Baseline LHC machine parameters and configuration of the 2015 proton run

This paper shows the baseline LHC machine parameters for the 2015 start-up. Many systems have been upgraded during LS1 and in 2015 the LHC will operate at a higher energy than before and with a tighter filling scheme. Therefore, the 2015 commissioning phase risks to be less smooth than in 2012. The proposed starting configuration puts the focus on feasibility rather than peak performance and includes margins for operational uncertainties. Instead, once beam experience and a better machine knowledge has been obtained, a push in $\beta^*$ and performance can be envisaged. In this paper, the focus is on collimation settings and reach in $\beta^*$---other parameters are covered in greater depth by other papers in these proceedings.Comment: submitted for publication in a CERN yellow report (Proceedings of the LHC Performance Workshop - Chamonix 2014

Strong polarization mode coupling in microresonators

We observe strong modal coupling between the TE00 and TM00 modes in Si3N4 ring resonators revealed by avoided crossings of the corresponding resonances. Such couplings result in significant shifts of the resonance frequencies over a wide range around the crossing points. This leads to an effective dispersion that is one order of magnitude larger than the intrinsic dispersion and creates broad windows of anomalous dispersion. We also observe the changes to frequency comb spectra generated in Si3N4 microresonators due polarization mode and higher-order mode crossings and suggest approaches to avoid these effects. Alternatively, such polarization mode-crossings can be used as a novel tool for dispersion engineering in microresonators.Comment: Comments are very welcome (send to corresponding author

Differences in Major Histocompatibility Complex Frequencies after Multitrait, Divergent Selection for Immunocompetence

White Leghorn chickens from lines selected for four immune-response traits (IR lines) were serotyped for B system alloantigens characterizing the haplotypes and genotypes to examine the effect of divergent selection for multitrait immunocompetence on MHC haplotype and genotype frequencies. The selected lines were derived from the Ottawa Strain 7. The selection index included four immunocompetence traits: antibody production against Mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG) and Pasteurella multocida, inflammatory response to phytohemagglutinin, and reticuloendothelial carbon clearance. The four lines include two replicates of high and low multitrait-immunocompetence lines. After four cycles of selection, significant differences (P \u3c .05) in several B system haplotype frequencies were observed, both among IR lines and between the IR lines and the Ottawa Strain 7. The B2 haplotype frequency was greater in all IR lines than in the Ottawa Strain 7. The B21 frequency was less in both high lines than in the Ottawa Strain 7. In comparisons among lines, frequencies of B21 were greater in both replicates of the low lines and the B12 and B19 frequencies were significantly greater (P \u3c .05) in the high lines. A gene substitution model showed effects (P \u3c .10) of specific haplotypes on MG and on the index. The B2 haplotype had a positive effect associated with MG. Haplotype B21 was positively associated with the multitrait index. Haplotype B13 had a negative effect on both MG and the index. Significant differences (P \u3c .01) in genotype frequencies were also noted among the IR lines. Associations between specific MHC haplotypes or genotypes and immune-response traits may offer insight into MHC-mediated mechanisms of disease resistance

Supercontinuum generation in dispersion engineered highly nonlinear (y=10/W/m) As2S3 chalcogenide planar waveguide

We demonstrate supercontinuum generation in a highly nonlinear As2S3 chalcogenide planar waveguide which is dispersion engineered to have anomalous dispersion at near-infrared wavelengths. This waveguide is 60 mm long with a cross-section of 2 μm by 870 nm, resulting in a nonlinear parameter of 10 /W/m and a dispersion of +29 ps/nm/km. Using pulses with a width of 610 fs and peak power of 68 W, we generate supercontinuum with a 30 dB bandwidth of 750 nm, in good agreement with theory

The Efficacy of Vaginal Clindamycin for the Treatment of Abnormal Genital Tract Flora in Pregnancy

Objective: To assess the efficacy of 2% clindamycin vaginal cream (CVC) to treat bacterial vaginosis (BV) in pregnancy. Methods: A prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, tricenter study. Four hundred and four women with BV on Gram stain at their first antenatal clinic visit were randomized to receive a 3-day course of 2% CVC or placebo. The outcome was assessed using an intention to treat analysis at 3 weeks and 6 weeks post-treatment according to three different diagnostic methods based on five criteria (Gram stain and all four elements of clinical composite criteria: vaginal discharge, abnormal vaginal pH, clue cells, amine odor), three criteria (vaginal pH, clue cells, amine odor) or two criteria (clue cells and amine odor) to reflect stringency of diagnosis, historical precedence and government agency recommendations respectively. Results: Using five diagnostic criteria, 18% of CVC patients were cured and 70.8% either cured and/or improved compared to 1.6% and 12% of placebo patients respectively (p < 0.0001). Using three diagnostic criteria, 44.8% of CVC patients were cured and 77.3% were either cured and/or improved compared to 9.3% and 28.8% of placebo patients respectively (p < 0.0001). Using two diagnostic criteria, 75.0% of CVC patients were cured compared to 18.0% of placebo patients (p < 0.0001). Recurrence rates in those CVC patients successfully treated were approximately 6% at 6 weeks post baseline and 10% at 28 to 34 weeks gestation. Conclusions: A 3-day course of CVC appears to be well tolerated by the mother and statistically significantly more efficacious than placebo in the treatment of BV during the second trimester of pregnancy