Use of antifuse-FPGAs in the Track-Sorter-Master of the CMS Drift Tube Chambers

The front-end system of the Silicon Drift Detectors (SDDs) of the ALICE experiment is made of two ASICs. The first chip performs the preamplification, temporary analogue storage and analogue-to-digital conversion of the detector signals. The second chip is a digital buffer that allows for a significant reduction of the connection from the front-end module to the outside world. In this paper, the results achieved on the first complete prototype of the front-end system for the SDDs of ALICE are presented

DT Sector Collector electronics design and construction

The CMS detector at LHC is equipped with Drift Tubes (DT) chambers for muon detection and triggering in the barrel region. The Sector Collector (SC) modules collect the track segments reconstructed by on-chamber trigger electronics. Data from different chambers are aligned in time and sent to the subsequent reconstruction processors via optical links. Several FPGA devices performing the processing of the data were designed in VHDL, including spy features to monitor the trigger data flow. A test jig was set up with custom hardware and software in order to fully validate final production boards. Installation and commissioning in CMS provided first experience with the synchronization and monitoring tools

Design and Test of the Off-Detector Electronics for the CMS Barrel Muon Trigger

Drift Tubes chambers are used in the CMS barrel for tagging the passage of high Pt muons generated in a LHC event and for triggering the CMS data read out. The Sector Collector (SC) system synchronizes the track segments built by trigger modules on the chambers and deliver them to reconstruction processors (Track Finder, TF) that assemble full muon tracks. Then, the Muon Sorter (MS) has to select the best four candidates in the barrel and to filter fake muons generated by the TF system redundancy. The hardware implementations of the Sector Collector and Muon Sorter systems satisfy radiation, I/O and fast timing constraints using several FPGA technologies. The hardware was tested with custom facilities, integrated with other trigger subsystems, and operated in a beam test. A test beam on a 40 MHz bunched beam validated the local trigger electronics and off-detector prototype cards and the synchronization tools. The CMS Magnet Test and Cosmic challenge in 2006 proved stable and reliable operation of the Drift Tubes trigger and its integration with other trigger systems and with the readout system. Constraints, design, test and operation of the modules are presented

Field emission properties of carbon nanotube arrays grown in porous anodic alumina

AbstractCarbon nanotubes (CNTs), with their excellent electronic properties and extremely high aspect ratio, represent an ideal material for building electron sources based on field emission. Fowler‐Nordheim equation describes quite successfully the field emission phenomenon, especially for single or isolated tips. However, some complications arise when populations of CNTs are considered, where collective effects and large variability in the emitters features influence the measured I–V characteristics. In this work, the emission properties of multi‐walled CNTs grown within ordered anodic alumina templates are investigated. These CNT matrices produce current densities up to some tens of mA/cm2, and the field enhancement factor for collective emission sources can be estimated. Such material can be modelled as an ordered and uniform array of emitters and a simulation of the electrostatic field on the emission tips can be done in order to evaluate the field enhancement factor and its dependence on various geometries. This allows comparing predictions from simulation and experimental measurements, in a direct way. (© 2009 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim

Effectiveness of Two Different Fluoride-Based Agents in the Treatment of Dentin Hypersensitivity: A Prospective Clinical Trial

Hyperesthesia is related to increased sensitivity of dental tissues to mechanical, chemical and thermal stimuli. The aim of this prospective clinical trial was to compare the effectiveness of a calcium-fluoride-forming agent (Tiefenfluorid®, Humanchemie GmbH, Alfeld, Germany) with that of a fluoride varnish (Enamelast™, Ultradent Inc., Cologne, Germany) in the treatment of dental hyperesthesia in adult patients. In total, 176 individuals (106 females and 70 males, aged 18–59 years old) diagnosed with dental hyperesthesia (DH) were enrolled. The main clinical symptoms were hyperesthesia from coldness and sweetness during chewing; the types of clinical lesions were also determined and recorded. The patients were selected randomly and divided into two groups: (i) the first group of 96 patients was treated with Tiefenfluorid® applied in three appointments at 7-day intervals; (ii) the second group of 80 patients was treated with Enamelast™, applied seven times at 7-day intervals. All the patients were recalled 7 days, 14 days, 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months from the last application. At the baseline and during every follow-up visit, the DH was measured with a pulp tester. A random intercept/random slope model was used to evaluate the effect of the treatment, at various times with respect to the initial diagnosis. Within the limits of the present study, Tiefenfluorid® was more effective than Enamelast™ against DH in that it provided long-lasting results, with a significant improvement still detected at the latest 6-month follow-up

Numerical simulations on laser absorption enhancement in hybrid metallo-dielectric nanostructured targets for future nuclear astrophysics experiments

The linear electromagnetic interaction between innovative hybrid metallo-dielectric nanostructured targets and laser in visible and IR range is investigated through numerical simulations. The obtained results rely on the optimization of a target based on metallic nanowires (NWs) to enhance light absorption in the visible range of the electromagnetic spectrum. The NWs are grown within the ordered nanoholes of an alumina substrate, thus, forming a plasmonic lattice with triangular symmetry. The remaining volume of the nanoholes on top of the NWs is sealed with a transparent layer of aluminum oxide that is suitable to be chemically modified for containing about 25% of deuterium atoms. The study presented here is carried out within the framework of a scientific program named PLANETA (Plasmonic Laser Absorption on Nano-Engineered Targets) aiming at investigating new laser–matter interaction schemes in the ns domain and for nuclear fusion purposes, involving especially the D–D reaction

PsoBioVax: A multicentric Italian case–control study of the immunological response to anti‐SARS‐CoV‐2 vaccine among psoriatic patients under biological therapy

Dear Editor, The role of vaccination has been crucial in limiting COVID-19.1 The efficacy of vaccines among patients with immunemediated inflammatory disease has been investigated showing promising results.2 Patients with psoriasis under biological treatment had a valid response to the COVID-19 vaccine

Measurements of Flavour Dependent Fragmentation Functions in Z^0 -> qq(bar) Events

Fragmentation functions for charged particles in Z -> qq(bar) events have been measured for bottom (b), charm (c) and light (uds) quarks as well as for all flavours together. The results are based on data recorded between 1990 and 1995 using the OPAL detector at LEP. Event samples with different flavour compositions were formed using reconstructed D* mesons and secondary vertices. The \xi_p = ln(1/x_E) distributions and the position of their maxima \xi_max are also presented separately for uds, c and b quark events. The fragmentation function for b quarks is significantly softer than for uds quarks.Comment: 29 pages, LaTeX, 5 eps figures (and colour figs) included, submitted to Eur. Phys. J.

Measurement of triple gauge boson couplings from WW production at LEP energies up to 189 GeV

A measurement of triple gauge boson couplings is presented, based on W-pair data recorded by the OPAL detector at LEP during 1998 at a centre-of-mass energy of 189 GeV with an integrated luminosity of 183 pb^-1. After combining with our previous measurements at centre-of-mass energies of 161-183 GeV we obtain k_g=0.97 +0.20 -0.16, g_1^z=0.991 +0.060 -0.057 and lambda_g=-0.110 +0.058 -0.055, where the errors include both statistical and systematic uncertainties and each coupling is determined by setting the other two couplings to their SM values. These results are consistent with the Standard Model expectations.Comment: 28 pages, 8 figures, submitted to Eur. Phys. J.