CERN Proton Synchrotron working point control using an improved version of the pole-face-windings and figure-of-eight loop powering

The working point of the CERN Proton Synchrotron, which is equipped with combined function magnets, is controlled using pole-face-windings. Each main magnet consists of one focusing and one de-focusing half-unit on which four pole-face-winding plates are mounted containing two separate coils each, called narrow and wide. At present they are connected in series, but can be powered independently. In addition, a winding called the figure-of-eight loop, contours the pole faces and crosses between the two half units, generating opposite fields in each half-unit. The four optical parameters, horizontal and vertical tune and chromaticity, are adjusted by acting on the pole-face-winding currents in both half units and in the figure-of-eight loop, leaving one physical quantity free. The power supply consolidation project opened the opportunity to use five independent power supplies, to adjust the four parameters plus an additional degree of freedom. This paper presents the results of the measurements that have been made in the five-current mode together with the influence of the magnetic nonlinearities, due to the unbalance in the narrow and wide winding currents, on the beam dynamics

Hypoxia Activates a Ca-Permeable Cation Conductance Sensitive to Carbon Monoxide and to GsMTx-4 in Human and Mouse Sickle Erythrocytes

Background: Deoxygenation of sickle erythrocytes activates a cation permeability of unknown molecular identity (Psickle), leading to elevated intracellular [Ca2+] ([Ca2+]i) and subsequent activation of KCa 3.1. The resulting erythrocyte volume decrease elevates intracellular hemoglobin S (HbSS) concentration, accelerates deoxygenation-induced HbSS polymerization, and increases the likelihood of cell sickling. Deoxygenation-induced currents sharing some properties of Psickle have been recorded from sickle erythrocytes in whole cell configuration. Methodology/Principal Findings: We now show by cell-attached and nystatin-permeabilized patch clamp recording from sickle erythrocytes of mouse and human that deoxygenation reversibly activates a Ca2+- and cation-permeable conductance sensitive to inhibition by Grammastola spatulata mechanotoxin-4 (GsMTx-4; 1 µM), dipyridamole (100 µM), DIDS (100 µM), and carbon monoxide (25 ppm pretreatment). Deoxygenation also elevates sickle erythrocyte [Ca2+]i, in a manner similarly inhibited by GsMTx-4 and by carbon monoxide. Normal human and mouse erythrocytes do not exhibit these responses to deoxygenation. Deoxygenation-induced elevation of [Ca2+]i in mouse sickle erythrocytes did not require KCa3.1 activity. Conclusions/Significance: The electrophysiological and fluorimetric data provide compelling evidence in sickle erythrocytes of mouse and human for a deoxygenation-induced, reversible, Ca2+-permeable cation conductance blocked by inhibition of HbSS polymerization and by an inhibitor of strctch-activated cation channels. This cation permeability pathway is likely an important source of intracellular Ca2+ for pathologic activation of KCa3.1 in sickle erythrocytes. Blockade of this pathway represents a novel therapeutic approach for treatment of sickle disease

Molecular characterization of Slc26a3 and Slc26a6 anion transporters in guinea pig pancreatic duct

Sa što većim razvojem prometa razvila se potreba za detaljnom analizom putnika u javnom gradskom prijevozu. Svrha detaljne analize, odnosno prebrojavanja putnika je radi poboljšanja kvalitete usluge. Brojanje putnika predstavlja polazni uvjet za analizu sadašnjeg stanja, te daljnji razvoj u budućnosti. Brojanje putnika izvodi se ručno i automatski. Sa što veći razvojem tehnike razvili su se mnogi uređaji koji pospješuju automatski način brojanja. Sama svrha automatskog brojanja putnika očituje se u točnosti informacije, te služi za poboljšanje kvalitete usluge javnog gradskog prijevoza. Brojanje putnika je najvažniji čimbenik za daljnju razvijenost mreže linija javnog prijevoza. U radu se još opisuju tehnologije automatskog brojanja putnika, uređaji, njihova primjena, te daljni razvoj u budućnosti.With the increase in traffic, the need for a detalied analysis of public transport passenger has developed. The purpose of detailed analysis, that is, of counting passenger, is to improve the quality of service. Passenger counting is a starting point for analyzing the current situation and further development in the future. Passenger counting is performed manually and automatically. With the greater advancement of the techique, many devices have been developed that faciilitate automatic counting. The purpose of automatic passenger counting is to be reflected in the accuacy of information and to improve the quality of public transport services. Numbering of passenger is the most importanat facor for the further development of the public transport network. This paper also describes the technologies of automatic passenger counting, devices, their application, and futher development in the future

Plutonium in the environment: key factors related to impact assessment in case of an accidental atmospheric release

International audienceThis paper deals with plutonium and key factors related to impact assessment. It is based on recent work performed by CEA which summarize the main features of plutonium behaviour from sources inside installations to the environment and man, and to report current knowledge on the different parameters used in models for environmental and radiological impact assessment. These key factors are illustrated through a case study based on an accidental atmospheric release of Pu in a nuclear facility

Biochemical effect evaluation of perfluorooctane sulfonic acid-contaminated wood mice (Apodemus sylvaticus).

Wood mice (Apodemus sylvaticus) were captured at Blokkersdijk, a nature reserve in the immediate vicinity of a fluorochemical plant in Antwerp, Belgium, and at Galgenweel, 3 kilometers farther away. The liver perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) concentrations in the Blokkersdijk mice were extremely high (0.47-178.55 micro g/g wet weight). Perfluorononanoic, perfluorodecanoic, perfluoroundecanoic, and perfluorododecanoic acids were found sporadically in the liver tissue of the Blokkersdijk mice. The liver PFOS concentrations at Galgenweel were significantly lower than those at Blokkersdijk (0.14-1.11 micro g/g wet weight). Further results suggest sex independence of the liver PFOS levels, increased levels of PFOS bioaccumulation in older mice, and maternal PFOS transfer to the young. Several liver end points were significantly elevated in the Blokkersdijk mice: liver weight, relative liver weight, peroxisomal beta-oxidation activity, microsomal lipid peroxidation level, and mitochondrial fraction protein content. For the mitochondrial fraction catalase activity, no significant difference between locations was found. The liver weight, relative liver weight, and liver microsomal lipid peroxidation level increased significantly with the liver PFOS concentration. No indications for PFOS-mediated effects on the serum triglyceride, cholesterol, or potassium levels were obtained. The liver PFOS concentration was negatively related to the serum alanine aminotransferase activity

Ions for LHC: Towards Completion of the Injector Chain

The commissioning of CERN's ion injector complex [1] to allow 1.1 PeV collisions of ions in LHC is well under way. After the Low Energy Ion Ring (LEIR) in 2005 [2] and the Proton Synchrotron (PS) in 2006 [3], the Super Proton Synchrotron (SPS) has now been commissioned with the 'Early' ion beam, which should give a luminosity of $5×10^{25}cm^{-2}s^{-1}$ in the LHC. This paper summarizes the operation in 2007 of all the machines involved in the ion injection chain

IONS FOR LHC: STATUS OF THE INJECTOR CHAIN

The LHC will, in addition to proton runs, be operated with Pb ions and provide collisions at energies of 5.5 TeV per nucleon pair, i.e. more than 1.1 PeV per event, to experiments. The transformation of CERN's ion injector complex (Linac3-LEIR-PS-SPS) to allow collision of ions in LHC in 2008 is well under way. The status of these modifications and the latest results of commissioning will be presented. The remaining challenges are reviewed

First Results for the Beam Commissioning of the CERN Multi-Turn Extraction

The Multi-Turn Extraction (MTE), a new type of extraction based on beam trapping inside stable islands in horizontal phase space, has been commissioned during the 2008 run of the CERN Proton Synchrotron. Both singleand multi-bunch beams with a total intensity up to 1.4 1013 protons have been extracted with efficiencies up to 98%. Furthermore, injection tests in the CERN Super Proton Synchrotron were performed, with the beam then accelerated and extracted to produce neutrinos for the CERN Neutrino-to-Gran Sasso experiments. The results of the extensive measurement campaign are presented and discussed in detail

Calcium and Vitamin D increase mRNA levels for the growth control hIK1 channel in human epidermal keratinocytes but functional channels are not observed

BACKGROUND: Intermediate-conductance, calcium-activated potassium channels (IKs) modulate proliferation and differentiation in mesodermal cells by enhancing calcium influx, and they contribute to the physiology of fluid movement in certain epithelia. Previous reports suggest that IK channels stimulate proliferative growth in a keratinocyte cell line; however, because these channels indirectly promote calcium influx, a critically unique component of the keratinocyte differentiation program, an alternative hypothesis is that they would be anti-proliferative and pro-differentiating. This study addresses these hypotheses. METHODS: Real-time PCR, patch clamp electrophysiology, and proliferation assays were used to determine if human IK1 (hIK1) expression and function are correlated with either proliferation or differentiation in cultured human skin epidermal keratinocytes, and skin biopsies grown in explant culture. RESULTS: hIK1 mRNA expression in human keratinocytes and skin was increased in response to anti-proliferative/pro-differentiating stimuli (elevated calcium and Vitamin D). Correspondingly, the hIK1 agonist 1-EBIO inhibited keratinocyte proliferation suggesting that the channel could be anti-proliferative and pro-differentiating. However, this proliferative inhibition by 1-EBIO was not reversed by a panel of hIK1 blockers, calling into question the mechanism of 1-EBIO action. Subsequent patch clamp electrophysiological analysis failed to detect hIK1 channel currents in keratinocytes, even those expressing substantial hIK1 mRNA in response to calcium and Vitamin D induced differentiation. Identical electrophysiological recording conditions were then used to observe robust IK1 currents in fibroblasts which express IK1 mRNA levels comparable to those of keratinocytes. Thus, the absence of observable hIK1 currents in keratinocytes was not a function of the electrophysiological techniques. CONCLUSION: Human keratinocyte differentiation is stimulated by calcium mobilization and influx, and differentiation stimuli coordinately upregulate mRNA levels of the calcium-activated hIK1 channel. This upregulation is paradoxical in that functional hIK1 channels are not observed in cultured keratinocytes. It appears, therefore, that hIK1 does not contribute to the functional electrophysiology of primary human keratinocytes, nor intact human skin. Further, the results indicate caution is required when interpreting experiments utilizing pharmacological hIK1 modulators in human keratinocytes