FPGA Based Data Read-Out System of the Belle 2 Pixel Detector

The upgrades of the Belle experiment and the KEKB accelerator aim to increase the data set of the experiment by the factor 50. This will be achieved by increasing the luminosity of the accelerator which requires a significant upgrade of the detector. A new pixel detector based on DEPFET technology will be installed to handle the increased reaction rate and provide better vertex resolution. One of the features of the DEPFET detector is a long integration time of 20 {\mu}s, which increases detector occupancy up to 3 %. The detector will generate about 2 GB/s of data. An FPGA-based two-level read-out system, the Data Handling Hybrid, was developed for the Belle 2 pixel detector. The system consists of 40 read-out and 8 controller modules. All modules are built in {\mu}TCA form factor using Xilinx Virtex-6 FPGA and can utilize up to 4 GB DDR3 RAM. The system was successfully tested in the beam test at DESY in January 2014. The functionality and the architecture of the Belle 2 Data Handling Hybrid system as well as the performance of the system during the beam test are presented in the paper.Comment: Transactions on Nuclear Science, Proceedings of the 19th Real Time Conference, Preprin

Partial wave analysis of τ−→π−π+π−ντ\tau^-\to\pi^-\pi^+\pi^-\nu_\tau at Belle

We present simulation studies in preparation for analyzing $\tau^-\to\pi^-\pi^+\pi^-\nu_\tau$ in data from the Belle experiment at the KEK $\mathrm{e}^+\mathrm{e}^-$ collider. Analyzing this decay can shed light on the $\mathrm{a}_1(1260)$ and $\mathrm{a}_1(1420)$ resonances and yield results that improve measurement of the $\tau$ electric and magnetic dipole moments. We show that we can achieve a higher signal efficiency than previous analyses of the same decay. We also demonstrate that neural networks can model our complicated six-dimensional background distributions and that quasi-model-independent partial-wave analysis can extract resonance masses, widths, and production amplitudes and phases.Comment: submitted to Proceedings of Science, ICHE2022 poster session, 4 pages, 2 figure

Low-energy muons via frictional cooling

Low-energy muon beams are useful for a range of physics experiments. We consider the production of low-energy muon beams with small energy spreads using frictional cooling. As the input beam, we take a surface muon source such as that at the Paul Scherrer Institute. Simulations show that the efficiency of low energy muon production can potentially be raised to 1%, which is significantly higher than that of current schemes

Predictors of Acute Liver Failure in Patients With Acute Hepatitis A: An Analysis of the 2016-2018 San Diego County Hepatitis A Outbreak.

Background:Between 2016 and 2018, San Diego County experienced a hepatitis A outbreak with a historically high mortality rate (3.4%) that highlighted the need for early recognition of those at risk of developing acute liver failure (ALF). Methods:A retrospective case series of adult hospitalized patients with acute hepatitis A. Results:One hundred six patients with hepatitis A were studied, of whom 11 (10.4%) developed ALF, of whom 7 (6.6%) died. A history of alcohol abuse, hyperbilirubinemia, hypoalbuminemia, hyponatremia, and anemia were associated with increased odds of developing ALF. Initial Maddrey's and Model of End-Stage Liver Disease Sodium (MELD-Na) scores were also associated with the development of ALF. Multivariable analysis showed that a higher initial MELD-Na score (odds ratio [OR], 1.205; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.018-1.427) and a lower initial serum albumin concentration (OR, 9.35; 95% CI, 1.15-76.9) were associated with increased odds of developing ALF. Combining serum albumin and MELD-Na (SAM; C-statistic, 0.8878; 95% CI, 0.756-0.988) yielded a model that was not better than either serum albumin (C-statistic, 0.852; 95% CI, 0.675-0.976) or MELD-Na (C-statistic, 0.891; 95% CI, 0.784-0.968; P = .841). Finally, positive blood cultures were more common among patients with ALF compared with those without ALF (63.6% vs 4.3%; P < .00001). Conclusions:Hypoalbuminemia was associated with an increased risk of ALF in patients with acute hepatitis A. Positive blood cultures and septic shock as a cause of death were common among patients with ALF. Providers caring for patients with acute hepatitis A should monitor for early signs of sepsis and consider empiric antibiotics, especially in patients presenting with hypoalbuminemia

Frictional cooling of positively charged particles

One of the focuses of research and development towards the construction of a muon collider is muon beam preparation. Simulation of frictional cooling shows that it can achieve the desired emittance reduction to produce high-luminosity muon beams. We show that for positively charged particles, charge exchange interactions necessitate significant changes to schemes previously developed for negatively charged particles. We also demonstrate that foil-based schemes are not viable for positive particles.Comment: 15 pages, 6 figure

Management of Diabetic Retinopathy and Other Ocular Complications in Type 1 Diabetes

Type 1 diabetes can reduce vision by affecting various parts of the eye. Proactive, interdisciplinary coordination of treatment and timely referrals can aid in the minimization of visually threatening complications, significantly enhancing patient quality of life. The main causes of visual impairment in diabetes are proliferative diabetic retinopathy and macular edema. Until recently, the mainstay of treatment for both conditions was retinal laser, which prevented significant vision loss but was much less effective at improving vision, especially in macular edema. Over the past decade, exciting new advances in treating diabetic eye disease, namely intraocular steroid and antivascular endothelial growth factor injections, have greatly improved the visual prognosis for the majority of patients with diabetic eye disease

Long‐Term Imaging of Wound Angiogenesis with Large Scale Optoacoustic Microscopy

Wound healing is a well-coordinated process, necessitating efficient formation of new blood vessels. Vascularization defects are therefore a major risk factor for chronic, non-healing wounds. The dynamics of mammalian tissue revascularization, vessel maturation, and remodeling remain poorly understood due to lack of suitable in vivo imaging tools. A label-free large-scale optoacoustic microscopy (LSOM) approach is developed for rapid, non-invasive, volumetric imaging of tissue regeneration over large areas spanning up to 50 mm with a depth penetration of 1.5 mm. Vascular networks in dorsal mouse skin and full-thickness excisional wounds are imaged with capillary resolution during the course of healing, revealing previously undocumented views of the angiogenesis process in an unperturbed wound environment. Development of an automatic analysis framework enables the identification of key features of wound angiogenesis, including vessel length, diameter, tortuosity, and angular alignment. The approach offers a versatile tool for preclinical research in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine, empowering label-free, longitudinal, high-throughput, and quantitative studies of the microcirculation in processes associated with normal and impaired vascular remodeling, and analysis of vascular responses to pharmacological interventions in vivo