Beam-beam effects in the high-pile-up tests of the LHC

Investigating the beam-beam limit in the LHC is of great importance, since identifying its source is crucial for the luminosity optimization scenario. Several experiments were carried out to search for this limit and check whether it is dominated by the head-on (HO) or the long-range (LR) interactions. In this paper only the HO collision effects will be considered, tracking the evolution of the maximum tune shift achieved during the dedicated machine developments and the special high pile-up fills.Comment: 7 pages, contribution to the ICFA Mini-Workshop on Beam-Beam Effects in Hadron Colliders, CERN, Geneva, Switzerland, 18-22 Mar 201

The two faces of reputation risk: anticipating downside losses while exploiting upside gains

Se investiga la naturaleza ambigua del riesgo de la reputación y se discute cómo las empresas reaccionan ante la dualidad de la gestión de la reputación. Abarca, además, las herramientas desarrolladas por el Reputation Institute, que contribuyen a la mensuración y gestión de las amenazas y oportunidades con las cuales las empresas se deparan en la gestión de sus reputaciones, facilitando, así, el proceso de toma de decisión.This article examines the Janus-faced nature of reputation risk and discusses how companies address the duality of reputation management. It also showcases a decisionmaking tool developed by Reputation Institute that companies are now using to help identify and address the largest threats and opportunities they face in managing their reputations.Este artigo examina a natureza ambígua do risco da reputação e discute como as empresas lidam com a dualidade da gestão da reputação. Ele também exibe ferramentas desenvolvidas pelo Reputation Institute que auxiliam na identificação e no gerenciamento de ameaças e oportunidades com as quais empresas se deparam na gestão de suas reputações, facilitando, assim, o processo de tomada de decisão

Electron Beam Size Measurements Using the Heterodyne Near Field Speckles at ALBA

Experiments using the heterodyne near field speckle method (HNFS) have been performed at ALBA to characterize the spatial coherence of the synchrotron radiation, with the ultimate goal of measuring both the horizontal and vertical electron beam sizes. The HNFS technique consists on the analysis of the interference between the radiation scattered by a colloidal suspension of nanoparticles and the synchrotron radiation, which in this case corresponds to the hard x-rays (12keV) produced by the in-vacuum undulator of the NCD-Sweet beamline. This paper describes the fundamentals of the technique, possible limitations, and shows the first experimental results changing the beam coupling of the storage ring

Progress on transverse beam profile measurement using the heterodyne near field speckles method at Alba

We present the recent developments of a study aimed at measuring the transverse beam profile using the Heterodyne Near Field Speckles (HNFS) method. The HNFS technique works by illuminating a suspension of Brownian nanoparticles with synchrotron radiation and studying the resulting interference pattern. The transverse coherence of the source, and therefore, under the conditions of validity of the Van Cittert and Zernike theorem, the transverse electron beam size is retrieved from the interference between the transmitted beam and the spherical waves scattered by each nanoparticle. We here describe the fundamentals of this technique, as well as the recent experimental results obtained with 12 keV undulator radiation at the NCD beamline at the ALBA synchrotron. The applicability of such a technique for future accelerators (e.g. CLIC or FCC) is also discussed

Transoral incisionless fundoplication effective in eliminating GERD symptoms in partial responders to proton pump inhibitor therapy at 6 months: The TEMPO randomized clinical trial

Background. Incomplete control of troublesome regurgitation and extraesophageal manifestations of chronic gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a known limitation of proton pump inhibitor (PPI) therapy. This multicenter randomized study compared the efficacy of transoral incisionless fundoplication (TIF) against PPIs in controlling these symptoms in patients with small hiatal hernias. Methods. Between June and August 2012, 63 patients were randomized at 7 US community hospitals. Patients in the PPI group were placed on maximum standard dose (MSD). Patients in the TIF group underwent esophagogastric fundoplication using the EsophyX2 device. Primary outcome was elimination of daily troublesome regurgitation or extraesophageal symptoms. Secondary outcomes were normalization of esophageal acid exposure (EAE), PPI usage and healing of esophagitis. Results. Of 63 randomized patients (40 TIF and 23 PPI), 3 were lost to follow-up leaving 39 TIF and 21 PPI patients for analysis. At 6-month follow-up, troublesome regurgitation was eliminated in 97% of TIF patients versus 50% of PPI patients, relative risk (RR) = 1.9, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.2-3.11 (P = .006). Globally, 62% of TIF patients experienced elimination of regurgitation and extraesophageal symptoms versus 5% of PPI patients, RR = 12.9, 95% CI = 1.9-88.9 (P = .009). EAE was normalized in 54% of TIF patients (off PPIs) versus 52% of PPI patients (on MSD), RR = 1.0, 95% CI = 0.6-1.7 (P = .914). Ninety percent of TIF patients were off PPIs. Conclusion. At 6-month follow-up, TIF was more effective than MSD PPI therapy in eliminating troublesome regurgitation and extraesophageal symptoms of GERD

Investigations of the LHC Emittance Blow-Up During the 2012 Proton Run

About 30 % of the potential luminosity performance is lost through the different phases of the LHC cycle, mainly due to transverse emittance blow-up. Measuring the emittance growth is a difficult task with high intensity beams and changing energies. Improvements of the LHC transverse profile instrumentation helped to study various effects. A breakdown of the growth through the different phases of the LHC cycle is given as well as a comparison with the data from the LHC experiments for transverse beam size. In 2012 a number of possible sources and remedies have been studied. Among these are intra beam scattering, 50 Hz noise and the effect of the transverse damper gain. The results of the investigations are summarized in this paper. Requirements for transverse profile instrumentation for post LHC long shutdown operation to finally tackle the emittance growth are given as well

The TEMPO Trial at 5 Years: Transoral Fundoplication (TIF 2.0) Is Safe, Durable, and Cost-effective.

BACKGROUND: Questions remain about the therapeutic durability of transoral incisionless fundoplication (TIF). In this study, clinical outcomes were evaluated at 5 years post-TIF 2.0. METHODS: A total of 63 chronic gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) sufferers with troublesome symptoms refractory to proton pump inhibitor (PPI) therapy, absent or ≤2 cm hiatal hernia, and abnormal esophageal acid exposure were randomized to the TIF group or PPI group. Following the 6-month evaluation, all patients in the PPI group elected for crossover to TIF; therefore, all 63 patients underwent TIF 2.0 with EsophyX RESULTS: Of 63 patients, 60 were available at 1 year, 52 at 3 years, and 44 at 5 years for evaluation. Troublesome regurgitation was eliminated in 88% of patients at 1 year, 90% at 3 years, and 86% at 5 years. Resolution of troublesome atypical symptoms was achieved in 82% of patients at 1 year, 88% at 3 years, and 80% at 5 years. No serious adverse events occurred. There were 3 reoperations by the end of the 5-year follow-up. At the 5-year follow-up, 34% of patients were on daily PPI therapy as compared with 100% of patients at screening. The total GERD Health-related quality-of-life score improved by decreasing from 22.2 to 6.8 at 5 years ( P \u3c .001). CONCLUSION: In this patient population, the TIF 2.0 procedure provided safe and sustained long-term elimination of troublesome GERD symptoms

Community engagement in Cutaneous Leishmaniasis research in Brazil, Ethiopia, and Sri Lanka: A decolonial approach for global health.

Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is a parasitic skin disease endemic in at least 88 countries where it presents an urgent, albeit often "neglected" public health problem. In this paper, we discuss our model of decolonial community engagement in the ECLIPSE global health research program, which aims to improve physical and mental health outcomes for people with CL. The ECLIPSE program has four interlinked phases and underpinning each of these phases is sustained and robust community engagement and involvement that guides and informs all activities in ECLIPSE. Our decolonial approach implies that the model for community engagement will be different in Brazil, Ethiopia and Sri Lanka. Indeed, we adopt a critical anthropological approach to engaging with community members and it is precisely this approach we evaluate in this paper. The data and material we draw on were collected through qualitative research methods during community engagement activities. We established 13 Community Advisory Groups (CAGs): in Brazil ( = 4), Ethiopia ( = 6), and Sri Lanka ( = 3). We identified four overarching themes during a thematic analysis of the data set: (1) Establishing community advisory groups, (2) CAG membership and community representation, (3) Culturally appropriate and context-bespoke engagement, and (4) Relationships between researchers and community members. During our first period of ECLIPSE community engagement, we have debunked myths (for instance about communities being "disempowered"), critiqued our own practices (changing approaches in bringing together CAG members) and celebrated successes (notably fruitful online engagement during a challenging COVID-19 pandemic context). Our evaluation revealed a gap between the exemplary community engagement frameworks available in the literature and the messy, everyday reality of working in communities. In the ECLIPSE program, we have translated ideal(istic) principles espoused by such community engagement guidance into the practical realities of "doing engagement" in low-resourced communities. Our community engagement was underpinned by such ideal principles, but adapted to local sociocultural contexts, working within certain funding and regulatory constraints imposed on researchers. We conclude with a set of lessons learned and recommendations for the conduct of decolonial community engagement in global health research. [Abstract copyright: Copyright © 2022 Polidano, Parton, Agampodi, Agampodi, Haileselassie, Lalani, Mota, Price, Rodrigues, Tafere, Trad, Zerihun and Dikomitis.