Energy loss in calorimeters using muon spectrometer information at the 2004 ATLAS Combined Test Beam.

In 2004 an ATLAS Combined Test Beam (CTB) was performed in the CERN North area. A complete slice of the barrel detector and of the muon end-cap was tested, with the following goals: pre-commission the final elements and study the combined detector performance. In this note a combined analysis using calorimeter and muon spectrometer information, based on data samples collected during this test, is presented

The Process Manager in the ATLAS DAQ System

The Process Manager is the component responsible for launching and controlling processes in the ATLAS DAQ system. The tasks of the Process Manager can be coarsely grouped into three categories: process creation, control and monitoring. Process creation implies the creation of the actual process on behalf of different users and the preparation of all the resources and data needed to actually start the process. Process control includes mostly process termination and UNIX signal dispatching. Process monitoring implies both giving state information on request and initiating call-backs to notify clients that processes have changed states. This paper describes the design and implementation of the DAQ Process Manager for the ATLAS experiment. Since the Process Manager is at the basis of the DAQ control system it must be extremely robust and tolerate the failure of any other DAQ service. Particular emphasis will be given to the testing and quality assurance procedures carried out to validate this component

Access Control Design and Implementations in the ATLAS Experiment

The ATLAS experiment operates with a significant number of hardware and software resources. Their protection against misuse is an essential task to ensure a safe and optimal operation. To achieve this goal, the Role Based Access Control (RBAC) model has been chosen for its scalability, flexibility, ease of administration and usability from the lowest operating system level to the highest software application level. This paper presents the overall design of RBAC implementation in the ATLAS experiment and the enforcement solutions in different areas such as the system administration, control room desktops and the data acquisition software. The users and the roles are centrally managed using a directory service based on Lightweight Directory Access Protocol which is kept in synchronization with the human resources and IT data

Microwave small-signal modelling of FinFETs using multi-parameter rational fitting method

An effective approach based on a multi-parameter rational fitting technique is proposed to model the microwave small-signal response of active solid-state devices. The model is identified by fitting multibias scattering-parameter measurements and its analytical expression is implemented in a commercial microwave circuit simulator. The approach has been applied to the modelling of a silicon-based FinFET, and an excellent agreement is obtained between the measured data and model predictions

Robotic-assisted surgery for excision of an enlarged prostatic utricle

INTRODUCTION: Prostatic utricle is a rare malformation arising from incomplete regression of the Mullerian ducts. Diagnosis is easily made but management may be challenging. The minimally invasive approach has so far been considered the gold standard for surgical treatment. Many endoscopic and surgical procedures have been described for removal, but to date only few cases of robot-assisted procedures have been mentioned in the literature and there are no reports of redos. PRESENTATION OF THE CASE: We report the case of a giant prostatic utricle cyst successfully treated with robotic-assisted surgery two years after an unsuccessful first attempt at laparoscopic excision. No relapse was found at one year follow up. DISCUSSION: We were able to excise a retro-vescical structure in spite of adhesions caused by the previous surgery and the very large size of the diverticulum thanks to the high magnification and 3-D visualization available in robotic assisted laparoscopy. CONCLUSION: Robot assisted laparoscopy should be considered an advantageous technique for the treatment of prostatic utricle

Relative influence of the adeno-associated virus (AAV) type 2 p5 element for recombinant AAV vector site-specific integration.

The p5 promoter region of the adeno-associated virus type 2 (AAV-2) rep gene has been described as essential for Rep-mediated site-specific integration (RMSSI) of plasmid sequences in human chromosome 19. We report here that insertion of a full-length or minimal p5 element between the viral inverted terminal repeats does not significantly increase RMSSI of a recombinant AAV (rAAV) vector after infection of growth-arrested or proliferating human cells. This result suggests that the p5 element may not improve RMSSI of rAAV vectors in vivo

Efeitos do Programa Escola de Postura e Reeducação Postural Global sobre a amplitude de movimento e níveis de dor em pacientes com lombalgia crônica

ResumoObjetivoComparar os efeitos do programa escola de postura (PEP) e reeducação postural global (RPG) sobre níveis de dor e amplitude de movimento em pacientes com lombalgia crônica.MétodoA amostra foi dividida em 3 grupos de 10 sujeitos: grupo submetido ao tratamento através do PEP (idade: 46.30±8.50 anos); grupo submetido ao tratamento através da RPG (idade: 43.60±10.93 anos) e grupo controle (idade: 44.30±10.68 anos). As intervenções foram realizadas em 10 sessões. Para avaliação do quadro álgico foi utilizada a escala subjetiva de dor CR10 de Borg. Para a análise da amplitude de movimento empregou‐se o protocolo de goniometria LABIFIE para os movimentos de extensão coxofemoral (ECF) e flexão da coluna lombar (FCL).ResultadosO teste de Wilcoxon mostrou uma redução nos escores dos níveis de dor nos grupos PEP e RPG (p<0.0001) do pré para o pós‐tratamento. As comparações intergrupos, através do teste de Kruskal‐Wallis, apresentaram diminuição dos níveis de dor para o PEP (p<0.0001) e o RPG (p<0.0001) quando comparados ao CG no pós‐tratamento. A ANOVA com medidas repetidas revelou um aumento na amplitude do movimento para o PEP (ECF: p=0.006; FCL: p=0.002) e RPG (ECF: p=0.034; FCL: p=0.011) do pré para o pós‐tratamento. As comparações intergrupos apresentaram maiores amplitudes de movimento para o PEP (ECF: p=0.006; FCL: p=0.018) e RPG (EQ: p=0.019; FCL: p=0.020) quando comparados ao CG no pós‐tratamento. Não houve diferenças significativas entre o PEP e RPG.ConclusãoOs tratamentos PEP e RPG se mostraram eficientes para redução da lombalgia crônica.AbstractObjectiveTo compare the effects of school‐based exercise program of posture (SPP) and global postural reeducation (GPR) on pain levels and range of motion in patients with chronic low back pain.MethodThe sample was divided into three groups of 10 subjects: group treated by SPP (age: 46.30±8.50 years) group subjected to treatment by GPR (age: 43.60±10.93 years) and control group (age: 44.30±10.68 years). The interventions were performed in 10 sessions. For assessment of pain was used pain subjective scale CR10‐Borg. For the analysis of range of motion, we used the protocol to goniometry LABIFIE in the movements of hip extension (HE) and flexion of the lumbar spine (FLS).ResultsThe Wilcoxon test showed a reduction in levels of pain scores in groups SPP and GPR (p<0.0001) of pre to post‐treatment. Comparisons between groups by the Kruskal‐Wallis test showed decreased levels of pain for SPP (p<0.0001) and GPR (p<0.0001) when compared to CG post‐treatment. Repeated measures ANOVA revealed an increase in range of motion for the SPP (HE: p=0.006; FLS: p=0.002) and GPR (HE: p=0.034; FLS: p=0.011) of pre to post‐treatment. Comparisons between groups showed greater range of motion for the SPP (HE: p=0.006; FLS: p=0.018) and GPR (HE: p=0.019; FLS: p=0.020) when compared to CG post‐treatment. There were no significant differences between the SPP and GPR.ConclusionsSPP and GPR treatments were effective for reducing chronic low back pain

The effect of quarantine due to Covid-19 pandemic on seizure frequency in 102 adult people with epilepsy from Apulia and Basilicata regions, Southern Italy

Objective: following the COVID-19 pandemic, a quarantine was imposed to all of regions Italy by 9th March until 3rd May 2020. We investigated the effect of COVID-19 infection and quarantine on seizure frequency in adult people with epilepsy (PwE) of Apulia and Basilicata regions, Southern Italy. Methods: This is an observational, retrospective study based on prospective data collection of 102 successive PWE. The frequency of seizures was evaluated during pre-quarantine (January- February), quarantine (March-April), and post-quarantine period (May-June), while PwE were divided into A) cases responding to treatment with ≤ 1 seizure per year; B) cases responding to treatment with 2-5 seizure per year; C) cases with drug-resistant epilepsy with ≤ 4 seizures per month; D) cases with drug-resistant epilepsy with 5-10 seizures per month. PwE underwent several self-report questionnaires regarding therapeutic compliance, mood, stress and sleep during quarantine period. Results: Approximately 50 % of PwE showed seizure frequency changes (22.55 % an increase and 27.45 % a reduction) during quarantine. Seizure frequency significantly (p &lt; 0.05) increased in PwE responding to treatment with ≤ 1 seizure per year, while significantly (p &lt; 0.05) reduced in PwE with drug-resistant epilepsy with 5-10 seizures per month. The data was not influenced by therapeutic adherence, sleep and depression. The analysis of anxiety showed a moderate level of anxiety in PwE responding to treatment with &lt; 1 seizure per year, while moderate stress was perceived by all PwE. Seizure frequency changes were related to quarantine, but not to COVID-19 infection. In fact, unlike other regions of Italy, particularly Northern Italy, Apulia and Basilicata regions were less affected by COVID-19 infection, and almost all PwE recognized the quarantine as a stressful event. Emotional distress and anxiety due to social isolation, but also the relative reduction of triggers for epileptic seizures were the most important factors for changes in seizure frequency. Conclusions: Our study adds to the growing concern that the indirect effects of COVID-19 pandemic will far outstrip the direct consequences of the infection