Implosion Symmetry of Laser-Irradiated Cylindrical Targets

We consider the symmetry of cylindrical implosions of laser targets with parameters corresponding to experiments proposed for the LIL laser facility at Bordeaux: eight laser beams in octahedrical configuration, delivering a total of 50 kJ of 0.35 (xm laser light in 5 ns, impinging on 1.26 mm diameter polystyrene cylindrical shells filled with deuterium at 30 bar and 5.35 mg cm"3; this configuration allows to place diagnostics along the symmetry axis to evaluate directly the uniformity of implosion. Numerical studies have been carried out by using the hydrodynamic computer codes MULTI and CHIC, including one-dimensional, and two-dimensional R-Z and R-6 simulations. Deuterium is compressed into a 1 mm long and 50 |xm diameter filament, with density ranging from 2 to 6 g cm-3 and temperatures above 1000 eV. In spite of the reduced numbers of beams, a good symmetry can be achieved with a careful choice of the irradiation pattern. The heat transport smoothing between laser absorption zone and ablation layer plays a fundamental role in the attenuation of residual non-uniformities. Also, it has been found that the radiation transport determines the radial structure of the compressed filament

Risk-based prioritization of pharmaceuticals in the natural environment in Iraq

Numerous studies have demonstrated the occurrence of pharmaceuticals in the natural environment, raising concerns about their impact on non-target organisms or human health. One region where little is known about the exposure and effects of pharmaceuticals in the environment is Iraq. Due to the high number of pharmaceuticals used by the public health sector in Iraq (hospitals and care centres) and distributed over the counter, there is a need for a systematic approach for identifying substances that should be monitored in the environment in Iraq and assessed in terms of environmental risk. In this study, a risk-based prioritization approach was applied to 99 of the most dispensed pharmaceuticals in three Iraqi cities, Baghdad, Mosul and Basrah. Initially, information on the amounts of pharmaceuticals used in Iraq was obtained. The top used medicines were found to be paracetamol, amoxicillin and metformin with total annual consumption exceeding 1000 tonnes per year. Predicted environmental concentrations (PECs) and predicted no-effect concentrations (PNECs), derived from ecotoxicological end-points and effects related to the therapeutic mode of action, were then used to rank the pharmaceuticals in terms of risks to different environmental compartments. Active pharmaceutical ingredients used as antibiotics, antidepressants and analgesics were identified as the highest priority in surface water, sediment and the terrestrial environment. Antibiotics were also prioritized according to their susceptibility to kill or inhibit the growth of bacteria or to accelerate the evolution and dissemination of antibiotic-resistant genes in water. Future work will focus on understanding the occurrence, fate and effects of some of highly prioritized substances in the environment

A Social Identity Approach to Sport Psychology: Principles, Practice, and Prospects.

Drawing on social identity theory and self-categorization theory, we outline an approach to sport psychology that understands groups not simply as features of sporting contexts but rather as elements that can be, and often are, incorporated into a person's sense of self and, through this, become powerful determinants of their sport-related behavior. The underpinnings of this social identity approach are outlined, and four key lessons for sport that are indicative of the analytical and practical power of the approach are presented. These suggest that social identity is the basis for sports group (1) behavior, (2) formation and development, (3) support and stress appraisal, and (4) leadership. Building on recent developments within sport science, we outline an agenda for future research by identifying a range of topics to which the social identity approach could fruitfully contribute

HiPER target studies: towards the design of high gain, robust, scalable direct-drive targets with advanced ignition schemes

An essential element of the HiPER project is the design of high gain targets, compatible with high repetition-rate operation and that can be mass produced at low cost. HiPER WP9 (Work Package 9 Requirements analysis for the fusion programme) studied schemes based on direct laser irradiation and advanced ignition (fast ignition and shock ignition), which have potentials for gain in excess of 100 at laser energy of about 1 MJ. To begin with, a very simple target was designed, which could allow for ignition demonstration with a few hundred kJ laser, and can be scaled at higher energy and gain. The ignition requirements have been determined, and crucial issues have been identified. This led to select shock ignition as the main option, since it turns out that all the relevant issues could be tested experimentally at existing facilities in the present decade. WP9 investigated irradiation schemes, target symmetry and stability issues, sensitivity to parameter changes, requirements for beam delivery and focusing and target positioning. Current work is directed towards increasing target robustness, scaling to greater energy, and designing targets for full scale demonstration

Biodegradable polymer Biolimus-eluting stent (Nobori®) for the treatment of coronary artery lesions: review of concept and clinical results

Guillaume Schurtz,1,2 Cédric Delhaye,1 Christopher Hurt,1,2 Henri Thieuleux,1,2 Gilles Lemesle1–3 1Centre Hémodynamique et Unité des Soins Intensifs de Cardiologie, Hôpital Cardiologique, Centre Hospitalier Régional et Universitaire de Lille, Lille, France; 2Faculté de Médecine de Lille, Lille, France; 3Unité INSERM UMR744, Institut Pasteur de Lille, Lille, France Abstract: First-generation drug-eluting stents have raised concerns regarding the risk of late and very late stent thrombosis compared with bare metal stents and require prolonged dual antiplatelet therapy. Despite extensive investigations, the physiopathology of these late events remains incompletely understood. Aside from patient- and lesion-related risk factors, stent polymer has been cited as one of the potential causes. In fact, the persistence of durable polymer after complete drug release has been shown to be responsible for local hypersensitivity and inflammatory reactions. Third-generation drug-eluting stents with more biocompatible or biodegradable polymers have subsequently been developed to address this problem. In this article, we evaluate and discuss the concept and clinical results (safety and efficacy) of a third-generation drug-eluting stent with biodegradable polymer: the Nobori® stent. Keywords: percutaneous coronary intervention, stent thrombosis, antiplatelet therap

A model for the nonlocal transport and the associated distribution function deformation in magnetized laser-plasmas

We present a model of nonlocal transport for multidimensional radiation magneto hydrodynamic codes. In laser produced plasmas, it is now believed that the heat transfert can be strongly modified by the nonlocal nature of the electron conduction. Nevertheless other mechanisms as self generated magnetic fields may affect heat transport too. The model described in this work aims at extending the formula of G. Schurtz, Ph. Nicolaï and M. Busquet [1] to magnetized plasmas. A system of nonlocal equations is derived from kinetic equations with self-consistent electric and magnetic fields. These equations are analyzed and applied to a physical problem in order to demonstrate the main features of the model

Energy and wavelength scaling of shock-ignited inertial fusion targets

In inertial fusion shock ignition, separation of the stages of fuel compression and hot spot creation introduces some degree of design flexibility. A lower implosion velocity can be compensated for by a more intense ignition pulse. Flexibility increases with target (and driver) size and allows for a compromise between energy gain and risk reduction. Having designed a reference ignition target, we have developed an analytical model for (up)-scaling targets as a function of laser energy, while keeping under control parameters related to hydro- and plasma instabilities. Detailed one-dimensional simulations confirm the model and generate gain curves. Options for increasing target robustness are also discussed. The previous results apply to UV laser light (with wavelength lambda = 0.35 mu m). We also show that our scaling model can be used in the design of targets driven by green laser light (lambda = 0.53 mu m)

Hydrodynamic modeling and simulations of shock ignition thresholds

The Shock Ignition (SI) scheme [1] offers to reduce the laser requirements by relaxing the implosion phase to sub-ignition velocities and later adding an intense laser spike. Depending on laser energy, target characteristics and implosion velocity, high gains are expected [2,3]. Relevant intensities for scaled targets imploded in the velocity range from 150 to 400 km/s are defined at ignition thresholds. A range of moderate implosion velocities is specified to match safe implosions. These conditions for target design are then inferred for relevant NIF and LMJ shock-ignited targets