Highly efficient crystal deflector for channeling extraction of a proton beam from accelerators

The design and performance of a novel crystal deflector for proton beams are reported. A silicon crystal was used to channel and extract 70 GeV protons from the U-70 accelerator in Protvino with an efficiency of 85%, as measured for a beam of ~1e12 protons directed towards crystals of ~2 mm length in spills of ~2 s duration. Experimental data agree with the theoretically predicted Monte Carlo results for channeling. The technique allows one to manufacture a very short deflector along the beam direction (2 mm). Consequently, multiple encounters of circulating particles with the crystal are possible with little probability of multiple scattering and nuclear interactions per encounter. Thus, drastic increase in efficiency for particle extraction out of the accelerator was attained. We show the characteristics of the crystal- deflector and the technology behind it. Such an achievement is important in devising a more efficient use of the U-70 accelerator and provides crucial support for implementing crystal-assisted slow extraction and collimation in other machines, such as the Tevatron, RHIC, the AGS, the SNS, COSY, and the LHC.Comment: Presented at PAC 2003 (Portland, May 12-16

Crystal Deflector for Highly-efficient Channelling Extraction of a Proton Beam from Accelerators

The design and manufacturing details of a new crystal deflector for proton beams are reported. The technique allows one to manufacture a very short deflector along the beam direction (2 mm). Thanks to that, multiple encounters of circulating particles with the crystal are possible with a reduced probability of multiple scattering and nuclear interactions per encounter. Thus, drastic increase in efficiency for particle extraction out of the accelerator was attained (85%) on a 70-GeV proton beam. We show the characteristics of the crystal-deflector and the technology behind it

Crystal Undulator As A Novel Compact Source Of Radiation

A crystalline undulator (CU) with periodically deformed crystallographic planes is capable of deflecting charged particles with the same strength as an equivalent magnetic field of 1000 T and could provide quite a short period L in the sub-millimeter range. We present an idea for creation of a CU and report its first realization. One face of a silicon crystal was given periodic micro-scratches (grooves), with a period of 1 mm, by means of a diamond blade. The X-ray tests of the crystal deformation have shown that a sinusoidal-like shape of crystalline planes goes through the bulk of the crystal. This opens up the possibility for experiments with high-energy particles channeled in CU, a novel compact source of radiation. The first experiment on photon emission in CU has been started at LNF with 800 MeV positrons aiming to produce 50 keV undulator photons.Comment: Presented at PAC 2003 (Portland, May 12-16

Electrical transport mechanisms of Neodymium-doped rare-earth semiconductors

This study reports the electrical properties of Nd-doped cerium oxide (CeO2) films synthesized by microwave assisted hydrothermal using a two-point probe technique. Positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy studies evidenced that, as the Nd content rises, a structural disorder occurs. This is caused by an increase in oxygen vacancies surrounded with Nd (defective clusters), with the mean lifetime components ranging between 290 and 300 ps. Particle size estimation showed values from 8.6 to 28.9 nm. Along with the increase of neodymium impurities, also the conductivity increases, due to the hopping conduction mechanism between defective species. This gives rise to a response time of only 6 s, turning these materials candidates to realize gas sensor devices. Ab initio investigations showed that the improved electric conduction is boosted mostly by the reduced Nd2+ than the Ce3+, where the oxygen vacancies play a fundamental role.Fil: Vaz, Isabela C. F.. Federal University of Itajubá; BrasilFil: Macchi, Carlos Eugenio. Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires; Argentina. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Gobernación. Comisión de Investigaciones Científicas; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Somoza, Alberto Horacio. Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires; Argentina. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Gobernación. Comisión de Investigaciones Científicas; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Rocha, Leandro S. R.. Universidade Federal do São Carlos; BrasilFil: Longo, Elson. Universidade Federal do São Carlos; BrasilFil: Cabral, Luis. Universidade Estadual de Campinas; BrasilFil: da Silva, Edison Z.. Universidade Estadual de Campinas; BrasilFil: Simões, Alexandre Zirpoli. Universidade Estadual Paulista Julio de Mesquita Filho; BrasilFil: Zonta, Giulia. Università di Ferrara; ItaliaFil: Malagu, Cesare. Università di Ferrara; ItaliaFil: Desimone, Paula Mariela. Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mar del Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones en Ciencia y Tecnología de Materiales. Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata. Facultad de Ingeniería. Instituto de Investigaciones en Ciencia y Tecnología de Materiales; ArgentinaFil: Ponce, Miguel Adolfo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mar del Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones en Ciencia y Tecnología de Materiales. Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata. Facultad de Ingeniería. Instituto de Investigaciones en Ciencia y Tecnología de Materiales; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata; ArgentinaFil: Moura, Francisco. Federal University of Itajubá; Brasi

The Italian multiple sclerosis register

The past decade has seen extraordinary increase in worldwide availability of and access to several large multiple sclerosis (MS) databases and registries. MS registries represent powerful tools to provide meaningful information on the burden, natural history, and long-term safety and effectiveness of treatments. Moreover, patients, physicians, industry, and policy makers have an active interest in real-world observational studies based on register data, as they have the potential to answer the questions that are most relevant to daily treatment decision-making. In 2014, the Italian MS Foundation, in collaboration with the Italian MS clinical centers, promoted and funded the creation of the Italian MS Register, a project in continuity with the existing Italian MS Database Network set up from 2001. Main objective of the Italian MS Register is to create an organized multicenter structure to collect data of all MS patients for better defining the disease epidemiology, improving quality of care, and promoting research projects in high-priority areas. The aim of this article is to present the current framework and network of the Italian MS register, including the methodology used to improve the quality of data collection and to facilitate the exchange of data and the collaboration among national and international groups

The Italian multiple sclerosis register

The past decade has seen extraordinary increase in worldwide availability of and access to several large multiple sclerosis (MS) databases and registries. MS registries represent powerful tools to provide meaningful information on the burden, natural history, and long-term safety and effectiveness of treatments. Moreover, patients, physicians, industry, and policy makers have an active interest in real-world observational studies based on register data, as they have the potential to answer the questions that are most relevant to daily treatment decision-making. In 2014, the Italian MS Foundation, in collaboration with the Italian MS clinical centers, promoted and funded the creation of the Italian MS Register, a project in continuity with the existing Italian MS Database Network set up from 2001. Main objective of the Italian MS Register is to create an organized multicenter structure to collect data of all MS patients for better defining the disease epidemiology, improving quality of care, and promoting research projects in high-priority areas. The aim of this article is to present the current framework and network of the Italian MS register, including the methodology used to improve the quality of data collection and to facilitate the exchange of data and the collaboration among national and international groups

Atrial Flutter in Patient With Critical COVID-19: Beneficial Effects of Rhythm Control on Respiratory Distress

We report the case of a patient critically ill with coronavirus disease–2019 (COVID-19) in which atrial flutter with high ventricular response rate occurred, contributing to worsening of the respiratory distress. After failure of noninvasive rate and rhythm control strategies, successful transcatheter ablation was performed and the respiratory distress of the patient improved. (Level of Difficulty: Beginner.

Review-Nanostructured chemoresistive sensors as detectors of volatile biomarkers for medical screening purposes of mundane and oncological human pathologies

The pandemic showed how early screening and precise monitoring of the individual state of health is a must to avoid serious outbreaks, with all the consequences for the public health and the international society itself. Observing also parallel application external to viral or bacterial agents, pre-screening for neoplasms has proven time and time again to lesser the costs of treatment, with higher chances of survival for the patients involved. Nonetheless, the development of reliable, fast responding medical devices is not always easily carried out, given the various nature of the diseases and markers observed. Nanostructured chemoresistive sensors have proven time and time again their capability to detect small quantities (up to part per billions) of the most various and exotic mixtures of volatile organic compounds, for the widest variety of applications, and in particular in medical-screening fields, for both mundane and oncological pathologies, since the last two decades. In this work, a review on the topic, researching on multiple pathologies and microorganism (and their correlated markers) was conducted. The experimental results on the various volatile organic compounds of medical interest were analyzed, given from foreign works and the sensors developed from the team, targeting both pure biomarkers from gas tubes and various emanations from biological samples of human origins, like blood and tissue from surgeries. It was finally observed how different chemoresistive sensors have the capacity to proper distinguish healthy and diseased/tumor affected patients, even with concentration of the markers resembling early stages of the pathologies