LumiCal will be the luminosity calorimeter for the proposed International Large Detector of the International Linear Collider (ILC). The ILC physics program requires the integrated luminosity to be ...measured with a relative precision on the order of 10e-3, or 10e-4 when running in GigaZ mode. Luminosity will be determined by counting Bhabha scattering events coincident in the two calorimeter modules placed symmetrically on opposite sides of the interaction point. To meet these goals, the energy resolution of the calorimeter must be better than 1.5% at high energies. LumiCal has been designed as a 30-layer sampling calorimeter with tungsten as the passive material and silicon as the active material. Monte Carlo simulation using the Geant4 software framework has been used to identify design elements which adversely impact energy resolution and correct for them without loss of statistics. BeamCal, covering polar angles smaller than LumiCal, will serve for beam tuning, luminosity optimisation and high energy electron detection. Secondly, prototypes of the sensors and electronics for both detectors have been evaluated during beam tests, the results of which are also presented here.
Two special calorimeters are foreseen for the instrumentation of the very forward region of an ILC or CLIC detector; a luminometer (LumiCal) designed to measure the rate of low angle Bhabha ...scattering events with a precision better than 10\(^{-3}\) at the ILC and 10\(^{-2}\) at CLIC, and a low polar-angle calorimeter (BeamCal). The latter will be hit by a large amount of beamstrahlung remnants. The intensity and the spatial shape of these depositions will provide a fast luminosity estimate, as well as determination of beam parameters. The sensors of this calorimeter must be radiation-hard. Both devices will improve the e.m. hermeticity of the detector in the search for new particles. Finely segmented and very compact electromagnetic calorimeters will match these requirements. Due to the high occupancy, fast front-end electronics will be needed. Monte Carlo studies were performed to investigate the impact of beam-beam interactions and physics background processes on the luminosity measurement, and of beamstrahlung on the performance of BeamCal, as well as to optimise the design of both calorimeters. Dedicated sensors, front-end and ADC ASICs have been designed for the ILC and prototypes are available. Prototypes of sensor planes fully assembled with readout electronics have been studied in electron beams.
LumiCal will be the luminosity calorimeter for the proposed International Large Detector of the International Linear Collider (ILC). The ILC physics program requires the integrated luminosity to be ...measured with a relative precision on the order of 10e-3, or 10e-4 when running in GigaZ mode. Luminosity will be determined by counting Bhabha scattering events coincident in the two calorimeter modules placed symmetrically on opposite sides of the interaction point. To meet these goals, the energy resolution of the calorimeter must be better than 1.5% at high energies. LumiCal has been designed as a 30-layer sampling calorimeter with tungsten as the passive material and silicon as the active material. Monte Carlo simulation using the Geant4 software framework has been used to identify design elements which adversely impact energy resolution and correct for them without loss of statistics. BeamCal, covering polar angles smaller than LumiCal, will serve for beam tuning, luminosity optimisation and high energy electron detection. Secondly, prototypes of the sensors and electronics for both detectors have been evaluated during beam tests, the results of which are also presented here.
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MBA Professional Report
Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited.
This MBA project analyzes the benefit of integrating Radio ...Frequency Identification (RFID) technology into the Department of Defense supply chain management infrastructure. The project confirms the existence of an inherent value in logistics information used as a resource in Department of Defense supply chain management applications. Also identified is the value of comprehensive and real time logistics information to the warfighter and what he or she is willing to pay for that information. For example, the average value the warfighter is willing to pay on a deployed aircraft carrier is 2.46% of the carrier's average annual budget, or $8 56,775. To determine these values, the project uses the results of a survey distributed to Naval Supply Corps Officers who were used as survey respondents due to their positioning as a logistics and financial choke point between the man in the foxhole and their commanding officers. Using the value that Supply Officers are willing to pay for comprehensive and real time information, a value added figure is determined for the inclusion of RFID technology in the Department of Defense supply chain management infrastructure. Continuing with the aircraft carrier example, the value added figure is $1 1.28 per requisition.
Chemical shift (CS) MRI of the adrenal glands exploits the different precessional frequencies of fat and water protons to differentiate the intracytoplasmic lipid-containing adrenal adenoma from ...other adrenal lesions. The purpose of this review is to illustrate both technical and interpretive pitfalls of adrenal imaging with CS MRI and emphasize the importance of adherence to strict technical specifications and errors that may occur when other imaging features and clinical factors are not incorporated into the diagnosis. When performed properly, the specificity of CS MRI for the diagnosis of adrenal adenoma is over 90%. Sampling the in-phase and opposed-phase echoes in the correct order and during the same breath-hold are essential requirements, and using the first echo pair is preferred, if possible. CS MRI characterizes more adrenal adenomas then unenhanced CT but may be non-diagnostic in a proportion of lipid-poor adenomas; CT washout studies may be able to diagnose these lipid-poor adenomas. Other primary and secondary adrenal tumours and supra-renal disease entities may contain lipid or gross fat and mimic adenoma or myelolipoma. Heterogeneity within an adrenal lesion that contains intracytoplasmic lipid could be due to myelolipoma, lipomatous metaplasia of adenoma, or collision tumour. Correlation with previous imaging, other imaging features, clinical history, and laboratory investigations can minimize interpretive errors.
The Liver Imaging Reporting and Data System (LI-RADS
) is a comprehensive system for standardizing the terminology, technique, interpretation, reporting, and data collection of liver observations in ...individuals at high risk for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). LI-RADS is supported and endorsed by the American College of Radiology (ACR). Upon its initial release in 2011, LI-RADS applied only to liver observations identified at CT or MRI. It has since been refined and expanded over multiple updates to now also address ultrasound-based surveillance, contrast-enhanced ultrasound for HCC diagnosis, and CT/MRI for assessing treatment response after locoregional therapy. The LI-RADS 2018 version was integrated into the HCC diagnosis, staging, and management practice guidance of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD). This article reviews the major LI-RADS updates since its 2011 inception and provides an overview of the currently published LI-RADS algorithms.
Wetlands in southern Ontario are at risk of degradation and alteration due to human activities. This is a concern because wetlands provide essential habitat for species from a range of taxa, such as ...birds and anurans (frogs and toads). One wetland-dwelling species whose decline may be linked to loss of wetland wildlife habitat is the muskrat (
Ondatra zibethicus
). The decline of muskrats may also be linked to declines of other species because muskrats engage in activities that could support taxa such as birds and anurans by increasing habitat heterogeneity. We investigated whether bird and anuran species richness is related to muskrat density or if it is better predicted by land cover variables that describe the wetland and surrounding area at 30 coastal wetlands on Lake Ontario. We estimated bird and anuran species richness using data from the Great Lakes Marsh Monitoring Program and the Great Lakes Coastal Wetland Monitoring Program, and muskrat density based on muskrat house counts. Our results suggest that muskrat activity did not predict richness of anurans or birds overall; however, it did predict richness for the subset of birds that nest in emergent aquatic vegetation. Our results indicate that muskrat abundance in emergent marshes may increase habitat quality for birds that nest in emergent vegetation but may not have a measurable effect on anuran diversity in these same wetlands.