Time Calibration of the LHCb muon System

The LHCb muon System consists of about 122,000 frontend channels. It plays a basic role in the first trigger level. The trigger requires 95% efficiency in muon tracks detection. It is then necessary to reach a system time alignment at the level of about 2 ns. This alignment must be monitored against possible fluctuations due to changes in the detector operating conditions. We describe the custom instrumentation implemented at system level for time calibration, the strategy adopted, the procedure to be followed both for system alignment and monitoring, the control program realized for this purpose. We also illustrate first results obtained during the detector commissioning in the LHCb pit

Quantum phase gate with a selective interaction

We present a proposal for implementing quantum phase gates using selective interactions. We analize selectivity and the possibility to implement these gates in two particular systems, namely, trapped ions and Cavity QED.Comment: Four pages of TEX file and two EPS figures. Submitted for publicatio

Precipitation from Space: Advancing Earth System Science

Of the three primary sources of spatially contiguous precipitation observations (surface networks, ground-based radar, and satellite-based radar/radiometers), only the last is a viable source over ocean and much of the Earth's land. As recently as 15 years ago, users needing quantitative detail of precipitation on anything under a monthly time scale relied upon products derived from geostationary satellite thermal infrared (IR) indices. The Special Sensor Microwave Imager (SSMI) passive microwave (PMW) imagers originated in 1987 and continue today with the SSMI sounder (SSMIS) sensor. The fortunate longevity of the joint National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) is providing the environmental science community a nearly unbroken data record (as of April 2012, over 14 years) of tropical and sub-tropical precipitation processes. TRMM was originally conceived in the mid-1980s as a climate mission with relatively modest goals, including monthly averaged precipitation. TRMM data were quickly exploited for model data assimilation and, beginning in 1999 with the availability of near real time data, for tropical cyclone warnings. To overcome the intermittently spaced revisit from these and other low Earth-orbiting satellites, many methods to merge PMW-based precipitation data and geostationary satellite observations have been developed, such as the TRMM Multisatellite Precipitation Product and the Climate Prediction Center (CPC) morphing method (CMORPH. The purpose of this article is not to provide a survey or assessment of these and other satellite-based precipitation datasets, which are well summarized in several recent articles. Rather, the intent is to demonstrate how the availability and continuity of satellite-based precipitation data records is transforming the ways that scientific and societal issues related to precipitation are addressed, in ways that would not be otherwise possible. These developments have taken place in parallel with the growth of an increasingly interconnected scientific environment. Scientists from different disciplines can easily interact with each other via information and materials they encounter online, and collaborate remotely without ever meeting each other in person. Likewise, these precipitation datasets are quickly and easily available via various data portals and are widely used. Within the framework of the NASA/JAXA Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM mission, these applications will become increasingly interconnected. We emphasize that precipitation observations by themselves provide an incomplete picture of the state of the atmosphere. For example, it is unlikely that a richer understanding of the global water cycle will be possible by standalone missions and algorithms, but must also involve some component of data, where model analyses of the physical state are constrained alongside multiple observations (e.g., precipitation, evaporation, radiation). The next section provides examples extracted from the many applications that use various high-resolution precipitation products. The final section summarizes the future system for global precipitation processing

Influence of pecan nut pretreatment on the physical quality of oil bodies

A supply of pure, intact oil bodies is essential for carrying out morphological and biochemical studies of these plant organelles, and exploring their application. Preparation requires a carefully controlled breakage of plant cells, followed by separation of the oil bodies from cytoplasm and cell debris. This paper focuses on the recovery and characterisation of oil bodies from pecan nuts where no work has been published to date. The results showed that soaking softens the nut tissue, and appears to reduce the damage to oil bodies during grinding and centrifugal force must be carefully selected to minimise oil bodies damage on recovery. A 24h soaking time coupled with a 5500 RCF recovery force allows for the recovery of intact pecan nut oil bodies

The Effects of Phase Transformation on the Structure and Mechanical Properties of TiSiCN Nanocomposite Coatings Deposited by PECVD Method

In the present study, the effects of phase transformations on the structure and mechanical properties of TiSiCN coatings were investigated. TiSiCN nanocomposite coatings were deposited on AISI H13 hot-work tool steel by a pulsed direct current plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition process at 350 or 500 °C, using TiCl4 and SiCl4 as the precursors of Ti and Si, respectively, in a CH4/N2/H2/Ar plasma as the source of carbon and nitrogen and reducing environment. Some samples deposited at 350 °C were subsequently annealed at 500 °C under Ar atmosphere. Super hard self-lubricant TiSiCN coatings, having nanocomposite structure consisting of TiCN nanocrystals and amorphous carbon particles embedded in an amorphous SiCNx matrix, formed through spinodal decomposition in the specimens deposited or annealed at 500 °C. In addition, it was revealed that either uncomplete or relatively coarse phase segregation of titanium compounds was achieved during deposition at 350 °C and 500 °C, respectively. On the contrary, by deposition at 350 °C followed by annealing at 500 °C, a finer structure was obtained with a sensible improvement of the mechanical properties of coatings. Accordingly, the main finding of this work is that significant enhancement in key properties of TiSiCN coatings, such as hardness, adhesion and friction coefficient, can be obtained by deposition at low temperature and subsequent annealing at higher temperature, thanks to the formation of a fine grained nanocomposite structure

The Italian Unitary Society of Colon-proctology (SIUCP: Società Italiana Unitaria di Colonproctologia) guidelines for the management of anal fissure

Introduction: The aim of these evidence-based guidelines is to present a consensus position from members of the Italian Unitary Society of Colon-Proctology (SIUCP: Società Italiana Unitaria di Colon-Proctologia) on the diagnosis and management of anal fissure, with the purpose to guide every physician in the choice of the best treatment option, according with the available literature. Methods: A panel of experts was designed and charged by the Board of the SIUCP to develop key-questions on the main topics covering the management of anal fissure and to performe an accurate search on each topic in different databanks, in order to provide evidence-based answers to the questions and to summarize them in statements. All the clinical questions were discussed by the expert panel in different rounds through the Delphi approach and, for each statement, a consensus among the experts was reached. The questions were created according to the PICO criteria, and the statements developed adopting the GRADE methodology. Conclusions: In patients with acute anal fissure the medical therapy with dietary and behavioral norms is indicated. In the chronic phase of disease, the conservative treatment with topical 0.3% nifedipine plus 1.5% lidocaine or nitrates may represent the first-line therapy, eventually associated with ointments with film-forming, anti-inflammatory and healing properties such as Propionibacterium extract gel. In case of first-line treatment failure, the surgical strategy (internal sphincterotomy or fissurectomy with flap), may be guided by the clinical findings, eventually supported by endoanal ultrasound and anal manometry

The Italian Unitary Society of Colon-Proctology (Società Italiana Unitaria di Colonproctologia) guidelines for the management of acute and chronic hemorrhoidal disease

The aim of these evidence-based guidelines is to present a consensus position from members of the Italian Unitary Society of Colon-Proctology (Società Italiana Unitaria di Colon-Proctologia, SIUCP) on the diagnosis and management of hemorrhoidal disease, with the goal of guiding physicians in the choice of the best treatment option. A panel of experts was charged by the Board of the SIUCP to develop key questions on the main topics related to the management of hemorrhoidal disease and to perform an accurate and comprehensive literature search on each topic, in order to provide evidence-based answers to the questions and to summarize them in statements. All the clinical questions were discussed by the expert panel in multiple rounds through the Delphi approach and, for each statement, a consensus among the experts was reached. The questions were created according to PICO (patients, intervention, comparison, and outcomes) criteria, and the statements were developed adopting the GRADE (Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluations) methodology. In cases of grade 1 hemorrhoidal prolapse, outpatient procedures including hemorrhoidal laser procedure and sclerotherapy may be considered the preferred surgical options. For grade 2 prolapse, nonexcisional procedures including outpatient treatments, hemorrhoidal artery ligation and mucopexy, laser hemorrhoidoplasty, the Rafaelo procedure, and stapled hemorrhoidopexy may represent the first-line treatment options, whereas excisional surgery may be considered in selected cases. In cases of grades 3 and 4, stapled hemorrhoidopexy and hemorrhoidectomy may represent the most effective procedures, even if, in the expert panel opinion, stapled hemorrhoidopexy represents the gold-standard treatment for grade 3 hemorrhoidal prolapse

Genome-wide variant calling in reanalysis of exome sequencing data uncovered a pathogenic TUBB3 variant

Almost half of all individuals affected by intellectual disability (ID) remain undiagnosed. In the Solve-RD project, exome sequencing (ES) datasets from unresolved individuals with (syndromic) ID (n = 1,472 probands) are systematically reanalyzed, starting from raw sequencing files, followed by genome-wide variant calling and new data interpretation. This strategy led to the identification of a disease-causing de novo missense variant in TUBB3 in a girl with severe developmental delay, secondary microcephaly, brain imaging abnormalities, high hypermetropia, strabismus and short stature. Interestingly, the TUBB3 variant could only be identified through reanalysis of ES data using a genome-wide variant calling approach, despite being located in protein coding sequence. More detailed analysis revealed that the position of the variant within exon 5 of TUBB3 was not targeted by the enrichment kit, although consistent high-quality coverage was obtained at this position, resulting from nearby targets that provide off-target coverage. In the initial analysis, variant calling was restricted to the exon targets +/- 200 bases, allowing the variant to escape detection by the variant calling algorithm. This phenomenon may potentially occur more often, as we determined that 36 established ID genes have robust off-target coverage in coding sequence. Moreover, within these regions, for 17 genes (likely) pathogenic variants have been identified before. Therefore, this clinical report highlights that, although compute-intensive, performing genomewide variant calling instead of target-based calling may lead to the detection of diagnostically relevant variants that would otherwise remain unnoticed