During the second long shutdown period of the CERN accelerator complex (LS2, 2019-2021), several upgrade activities took place at the n_TOF facility. The most important have been the replacement of ...the spallation target with a next generation nitrogen-cooled lead target. Additionally, a new experimental area, at a very short distance from the target assembly (the NEAR Station) was established. In this paper, the core commissioning actions of the new installations are described. The improvement in the n_TOF infrastructure was accompanied by several detector development projects. All these upgrade actions are discussed, focusing mostly on the future perspectives of the n_TOF facility. Furthermore, some indicative current and future measurements are briefly reported.
A new interpretation of the σA parameter Carrozzini, B.; Cascarano, G. L.; Giacovazzo, C. ...
Acta crystallographica. Section A, Foundations of crystallography,
07/2013, Letnik:
69, Številka:
4
Journal Article
Recenzirano
A new study of the σA parameter has been undertaken to understand its behaviour when the diffraction amplitude distributions are far from the standard Wilson distributions. The study has led to the ...formulation of a new statistical interpretation of σA, expressed in terms of a correlation factor. The new formulas allow a more accurate use of σA in electron‐density modification procedures.
Summary
Purpose
Few real‐world data are available on the frequency and management of pain in Internal Medicine (IM). Aims of our study were to assess the prevalence of pain in IM, and to evaluate the ...effects on pain management of a standardised educational programme.
Materials and methods
The study was performed in 26 IM Units in Italy, with two cross‐sectional surveys (PRE phase and POST phase) interspersed with an educational programme. In PRE phase each Centre reviewed the hospital charts of the last 100 consecutive patients hospitalised for any cause. An educational programme was conducted in each Centre by means of the ‘outreach visit’, a face‐to‐face meeting between health personnel and a trained external expert. Six months after, each Centre repeated the data collection (POST phase), specular to the PRE.
Results
A total of 5200 medical charts were analysed. Pain was documented in 37.5% of the patients. After the educational intervention, the intensity of pain was appropriately assessed in a higher percentage of patients (77.4% vs. 47.8%, p = 0.0001), and it was more frequently monitored during hospitalisation. Qualitative definition of pain (pathogenesis, duration, etc.) increased in POST phase (75.4% vs. 62.7%, p = 0.0001). A 73.3% increase in the use of strong opioids was detected following educational programme.
Conclusions
Pain affects 4 out of 10 patients hospitalised in IM. According to our large real‐world study, to implement a standardised one‐shot educational programme may persistently improve the attitude of health personnel towards the characterisation and management of pain.
Accurate neutron capture cross section data for minor actinides (MAs) are required to estimate the production and transmutation rates of MAs in light water reactors, critical fast reactors like ...Gen-IV systems, and other innovative reactor systems such as accelerator driven systems (ADS). In particular, 244Cm, 246Cm and 248Cm play a role in the transport, storage and transmutation of the nuclear waste of the current nuclear reactors, due to the contribution of these isotopes to the radiotoxicity, neutron emission, and decay heat in the spent nuclear fuel. Also, capture reactions in these Cm isotopes open the path for the formation of heavier elements. In this work, the results of the capture cross section measurement on 244Cm, 246Cm and 248Cm performed at the CERN n_TOF facility are presented. It is important to notice that the Cm samples used in the experiment at n_TOF have been used previously in an experiment at J-PARC, this experiment and the previous one done in the 70s with a nuclear explosion were the only previous capture experiments for these isotopes. At n_TOF, the capture cross section measurements of 244Cm, 246Cm and 248Cm were performed at the 20 m vertical flight path (EAR2) with three C6D6 total energy detectors. In addition, the cross section of 244Cm was measured at the 185 m flight path (EAR1) with a Total Absorption Calorimeter (TAC). The combination of measurements in EAR1 and EAR2 has contributed to controlling and reducing the systematic uncertainties in the results. The compatibility of the different measurements performed and the techniques to obtain the results are presented in this paper as well as the procedure to obtain the resonance parameters.
In this study, the interactions of small hydrocarbon molecules with monolayer SA steps are considered. The purpose of the calculations is a systematic description of the adsorption capability of the ...silicon steps in dependence of the type of the incident molecule. The study deals with both the electronic configuration of the deposited system and with its transport properties and the flat, dimerized surface is used as reference. The calculations are based on a semi-empirical Hamiltonian which is applied to the evaluation of the total energy and of the conductance and this last quantity is obtained from the scattering theory. It has been found that, though the step is a weaker sink than the flat surface, adsorption is possible and the molecules are bonded to the step. The functional relationship between the binding energy and the type of the adsorbed molecule is reminiscent of the intrinsic binding energy of the molecule itself and is therefore similar for the flat surface and for the step. The transmission function depends on the type of molecule and of the substrate and on the allowed energy levels of the deposited system. Depending on the channel type, a direct, or reverse, proportionality exists between the conductance and the binding energy.
The aims of this study were to develop and evaluate reliability of a quantitative assessment tool for upper limb sense of position on the horizontal plane. We evaluated 15 healthy individuals ...(controls) and 9 stroke patients. A robotic device passively moved one arm of the blindfolded participant who had to actively move his/her opposite hand to the mirror location in the workspace. Upper-limb's position was evaluated by a digital camera. The position of the passive hand was compared with the active hand's 'mirror' position. Performance metrics were then computed to measure the mean absolute errors, error variability, spatial contraction/expansion, and systematic shifts. No significant differences were observed between dominant and non-dominant active arms of controls. All performance parameters of the post-stroke group differed significantly from those of controls. This tool can provide a quantitative measure of upper limb sense of position, therefore allowing detection of changes due to rehabilitation.
The focus of this study is on the adsorption of organic molecules onto steps on Si(1
0
0) and acetylene has been chosen as a show-case example. The study is based on a time-dependent quantum ...mechanical method and is divided into two parts. The first part has a methodological meaning and illustrates the dynamical events occurring when the molecule impinges onto the flat Si(1
0
0) surface. The second part analyzes preferred adsorption sites at steps, which are evaluated under stationary conditions from the minimization of the total energy. Adsorption–desorption events at those sites are analyzed considering temperature-activated motions obtained from the time-dependent representation. The simulation method is based on two Hamiltonians, i.e., semiempirical Hartree–Fock and Density Functional, and uses a cluster to model the exposed surface. Divergences and similarities of the properties of steps with respect to properties of the flat surface, as reported in the literature or obtained from this study, are analyzed and discussed.
Dipartimento di Medicina Interna e Terapia Medica, Universita di Pavia, IRCCS Policlinico S. Matteo, Italy.
The integrin family consists of a series of related alpha beta heterodimers (subunits of ...95,000-200,000 Mw) involved in a variety of cell-matrix and cell-cell adhesion functions. Leukocyte adhesion has biological importance in numerous processes involving host defense. The CD11/CD18 integrins are differentiated antigens which play a critical role in this mechanism. CD11a/CD18 are apparent on early progenitors of all myeloid and erythroid cells. CD11b/CD18 and CD11c/CD18 are more restricted antigens normally expressed on monocytes, macrophages, PMN and natural killer cells. Activated granulocytes and monocytes express far more CD11b/CD18 than the other two antigens: 6 to 8 x 10(5) CD11b/CD18 molecules appear on maximally activated granulocytes. These integrins and in particular the beta 2 subunit are lacking in a genetic disease. On the other hand, they are fundamental in numerous physiological processes and in various hematological and cardiovascular diseases. The biochemical characterization and behavior of the CD11/CD18 complex in various clinical conditions are the subject of this review.
Most elements heavier than iron have been generated in the stellar media by means of neutron capture reactions, approximately half are produced by the slow neutron capture or s-process. Radiative ...neutron capture cross section measurements are of fundamental importance for the study of this mechanism. In this contribution we present a brief summary on the measurement and results for the 80Se(n,γ) cross-section. The experiment was carried out at CERN n_TOF EAR1 via the time of flight (ToF) technique, using four C6D6 scintillation detectors with very fast response. More than a hundred new resonances have been analyzed for the first time with a high accuracy. The MACS obtained at kT = 8 keV is 36% smaller than the recommended value in KADo-NiS. Some of the astrophysical implications of this result are elucidated in this contribution.
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