Construction and Performance of a Micro-Pattern Stereo Detector with Two Gas Electron Multipliers

The construction of a micro-pattern gas detector of dimensions 40x10 cm**2 is described. Two gas electron multiplier foils (GEM) provide the internal amplification stages. A two-layer readout structure was used, manufactured in the same technology as the GEM foils. The strips of each layer cross at an effective crossing angle of 6.7 degrees and have a 406 um pitch. The performance of the detector has been evaluated in a muon beam at CERN using a silicon telescope as reference system. The position resolutions of two orthogonal coordinates are measured to be 50 um and 1 mm, respectively. The muon detection efficiency for two-dimensional space points reaches 96%.Comment: 21 pages, 17 figure

High frequency oscillatory ventilation compared with conventional mechanical ventilation in adult respiratory distress syndrome: a randomized controlled trial [ISRCTN24242669]

INTRODUCTION: To compare the safety and efficacy of high frequency oscillatory ventilation (HFOV) with conventional mechanical ventilation (CV) for early intervention in adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), a multi-centre randomized trial in four intensive care units was conducted. METHODS: Patients with ARDS were randomized to receive either HFOV or CV. In both treatment arms a priority was given to maintain lung volume while minimizing peak pressures. CV ventilation strategy was aimed at reducing tidal volumes. In the HFOV group, an open lung strategy was used. Respiratory and circulatory parameters were recorded and clinical outcome was determined at 30 days of follow up. RESULTS: The study was prematurely stopped. Thirty-seven patients received HFOV and 24 patients CV (average APACHE II score 21 and 20, oxygenation index 25 and 18 and duration of mechanical ventilation prior to randomization 2.1 and 1.5 days, respectively). There were no statistically significant differences in survival without supplemental oxygen or on ventilator, mortality, therapy failure, or crossover. Adjustment by a priori defined baseline characteristics showed an odds ratio of 0.80 (95% CI 0.22–2.97) for survival without oxygen or on ventilator, and an odds ratio for mortality of 1.15 (95% CI 0.43–3.10) for HFOV compared with CV. The response of the oxygenation index (OI) to treatment did not differentiate between survival and death. In the HFOV group the OI response was significantly higher than in the CV group between the first and the second day. A post hoc analysis suggested that there was a relatively better treatment effect of HFOV compared with CV in patients with a higher baseline OI. CONCLUSION: No significant differences were observed, but this trial only had power to detect major differences in survival without oxygen or on ventilator. In patients with ARDS and higher baseline OI, however, there might be a treatment benefit of HFOV over CV. More research is needed to establish the efficacy of HFOV in the treatment of ARDS. We suggest that future studies are designed to allow for informative analysis in patients with higher OI

Structural properties of amorphous hydrogenated carbon. IV. A molecular-dynamics investigation and comparison to experiments

Hydrogenated amorphous carbon structures, a-C:H, with densities of 1.8 and 2.0 g/cm3, have been generated by semiempirical density-functions (DF) molecular-dynamics (MD) rapid cooling of a liquid phase of 128 carbon and 64 hydrogen atoms within periodically arranged cubic supercells. The electronic bonding properties of the model structures are analyzed within a local-orbital description. The structural properties are compared to relevant statistical and diffraction data obtained by neutron scattering and NMR in order to achieve a fundamental understanding of structure-related properties on the molecular level of chemical bonding

A Comparation of Succession Law on Intestacy Between Chinese Mainland and Macao SAR

继承法与一个国家或地区的政治、经济制度、文化传统等有着密切的联系，与每个婚姻家庭息息相关。继承制度关系到公民财产所有权的保护，继承法在社会生活中具有重要的地位和作用。澳门回归十年，中国内地与澳门之间的往来频繁，交流范围逐渐扩展，涉澳婚姻家庭关系日益增多，继承问题也日渐突出。中国内地与澳门地区的法律同具大陆法传统，但两地间存在着许多差异。中国内地与澳门地区各有独立的继承法律制度，其中既有相近相容的共同规则，又有不容讳言的差异。因此，比较研究中国内地与澳门地区两法域的继承法，不仅具有理论意义，同时深具实践价值。 本文除引言与结语外，一共包括三章。 第一章比较中国内地和澳门地区法定继承制度历史沿...Succession is an important part of civil law. It not only has a close link with a country or region’s political, economic systems and cultural traditions, but also closely related with each marriage and family. Because the succession system related to the protection of citizens’ property rights, it plays an important role in social life. It has been over a decade of Macao's return. As the accele...学位：法学硕士院系专业：法学院法律系_民商法学(含劳动法学、社会保障法学)学号：1292007115403

Robust isothermal electric switching of interface magnetization: A route to voltage-controlled spintronics

Roughness-insensitive and electrically controllable magnetization at the (0001) surface of antiferromagnetic chromia is observed using magnetometry and spin-resolved photoemission measurements and explained by the interplay of surface termination and magnetic ordering. Further, this surface in placed in proximity with a ferromagnetic Co/Pd multilayer film. Exchange coupling across the interface between chromia and Co/Pd induces an electrically controllable exchange bias in the Co/Pd film, which enables a reversible isothermal (at room temperature) shift of the global magnetic hysteresis loop of the Co/Pd film along the magnetic field axis between negative and positive values. These results reveal the potential of magnetoelectric chromia for spintronic applications requiring non-volatile electric control of magnetization.Comment: Single PDF file: 27 pages, 6 figures; version of 12/30/09; submitted to Nature Material

SN 2008S: an electron capture SN from a super-AGB progenitor?

We present comprehensive photometric and spectroscopic observations of the faint transient SN 2008S discovered in NGC 6946. SN 2008S exhibited slow photometric evolution and almost no spectral variability during the first nine months, implying a high density CS medium. The light curve is similar in shape to that of SN 1998S and SN 1979C, although significantly fainter at maximum light. Our quasi-bolometric lightcurve extends to 300 days and shows a tail phase decay rate consistent with that of ^{56}Co. We propose that this is evidence for an explosion and formation of ^{56}Ni (0.0015 +/- 0.0004 M_Sun). The large MIR flux detected shortly after explosion can be explained by a light echo from pre-exisiting dust. The late NIR flux excess is plausibly due to a combination of warm newly-formed ejecta dust together with shock-heated dust in the CS environment. We reassess the progenitor object detected previously in Spitzer archive images, supplementing this discussion with a model of the MIR spectral energy distribution. This supports the idea of a dusty, optically thick shell around SN 2008S with an inner radius of nearly 90AU and outer radius of 450AU, and an inferred heating source of 3000 K and luminosity of L ~ 10^{4.6} L_Sun. The combination of our monitoring data and the evidence from the progenitor analysis leads us to support the scenario of a weak electron capture supernova explosion in a super-AGB progenitor star (of initial mass 6-8 M_sun) embedded within a thick CS gaseous envelope. We suggest that all of main properties of the electron capture SN phenomenon are observed in SN 2008S and future observations may allow a definitive answer.Comment: accepted for publication in MNRAS (2009 May 7

Autism as a disorder of neural information processing: directions for research and targets for therapy

The broad variation in phenotypes and severities within autism spectrum disorders suggests the involvement of multiple predisposing factors, interacting in complex ways with normal developmental courses and gradients. Identification of these factors, and the common developmental path into which theyfeed, is hampered bythe large degrees of convergence from causal factors to altered brain development, and divergence from abnormal brain development into altered cognition and behaviour. Genetic, neurochemical, neuroimaging and behavioural findings on autism, as well as studies of normal development and of genetic syndromes that share symptoms with autism, offer hypotheses as to the nature of causal factors and their possible effects on the structure and dynamics of neural systems. Such alterations in neural properties may in turn perturb activity-dependent development, giving rise to a complex behavioural syndrome many steps removed from the root causes. Animal models based on genetic, neurochemical, neurophysiological, and behavioural manipulations offer the possibility of exploring these developmental processes in detail, as do human studies addressing endophenotypes beyond the diagnosis itself

Research on the Current Crime Prevention in China with the Reference of Situational Crime Prevention Theory

内容摘要情景犯罪预防理论是西方工业化国家在工业化、城市化进程中不断摸索产生和发展起来的预防犯罪的对策理论。经过三十多年的理论研究和实证检验，在西方的“后现代国家”中有上佳表现，被誉为继司法预防、社会预防理论之后更具操作性、现实性、成效性的一种预防措施，成为犯罪预防的主流理论之一。目前，中国的犯罪形势十分严峻，又面临经济健康持续发展和构建和谐社会的双重压力，借鉴西方成功的犯罪预防理论——情景犯罪预防理论无疑有重要的现实意义。本文回顾了传统的情景犯罪预防理论的诞生发展历程，介绍其主要观点和预防措施，阐明该理论是一个发展和开放的理论和实践体系，认为应进一步完善该理论：一要深入仔细分析讨论情景，情景因...ABSTRACTSituational crime prevention theory is formed and developed in the process of industrialization and urbanization in the western industrialized countries. It has a history of more than 30 years in both theoretical research and practical test. Thus, it has a significant influence in the western ‘post-modernity’ countries. It is claimed to be more manipulative, practical and effective than t...学位：法律硕士院系专业：法学院法律系_刑法学学号：X20020810