MC-128: current commutator for silicon strip detector tests

The MC-128 is a CAMAC module designed to simplify routine tests of multichannel semiconductor detectors. It was developed at Budker Institute of Nuclear Physics (BINP) Novosibirsk in collaboration with RD2 as part of the ATLAS SCT development program. The module provides 128 channels, offering sequential measurements of the currents flowing grom detector strips to a grounded Common Bus. Each input stays virtually connected to the Common Bus independently on whether its current is measured or not. Eight inputs are permanently connected to the Common Bus, allowing the connection of additional elements like guard ring structures. The total detector current can be measured as the current flowing through the Common Bus. Measurements are accessible via a CAMAC bus and in analog form via a front panel detector. Optionally, the MC 128 allows the measurement of the capacitance between each strip and the common (high voltage) electrode of the detector at 10 kHz frequency

Количественные характеристики лучевого повреждения легочной ткани у онкологических пациентов при лучевой терапии на основании данных РКТ

Objective. Comparison of the magnitude of the change in the density of lung tissue and the volume of these changes after radiation therapy over time based on the data obtained using the new method of quantitative analysis developed by us and with the usual visual assessment of the CT data.Materials and methods. We used the data of dynamic observation of 90 patients who underwent RT for the tumors of thoracic localization during the period from 2014 to 2021 at the Federal Institution “Russian Scientific Center of Roentgenoradiology”. These patients had CT examinations performed before and after RT. Control CT studies were performed 1–237 days after RT (mean control interval 96 ± 64.3 days). A total of 238 CT studies of these patients were analyzed, with an average number of RCT studies per patient of 2.6. Among the selected patients, there were 36 (40%) men and 54 (60%) women aged 23 to 86 years (the average age was 51.9 ± 15.6 years).Results. Radiation damage in the lungs using the method of quantitative analysis of CT data is detected starting from the value of ΔHU = 20 and volume from 3.2% for the early period (15–35 days) after the end of treatment. Starting from 15–25 to 50 days after the end of RT, quantitative analysis reveals primary changes in the lung tissue, incl. and undetectable visually (from 20 to 80 HU), and to suggest further dynamics of these changes depending on the characteristics of the performed RT. From 50 to 80 days – reveals the real volume of radiation pulmonitis by taking into account the changes invisible during visual analysis in the lung tissue irradiated at a dose of 20 Gy to 30 Gy. From 80 to 120 days – allows you to assess the presence and dynamics of changes in the lung tissue with the threshold radiation dose in the lung tissue 30–35 Gy. From 120 onwards, quantitative analysis of CT data, as well as visual assessment, reveals damage in areas of the lungs with the dose of more than 30–35 Gy, which is caused by post-radiation pneumofibrosis. On the basis of the obtained quantitative data on radiation lung damage, the mathematical regularities of the development of this process were calculated, taking into account the time and dose factors.Conclusions. Quantitative assessment of changes in lung density according to CT data in dynamics, carried out using the technique developed by us, is a radiomic indicator of their radiation damage during therapeutic irradiation in cancer patients, which, in combination with the presented mathematical model, can be used for diagnostic purposes to quantify the severity and predicting the dynamics of radiation damage to the lungs in general, as well as identifying individual radiosensitivity.The results obtained can be presented not only in the form of graphs, but also in the form of color maps with preservation of anatomical landmarks, which is convenient for use in clinical practice to support medical decision-making on patient management.Цель исследования: сопоставление величины изменения плотности легочной ткани и объемов этих изменений после лучевой терапии (ЛТ) с течением времени на основании данных, получаемых с помощью разработанной нами новой методики количественного анализа и при обычной визуальной оценке данных РКТ.Материал и методы. Использовались данные динамического наблюдения 90 пациентов, которым была проведена ЛТ по поводу опухолей торакальной локализации за период с 2014 по 2021 г. в ФГБУ “Российский научный центр рентгенорадиологии”. У всех этих пациентов имелись РКТ-исследования, выполненные до и после ЛТ. Контрольные исследования выполнялись через 1–237 сут после ЛТ (средний интервал контроля 96 ± 64,3 сут). Всего было проанализировано 238 РКТ-исследований со средним количеством РКТ-исследований на одного пациента 2,6. Среди отобранных пациентов было 36 (40,0%) мужчин и 54 (60,0%) женщины в возрасте от 23 до 86 лет (средний возраст 51,9 ± 15,6 года).Результаты. Предлагаемая методика количественного анализа данных РКТ выявляет увеличение плотности облученных участков легкого начиная с величины от 20 HU и объема от 3,2% для раннего периода (15–35 сут) после окончания ЛТ. Начиная с 25-х по 50-е сутки после окончания ЛТ количественный анализ позволяет выявить первичные изменения в легочной ткани, в том числе и не определяемые визуально по сравнению с исходной плотностью от 20 до 80 HU, и предположить дальнейшую динамику этих изменений в зависимости от методики проведенной ЛТ. С 50-х по 80-е сутки количественный анализ выявляет реальный объем лучевого пульмонита за счет учета невидимых при визуальном анализе изменений плотности легочной ткани, облученной в дозе от 20 до 30 Гр. С 80-х по 120-е сутки – позволяет оценить наличие и динамику изменений в легочной ткани, облученной в дозе более 30–35 Гр. Начиная со 120-х суток и далее количественный анализ РКТ данных, как и визуальная оценка, выявляет формирование стойкого постлучевого пневмофиброза в участках легких, облученных в дозе более 30–35 Гр. На основе полученных количественных данных о лучевом повреждении легочной ткани была рассчитана математическая закономерность развития этого процесса с учетом временнFого и дозовых факторов.Заключение. Количественная оценка изменения плотности легких по данным РКТ в динамике по разработанной нами методике является радиомическим показателем их лучевого повреждения при терапевтическом облучении онкологических пациентов, который в сочетании с представленной математической моделью может быть использован в диагностических целях для количественной оценки степени тяжести и прогнозирования динамики лучевого повреждения легких в целом, а также выявления индивидуальной радиочувствительности.Полученные результаты могут быть представлены не только в виде графиков, но и в виде цветовых карт с сохранением анатомических ориентиров, что удобно для использования в клинической практике с целью поддержки принятия врачебных решений по ведению пациентов

Discovery of new colonies by Sentinel2 reveals good and bad news for emperor

The distribution of emperor penguins is circumpolar, with 54 colony locations currently reported of which 50 are currently extant as of 2019. Here we report on eight newly discovered colonies and confirm the rediscovery of three breeding sites, only previously reported in the era before Very High Resolution satellite imagery was available, making a total of 61 breeding locations. This represents an increase of ~20% in the number of breeding sites, but, as most of the colonies appear to be small, they may only increase the total population by around 5–10%. The discoveries have been facilitated by the use of Sentinel2 satellite imagery, which has a higher resolution and more efficient search mechanism than the Landsat data previously used to search for colonies. The small size of these new colonies indicates that considerations of reproductive output in relation to metabolic rate during huddling is likely to be of interest. Some of the colonies exist in offshore habitats, something not previously reported for emperor penguins. Comparison with recent modelling results show that the geographic locations of all the newly found colonies are in areas likely to be highly vulnerable under business‐as‐usual greenhouse gas emissions scenarios, suggesting that population decreases for the species will be greater than previously thought

NESTOR: A neutrino particle astrophysics underwater laboratory for the Mediterranean

Abstract An underwater neutrino astrophysics laboratory, to be located in the international waters off the Southwest of Greece, near the town of Pylos is now under construction. In the last two years a group of physicists from Greece and Russia have carried out two demonstration experiments in 4km deep water, counting muons and verifying the adequacy of the deep sea site. Plans are presented for a 100, 000 m 2 high energy neutrino detector composed of a hexagon of hexagonal towers, with 1176 optical detector units. A progress report is given and the physics potential of a siggle tower with 168 phototubes (currently under construction) is described

THE EXPRESSIONISM OF L.ANDREEV’S PROSE IN CINEMA

The article considers the issue of the cinematic potential of some prosaic expressionistic works written by L. Andreev. In “The Letters On Theatre” (1912-1913) the writer expressed his views on the problems of interaction between theatre, cinema and literature, emphasized the great role of cinematograph and predicted the phenomenon of the film script. Moreover, his close collaboration with the domestic cinema producers had influenced the poetics of his artistic works and therefore provoked future multiple screening of them. Despite the fact that all film scripts made by L. Andreev were based only on his dramas, the majority of film directors turned to his prose for screening - eager to find cinematic equivalents and analogies to his expressionist style. The primary subjects of the paper are film adaptations of Andreev’s literary legacy and the patterns of intermediality used by film directors to embody their interpretations of the original texts

High-frequency waves in the solar coronal plasma

We derived numerical solutions of a dispersion equation in order to analyze the effect of finite plasma temperature on the high-frequency wave dispersion characteristics in conditions of hot magnetized plasma in the solar corona. Spectra of the high-frequency eigen modes of these plasma were determined in conditions when the electron gyrofrequency is lower than the plasma one and when the eigen modes frequencies are higher than the electron gyrofrequency. The longitudinal wave mode is shown to turn to the Z-mode at refractive index $n < 1$. At refractive index $n \gg 1$, the longitudinal wave frequency increases when n grows, and these waves go to strongly damped ones with an anomalous dispersion. We interpret some spectral features of type II and IV radio bursts in the solar corona.

High-frequency waves in solar and stellar coronae

On the basis of a numerical solution of dispersion equation we analyze characteristics of low-damping high-frequency waves in hot magnetized solar and stellar coronal plasmas in conditions when the electron gyrofrequency is equal or higher than the electron plasma frequency. It is shown that branches that correspond to Z-mode and ordinary waves approach each other when the magnetic field increases and become practically indistinguishable in a broad region of frequencies at all angles between the wave vector and the magnetic field. At angles between the wave vector and the magnetic field close to 90\degr, a wave branch with an anomalous dispersion may occur. On the basis of the obtained results we suggest a new interpretation of such events in solar and stellar radio emission as broadband pulsations and spikes

Polarization changes in solar radio emission caused by scattering from high-frequency plasma turbulence

This paper deals with the scattering of electromagnetic radiation during propagation through a plasma layer with developed Langmuir turbulence. The ordinary component is slightly lowered, while the extraordinary component undergoes the most effective scattering. This leads to a change in the polarization characteristics of the original radiation, namely: the extraordinarily polarized emission can undergo a substantial decrease and even the polarization sign can be changed. As a consequence the radiation increases its polarization degree in the ordinary mode.
We performed calculations of the polarization of the radio emission propagating through a layer of turbulent plasma and examined the complex event that occurred on July 14, 2000; specifically, this event showed long-lasting emissions and the polarization varied both in time and in frequency range. Assuming that the variation of the polarization degree during the lifetime of the phenomenon is determined by the scattering from Langmuir turbulence, we obtained an estimate of the level of turbulence and of the magnetic field intensity in the emission region