Development of a gas jet coupled electron cyclotron resonance ion source for radioactive ion beam.

A 2.45 GHz electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) ion source coupled to a gas-jet skimmer system has been developed for the online production of radioactive ion beams (RIBs). Using radial injection of gas jet in the ion source, RIBs of 11C1+, 11CO21+, and 11CO1+ have been produced online with beam intensity up to about 9 × 103 particles per second for a 1 µA primary proton beam bombarding a nitrogen gas target.

A weakened AMOC may prolong greenhouse gas-induced Mediterranean drying even with significant and rapid climate change mitigation.

The Mediterranean region has been identified as a climate hot spot, with models projecting a robust warming and rainfall decline in response to increasing greenhouse gases. The projected rainfall decline would have impacts on agriculture and water resources. Can such changes be reversed with significant reductions in greenhouse gases? To explore this, we examine large ensembles of a high-resolution climate model with various future radiative forcing scenarios, including a scenario with substantial reductions in greenhouse gas concentrations beginning in the mid-21st century.

A review of the efficacy and safety of fluticasone propionate/formoterol fixed-dose combination.

Introduction: Fluticasone propionate/formoterol fumarate (FP/FORM) is one of the newer combinations among inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) and long-acting β2-agonist (LABA) combination formulations currently available. To evaluate the efficacy and safety of this FP/FORM combination, it is important to review all the available evidence and take a comprehensive look at the current and relevant data in the patient population suffering from asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Areas Covered: In this focused review, we summarize the available literature published until January 2021 using the PubMed/Medline and Cochrane Controlled Trials Register databases on the efficacy and safety of FP/FORM with its mono-components; concurrent administration of FP+FORM; and with other ICS/LABA combinations in asthma and COPD patients.

Large uncertainties in global hydroxyl projections tied to fate of reactive nitrogen and carbon.

The hydroxyl radical (OH) sets the oxidative capacity of the atmosphere and, thus, profoundly affects the removal rate of pollutants and reactive greenhouse gases. While observationally derived constraints exist for global annual mean present-day OH abundances and interannual variability, OH estimates for past and future periods rely primarily on global atmospheric chemistry models. These models disagree ± 30% in mean OH and in its changes from the preindustrial to late 21st century, even when forced with identical anthropogenic emissions.

Effect of despeckling filters on the segmentation of ultrasound common carotid artery images.

Background: Carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) measured in B-mode ultrasound image is an important indicator of Atherosclerosis disease. Speckle noise inherently present in ultrasounds' thereby degrades the visual evaluation and limits the automated segmentation performance. The objective of this study is to investigate the effects of three despeckle filters on the segmentation of carotid IMT in ultrasound image.

Assessing the Influence of COVID-19 on the Shortwave Radiative Fluxes Over the East Asian Marginal Seas.

The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic led to a widespread reduction in aerosol emissions. Using satellite observations and climate model simulations, we study the underlying mechanisms of the large decreases in solar clear-sky reflection (3.8 W m or 7%) and aerosol optical depth (0.

Measurement of quadrupolar asymmetry in prototype rod-type radio frequency quadrupole linac for protons.

An analytical and cold model study of a prototype extended vane rod-type RFQ (radio frequency quadrupole linac) is presented. The bead-pull measurement allowed us to experimentally determine the effect of shaping of the vane-supporting posts and, most interestingly, the size of the vacuum enclosure in the dipolar and quadrupolar field asymmetry. Disk shaped beads of BaTiO have been tailor made for this purpose.

Tropospheric ozone assessment report: Global ozone metrics for climate change, human health, and crop/ecosystem research.

Assessment of spatial and temporal variation in the impacts of ozone on human health, vegetation, and climate requires appropriate metrics. A key component of the is the consistent calculation of these metrics at thousands of monitoring sites globally. Investigating temporal trends in these metrics required that the same statistical methods be applied across these ozone monitoring sites.

Modulation of hydroxyl variability by ENSO in the absence of external forcing.

The hydroxyl radical (OH) is the primary oxidant in the troposphere, and the impact of its fluctuations on the methane budget has been disputed in recent years, however measurements of OH are insufficient to characterize global interannual fluctuations relevant for methane. Here, we use a 6,000-y control simulation of preindustrial conditions with a chemistry-climate model to quantify the natural variability in OH and internal feedbacks governing that variability. We find that, even in the absence of external forcing, maximum OH changes are 3.

Blue fluorescence as a frequency offset reference in the rubidium 5S-5P-5D transition.

In this work, we address the issue of the suitability of blue fluorescent light as a frequency offset reference during the ladder-level excitation 5S→5P→5D of Rb85 atoms. A simple pump-probe spectroscopy experiment is performed to generate non-degenerate blue light emission produced by the spontaneous decay route 5D→6P→5S. By varying the relative intensity of the pump-probe combination, we can hover between regimes dominated by mechanisms such as double resonance optical pumping (DROP) and Autler-Townes splitting.

Radioactive ion beams of In using ECR plasma sputtering method.

Radioactive ion beams of In (indium-111, half-life 2.8 days) have been produced using the plasma sputtering method in an electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) ion source at the Variable Energy Cyclotron Centre RIB facility. Indium isotopes were first produced by bombarding a natural silver target with a 32 MeV, 40 μA alpha particle beam from the K-130 cyclotron.

Effect of climate change on surface ozone over North America, Europe, and East Asia.

The effect of future climate change on surface ozone over North America, Europe, and East Asia is evaluated using present-day (2000s) and future (2100s) hourly surface ozone simulated by four global models. Future climate follows RCP8.5, while methane and anthropogenic ozone precursors are fixed at year-2000 levels.

Co-benefits of global and regional greenhouse gas mitigation on U.S. air quality in 2050.

Policies to mitigate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions will not only slow climate change, but can also have ancillary benefits of improved air quality. Here we examine the co-benefits of both global and regional GHG mitigation on U.S.

The effect of future ambient air pollution on human premature mortality to 2100 using output from the ACCMIP model ensemble.

Ambient air pollution from ground-level ozone and fine particulate matter (PM) is associated with premature mortality. Future concentrations of these air pollutants will be driven by natural and anthropogenic emissions and by climate change. Using anthropogenic and biomass burning emissions projected in the four Representative Concentration Pathway scenarios (RCPs), the ACCMIP ensemble of chemistry-climate models simulated future concentrations of ozone and PM at selected decades between 2000 and 2100.

Air quality and climate connections.

Unlabelled: Multiple linkages connect air quality and climate change. Many air pollutant sources also emit carbon dioxide (CO2), the dominant anthropogenic greenhouse gas (GHG). The two main contributors to non-attainment of U.

Co-benefits of Global Greenhouse Gas Mitigation for Future Air Quality and Human Health.

Actions to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions often reduce co-emitted air pollutants, bringing co-benefits for air quality and human health. Past studies typically evaluated near-term and local co-benefits, neglecting the long-range transport of air pollutants, long-term demographic changes, and the influence of climate change on air quality. Here we simulate the co-benefits of global GHG reductions on air quality and human health using a global atmospheric model and consistent future scenarios, via two mechanisms: a) reducing co-emitted air pollutants, and b) slowing climate change and its effect on air quality.

Carotid artery segmentation in ultrasound images and measurement of intima-media thickness.

The segmentation of the common carotid artery (CCA) wall is imperative for the determination of the intima-media thickness (IMT) on B-mode ultrasound (US) images. The IMT is considered an important indicator in the evaluation of the risk for the development of atherosclerosis. In this paper, authors have discussed the relevance of measurements in clinical practices and the challenges that one has to face while approaching the segmentation of carotid artery on ultrasound images.

Global air quality and climate.

Emissions of air pollutants and their precursors determine regional air quality and can alter climate. Climate change can perturb the long-range transport, chemical processing, and local meteorology that influence air pollution. We review the implications of projected changes in methane (CH(4)), ozone precursors (O(3)), and aerosols for climate (expressed in terms of the radiative forcing metric or changes in global surface temperature) and hemispheric-to-continental scale air quality.

33.7 MHz heavy-ion radio frequency quadrupole linac at VECC Kolkata.

A 33.7 MHz heavy-ion radio frequency quadrupole (RFQ) linear accelerator has been designed, built, and tested. It is a four-rod-type RFQ designed for acceleration of 1.

Changes in bone mineral density following treatment of osteomalacia.

Osteomalacia is characterized by defective mineralization and low bone mineral density (BMD). Clinical and biochemical improvements typically occur within a few weeks of starting treatment, though the bone mineral deficits may take longer to correct. We report a case series of 26 patients with frank osteomalacia (pseudo fractures on X-rays, elevated serum total alkaline phosphatase and parathyroid hormone, normal/low serum calcium and phosphorus, and low serum 25-hydroxy vitamin D) who were followed-up for changes in BMD during treatment using dual- energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA).

An efficient protocol for genetic transformation and shoot regeneration of turmeric (Curcuma longa L.) via particle bombardment.

Turmeric (Curcuma longa L.) is an important spice crop plant that is sterile and cannot be improved by conventional breeding. An efficient method for stable transformation for turmeric, C.

Influence of geoengineered climate on the terrestrial biosphere.

Various geoengineering schemes have been proposed to counteract anthropogenically induced climate change. In a previous study, it was suggested that a 1.8% reduction in solar radiation incident on the Earth's surface could noticeably reduce regional and seasonal climate change from increased atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2).