Vertical structure of Arctic haze observed by lidar

In the study of the Arctic Haze phenomenon, understanding the vertical structure of the haze aerosol is crucial in defining mechanisms of haze transport. Questions have also arisen concerning the representativeness of surface observations of Arctic Haze. Due to the strongly stratified nature of the Arctic troposphere, the mechanisms which transport aerosol to the surface from the transport altitudes of the lower troposphere are not obvious. In order to examine these questions, a Mie scattering lidar was installed at Alert, NWT, Canada. Lidar observes atmospheric aerosols and hydrymeteors as they appear in nature, unmodified by sampling effects. As such the results obtained are more realistic of the light scattering characteristics of the in situ aerosol than are those obtained by integrating nephelometers, for example, which heat the aerosol and dry it before measurement. With this lidar, a pulse was transmitted vetically through an evacuated tube in the roof of a building at Alert. The receiver consisted of a 20cm diameter Fresnel telescope, neutral density and polarizing filters, and RCA C31000A PMT, Analog Modules LA-90-P logarithmic amplifier and a Lecroy TR8827 32 MHz digitizer. The lidar equation was solved for the backscattering coefficient of the aerosol assuming no two way transmission losses in the signal. The lidar results have shown that intercomparison between lidar obtained visibilities and observer visibilities are in much better agreement than for other optical or aerosol monitors. Three new effects were identified in the lidar profiles which contribute to the vertical transport of haze. These effects are briefly discussed

Bevacizumab plus Irinotecan-Based Regimens in the Treatment of Metastatic Colorectal Cancer

Objectives: Bevacizumab is a monoclonal antibody that directly inhibits vascular endothelial growth factor, a key regulator of angiogenesis. Bevacizumab significantly improves progression-free and/or overall survival in metastatic colorectal cancer in combination with standard chemotherapy. This review describes the evolution of irinotecan-based regimens for metastatic colorectal cancer and evaluates the addition of bevacizumab to these regimens. Methods: Literature searches from large publication databases (PubMed, ASCO, ASCO GI, ESMO) were performed to capture key data relevant to bevacizumab, irinotecan, and the treatment of colorectal cancer. Results: Data from numerous large, multinational studies support the addition of bevacizumab to irinotecan-containing chemotherapy regimens for further improvement in patient outcomes. In a randomized, placebo-controlled trial, addition of bevacizumab to irinotecan significantly improved progression-free survival, overall survival and response rate in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer, and these results are supported by a number of other clinical trials and observational studies. Furthermore, the addition of bevacizumab to irinotecan improves outcomes regardless of K-ras mutational status. Bevacizumab has a well-established safety profile and the toxicities associated with its use are usually mild in severity and easily manageable. Conclusions: Addition of bevacizumab to irinotecan-containing regimens is an effective therapy option for the treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer. Copyright (C) 2010 S. Karger AG, Base

Precision analysis of Geant4 condensed transport effects on energy deposition in detectors

A comprehensive analysis of the effects of Geant4 algorithms for condensed transport in detectors is in progress. The first phase of the project focuses on electron multiple scattering, and studies two related observables: the longitudinal pattern of energy deposition in various materials, and the fraction of backscattered particles. The quality of the simulation is evaluated through comparison with high precision experimental measurements; several versions of Geant4 are analyzed to provide an extensive overview of the evolution of Geant4 multiple scattering algorithms and of their contribution to simulation accuracy.Comment: To be published in the Proc. of CHEP (Computing in High Energy Physics) 201

High-temperature rapid-response thermocouple for reducing atmospheres

Thermocouple measures continuously in flowing gaseous hydrogen at temperatures up to 4000 deg F, in environments made hazardous by radiation, and where rapid response and calibration reproducibility are critically important. Thermocouple wires extend continuously, without splice or foreign material, from cold junction to probe's tip

The (restricted) Inomata-McKinley spinor representation and the underlying topology

The so called Inomata-McKinley spinors are a particular solution of the non-linear Heisenberg equation. In fact, free linear massive (or mass-less) Dirac fields are well known to be represented as a combination of Inomata-McKinley spinors. More recently, a subclass of Inomata-McKinley spinors were used to describe neutrino physics. In this paper we show that Dirac spinors undergoing this restricted Inomata-McKinley decomposition are necessarily of the first type, according to the Lounesto classification. Moreover, we also show that this type one subclass spinors has not an exotic counterpart. Finally, implications of these results are discussed, regarding the understanding of the spacetime background topology.Comment: 7 pages, to appear in EP

Revealing how different spinors can be: the Lounesto spinor classification

This paper aims to give a coordinate based introduction to the so-called Lounesto spinorial classification scheme. We introduce the main ideas and aspects of this spinorial categorization in an argumentative basis, after what we delve into a commented account on recent results obtained from (and within) this branch of research.Comment: brief review of the Lounesto spinor fileds classification and further development

Exact solutions to Elko spinors in spatially flat Friedmann-Robertson-Walker spacetimes

In this paper we present exact solutions to the so-called Elko spinors for three models of expanding universe, namely the de Sitter, linear and the radiation type evolution. The study was restrict to flat, homogeneous and isotropic Friedmann-Robertson-Walker backgrounds. Starting with an Elko spinor we present the solutions for these cases and compared to the case of Dirac spinors. Besides, an attempt to use Elko spinors as a dark energy candidate in the cosmological context is investigated.Comment: 18 pages, section IV of last version removed; section on cosmological application rewritte

ELKO, flagpole and flag-dipole spinor fields, and the instanton Hopf fibration

In a previous paper we explicitly constructed a mapping that leads Dirac spinor fields to the dual-helicity eigenspinors of the charge conjugation operator (ELKO spinor fields). ELKO spinor fields are prime candidates for describing dark matter, and belong to a wider class of spinor fields, the so-called flagpole spinor fields, corresponding to the class-(5), according to Lounesto spinor field classification, based on the relations and values taken by their associated bilinear covariants. Such a mapping between Dirac and ELKO spinor fields was obtained in an attempt to extend the Standard Model in order to encompass dark matter. Now we prove that such a mapping, analogous to the instanton Hopf fibration map $S^3... S^7\to S^4$, prevents ELKO to describe the instanton, giving a suitable physical interpretation to ELKO. We review ELKO spinor fields as type-(5) spinor fields under the Lounesto spinor field classification, explicitly computing the associated bilinear covariants. This paper is also devoted to investigate some formal aspects of the flag-dipole spinor fields, which correspond to the class-(4) under the Lounesto spinor field classification. In addition, we prove that type-(4) spinor fields (corresponding to flag-dipoles) and ELKO spinor fields (corresponding to flagpoles) can also be entirely described in terms of the Majorana and Weyl spinor fields. After all, by choosing a projection endomorphism of the spacetime algebra Cl(1,3) it is shown how to obtain ELKO, flagpole, Majorana and Weyl spinor fields, respectively corresponding to type-(5) and -(6) spinor fields, uniquely from limiting cases of a type-(4) (flag-dipole) spinor field, in a similar result obtained by Lounesto.Comment: 17 Pages, RevTeX, accepted for publication in Adv. Appl. Clifford Al

Further investigation of mass dimension one fermionic duals

In this paper we proceed into the next step of formalization of a consistent dual theory for mass dimension one spinors. This task is developed approaching the two different and complementary aspects of such duals, clarifying its algebraic structure and the so called $\tau-$deformation. The former regards the mathematical equivalence of the recent proposed Lorentz preserving dual with the duals of algebraic spinors, from Clifford algebras, showing the consistency and generality of the new dual. Moreover, by revealing its automorphism structure, the hole of the $\tau-$deformation and contrasting the action group orbits with other Lorentz breaking scenarios, we argue that the new mass dimension one dual theory is placed over solid and consistent basis.Comment: 6 pages. Published in Phys. Lett.