3D Magnetic Analysis of the CMS Magnet

The CMS magnetic system consists of a super-conducting solenoid coil, 12.5 m long and 6 m free bore diameter, and of an iron flux-return yoke, which includes the central barrel, two end-caps and the ferromagnetic parts of the hadronic forward calorimeter. The magnetic flux density in the center of the solenoid is 4 T. To carry out the magnetic analysis of the CMS magnetic system, several 3D models were developed to perform magnetic field and force calculations using the Vector Fields code TOSCA. The analysis includes a study of the general field behavior, the calculation of the forces on the coil generated by small axial, radial displacements and angular tilts, the calculation of the forces on the ferromagnetic parts, the calculation of the fringe field outside the magnetic system, and a study of the field level in the chimneys for the current leads and the cryogenic lines. A procedure to reconstruct the field inside a cylindrical volume starting from the values of the magnetic flux density on the cylinder surface is considered. Special TOSCA-GEANT interface tools have being developed to input the calculated magnetic field into the detector simulation package.Comment: 4 pages, 6 figures, 1 equation, 14 reference

Schizotypy and mentalizing: An fMRI study

Introduction: Schizotypy is a personality trait characterized by subclinical schizophrenia symptoms. Individuals with schizophrenia typically display behavioral mentalizing deficits and altered neural correlates during mentalizing. While schizotypy has been inconsistently related to behavioral mentalizing skills, its neural correlates of mentalizing are understudied so far. With this study we tested the association between schizotypy traits in healthy subjects and mentalizing-related neural correlates to provide new insights into neural processes associated with subclinical schizophrenia traits.Methods: Brain activation was measured using fMRI during an interactive mentalizing paradigm (Prisoner's Dilemma Game) in 164 healthy subjects. The Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire (SPQ-B) was administered to assess the three dimensions of schizotypy, i.e., cognitive-perceptual, interpersonal and disorganized.Results: We found that interpersonal schizotypy was significantly negatively correlated with brain activation in bilateral precunei and right caudate nucleus (among others) during mentalizing. By contrast, disorganized schizotypy was significantly positively correlated with mentalizing-associated neural activation in right precuneus, left middle cingulate cortex and right cerebellar hemisphere. No significant associations for cognitive-perceptual schizotypy and the SPQ-B total score were found.Discussion: Our study showed that interpersonal and disorganized schizotypy are associated with neural correlates of mentalizing in brain regions that are involved in self-processing and mentalizing. These brain regions have also been linked to mentalizing in schizophrenia.</p

Hole-burning experiments within solvable glassy models

We reproduce the results of non-resonant spectral hole-burning experiments with fully-connected (equivalently infinite-dimensional) glassy models that are generalizations of the mode-coupling approach to nonequilibrium situations. We show that an ac-field modifies the integrated linear response and the correlation function in a way that depends on the amplitude and frequency of the pumping field. We study the effect of the waiting and recovery-times and the number of oscillations applied. This calculation will help descriminating which results can and which cannot be attributed to dynamic heterogeneities in real systems.Comment: 4 pages, 8 figures, RevTe

Cardiac tamponade in association with anorexia nervosa: A case report and review of the literature

Anorexia nervosa (AN) is a complex psychiatric disorder that can have devastating cardiovascular complications. Its lesser-known association with pericardial effusion has been recently described in the literature. We present the case of a 45 year-old female who presented with a recurrent small bowel obstruction requiring lysis of adhesions and who was found to have a large pericardial effusion that progressed to cardiac tamponade necessitating surgical intervention. The patient had a body mass index of 14.8 kg/m2 (i.e. 71% of ideal body weight) and a long-standing history of food aversion, extreme exercise habits, and weight obsession consistent with AN. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case of AN-associated cardiac tamponade in the United States, and the first requiring surgical intervention. In conclusion, with this and current data regarding AN-associated pericardial effusions, we recommend a low threshold for performing pre-operative echocardiography for those in whom AN is suspected

Influence of oxygen ordering kinetics on Raman and optical response in YBa_2Cu_3O_{6.4}

Kinetics of the optical and Raman response in YBa_2Cu_3O_{6.4} were studied during room temperature annealing following heat treatment. The superconducting T_c, dc resistivity, and low-energy optical conductivity recover slowly, implying a long relaxation time for the carrier density. Short relaxation times are observed for the B_{1g} Raman scattering -- magnetic, continuum, and phonon -- and the charge transfer band. Monte Carlo simulations suggest that these two relaxation rates are related to two length scales corresponding to local oxygen ordering (fast) and long chain and twin formation (slow).Comment: REVTeX, 3 pages + 4 PostScript (compressed) figure

Lung perfusion assessed by SPECT/CT after a minimum of three months anticoagulation therapy in patients with SARS-CoV-2-associated acute pulmonary embolism: a retrospective observational study

Background Anticoagulant treatment is recommended for at least three months after severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)-related acute pulmonary embolism (PE), but the persistent pulmonary clot burden after that time is unknown. Methods Lung perfusion was assessed by ventilation-perfusion (V/Q) SPECT/CT in 20 consecutive patients with SARS-CoV-2-associated acute PE after a minimum of three months anticoagulation therapy in a retrospective observational study. Results Remaining perfusion defects after a median treatment period of six months were observed in only two patients. All patients (13 men, seven women, mean age 55.6 ± 14.5 years) were on non-vitamin K direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs). No recurrent venous thromboembolism or anticoagulant-related bleeding complications were observed. Among patients with partial clinical recovery, high-risk PE and persistent pulmonary infiltrates were significantly more frequent (p < 0.001, respectively). Interpretation Temporary DOAC treatment seems to be safe and efficacious for resolving pulmonary clot burden in SARS-CoV-2-associated acute PE. Partial clinical recovery is more likely caused by prolonged SARS-CoV-2-related parenchymal lung damage rather than by persistent pulmonary perfusion defects