88 research outputs found
White dwarf masses in intermediate polars observed with the Suzaku satellite
Context. White dwarfs (WDs) in cataclysmic variables (CVs) are important
experimental laboratories where the electron degeneracy is taking place on a
macroscopic scale. Magnetic CVs increase in number especially in the hard X-ray
band (>10 keV) thanks to sensitive hard X-ray missions.
Aims. From X-ray spectroscopy, we estimate the masses of nearby WDs in
moderately-magnetized CVs, or Intermediate Polars (IPs).
Methods. Using the Suzaku satellite, we aquired wide-band spectra of 17 IPs,
covering 3-50 keV. An accretion column model of Suleimanov et al. (2005) and an
optically-thin thermal emission code were used to construct a spectral emission
model of IPs with resolved Fe emission lines. By simultaneously fitting the Fe
line complex and the hard X-ray continuum of individual spectra, the shock
temperature and the WD mass were determined with a better accuracy than in
previous studies.
Results. We determined the WD masses of the 17 IPs with statistical fitting
errors of ~0.1-0.2 Msun in many cases. The WD mass of a recently-found IP, IGR
J17195-4100, was also estimated for the first time (1.03+0.24-0.22 Msun). The
average WD mass of the sample is 0.88 \pm 0.25 Msun. When our results were
compared with previous X-ray mass determinations, we found significant
deviation in a few systems although the reason of this is unclear. The iron
abundance of the accreting gas was also estimated, and confirmed the previously
reported sub-solar tendency in all sources with better accuracy.Comment: 17 pages, 12 figures, accepted for publication in A&A (publication
information added in version 2
Comparisons of Statistical Multifragmentation and Evaporation Models for Heavy Ion Collisions
The results from ten statistical multifragmentation models have been compared
with each other using selected experimental observables. Even though details in
any single observable may differ, the general trends among models are similar.
Thus these models and similar ones are very good in providing important physics
insights especially for general properties of the primary fragments and the
multifragmentation process. Mean values and ratios of observables are also less
sensitive to individual differences in the models. In addition to
multifragmentation models, we have compared results from five commonly used
evaporation codes. The fluctuations in isotope yield ratios are found to be a
good indicator to evaluate the sequential decay implementation in the code. The
systems and the observables studied here can be used as benchmarks for the
development of statistical multifragmentation models and evaporation codes.Comment: To appear on Euorpean Physics Journal A as part of the Topical Volume
"Dynamics and Thermodynamics with Nuclear Degrees of Freedo
Extended Hauser-Feshbach Method for Statistical Binary-Decay of Light-Mass Systems
An Extended Hauser-Feshbach Method (EHFM) is developed for light heavy-ion
fusion reactions in order to provide a detailed analysis of all the possible
decay channels by including explicitly the fusion-fission phase-space in the
description of the cascade chain. The mass-asymmetric fission component is
considered as a complex-fragment binary-decay which can be treated in the same
way as the light-particle evaporation from the compound nucleus in
statistical-model calculations. The method of the phase-space integrations for
the binary-decay is an extension of the usual Hauser-Feshbach formalism to be
applied to the mass-symmetric fission part. The EHFM calculations include
ground-state binding energies and discrete levels in the low excitation-energy
regions which are essential for an accurate evaluation of the phase-space
integrations of the complex-fragment emission (fission). In the present
calculations, EHFM is applied to the first-chance binary-decay by assuming that
the second-chance fission decay is negligible. In a similar manner to the
description of the fusion-evaporation process, the usual cascade calculation of
light-particle emission from the highly excited complex fragments is applied.
This complete calculation is then defined as EHFM+CASCADE. Calculated
quantities such as charge-, mass- and kinetic-energy distributions are compared
with inclusive and/or exclusive data for the S+Mg and
Cl+C reactions which have been selected as typical examples.
Finally, the missing charge distributions extracted from exclusive measurements
are also successfully compared with the EHFM+CASCADE predictions.Comment: 34 pages, 6 Figures available upon request, Phys. Rev. C (to be
published
Emission time scale of light particles in the system Xe+Sn at 50 AMeV. A probe for dynamical emission ?
Proton and deuteron correlation functions have been investigated with both
impact parameter and emission source selections. The correlations of the system
(129Xe + natSn) at 50 AMeV have been measured with the 4 pi INDRA which
provides a complete kinematical description of each event. The emission time
scale analyzed with a quantum model reveals the time sequence of the light
particles emitted by the projectile-like fragment. The short and constant
emission time of the proton, independent of the impact parameter, can be
attributed to a preequilibrium process.Comment: 20 pages, with 11 included figures; Accepted by European Physics
Journal
Impact of primary kidney disease on the effects of empagliflozin in patients with chronic kidney disease: secondary analyses of the EMPA-KIDNEY trial
Background: The EMPA KIDNEY trial showed that empagliflozin reduced the risk of the primary composite outcome of kidney disease progression or cardiovascular death in patients with chronic kidney disease mainly through slowing progression. We aimed to assess how effects of empagliflozin might differ by primary kidney disease across its broad population. Methods: EMPA-KIDNEY, a randomised, controlled, phase 3 trial, was conducted at 241 centres in eight countries (Canada, China, Germany, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, the UK, and the USA). Patients were eligible if their estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was 20 to less than 45 mL/min per 1·73 m2, or 45 to less than 90 mL/min per 1·73 m2 with a urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio (uACR) of 200 mg/g or higher at screening. They were randomly assigned (1:1) to 10 mg oral empagliflozin once daily or matching placebo. Effects on kidney disease progression (defined as a sustained ≥40% eGFR decline from randomisation, end-stage kidney disease, a sustained eGFR below 10 mL/min per 1·73 m2, or death from kidney failure) were assessed using prespecified Cox models, and eGFR slope analyses used shared parameter models. Subgroup comparisons were performed by including relevant interaction terms in models. EMPA-KIDNEY is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03594110. Findings: Between May 15, 2019, and April 16, 2021, 6609 participants were randomly assigned and followed up for a median of 2·0 years (IQR 1·5–2·4). Prespecified subgroupings by primary kidney disease included 2057 (31·1%) participants with diabetic kidney disease, 1669 (25·3%) with glomerular disease, 1445 (21·9%) with hypertensive or renovascular disease, and 1438 (21·8%) with other or unknown causes. Kidney disease progression occurred in 384 (11·6%) of 3304 patients in the empagliflozin group and 504 (15·2%) of 3305 patients in the placebo group (hazard ratio 0·71 [95% CI 0·62–0·81]), with no evidence that the relative effect size varied significantly by primary kidney disease (pheterogeneity=0·62). The between-group difference in chronic eGFR slopes (ie, from 2 months to final follow-up) was 1·37 mL/min per 1·73 m2 per year (95% CI 1·16–1·59), representing a 50% (42–58) reduction in the rate of chronic eGFR decline. This relative effect of empagliflozin on chronic eGFR slope was similar in analyses by different primary kidney diseases, including in explorations by type of glomerular disease and diabetes (p values for heterogeneity all >0·1). Interpretation: In a broad range of patients with chronic kidney disease at risk of progression, including a wide range of non-diabetic causes of chronic kidney disease, empagliflozin reduced risk of kidney disease progression. Relative effect sizes were broadly similar irrespective of the cause of primary kidney disease, suggesting that SGLT2 inhibitors should be part of a standard of care to minimise risk of kidney failure in chronic kidney disease. Funding: Boehringer Ingelheim, Eli Lilly, and UK Medical Research Council
Semiconductor Spintronics
Spintronics refers commonly to phenomena in which the spin of electrons in a
solid state environment plays the determining role. In a more narrow sense
spintronics is an emerging research field of electronics: spintronics devices
are based on a spin control of electronics, or on an electrical and optical
control of spin or magnetism. This review presents selected themes of
semiconductor spintronics, introducing important concepts in spin transport,
spin injection, Silsbee-Johnson spin-charge coupling, and spindependent
tunneling, as well as spin relaxation and spin dynamics. The most fundamental
spin-dependent nteraction in nonmagnetic semiconductors is spin-orbit coupling.
Depending on the crystal symmetries of the material, as well as on the
structural properties of semiconductor based heterostructures, the spin-orbit
coupling takes on different functional forms, giving a nice playground of
effective spin-orbit Hamiltonians. The effective Hamiltonians for the most
relevant classes of materials and heterostructures are derived here from
realistic electronic band structure descriptions. Most semiconductor device
systems are still theoretical concepts, waiting for experimental
demonstrations. A review of selected proposed, and a few demonstrated devices
is presented, with detailed description of two important classes: magnetic
resonant tunnel structures and bipolar magnetic diodes and transistors. In most
cases the presentation is of tutorial style, introducing the essential
theoretical formalism at an accessible level, with case-study-like
illustrations of actual experimental results, as well as with brief reviews of
relevant recent achievements in the field.Comment: tutorial review; 342 pages, 132 figure
Ancient Jomon genome sequence analysis sheds light on migration patterns of early East Asian populations
Funder: The excavation of the Ikawazu Jomon individual was supported by Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B) (25284157) to YY. The Ikawazu Jomon genome project was organized by HI, and TH & HO who were supported by MEXT KAKENHI Grant Numbers 16H06408 and 17H05132, by Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research on Innovative Areas (Cultural History of Paleoasia), and by Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research (23657167) and for Scientific Research (B) (17H03738). The Ikawazu Jomon genome sequencing was supported by JSPS KAKENHI Grant Number 16H06279 to ATo, and partly supported in the CHOZEN project in Kanazawa University, and in the Cooperative Research Project Program of the Medical Institute of Bioregulation, Kyushu University. Computations for the Ikawazu Jomon genome were partially performed on the NIG supercomputer at ROIS National Institute of Genetics.Abstract: Anatomically modern humans reached East Asia more than 40,000 years ago. However, key questions still remain unanswered with regard to the route(s) and the number of wave(s) in the dispersal into East Eurasia. Ancient genomes at the edge of the region may elucidate a more detailed picture of the peopling of East Eurasia. Here, we analyze the whole-genome sequence of a 2,500-year-old individual (IK002) from the main-island of Japan that is characterized with a typical Jomon culture. The phylogenetic analyses support multiple waves of migration, with IK002 forming a basal lineage to the East and Northeast Asian genomes examined, likely representing some of the earliest-wave migrants who went north from Southeast Asia to East Asia. Furthermore, IK002 shows strong genetic affinity with the indigenous Taiwan aborigines, which may support a coastal route of the Jomon-ancestry migration. This study highlights the power of ancient genomics to provide new insights into the complex history of human migration into East Eurasia
Hitomi (ASTRO-H) X-ray Astronomy Satellite
The Hitomi (ASTRO-H) mission is the sixth Japanese x-ray astronomy satellite developed by a large international collaboration, including Japan, USA, Canada, and Europe. The mission aimed to provide the highest energy resolution ever achieved at E > 2 keV, using a microcalorimeter instrument, and to cover a wide energy range spanning four decades in energy from soft x-rays to gamma rays. After a successful launch on February 17, 2016, the spacecraft lost its function on March 26, 2016, but the commissioning phase for about a month provided valuable information on the onboard instruments and the spacecraft system, including astrophysical results obtained from first light observations. The paper describes the Hitomi (ASTRO-H) mission, its capabilities, the initial operation, and the instruments/spacecraft performances confirmed during the commissioning operations for about a month
Study pre-scission evaporation for Kr + AI at 10.6 MeV/u using 3Pi-phoswich detector system
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