Laboratory evidence of the nonresonant streaming instability in the formation of quasiparallel collisionless shocks at high Alfvénic Mach number.

We present an experimental investigation of the formation stage of a collisionless shock when the flow velocity is aligned with an ambient magnetic field utilizing laser-driven, super-Alfvénic plasma flows. As the flows interact, electromagnetic streaming instabilities develop. Proton deflectometry is used to visualize these electromagnetic fluctuations indicating the development of the ion-Weibel instability and the nonresonant instability.

Role of Mutations at Position 84 on High-Level Delafloxacin Resistance in Methicillin-Resistant .

High-level delafloxacin-resistant (H-L DLX-R) isolates (minimum inhibitory concentration ≥1 mg/L) associated with mutations affecting position 84 of ParC have emerged. We aimed to elucidate the role of these mutations as a mechanism of H-L DLX resistance in methicillin-resistant (MRSA) isolates recovered from blood cultures. Susceptibility to DLX was determined in 75 MRSA isolates by E-test, and an rt-PCR was developed to detect mutations affecting position 84 of ParC to screen a further 185 MRSA isolates.

Citizen scientists study beach litter along 12,000 km of the East Pacific coast: A baseline for the International Plastic Treaty.

Anthropogenic Marine Litter (AML) accumulating on beaches causes damage to coastal ecosystems and high costs to local communities. Volunteers sampled AML on 130 beaches along the central and southern East Pacific coasts, with AML densities ranging from 0.46 to 2.

Experimental evidence of early-time saturation of the ion-Weibel instability in counterstreaming plasmas of CH, Al, and Cu.

The collisionless ion-Weibel instability is a leading candidate mechanism for the formation of collisionless shocks in many astrophysical systems, where the typical distance between particle collisions is much larger than the system size. Multiple laboratory experiments aimed at studying this process utilize laser-driven (I≳10^{15} W/cm^{2}), counterstreaming plasma flows (V≲2000 km/s) to create conditions unstable to Weibel-filamentation and growth. This technique intrinsically produces temporally varying plasma conditions at the midplane of the interaction where Weibel-driven B fields are generated and studied.

Laboratory evidence of magnetic reconnection hampered in obliquely interacting flux tubes.

Magnetic reconnection can occur when two plasmas, having anti-parallel components of the magnetic field, encounter each other. In the reconnection plane, the anti-parallel component of the field is annihilated and its energy released in the plasma. Here, we investigate through laboratory experiments the reconnection between two flux tubes that are not strictly anti-parallel.

A laser parameter study on enhancing proton generation from microtube foil targets.

The interaction of an intense laser with a solid foil target can drive [Formula: see text] TV/m electric fields, accelerating ions to MeV energies. In this study, we experimentally observe that structured targets can dramatically enhance proton acceleration in the target normal sheath acceleration regime. At the Texas Petawatt Laser facility, we compared proton acceleration from a [Formula: see text] flat Ag foil, to a fixed microtube structure 3D printed on the front side of the same foil type.

Enhanced X-ray emission arising from laser-plasma confinement by a strong transverse magnetic field.

We analyze, using experiments and 3D MHD numerical simulations, the dynamic and radiative properties of a plasma ablated by a laser (1 ns, 10[Formula: see text]-10[Formula: see text] W/cm[Formula: see text]) from a solid target as it expands into a homogeneous, strong magnetic field (up to 30 T) that is transverse to its main expansion axis. We find that as early as 2 ns after the start of the expansion, the plasma becomes constrained by the magnetic field. As the magnetic field strength is increased, more plasma is confined close to the target and is heated by magnetic compression.

Decentralized Online Simultaneous Localization and Mapping for Multi-Agent Systems.

Planning tasks performed by a robotic agent require previous access to a map of the environment and the position where the agent is located. This creates a problem when the agent is placed in a new environment. To solve it, the RA must execute the task known as Simultaneous Location and Mapping (SLAM) which locates the agent in the new environment while generating the map at the same time, geometrically or topologically.

A Decentralized Framework for Multi-Agent Robotic Systems.

Over the past few years, decentralization of multi-agent robotic systems has become an important research area. These systems do not depend on a central control unit, which enables the control and assignment of distributed, asynchronous and robust tasks. However, in some cases, the network communication process between robotic agents is overlooked, and this creates a dependency for each agent to maintain a permanent link with nearby units to be able to fulfill its goals.

Absolute dosimetric characterization of Gafchromic EBT3 and HDv2 films using commercial flat-bed scanners and evaluation of the scanner response function variability.

Radiochromic films (RCF) are commonly used in dosimetry for a wide range of radiation sources (electrons, protons, and photons) for medical, industrial, and scientific applications. They are multi-layered, which includes plastic substrate layers and sensitive layers that incorporate a radiation-sensitive dye. Quantitative dose can be retrieved by digitizing the film, provided that a prior calibration exists.

Nonlinear neutral inclusions: assemblages of coated ellipsoids.

The problem of determining nonlinear neutral inclusions in (electrical or thermal) conductivity is considered. Neutral inclusions, inserted in a matrix containing a uniform applied electric field, do not disturb the field outside the inclusions. The well-known Hashin-coated sphere construction is an example of a neutral inclusion.

A journey through heart valve surgery.

It is evident that valvular surgeries have made countless advances since the first valve surgery in 1925 when Dr Henry Souttar operated on a woman with mitral stenosis. Patients in the 21st century have a better chance of surviving as a result of these advances. In addition to providing high-quality health care to patients, educating patients and their families regarding the disease processes, symptoms, diagnosis, types of valve surgeries, different approaches, complications, nonsurgical care, recovery, and lifestyle changes is an instrumental component to a successful recovery.

Attention training for school-aged children with ADHD: results of an open trial.

Objective: The article discusses a feasibility study conducted to examine whether Pay Attention!, an intervention training sustained, selective, alternating, and divided attention, could be utilized in a clinical setting with children diagnosed with ADHD, and whether children who received the intervention made attention and executive functioning gains.

Method: After a diagnostic and baseline evaluation, 23 school-aged children with ADHD participate in up to 16 sessions of Pay Attention! and the outcomes are evaluated.

Results: Results show the intervention is feasible to administer and acceptable to participants.

Assessment of mood states in patients receiving long-term corticosteroid therapy and in controls with patient-rated and clinician-rated scales.

Background: Corticosteroids have been used for many years for inflammatory diseases. Mood changes are common during short-term, high-dose, corticosteroid therapy. Virtually no data are available on the mood effects of long-term corticosteroid therapy.

Effect of fluoxetine on contractile activity of pregnant rat uterine rings.

Objective: We sought to compare the effects of fluoxetine, imipramine, and nortriptyline on spontaneous and serotonin-activated contractile activity of the uterine rings from midterm and term pregnant rats.

Study Design: Uterine rings from timed-pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats on day 14 (midgestation) and day 22 (term gestation) were used for isometric tension recording. Responses to cumulative concentrations of fluoxetine, imipramine, nortriptyline, and serotonin in the absence and presence of the monoamine reuptake inhibitors were studied.

An alpha-actinin isoform which may cross-link intermediate filaments and microfilaments.

The G.3.5 antigen (named for the monoclonal antibody which recognizes it) has been characterized as an intermediate filament-associated protein found in a variety of tissue types, including human and rat astrocytes, rat skeletal and cardiac myocytes, fibroblasts, rat hepatocytes, and chicken and fish retinal tissues.

A novel intermediate filament-associated protein: further characterization of the G.3.5 antigen.

Several novel intermediate filament-associated proteins (IFAPs) have been discovered using hybridoma technology on multiple sclerosis plaque tissue. One of these, designated the G.3.