A time resolved study of injection backgrounds during the first commissioning phase of SuperKEKB

We report on measurements of beam backgrounds during the first commissioning phase of the SuperKEKB collider in 2016, performed with the plastic scintillator and silicon photomultiplier-based CLAWS detector system. The sub-nanosecond time resolution and single particle detection capability of the sensors allow bunch-by-bunch measurements, enable CLAWS to perform a novel time resolved analysis of beam backgrounds, and make the system uniquely suited for the study of injection backgrounds. We present measurements of various aspects of regular beam background and injection backgrounds which include time structure and decay behavior of injection backgrounds, hit-energy spectra and overall background rates. These measurements show that the elevated background rates following an injection generally last for several milliseconds, with the majority of the background particles typically observed within the first 500 us. The injection backgrounds exhibit pronounced patterns in time, connected to betatron and synchrotron oscillations in the accelerator rings. The frequencies of these patterns are determined from detector data.Comment: 19 pages, 12 figures, published in EPJ

Multiple transcripts of Ca 2ϩ channel ␣ 1 -subunits and a novel spliced variant of the ␣ 1C -subunit in rat ductus arteriosus

3 H]thymidine incorporation, suggesting that L-and T-type Ca 2ϩ channels are involved in smooth muscle cell proliferation in the DA. Third, we found that a novel alternatively spliced variant of the ␣ 1C-isoform was highly expressed in the neointimal cushion of the DA, where proliferating and migrating smooth muscle cells are abundant. The basic channel properties of the spliced variant did not differ from those of the conventional ␣1C-subunit. We conclude that multiple VDCC subunits were identified in the DA, and, in particular, ␣ 1C-and ␣1G-subunits were predominant in the DA. A novel spliced variant of the ␣1C-subunit gene may play a distinct role in neointimal cushion formation in the DA. alternative spliced; development; gene expression; fetal circulation THE DUCTUS ARTERIOSUS (DA) is a fetal arterial connection between the pulmonary artery and the descending aorta. After birth, the DA closes immediately, in accordance with its smooth muscle contraction. An increase in oxygen tension and a dramatic decline in circulating prostaglandins are the most important triggers of DA contraction (5). Generally, vascular smooth muscle contraction is induced by Ca 2ϩ / calmodulin-dependent phosphorylation of the regulatory myosin light chain, which is mediated by an increase in intracellular Ca 2ϩ . Ca 2ϩ influx through voltage-dependent Ca 2ϩ channels (VDCCs) and Ca 2ϩ release from intracellular stores are major sources of this increase (8, 26). Thus VDCCs must play an important role in vascular myogenic reactivity and tone of the DA. VDCCs are classified, according to their distinct electrophysiological and pharmacological properties, into low (Ttype) and high (L-, N-, P-, Q-, and R-type) VDCCs (20, In addition to their role in determining contractile state, a growing body of evidence has demonstrated that VDCCs play an important role in regulating differentiation and remodeling of vascular smooth muscle cells (SMCs) (14, In the present study, we identified multiple VDCC subunits in the DA by semiquantitative and quantitative RT-PCR and immunodetection. In particular, ␣ 1C -and ␣ 1G -subunits were predominant in the DA. Furthermore, we will demonstrate the identification of a novel spliced variant of the ␣ 1C -subunit gene that may play a role in neointimal cushion formation of the DA

Comprehensive genomic profiling for patients with chemotherapy‐naïve advanced cancer

Comprehensive genomic profiling (CGP) testing by next-generation sequencing has been introduced into clinical practice as part of precision cancer medicine to select effective targeted therapies. However, whether CGP testing at the time of first-line chemotherapy could be clinically useful is not clear. We conducted this single-center, prospective, observational study to investigate the feasibility of CGP testing for chemotherapy-naïve patients with stage III/IV gastrointestinal cancer, rare cancer, and cancer of unknown primary, using the FoundationOne® companion diagnostic (F1CDx) assay. The primary outcome was the detection rate of at least one actionable/druggable cancer genomic alteration. Actionable/druggable cancer genomic alterations were determined by the F1CDx report. An institutional molecular tumor board determined the molecular-based recommended therapies. A total of 197 patients were enrolled from October 2018 to June 2019. CGP success rate was 76.6% (151 of 197 patients), and median turnaround time was 19 days (range: 10-329 days). Actionable and druggable cancer genomic alterations were reported in 145 (73.6%) and 124 (62.9%) patients, respectively. The highest detection rate of druggable genomic alterations in gastrointestinal cancers was 80% in colorectal cancer (48 of 60 patients). Molecular-based recommended therapies were determined in 46 patients (23.4%). CGP testing would be a useful tool for the identification of a potentially effective first-line chemotherapy

Simulation Study on Luminosity Feedback for Horizontal Beam Stabilization at Superkekb

International audienceThe SuperKEKB e⁺ e⁻ collider uses highly focused ultra-low emittance bunches colliding every 4 ns to reach a very high luminosity of 8× 10³⁵ cm⁻²s⁻¹. It is quite essential to have an orbit feedback system at the Interaction Point (IP) to maintain the optimum overlap between the colliding beams in the presence of ground motion disturbances. For the horizontal motion, a luminosity monitoring system, based on measuring the rate of the Bhabha process at vanishing scattering angle, is developed as input signal to the feedback system. The relative precision needed for this monitor is studied in detail, for the different successive stages of luminosity operation, based on a full simulation of this system, including the detector, DAQ, lock-in amplifier, and feedback control

Simulations and experimental results of beam-beam effects in SuperKEKB

The beam-beam interaction is one of the most critical factors determining the luminosity performance of colliders. As a circular collider utilizing the crab-waist scheme, multiple factors, such as beam-beam, crab waist, impedances, etc., interact to determine the luminosity of SuperKEKB. The interplay of these factors makes it challenging to predict luminosity via simulations. This paper presents recent advances in understanding the luminosity performance of SuperKEKB from beam-beam simulations and experiments. The key aspects affecting the luminosity of SuperKEKB, as well as the areas where further research is needed, are highlighted

Fundamental study of perfluoro oil degradative treatment by subcritical water reaction and design of bench-scale equipment

Various types of machine oil are used for analysis and utility equipment, and these organic liquid wastes are stored in nuclear facilities and laboratories due to a lack of appropriate treatment processes. Treatment of organic liquid waste is one of the principal tasks since radiolysis of organic material generates various hazardous products. Perfluoro oil, generally used in vacuum pumps, is difficult to decompose because of its chemical stability. Calcination of fluorine compounds is possible to generate toxic and corrosive gas products. In order to achieve complete mineralization of the organic liquid wastes, the application of a subcritical water reaction was examined. In this study, the effect of introducing a functional group into a perfluoro compound on its decomposition performance was experimentally evaluated. First, we carried out the transformation of perfluorohexane to perfluorohexyl iodide or perfluoroheptanoic acid based on reported procedures. Next, laboratory scale batch-wise decomposition tests with subcritical water on perfluorohexyl iodide and on perfluoro heptanoic acid were carried out. Analyses of degraded organic products remaining in the aqueous phase by atmospheric pressure ionization mass spectrometry and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry were carried out. The decomposition products of each fluorine compound were identified, confirming that subcritical treatment is a promising treatment method

Measuring local immunoglobulin E in the inferior turbinate nasal mucosa in patients with allergic rhinitis

Background: Studies show that immunoglobulin E (IgE) is produced in the local nasal mucosa in allergic rhinitis patients. However, no study involved the measurement of IgE levels in the local nasal mucosal tissue in allergic rhinitis patients. This study aimed to measure the local IgE levels in the nasal mucosal tissue and to compare the levels of total IgE and specific IgEs in the serum and the inferior turbinate nasal mucosa in allergic rhinitis patients using the AlaSTAT 3gAllergy assay (Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics AG, Erlangen, Germany). Methods: Total IgE antibodies and allergen-specific IgE antibodies in each sample of nasal mucosal tissue from 11 allergic rhinitis patients were measured with the AlaSTAT 3gAllergy assay. We compared the levels of total IgE and IgEs specific for house dust (HD), mites, and cedar pollen in the serum and the inferior turbinate. Results: The total IgE levels and the cedar pollen-specific IgE levels in the inferior turbinate mucosal tissue correlated significantly with their respective levels in serum. The HD- and mite-specific IgE levels in the inferior turbinate mucosal tissue did not correlate significantly with their respective levels in the serum. Conclusions: Our results evaluating the correlations between nasal mucosal and serum levels of antigen-specific IgE indicate that IgE produced in the nasal mucosa affects the IgE levels in the serum, especially the cedar pollen-specific IgE

Japanese cedar pollen in floating indoor house dust after a pollinating season

Background: Approximately 16.2% of the Japanese population suffers from pollinosis. One of the forms of management is self-care (preventive care), which can be categorized as 'indoor' and 'outdoor'. Outdoor self-care is usually emphasized, but indoor self-care is also important. Considerable pollen is found in indoor dust and this is thought to be one of the factors that worsens pollinosis and enables it to persistent for a long time, even after the pollinating period has finished. Taking this into consideration, we investigated the dynamic state of indoor pollen. Methods: Floating indoor house dust was collected in Petri dishes. The amount of pollen in the house dust samples collected was measured using an LCD laboratory highly sensitive Cry j1 assay kit. Results: The results showed that, indoors, a lot of Japanese cedar pollen (JCP) was found on the floor (tatami mats, carpets), sofas and curtains. The number of JCP in living rooms peaked in April after the pollinating period and decreased gradually; however, JCP was still found indoors, even as late as the following February. Floating JCP in the house was one-tenth of the JCP levels on the floor. Floating JCP increased on days with low humidity. Air conditioning temporarily increased levels of floating JCP in houses with an air conditioner, but the level of floating JCP decreased rapidly compared with the level of that in houses without an air conditioner. Nasal signs and symptoms disappeared completely at a level of 30 floating pollen counts/day per Petri dish. Conclusion: Considerable JCP was found floating indoors with house dust after a pollinating season

Fast Luminosity Monitoring for the SuperKEKB Collider (LumiBelle2 Project)

International audienceLumiBelle2 is a fast luminosity monitoring system prepared for SuperKEKB*. It uses sCVD diamond detectors placed in both the electron and positron rings to measure the Bhabha scattering process at vanishing scattering angle. Two types of online luminosity signals are provided, a Train-Integrated-Luminosity at 1 kHz as input to the dithering feedback system used to maintain optimum overlap between the colliding beams in horizontal plane, and Bunch-Integrated-Luminosities at about 1 Hz to check for variations along the bunch trains. Individual beam sizes and offsets can also be determined from collision scanning. The design of LumiBelle2 will be described and its performance during the Phase-2 commissioning of SuperKEKB will be reported