254 research outputs found
The ILC DEPFET Prototype: Report of the Test Beam at CERN 2008
The DEPFET Collaboration pursues the development of a high resolution pixel
vertex detector for future colliders (like ILC), based on the integration of
amplifying transistors into a fully depleted bulk. In August 2008, six DEPFET
prototypes were tested in a pion beam at SPS complex at CERN, collecting more
than 20 million of events. In this contribution, the prototype system, the
experimental setup, the analysis software and preliminary results are
presented.Comment: 3 pages, 3 figures, LCWS08 conference, tracking and vertexing sessio
Influence of the strong metal support interaction effect (SMSI) of Pt/TiO2 and Pd/TiO2 systems in the photocatalytic biohydrogen production from glucose solution
Two different catalysts consisting of Pt/TiO2 and Pd/TiO 2 were submitted to diverse oxidative and reductive calcination treatments and tested for photocatalytic reforming of glucose water solution (as a model of biomass component) in H2 production. Oxidation and reduction at 850°C resulted in better photocatalysts for hydrogen production than Degussa P-25 and the ones prepared at 500°C, despite the fact that the former consisted in very low surface area (6-8 m2/g) rutile titania specimens. The platinum-containing systems prepared at 850°C give the most effective catalysts. XPS characterization of the systems showed that thermal treatment at 850°C resulted in electron transfer from titania to metal particles through the so-called strong metal-support interaction (SMSI) effect. Furthermore, the greater the SMSI effect, the better the catalytic performance. Improvement in photocatalytic behavior is explained in terms of avoidance of electron-hole recombination through the electron transfer from titania to metal particles
Physical limitations to the spatial resolution of solid-state detectors
In this paper we explore the effect of -ray emission, fluctuations in
th e signal deposition on the detection of charged particles in silicon-based
detec tors. We show that these two effects ultimately limit the resolution that
can be achieved by interpolation of the signal in finely segmented
position-sensitive solid-state devices.Comment: 5 page
A microRNA Expression Profile as Non-Invasive Biomarker in a Large Arrhythmogenic Cardiomyopathy Cohort
Arrhythmogenic Cardiomyopathy (AC) is a clinically and genetically heterogeneous myocardial disease. Half of AC patients harbour private desmosomal gene variants. Although microRNAs (miRNAs) have emerged as key regulator molecules in cardiovascular diseases and their involvement, correlated to phenotypic variability or to non-invasive biomarkers, has been advanced also in AC, no data are available in larger disease cohorts. Here, we propose the largest AC cohort unbiased by technical and biological factors. MiRNA profiling on nine right ventricular tissue, nine blood samples of AC patients, and four controls highlighted 10 differentially expressed miRNAs in common. Six of these were validated in a 90-AC patient cohort independent from genetic status: miR-122-5p, miR-133a-3p, miR-133b, miR-142-3p, miR-182-5p, and miR-183-5p. This six-miRNA set showed high discriminatory diagnostic power in AC patients when compared to controls (AUC-0.995), non-affected family members of AC probands carrying a desmosomal pathogenic variant (AUC-0.825), and other cardiomyopathy groups (Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy: AUC-0.804, Dilated Cardiomyopathy: AUC-0.917, Brugada Syndrome: AUC-0.981, myocarditis: AUC-0.978). AC-related signalling pathways were targeted by this set of miRNAs. A unique set of six-miRNAs was found both in heart-tissue and blood samples of AC probands, supporting its involvement in disease pathogenesis and its possible role as a non-invasive AC diagnostic biomarker
Belle II Technical Design Report
The Belle detector at the KEKB electron-positron collider has collected
almost 1 billion Y(4S) events in its decade of operation. Super-KEKB, an
upgrade of KEKB is under construction, to increase the luminosity by two orders
of magnitude during a three-year shutdown, with an ultimate goal of 8E35 /cm^2
/s luminosity. To exploit the increased luminosity, an upgrade of the Belle
detector has been proposed. A new international collaboration Belle-II, is
being formed. The Technical Design Report presents physics motivation, basic
methods of the accelerator upgrade, as well as key improvements of the
detector.Comment: Edited by: Z. Dole\v{z}al and S. Un
Measured and projected beam backgrounds in the Belle II experiment at the SuperKEKB collider
The Belle II experiment at the SuperKEKB electron-positron collider aims to
collect an unprecedented data set of to study -violation
in the -meson system and to search for Physics beyond the Standard Model.
SuperKEKB is already the world's highest-luminosity collider. In order to
collect the planned data set within approximately one decade, the target is to
reach a peak luminosity of by further
increasing the beam currents and reducing the beam size at the interaction
point by squeezing the betatron function down to . To ensure detector longevity and maintain good reconstruction
performance, beam backgrounds must remain well controlled. We report on current
background rates in Belle II and compare these against simulation. We find that
a number of recent refinements have significantly improved the background
simulation accuracy. Finally, we estimate the safety margins going forward. We
predict that backgrounds should remain high but acceptable until a luminosity
of at least is reached for
. At this point, the most vulnerable Belle II
detectors, the Time-of-Propagation (TOP) particle identification system and the
Central Drift Chamber (CDC), have predicted background hit rates from
single-beam and luminosity backgrounds that add up to approximately half of the
maximum acceptable rates.Comment: 28 pages, 17 figures, 9 tables (revised
Predictive value of S100-B and copeptin for outcomes following seizure: the BISTRO International Cohort Study.
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the performance of S100-B protein and copeptin, in addition to clinical variables, in predicting outcomes of patients attending the emergency department (ED) following a seizure. METHODS: We prospectively included adult patients presented with an acute seizure, in four EDs in France and the United Kingdom. Participants were followed up for 28 days. The primary endpoint was a composite of seizure recurrence, all-cause mortality, hospitalization or rehospitalisation, or return visit in the ED within seven days. RESULTS: Among the 389 participants included in the analysis, 156 (40%) experienced the primary endpoint within seven days and 195 (54%) at 28 days. Mean levels of both S100-B (0.11 μg/l [95% CI 0.07-0.20] vs 0.09 μg/l [0.07-0.14]) and copeptin (23 pmol/l [9-104] vs 17 pmol/l [8-43]) were higher in participants meeting the primary endpoint. However, both biomarkers were poorly predictive of the primary outcome with a respective area under the receiving operator characteristic curve of 0.57 [0.51-0.64] and 0.59 [0.54-0.64]. Multivariable logistic regression analysis identified higher age (odds ratio [OR] 1.3 per decade [1.1-1.5]), provoked seizure (OR 4.93 [2.5-9.8]), complex partial seizure (OR 4.09 [1.8-9.1]) and first seizure (OR 1.83 [1.1-3.0]) as independent predictors of the primary outcome. A second regression analysis including the biomarkers showed no additional predictive benefit (S100-B OR 3.89 [0.80-18.9] copeptin OR 1 [1.00-1.00]). CONCLUSION: The plasma biomarkers S100-B and copeptin did not improve prediction of poor outcome following seizure. Higher age, a first seizure, a provoked seizure and a partial complex seizure are independently associated with adverse outcomes
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