Self-guiding of ultrashort, relativistically intense laser pulses through underdense plasmas in the blowout regime

The self-guiding of relativistically intense but ultrashort laser pulses has been experimentally investigated as a function of laser power, plasma density, and plasma length in the blowout regime. The extent of self-guiding, observed by imaging the plasma exit, is shown to be limited by nonlinear pump depletion with observed self-guiding of over tens of Rayleigh lengths. Spectrally resolved images of the plasma exit show evidence consistent with self-guiding in the plasma wake. Minimal losses of the self-guided pulse resulted when the initial spot size was matched to the blowout radius.

Adenoid cystic carcinoma of Bartholin's gland with lung metastasis: a case report

BACKGROUND

Adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) of the Bartholin's gland is very rare. There is no agreed consensus on the optimal treatment.

CASE

In the present study we report the case of a 41-year-old Chinese woman who suffered from ACC of the Bartholin's gland with lung metastases and repeated local recurrence, and discuss the most suitable treatment for late stage ACC of the Bartholin's gland.

CONCLUSION

Our experience from this patient suggests that initial conservative surgery of a local lesion, even for later stage patients with ACC of the Bartholin's gland, could be considered.

Edge states and optical transition energies in carbon nanoribbons

The edge states and optical transition energies in carbon nanoribbons are investigated with density-functional calculations. While the ground state of zigzag ribbons is spin polarized, defects at the edges destroy spin polarization and lead to a nonmagnetic ground state. Scanning tunneling spectroscopy will thus show different features depending on edge quality. Optical transition energies in nanoribbons Eii are strongly affected by the edges and confinement, which introduce a term inversely proportional to their width. After removing that term, the scaling of Eii is quantitatively similar to that in carbon nanotubes.

Risk factors for acute hepatitis B and its progression to chronic hepatitis in Shanghai, China

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

The major risk factors for acute hepatitis B (AHB) in China and the viral factors determining the progression from acute to chronic hepatitis B remain largely unknown.

METHODS

Epidemiological studies within a population-based surveillance for AHB in adults were performed in Shanghai, China, including 294 patients, 588 matched controls and 572 family members of the patients.

RESULTS

Invasive medical procedures, household contact with hepatitis B virus (HBV) carriers, body care and beauty treatments, and lack of HBV vaccination were independently associated with AHB. Among those risks, pedicure in bath centres emerged. Sixty-eight of 128 patients with AHB were genotyped including 33 with HBV B2 and 35 with HBV C2. Twenty-five (8.50%) of the 294 patients, including 20 with HBV C2 and 5 with HBV B2 (p = 0.013), progressed to chronic infection. Multivariate analysis showed that HBV C2 was independently associated with chronicification of AHB. Patients with HBV B2 were younger and there was a higher proportion of women than those with HBV C2. The prevalence of HBV B2 was higher in the patients than in neighbourhood chronic carriers. The chronic carriers with HBV B2 showed higher viral loads, higher hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) seropositivity, and with higher proportion in men than those with HBV C2, implying that sexual contact plays a role in the transmission of HBV B2. Phylogenetic analysis showed that HBV C2 was frequently involved in transmissions within households.

CONCLUSIONS

Despite lower viral load and HBeAg status in the chronic carriers, HBV C2 was more prone to causing chronic infection than was HBV B2.

Effects of Shape and Strain Distribution of Quantum Dots on Optical Transition in the Quantum Dot Infrared Photodetectors

We present a systemic theoretical study of the electronic properties of the quantum dots inserted in quantum dot infrared photodetectors (QDIPs). The strain distribution of three different shaped quantum dots (QDs) with a same ratio of the base to the vertical aspect is calculated by using the short-range valence-force-field (VFF) approach. The calculated results show that the hydrostatic strain varepsilon(H) varies little with change of the shape, while the biaxial strain varepsilon(B) changes a lot for different shapes of QDs. The recursion method is used to calculate the energy levels of the bound states in QDs. Compared with the strain, the shape plays a key role in the difference of electronic bound energy levels. The numerical results show that the deference of bound energy levels of lenslike InAs QD matches well with the experimental results. Moreover, the pyramid-shaped QD has the greatest difference from the measured experimental data.

Beam loading in the nonlinear regime of plasma-based acceleration

A theory that describes how to load negative charge into a nonlinear, three-dimensional plasma wakefield is presented. In this regime, a laser or an electron beam blows out the plasma electrons and creates a nearly spherical ion channel, which is modified by the presence of the beam load. Analytical solutions for the fields and the shape of the ion channel are derived. It is shown that very high beam-loading efficiency can be achieved, while the energy spread of the bunch is conserved. The theoretical results are verified with the particle-in-cell code OSIRIS.

Elevated pressure triggers a physiological release of ATP from the retina: Possible role for pannexin hemichannels

Increased hydrostatic pressure can damage neurons, although the mechanisms linking pressure to neurochemical imbalance or cell injury are not fully established. Throughout the body, mechanical perturbations such as shear stress, cell stretching, or changes in pressure can lead to excessive release of ATP. It is thus possible that increased pressure across neural tissues triggers an elevated release of ATP into extracellular space. As stimulation of the P2X(7) receptor for ATP on retinal ganglion cells leads to elevation of intracellular calcium and excitotoxic death, we asked whether increased levels of extracellular ATP accompanied an elevation in pressure across the retina. The hydrostatic pressure surrounding bovine retinal eyecups was increased and the ATP content of the vitreal compartment adjacent to the retina was determined. A step increase of only 20 mm Hg induced a threefold increase in the vitreal ATP concentration. The ATP levels correlated closely with the degree of pressure increase over 20-100 mm Hg. The increase was transient at lower pressures but sustained at higher pressures. The rise in vitreal ATP was the same regardless of whether nitrogen or air was used to increase pressure, implying changes in oxygen partial pressure did not contribute. Lactate dehydrogenase activity was not affected by pressure, ruling out a substantial contribution from cell lysis. The ATP increase was largely inhibited by either 30 muM 5-nitro-2-(3-phenylpropylamino) benzoic acid (NPPB) or 10 muM carbenoxolone (CBX). While this pharmacological profile is consistent with physiological release of ATP through pannexins hemichannels, a contribution from anion channels, vesicular release or other mechanisms cannot be ruled out. In conclusion, a step elevation in pressure leads to a physiologic increase in the levels of extracellular ATP bathing retinal neurons. This excess extracellular ATP may link increased pressure to the death of ganglion cells in acute glaucoma, and suggests a possible role for ATP in the neuronal damage accompanying increased intracranial pressure.

South Pole Telescope optics

The South Pole Telescope is a 10 m diameter, wide-field, offset Gregorian telescope with a 966-pixel, millimeter-wave, bolometer array receiver. The telescope has an unusual optical system with a cold stop around the secondary. The design emphasizes low scattering and low background loading. All the optical components except the primary are cold, and the entire beam from prime focus to the detectors is surrounded by cold absorber.