1,549 research outputs found
The effect of the displacement damage on the Charge Collection Efficiency in Silicon Drift Detectors for the LOFT satellite
The technology of Silicon Drift Detectors (SDDs) has been selected for the
two instruments aboard the Large Observatory For X-ray Timing (LOFT) space
mission. LOFT underwent a three year long assessment phase as candidate for the
M3 launch opportunity within the "Cosmic Vision 2015 -- 2025" long-term science
plan of the European Space Agency. During the LOFT assessment phase, we studied
the displacement damage produced in the SDDs by the protons trapped in the
Earth's magnetosphere. In a previous paper we discussed the effects of the Non
Ionising Energy Losses from protons on the SDD leakage current. In this paper
we report the measurement of the variation of Charge Collection Efficiency
produced by displacement damage caused by protons and the comparison with the
expected damage in orbit.Comment: 17 pages, 7 figures. Accepted for publication by Journal of
Instrumentatio
Comparative response spectrum analysis on 15- and 50-story reinforced concrete buildings having shear walls with and without openings as per EN1998-1 Seismic Code
Medium-rise reinforced concrete (RC) framed apartment complexes with stories ranging from 15 to 50 are becoming more common in Ethiopiaâs main cities. In these RC-framed structures, shear walls are included for lateral load resistance. As apertures are frequently provided in shear walls, it is critical to evaluate their influence on story drift, stiffness, shear and moments, and stress within the shear walls. A 3D study with five different cases was carried out with ETABS version 19.00 software to investigate the influence of apertures in a buildingâs shear wall. This study looks at the effects of changing the size and location of these apertures. Based on this analysis, extensive data were acquired, and useful conclusions were formed that will be useful to practicing engineers. The seismic parameter utilized for the response spectrum study was Building Code of Ethiopia ES8-15, which conforms to Eurocode 8-2004 seismic code guidelines (based on EN1998-1) with target response spectrum type-I. The following parameters were used: ground acceleration, ag/g = 0.1, spectrum type = I, ground type = B, soil factor, S = 1.35, spectrum period, Tb, = 0.05 s, spectrum period, Tc = 0.25 s, spectrum period, Td = 1.2 s, lower bound factor, beta = 0.2, behavior factor = 1, and damping ratio = 5%. The outcomes are compared using various parameters such as displacement, story drift, story stiffness, story shear, and story moment both with and without shear wall
opening cases. This study will give tremendous insight into the effect of shear wall openings on the performance of the structure. The analysis in this work was carried out on a linear model, which may not represent the complete local response of the structure; thus, future researchers should perform nonlinear analysis based on a performance-based design. It was concluded from this investigation that incorporating shear walls considerably enhanced the performance of the building over framed structures. Shear wall openings in a structure have a significant influence on the buildingâs performance. Due to their significant resistance to earthquake forces, shear wall structures are
highly recommended for seismic hazard zones
Temperature and strain-rate sensitivity parameters: analysis of the deformed metal matrix composite A359/SiC/20p
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A 3D printed drug delivery implant formed from a dynamic supramolecular polyurethane formulation
Using a novel molecular design approach, we have prepared a thermo-responsive supramolecular polyurethane as a matrix material for use in drug eluting implants. The dynamic supramolecular polyurethane (SPU) is able to self-assemble through hydrogen bonding and Ï-Ï stacking interactions, resulting in an addressable polymer network with a relatively low processing temperature. The mechanical properties of the SPU demonstrated the material was self-supporting, stiff, yet flexible thus making it suitable for hot-melt extrusion processing, inclusive of related 3D printing approaches. Cell-based toxicity assays revealed the SPU to be non-toxic and therefore a viable candidate as a biocompatible polymer for implant applications. To this end, the SPU was formulated with paracetamol (16 %w/w) and 4 wt% or 8 wt% poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) as an excipient and hot melt extruded at 100 °C to afford a 3D printed prototype implant to explore the extended drug release required for an implant and the potential manipulation of the release profile. Furthermore, rheological, infra-red spectroscopy, powder X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy studies revealed the chemical and physical properties and compatibility of the formulation components. Successful release of paracetamol was achieved from in vitro dissolution studies and it was predicted that the drug would be released over a period of up to 8.5 months with hydrophilic PEG being able to influence the release rate. This extended release time is consistent with applications of this novel dynamic polymer as a drug eluting implant matrix
Measurement of the effect of Non Ionising Energy Losses on the leakage current of Silicon Drift Detector prototypes for the LOFT satellite
The silicon drift detectors are at the basis of the instrumentation aboard
the Large Observatory For x-ray Timing (LOFT) satellite mission, which
underwent a three year assessment phase within the "Cosmic Vision 2015 - 2025"
long-term science plan of the European Space Agency. Silicon detectors are
especially sensitive to the displacement damage, produced by the non ionising
energy losses of charged and neutral particles, leading to an increase of the
device leakage current and thus worsening the spectral resolution.
During the LOFT assessment phase, we irradiated two silicon drift detectors
with a proton beam at the Proton Irradiation Facility in the accelerator of the
Paul Scherrer Institute and we measured the increase in leakage current. In
this paper we report the results of the irradiation and we discuss the impact
of the radiation damage on the LOFT scientific performance.Comment: 21 pages, 7 figures, 2 tables. Accepted for publication by Journal of
Instrumentation (JINST
X-ray follow-ups of XSSJ12270-4859: a low-mass X-ray binary with gamma ray FERMI-LAT association
XSSJ1227.0-4859 is a peculiar, hard X-ray source recently positionally
associated to the Fermi-LAT source 1FGLJ1227.9-4852/2FGLJ1227.7-4853.
Multi-wavelength observations have added information on this source, indicating
a low-luminosity low-mass X-ray binary (LMXB), but its nature is still unclear.
To progress in our understanding, we present new X-ray data from a monitoring
campaign performed in 2011 with the XMM-Newton, RXTE, and Swift satellites and
combine them with new gamma-ray data from the Fermi and AGILE satellites. We
complement the study with simultaneous near-UV photometry from XMM-Newton and
with previous UV/optical and near-IR data. The X-ray history of XSSJ1227.0-4859
over 7yr shows a persistent and rather stable low-luminosity (~6x10^33
d_{1\,kpc}^2 erg/s) source, with flares and dips being peculiar and permanent
characteristics. The associated Fermi-LAT source 2FGLJ1227.7-4853 is also
stable over an overlapping period of 4.7\,yr. Searches for X-ray fast
pulsations down to msec give upper limits to pulse fractional amplitudes of
15-25% that do not rule out a fast spinning pulsar. The combined
UV/optical/near-IR spectrum reveals a hot component at ~13\,kK and a cool one
at ~4.6\,kK. The latter would suggest a late-type K2-K5 companion star, a
distance range of1.4--3.6kpc and an orbital period of 7--9 h. A near-UV
variability (>6\,h) also suggests a longer orbital period than previously
estimated. The analysis shows that the X-ray and UV/optical/near-IR emissions
are more compatible with an accretion-powered compact object than with a
rotational powered pulsar. The X-ray to UV bolometric luminosity ratio could be
consistent with a binary hosting a neutron star, but the uncertainties in the
radio data may also allow an LMXB black hole with a compact jet. In this case
it would be the first associated with a high-energy gamma-ray source.Comment: 17 pages, 14 figures, 1 table; Accepted for publication in Astronomy
& Astrophysics Main Journa
Understanding the risk of emerging bacterial resistance to over the counter antibiotics in topical sore throat medicines
Aims
The aims of this study were to explore the development of bacterial resistance and crossâresistance in four common human pathogens following realistic exposure to antibiotics found in overâtheâcounter (OTC) sore throat medicines: gramicidin, neomycin, bacitracin and tyrothricin.
Methods and Results
Bacterial exposure to inâuse (concentration in the product before use) and diluted concentration (i.e. during use ) of antibiotic where conducted in broth for 24 h or until growth was visible. The changes in bacterial susceptibility profile before and after exposure was determined using standardized ISO microdilution broth. Antibiotic testing was performed according to EUCAST guidelines. We demonstrated that test bacteria were able to survive exposure to the inâuse concentrations of some antibiotics used in OTC medicines. Exposure to during use concentrations of bacitracin resulted in stable increase in minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) (>8âfold) in Staphylococcus aureus and Acinetobacter baumannii . Exposure to tyrothricin resulted in a stable increase in MIC (2·4âfold) in Klebsiella pneumoniae , and exposure to neomycin resulted in a stable increase MIC (5000âfold higher than the baseline) in Streptococcus pyogenes . Clinical crossâresistance to other antibiotics (ciprofloxacin, fusidic acid, gentamicin, cefpodoxime, amoxicillin/clavulanic acid and cefotaxime) was also demonstrated following exposure to bacitracin or tyrothricin. Bacitracin exposure lead to a stable bacterial resistance after 10 passages.
Conclusions
Our results indicate that OTC antibiotic medicines have the potential to drive resistance and crossâresistance in vitro .
Significance and Impact of the Study
Tackling antibiotic resistance is a high worldwide priority. It is widely accepted that the overuse and misuse of antibiotics increase the risk of the development and spread of antibiotic resistance within communities. A number of OTC sore throat products, widely available across the world for topical use in respiratory indications, contain locally delivered antibiotics. Our findings showed that these antibiotics in OTC medicines present a risk for emerging crossâresistance in a number of bacterial respiratory pathogens
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