Trigger and Timing Distributions using the TTC-PON and GBT Bridge Connection in ALICE for the LHC Run 3 Upgrade

The ALICE experiment at CERN is preparing for a major upgrade for the third phase of data taking run (Run 3), when the high luminosity phase of the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) starts. The increase in the beam luminosity will result in high interaction rate causing the data acquisition rate to exceed 3 TB/sec. In order to acquire data for all the events and to handle the increased data rate, a transition in the readout electronics architecture from the triggered to the trigger-less acquisition mode is required. In this new architecture, a dedicated electronics block called the Common Readout Unit (CRU) is defined to act as a nodal communication point for detector data aggregation and as a distribution point for timing, trigger and control (TTC) information. TTC information in the upgraded triggerless readout architecture uses two asynchronous high-speed serial links connections: the TTC-PON and the GBT. We have carried out a study to evaluate the quality of the embedded timing signals forwarded by the CRU to the connected electronics using the TTC-PON and GBT bridge connection. We have used four performance metrics to characterize the communication bridge: (a)the latency added by the firmware logic, (b)the jitter cleaning effect of the PLL on the timing signal, (c)BER analysis for quantitative measurement of signal quality, and (d)the effect of optical transceivers parameter settings on the signal strength. Reliability study of the bridge connection in maintaining the phase consistency of timing signals is conducted by performing multiple iterations of power on/off cycle, firmware upgrade and reset assertion/de-assertion cycle (PFR cycle). The test results are presented and discussed concerning the performance of the TTC-PON and GBT bridge communication chain using the CRU prototype and its compliance with the ALICE timing requirements

The ALICE Level 0 Pixel Trigger Driver Layer

The ALICE Silicon Pixel Detector (SPD) comprises the two innermost layers of the ALICE inner tracker system. The SPD contains 120 detector modules each including 10 readout chips. Each of these pixel chips generates a digital Fast-OR output signal indicating the presence of at least one pixel hit in its pixel matrix. The Pixel Trigger (PIT) System has been implemented to process the 1200 Fast-Or signals from the SPD and provides an input signal to the ALICE Central Trigger Processor (CTP) for the fastest (Level 0) trigger decision within a latency of 800 ns. The PIT processor interfaces with several ALICE systems: it receives input data from the SPD, it accepts configuration commands from the CTP and sends status information to the Alice Experimental Control System (ECS). The PIT control system required an accurate design of hardware and software solutions to implement coordinated operation of the PIT and the ALICE systems to which it interfaces to. We present here the design, the implementation and the first operational experience of the PIT Control and Calibration system. The hardware configuration and control are implemented via the ALICE Detector Data Link, on top of which a custom control system has been implemented. A driver layer has been realized under stringent requirements of robustness and reusability. It qualifies as a general purpose hardware driver for electronic systems equipped with the ALICE DDL front end board (SIU). Various testing and calibration procedures need to be performed on the SPD and the PIT systems in order to provide an optimized trigger signal to the CTP. These include methods to compensate all signals propagation delays and automatic SPD DAC scans to tune the detector response. The PIT control system has been tailored to implement automatically most of the former procedures, requiring coordinated and extensive information exchange between the interfacing systems.CER

673. Study of Prescribing patterns and Effectiveness of Ceftolozane/Tazobactam Real-world Analysis (SPECTRA): Results from a multi-national, multicenter observational study

Abstract Background Ceftolozane/tazobactam (C/T) has demonstrated efficacy to treat complicated intra-abdominal infections (cIAI), complicated urinary tract infections (cUTI) and hospital acquired bacterial and ventilator-associated bacterial pneumonia. However, physicians, providers, and other stakeholders including payers want broader real-world evidence to inform clinical decisions and optimize healthcare resource use. Methods SPECTRA is a multi-national, multicenter, retrospective, inpatient, observational study of patients treated with C/T in Australia, Austria, Germany, Italy, Mexico, Spain and The United Kingdom. Adult inpatients treated with ≥48 hours of C/T were included. Demographics, clinical characteristics, treatment management patterns, and outcomes were analyzed. Results There were 687 patients from 38 participating hospitals in 7 countries. The average age was 57.6 years (±17.3 [SD]) and most were male 456 (66.4%). The majority had at least one comorbidity 563 (82.0%), with the most common being heart disease 208 (30.3%), immunocompromised state 207 (30.1%) and chronic pulmonary disease 195 (28.4%). The most common indications were pneumonia 204 (29.7%), sepsis 147 (21.4%), and cIAI 106 (15.4%); 162 (23.6%) had multiple sites of infection and 245 (35.7%) were polymicrobial infections. Median C/T treatment was 12.0 days (11.0 [IQR]). Half of the patients were admitted to the ICU 343 (49.9%), 43.4% of which was related to the infection. Clinical success was 66.1%. All-cause in-hospital mortality was 22.0% with 8.7% being infection related. 30-day all-cause readmission was 9.8% and 4.7% were infection related. Conclusion C/T was used to treat infections among critically ill patients and for multi-source, polymicrobial infections. Despite the complexity of the patients in this real-world analysis, most C/T patients had beneficial outcomes that are similar to results of controlled clinical trials. Disclosures Alex Soriano, MD, MSD, Pfizer, Shionogi, Angelini, Menarini, Gilead: Honoraria Laura A. Puzniak, MPH, PhD, Merck & Co., Inc.: former employee and stockholder David Paterson, MBBS, Accelerate: Honoraria|bioMerieux: Honoraria|Entasis: Advisor/Consultant|Janssen-Cilag: Grant/Research Support|MSD: Advisor/Consultant|MSD: Grant/Research Support|MSD: Honoraria|Pfizer: Grant/Research Support|Pfizer: Honoraria|PPD: Grant/Research Support|Shionogi: Grant/Research Support|VenatoRx: Advisor/Consultant Stefan Kluge, MD, Astrazeneca: Lecture fees|Biotest: Lecture fees|Cytosorbents: Grant/Research Support|Cytosorbents: Lecture fees|Daiichi Sankyo: Grant/Research Support|Daiichi Sankyo: Lecture fees|Fresenius Medical Care: Advisor/Consultant|Fresenius Medical Care: Lecture fees|Gilead: Advisor/Consultant|Gilead: Lecture fees|Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma: Lecture fees|MSD: Advisor/Consultant|MSD: Lecture fees|Pfizer: Advisor/Consultant|Pfizer: Lecture fees|Phillips: Lecture fees|Zoll: Lecture fees Alexandre H. Watanabe, PharmD, Merck & Co., Inc.: Employee Engels N. Obi, PhD, Merck & Co., Inc.: Employee|Merck & Co., Inc.: Stocks/Bonds Sunny Kaul, BSc, MBChB, PHD, FRCP, FFICM, Chiesi: Speaker fees|Gilead: Speaker fees|GlaxoSmithKline: Speaker fees|MSD: Grant/Research Support|MSD: Speaker fees|Shionogi: Speaker fees|Vifor Pharma: Grant/Research Support

R&D Paths of Pixel Detectors for Vertex Tracking and Radiation Imaging

This report reviews current trends in the R&D of semiconductor pixellated sensors for vertex tracking and radiation imaging. It identifies requirements of future HEP experiments at colliders, needed technological breakthroughs and highlights the relation to radiation detection and imaging applications in other fields of science.Comment: 17 pages, 2 figures, submitted to the European Strategy Preparatory Grou

Digital Pixel Test Structures implemented in a 65 nm CMOS process

The ALICE ITS3 (Inner Tracking System 3) upgrade project and the CERN EP R&D on monolithic pixel sensors are investigating the feasibility of the Tower Partners Semiconductor Co. 65 nm process for use in the next generation of vertex detectors. The ITS3 aims to employ wafer-scale Monolithic Active Pixel Sensors thinned down to 20 to 40 um and bent to form truly cylindrical half barrels. Among the first critical steps towards the realisation of this detector is to validate the sensor technology through extensive characterisation both in the laboratory and with in-beam measurements. The Digital Pixel Test Structure (DPTS) is one of the prototypes produced in the first sensor submission in this technology and has undergone a systematic measurement campaign whose details are presented in this article. The results confirm the goals of detection efficiency and non-ionising and ionising radiation hardness up to the expected levels for ALICE ITS3 and also demonstrate operation at +20 C and a detection efficiency of 99% for a DPTS irradiated with a dose of $10^{15}$ 1 MeV n$_{\mathrm{eq}}/$cm$^2$. Furthermore, spatial, timing and energy resolutions were measured at various settings and irradiation levels.Comment: Updated threshold calibration method. Implemented colorblind friendly color palette in all figures. Updated reference

Enhanced production of multi-strange hadrons in high-multiplicity proton-proton collisions

At sufficiently high temperature and energy density, nuclear matter undergoes a transition to a phase in which quarks and gluons are not confined: the quark-gluon plasma (QGP)(1). Such an exotic state of strongly interacting quantum chromodynamics matter is produced in the laboratory in heavy nuclei high-energy collisions, where an enhanced production of strange hadrons is observed(2-6). Strangeness enhancement, originally proposed as a signature of QGP formation in nuclear collisions(7), is more pronounced for multi-strange baryons. Several effects typical of heavy-ion phenomenology have been observed in high-multiplicity proton-proton (pp) collisions(8,9), but the enhanced production of multi-strange particles has not been reported so far. Here we present the first observation of strangeness enhancement in high-multiplicity proton-proton collisions. We find that the integrated yields of strange and multi-strange particles, relative to pions, increases significantly with the event charged-particle multiplicity. The measurements are in remarkable agreement with the p-Pb collision results(10,11), indicating that the phenomenon is related to the final system created in the collision. In high-multiplicity events strangeness production reaches values similar to those observed in Pb-Pb collisions, where a QGP is formed.Peer reviewe

Juxtaposing BTE and ATE – on the role of the European insurance industry in funding civil litigation

One of the ways in which legal services are financed, and indeed shaped, is through private insurance arrangement. Two contrasting types of legal expenses insurance contracts (LEI) seem to dominate in Europe: before the event (BTE) and after the event (ATE) legal expenses insurance. Notwithstanding institutional differences between different legal systems, BTE and ATE insurance arrangements may be instrumental if government policy is geared towards strengthening a market-oriented system of financing access to justice for individuals and business. At the same time, emphasizing the role of a private industry as a keeper of the gates to justice raises issues of accountability and transparency, not readily reconcilable with demands of competition. Moreover, multiple actors (clients, lawyers, courts, insurers) are involved, causing behavioural dynamics which are not easily predicted or influenced. Against this background, this paper looks into BTE and ATE arrangements by analysing the particularities of BTE and ATE arrangements currently available in some European jurisdictions and by painting a picture of their respective markets and legal contexts. This allows for some reflection on the performance of BTE and ATE providers as both financiers and keepers. Two issues emerge from the analysis that are worthy of some further reflection. Firstly, there is the problematic long-term sustainability of some ATE products. Secondly, the challenges faced by policymakers that would like to nudge consumers into voluntarily taking out BTE LEI

Penilaian Kinerja Keuangan Koperasi di Kabupaten Pelalawan

This paper describe development and financial performance of cooperative in District Pelalawan among 2007 - 2008. Studies on primary and secondary cooperative in 12 sub-districts. Method in this stady use performance measuring of productivity, efficiency, growth, liquidity, and solvability of cooperative. Productivity of cooperative in Pelalawan was highly but efficiency still low. Profit and income were highly, even liquidity of cooperative very high, and solvability was good

Severe early onset preeclampsia: short and long term clinical, psychosocial and biochemical aspects

Preeclampsia is a pregnancy specific disorder commonly defined as de novo hypertension and proteinuria after 20 weeks gestational age. It occurs in approximately 3-5% of pregnancies and it is still a major cause of both foetal and maternal morbidity and mortality worldwide1. As extensive research has not yet elucidated the aetiology of preeclampsia, there are no rational preventive or therapeutic interventions available. The only rational treatment is delivery, which benefits the mother but is not in the interest of the foetus, if remote from term. Early onset preeclampsia (<32 weeks’ gestational age) occurs in less than 1% of pregnancies. It is, however often associated with maternal morbidity as the risk of progression to severe maternal disease is inversely related with gestational age at onset2. Resulting prematurity is therefore the main cause of neonatal mortality and morbidity in patients with severe preeclampsia3. Although the discussion is ongoing, perinatal survival is suggested to be increased in patients with preterm preeclampsia by expectant, non-interventional management. This temporising treatment option to lengthen pregnancy includes the use of antihypertensive medication to control hypertension, magnesium sulphate to prevent eclampsia and corticosteroids to enhance foetal lung maturity4. With optimal maternal haemodynamic status and reassuring foetal condition this results on average in an extension of 2 weeks. Prolongation of these pregnancies is a great challenge for clinicians to balance between potential maternal risks on one the eve hand and possible foetal benefits on the other. Clinical controversies regarding prolongation of preterm preeclamptic pregnancies still exist – also taking into account that preeclampsia is the leading cause of maternal mortality in the Netherlands5 - a debate which is even more pronounced in very preterm pregnancies with questionable foetal viability6-9. Do maternal risks of prolongation of these very early pregnancies outweigh the chances of neonatal survival? Counselling of women with very early onset preeclampsia not only comprises of knowledge of the outcome of those particular pregnancies, but also knowledge of outcomes of future pregnancies of these women is of major clinical importance. This thesis opens with a review of the literature on identifiable risk factors of preeclampsia