98 research outputs found
Measurement of the W mass with the ATLAS detector
We investigate the posibility of improving the W mass measurement at ATLAS.
Given the high statistics of both W and Z bosons expected at the LHC, we
estimate that a precision of 7 MeV per channel can be reached with 10 fb-1 of
data.Comment: Poster presented at ICHEP08, Philadelphia, USA, July 2008. 3 pages,
LaTeX, 2 eps figure
Constraints on New Physics from Baryogenesis and Large Hadron Collider Data
We demonstrate the power of constraining theories of new physics by insisting
that they lead to electroweak baryogenesis, while agreeing with current data
from the Large Hadron Collider. The general approach is illustrated with a
singlet scalar extension of the Standard Model. Stringent bounds can already be
obtained, which reduce the viable parameter space to a small island.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figures. References added, figures updated. Version to
appear in PR
Machine-learning vs. logistic regression for preoperative prediction of medical morbidity after fast-track hip and knee arthroplasty-a comparative study
BACKGROUND: Machine-learning models may improve prediction of length of stay (LOS) and morbidity after surgery. However, few studies include fast-track programs, and most rely on administrative coding with limited follow-up and information on perioperative care. This study investigates potential benefits of a machine-learning model for prediction of postoperative morbidity in fast-track total hip (THA) and knee arthroplasty (TKA).METHODS: Cohort study in consecutive unselected primary THA/TKA between 2014-2017 from seven Danish centers with established fast-track protocols. Preoperative comorbidity and prescribed medication were recorded prospectively and information on length of stay and readmissions was obtained through the Danish National Patient Registry and medical records. We used a machine-learning model (Boosted Decision Trees) based on boosted decision trees with 33 preoperative variables for predicting "medical" morbidity leading to LOS > 4 days or 90-days readmissions and compared to a logistical regression model based on the same variables. We also evaluated two parsimonious models, using the ten most important variables in the full machine-learning and logistic regression models. Data collected between 2014-2016 (n:18,013) was used for model training and data from 2017 (n:3913) was used for testing. Model performances were analyzed using precision, area under receiver operating (AUROC) and precision recall curves (AUPRC), as well as the Mathews Correlation Coefficient. Variable importance was analyzed using Shapley Additive Explanations values.RESULTS: Using a threshold of 20% "risk-patients" (n:782), precision, AUROC and AUPRC were 13.6%, 76.3% and 15.5% vs. 12.4%, 74.7% and 15.6% for the machine-learning and logistic regression model, respectively. The parsimonious machine-learning model performed better than the full logistic regression model. Of the top ten variables, eight were shared between the machine-learning and logistic regression models, but with a considerable age-related variation in importance of specific types of medication.CONCLUSION: A machine-learning model using preoperative characteristics and prescriptions slightly improved identification of patients in high-risk of "medical" complications after fast-track THA and TKA compared to a logistic regression model. Such algorithms could help find a manageable population of patients who may benefit most from intensified perioperative care.</p
Dynamical simulation of DCC formation in Bjorken rods
Using a semi-classical treatment of the linear sigma model, we simulate the
dynamical evolution of an initially hot cylindrical rod endowed with a
longitudinal Bjorken scaling expansion (a ``Bjorken rod''). The field equation
is propagated until full decoupling has occurred and the asymptotic many-body
state of free pions is then obtained by a suitable Fourier decomposition of the
field and a subsequent stochastic determination of the number of quanta in each
elementary mode. The resulting transverse pion spectrum exhibits visible
enhancements below 200 MeV due to the parametric amplification caused by the
oscillatory relaxation of the chiral order parameter. Ensembles of such final
states are subjected to various event-by-event analyses. The factorial moments
of the multiplicity distribution suggest that the soft pions are
non-statistical. Furthermore, their emission patterns exhibit azimuthal
correlations that have a bearing on the domain size in the source. Finally, the
distribution of the neutral pion fraction shows a significant broadening for
the soft pions which grows steadily as the number of azimuthal segments is
increased. All of these features are indicative of disoriented chiral
condensates and it may be interesting to apply similar analyses to actual data
from high-energy nuclear collision experiments.Comment: 38 pages total, incl 26 ps figures ([email protected]
Re-evaluation of the LHC potential for the measurement of Mw
We present a study of the LHC sensitivity to the W boson mass based on
simulation studies. We find that both experimental and phenomenological sources
of systematic uncertainties can be strongly constrained with Z measurements:
the lineshape is robustly predicted, and its analysis provides an accurate
measurement of the detector resolution and absolute scale, while the
differential cross-section analysis absorbs most of the strong interaction
uncertainties. A sensitivity \delta Mw \sim 7 \MeV for each decay channel (W
--> e nu, W --> mu nu), and for an integrated luminosity of 10 fb-1, appears as
a reasonable goal
Measuring the Weak Phase gamma in Color Allowed B->DKpi Decays
We present a method to measure the weak phase gamma in the three-body decay
of charged B mesons to the final states D K pi0. These decays are mediated by
interfering amplitudes which are color-allowed and hence relatively large. As a
result, large CP violation effects that could be observed with high statistical
significance are possible. In addition, the three-body decay helps resolve
discrete ambiguities that are usually present in measurements of the weak
phase. The experimental implications of conducting these measurements with
three-body decays are discussed, and the sensitivity of the method is evaluated
using a simulation.Comment: 18 pages, LaTex, 15 eps and ps figure
Persistent Organic Pollutant Exposure Leads to Insulin Resistance Syndrome
International audienceBackground: the incidence of the insulin resistance syndrome has increased at an alarming rate worldwide, creating a serious challenge to public health care in the 21st century. Recently, epide-miological studies have associated the prevalence of type 2 diabetes with elevated body burdens of persistent organic pollutants (POPs). However, experimental evidence demonstrating a causal link between POPs and the development of insulin resistance is lacking. Objective: We investigated whether exposure to POPs contributes to insulin resistance and meta-bolic disorders. Methods: Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed for 28 days to lipophilic POPs through the con-sumption of a high-fat diet containing either refined or crude fish oil obtained from farmed Atlantic salmon. In addition, differentiated adipocytes were exposed to several POP mixtures that mimicked the relative abundance of organic pollutants present in crude salmon oil. We measured body weight, whole-body insulin sensitivity, POP accumulation, lipid and glucose homeostasis, and gene expres-sion and we performed micro array analysis. Results: Adult male rats exposed to crude, but not refined, salmon oil developed insulin resis-tance, abdominal obesity, and hepatosteatosis. The contribution of POPs to insulin resistance was confirmed in cultured adipocytes where POPs, especially organochlorine pesticides, led to robust inhibition of insulin action. Moreover, POPs induced down-regulation of insulin-induced gene-1 (Insig-1) and Lpin1, two master regulators of lipid homeostasis. Conclusion: Our findings provide evidence that exposure to POPs commonly present in food chains leads to insulin resistance and associated metabolic disorder
Detection of ice core particles via deep neural networks
Insoluble particles in ice cores record signatures of past climate parameters like vegetation dynamics, volcanic activity, and aridity. For some of them, the analytical detection relies on intensive bench microscopy investigation and requires dedicated sample preparation steps. Both are laborious, require in-depth knowledge, and often restrict sampling strategies. To help overcome these limitations, we present a framework based on flow imaging microscopy coupled to a deep neural network for autonomous image classification of ice core particles. We train the network to classify seven commonly found classes, namely mineral dust, felsic and mafic (basaltic) volcanic ash grains (tephra), three species of pollen (Corylus avellana, Quercus robur, Quercus suber), and contamination particles that may be introduced onto the ice core surface during core handling operations. The trained network achieves 96.8 % classification accuracy at test time. We present the system's potential and its limitations with respect to the detection of mineral dust, pollen grains, and tephra shards, using both controlled materials and real ice core samples. The methodology requires little sample material, is non-destructive, fully reproducible, and does not require any sample preparation procedures. The presented framework can bolster research in the field by cutting down processing time, supporting human-operated microscopy, and further unlocking the paleoclimate potential of ice core records by providing the opportunity to identify an array of ice core particles. Suggestions for an improved system to be deployed within a continuous flow analysis workflow are also presented
Telomeres and the natural lifespan limit in humans
An ongoing debate in demography has focused on whether the human lifespan has a maximal natural limit. Taking a mechanistic perspective, and knowing that short telomeres are associated with diminished longevity, we examined whether telomere length dynamics during adult life could set a maximal natural lifespan limit. We define leukocyte telomere length of 5 kb as the 'telomeric brink', which denotes a high risk of imminent death. We show that a subset of adults may reach the telomeric brink within the current life expectancy and more so for a 100-year life expectancy. Thus secular trends in life expectancy should confront a biological limit due to crossing the telomeric brink
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