Underground laboratories Bettini, A.
Nuclear instruments & methods in physics research. Section A, Accelerators, spectrometers, detectors and associated equipment,
01/2011, Letnik:
626
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Underground laboratories provide the low radioactive background environment necessary to frontier experiments in particle and nuclear astrophysics and other disciplines, geology and biology, that can ...profit of their unique characteristics. The cosmic silence allows to explore the highest energy scales that cannot be reached with accelerators by searching for extremely rare phenomena. I will briefly review the facilities that are operational or in an advanced status of approval around the world.
This paper is an introduction to a series of coordinated articles of an EPJ Plus
Focus Point
on underground physics laboratories, written by the directors of the larger ones and by the coordinators ...of the principal new projects. The paper is largely based on the text of my lecture
Perspectives of underground physics
, given at the Enrico Fermi Varenna International School, Course CLXXXII (2011),
Neutrino physics and astrophysics
, reproduced here by permission of the Italian Physical Society. Underground laboratories provide the low radioactive background environment necessary to explore the highest energy scales that cannot be reached with accelerators, by searching for extremely rare phenomena. Experiments range from the direct search of the dark-matter particles that constitute the largest fraction of matter in the Universe, to the exploration of the properties of the neutrinos, the most elusive of the known particles and which might be particle and antiparticle at the same time, to the investigation on why our universe contains only matter and almost no antimatter, and much more.
The Canfranc Underground Laboratory, presently the second largest in Europe, is located under the Mount Tobazo in the central Spanish Pyrenees, in the province of Huesca in Aragón. After recalling a ...few historical elements, I shall describe the LSC infrastructures and services both underground and the support ones on the surface. I shall then report the characterisation measurements done so far. A summary of the approved experiments and projects for the future will complete the article.
The prognostic and predictive role of KRAS mutations in advanced nonsmall-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is still unclear. TAILOR prospectively assessed the prognostic and predictive value of KRAS ...mutations in NSCLC patients treated with erlotinib or docetaxel in second line.
NSCLC patients from 52 Italian hospitals were genotyped for KRAS and EGFR mutational status in two independent laboratories. Wild-type EGFR patients (N = 218) received first-line platinum-based chemotherapy and were randomly allocated at progression to erlotinib or docetaxel. Overall survival (OS) according to KRAS mutational status was the primary end point.
KRAS mutations were present in 23% of TAILOR randomized cases. The presence of a KRAS mutation did not adversely affect progression-free (PFS) or overall (OS) survival hazard ratio (HR) PFS = 1.01, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.71–1.41, P = 0.977; OS = 1.24, 95% CI 0.87–1.77, P = 0.233, nor influenced treatment outcome (test for interaction: OS P = 0.965; PFS P = 0.417). Patients randomized to docetaxel treatment experienced longer survival independently from the KRAS mutational status of their tumors (HR: mutated KRAS 0.81, 95% CI 0.45–1.47; wild-type KRAS 0.79, 95% CI 0.57–1.10).
In TAILOR, KRAS was neither prognostic nor predictive of benefit for either docetaxel or erlotinib. Docetaxel remains superior independently from KRAS status for second-line treatment in EGFR wild-type advanced NSCLC patients.
NCT00637910.
Summary and outlook Bettini, A.
Nuclear instruments & methods in physics research. Section A, Accelerators, spectrometers, detectors and associated equipment,
01/2011, Letnik:
626
Journal Article
Recenzirano
The workshop has been extremely informative on the deep underwater sciences, on the impressive technical developments, on the contributions of industries and on several policy issues. After having ...recalled a few relevant policy issues, I will try to summarize the physics and astrophysics landscape, as it appeared to my understanding, in the plenary sessions presentations.
Compact modeling of charge trapping processes in GaN transistors is of fundamental importance for advanced circuit design. The goal of this article is to propose a methodology for modeling the ...dynamic characteristics of GaN power HEMTs in the realistic case where trapping/detrapping kinetics are described by stretched exponentials, contrary to ideal pure exponentials, thus significantly improving the state of the art. The analysis is based on: 1) an accurate methodology for describing stretched-exponential transients and extracting the related parameters and 2) a novel compact modeling approach, where the stretched exponential behavior is reproduced via multiple RC networks, whose parameters are specifically tuned based on the results of 1). The developed compact model is then used to simulate the transient performance of the HEMT devices as a function of duty cycle and frequency, thus providing insight on the impact of traps during the realistic switching operation.
We present the design and implementation of a vision-based system for cooperative manipulation at millimeter to micrometer scales. The system is based on an admittance control algorithm that ...implements a broad class of guidance modes called virtual fixtures. A virtual fixture, like a real fixture, limits the motion of a tool to a prescribed class or range of motions. We describe how both hard (unyielding) and soft (yielding) virtual fixtures can be implemented in this control framework. We then detail the construction of virtual fixtures for point positioning and curve following as well as extensions of these to tubes, cones, and sequences thereof. We also describe an implemented system using the JHU Steady Hand Robot. The system uses computer vision as a sensor for providing a reference trajectory, and the virtual fixture control algorithm then provides haptic feedback to implemented direct, shared manipulation. We provide extensive experimental results detailing both system performance and the effects of virtual fixtures on human speed and accuracy.
(ProQuest: ... denotes formulae and/or non-USASCII text omitted; see image).The GERmanium Detector Array (Gerda) at the Gran Sasso Underground Laboratory (LNGS) searches for the neutrinoless double ...beta decay (...) of ...Ge. Germanium detectors made of material with an enriched ...Ge fraction act simultaneously as sources and detectors for this decay. During Phase I of theexperiment mainly refurbished semi-coaxial Ge detectors from former experiments were used. For the upcoming Phase II, 30 new ...Ge enriched detectors of broad energy germanium (BEGe)-type were produced. A subgroup of these detectors has already been deployed in Gerda during Phase I. The present paper reviews the complete production chain of these BEGe detectors including isotopic enrichment, purification, crystal growth and diode production. The efforts in optimizing the mass yield and in minimizing the exposure of the ...Ge enriched germanium to cosmic radiation during processing are described. Furthermore, characterization measurements in vacuum cryostats of the first subgroup of seven BEGe detectors and their long-term behavior in liquid argon are discussed. The detector performance fulfills the requirements needed for the physics goals of Gerda Phase II.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Underground laboratories Bettini, A
Journal of physics. Conference series,
07/2008, Letnik:
120, Številka:
8
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Odprti dostop
Underground laboratories provide the low radioactive background environment necessary to explore the highest energy scales that cannot be reached with accelerators, by searching for extremely rare ...phenomena. To advance the effective-high-energy frontier we need to struggle for background control and reduction. After having discussed the most important characteristics of an underground laboratory, all of the world facilities that are presently operational or in an advanced status of approval are briefly described. None of the projects for very large facilities are described.
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused health care facilities to restrict visitors for patients in all care settings. Most pediatric care facilities have restricted visitation to one parent at a time, ...unfortunately even if the child is in critical condition or is terminally ill. These situations have necessitated the use of technology such as the Zoom platform to have difficult conversations concerning complex medical decision-making and goals of care. In cases where the child is deemed at immediate end of life, many facilities will allow both parents to be at the bedside, but no other family or friends that may be integral support to the parents or child. These situations have compelled the use of FaceTime, Zoom, or Skype technology to facilitate real-time support at end of life for these young patients and their caregivers. This article presents a case where technologies such as these were utilized to assist a family in goals-of-care discussions and at end of life for an infant in the intensive care unit at a large urban pediatric care facility during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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