Absolute ionisation cross sections for electron impact in rare gases

Absolute electron impact ionization cross-sections for CF4: Three dimensional recoil-ion imaging combined with the relative flow technique

Here we present measurements of dissociative and non-dissociative cross-sections for the electron impact of the CF4 molecule. The present experiments are based on a Recoil Ion Momentum Spectrometer (RIMS), a standard gas mixing setup for CF4, and a reference gas. The measurements were carried out at several electron energies up to 1 keV, covering the energy range of previous experiments. We apply the relative flow technique (RFT) to convert the relative cross-sections measured by the RIMS into absolute values. Using the combination of RIMS and RFT, ion collection and calibration errors were minimized. The results were compared with theoretical and experimental studies available in the literature. Previous electron impact experiments present relative cross-sections or use correction terms for the absolute cross-sections due to losses of energetic ions. We elucidate the differences between the new measurement method and the existing ones in the literature and explain why the present method can be considered reliable. Furthermore, we show how reducing correction terms affects the results.

Monte Carlo model for electron degradation in xenon gas

We have developed a Monte Carlo model for studying the local degradation of electrons in the energy range 9–10 000 eV in xenon gas. Analytically fitted form of electron impact cross sections for elastic and various inelastic processes are fed as input data to the model. The two-dimensional numerical yield spectrum (NYS), which gives information on the number of energy loss events occurring in a particular energy interval, is obtained as the output of the model. The NYS is fitted analytically, thus obtaining the analytical yield spectrum (AYS). The AYS can be used to calculate electron fluxes, which can be further employed for the calculation of volume production rates. Using the yield spectrum, mean energy per ion pair and efficiencies of inelastic processes are calculated. The value for mean energy per ion pair for Xe is 22 eV at 10 keV. Ionization dominates for incident energies greater than 50 eV and is found to have an efficiency of approximately 65% at 10 keV. The efficiency for the excitation process is approximately 30% at 10 keV.

Positron follow-up in liquid water: I. A new Monte Carlo track-structure code

When biological matter is irradiated by charged particles, a wide variety of interactions occur, which lead to a deep modification of the cellular environment. To understand the fine structure of the microscopic distribution of energy deposits, Monte Carlo event-by-event simulations are particularly suitable. However, the development of these track-structure codes needs accurate interaction cross sections for all the electronic processes: ionization, excitation, positronium formation and even elastic scattering. Under these conditions, we have recently developed a Monte Carlo code for positrons in water, the latter being commonly used to simulate the biological medium. All the processes are studied in detail via theoretical differential and total cross-section calculations performed by using partial wave methods. Comparisons with existing theoretical and experimental data in terms of stopping powers, mean energy transfers and ranges show very good agreements. Moreover, thanks to the theoretical description of positronium formation, we have access, for the first time, to the complete kinematics of the electron capture process. Then, the present Monte Carlo code is able to describe the detailed positronium history, which will provide useful information for medical imaging (like positron emission tomography) where improvements are needed to define with the best accuracy the tumoural volumes.

Triple ionization of lithium by electron impact

Ejection of the three electrons from lithium in a single electron collision has been observed for the first time. Triply charged lithium was observed in an ion time-of-flight spectrum following electron impact on a sample of ultracold, trapped lithium. The higher signal/background afforded by the trap environment made the observation of Li3+ possible. We measured the ratios of triple-to-double and double-to-single ionization at an impact energy of 1000 eV. The 3+/2+ ratio is approximately 0.001, a value 2 orders of magnitude lower than semiempirical predictions. We present a simple method that uses photoionization data combined with sum-rule analysis to predict the asymptotic charge-state ratios. The sum-rule predictions compare reasonably with experiment and shake calculations, but disagree sharply with the semiempirical estimates.

Roles of the glutamate receptor epsilon2 and delta2 subunits in the potentiation and prepulse inhibition of the acoustic startle reflex

We examined the regulation of the acoustic startle response in mutant mice of the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA)- and delta-subtypes of the glutamate receptor (GluR) channel, which play important roles in neural plasticity in the forebrain and the cerebellum, respectively. Heterozygous mutant mice with reduced GluRepsilon2 subunits of the NMDA receptor showed strongly enhanced startle responses to acoustic stimuli. On the other hand, heterozygous and homozygous mutation of the other NMDA receptor GluRepsilon subunits exerted no, or only small effects on acoustic startle responses. The threshold of the auditory brainstem response of the GluRepsilon2-mutant mice was comparable to that of the wild-type littermates. The primary circuit of the acoustic startle response is a relatively simple oligosynaptic pathway located in the lower brainstem, whilst the expression of GluRepsilon2 is restricted to the forebrain. We thus suggest that the NMDA receptor GluRepsilon2 subunit plays a role in the regulation of the startle reflex. Ablation of the cerebellar Purkinje cell-specific delta2 subunit of the GluR channel exerted little effect on the acoustic startle response but resulted in the enhancement of prepulse inhibition of the reflex. Because inhibition of the acoustic startle response by a weak prepulse is a measure of sensorimotor gating, the process by which an organism filters sensory information, these observations indicate the involvement of the cerebellum in the modulation of sensorimotor gating.

Antiretroviral treatment of central nervous system HIV-1 infection: a review

HIV-1 infects the central nervous system (CNS) and it has been feared that the CNS may be a sanctuary site where HIV-1 could hide and continue to replicate despite otherwise effective antiretroviral treatment. Neurological HIV-1 related symptoms, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) viral load, intrathecal immunoactivation and CSF drug concentration measurements are considered in this review of antiretroviral treatment effects on CNS HIV-1 infection. We conclude that antiretroviral combination treatment regimens improve neurocognitive symptoms in HIV-1 infection and substantially lower CSF viral load. The threat of an increasing number of patients with neurological symptoms and continued HIV-1 replication in the brain despite otherwise effective antiretroviral therapy has not yet proved to be a problem. It is, however, important to keep this potential risk in mind, and more longitudinal prospective studies addressing the issue of antiretroviral treatment effects on CNS HIV-1 infection are needed.