1,699 research outputs found
Design considerations for a new generation of SiPMs with unprecedented timing resolution
The potential of photon detectors to achieve precise timing information is of
increasing importance in many domains, PET and CT scanners in medical imaging
and particle physics detectors, amongst others. The goal to increase by an
order of magnitude the sensitivity of PET scanners and to deliver, via
time-of-flight (TOF), true space points for each event, as well as the
constraints set by future particle accelerators require a further leap in time
resolution of scintillator-based ionizing radiation detectors, reaching
eventually a few picoseconds resolution for sub MeV energy deposits. In spite
of the impressive progress made in the last decade by several manufacturers,
the Single Photon Time Resolution (SPTR) of SiPMs is still in the range of
70-120ps FWHM, whereas a value of 10ps or even less would be desirable. Such a
step requires a break with traditional methods and the development of novel
technologies. The possibility of combining the extraordinary potential of
nanophotonics with new approaches offered by modern microelectronics and 3D
electronic integration opens novel perspectives for the development of a new
generation of metamaterial-based SiPMs with unprecedented photodetection
efficiency and timing resolution.Comment: 16 pages, 6 figures, submitted to JINS
Strategies to investigate membrane damage, nucleoid condensation, and rnase activity of bacterial toxin–antitoxin systems
A large number of bacterial toxin–antitoxin (TA) systems have been identified so far and different experimental approaches have been explored to investigate their activity and regulation both in vivo and in vitro. Nonetheless, a common feature of these methods is represented by the difficulty in cell transformation, culturing, and stability of the transformants, due to the expression of highly toxic proteins. Recently, in dealing with the type I Lpt/RNAII and the type II YafQ/DinJ TA systems, we encountered several of these problems that urged us to optimize methodological strategies to study the phenotype of recombinant Escherichia coli host cells. In particular, we have found conditions to tightly repress toxin expression by combining the pET expression system with the E. coli C41(DE3) pLysS strain. To monitor the RNase activity of the YafQ toxin, we developed a fluorescence approach based on Thioflavin-T which fluoresces brightly when complexed with bacterial RNA. Fluorescence microscopy was also applied to reveal loss of membrane integrity associated with the activity of the type I toxin Lpt, by using DAPI and ethidium bromide to selectively stain cells with impaired membrane permeability. We further found that atomic force microscopy can readily be employed to characterize toxin-induced membrane damages
Functional characterization of the type I toxin Lpt from Lactobacillus rhamnosus by fluorescence and atomic force microscopy
Lpt is a 29 amino acid long type I toxin identified in the plasmid DNA of wild Lactobacillus rhamnosus strains isolated from food. We previously reported that transcription of the encoding gene was upregulated under nutritional starvation conditions mimicking cheese ripening environment. The heterologous expression of the Lpt peptide in E. coli resulted in cell growth inhibition, nucleoid condensation and compromised integrity of the cell membrane. Fusion of the Lpt peptide with the fluorescent protein mCherry allowed to visualize the accumulation of the peptide into the membrane, while mutagenesis experiments showed that either the insertion of a negatively charged amino acid into the hydrophobic a-helix or deletion of the hydrophilic C-terminal region, leads to a non-toxic peptide. AFM imaging of Lpt expressing E. coli cells has revealed the presence of surface defects that are compatible with the loss of portions of the outer membrane bilayer. This observation provides support for the so-called "carpet" model, by which the Lpt peptide is supposed to destabilize the phospholipid packing through a detergent-like mechanism leading to the removal of small patches of bilayer through micellization
A 5 Gb/s Radiation Tolerant Laser Driver
A laser driver for data transmission at 5 Gb/s has been developed as a part of the Giga Bit Transceiver (GBT) project. The Giga Bit Laser Driver (GBLD) targets High Energy Physics (HEP) applications for which radiation tolerance is mandatory. The GBLD ASIC can drive both VCSELs and some types of edge emitting lasers. It is essentially composed of two drivers capable of sinking up to 12 mA each from the load at a maximum data rate of 5 Gb/s, and of a current sink for the laser bias current. The laser driver include also pre-emphasis and duty cycle control capabilities
Beam test results of the irradiated Silicon Drift Detector for ALICE
The Silicon Drift Detectors will equip two of the six cylindrical layers of
high precision position sensitive detectors in the ITS of the ALICE experiment
at LHC. In this paper we report the beam test results of a SDD irradiated with
1 GeV electrons. The aim of this test was to verify the radiation tolerance of
the device under an electron fluence equivalent to twice particle fluence
expected during 10 years of ALICE operation.Comment: 6 pages,6 figures, to appear in the proceedings of International
Workshop In high Multiplicity Environments (TIME'05), 3-7 October 2005,
Zurich,Switzerlan
A model to explain angular distributions of and decays into and
BESIII data show a particular angular distribution for the decay of the
and mesons into the hyperons
and . More in details the angular distribution of
the decay exhibits an opposite trend
with respect to that of the other three channels: , and
. We define a model to explain the
origin of this phenomenon.Comment: 6 pages, 7 figures, to be published in Chinese Physics
In vitro characterization and in vivo comparison of the pulmonary outcomes of Poractant alfa and Calsurf in ventilated preterm rabbits
Poractant alfa and Calsurf are two natural surfactants widely used in China for the treatment of neonatal respiratory distress syndrome, which are extracted from porcine and calf lungs, respectively. The purpose of this experimental study was to compare their in vitro characteristics and in vivo effects in the improvement of pulmonary function and protection of lung injury. The biophysical properties, ultrastructure, and lipid composition of both surfactant preparations were respectively analysed in vitro by means of Langmuir-Blodgett trough (LBT), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and liquid-chromatography mass-spectrometry (LC-MS). Then, as core pharmacological activity, both head-to-head (100 and 200 mg/kg for both surfactants) and licensed dose comparisons (70 mg/kg Calsurf vs. 200 mg/kg Poractant alfa) between the two surfactants were conducted as prophylaxis in preterm rabbits with primary surfactant deficiency, assessing survival time and rate and dynamic compliance of the respiratory system (Cdyn). Intrapulmonary surfactant pools, morphometric volume density as alveolar expansion (Vv), and lung injury scores were determined post mortem. AFM and LC-MS analysis revealed qualitative differences in the ultrastructure as well as in the lipid composition of both preparations. Calsurf showed a longer plateau region of the LBT isotherm and lower film compressibility. In vivo, both surfactant preparations improved Cdyn at any dose, although maximum benefits in terms of Vv and intrapulmonary surfactant pools were seen with the 200 mg/kg dose in both surfactants. The group of animals treated with 200 mg/kg of Poractant alfa showed a prolonged survival time and rate compared to untreated but ventilated controls, and significantly ameliorated lung injury compared to Calsurf at any dose, including 200 mg/kg. The overall outcomes suggest the pulmonary effects to be dose dependent for both preparations. The group of animals treated with 200 mg/kg of Poractant alfa showed a significant reduction of mortality. Compared to Calsurf, Poractant alfa exerted better effects if licensed doses were compared, which requires further investigation
Pressure pulsation in Kaplan turbines: Prototype-CFD comparison
Abstract. Pressure pulsation phenomena in a large Kaplan turbine are investigated by means of numerical simulations (CFD) and prototype measurements in order to study the dynamic behavior of flow due to the blade passage and its interaction with other components of the turbine. Numerical simulations are performed with the commercial software Ansys CFX code, solving the incompressible Unsteady Reynolds-Averaged-Navier Stokes equations under a finite volume scheme. The computational domain involves the entire machine at prototype scale. Special care is taken in the discretization of the wicket gate overhang and runner blade gap. Prototype measurements are performed using pressure transducers at different locations among the wicket gate outlet and the draft tube inlet. Then, CFD results are compared with temporary signals of prototype measurements at identical locations to validate the numerical model. A detailed analysis was focused on the tip gap flow and the pressure field at the discharge ring. From a rotating reference frame perspective, it is found that the mean pressure fluctuates accordingly the wicket gate passage. Moreover, in prototype measurements the pressure frequency that reveals the presence of modulated cavitation at the discharge ring is distinguished, as also verified from the shape of erosion patches in concordance with the number of wicket gates
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