CMS physics technical design report : Addendum on high density QCD with heavy ions

Peer reviewe

Performance studies of the CMS strip tracker before installation

Peer reviewe

The ALICE experiment at the CERN LHC

ALICE (A Large Ion Collider Experiment) is a general-purpose, heavy-ion detector at the CERN LHC which focuses on QCD, the strong-interaction sector of the Standard Model. It is designed to address the physics of strongly interacting matter and the quark-gluon plasma at extreme values of energy density and temperature in nucleus-nucleus collisions. Besides running with Pb ions, the physics programme includes collisions with lighter ions, lower energy running and dedicated proton-nucleus runs. ALICE will also take data with proton beams at the top LHC energy to collect reference data for the heavy-ion programme and to address several QCD topics for which ALICE is complementary to the other LHC detectors. The ALICE detector has been built by a collaboration including currently over 1000 physicists and engineers from 105 Institutes in 30 countries. Its overall dimensions are 161626 m3 with a total weight of approximately 10 000 t. The experiment consists of 18 different detector systems each with its own specific technology choice and design constraints, driven both by the physics requirements and the experimental conditions expected at LHC. The most stringent design constraint is to cope with the extreme particle multiplicity anticipated in central Pb-Pb collisions. The different subsystems were optimized to provide high-momentum resolution as well as excellent Particle Identification (PID) over a broad range in momentum, up to the highest multiplicities predicted for LHC. This will allow for comprehensive studies of hadrons, electrons, muons, and photons produced in the collision of heavy nuclei. Most detector systems are scheduled to be installed and ready for data taking by mid-2008 when the LHC is scheduled to start operation, with the exception of parts of the Photon Spectrometer (PHOS), Transition Radiation Detector (TRD) and Electro Magnetic Calorimeter (EMCal). These detectors will be completed for the high-luminosity ion run expected in 2010. This paper describes in detail the detector components as installed for the first data taking in the summer of 2008

The secretory activity of the tuberoinfundibular dopaminergic neurons is modulated by the thyroid status in the adult rat: consequence on prolactin secretion

An influence of thyroid status on the secretory activity of hypothalamic dopaminergic neurons was observed in adult rats and its involvement in the regulation of prolactin (PRL) secretion was examined. The secretory activity of the tuberoinfundibular dopaminergic (TIDA) neurons was evaluated by measurement of dopamine (DA) biosynthesis in the neurons and DA release into hypophysial portal blood. The accumulation of DA and PRL in the adenohypophysis as well as PRL concentration in plasma were also estimated, and the various parameters were studied in thyroidectomized (TX), sham TX, TX rats treated for 7 days with thyroxine (T4; 20 micrograms/kg body weight daily) as well as in intact rats treated similarly with T4. An enhanced secretory activity of the TIDA neurons was observed in TX compared to sham TX rats, as attested by an increased synthesis of DA in the neurons, a greater concentration of DA in hypophysial portal plasma as well as an augmented accumulation of DA in the adenohypophysis. In the same animals, PRL was reduced in the adenohypophysis and in plasma, reflecting a blunted secretion of PRL in severe hypothyroidism. Treatment of TX rats with T4 for 7 days abolished all effects observed in TX rats, DA synthesis in TIDA neurons of TX rats treated with T4 being even less than in neurons of sham TX animals. A similar treatment with T4 administered to intact rats did not affect the secretory activity of the TIDA neurons nor the secretion of PRL.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS

Design of an analog monolithic pixel sensor prototype in TPSCo 65 nm CMOS imaging technology

International audienceA series of monolithic active pixel sensor prototypes (APTS chips) were manufactured in the TPSCo 65 nm CMOS imaging process in the framework of the CERN-EP R&D on monolithic sensors and the ALICE ITS3 upgrade project. Each APTS chip contains a 4 × 4 pixel matrix with fast analog outputs buffered to individual pads. To explore the process and sensor characteristics, various pixel pitches (10 µm–25 µm), geometries and reverse biasing schemes were included. Prototypes are fully functional with detailed sensor characterization ongoing. The design will be presented with some experimental results also correlating to some transistor measurements