324 research outputs found
NEO Threat Mitigation Software Tools within the NEOShield Project and Application to 2015 PDC
Protecting Earth from the threat implied by the Near Earth Objects (NEO) is gaining momentum in recent years. In the last decade a number of mitigation methods have been pushed forward as a possible remedy to that threat, including nuclear blasts, kinetic impactor, gravity tractors and others. Tools are required to evaluate the NEO deflection performances of each of the different methods, coupled with the orbital mechanics associated to the need to transfer to the target orbit and maybe rendezvous with it. The present suite of tools do provide an integral answer to the need of determining if an asteroid is to collide with Earth (NIRAT tool), compute the required object deflection (NEODET tool) and assess the design features of the possible mitigation space missions (RIMISET tool). The tools are presented, their design analyzed as well as the methods and architecture implemented. Results are provided for the hypothetical NEO 2015 PDC proposed for this conference
Integrated End-to-End NEO Threat Mitigation Software Suite
Protecting Earth from the threat implied by the Near Earth Objects (NEO) is gaining momentum in recent years. In the last decade a number of mitigation methods have been pushed forward as a possible remedy to that threat, including nuclear blasts, kinetic impactor, gravity tractors and others. Tools are required to evaluate the NEO deflection performances of each of the different methods, coupled with the orbital mechanics associated to the need to transfer to the target orbit and maybe rendezvous with it. The present suite of tools do provide an integral answer to the need of determining if an asteroid is to collide with Earth (NIRAT tool), compute the required object deflection (NEODET tool) and assess the design features of the possible mitigation space missions (RIMISET tool). The tools are presented, their design analyzed as well as the methods and architecture implemented. Results are provided for two asteroids 2011 AG5 (using the orbit determination solution where this asteroid still was a risk object) and 2007 VK184 and the obtained data discussed in comparison to other results
Self-guided wakefield experiments driven by petawatt class ultra-short laser pulses
We investigate the extension of self-injecting laser wakefield experiments to
the regime that will be accessible with the next generation of petawatt class
ultra-short pulse laser systems. Using linear scalings, current experimental
trends and numerical simulations we determine the optimal laser and target
parameters, i.e. focusing geometry, plasma density and target length, that are
required to increase the electron beam energy (to > 1 GeV) without the use of
external guiding structures.Comment: 15 pages, 8 figure
Dura mater marsupialisation and outcome in a cat with a spinal subarachnoid pseudocyst: a case report
A six-month-old male domestic shorthair cat was referred with a history of acute-onset paraplegia,
over the previous two months. The neurological examination revealed a thoracolumbar lesion. After myelography
and myelo-computed tomography (myelo-CT), the diagnosis of a T13\u2013L1 subarachnoid pseudocyst potentially
related to a previous L1 vertebral body fracture or malformation was made. Surgical decompression consisted
in dorsal laminectomy followed by durotomy and marsupialisation. Immediately after surgery the cat improved
neurologically and showed progressive improvement of his neurological signs over the next few months, until he
died, from unrelated causes, approximately 18 months after surgery
Fast-ignition design transport studies: realistic electron source, integrated PIC-hydrodynamics, imposed magnetic fields
Transport modeling of idealized, cone-guided fast ignition targets indicates
the severe challenge posed by fast-electron source divergence. The hybrid
particle-in-cell [PIC] code Zuma is run in tandem with the
radiation-hydrodynamics code Hydra to model fast-electron propagation, fuel
heating, and thermonuclear burn. The fast electron source is based on a 3D
explicit-PIC laser-plasma simulation with the PSC code. This shows a quasi
two-temperature energy spectrum, and a divergent angle spectrum (average
velocity-space polar angle of 52 degrees). Transport simulations with the
PIC-based divergence do not ignite for > 1 MJ of fast-electron energy, for a
modest 70 micron standoff distance from fast-electron injection to the dense
fuel. However, artificially collimating the source gives an ignition energy of
132 kJ. To mitigate the divergence, we consider imposed axial magnetic fields.
Uniform fields ~50 MG are sufficient to recover the artificially collimated
ignition energy. Experiments at the Omega laser facility have generated fields
of this magnitude by imploding a capsule in seed fields of 50-100 kG. Such
imploded fields are however more compressed in the transport region than in the
laser absorption region. When fast electrons encounter increasing field
strength, magnetic mirroring can reflect a substantial fraction of them and
reduce coupling to the fuel. A hollow magnetic pipe, which peaks at a finite
radius, is presented as one field configuration which circumvents mirroring.Comment: 16 pages, 17 figures, submitted to Phys. Plasma
Dynamic Control of Laser Produced Proton Beams
The emission characteristics of intense laser driven protons are controlled
using ultra-strong (of the order of 10^9 V/m) electrostatic fields varying on a
few ps timescale. The field structures are achieved by exploiting the high
potential of the target (reaching multi-MV during the laser interaction).
Suitably shaped targets result in a reduction in the proton beam divergence,
and hence an increase in proton flux while preserving the high beam quality.
The peak focusing power and its temporal variation are shown to depend on the
target characteristics, allowing for the collimation of the inherently highly
divergent beam and the design of achromatic electrostatic lenses.Comment: 9 Pages, 5 figure
A Bright Spatially-Coherent Compact X-ray Synchrotron Source
Each successive generation of x-ray machines has opened up new frontiers in
science, such as the first radiographs and the determination of the structure
of DNA. State-of-the-art x-ray sources can now produce coherent high brightness
keV x-rays and promise a new revolution in imaging complex systems on nanometre
and femtosecond scales. Despite the demand, only a few dedicated synchrotron
facilities exist worldwide, partially due the size and cost of conventional
(accelerator) technology. Here we demonstrate the use of a recently developed
compact laser-plasma accelerator to produce a well-collimated,
spatially-coherent, intrinsically ultrafast source of hard x-rays. This method
reduces the size of the synchrotron source from the tens of metres to
centimetre scale, accelerating and wiggling a high electron charge
simultaneously. This leads to a narrow-energy spread electron beam and x-ray
source that is >1000 times brighter than previously reported plasma wiggler and
thus has the potential to facilitate a myriad of uses across the whole spectrum
of light-source applications.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figure
Cone-Guided Fast Ignition with no Imposed Magnetic Fields
Simulations of ignition-scale fast ignition targets have been performed with
the new integrated Zuma-Hydra PIC-hydrodynamic capability. We consider an
idealized spherical DT fuel assembly with a carbon cone, and an
artificially-collimated fast electron source. We study the role of E and B
fields and the fast electron energy spectrum. For mono-energetic 1.5 MeV fast
electrons, without E and B fields, the energy needed for ignition is E_f^{ig} =
30 kJ. This is about 3.5x the minimal deposited ignition energy of 8.7 kJ for
our fuel density of 450 g/cm^3. Including E and B fields with the resistive
Ohm's law E = \eta J_b gives E_f^{ig} = 20 kJ, while using the full Ohm's law
gives E_f^{ig} > 40 kJ. This is due to magnetic self-guiding in the former
case, and \nabla n \times \nabla T magnetic fields in the latter. Using a
realistic, quasi two-temperature energy spectrum derived from PIC laser-plasma
simulations increases E_f^{ig} to (102, 81, 162) kJ for (no E/B, E = \eta J_b,
full Ohm's law). This stems from the electrons being too energetic to fully
stop in the optimal hot spot depth.Comment: Minor revisions in response to referee comment
Heparin-induced lipoprotein precipitation apheresis in dyslipidemic patients: A multiparametric assessment
Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) apheresis (LA) selectively eliminates lipoproteins containing apolipoprotein B 100 (ApoB100) on patients affected by severe dyslipidemia. In addition to lowering lipids, LA is thought to exert pleiotropic effects altering a number of other compounds associated with atherosclerosis, such as pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines or pro-thrombotic factors
Environmental risk factors for the development of oral squamous cell carcinoma in cats
Background: Risk factors for oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) in cats are derived from a single study dated almost 20 years ago. The relationship between inflammation of oral tissues and OSCC is still unclear. Objectives: To investigate previously proposed and novel potential risk factors for OSCC development, including oral inflammatory diseases. Animals: Hundred cats with OSCC, 70 cats with chronic gingivostomatitis (CGS), 63 cats with periodontal disease (PD), and 500 controls. Methods: Prospective, observational case-control study. Cats with OSCC were compared with an age-matched control sample of client-owned cats and cats with CGS or PD. Owners of cats completed an anonymous questionnaire including demographic, environmental and lifestyle information. Results: On multivariable logistic regression, covariates significantly associated with an increased risk of OSCC were rural environment (OR: 1.77; 95% CI: 1.03-3.04; P =.04), outdoor access (OR: 1.68; 95% CI: 1.07-2.63; P =.02), environmental tobacco smoke (OR: 1.77; 95% CI: 1.05-3; P =.03), and petfood containing chemical additives (OR: 1.98; 95% CI: 1.04-3.76; P =.04). Risk factors shared with CGS and PD were outdoor access and petfood containing chemical additives, respectively. A history of oral inflammation was reported in 35% of cats with OSCC but did not emerge as a risk factor. Conclusions and Clinical Importance: The study proposes novel potential risk factors for OSCC in cats. Although a history of inflammatory oral disease was not significantly more frequent compared with random age-matched controls, OSCC shared several risk factors with CGS and PD
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