| 1. |
- Schael, S, et al.
(author)
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Precision electroweak measurements on the Z resonance
- 2006
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In: Physics Reports. - : Elsevier BV. - 0370-1573 .- 1873-6270. ; 427:5-6, s. 257-454
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Research review (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We report on the final electroweak measurements performed with data taken at the Z resonance by the experiments operating at the electron-positron colliders SLC and LEP. The data consist of 17 million Z decays accumulated by the ALEPH, DELPHI, L3 and OPAL experiments at LEP, and 600 thousand Z decays by the SLID experiment using a polarised beam at SLC. The measurements include cross-sections, forward-backward asymmetries and polarised asymmetries. The mass and width of the Z boson, m(Z) and Gamma(Z), and its couplings to fermions, for example the p parameter and the effective electroweak mixing angle for leptons, are precisely measured: m(Z) = 91.1875 +/- 0.0021 GeV, Gamma(Z) = 2.4952 +/- 0.0023 GeV, rho(l) = 1.0050 +/- 0.0010, sin(2)theta(eff)(lept) = 0.23153 +/- 0.00016. The number of light neutrino species is determined to be 2.9840 +/- 0.0082, in agreement with the three observed generations of fundamental fermions. The results are compared to the predictions of the Standard Model (SM). At the Z-pole, electroweak radiative corrections beyond the running of the QED and QCD coupling constants are observed with a significance of five standard deviations, and in agreement with the Standard Model. Of the many Z-pole measurements, the forward-backward asymmetry in b-quark production shows the largest difference with respect to its SM expectation, at the level of 2.8 standard deviations. Through radiative corrections evaluated in the framework of the Standard Model, the Z-pole data are also used to predict the mass of the top quark, m(t) = 173(+10)(+13) GeV, and the mass of the W boson, m(W) = 80.363 +/- 0.032 GeV. These indirect constraints are compared to the direct measurements, providing a stringent test of the SM. Using in addition the direct measurements of m(t) and m(W), the mass of the as yet unobserved SM Higgs boson is predicted with a relative uncertainty of about 50% and found to be less than 285 GeV at 95% confidence level. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
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| 2. |
- Alonderis, A, et al.
(author)
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Medico-legal implications of sleep apnoea syndrome: Driving license regulations in Europe.
- 2008
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In: Sleep medicine. - : Elsevier BV. - 1389-9457 .- 1878-5506. ; 9:4, s. 362-75
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Sleep apnoea syndrome (SAS), one of the main medical causes of excessive daytime sleepiness, has been shown to be a risk factor for traffic accidents. Treating SAS results in a normalized rate of traffic accidents. As part of the COST Action B-26, we looked at driving license regulations, and especially at its medical aspects in the European region. METHODS: We obtained data from Transport Authorities in 25 countries (Austria, AT; Belgium, BE; Czech Republic, CZ; Denmark, DK; Estonia, EE; Finland, FI; France, FR; Germany, DE; Greece, GR; Hungary, HU; Ireland, IE; Italy, IT; Lithuania, LT; Luxembourg, LU; Malta, MT; Netherlands, NL; Norway, EC; Poland, PL; Portugal, PT; Slovakia, SK; Slovenia, SI; Spain, ES; Sweden, SE; Switzerland, CH; United Kingdom, UK). RESULTS: Driving license regulations date from 1997 onwards. Excessive daytime sleepiness is mentioned in nine, whereas sleep apnoea syndrome is mentioned in 10 countries. A patient with untreated sleep apnoea is always considered unfit to drive. To recover the driving capacity, seven countries rely on a physician's medical certificate based on symptom control and compliance with therapy, whereas in two countries it is up to the patient to decide (on his doctor's advice) to drive again. Only FR requires a normalized electroencephalography (EEG)-based Maintenance of Wakefulness Test for professional drivers. Rare conditions (e.g., narcolepsy) are considered a driving safety risk more frequently than sleep apnoea syndrome. CONCLUSION: Despite the available scientific evidence, most countries in Europe do not include sleep apnoea syndrome or excessive daytime sleepiness among the specific medical conditions to be considered when judging whether or not a person is fit to drive. A unified European Directive seems desirable.
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| 3. |
- Flanagan, K. T., et al.
(author)
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Nuclear Spins and Magnetic Moments of Cu-71,Cu-73,Cu-75 : Inversion of pi 2p(3/2) and pi 1f(5/2) Levels in Cu-75
- 2009
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In: Physical Review Letters. - 0031-9007 .- 1079-7114. ; 103:14, s. 142501-
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We report the first confirmation of the predicted inversion between the pi 2p(3/2) and pi 1f(5/2) nuclear states in the nu g(9/2) midshell. This was achieved at the ISOLDE facility, by using a combination of in-source laser spectroscopy and collinear laser spectroscopy on the ground states of Cu-71,Cu-73,Cu-75, which measured the nuclear spin and magnetic moments. The obtained values are mu(Cu-71)=+2.2747(8)mu(N), mu(Cu-73)=+1.7426(8)mu(N), and mu(Cu-75)=+1.0062(13)mu(N) corresponding to spins I=3/2 for Cu-71,Cu-73 and I=5/2 for Cu-75. The results are in fair agreement with large-scale shell-model calculations.
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| 4. |
- Pitts, R. A., et al.
(author)
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Material erosion and migration in tokamaks
- 2005
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In: Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion. - 0741-3335 .- 1361-6587. ; 47, s. B303-B322
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The issue of first wall and divertor target lifetime represents one of the greatest challenges facing the successful demonstration of integrated tokamak burning plasma operation, even in the case of the planned next step device, ITER, which will run at a relatively low duty cycle in comparison to future fusion power plants. Material erosion by continuous or transient plasma ion and neutral impact, the susbsequent transport of the released impurities through and by the plasma and their deposition and/or eventual re-erosion constitute the process of migration. Its importance is now recognized by a concerted research effort throughout the international tokamak community, comprising a wide variety of devices with differing plasma configurations, sizes and plasmafacing component material. No single device, however, operates with the first wall material mix currently envisaged for ITER, and all are far from the ITER energy throughput and divertor particle fluxes and fluences. This paper aims to review the basic components of material erosion and migration in tokamaks, illustrating each by way of examples from current research and attempting to place them in the context of the next step device. Plans for testing an ITER-like first wall material mix on the JET tokamak will also be briefly outlined.
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| 5. |
- Böser, S, et al.
(author)
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SPATS : An acoustic array at the South Pole
- 2007
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In: Journal of Physics, Conference Series. - : Institute of Physics. - 1742-6588 .- 1742-6596. ; 60, s. 292-295
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Journal article (other academic/artistic)abstract
- The detection of extraterrestrial EHE neutrinos requires detection volumes at least one order of magnitude larger than currently constructed km3 optical neutrino detectors. In ice, it is anticipated that the absorption length for acoustic waves reaches up to to several kilometers. This makes ice an attractive host environment for a next generation acoustic neutrino detector. To measure the acoustic properties of ice at South Pole, a test setup has been developed, ready to be deployed in the 2006/07 summer season.
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| 6. |
- Böser, S, et al.
(author)
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The South Pole Acoustic Test Setup : calibrations and lake test
- 2007
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In: Journal of Physics, Conference Series. - : IOP Publishing. - 1742-6588 .- 1742-6596. ; 81, s. 012016-
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Abstract. In order to detect the small neutrino fluxes expected at ultra-high energies, large volumes of materials have to be instrumented with inexpensive but sensitive acoustic sensors. The South Pole Acoustic Test Setup (SPATS) will be installed in the Antarctic ice during the polar season 2006/2007 after which the collected data will be used to reveal the acoustic properties of the South Polar ice cap. The developed piezoceramic based ultrasound sensors and transmitters that are part of this system have been extensively studied during calibration measurements in water, using a commercial hydrophone as reference. Also, a SPATS system test was accomplished in Lake Torneträsk, Abisko (Sweden). This allowed verification of the DAQ system, transmitter range and sensor performance. Here the results of the calibrations and the Abisko lake measurements are reported.
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| 7. |
- Counsell, G., et al.
(author)
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Tritium retention in next step devices and the requirements for mitigation and removal techniques
- 2006
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In: Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion. - 0741-3335 .- 1361-6587. ; 48:12B, s. B189-B199
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Mechanisms underlying the retention of fuel species in tokamaks with carbon plasma-facing components are presented, together with estimates for the corresponding retention of tritium in ITER. The consequential requirement for new and improved schemes to reduce the tritium inventory is highlighted and the results of ongoing studies into a range of techniques are presented, together with estimates of the tritium removal rate in ITER in each case. Finally, an approach involving the integration of many tritium removal techniques into the ITER operational schedule is proposed as a means to extend the period of operations before major intervention is required.
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| 8. |
- Hjorth, Johannes, et al.
(author)
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GABAergic control of dendritic calcium dynamics in striatal medium spiny neurons
- 2008
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In: Frontiers in Neuroinformatics. - : Frontiers Media SA. - 1662-5196.
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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Experiments have demonstrated the ability of action potentials to actively backpropagate in striatal medium spiny (MS) neurons, affecting the calcium levels in the dendrites [1, 2, 3]. Increased calcium levels trigger changes in plasticity [4, 5], which is important for learning and other functions [6]. Studies in the hippocampus have shown that GABAergic input can modulate the backpropagation of action potentials from the soma to the distal dendrites [7]. The MS neurons receive both proximal feedforward GABAergic inhibition from fast spiking interneurons (FS), and distal feedback inhibition from other neighbouring MS neurons. In the present study the effect of GABAergic inputs on the dendritic calcium dynamics is investigated.
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| 9. |
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| 10. |
- Litnovsky, Andrey, et al.
(author)
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Carbon transport, deposition and fuel accumulation in castellated structures exposed in TEXTOR
- 2007
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In: Journal of Nuclear Materials. - : Elsevier BV. - 0022-3115 .- 1873-4820. ; 367, s. 1481-1486
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- In order to maintain the thermo-mechanical durability of ITER it is proposed to castellate the interior surface of the first wall and divertor by splitting them into small-size cells [W. Daener et a]., Fusion Eng. Des. 61&62 (2002) 61]. A concern is the accumulation of fuel in the gaps of the castellation. In TEXTOR, molybdenum limiters were exposed in the scrape-off layer (SOL) plasma to assess fuel accumulation. The first limiter was exposed under deposition-dominated conditions. Carbon deposits were formed both on top surfaces and in the gaps. About 0.12% of the impinging D-fluence was found in the gaps. Another castellated limiter was exposed under erosion-dominated conditions. Deposited layers were found only on the plasma shadowed areas of the gaps. A significant amount of molybdenum from the limiter was found intermixed in the deposit. The gaps contained similar to 0.03% of the impinging D-fluence. Modeling was performed to simulate carbon transport into the gaps.
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