Response of a CMS HGCAL silicon-pad electromagnetic calorimeter prototype to 20-300 GeV positrons

The Compact Muon Solenoid Collaboration is designing a new high-granularity endcap calorimeter, HGCAL, to be installed later this decade. As part of this development work, a prototype system was built, with an electromagnetic section consisting of 14 double-sided structures, providing 28 sampling layers. Each sampling layer has an hexagonal module, where a multipad large-area silicon sensor is glued between an electronics circuit board and a metal baseplate. The sensor pads of approximately 1 cm$^2$ are wire-bonded to the circuit board and are readout by custom integrated circuits. The prototype was extensively tested with beams at CERN's Super Proton Synchrotron in 2018. Based on the data collected with beams of positrons, with energies ranging from 20 to 300 GeV, measurements of the energy resolution and linearity, the position and angular resolutions, and the shower shapes are presented and compared to a detailed Geant4 simulation

Performance of the CMS High Granularity Calorimeter prototype to charged pion beams of 20−-300 GeV/c

The upgrade of the CMS experiment for the high luminosity operation of the LHC comprises the replacement of the current endcap calorimeter by a high granularity sampling calorimeter (HGCAL). The electromagnetic section of the HGCAL is based on silicon sensors interspersed between lead and copper (or copper tungsten) absorbers. The hadronic section uses layers of stainless steel as an absorbing medium and silicon sensors as an active medium in the regions of high radiation exposure, and scintillator tiles directly readout by silicon photomultipliers in the remaining regions. As part of the development of the detector and its readout electronic components, a section of a silicon-based HGCAL prototype detector along with a section of the CALICE AHCAL prototype was exposed to muons, electrons and charged pions in beam test experiments at the H2 beamline at the CERN SPS in October 2018. The AHCAL uses the same technology as foreseen for the HGCAL but with much finer longitudinal segmentation. The performance of the calorimeters in terms of energy response and resolution, longitudinal and transverse shower profiles is studied using negatively charged pions, and is compared to GEANT4 predictions. This is the first report summarizing results of hadronic showers measured by the HGCAL prototype using beam test data.Comment: To be submitted to JINS

Overreliance on ECDIS technology: A challenge for safe navigation

The Electronic Chart Display and Information System (ECDIS) became the central navigational tool on modern ships. The system comprises numerous navigational and other components, each of them with its limitations and reliability. Due to ECDIS's revolutionary features, navigators are tempted to place excessive reliance on the system. Such reliance on it as a sole navigational aid is undoubtedly a problematic issue. The proposed paper is a segment of a systematically carried out research among ECDIS stakeholders. ECDIS EHO (Experience, Handling, and Opinion) research aims through research activities based on a user-centred approach to develop and improve the educational framework. The overreliance on the ECDIS system motivated the proposed research, which focused on system users' opinions and practice regarding confirmation of the accuracy of information displayed on ECDIS, particularly concerning positional sensors. Analysis of answers collected by the ECDIS EHO questionnaire represents a backbone of the research supported by previous achievements. The answers have been categorized and discussed, revealing certain worrying aspects referring to the system's positional error experienced by users. Furthermore, preferred methods of cross-checking ECDIS information have been identified and have differed among respondents based on their rank on board. Additionally, answers indicate certain doubts between users’ interpretation of the best confirmation method and the actual selection of the used method. The importance of cross-checking navigational data in avoiding overreliance and maintaining situational awareness has been presented in the conclusion chapter and the proposal for further work

Alterations of pancreatic acinar cells and biochemical changes in serum due to experimentally induced acute pancreatitis in dogs

Experimentally induced acute pancreatitis was initiated in 16 male German shepherd dogs by application of sodium taurocholate into the pancreatic duct system. Potential effects of oxygen free radicals were evaluated by premedication with an antioxidant: superoxide dismutase (SOD). Therefore in 8 animals sodium taurocholate solution was applied simultaneously with intra-arterial inoculation of superoxide dismutase, while another 8 dogs were treated only with sodium taurocholate. The effects of sodium taurocholate solution and SOD were evaluated biochemically bi the amylase activity, the concentrations of ceruloplasmin (Cp) and PAGE (polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis) of serum proteins, together with the pathohistological observations. The results confirmed that bile salt injected into the pancreatic duct caused widespread progressive necrotic hemorrahagic lesions in the acinar, ductal and vascular cells. The biochemical injury response in all examined dogs was hyperamylasemia, increased amount of macroglobulin and decreased albumin and globulin fractions. There was a statistically significant increase in amylase activity and statistically significant differences in Cp concentrations between the examined groups. Pathohistological alterations were similar in both experimental groups, except in their rate, which was rather sluggish in the group treated with SOD. We therefore assumed that the oxygen free radicals as well as the detergent effect of the applied bile salt mediated the initial lesions in the induction of acute pancreatitis