Emittance Growth and Energy Loss due to Coherent Synchrotron Radiation in a bunch compressor

Bunches of high charge (10 nC) are compressed in length in the CTF II bunch compressor from 1.2 mm rms to less than 0.4 mm. The short bunches start to radiate coherently, thus affecting the horizontal and longitudinal phase spaces of the beam. This paper reports the results of measurements and simulations concerning the increase of the beam emittance and the impact on the energy distribution. Beam emittances were measured for different bunch compression factors and bunch charges. For each compressor setting, the energy spectrum of the beam was recorded in order to measure the energy loss due to coherent synchrotron radiation. For bunch charges of 10 nC a maximum increase of the horizontal emittance of 50% was observed at full compression, while the mean beam energy decreased by 5% from 39 MeV to 37 MeV. Both effects are correlated with an increase of the energy spread from 2.3% to 8.5% rms. The experimental results are compared with simulations

A Computational Framework for Ultrastructural Mapping of Neural Circuitry

Circuitry mapping of metazoan neural systems is difficult because canonical neural regions (regions containing one or more copies of all components) are large, regional borders are uncertain, neuronal diversity is high, and potential network topologies so numerous that only anatomical ground truth can resolve them. Complete mapping of a specific network requires synaptic resolution, canonical region coverage, and robust neuronal classification. Though transmission electron microscopy (TEM) remains the optimal tool for network mapping, the process of building large serial section TEM (ssTEM) image volumes is rendered difficult by the need to precisely mosaic distorted image tiles and register distorted mosaics. Moreover, most molecular neuronal class markers are poorly compatible with optimal TEM imaging. Our objective was to build a complete framework for ultrastructural circuitry mapping. This framework combines strong TEM-compliant small molecule profiling with automated image tile mosaicking, automated slice-to-slice image registration, and gigabyte-scale image browsing for volume annotation. Specifically we show how ultrathin molecular profiling datasets and their resultant classification maps can be embedded into ssTEM datasets and how scripted acquisition tools (SerialEM), mosaicking and registration (ir-tools), and large slice viewers (MosaicBuilder, Viking) can be used to manage terabyte-scale volumes. These methods enable large-scale connectivity analyses of new and legacy data. In well-posed tasks (e.g., complete network mapping in retina), terabyte-scale image volumes that previously would require decades of assembly can now be completed in months. Perhaps more importantly, the fusion of molecular profiling, image acquisition by SerialEM, ir-tools volume assembly, and data viewers/annotators also allow ssTEM to be used as a prospective tool for discovery in nonneural systems and a practical screening methodology for neurogenetics. Finally, this framework provides a mechanism for parallelization of ssTEM imaging, volume assembly, and data analysis across an international user base, enhancing the productivity of a large cohort of electron microscopists

Research on information systems failures and successes: Status update and future directions

The final publication is available at Springer via http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10796-014-9500-yInformation systems success and failure are among the most prominent streams in IS research. Explanations of why some IS fulfill their expectations, whereas others fail, are complex and multi-factorial. Despite the efforts to understand the underlying factors, the IS failure rate remains stubbornly high. A Panel session was held at the IFIP Working Group 8.6 conference in Bangalore in 2013 which forms the subject of this Special Issue. Its aim was to reflect on the need for new perspectives and research directions, to provide insights and further guidance for managers on factors enabling IS success and avoiding IS failure. Several key issues emerged, such as the need to study problems from multiple perspectives, to move beyond narrow considerations of the IT artifact, and to venture into underexplored organizational contexts, such as the public sector. © 2014 Springer Science+Business Media New York

Ectopic synaptic ribbons in dendrites of mouse retinal ON- and OFF-bipolar cells

The ectopic distribution of synaptic ribbons in dendrites of mouse retinal bipolar cells was examined by using genetic ablation of metabotropic glutamate receptor subtype 6 (mGluR6), electron microscopy, and immunocytochemistry. Ectopic ribbons were observed in dendrites of rod and ON-cone bipolar cells in the mGluR6-deficient mouse but not in those of wild-type mice. The number of rod spherules facing the ectopic ribbons in mGluR6-deficient rod bipolar dendrites increased gradually during early growth and reached a plateau level of about 20% at 12 weeks. These ectopic ribbons were immunopositive for RIBEYE, a ribbon-specific protein, but the associated vesicles were immunonegative for synaptophysin, a synaptic-vesicle-specific protein. The presence of ectopic ribbons was correlated with an increase in the roundness of the invaginating dendrites of the rod bipolar cells. We further confirmed ectopic ribbons in dendrites of OFF-cone bipolar cells in wild-type retinas. Of the four types of OFF-cone bipolar cells (T1–T4), only the T2-type, which had a greater number of synaptic ribbons at the axon terminal and a thicker axon cylinder than the other types, had ectopic ribbons. Light-adapted experiments revealed that, in wild-type mice under enhanced-light adaptation (considered similar to the mGluR6-deficient state), the roundness in the invaginating dendrites and axon terminals of rod bipolar cells increased, but no ectopic ribbons were detected. Based on these findings and known mechanisms for neurotransmitter release and protein trafficking, the possible mechanisms underlying the ectopic ribbons are discussed on the basis of intracellular transport for the replenishment of synaptic proteins

Session “Midpoint, endpoint or single score for decision-making?”—SETAC Europe 25th Annual Meeting May 5th, 2015

There is a strong demand for simple understandable and clear outcomes for decision support especially in policy context or in company managements. A debate is ongoing whether clarity and simplicity may be reached adopting endpoint or even single score methods. To contribute to this debate a session was organised about the use of midpoint, endpoint or single score for sound decision support. The session contained 10 presentations about different aspects of this topic and a 40 minute panel discussion at the end. Most authors that contributed to this SETAC Europe LCA session are convinced that in many cases there is a need of endpoint or single score assessment (and its transparent communication) for sound and effective decision support. It may be the better option than letting the decision makers choose the relevant impacts subjectively. But using endpoint or single score results does not mean that midpoint indicators give no valuable results. Even though endpoint or single score indicators can be very helpful for decision support, midpoint indicators are helpful in identifying measures for specific environmental concerns (e.g. climate change, acidification or water scarcity).JRC.H.8-Sustainability Assessmen