A PMT-Block test bench

The front-end electronics of the ATLAS hadronic calorimeter (Tile Cal) is housed in a unit, called {\it PMT-Block}. The PMT-Block is a compact instrument comprising a light mixer, a PMT together with its divider and a {\it 3-in-1} card, which provides shaping, amplification and integration for the signals. This instrument needs to be qualified before being assembled on the detector. A PMT-Block test bench has been developed for this purpose. This test bench is a system which allows fast, albeit accurate enough, measurements of the main properties of a complete PMT-Block. The system, both hardware and software, and the protocol used for the PMT-Blocks characterisation are described in detail in this report. The results obtained in the test of about 10000 PMT-Blocks needed for the instrumentation of the ATLAS (LHC-CERN) hadronic Tile Calorimeter are also reported.Comment: 23 pages, 10 figure

How to design graphs with low forwarding index and limited number of edges

International audienceThe (edge) forwarding index of a graph is the minimum, over all possible rout-ings of all the demands, of the maximum load of an edge. This metric is of a great interest since it captures the notion of global congestion in a precise way: the lesser the forwarding-index, the lesser the congestion. In this paper, we study the following design question: Given a number e of edges and a number n of vertices, what is the least congested graph that we can construct? and what forwarding-index can we achieve? Our problem has some distant similarities with the well-known (∆, D) problem, and we sometimes build upon results obtained on it. The goal of this paper is to study how to build graphs with low forwarding indices and to understand how the number of edges impacts the forwarding index. We answer here these questions for different families of graphs: general graphs, graphs with bounded degree, sparse graphs with a small number of edges by providing constructions, most of them asymptotically optimal. For instance, we provide an asymptotically optimal construction for (n, n + k) cubic graphs-its forwarding index is ∼ n 2 3k log 2 (k). Our results allow to understand how the forwarding-index drops when edges are added to a graph and also to determine what is the best (i.e least congested) structure with e edges. Doing so, we partially answer the practical problem that initially motivated our work: If an operator wants to power only e links of its network, in order to reduce the energy consumption (or wiring cost) of its networks, what should be those links and what performance can be expected

Epithelial-immune cell interplay in primary Sjogren syndrome salivary gland pathogenesis

In primary Sjogren syndrome (pSS), the function of the salivary glands is often considerably reduced. Multiple innate immune pathways are likely dysregulated in the salivary gland epithelium in pSS, including the nuclear factor-kappa B pathway, the inflammasome and interferon signalling. The ductal cells of the salivary gland in pSS are characteristically surrounded by a CD4(+) T cell-rich and B cell-rich infiltrate, implying a degree of communication between epithelial cells and immune cells. B cell infiltrates within the ducts can initiate the development of lymphoepithelial lesions, including basal ductal cell hyperplasia. Vice versa, the epithelium provides chronic activation signals to the glandular B cell fraction. This continuous stimulation might ultimately drive the development of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma. This Review discusses changes in the cells of the salivary gland epithelium in pSS (including acinar, ductal and progenitor cells), and the proposed interplay of these cells with environmental stimuli and the immune system. Current therapeutic options are insufficient to address both lymphocytic infiltration and salivary gland dysfunction. Successful rescue of salivary gland function in pSS will probably demand a multimodal therapeutic approach and an appreciation of the complicity of the salivary gland epithelium in the development of pSS. Salivary gland dysfunction is an important characteristic of primary Sjogren syndrome (pSS). In this Review, the authors discuss various epithelial abnormalities in pSS and the mechanisms by which epithelial cell-immune cell interactions contribute to disease development and progression

Ž. JOURNAL OF MATHEMATICAL ANALYSIS AND APPLICATIONS 197, 586�607 1996 ARTICLE NO. 0041 A New Unconstrained Optimization Method for Imprecise Function and Gradient Values

A new algorithm for unconstrained optimization is presented which is based on a modified one-dimensional bisection method. The algorithm actually uses only the signs of function and gradient values. Thus it can be applied to problems with imprecise function and gradient values. It converges in one iteration on quadratic functions of n variables, it rapidly minimizes general functions and it does not require evaluation or estimation of the matrix of second partial derivatives. The algorithm has been implemented and tested. Performance information for wellknown test functions is reported. � 1996 Academic Press, Inc. 1