453 research outputs found
Laser-wakefield accelerators as hard x-ray sources for 3D medical imaging of human bone
A bright ÎŒm-sized source of hard synchrotron x-rays (critical energy Ecritâ>â30âkeV) based on the betatron oscillations of laser wakefield accelerated electrons has been developed. The potential of this source for medical imaging was demonstrated by performing micro-computed tomography of a human femoral trabecular bone sample, allowing full 3D reconstruction to a resolution below 50âÎŒm. The use of a 1âcm long wakefield accelerator means that the length of the beamline (excluding the laser) is dominated by the x-ray imaging distances rather than the electron acceleration distances. The source possesses high peak brightness, which allows each image to be recorded with a single exposure and reduces the time required for a full tomographic scan. These properties make this an interesting laboratory source for many tomographic imaging applications
Explicit Integration of the Full Symmetric Toda Hierarchy and the Sorting Property
We give an explicit formula for the solution to the initial value problem of
the full symmetric Toda hierarchy. The formula is obtained by the
orthogonalization procedure of Szeg\"{o}, and is also interpreted as a
consequence of the QR factorization method of Symes \cite{symes}. The sorting
property of the dynamics is also proved for the case of a generic symmetric
matrix in the sense described in the text, and generalizations of tridiagonal
formulae are given for the case of matrices with nonzero diagonals.Comment: 13 pages, Latex
Nuclear components responsible for the retention of steroidâreceptor complexes, especially from the standpoint of the specifcity of hormonal responses
Ultra-high brilliance multi-MeV -ray beam from non-linear Thomson scattering
We report on the generation of a narrow divergence (
mrad), multi-MeV ( MeV) and ultra-high brilliance ( photons s mm mrad 0.1\% BW) -ray
beam from the scattering of an ultra-relativistic laser-wakefield accelerated
electron beam in the field of a relativistically intense laser (dimensionless
amplitude ). The spectrum of the generated -ray beam is
measured, with MeV resolution, seamlessly from 6 MeV to 18 MeV, giving clear
evidence of the onset of non-linear Thomson scattering. The photon source has
the highest brilliance in the multi-MeV regime ever reported in the literature
Psychological models in sport psychology:A preliminary investigation
Applied psychology is characterised by a variety of theoretical models, informing distinct approaches to classification, explanation, and intervention in service-delivery. Such theoretical or psychological models include behavioural, biological, cognitive, humanistic, psychodynamic, and social paradigms, with exposure to these models and attitude formation occurring within the structured university-based stage of sport psychology development. It is, therefore, important for the sport psychological domain to investigate developing attitudes, given these models inform subsequent professional practice and decision making. Accordingly, the present study explored the attitudes of Stage-1 sport psychology students through a modified form of the Maudsley Attitude Questionnaire (34 males, Mage = 24.71 years, SD = 7.23 and 42 females, Mage = 24.76 years, SD = 6.20). The questionnaire was designed to assess attitudes across eight psychological models (e.g., biological, cognitive) and four sport psychology issues (pre-performance anxiety, a lack of confidence, depression, and eating disorders). Analyses of variance demonstrated significant main, model, and interaction effects. No one psychological model was endorsed by all respondents, with model endorsement varying signiïŹcantly as a function of the issue presented. Principal Axis Factoring revealed a large contribution attributable to cognitive-behavioural and âeclecticâ (mixed elements of social constructionism, biological, and psychodynamic) models. In contrast, the spiritual model represented low levels of participant endorsement and application. Investigation of Stage-1 students can promote an evidence-based understanding on currently developing attitudes and inform the development of sport psychology education, supervision of training routes, and subsequent professional delivery
Soft X-ray harmonic comb from relativistic electron spikes
We demonstrate a new high-order harmonic generation mechanism reaching the
`water window' spectral region in experiments with multi-terawatt femtosecond
lasers irradiating gas jets. A few hundred harmonic orders are resolved, giving
uJ/sr pulses. Harmonics are collectively emitted by an oscillating electron
spike formed at the joint of the boundaries of a cavity and bow wave created by
a relativistically self-focusing laser in underdense plasma. The spike
sharpness and stability are explained by catastrophe theory. The mechanism is
corroborated by particle-in-cell simulations
In vitro culture with gemcitabine augments death receptor and NKG2D ligand expression on tumour cells
Much effort has been made to try to understand the relationship between chemotherapeutic treatment of cancer and the immune system. Whereas much of that focus has been on the direct effect of chemotherapy drugs on immune cells and the release of antigens and danger signals by malignant cells killed by chemotherapy, the effect of chemotherapy on cells surviving treatment has often been overlooked. In the present study, tumour cell lines: A549 (lung), HCT116 (colon) and MCF-7 (breast), were treated with various concentrations of the chemotherapeutic drugs cyclophosphamide, gemcitabine (GEM) and oxaliplatin (OXP) for 24âhours in vitro. In line with other reports, GEM and OXP upregulated expression of the death receptor CD95 (fas) on live cells even at sub-cytotoxic concentrations. Further investigation revealed that the increase in CD95 in response to GEM sensitised the cells to fas ligand treatment, was associated with increased phosphorylation of stress activated protein kinase/c-Jun N-terminal kinase and that other death receptors and activatory immune receptors were co-ordinately upregulated with CD95 in certain cell lines. The upregulation of death receptors and NKG2D ligands together on cells after chemotherapy suggest that although the cells have survived preliminary treatment with chemotherapy they may now be more susceptible to immune cell-mediated challenge. This re-enforces the idea that chemotherapy-immunotherapy combinations may be useful clinically and has implications for the make-up and scheduling of such treatments
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