Measurement and Control of the Beam Energy for the SPIRAL2 Accelerator

WEPF32, http://accelconf.web.cern.ch/AccelConf/ibic2013/International audienceThe first part of the SPIRAL2 facility, which entered last year in the construction phase at GANIL in France, will be composed of an ion source, a deuteron/proton source, a RFQ and a superconducting linear accelerator delivering high intensities, up to 5 mA and 40MeV for the deuteron beams. As part of theMEBT commissioning, the beam energy will be measured on the BTI (Bench of Intermediate Test) at the exit of the RFQ. At the exit of the LINAC, the system has to measure but also control the beam energy. The control consists in ensuring that the beam energy is under a limit by taking account of the measurement uncertainty. The energy is measured by a method of time of flight, the signal is captured by non-intercepting capacitive pick-ups. This paper presents also the results obtained in terms of uncertainties and dynamics of measures

Gravity in quantum spacetime

The literature on quantum-gravity-inspired scenarios for the quantization of spacetime has so far focused on particle-physics-like studies. This is partly justified by the present limitations of our understanding of quantum-gravity theories, but we here argue that valuable insight can be gained through semi-heuristic analyses of the implications for gravitational phenomena of some results obtained in the quantum-spacetime literature. In particular, we show that the types of description of particle propagation that emerged in certain quantum-spacetime frameworks have striking implications for gravitational collapse and for the behaviour of gravity at large distances.Comment: This essay received honorable mention in the Gravity Research Foundation 2010 Awards for Essays on Gravitatio

Beam Intensity and Energy Control for the SPIRAL2 Facility

TUPB029 - ISBN 878-3-95450-122-9International audienceThe first part of the SPIRAL2 facility, which entered last year in the construction phase at GANIL in France, consists of an ion source, a deuteron and a proton source, a RFQ and a superconducting linear accelerator delivering high intensities, up to 5 mA and 40 MeV for the deuteron beams. Diagnostic developments have been done to control both beam intensity and energy by non-interceptive methods at the linac exit. The beam current is measured by using couples of ACCT-DCCT installed along the lines and the beam energy by using a time of flight device. This paper gives explanations about the technical solutions, the results and resolutions for measuring and controlling the beam

Progress on the Beam Energy Monitor for the SPIRAL2 Accelerator.

WEPF29, posterInternational audienceThe first part of the SPIRAL2 project entered last year in the end of the construction phase at GANIL in France. The facility will be composed by an ion source, a deuteron/proton source, a RFQ and a superconducting linear accelerator. The driver is planned to accelerate high intensities, up to 5 mA and 40 MeV for the deuteron beams. A monitoring system was built to measure the beam energy on the BTI line (Bench of Intermediate Test) at the exit of the RFQ. As part of theMEBT commissioning, the beamenergy will be measured on the BTI with an Epics monitoring application. At the exit of the LINAC, another system will have to measure and control the beam energy. The control consists in ensuring that the beam energy stays under a limit by taking account of the measurement uncertainty. The energy is measured by a method of time of flight; the signal is captured by non-intercepting capacitive pick-ups. This paper describes the BTI monitor interface and presents the system evolution following the design review

Association between breastfeeding and intelligence, educational attainment, and income at 30 years of age: a prospective birth cohort study from Brazil

Background Breastfeeding has clear short-term benefi ts, but its long-term consequences on human capital are yet to be established. We aimed to assess whether breastfeeding duration was associated with intelligence quotient (IQ), years of schooling, and income at the age of 30 years, in a setting where no strong social patterning of breastfeeding exists. Methods A prospective, population-based birth cohort study of neonates was launched in 1982 in Pelotas, Brazil. Information about breastfeeding was recorded in early childhood. At 30 years of age, we studied the IQ (Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale, 3rd version), educational attainment, and income of the participants. For the analyses, we used multiple linear regression with adjustment for ten confounding variables and the G-formula. Findings From June 4, 2012, to Feb 28, 2013, of the 5914 neonates enrolled, information about IQ and breastfeeding duration was available for 3493 participants. In the crude and adjusted analyses, the durations of total breastfeeding and predominant breastfeeding (breastfeeding as the main form of nutrition with some other foods) were positively associated with IQ, educational attainment, and income. We identifi ed dose-response associations with breastfeeding duration for IQ and educational attainment. In the confounder-adjusted analysis, participants who were breastfed for 12 months or more had higher IQ scores (diff erence of 3·76 points, 95% CI 2·20–5·33), more years of education (0·91 years, 0·42–1·40), and higher monthly incomes (341·0 Brazilian reals, 93·8–588·3) than did those who were breastfed for less than 1 month. The results of our mediation analysis suggested that IQ was responsible for 72% of the eff ect on income. Interpretation Breastfeeding is associated with improved performance in intelligence tests 30 years later, and might have an important eff ect in real life, by increasing educational attainment and income in adulthood

Reduced Chlorine in Drinking Water Distribution Systems Impacts Bacterial Biodiversity in Biofilms.

In drinking water distribution systems (DWDS), a disinfectant residual is usually applied to limit bacterial regrowth. However, delivering water with no or reduced chlorine residual could potentially decrease the selection for antimicrobial resistant microorganisms, favor bacterial regrowth and result in changes in bacterial populations. To evaluate the feasibility of water reduction in local DWDS while ensuring water safety, water quality was measured over 2 months in two different networks, each of them harboring sub-areas with normal and reduced chlorine. Water quality remained good in chlorine reduced samples, with limited development of total flora and absence of coliforms. Furthermore, 16S rRNA amplicon-based metagenomics was used to investigate the diversity and the composition of microbial communities in the sub-networks. Taxonomic classification of sequence reads showed a reduced bacterial diversity in sampling points with higher chlorine residuals. Chlorine disinfection created more homogeneous bacterial population, dominated by <i>Pseudomonas</i> , a genus that contains some major opportunistic pathogens such as <i>P. aeruginosa</i> . In the absence of chlorine, a larger and unknown biodiversity was unveiled, also highlighted by a decreased rate of taxonomic classification to the genus and species level. Overall, this experiment in a functional DWDS will facilitate the move toward potable water delivery systems without residual disinfectants and will improve water taste for consumers

Effect of preterm birth on growth and blood pressure in adulthood in the Pelotas 1993 cohort

BACKGROUND: Preterm birth has been associated with increased risk of hypertension and cardiovascular disease later in adulthood, attributed to cardiovascular and metabolic alterations in early life. However, there is paucity of evidence from low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). METHODS: We investigated the differences between preterm (<37 weeks gestational age) and term-born individuals in birth length and weight as well as adult (18 and 20 years) height, weight and blood pressure in the Brazilian 1993 Pelotas birth cohort using linear regressions. Analyses were adjusted for the maternal weight at the beginning of pregnancy and maternal education and family income at childbirth. Additional models were adjusted for body mass index (BMI) and birthweight. Separate analyses were run for males and females. The complete sample was analysed with an interaction term for sex. RESULTS: Of the 3585 babies included at birth, 3010 were followed up in adulthood at 22 years. Preterm participants had lower length and weight at birth. This difference remained for male participants in adulthood, but female participants were no shorter than their term counterparts by 18 years of age. At 22 years, females born preterm had lower blood pressures (systolic blood pressure -1.00 mmHg, 95%CI -2.7, 0.7 mmHg; diastolic blood pressure -1.1 mmHg, 95%CI -2.4, 0.3 mmHg) than females born at term. These differences were not found in male participants. CONCLUSIONS: In this Brazilian cohort we found contrasting results regarding the association of preterm birth with blood pressure in young adulthood, which may be unique to an LMIC

Measure Twice: Promise of Liquid Biopsy in Pediatric High-Grade Gliomas

Purpose To review and critique the current state of liquid biopsy in pHGG. Materials and Methods Published literature was reviewed for articles related to liquid biopsy in pediatric glioma and adult glioma with a focus on high-grade gliomas. Results This review discusses the current state of liquid biomarkers of pHGG and their potential applications for liquid biopsy development. Conclusions While nascent, the progress toward identifying circulating analytes of pHGG primes the field of neuro-oncoogy for liquid biopsy development