Effect of Strongly Magnetized Electrons and Ions on Heat Flow and Symmetry of Inertial Fusion Implosions.

This Letter presents the first observation on how a strong, 500 kG, externally applied B field increases the mode-two asymmetry in shock-heated inertial fusion implosions. Using a direct-drive implosion with polar illumination and imposed field, we observed that magnetization produces a significant increase in the implosion oblateness (a 2.5× larger P2 amplitude in x-ray self-emission images) compared with reference experiments with identical drive but with no field applied. The implosions produce strongly magnetized electrons (ω_{e}τ_{e}≫1) and ions (ω_{i}τ_{i}>1) that, as shown using simulations, restrict the cross field heat flow necessary for lateral distribution of the laser and shock heating from the implosion pole to the waist, causing the enhanced mode-two shape.

Simplifying assessment of dimensions of oral lesions using a syringe and 'impression planimetry' with printer paper.

Two novel methods of measuring the dimensions of oral lesions are described, which would be of help in deciding relative efficacies of different therapeutic agents when used in clinical trials after larger studies quantitatively assessed for inter/intraobserver variability.

Did the 2018 megadrought change the partitioning of growth between tree sizes and species? A Swiss case-study.

By killing or weakening trees, drought could change the partitioning of growth between tree sizes or species, thereby altering stand structure. Growth partitioning, often quantified using the growth dominance coefficient (DC) or the shape of tree size versus growth relationships (SGR), indicates the relative contribution of differently sized trees to the total stand growth. Changes in growth partitioning due to droughts are rarely examined but provide valuable information that links tree- and stand-level responses to droughts. The objective of this study was to test whether the 2018 European megadrought altered the growth partitioning among tree sizes and species. For this purpose, we first evaluated whether DC or SGR can be calculated from small sample sizes of trees typical of individual forest inventory plots. DC, and particularly SGR, were sensitive to sample size, forest type (even-aged and uneven-aged), target variable (tree diameter, basal area or stem mass) and range of tree sizes within the sample. SGR could therefore not be used for our analyses. We found no differences in DC prior to and during the 2018 drought. However, when considering only beech (Fagus sylvatica)-dominated stands, DC was lower during post-drought years than during the 2018 drought. The growth of larger trees, especially beech, was more negatively affected during post-drought years. Therefore, an extreme drought event can indeed alter the growth partitioning within forest stands. The DC indicates such changes in partitioning and, hence, which trees can be selected for commercial thinning, or released from competition, to minimize potential impacts of droughts.

Thermal decoupling of deuterium and tritium during the inertial confinement fusion shock-convergence phase.

A series of thin glass-shell shock-driven DT gas-filled capsule implosions was conducted at the OMEGA laser facility. These experiments generate conditions relevant to the central plasma during the shock-convergence phase of ablatively driven inertial confinement fusion (ICF) implosions. The spectral temperatures inferred from the DTn and DDn spectra are most consistent with a two-ion-temperature plasma, where the initial apparent temperature ratio, T_{T}/T_{D}, is 1.5. This is an experimental confirmation of the long-standing conjecture that plasma shocks couple energy directly proportional to the species mass in multi-ion plasmas. The apparent temperature ratio trend with equilibration time matches expected thermal equilibration described by hydrodynamic theory. This indicates that deuterium and tritium ions have different energy distributions for the time period surrounding shock convergence in ignition-relevant ICF implosions.

Characterizing x-ray transmission through filters used in high energy density physics diagnostics.

We report on the design and implementation of a new system used to characterize the energy-dependent x-ray transmission curve, Θ(E), through filters used in high-energy density physics diagnostics. Using an Amptek X-123-CdTe x-ray spectrometer together with a partially depleted silicon surface barrier detector, both the energy spectrum and total emission of an x-ray source have been accurately measured. By coupling these detectors with a custom PROTO-XRD x-ray source with interchangeable cathodes, accurate characterizations of Θ(E) for filters of varying materials and thicknesses have been obtained. The validity of the technique has been confirmed by accurately reproducing areal densities for high-purity filters with known x-ray transmission properties. In this paper, the experimental setup is described and the results of absorption calibrations performed on a variety of different filters are presented.

Ayurvedic Balarista ameliorate anti-arthritic activity in adjuvant induced arthritic rats by inhibiting pro-inflammatory cytokines and oxidative stress.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Balarista is a fermented ayurvedic liquid preparation recommended as a good therapy for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. In the present investigation, the anti-arthritic activity of in-house Balarista formulation and marketed M1, M2, M3 and M4 Balarista formulations at the dose of 2.31 ml/kg were studied on Complete Freund's adjuvant-induced arthritic rat model. EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE: Measurement of paw diameter, arthritic index, arthritic score, and body weight were made to assess the anti-arthritic activity. Alterations in hematological and biochemical parameters were carried out to ascertain the disease progression. The inflammatory mediators (TNF-α, IL-1ß, and IL-6) were measured by the ELISA method. The oxidative stress parameters were evaluated in tissues of joint, liver, spleen and kidney. The histological and radiological changes in the ankle joint of rats were also studied. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Administration of in-house and marketed formulations exhibited significant anti-arthritic activity by reducing all the arthritic parameters. The anomalous alterations in hematological and biochemical parameters were remarkably restored. The expression level of serum pro-inflammatory cytokines was significantly suppressed in treated animals. The oxidative stress, indicated by an increase in lipid peroxidation, decreased in antioxidant enzyme i.e. superoxide dismutase and catalase along with non-enzymatic reduced glutathione in tissues, were strongly counteracted by the formulation. Abnormal changes in arthritic ankle joints shown by X-ray and histological examination were significantly protected by the formulation. The present study suggests that the administration of in-house and marketed Balarista formulations have produced a significant anti-arthritic effect by inhibiting free radicals and inflammatory cytokines.

Effect of germanium auto-diffusion on the bond lengths of Ga and P atoms in GaP/Ge(111) investigated by using X-ray absorption spectroscopy.

The germanium auto-diffusion effects on the inter-atomic distance between the nearest neighbors of the Ga atom in GaP epilayers are investigated using high-resolution X-ray diffraction (HRXRD) and X-ray absorption spectroscopy. The GaP layers grown on Ge (111) are structurally coherent and relaxed but they show the presence of residual strain which is attributed to the auto-diffusion of Ge from the results of secondary ion mass spectrometry and electrochemical capacitance voltage measurements. Subsequently, the inter-atomic distances between the nearest neighbors of Ga atom in GaP are determined from X-ray absorption fine-structure spectra performed at the Ga K-edge. The estimated local bond lengths of Ga with its first and second nearest neighbors show asymmetric variation for the in-plane and out-of-plane direction of GaP/Ge(111). The magnitude and direction of in-plane and out-of-plane microscopic residual strain present in the GaP/Ge are calculated from the difference in bond lengths which explains the presence of macroscopic residual tensile strain estimated from HRXRD. Modified nearest neighbor configurations of Ga in the auto-diffused GaP epilayer are proposed for new possibilities within the GaP/Ge hetero-structure, such as the conversion from indirect to direct band structures and engineering the tensile strain quantum dot structures on (111) surfaces.

Micronutrient intake and the probability of nutrient adequacy among children 9-24 months of age: results from the MAL-ED birth cohort study.

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the total energy and micronutrient intakes of children 9-24 months of age and evaluate the probability of adequacy (PA) of the diet in seven MAL-ED sites. DESIGN: Cohort study. Food intake was registered monthly using 24-h recalls beginning at 9 months. We estimated PA for thirteen nutrients and overall mean PA (MPA) by site and 3-month periods considering estimated breast milk intake. SETTING: Seven sites in Asia, Africa and Latin America. PARTICIPANTS: 1669 children followed from birth to 24 months of age. RESULTS: Median estimated %energy from breast milk ranged from 4 to 70 % at 9-12 months, and declined to 0-39 % at 21-24 months. Iron bioavailability was low for all sites, but many diets were of moderate bioavailability for zinc. PA was optimal for most nutrients in Brazil and South Africa, except for iron and vitamin E (both), calcium and zinc (South Africa). PA for zinc increased only for children consuming a diet with moderate bioavailability. MPA increased 12-24 months as the quantity of complementary foods increased; however, PA for vitamin A remained low in Bangladesh and Tanzania. PA for vitamins D and E and iron was low for most sites and age groups. CONCLUSIONS: MPA increased from 12 to 24 months as children consumed higher quantities of food, while nutrient density remained constant for most nutrients. Ways to increase the consumption of foods containing vitamins D, E and A, and calcium are needed, as are ways to increase the bioavailability of iron and zinc.

Hybrid target design for imprint mitigation in direct-drive inertial confinement fusion.

A target design for mitigating the Rayleigh-Taylor instability is proposed for use in high energy density and direct-drive inertial confinement fusion experiments. In this scheme, a thin gold membrane is offset from the main target by several-hundred microns. A strong picket on the drive beams is incident upon this membrane to produce x rays which generate the initial shock through the target. The main drive follows shortly thereafter, passing through the ablated shell and directly driving the main target. The efficacy of this scheme is demonstrated through experiments performed at the OMEGA EP facility, showing a reduction of the Rayleigh-Taylor instability growth which scales exponentially with frequency, suppressing development by at least a factor of 5 for all wavelengths below 100 µm. This results in a delay in the time of target perforation by ∼40%.

Current perspectives on the surgical management of mandibular third molars in the United Kingdom: the need for further research.

This survey of expert opinion regarding the management of mandibular third molar (M3M) impaction and its clinical sequelae was circulated to all members of the British Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons (BAOMS). It was completed by 289 clinicians who reported treating 60003 patients annually. Respondents included 199 (69%) specialists and 58 (20%) primary care clinicians. Most (99%) of the clinicians treated at least one M3M with complete surgical removal (CSR) annually. Only 69% performed one or more coronectomies (COR). Advocates of coronectomy reported lower rates of inferior alveolar nerve (IAN) injury, but IAN, lingual nerve, and adjacent second molar damage were rare, occurring in less than 0.5% of cases, with small differences between the COR and CSR groups. Although these differences are not statistically significant, they are likely to be clinically important. Also, the COR group would have comprised mainly high-risk teeth, while the CSR group would include many teeth at low risk of complications. This might have skewed the results. Those clinicians performing no coronectomies cited three main reasons for being low adopters of COR: the lack of irrefutable evidence to support its benefit, the increased need for a second operation, and more non-IAN complications. Although COR may prevent permanent IAN damage in high-risk cases, this paper highlights clinicians' views that there is a gap in evidence and knowledge to support COR. As a result, 47% of the clinicians surveyed recommended, and were prepared to participate in, further studies to determine the effectiveness and safety of COR.

Dataset on optimized biodiesel production from seeds of Vitis vinifera using ANN, RSM and ANFIS.

This dataset disclose the investigational data on the extraction of bio-oil from seeds of Vitis vinifera through combination of mechanical pressing and soxhlet solvent extractor. Biodiesel is produced through single stage base catalysed transesterification process due to lower free fatty acid content in the Vitis vinifera bio-oil. Independent variable process parameters like molar ratio, reaction time and catalyst concentration are optimized using Artificial Neural Network, Response Surface Methodology and Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy Interference System to predict the maximum biodiesel yield and the results are compared with the experimental data. Response Surface Methodology predicted a maximum Vitis vinifera biodiesel yield of 97.62% at methanol to oil molar ratio 0.2758 v/v, catalyst concentration 1.045 gm of NaOH and reaction duration of 1.11 hrs which is also confirmed with experimental results.

Observations of Multiple Nuclear Reaction Histories and Fuel-Ion Species Dynamics in Shock-Driven Inertial Confinement Fusion Implosions.

Fuel-ion species dynamics in hydrodynamiclike shock-driven DT^{3}He-filled inertial confinement fusion implosion is quantitatively assessed for the first time using simultaneously measured D^{3}He and DT reaction histories. These reaction histories are measured with the particle x-ray temporal diagnostic, which captures the relative timing between different nuclear burns with unprecedented precision (∼10 ps). The observed 50±10 ps earlier D^{3}He reaction history timing (relative to DT) cannot be explained by average-ion hydrodynamic simulations and is attributed to fuel-ion species separation between the D, T, and ^{3}He ions during shock convergence and rebound. At the onset of the shock burn, inferred ^{3}He/T fuel ratio in the burn region using the measured reaction histories is much higher as compared to the initial gas-filled ratio. As T and ^{3}He have the same mass but different charge, these results indicate that the charge-to-mass ratio plays an important role in driving fuel-ion species separation during strong shock propagation even for these hydrodynamiclike plasmas.

Tripled yield in direct-drive laser fusion through statistical modelling.

Focusing laser light onto a very small target can produce the conditions for laboratory-scale nuclear fusion of hydrogen isotopes. The lack of accurate predictive models, which are essential for the design of high-performance laser-fusion experiments, is a major obstacle to achieving thermonuclear ignition. Here we report a statistical approach that was used to design and quantitatively predict the results of implosions of solid deuterium-tritium targets carried out with the 30-kilojoule OMEGA laser system, leading to tripling of the fusion yield to its highest value so far for direct-drive laser fusion. When scaled to the laser energies of the National Ignition Facility (1.9 megajoules), these targets are predicted to produce a fusion energy output of about 500 kilojoules-several times larger than the fusion yields currently achieved at that facility. This approach could guide the exploration of the vast parameter space of thermonuclear ignition conditions and enhance our understanding of laser-fusion physics.

Feasibility and Clinical Utility of High-definition Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation in the Treatment of Persistent Hallucinations in Schizophrenia.

Persistent auditory verbal hallucination is a clinically significant problem in schizophrenia. Recent studies suggest a promising role for add-on transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) in treatment. An optimised version of tDCS, namely high-definition tDCS (HD-tDCS), uses smaller electrodes arranged in a 4x1 ring configuration and may offer more focal and predictable neuromodulation than conventional tDCS. This case report illustrates the feasibility and clinical utility of add-on HD-tDCS over the left temporoparietal junction in a 4x1 ring configuration to treat persistent auditory verbal hallucination in schizophrenia.

Electron Shock Ignition of Inertial Fusion Targets.

It is shown that inertial confinement fusion targets designed with low implosion velocities can be shock-ignited using laser-plasma interaction generated hot electrons (hot-e's) to obtain high energy gains. These designs are robust to multimode asymmetries and are predicted to ignite even for significantly distorted implosions. Electron shock ignition requires tens of kilojoules of hot-e's which can be produced only at a large laser facility like the National Ignition Facility, with the laser-to-hot-e conversion efficiency greater than 10% at laser intensities ∼10^{16} W/cm^{2}.

Gd2O3:RE³âº and GdAlO3:RE³âº (RE = Eu, Dy) Phosphor: Synthesis, Characterization and Bioimaging Application.

Citrate based sol­gel method is used to synthesize Gd2O3:RE³âº and GdAlO3:RE³âº (RE = Eu, Dy) phosphors. In the present work, the phosphors are characterized using the techniques like X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS) and photoluminescence spectroscopy (PL). Fluorescence confocal microscopy reveals the potential usage of phosphors in biological medium for biolabeling application. XRD patterns confirm the phase purity of Gd2O3 and GdAlO3. The crystallite size and lattice parameters are estimated from XRD result. FTIR spectra are used to investigate the functional group present in the phosphor. The optical emission properties imply that the emission peak positions on Eu³âº or Dy³âº ion are size and host independent. Finally, RAW 264.7 macrophages cell line is used to test the bioimaging performance of the phosphors.

Otolith morphology varies between populations, sexes and male alternative reproductive tactics in a vocal toadfish Porichthys notatus.

In this study, the morphology of sagittal otoliths of the plainfin midshipman fish Porichthys notatus was compared between populations, sexes and male alternative reproductive phenotypes (known as 'type I males or guarders' and 'type II males or sneakers'). Sagitta size increased with P. notatus size and changes in shape were also detected with increasing body size. Porichthys notatus sagittae begin as simple rounded structures, but then elongate as they grow and take on a more triangular and complex shape with several prominent notches and indentations along the dorsal and caudal edges. Moreover, the sagittae of the two geographically and genetically distinct populations of P. notatus (northern and southern) differed in shape. Porichthys notatus from the north possessed taller sagittae with deeper caudal indentations compared to P. notatus from the south. Sagitta shape also differed between females and males of the conventional guarder tactic. Furthermore, guarder males had smaller sagittae for their body size than did sneaker males or females. These differences in sagittal otolith morphology are discussed in relation to ecological and life history differences between the sexes and male tactics of this species. This is the first study to investigate teleost otolith morphology from the perspective of alternative reproductive tactics.

Band alignment and depletion zone at ZnO/CdS and ZnO/CdSe hetero-structures for temperature independent ammonia vapor sensing.

An optical-fiber based evanescent ammonia vapor sensor was constructed with surface-passivated growth of zinc oxide (ZnO) nanostructures, which was achieved through a three-step wet chemical process. Initially, the ZnO nanostructures were synthesized using a wet-chemical method and subsequently surface-passivated with chalcogenide material compounds namely cadmium sulphide (CdS) and cadmium selenide (CdSe) nanoparticles individually using a citric acid assisted chemical synthesis technique. Finally, surface-passivated ZnO was deposited on the cladding modified optical-fiber using a dip coating process. X-ray diffraction (XRD), tunneling electron microscopy (TEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analyses confirmed the growth of CdS and CdSe nanoparticles on the surface of ZnO nanoparticles. The atomic composition and the full width at half maximum (FWHM) of the oxygen O 1s oxidation state represented in the X-ray photoelectron spectra were lower and narrower for ZC2 nanostructures implying that the available surface oxygen had reacted well and promoted the uniform shell-like growth of CdSe nanoparticles on the ZnO. The significance of the surface-passivated ZnO was realized from UV-Vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS) and a photo-luminescence (PL) study and was implemented in a room temperature optical-fiber based evanescent ammonia vapor sensor. The nano-sized CdS particles decorated on the surface of ZnO demonstrate a high vapor sensing behavior. The sensing enhancement was nearly 3 times larger than the core-shell like ZnO/CdSe (ZC2) nanostructures and was attributed to the effective interaction of the incident light and the sensing media, the change in the refractive index of the modified cladding regime, the rate of vapor adsorption and the effective charge-carrier transport between the so-formed hetero-junction interfaces. The ZC2 shows insignificant ammonia vapor adsorption and sensing due to decreased free carrier density produced within the ZnO host lattice and an increased potential barrier width between the ZnO/CdSe hetero-structures.

Publisher's Note: Demonstration of Fuel Hot-Spot Pressure in Excess of 50 Gbar for Direct-Drive, Layered Deuterium-Tritium Implosions on OMEGA [Phys. Rev. Lett. 117, 025001 (2016)].

This corrects the article DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.117.025001.

Core conditions for alpha heating attained in direct-drive inertial confinement fusion.

It is shown that direct-drive implosions on the OMEGA laser have achieved core conditions that would lead to significant alpha heating at incident energies available on the National Ignition Facility (NIF) scale. The extrapolation of the experimental results from OMEGA to NIF energy assumes only that the implosion hydrodynamic efficiency is unchanged at higher energies. This approach is independent of the uncertainties in the physical mechanism that degrade implosions on OMEGA, and relies solely on a volumetric scaling of the experimentally observed core conditions. It is estimated that the current best-performing OMEGA implosion [Regan et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 117, 025001 (2016)10.1103/PhysRevLett.117.025001] extrapolated to a 1.9 MJ laser driver with the same illumination configuration and laser-target coupling would produce 125 kJ of fusion energy with similar levels of alpha heating observed in current highest performing indirect-drive NIF implosions.