BaBar simulation production - A millennium of work in under a year

The BaBar experiment requires simulated events beyond the ability of a single computing site to provide. This paper describes the evolution of simulation and job management methods to meet the physics community requirements and how production became distributed to use resources beyond any one computing center. The evolution of BaBar simulation along with the development of the distribution of the computing effort is described. As the computing effort is distributed to more sites there is a need to simplify production so the effort does not multiply with number of production centers. Tools are created to be flexible in handling errors and failures that happen in the system and respond accordingly, this reduces failure rates and production effort. This paper will focus on one cycle of simulation production within BaBar as a description of a large scale computing effort which was fully performed, and provided new simulation data to the users on time

Fast analytical methods for the correction of signal random time-shifts and application to segmented HPGe detectors

Detection systems rely more and more on on-line or off-line comparison of detected signals with basis signals in order to determine the characteristics of the impinging particles. Unfortunately, these comparisons are very sensitive to the random time shifts that may alter the signal delivered by the detectors. We present two fast algebraic methods to determine the value of the time shift and to enhance the reliability of the comparison to the basis signals.Comment: 13 pages, 8 figure

Kolmogorov-Smirnov method for the determination of signal time-shifts

A new method for the determination of electric signal time-shifts is introduced. As the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, it is based on the comparison of the cumulative distribution functions of the reference signal with the test signal. This method is very fast and thus well suited for on-line applications. It is robust to noise and its performances in terms of precision are excellent for time-shifts ranging from a fraction to several sample durations. PACS. 29.40.Gx (Tracking and position-sensitive detectors), 29.30.Kv (X- and -ray spectroscopy), 07.50.Qx (Signal processing electronics)Comment: 8 pages, 7 figure

Asthma on the job: work-related factors in new-onset asthma and in exacerbations of pre-existing asthma

AbstractOccupational asthma (OA) can be defined as variable airways narrowing causally related to exposure in the working environment to airborne dusts, gases, vapours or fumes. There are many agents in the work-place that can induce asthma or cause substantial deterioration in pre-existing asthma. It has been estimated that 5–15% of adult-onset asthma can be attributed to occupational exposures. Hence adult patients, especially those with new-onset asthma, must be investigated with regard to occupational risk factors for disease. The prognosis for OA is improved if the causal exposure is controlled either by controlling the exposure at the workplace or by moving the patient out of the workplace

Primordial and primary prevention of peri-implant diseases: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Aim: This systematic review and meta-analysis aims to assess the efficacy of risk factor control to prevent the occurrence of peri-implant diseases (PIDs) in adult patients awaiting dental implant rehabilitation (primordial prevention) or in patients with dental implants surrounded by healthy peri-implant tissues (primary prevention). Materials and Methods: A literature search was performed without any time limit on different databases up to August 2022. Interventional and observational studies with at least 6 months of follow-up were considered. The occurrence of peri-implant mucositis and/or peri-implantitis was the primary outcome. Pooled data analyses were performed using random effect models according to the type of risk factor and outcome. Results: Overall, 48 studies were selected. None assessed the efficacy of primordial preventive interventions for PIDs. Indirect evidence on the primary prevention of PID indicated that diabetic patients with dental implants and good glycaemic control have a significantly lower risk of peri-implantitis (odds ratio [OR] = 0.16; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.03–0.96; I2: 0%), and lower marginal bone level (MBL) changes (OR = –0.36 mm; 95% CI: −0.65 to −0.07; I2: 95%) compared to diabetic patients with poor glycaemic control. Patients attending supportive periodontal/peri-implant care (SPC) regularly have a lower risk of overall PIDs (OR = 0.42; 95% CI: 0.24–0.75; I2: 57%) and peri-implantitis compared to irregular attendees. The risk of dental implant failure (OR = 3.76; 95% CI: 1.50–9.45; I2: 0%) appears to be greater under irregular or no SPC than regular SPC. Implants sites with augmented peri-implant keratinized mucosa (PIKM) show lower peri-implant inflammation (SMD = –1.18; 95% CI: −1.85 to −0.51; I2: 69%) and lower MBL changes (MD = –0.25; 95% CI: −0.45 to −0.05; I2: 62%) compared to dental implants with PIKM deficiency. Studies on smoking cessation and oral hygiene behaviors were inconclusive. Conclusions: Within the limitations of available evidence, the present findings indicate that in patients with diabetes, glycaemic control should be promoted to avoid peri-implantitis development. The primary prevention of peri-implantitis should involve regular SPC. PIKM augmentation procedures, where a PIKM deficiency exists, may favour the control of peri-implant inflammation and the stability of MBL. Further studies are needed to assess the impact of smoking cessation and oral hygiene behaviours, as well as the implementation of standardized primordial and primary prevention protocols for PIDs

Unusual Spread of a Penicillin-Susceptible Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Clone in a Geographic Area of Low Incidence

We describe the unusual spread of a penicillin-susceptible methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) clone in hospitals in western Switzerland, where the incidence of MRSA is usually low. During a 2-year period, this clone had been responsible for several outbreaks and had been isolated from >156 persons in 21 institutions. Molecular typing by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) demonstrated that all of these isolates belonged to the same clone. In 1 of the outbreaks, involving 30 cases, the clone was responsible for at least 17 secondary cases. In contrast, during the period of the latter outbreak, 9 other patients harboring different MRSA strains, as assessed by PFGE, were hospitalized in the same wards, but no secondary cases occurred. These observations suggest that this clone, compared with other MRSA strains, had some intrinsic factor(s) that contributed to its ability to disseminate and could thus be considered epidemi

Serving GODAE Data and Products to the Ocean Community

The Global Ocean Data Assimilation Experiment (GODAE [http:// www.godae.org]) has spanned a decade of rapid technological development. The ever-increasing volume and diversity of oceanographic data produced by in situ instruments, remote-sensing platforms, and computer simulations have driven the development of a number of innovative technologies that are essential for connecting scientists with the data that they need. This paper gives an overview of the technologies that have been developed and applied in the course of GODAE, which now provide users of oceanographic data with the capability to discover, evaluate, visualize, download, and analyze data from all over the world. The key to this capability is the ability to reduce the inherent complexity of oceanographic data by providing a consistent, harmonized view of the various data products. The challenges of data serving have been addressed over the last 10 years through the cooperative skills and energies of many individuals