The European Butterfly Indicator for grassland species: 1990-2013

This report presents the fifth version of the European Grassland Butterfly Indicator, one of the EU biodiversity indicators of the European Environment Agency

CP violation in CMS: Expected performance

The CMS experiment can contribute significantly to the measurement of the CP violation asymmetries. A recent evaluation of the expected precision on the CP violation parameter sin2β in the channel B0d → J/ψK0s has been performed using a simulation of the CMS tracker including full pattern recognition. CMS has also studied the possibility to observe CP violation in the decay channel B0s → J/ψΦ. The results of these studies are reviewed.SCOPUS: ar.jinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishe

Performance of the CMS Tracker Version V3

This note describes a systematic study of the CMS tracker performance. It aims to evaluate the contribution of different factors, like the spatial resolution of the sensitive elements and the amount of material in the tracker, that affect the track finding efficiency and track parameter resolutions achievable with the CMS tracker. Layout V3 is studied with a detailed simulation of the tracker response, including the simulation of the particle signals induced on the counters' electrodes. The simulation is performed with the CMS detector simulation program CMSIM version 111 ( version 113 for the pixel counters). The tracker performance is evaluated for isolated muon tracks, and for particles in b-jets from top decays at high LHC luminosity

Monitoring environmental effects on farmland Lepidoptera: Does necessary sampling effort vary between different bio-geographic regions in Europe?

In agro-ecosystems, environmental monitoring is fundamental to detect and survey changes related to land use change and management practices. Butterflies and moths have often been suggested as suitable indicators for monitoring environmental effects on biodiversity in farmlands. Here, we estimated the required sample size and monitoring effort necessary to run a Lepidoptera survey in European farmland, assessing in particular if monitoring investment would differ between representative bio-geographical regions. We operated linear 1-km long transect routes in farmland of Romania, Spain and Sweden from 2013 to 2015, and recorded butterflies and burnet moths (Papilionoidea, Zygaenidae). The transects were walked back and forth four times a season, and replicated yearly. The lepidopteran diversity was high in farmlands of Romania and Spain, but comparatively low in Sweden. The coefficient of variation (CV) of recorded species number differed between countries being lowest in Sweden and highest in Spain. In general, the CV dropped above a transect length of 400-800 m, thus indicating an increase in statistical power. Assuming a non-parametric test for matched samples, power calculations were conducted with the raw count data and with log-transformed count data for comparison. When using log-transformed data, the required sample size to detect an effect was less than 10 transects per country or region (in order to detect a 10% loss of species or a decrease of 30% in total abundance). Specific subgroups of species, e.g. protected species or specific indicator groups, showed a higher variance, thus requiring a higher sample size to detect effects ranging from 12 to 16 transects (equivalent to 21-29 working days per country and year). When using original, untransformed count data a considerably larger sample size would be needed. Actual time to be invested in field work differed between countries due to contrasting regional constraints and conditions. Nevertheless, the final monitoring effort in working days was similar between countries as the factors involved balanced out each other, in particular due to the differing yearto- year variations. Our study demonstrated the feasibility of an environmental monitoring programme in arable land using farmland butterflies across Europe. We present a suitable approach and guidelines as well as the necessary effort to be invested in future Europe-wide monitoring programmes of butterflies in agro-ecosystems, based on predictions of statistical power

Large scale test of wedge shaped micro strip gas counters

In order to check the system aspects of the forward-backward MSGC tracker designed for the future CMS experiment at LHC, 38 trapezoidal MSGC counters assembled in six multi-substrates detector modules were built and exposed to a muon beam at the CERN SPS. Results on the gain uniformity along the wedge-shaped strip pattern and across the detector modules are shown together with measurements of the detection efficiency and the spatial resolution.0SCOPUS: ar.jinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishe

Technical Design Report: A Possible Approach for the Construction of the CMS Forward-Backward MSGC Tracker

A possible way of constructing, running and maintaining the forward-backward MSGC tracker of CMS is described in this note. Prototype results validating features specific to this design are also given

Measurement of the branching ratio of the He-6 beta-decay channel into the alpha plus d continuum

We measured the deuteron-emission branch of the beta decay of the halo nucleus He-6 using the technique of implantation into a highly segmented silicon detector. The method, used here for the first time with a beam of He-6 ions, ensures precise normalization; the value obtained for the branching ratio is B=(1.65 +/- 0.10)x10(-6) (6% error). The summed energy spectra of the emitted alpha and d particles has also been measured. The results allow us to compare calculations from various models, potentially setting strong constraints on the precision required for the description of the He-6 ground-state wave function

Initial Findings From the North American COVID-19 Myocardial Infarction Registry

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has impacted many aspects of ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) care, including timely access to primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI). The goal of the NACMI (North American COVID-19 and STEMI) registry is to describe demographic characteristics, management strategies, and outcomes of COVID-19 patients with STEMI. A prospective, ongoing observational registry was created under the guidance of 3 cardiology societies. STEMI patients with confirmed COVID+ (group 1) or suspected (person under investigation [PUI]) (group 2) COVID-19 infection were included. A group of age- and sex-matched STEMI patients (matched to COVID+ patients in a 2:1 ratio) treated in the pre-COVID era (2015 to 2019) serves as the control group for comparison of treatment strategies and outcomes (group 3). The primary outcome was a composite of in-hospital death, stroke, recurrent myocardial infarction, or repeat unplanned revascularization. As of December 6, 2020, 1,185 patients were included in the NACMI registry (230 COVID+ patients, 495 PUIs, and 460 control patients). COVID+ patients were more likely to have minority ethnicity (Hispanic 23%, Black 24%) and had a higher prevalence of diabetes mellitus (46%) (all p < 0.001 relative to PUIs). COVID+ patients were more likely to present with cardiogenic shock (18%) but were less likely to receive invasive angiography (78%) (all p < 0.001 relative to control patients). Among COVID+ patients who received angiography, 71% received PPCI and 20% received medical therapy (both p < 0.001 relative to control patients). The primary outcome occurred in 36% of COVID+ patients, 13% of PUIs, and 5% of control patients (p < 0.001 relative to control patients). COVID+ patients with STEMI represent a high-risk group of patients with unique demographic and clinical characteristics. PPCI is feasible and remains the predominant reperfusion strategy, supporting current recommendations. [Display omitted