Electron impact excitation of C IV

Energy levels and radiative rates for transitions among the lowest 24 fine-structure levels belonging to the ls(2) nl (n <5) configurations of Li-like C IV have been calculated using the fully relativistic GRASP code. Additionally, collision strengths for transitions among these levels have been computed over a wide energy range below 28 Ry, using the Dirac Atomic R- matrix Code. Resonances have been resolved in a fine energy mesh in order to calculate the effective collision strengths. Results for radiative rates, collision strengths, and effective collision strengths are presented for all transitions. Comparisons with other available results are made, and the accuracy of the present data is assessed. Energy levels are expected to be accurate to within 1%, while other parameters are probably accurate to better than 20%.

Electron impact excitation of Mo XXXIV

Energy levels and radiative rates for transitions among the lowest 60 fine-structure levels belonging to the (1s(2)) 2s(2)2p(5), 2s2p(6), and 2s(2)2p(4)3l configurations of F-like Mo XXXIV have been calculated using the fully relativistic GRASP code. Additionally, collision strengths for transitions among these levels have also been computed over a wide energy range below 3200 Ry. using the Dirac Atomic R-matrix Code. Resonances have been resolved in a fine energy mesh in order to calculate the effective collision strengths. Results for radiative rates, collision strengths, and excitation rates are presented for transitions from the lowest three levels to higher lying states. Comparisons with other available results are made, and the accuracy of the present data is assessed. Energy levels are expected to be accurate to within 1%, while other parameters are probably accurate to better than 20%.

Excitation rates for transitions in Ca XV

Collision strengths for transitions among the energetically lowest 46 fine-structure levels belonging to the (1s(2)) 2s(2)2p(2), 2s2p(3), 2p(4), and 2s(2)2p3l configurations of Ca XV are computed, over a wide electron energy range below 300 Ryd, using the Dirac Atomic R-matrix Code (DARC) of Norrington & Grant (2003). Resonances in the threshold region have been resolved in a fine energy mesh, and excitation rates are determined over a wide electron temperature range below 10(7) K. The results are compared with those available in the literature, and the accuracy of the data is assessed.

Effective collision strengths for transitions in Fe XI

Collision strengths for transitions among the lowest 48 fine- structure levels belonging to the (1s(2)2s(2)2p(6)) 3s(2)3p(4), 3s3p(5), 3s(2)3p(3)3d and 3p(6) configurations of Fe XI have been calculated using the Dirac Atomic R-matrix Code (DARC) of Norrington & Grant (2003). Results are tabulated at energies above thresholds in the range 10 less than or equal to E less than or equal to 100 Ry, although resonances have been resolved in a fine energy mesh in the thresholds region. Effective collision strengths, obtained after integrating the collision strengths over a Maxwellian distribution of electron velocities, are also tabulated over a wide electron temperature range below 5 x 10(6) K. Comparisons with other available results are made, and the accuracy of the present data is assessed.

Electron impact excitation of Gd XXXVII and radiative rates for Ni-like ions with 60

Energy levels and radiative rates for transitions among the 107 finestructure levels belonging to the (1s(2)2s(2)2p(6)) 3s(2)3p(6)3d(10), 3s(2)3p(6)3d(9)4l, 3s(2)3p(5)3d(10)4l, and 3s3p(6)3d(10)4l configurations of Ni-like ions with 60 less than or equal to Z less than or equal to 90 have been calculated using the GRASP code. The collision strengths (Omega) have also been computed for transitions in Gd XXXVII at energies below 800 Ryd, using the DARC code. Resonances have been resolved in a fine energy mesh in the threshold region, and excitation rate coefficients have been calculated for transitions from the ground level to excited levels at temperatures below 2500 eV. These have been compared with those available in the literature, and enhancement in the values of rates, due to resonances, has been observed up to an order of magnitude for some of the transitions.

Dissociative ionization of molecules in intense laser fields

Accurate and efficient grid based techniques for the solution of the time-dependent Schrodinger equation for few-electron diatomic molecules irradiated by intense, ultrashort laser pulses are described. These are based on hybrid finite-difference, Lagrange mesh techniques. The methods are applied in three scenarios, namely H-2(+) with fixed internuclear separation, H-2(+) with vibrating nuclei and H-2 with fixed internuclear separation and illustrative results presented.

A discrete time-dependent method for metastable atoms and molecules in intense fields

The full-dimensional time-dependent Schrodinger equation for the electronic dynamics of single-electron systems in intense external fields is solved directly using a discrete method. Our approach combines the finite-difference and Lagrange mesh methods. The method is applied to calculate the quasienergies and ionization probabilities of atomic and molecular systems in intense static and dynamic electric fields. The gauge invariance and accuracy of the method is established. Applications to multiphoton ionization of positronium, the hydrogen atom and the hydrogen molecular ion are presented. At very high laser intensity, above the saturation threshold, we extend the method using a scaling technique to estimate the quasienergies of metastable states of the hydrogen molecular ion. The results are in good agreement with recent experiments. (C) 2004 American Institute of Physics.

Efficient grid treatment of the ionization dynamics of laser-driven H-2(+)

We implement a parallel, time-dependent hybrid finite-difference Lagrange mesh code to model the electron dynamics of the fixed-nuclei hydrogen molecular ion subjected to intense ultrashort laser Pulses, Ionization rates are calculated and compared with results from a previous finite-difference approach and also with published Floquet results. The sensitivity of the results to the gauge describing the electron-field interaction is studied. Visualizations of the evolving wave packets are also presented in which the formation of a stable bound-state resonance is observed.

An automated machine vision system for the histological grading of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN)

The histological grading of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) remains subjective, resulting in inter- and intra-observer variation and poor reproducibility in the grading of cervical lesions. This study has attempted to develop an objective grading system using automated machine vision. The architectural features of cervical squamous epithelium are quantitatively analysed using a combination of computerized digital image processing and Delaunay triangulation analysis; 230 images digitally captured from cases previously classified by a gynaecological pathologist included normal cervical squamous epithelium (n = 30), koilocytosis (n = 46), CIN 1 (n = 52), CIN 2 (n = 56), and CIN 3 (n=46). Intra- and inter-observer variation had kappa values of 0.502 and 0.415, respectively. A machine vision system was developed in KS400 macro programming language to segment and mark the centres of all nuclei within the epithelium. By object-oriented analysis of image components, the positional information of nuclei was used to construct a Delaunay triangulation mesh. Each mesh was analysed to compute triangle dimensions including the mean triangle area, the mean triangle edge length, and the number of triangles per unit area, giving an individual quantitative profile of measurements for each case. Discriminant analysis of the geometric data revealed the significant discriminatory variables from which a classification score was derived. The scoring system distinguished between normal and CIN 3 in 98.7% of cases and between koilocytosis and CIN 1 in 76.5% of cases, but only 62.3% of the CIN cases were classified into the correct group, with the CIN 2 group showing the highest rate of misclassification. Graphical plots of triangulation data demonstrated the continuum of morphological change from normal squamous epithelium to the highest grade of CIN, with overlapping of the groups originally defined by the pathologists. This study shows that automated location of nuclei in cervical biopsies using computerized image analysis is possible. Analysis of positional information enables quantitative evaluation of architectural features in CIN using Delaunay triangulation meshes, which is effective in the objective classification of CIN. This demonstrates the future potential of automated machine vision systems in diagnostic histopathology. Copyright (C) 2000 John Wiley and Sons, Ltd.

WAVES IN 2D ANISOTROPIC L-C LATTICE METAMATERIALS:PHENOMENOLOGY AND PROPERTIES

Anisotropic metamaterials composed of 2D periodic infi- nite and finite periodic lattices of lumped inductor (L) and capacitor (C) circuits have been explored. The unique features of wave channeling on such anisotropic lattices and scattering at their interfaces and edges are reviewed and illustrated by the examples of the specific arrangements. The lattice unit cells composed of inductors and capacitors (basic mesh) as well as of assemblies comprised of double series, double parallel, and mixed parallel-series L-C circuits are discussed.

Reinforced Stone Columns in Weak Deposits – A Laboratory Model Study

This paper investigates the performance of stone columns in a weak deposit such as peat. It evaluates the effects of reinforcing stone columns by jacketing with a tubular wire mesh and bridging reinforcement with a metal rod and a concrete plug. A series of plate loading tests was conducted on isolated stone columns installed in a soil bed consisting of a peat layer sandwiched between two layers of sand. The load–displacement characteristics of footings supported by stone columns were investigated by applying load to a circular plate supported on: (a) untreated soil; (b) soil treated with stone columns; and (c) soil treated with stone columns reinforced with the above reinforcing techniques. The work has shown that the settlement characteristics of the soil can be improved by installing stone columns and that a significant enhancement in the load–settlement response is achieved when the columns are reinforced by the various methods.

A computational model for the cooling phase of injection moulding

This paper discusses the approaches and techniques used to build a realistic numerical model to analyse the cooling phase of the injection moulding process. The procedures employed to select an appropriate mesh and the boundary and initial conditions for the problem are discussed and justified. The final model is validated using direct comparisons with experimental results generated in an earlier study. The model is shown to be a useful tool for further studies aimed at optimising the cooling phase of the injection moulding process. Using the numerical model provides additional information relating to changes in conditions throughout the process, which otherwise could not be deduced or assessed experimentally. These results, and other benefits related to the use of the model, are also discussed in the paper. © 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Electron impact excitation of Kr XXXII

Collision strengths (Ω) have been calculated for all 7750 transitions among the lowest 125 levels belonging to the View the MathML source, and 2p23ℓ configurations of boron-like krypton, Kr XXXII, for which the Dirac Atomic R -matrix Code has been adopted. All partial waves with angular momentum J⩽40 have been included, sufficient for the convergence of Ω for forbidden transitions. For allowed transitions, a top-up has been included in order to obtain converged values of Ω up to an energy of 500 Ryd. Resonances in the thresholds region have been resolved in a narrow energy mesh, and results for effective collision strengths (ϒ) have been obtained after averaging the values of Ω over a Maxwellian distribution of electron velocities. Values of ϒ are reported over a wide temperature range below View the MathML source, and the accuracy of the results is assessed. Values of ϒ are also listed in the temperature range View the MathML source, obtained from the nonresonant collision strengths from the Flexible Atomic Code.

A novel method for isolation of human lung T cells from lung resection tissue reveals increased expression of GAPDH and CXCR6

Lung T lymphocytes are important in pulmonary immunity and inflammation. it has been difficult to study these cells due to contamination with other cell types, mainly alveolar macrophages. We have developed a novel method for isolating lung T cells from lung resection tissue, using a combination of approaches. Firstly the lung tissue was finely chopped and filtered through a nylon mesh. Lymphocytic cells were enriched by Percoll density centrifugation and the T cells purified using human CD3 microbeads, resulting in 90.5% +/- 1.9% (n = 11) pure lymphocytes. The T cell yield from the crude cell preparation was 10.8 +/- 2.1% and viability, calculated using propidium iodide (PI) staining and trypan blue, was typically over 95%. The purification process did not affect expression of CD69 or CD103, nor was there a difference in the proportion of CD4 and CD8 cells between the starting population and the purified cells. Microarray analysis and real time RT-PCR revealed upregulation of GAPDH and CXCR6 of the lung T cells as compared to blood-derived T cells. This technique highly enriches lung T cells to allow detailed investigation of the biology of these cells. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Ionography of Submicron Foils and Nanostructures Using Ion Flow Generated in FS-Laser Cluster Plasma

A novel type of submicron ion radiography designed to image low-contrast objects, including nanofoils, membranes and biological structures, is proposed. It is based on femtosecond-laser-driven-cluster- plasma source of multicharged ions and polymer dosimeter film CR-39. The intense isotropic ion flow was produced by femtosecond Ti:Sa laser pulses with intensity similar to 4x10(17) W/cm(2) absorbed in the supersonic jet of the mixed He and CO2 gases. Two Focusing Spectrometers with Spatial Resolution (FSSR) were used to measure X-ray spectra of H-and He-like multicharged oxygen ions. The spectra testify that ions with energy more than 300 keV were radiated in different directions from the plasma source. High contrast ion radiography images were obtained for 2000 dpi metal mesh, 1 mu m polypropylene and 100 nm Zr foils as well as for the different biological objects. Images were recorded on a 1 mm thick CR-39 detector, placed in contact with back surface of the imaged samples at the distances 140 -160 mm from the ion source. The spatial resolution of the image no worse than 600 nm was provided. A difference in object thickness of 100 nm was very well resolved for both Zr and polymer foils. The ion radiography images recorded at different angles from the source, demonstrated almost uniform spatial distribution of ion with total number of 10(8) per shot. (C) 2009 WILEY-VCH Vertag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim