Modeling of Trapped Fields by Stacked (RE)BCO Tape Using Angular Transversal Field Dependence

Stacks of superconducting (RE)BCO tape are gaining popularity as a potential alternative for superconducting bulks for trapped field applications. This is partly due to versatility and uniformity of the starting material, allowing for more deterministic prediction of field profile and magnitude. However, most FEM models of trapped field magnets do not incorporate parameters such as critical current and n-value dependence on the angle of applied magnetic field, leading to only qualitative modeling results. More quantitative results can be obtained from incorporating more data for superconductivity and thermal properties of the material. Such models can be used as a starting point for most geometries and both trapped field and current transport modeling problems. An FEM model of a stack of tapes was constructed using the H formulation, incorporating goniometric critical current and n-value measurements. The modeling results were compared to field cooling experiments for stacks of different heights. The experiment and modeling show good agreement.This work was supported in part by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, U.K., and in part by SKF S2M, France

Magnetic levitation using a stack of high temperature superconducting tape annuli

Stacks of large width superconducting tape can carry persistent currents over similar length scales to bulk superconductors, therefore giving them potential for trapped field magnets and magnetic levitation. 46 mm wide high temperature superconducting tape has previously been cut into square annuli to create a 3.5 T persistent mode magnet. The same tape pieces were used here to form a composite bulk hollow cylinder with an inner bore of 26 mm. Magnetic levitation was achieved by field cooling with a pair of rare-earth magnets. This paper reports the axial levitation force properties of the stack of annuli, showing that the same axial forces expected for a uniform bulk cylinder of infinite $\textit{J c}$ can be generated at 20 K. Levitation forces up to 550 N were measured between the rare-earth magnets and stack. Finite element modelling in COMSOL Multiphysics using the H-formulation was also performed including a full critical state model for induced currents, with temperature and field dependent properties as well as the influence of the ferromagnetic substrate which enhances the force. Spark erosion was used for the first time to machine the stack of tapes proving that large stacks can be easily machined to high geometric tolerance. The stack geometry tested is a possible candidate for a rotary superconducting bearing.The authors would like to acknowledge the financial support of SKF S2M, the magnetic bearing division of SKF, the Isaac Newton Trust, Cambridge and EPSRC

Toward Uniform Trapped Field Magnets Using a Stack of Roebel Cable Offcuts

Stacks of high temperature superconducting tape can be magnetized to produce a variety of different trapped field profiles in addition to the most common conical or pyramidal profiles. Stacks of tape using discarded Roebel cable offcuts were created to investigate various stacking arrangements with the aim of creating a stack that can be magnetized to produce a uniform trapped field for potential applications such as NMR. A new angled stacking arrangement proved to produce the flattest, most uniform field of all the overlapping stacking arrangements and has the potential to be scaled up. FEM modeling in COMSOL was also performed to complement the measurements and explain the limitations and advantages of the stacking arrangements tested.This work was supported in part by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, U.K., and in part by SKF S2M, France.This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from IEEE via http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/TASC.2016.251899

Variability of serum markers of erythropoiesis during 6 days of racing in highly trained cyclists

The athlete biological passport for the fight against doping is currently based on longitudinal monitoring for abnormal changes in cellular blood parameters. Serum parameters related to altered erythropoiesis could be considered for inclusion in the passport. The aim of this study was to quantify the changes in such parameters in athletes during a period of intense exercise. 12 highly trained cyclists tapered for 3 days before 6 days of simulated intense stage racing. Morning and afternoon blood samples were taken on most days and analysed for total protein, albumin, soluble transferrin receptor and ferritin concentrations. Plasma volume was determined via total haemoglobin mass measured by carbon-monoxide rebreathing. Percent changes in means from baseline and percent standard errors of measurement (analytical error plus intra-athlete variation) on each measurement occasion were estimated with mixed linear modelling of log-transformed measures. Means of all variables changed substantially in the days following the onset of racing, ranging from −13% (haemoglobin concentration) to +27% (ferritin). After the second day, errors of measurement were generally twice those at baseline. Plasma variables were affected by heavy exercise, either because of changes in plasma volume (total protein, albumin, haemoglobin), acute phase/inflammatory reactions (ferritin) or both (soluble transferrin receptor). These effects need to be taken into consideration when integrating a plasma parameter into the biological passport model for athletes

The Evolution of Bat Vestibular Systems in the Face of Potential Antagonistic Selection Pressures for Flight and Echolocation

PMCID: PMC3634842This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited

Noninterventional statistical comparison of BTS and CHEST guidelines for size and severity in primary pneumothorax.

Hilar rather than apical interpleural distance more accurately predicts need for intercostal chest drain insertion http://ow.ly/JvKFYThe study was funded by the East Anglian Thoracic Society. M.Z. Nikolić is a Wellcome Trust PhD Programme for Clinicians Fellow at the University of Cambridge. S.J. Marciniak is a Medical Research Council Senior Clinical Fellow. J. Wason is funded by the Cambridge Biomedical Research Centre. Funding information for this article has been deposited with FundRef.This is the final version of the article. It first appeared from the European Respiratory Society via http://dx.doi.org/10.1183/09031936.0011861

Early severe inflammatory responses to uropathogenic E. coli predispose to chronic and recurrent urinary tract infection

Chronic infections are an increasing problem due to the aging population and the increase in antibiotic resistant organisms. Therefore, understanding the host-pathogen interactions that result in chronic infection is of great importance. Here, we investigate the molecular basis of chronic bacterial cystitis. We establish that introduction of uropathogenic E. coli (UPEC) into the bladders of C3H mice results in two distinct disease outcomes: resolution of acute infection or development of chronic cystitis lasting months. The incidence of chronic cystitis is both host strain and infectious dose-dependent. Further, development of chronic cystitis is preceded by biomarkers of local and systemic acute inflammation at 24 hours post-infection, including severe pyuria and bladder inflammation with mucosal injury, and a distinct serum cytokine signature consisting of elevated IL-5, IL-6, G-CSF, and the IL-8 analog KC. Mice deficient in TLR4 signaling or lymphocytes lack these innate responses and are resistant, to varying degrees, to developing chronic cystitis. Treatment of C3H mice with the glucocorticoid anti-inflammatory drug dexamethasone prior to UPEC infection also suppresses the development of chronic cystitis. Finally, individuals with a history of chronic cystitis, lasting at least 14 days, are significantly more susceptible to redeveloping severe, chronic cystitis upon bacterial challenge. Thus, we have discovered that the development of chronic cystitis in C3H mice by UPEC is facilitated by severe acute inflammatory responses early in infection, which subsequently are predisposing to recurrent cystitis, an insidious problem in women. Overall, these results have significant implications for our understanding of how early host-pathogen interactions at the mucosal surface determines the fate of disease

Search for direct pair production of the top squark in all-hadronic final states in proton-proton collisions at s√=8 TeV with the ATLAS detector

The results of a search for direct pair production of the scalar partner to the top quark using an integrated luminosity of 20.1fb−1 of proton–proton collision data at √s = 8 TeV recorded with the ATLAS detector at the LHC are reported. The top squark is assumed to decay via t˜→tχ˜01 or t˜→ bχ˜±1 →bW(∗)χ˜01 , where χ˜01 (χ˜±1 ) denotes the lightest neutralino (chargino) in supersymmetric models. The search targets a fully-hadronic final state in events with four or more jets and large missing transverse momentum. No significant excess over the Standard Model background prediction is observed, and exclusion limits are reported in terms of the top squark and neutralino masses and as a function of the branching fraction of t˜ → tχ˜01 . For a branching fraction of 100%, top squark masses in the range 270–645 GeV are excluded for χ˜01 masses below 30 GeV. For a branching fraction of 50% to either t˜ → tχ˜01 or t˜ → bχ˜±1 , and assuming the χ˜±1 mass to be twice the χ˜01 mass, top squark masses in the range 250–550 GeV are excluded for χ˜01 masses below 60 GeV

Search for new phenomena in final states with an energetic jet and large missing transverse momentum in pp collisions at √ s = 8 TeV with the ATLAS detector

Results of a search for new phenomena in final states with an energetic jet and large missing transverse momentum are reported. The search uses 20.3 fb−1 of √ s = 8 TeV data collected in 2012 with the ATLAS detector at the LHC. Events are required to have at least one jet with pT > 120 GeV and no leptons. Nine signal regions are considered with increasing missing transverse momentum requirements between Emiss T > 150 GeV and Emiss T > 700 GeV. Good agreement is observed between the number of events in data and Standard Model expectations. The results are translated into exclusion limits on models with either large extra spatial dimensions, pair production of weakly interacting dark matter candidates, or production of very light gravitinos in a gauge-mediated supersymmetric model. In addition, limits on the production of an invisibly decaying Higgs-like boson leading to similar topologies in the final state are presente

Performance of the CMS Cathode Strip Chambers with Cosmic Rays

The Cathode Strip Chambers (CSCs) constitute the primary muon tracking device in the CMS endcaps. Their performance has been evaluated using data taken during a cosmic ray run in fall 2008. Measured noise levels are low, with the number of noisy channels well below 1%. Coordinate resolution was measured for all types of chambers, and fall in the range 47 microns to 243 microns. The efficiencies for local charged track triggers, for hit and for segments reconstruction were measured, and are above 99%. The timing resolution per layer is approximately 5 ns