The liquid krypton calorimeter cryogenics for the NA48 experiment

The NA48 cryogenic system has to provide stable thermal conditions (120 K) in a 9000 liter liquid krypton calorimeter, and has to ensure safe and loss free storage of the liquid during idle periods. Direct cooling of the krypton by nitrogen is used in emergency cases, while an intermediate cooler, containing saturated liquid argon at around 10 bar (117 K) is used under normal operation conditions when high thermal stability is needed. The krypton pressure is, during data taking, regulated to a value of (1.05 $\pm$ 0.01) bar for a period of about 8 months of continuous operation of the calorimeter

A predictive mathematical model of the DNA damage G2 checkpoint

A predictive mathematical model of the transition from the G2 phase in the cell cycle to mitosis (M) was constructed from the known interactions of the proteins that are thought to play significant roles in the G2 to M transition as well as the DNA damage- induced G2 checkpoint. The model simulates the accumulation of active cyclin B1/Cdk1 (MPF) complexes in the nucleus to activate mitosis, the inhibition of this process by DNA damage, and transport of component proteins between cytoplasm and nucleus. Interactions in the model are based on activities of individual phospho-epitopes and binding sites of proteins involved in G2/M. Because tracking phosphoforms leads to combinatorial explosion, we employ a rule-based approach using the BioNetGen software. The model was used to determine the effects of depletion or over-expression of selected proteins involved in the regulation of the G2 to M transition in the presence and absence of DNA damage. Depletion of Plk1 delayed mitotic entry and recovery from the DNA damage-induced G2 arrest and over-expression of MPF attenuated the DNA damage-induced G2 delay. The model recapitulates the G2 delay observed in the biological response to varying levels of a DNA damage signal. The model produced the novel prediction that depletion of pkMyt1 results in an abnormal biological state in which G2 cells with DNA damage accumulate inactive nuclear MPF. Such a detailed model may prove useful for predicting DNA damage G2 checkpoint function in cancer and, therefore, sensitivity to cancer therapy

A new measurement of direct CP violation in two pion decays of the neutral kaon

The NA48 experiment at CERN has performed a new measurement of direct CP violation, based on data taken in 1997 by simultaneously collecting K_L and K_S decays into pi0pi0 and pi+pi-. The result for the CP violating parameter Re(epsilon'/epsilon) is (18.5 +/- 4.5(stat)} +/- 5.8 (syst))x10^{-4}.Comment: 18 pages, 6 figure

INP1 involvement in pollen aperture formation is evolutionarily conserved and may require species-specific partners

Pollen wall exine is usually deposited non-uniformly on the pollen surface, with areas of low exine deposition corresponding to pollen apertures. Little is known about how apertures form, with the novel Arabidopsis INP1 (INAPERTURATE POLLEN1) protein currently being the only identified aperture factor. In developing pollen, INP1 localizes to three plasma membrane domains and underlies formation of three apertures. Although INP1 homologs are found across angiosperms, they lack strong sequence conservation. Thus, it has been unclear whether they also act as aperture factors and whether their sequence divergence contributes to interspecies differences in aperture patterns. To explore the functional conservation of INP1 homologs, we used mutant analysis in maize and tested whether homologs from several other species could function in Arabidopsis. Our data suggest that the INP1 involvement in aperture formation is evolutionarily conserved, despite the significant divergence of INP1 sequences and aperture patterns, but that additional species-specific factors are likely to be required to guide INP1 and to provide information for aperture patterning. To determine the regions in INP1 necessary for its localization and function, we used fragment fusions, domain swaps, and interspecific protein chimeras. We demonstrate that the central portion of the protein is particularly important for mediating the species-specific functionality.Funding was provided to AAD by the US National Science Foundation (MCB-1517511) and to VNSS by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (CGL2015-70290-P). PL was supported by the China Scholarship Council. SB-MS was supported by the University of Granada, Spain (grant Cei BioTic). We thank the Arabidopsis Biological Resource Center (OSU) and the Maize Genetics Cooperation Stock Center (USDA/ ARS) for seed stocks, Priscila Rodriguez Garcia (OSU) for help with characterizing Arabidopsis–tomato INP1 chimeras, and Jay Hollick (OSU) for advice on all things maize

Effect of Activated Carbon Amendment on Bacterial Community Structure and Functions in a PAH Impacted Urban Soil

ABSTRACT: We collected urban soil samples impacted by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from a sorbent-based remediation field trial to address concerns about unwanted side-effects of 2 % powdered (PAC) or granular (GAC) activated carbon amendment on soil microbiology and pollutant biodegradation. After three years, total microbial cell counts and respiration rates were highest in the GAC amended soil. The predominant bacterial community structure derived from denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) shifted more strongly with time than in response to AC amendment. DGGE band sequencing revealed the presence of taxa with closest affiliations either to known PAH degraders, e.g. Rhodococcus jostii RHA-1, or taxa known to harbor PAH degraders, e.g. Rhodococcus erythropolis, in all soils. Quantification by real-time polymerase chain reaction yielded similar dioxygenases gene copy numbers in unamended, PAC-, or GACamended soil. PAH availability assessments in batch tests showed th

Direct search for light gluinos

We present the results for a direct search for light gluinos through the appearance of $\eta\rightarrow 3\pi^{0}$ with high transverse momentum in the vacuum tank of the NA48 experiment at CERN. We find one event within a lifetime range of $10^{-9}-10^{-3}$s and another one between $10^{-10}-10^{-9}$s. Both events are consistent with the expected background from neutrons in the beam, produced by 450 GeV protons impinging on the Be targets, which interact with the residual air in the tank. From these data we give limits on the production of the hypothetical $g\widetilde{g}$ bound state, the $R^0$ hadron, and its $R^0\rightarrow\eta\widetilde{\gamma}$ decay in the $R^0$ mass range between 1 and 5~GeV

A new measurement of direct CP violation in two pion decays of the neutral kaon

The NA48 experiment at CERN has performed a new measurement of direct CP violation, based on data taken in 1997 by simultaneously collecting KL and KS decays into pi0 pi0 and pi+ pi-. The result for the CP violating parameter Re(epsilon'/epsilon) is (18.5 +- 4.5(stat.) +- 5.8(syst.)) x 10^-4

The CPLEAR detector at CERN

The CPLEAR collaboration has constructed a detector at CERN for an extensive programme of CP-, T- and CPT-symmetry studies using ${\rm K}^0$ and $\bar{\rm K}^0$ produced by the annihilation of $\bar{\rm p}$'s in a hydrogen gas target. The ${\rm K}^0$ and $\bar{\rm K}^0$ are identified by their companion products of the annihilation ${\rm K}^{\pm} \pi^{\mp}$ which are tracked with multiwire proportional chambers, drift chambers and streamer tubes. Particle identification is carried out with a liquid Cherenkov detector for fast separation of pions and kaons and with scintillators which allow the measurement of time of flight and energy loss. Photons are measured with a lead/gas sampling electromagnetic calorimeter. The required antiproton annihilation modes are selected by fast online processors using the tracking chamber and particle identification information. All the detectors are mounted in a 0.44 T uniform field of an axial solenoid of diameter 2 m and length 3.6 m to form a magnetic spectrometer capable of full on-line reconstruction and selection of events. The design, operating parameters and performance of the sub-detectors are described.

A measurement of the transverse polarization of Lambda-hyperons produced in inelastic pN-reactions at 450 GeV proton energy

A study of the polarization of Λ hyperons produced in inelastic pN reactions induced by the 450 GeV proton beam from the CERN SPS has been performed with the NA48 detector. The Λ hyperons were detected at a fixed angle of 4.2 mrad in the momentum range from 50 GeV/c to 200 GeV/c. The polarization changes from −0.053 ± 0.034 to −0.298 ± 0.074 for a transverse momentum range of the Λ between 0.28 GeV/c and 0.86 GeV/c. The antiΛ polarization is consistent with zero

Futur dels teixits intel·ligents

Els teixits intel·ligents del futur es desenvolupen amb nous materials i amb tecnologies innovadores, però també amb clau d'eficiència ambiental. Es revisen tendències de la indústria tèxtil relacionades, entre d'altres, amb: Teixits funcionals i materials amb propietats singulars. e-Textil, wearables i gestió 4.0. Automatització, robòtica i impressió 3D. Ecologia industrial, impacte ambiental i valorització energètic