of the pituitary gland using radial k-space acquisition with compressed sensing reconstruction

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The pituitary gland is located outside of the blood-brain barrier. Dynamic T1 weighted contrast enhanced sequence is considered to be the gold standard to evaluate this region. However, it does not allow assessment of intrinsic permeability properties of the gland. Our aim was to demonstrate the utility of radial volumetric interpolated brain examination with the golden-angle radial sparse parallel technique to evaluate permeability characteristics of the individual components (anterior and posterior gland and the median eminence) of the pituitary gland and areas of differential enhancement and to optimize the study acquisition time. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective study was performed in 52 patients (group 1, 25 patients with normal pituitary glands; and group 2, 27 patients with a known diagnosis of microadenoma). Radial volumetric interpolated brain examination sequences with goldenangle radial sparse parallel technique were evaluated with an ROI-based method to obtain signal-time curves and permeability measures of individual normal structures within the pituitary gland and areas of differential enhancement. Statistical analyses were performed to assess differences in the permeability parameters of these individual regions and optimize the study acquisition time. RESULTS: Signal-time curves from the posterior pituitary gland and median eminence demonstrated a faster wash-in and time of maximum enhancement with a lower peak of enhancement compared with the anterior pituitary gland (P .005). Time-optimization analysis demonstrated that 120 seconds is ideal for dynamic pituitary gland evaluation. In the absence of a clinical history, differences in the signal-time curves allow easy distinction between a simple cyst and a microadenoma. CONCLUSIONS: This retrospective study confirms the ability of the golden-angle radial sparse parallel technique to evaluate the permeability characteristics of the pituitary gland and establishes 120 seconds as the ideal acquisition time for dynamic pituitary gland imaging