Direct Comparison between Bayesian and Frequentist Uncertainty Quantification for Nuclear Reactions.

Until recently, uncertainty quantification in low energy nuclear theory was typically performed using frequentist approaches. However in the last few years, the field has shifted toward Bayesian statistics for evaluating confidence intervals. Although there are statistical arguments to prefer the Bayesian approach, no direct comparison is available. In this work, we compare, directly and systematically, the frequentist and Bayesian approaches to quantifying uncertainties in direct nuclear reactions. Starting from identical initial assumptions, we determine confidence intervals associated with the elastic and the transfer process for both methods, which are evaluated against data via a comparison of the empirical coverage probabilities. Expectedly, the frequentist approach is not as flexible as the Bayesian approach in exploring parameter space and often ends up in a different minimum. We also show that the two methods produce significantly different correlations. In the end, the frequentist approach produces significantly narrower uncertainties on the considered observables than the Bayesian. Our study demonstrates that the uncertainties on the reaction observables considered here within the Bayesian approach represent reality more accurately than the much narrower uncertainties obtained using the standard frequentist approach.

[The binding of 3H-spiperone to lymphocytes in patients with schizophrenia and first-degree relatives: in search of a genetic marker]. / La unión de la 3H-espiperona a linfocitos en pacientes con esquizofrenia y familiares de primer grado: en busca de un marcador genético.

3H-spiperone binding of lymphocytes has been studied and proposed to be a useful vulnerability marker for certain subtypes of schizophrenia. The binding of 3H-spiperone into lymphocytes was studied in 22 schizophrenics, 19 unaffected relatives and 8 healthy subjects. Binding assay was performed, incubating lymphocytes with 0.04 to 0.4 mM of 3H-spiperone. Non-specific binding was measured with 10 mM haloperidol. At the end the lymphocytes were homogenized. The results show a significant (p < 0.01) lower affinity (high Kd values) in drug naive schizophrenics compared with the controls. No differences were found in the binding capacity (Bmax) of both schizophrenic groups compared with control subjects. The results cannot offer us a reliable biological marker for schizophrenia. The increase of the number of subjects is suggested.

Rate-equation model for quantitative concentration measurements in flames with picosecond pump-probe absorption spectroscopy.

Measurement of radical concentrations is important in understanding the chemical kinetics involved in combustion. Application of optical techniques allows for the nonintrusive determination of specific radical concentrations. One of the most challenging problems for investigators is to obtain flame data that are independent of the collisional environment. We seek to obviate this difficulty by the use of picosecond pump-probe absorption spectroscopy. A picosecond pump-probe absorption model is developed by rate-equation analysis. Implications are discussed for a laser-pulse width that is much smaller than the excited-state lifetime of the absorbing atom or molecule. The possibility of quantitative, quenching-independent concentration measurements is discussed, and detection limits for atomic sodium and the hydroxyl radical are estimated. For a three-level absorber-emitter, the model leads to a novel pump-probe strategy, called dual-beam asynchronous optical sampling, that can be used to obtain both the electronic quenching-rate coefficient and the doublet mixing-rate coefficient during a single measurement. We discuss the successful demonstration of the technique in a companion paper [Appl. Opt. 34, XXX (1995)].

Quantitative concentration measurements of atomic sodium in an atmospheric hydrocarbon flame with asynchronous optical sampling.

We report the development of a pump-probe instrument that uses a high-repetition-rate (82-MHz) picosecond laser. To maximize laser power and to minimize jitter between the pump- and the probe-pulse trains, we choose the asynchronous optical sampling (ASOPS) configuration. Verification of the method is obtained through concentration measurements of atomic sodium in an atmospheric methane-air flame. For the first time to our knowledge, ASOPS measurements are made on a quantitative basis. This is accomplished by calibration of the sodium concentration with atomic absorption spectroscopy. ASOPS measurements are taken at a rate of 155.7 kHz with only 128 averages, resulting in a corresponding detection limit of 5 × 10(9) cm(-3). The quenching-rate coefficient is obtained in a single measurement with a variation of ASOPS, which we call dual-beam ASOPS. The value of this coefficient is in excellent agreement with literature values for the present flame conditions. Based on our quantitative results for detection of atomic sodium, a detection limit of 2 × 10(17) cm(-3) is predicted for the Q(1) (9) line of A (2)Σ(+) (v = 0)-X(2)II (v = 0) hydroxyl at 2000 K. Although this value is too large for practical flame studies, a number of improvements that should lower the ASOPS detection limit are suggested.

Saturated fluorescence measurements of the hydroxyl radical in laminar high-pressure C(2)H(6)/O(2)/N(2) flames.

We demonstrate saturation of a transition of the OH molecule in high-pressure flames by obtaining saturation curves in C(2)H(6)/O(2)/N(2) laminar flames at 1, 6.1, 9.2, and 12.3 atm. In addition we present quantitative fluorescence measurements of OH number density at pressures to 12.3 atm. To assess the efficacy of the balanced cross-rate model for high-pressure flames, we compare laser-saturated fluorescence measurements, which were calibrated in an atmospheric-pressure flame, with absorption measurements at 3.1 and 6.1 atm. At 3.1 atm the absorption and fluorescence measurements compare well. At 6.1 atm, however, the concentrations given by laser-saturated fluorescence are ~25% lower than the absorption values, indicating some depletion of the laser-coupled levels beyond that at atmospheric pressure. By using a reasonable estimate for the finite sensitivity to quenching, we anticipate that fluorescence measurements that are calibrated at 1 atm can be applied to flames at ~10 atm with absolute errors within +/-50%.

Quantitative hydroxyl concentration time-series measurements in turbulent nonpremixed flames.

Quantitative hydroxyl concentration time-series measurements have been obtained by picosecond time-resolved laser-induced fluorescence in a series of methane-air and hydrogen-argon-air nonpremixed flames. The recovery of a quantitative time series is complicated by the need to account for fluctuations in the fluorescence lifetime. We have recently developed instrumentation that enables the simultaneous measurement of fluorescence signal and lifetime. The present research represents the first application of this technique to turbulent flames. The correction for hydroxyl lifetime fluctuations is shown to be significant for mean concentrations and thus probability density functions but negligible for power spectral densities (PSD's). The hydroxyl PSD's were found to vary slightly with radial and axial location in the flames and to vary significantly with Reynolds number. However, the PSD's in the H(2)-Ar-air flames are nearly identical to those in the CH(4)-air flames.

Malvern particle size measurements in media with time varying index of refraction gradients.

The capability of the Malvern spray analyzer is extended to include particle size measurements in systems containing time varying index of refraction gradients. This is accomplished by adding conditional sampling optical hardware and electronic circuitry to determine when the Malvern laser beam is aligned and to allow particle size data to be collected only when alignment occurs. The accuracy of the extended instrument is demonstrated by comparing particle size distribution measurements made in the presence of time varying index of refraction gradients with measurements made under static conditions. The limitations of the extended instrument are also discussed.

Real-time acquisition of laser-induced fluorescence decays.

Picosecond time-resolved laser-induced fluorescence (PITLIF) has the potential to provide rapid measurements of minor-species concentrations by correction for local quenching conditions on the time scale of turbulence. Previous studies demonstrated that this technique could provide laser-induced fluorescence data and local quenching rates in flames but used equivalent-time sampling to obtain the required fluorescence decays. This precludes the use of PITLIF in turbulent systems. Fluorescence decays of sodium seeded into a laminar H(2)-O(2)-Ar diffusion flame are obtained from real-time data with an acquisition rate on the time scale of turbulence. The results obtained with this method are shown to be similar to those obtained from equivalent-time sampling.

Feasibility of hydroxyl concentration measurements by laser-saturated fluorescence in high-pressure flames.

A feasibility study has been performed on the application of laser-saturated fluoresence (LSF) to the measurement of OH concentration in high-pressure flames. Using a numerical model for the collisional dynamics of the OH molecule under nonuniform laser excitation, we have investigated the effect of pressure on the balanced cross-rate model and determined the sensitivity of the depopulation of the laser-coupled levels to the ratio of rate coefficients describing (1) electronic quenching of the vibrational levels for which upsilon'' > 0 and (2) vibrational relaxation from upsilon'' > 0 to upsilon'' = 0. At sufficiently high pressures in near-saturated conditions, the total population of the laser-coupled levels reaches an asymptotic value, which is insensitive to the degree of saturation. When the ratio of electronic quenching is vibrational relaxation is small and the rate coefficients for rotational transfer in the ground and excited electronic states are nearly the same, the balanced cross-rate model remains a good approximation for all pressures. When the above ratio is large, depopulation of the laser-coupled levels becomes significant at high pressures, and thus the balanced crossrate model no longer holds. In these conditions, however, knowledge of the asymptotic value achieved by the laser-coupled levels could be used to correct the balanced cross-rate model and thus allow LSF measurements at sufficiently high pressures.

Measurements of atomic sodium in flames by asynchronous optical sampling: theory and experiment.

Asynchronous optical sampling (ASOPS) is a pump-probe method for the measurement of species concentrations in turbulent high-pressure flames. We show that rapid measurement of species number density can be achieved in a highly quenched environment by maintaining a constant beat frequency between the mode-locking frequencies of the pump and the probe lasers. A model for the ASOPS method based on rate equation theory for three- and four-level atoms is presented. A number of improvements are made to the basic ASOPS instrument, which result in a greatly enhanced signal-to-noise ratio. Atomic sodium is aspirated into an atmospheric pressure C(2)H(4)/O(2)/N(2) flame and detected with the ASOPS instrument. When excited-state lifetimes are fitted by using the ASOPS theory, a 3P((1/2),3/2) ? 3S((1/2)) quenching-rate coefficient of 1.72 x 10(9) s(-1) and a 3P(3/2) ? 3P((1/2)) doublet-mixing rate coefficient of 3.66 x 109 s(-1) are obtained, in excellent agreement with literature values. ASOPS signals obtained over a wide range of pump and probe beam powers validate the rate equation theory. Improvements are suggested to improve the signal-to-noise ratio, since the present results are limited to laminar flows.

Measurements of hydroxyl concentrations and lifetimes in laminar flames using picosecond time-resolved laser-induced fluorescence.

Picosecond time-resolved laser-induced fluorescence (PITLIF) can potentially be used to obtain measurements of minor species concentrations in rapidly fluctuating flames. Previous studies demonstrated this potential for atomic sodium by monitoring the temporal fluorescence signal with both an equivalent-time and a real-time sampling method. In this developmental study, PITLIF is used to determine hydroxyl concentrations in laminar CH(4)-O(2)-N(2) flames by the measurement of both the integrated fluorescence signal and the fluorescence lifetime. The quenching environment can be monitored with real-time sampling, and thus the necessary quenching rate coefficient is obtained in 348 us, which is fast enough for use in many turbulent flows. Fluorescence lifetimes of OH are also measured at different equivalence ratios in laminar flames by the use of the equivalent-time sampling technique. These results compare favorably with predicted lifetimes based on relevant quenching cross sections and calculated species concentrations.

GTP-sensitive phosphorylation of proteins in a postmitochondrial supernatant from rat brainstem affected by ACTH1-24.

The effect of ACTH1-24 and cyclic nucleotides on the endogenous phosphorylation of proteins from a postmitochondrial supernatant from rat brainstem was investigated in the presence and absence of GTP. Phosphorylation and its modulation by these compounds were studied in vitro by incorporation of labeled phosphate from [gamma-32P]ATP added to the incubation mixture. Phosphoproteins were subsequently analyzed by autoradiography after one- and two-dimensional separation. Eight ACTH-sensitive phosphoproteins of molecular weights 75 (IEP 4.0), 67, 64, 50 (IEP 4.7), 47 (IEP 4.8), 38, 34, and 24K were found. The effects of ACTH on phosphorylation were mainly inhibitory, and the affected protein bands did not coincide with the phosphoproteins sensitive to cyclic AMP and cyclic GMP. Phosphorylation of those phosphoprotein bands and its ACTH sensitivity appeared to be highly sensitive to GTP. It is suggested that the activity of protein kinases involved in hormone-sensitive phosphorylation in a postmitochondrial rat brainstem fraction is regulated by GTP-dependent mechanisms.

Photon-counting technique for rapid fluorescence-decay measurement.

We report on a novel laser-induced fluorescence triple-integration method (LIFTIME) that is capable of making rapid, continuous fluorescence lifetime measurements by a unique photon-counting technique. The LIFTIME has been convolved with picosecond time-resolved laser-induced fluorescence, which employs a high-repetition-rate mode-locked laser, permitting the eventual monitoring of instantaneous species concentrations in turbulent flames. We verify the technique by application of the LIFTIME to two known fluorescence media, diphenyloxazole (PPO) and quinine sulfate monohydrate (QSM). PPO has a fluorescence lifetime of 1.28 ns, whereas QSM has a fluorescence lifetime that can be varied from 1.0 to 3.0 ns. From these liquid samples we demonstrate that fluorescence lifetime can currently be monitored at a sampling rate of up to 500 Hz with less than 10% uncertainty (1 sigma) .

Time-series measurements of CH concentration in turbulent CH(4) / air flames by use of picosecond time-resolved laser-induced fluorescence.

We report a developing technique capable of making continuous time-series measurements of naturally occurring minor-species concentrations. The high repetition rate of the mode-locked laser used in this technique allows for the study of transient combustion events, such as turbulence, and their effect on minor-species concentrations. The technique is applied to make CH fluorescence time-series measurements and to calculate power spectral densities in a turbulent nonpremixed flame. To our knowledge, the reported time series represents the first such measurement for a naturally occurring minor species in a turbulent flame.

Pump/probe method for fast analysis of visible spectral signatures utilizing asynchronous optical sampling.

We report the results from a new pump/probe spectrometer for potential use in combustion diagnostics that employs asynchronous optical sampling. The instrument consists of two frequency-doubled mode-locked Nd:YAG lasers operating at slightly different repetition rates, synchronously pumping two dye lasers (rhodamine 6G) to generate the pump and probe beams. The spectral and temporal capabilities of the instrument are examined by obtaining a spectrum and an excited state decay of rhodamine B. The instrument response is shown to be proportional to pump power, probe power, and sample absorptance. Different frequency synthesizers and different modes of triggering are used to study their effect on signal stability.

Two-photon-excited fluorescence measurement of hydrogen atoms in flames.

We report the first two-photon-excited hydrogen-atom fluorescence measurements in flames made to our knowledge. The n = 3 level of the H atom was excited by 205.1-nm radiation generated by Raman shifting a 224-nm beam produced by frequency mixing. Fluorescence was observed at 656.3 nm as a result of radiative decay from n = 3 to n = 2, the Balmer-alpha transition. A novel technique, photoionization-controlled loss spectroscopy, is proposed to eliminate the quenching dependence of the fluorescence signal.

Asynchronous optical sampling: a new combustion diagnostic for potential use in turbulent, high-pressure flames.

Asynchronous optical sampling (ASOPS) is a pump-probe method that has strong potential for use in turbulent, high-pressure flames. We show that rapid measurement of species number density can be achieved by maintaining a constant beat frequency between the mode-locking frequencies of the pump and probe lasers. We also describe the instrumental timing parameters for ASOPS and consider the optimization of these parameters. Measurement of the nanosecond decay for electronically excited sodium in an atmospheric flame demonstrates the viability of the ASOPS technique in highly quenched flame environments.