107 research outputs found
An LED-based Flasher System for VERITAS
We describe a flasher system designed for use in monitoring the gains of the
photomultiplier tubes used in the VERITAS gamma-ray telescopes. This system
uses blue light-emitting diodes (LEDs) so it can be operated at much higher
rates than a traditional laser-based system. Calibration information can be
obtained with better statistical precision with reduced loss of observing time.
The LEDs are also much less expensive than a laser. The design features of the
new system are presented, along with measurements made with a prototype mounted
on one of the VERITAS telescopes.Comment: Accepted for publication in Nuclear Instruments and Methods in
Physics Research
Prenatal exposure to maternal cigarette smoking and structural properties of the human corpus callosum
Alterations induced by prenatal exposure to nicotine have been observed in experimental (rodent) studies. While numerous developmental outcomes have been associated with prenatal exposure to maternal cigarette smoking (PEMCS) in humans, the possible relation with brain structure is less clear. Here we sought to elucidate the relation between PEMCS and structural properties of human corpus callosum in adolescence and early adulthood in a total of 1,747 youth. We deployed three community-based cohorts of 446 (age 25–27 years, 46% exposed), 934 (age 12–18 years, 47% exposed) and 367 individuals (age 18–21 years, 9% exposed). A mega-analysis revealed lower mean diffusivity in the callosal segments of exposed males. We speculate that prenatal exposure to maternal cigarette smoking disrupts the early programming of callosal structure and increases the relative portion of small-diameter fibres.</p
Resting state fMRI reveals a default mode dissociation between retrosplenial and medial prefrontal subnetworks in ASD despite motion scrubbing
In resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies of autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) decreased frontal-posterior functional connectivity is a persistent finding. However, the picture of the default mode network (DMN) hypoconnectivity remains incomplete. In addition, the functional connectivity analyses have been shown to be susceptible even to subtle motion. DMN hypoconnectivity in ASD has been specifically called for re-evaluation with stringent motion correction, which we aimed to conduct by so-called scrubbing. A rich set of default mode subnetworks can be obtained with high dimensional group independent component analysis (ICA) which can potentially provide more detailed view of the connectivity alterations. We compared the DMN connectivity in high-functioning adolescents with ASDs to typically developing controls using ICA dual-regression with decompositions from typical to high dimensionality. Dual-regression analysis within DMN subnetworks did not reveal alterations but connectivity between anterior and posterior DMN subnetworks was decreased in ASD. The results were very similar with and without motion scrubbing thus indicating the efficacy of the conventional motion correction methods combined with ICA dual-regression. Specific dissociation between DMN subnetworks was revealed on high ICA dimensionality, where networks centered at the medial prefrontal cortex and retrosplenial cortex showed weakened coupling in adolescents with ASDs compared to typically developing control participants. Generally the results speak for disruption in the anterior-posterior DMN interplay on the network level whereas local functional connectivity in DMN seems relatively unaltered
Centrality dependence of pi^[+/-], K^[+/-], p and p-bar production from sqrt(s_NN)=130 GeV Au + Au collisions at RHIC
Identified pi^[+/-] K^[+/-], p and p-bar transverse momentum spectra at
mid-rapidity in sqrt(s_NN)=130 GeV Au-Au collisions were measured by the PHENIX
experiment at RHIC as a function of collision centrality. Average transverse
momenta increase with the number of participating nucleons in a similar way for
all particle species. The multiplicity densities scale faster than the number
of participating nucleons. Kaon and nucleon yields per participant increase
faster than the pion yields. In central collisions at high transverse momenta
(p_T greater than 2 GeV/c), anti-proton and proton yields are comparable to the
pion yields.Comment: 6 pages, 3 figures, 1 table, 307 authors, accepted by Phys. Rev.
Lett. on 9 April 2002. This version has minor changes made in response to
referee Comments. Plain text data tables for the points plotted in figures
for this and previous PHENIX publications are publicly available at
http://www.phenix.bnl.gov/phenix/WWW/run/phenix/papers.htm
Net Charge Fluctuations in Au + Au Interactions at sqrt(s_NN) = 130 GeV
Data from Au + Au interactions at sqrt(s_NN) = 130 GeV, obtained with the
PHENIX detector at RHIC, are used to investigate local net charge fluctuations
among particles produced near mid-rapidity. According to recent suggestions,
such fluctuations may carry information from the Quark Gluon Plasma. This
analysis shows that the fluctuations are dominated by a stochastic distribution
of particles, but are also sensitive to other effects, like global charge
conservation and resonance decays.Comment: 6 pages, RevTeX 3, 3 figures, 307 authors, submitted to Phys. Rev.
Lett. on 21 March, 2002. Plain text data tables for the points plotted in
figures for this and previous PHENIX publications are (will be made) publicly
available at http://www.phenix.bnl.gov/phenix/WWW/run/phenix/papers.htm
Flow Measurements via Two-particle Azimuthal Correlations in Au + Au Collisions at sqrt(s_NN) = 130 GeV
Two particle azimuthal correlation functions are presented for charged
hadrons produced in Au + Au collisions at RHIC sqrt(s_NN) = 130 GeV. The
measurements permit determination of elliptic flow without event-by-event
estimation of the reaction plane. The extracted elliptic flow values v_2 show
significant sensitivity to both the collision centrality and the transverse
momenta of emitted hadrons, suggesting rapid thermalization and relatively
strong velocity fields. When scaled by the eccentricity of the collision zone,
epsilon, the scaled elliptic flow shows little or no dependence on centrality
for charged hadrons with relatively low p_T. A breakdown of this epsilon
scaling is observed for charged hadrons with p_T > 1.0 GeV/c for the most
central collisions.Comment: 6 pages, RevTeX 3, 4 figures, 307 authors, submitted to Phys. Rev.
Lett. on 11 April 2002. Plain text data tables for the points plotted in
figures for this and previous PHENIX publications are (will be made) publicly
available at http://www.phenix.bnl.gov/phenix/WWW/run/phenix/papers.htm
Centrality Dependence of Charged Particle Multiplicity in Au-Au Collisions at sqrt(s_NN)=130 GeV
We present results for the charged-particle multiplicity distribution at
mid-rapidity in Au - Au collisions at sqrt(s_NN)=130 GeV measured with the
PHENIX detector at RHIC. For the 5% most central collisions we find
. The results,
analyzed as a function of centrality, show a steady rise of the particle
density per participating nucleon with centrality.Comment: 307 authors, 43 institutions, 6 pages, 4 figures, 1 table Minor
changes to figure labels and text to meet PRL requirements. One author added:
M. Hibino of Waseda Universit
Measurement of the mid-rapidity transverse energy distribution from GeV Au+Au collisions at RHIC
The first measurement of energy produced transverse to the beam direction at
RHIC is presented. The mid-rapidity transverse energy density per participating
nucleon rises steadily with the number of participants, closely paralleling the
rise in charged-particle density, such that E_T / N_ch remains relatively
constant as a function of centrality. The energy density calculated via
Bjorken's prescription for the 2% most central Au+Au collisions at
sqrt(s_NN)=130 GeV is at least epsilon_Bj = 4.6 GeV/fm^3 which is a factor of
1.6 larger than found at sqrt(s_NN)=17.2 GeV (Pb+Pb at CERN).Comment: 307 authors, 6 pages, 4 figures, 1 table, submitted to PRL 4/18/2001;
revised version submitted to PRL 5/24/200
Event-by-event fluctuations in Mean and Mean in sqrt(s_NN) = 130 GeV Au+Au Collisions
Distributions of event-by-event fluctuations of the mean transverse momentum
and mean transverse energy near mid-rapidity have been measured in Au+Au
collisions at sqrt(s_NN) = 130 GeV at RHIC. By comparing the distributions to
what is expected for statistically independent particle emission, the magnitude
of non-statistical fluctuations in mean transverse momentum is determined to be
consistent with zero. Also, no significant non-random fluctuations in mean
transverse energy are observed. By constructing a fluctuation model with two
event classes that preserve the mean and variance of the semi-inclusive p_T or
e_T spectra, we exclude a region of fluctuations in sqrt(s_NN) = 130 GeV Au+Au
collisions.Comment: 10 pages, RevTeX 3, 7 figures, 4 tables, 307 authors, submitted to
Phys. Rev. C on 22 March 2002. Plain text data tables for the points plotted
in figures for this and previous PHENIX publications are (will be made)
publicly available at
http://www.phenix.bnl.gov/phenix/WWW/run/phenix/papers.htm
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