Beam-induced and cosmic-ray backgrounds observed in the ATLAS detector during the LHC 2012 proton-proton running period

This paper discusses various observations on beam-induced and cosmic-ray backgrounds in the ATLAS detector during the LHC 2012 proton-proton run. Building on published results based on 2011 data, the correlations between background and residual pressure of the beam vacuum are revisited. Ghost charge evolution over 2012 and its role for backgrounds are evaluated. New methods to monitor ghost charge with beam-gas rates are presented and observations of LHC abort gap population by ghost charge are discussed in detail. Fake jets from colliding bunches and from ghost charge are analysed with improved methods, showing that ghost charge in individual radio-frequency buckets of the LHC can be resolved. Some results of two short periods of dedicated cosmic-ray background data-taking are shown; in particular cosmic-ray muon induced fake jet rates are compared to Monte Carlo simulations and to the fake jet rates from beam background. A thorough analysis of a particular LHC fill, where abnormally high background was observed, is presented. Correlations between backgrounds and beam intensity losses in special fills with very high β* are studied

Beam-induced and cosmic-ray backgrounds observed in the ATLAS detector during the LHC 2012 proton-proton running period

This paper discusses various observations on beam-induced and cosmic-ray backgrounds in the ATLAS detector during the LHC 2012 proton-proton run. Building on published results based on 2011 data, the correlations between background and residual pressure of the beam vacuum are revisited. Ghost charge evolution over 2012 and its role for backgrounds are evaluated. New methods to monitor ghost charge with beam-gas rates are presented and observations of LHC abort gap population by ghost charge are discussed in detail. Fake jets from colliding bunches and from ghost charge are analysed with improved methods, showing that ghost charge in individual radio-frequency buckets of the LHC can be resolved. Some results of two short periods of dedicated cosmic-ray background data-taking are shown; in particular cosmic-ray muon induced fake jet rates are compared to Monte Carlo simulations and to the fake jet rates from beam background. A thorough analysis of a particular LHC fill, where abnormally high background was observed, is presented. Correlations between backgrounds and beam intensity losses in special fills with very high β∗ are studied

Reducing the environmental impact of surgery on a global scale: systematic review and co-prioritization with healthcare workers in 132 countries

Abstract Background Healthcare cannot achieve net-zero carbon without addressing operating theatres. The aim of this study was to prioritize feasible interventions to reduce the environmental impact of operating theatres. Methods This study adopted a four-phase Delphi consensus co-prioritization methodology. In phase 1, a systematic review of published interventions and global consultation of perioperative healthcare professionals were used to longlist interventions. In phase 2, iterative thematic analysis consolidated comparable interventions into a shortlist. In phase 3, the shortlist was co-prioritized based on patient and clinician views on acceptability, feasibility, and safety. In phase 4, ranked lists of interventions were presented by their relevance to high-income countries and low–middle-income countries. Results In phase 1, 43 interventions were identified, which had low uptake in practice according to 3042 professionals globally. In phase 2, a shortlist of 15 intervention domains was generated. In phase 3, interventions were deemed acceptable for more than 90 per cent of patients except for reducing general anaesthesia (84 per cent) and re-sterilization of ‘single-use’ consumables (86 per cent). In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for high-income countries were: introducing recycling; reducing use of anaesthetic gases; and appropriate clinical waste processing. In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for low–middle-income countries were: introducing reusable surgical devices; reducing use of consumables; and reducing the use of general anaesthesia. Conclusion This is a step toward environmentally sustainable operating environments with actionable interventions applicable to both high– and low–middle–income countries

Le cadre de travail des RDoC : faciliter la transition de la CIM et du DSM vers des approches dimensionnelles qui intègrent les neuroscienceset la psychopathologie

International audienceEn 2008, l’Institut national de la santé mentale (NIMH) a inclus dans son nouveau Plan Stratégique l’objectif suivant : « Développer, à des fins de recherche, de nouvelles méthodes de classification des troubles mentaux qui s’appuient sur des dimensions du comportement observable et des mesures neurobiologiques. » La mise en œuvre de cet objectif a été baptisée le projet Research Domain Criteria, ou RDoC. Le projet RDoC constitue un programme de recherche qui financera des subventions de recherche, des contrats, des essais en phase précoce et d’autres activités semblables dans le but de produire des études et de constituer une littérature de recherche qui servira de référence pour l’élaboration des futures nosologies psychiatriques, avec la priorité donnée aux neurosciences et aux sciences du comportement plutôt qu’à la phénoménologie descriptive. Le projet des RDoC se démarque nettement par sa méthode du Manuel Diagnostique et Statistique des Troubles mentaux (DSM) et de la Classification Internationale des Maladies (CIM)1, pour lesquels sont organisées de nombreuses réunions de groupes de travail où sont fixés des ensembles de diagnostics raffinés et considérés comme décisifs, qui ne seront modifiés en fonction des études de terrain que si des problèmes d’utilité clinique se posent. Au contraire, le projet RDoC, conformément à sa nature de système expérimental, vise à fournir un cadre de travail pour produire des recherches portant sur des dimensions fondamentales du comportement, en s’appuyant sur des circuits, et qui traversent les catégories diagnostiques traditionnelles. Un objectif important de ce projet consistera à valider des dimensions particulières qui pourraient s’avérer utiles au travail clinique. Un autre objectif tout aussi important consistera à fournir des connaissances et une expérience sur la manière de concevoir et de mettre en œuvre une telle approche alternative dans les futures pratiques diagnostiques, de manière à exploiter les connaissances en génétique et en neurosciences en vue d’améliorer la prévention et de fournir des traitements plus efficaces. Cet article résume les grandes lignes directrices du projet RDoC, ses caractéristiques essentielles et les méthodes de transition qui peuvent être mises en place pour passer des catégories du DSM et de la CIM à des protocoles de recherche élaborés suivant une approche dimensionnelle

Probing affective pictures : attended startle and tone probes

Reflexive eyeblinks to a startle probe vary with the pleasantness of affective pictures, whereas the corresponding P300 varies with emotional arousal. The impact of attention to the probe on these effects was examined by varying task and probe type. Probes were either nonstartling tones or startling noises presented during affective picture viewing. Half the participants performed a task requiring attention to the probes; the other participants were told to ignore the probes. Blinks to the startle probe varied with picture pleasantness for both task and nontask conditions. In contrast, P300 magnitudes for both startle and tone probes were reduced during emotionally arousing pictures, irrespective of pleasantness, in task and nontask conditions. Further, attending to the startle probe prompted an augmentation of N100 during unpleasant pictures. The data suggest that affective modulation of probe responses reflects obligatory processes in picture perception