The high luminosity upgrade of the Large Hadron Collider, foreseen for 2027, requires the replacement of the ATLAS Inner Detector with a new all-silicon Inner Tracker (ITk). The expected total ...integrated luminosity of 4000 fb−1 means that the strip part of the ITk detector will be exposed to a large radiation fluence of up to Φeq = 1.6 × 1015 1 MeV neq/cm and an ionizing dose of 0.66 MGy, including a safety factor of 1.5. Radiation-hard n+-in-p micro-strip sensors for use in the ITk have been developed by the ATLAS ITk Strip Sensor collaboration and produced by Hamamatsu Photonics K.K. In this paper, the results obtained from the electrical characterization of the latest barrel ATLAS17LS sensor prototype, before and after irradiation, are shown.
Surface properties of the long-strip barrel, full-sized and miniature sensors have been studied before and after proton, neutron and gamma irradiation up to the maximal fluences and radiation doses specified for the ITk Strip tracker. Sensors have been irradiated by protons at CYRIC, Tohoku University (Japan), the Proton Irradiation Facility at CERN, Karlsruhe Inst. Tech. (Germany) and at the University of Birmingham (UK), by neutrons from the Ljubljana TRIGA reactor (Slovenia) and by gamma rays from the 60Co source in UJP Praha (Czech Republic).
It has been verified that the surface radiation damage does not influence the sensor functionality. The breakdown voltage is well above the maximum operational voltage. All the tested surface parameters, such as the inter-strip resistance and capacitance, coupling capacitance and bias resistance satisfy the ATLAS ITk specifications for strip sensors.
Anatomic liver resection can be performed without vascular occlusion, but controlling blood loss during liver parenchyma dissection by compression or clamping of vessels in the liver hilus is almost ...the rule. The aim of this study is to assess the negative consequences of different types of occlusion techniques used during liver parenchyma dissection.
From 2001 to 2003, 43 anatomical liver resections were performed in patients with primary and metastatic tumors. Patients were divided into three groups according to the duration and the type of occlusion of incoming blood vessels in the hepatoduodenal ligament (continuous over 20 min, continuous under 20 min, or interrupted blood-vessel occlusion for 5 min after every 20 min of occlusion). Blood level of bilirubin, ALT, AST and prothrombin time were evaluated in the postoperative period.
Within the continuous occlusion group that lasted longer than 20 minutes (37 +/- 14 min) increase in levels of bilirubin and liver enzymes and decrease of prothrombin time were noted as compared to the group with occlusion shorter than 20 minutes and to the group with intermittent occlusion over 20 minutes (34 +/- 5 min).
From results issued, it can be seen that using intermittent occlusion during liver parenchyma dissection lasting longer than 20 minutes causes less ischemic-reperfusion injury in the remaining liver parenchyma than by using continual occlusion.
In order to cope with the occupancy and radiation doses expected at the High-Luminosity LHC, the ATLAS experiment will replace its Inner Detector with an all-silicon Inner Tracker (ITk), consisting ...of pixel and strip subsystems.
In the last two years, several prototype ITk strip modules have been tested using beams of high energy electrons produced at the DESY-II testbeam facility. Tracking was provided by EUDET telescopes. The modules tested are built from two sensor types: the rectangular ATLAS17LS, which will be used in the outer layers of the central barrel region of the detector, and the annular ATLAS12EC, which will be used in the innermost ring (R0) of the forward region. Additionally, a structure with two R0 modules positioned back-to-back has been measured, demonstrating space point reconstruction using the stereo angle of the strips. Finally, one barrel and one R0 module have been measured after irradiation to 40% beyond the expected end-of-lifetime fluence. The data obtained allow for thorough tests of the module performance, including charge collection, noise occupancy, detection efficiency, and tracking performance. The results give confidence that the ITk strip detector will meet the requirements of the ATLAS experiment.
Today's therapy of bleeding peptic ulcers consists of pharmacological hemostasis, endoscopic therapy and surgery in chronological order. The aim of this study was to objectively assess the ...contribution of the contemporary algorithm of therapy with the use of endoscopic and surgical hemostasis techniques for the therapy of bleeding peptic ulcers.
This study is a retrospective analysis and comparison of two randomized groups A/B with 427/388 patients with endoscopically verified bleeding from peptic ulcer lesions Forrest I-IIb. Patients in group A (1990-1993) were treated without endoscopic intervention, compared with group B patients (1998-2001) who were treated with endoscopic intervention. In both groups we have statistically scored and compared: quantitative operative therapy share, time interval from the beginning of therapy until surgery, APACHE II score of patients at the beginning of therapy and on the day of surgery, complications requiring re-operation and mortality.
In groups A/B surgical hemostasis was required in 15.0/10.6% cases, from which 90.6/61.0% operations were resections and bionomic operations. Data evaluation of APACHE II scores from both groups at the beginning of treatment showed no significant difference, but at the time of operative therapy the APACHE II scores were significantly higher in group B (11.83 +/- 6.49/15.00 +/- 4.36). The length of unstable intervals of bleeding in group B compared to group A was quantitatively lengthened (A = 55.6 +/- 19.8/B = 68.6 +/- 37.0 h). Significant differences were also noted in the number of re-operations 7.8/9.8% and mortality 15.6/24.3% between groups A/B.
The contemporary accepted sequence of hemostatic therapy is accompanied by the risks of limited selection of optimal methods of endoscopic therapy, protracting the interval of bleeding with unfavorable rise in APACHE II score, and hesitancy in indication for surgery in intractable bleeding after non-surgical therapy.
A novel microstrip sensor geometry, the stereo annulus, has been developed for use in the end-cap of the ATLAS experiment’s strip tracker upgrade at the HL-LHC. Its first implementation is in the ...ATLAS12EC sensors, a large-area, radiation-hard, single-sided, AC-coupled, n+-in-p design produced by the ITk Strip Sensor Collaboration and fabricated by Hamamatsu Photonics in early 2017. The results of the initial testing of two ATLAS12EC batches are presented here with a comparison to specification. The potential of the new sensor shape to reinvigorate endcap strip tracking is explained and its effects on sensor performance are isolated by comparing the bulk mechanical and electrical properties of the new sensor to the previous iteration of prototype, the conventional barrel ATLAS12A sensor. The surface properties of the new sensor are evaluated for full-size unirradiated sensors as well as for mini sensors unirradiated and irradiated with protons up to a fluence of 2.2×1015neq cm−2. The results show that the new stereo annulus ATLAS12EC sensors exhibit excellent performance and the expected irradiation evolution.
A novel microstrip sensor geometry, the stereo annulus, has been developed for use in the end-cap of the ATLAS experiment’s strip tracker upgrade at the HL-LHC. Its first implementation is in the ...ATLAS12EC sensors, a large-area, radiation-hard, single-sided, AC-coupled, n+ -in-p design produced by the ITk Strip Sensor Collaboration and fabricated by Hamamatsu Photonics in early 2017. The results of the initial testing of two ATLAS12EC batches are presented here with a comparison to specification. The potential of the new sensor shape to reinvigorate endcap strip tracking is explained and its effects on sensor performance are isolated by comparing the bulk mechanical and electrical properties of the new sensor to the previous iteration of prototype, the conventional barrel ATLAS12A sensor. The surface properties of the new sensor are evaluated for full-size unirradiated sensors as well as for mini sensors unirradiated and irradiated with protons up to a fluence of 2.2 x 1015 neq cm-2. The results show that the new stereo annulus ATLAS12EC sensors exhibit excellent performance and the expected irradiation evolution.
Due to its high tolerance to acid rain, the North American Colorado blue spruce (Picea pungens) has been among the most frequent substitute tree species used in reforestation programmes in spruce ...mountain forests in the Ore and Sudeten Mountains in the Czech Republic after destruction by sulphur dioxide pollution in the second half of the last century. This species was planted on more than 8800 ha of destroyed mountain forest stands in the Ore Mountains alone. New plantations prospered until a massive outbreak of the gemmamyces bud blight, first identified in 2009. The causal agent, Gemmamyces piceae, induced massive bud blight in infected trees – bud loss progressively increased to 70–80% or more, and because the trees were not able to replace the natural loss of older needles, they quickly withered and died. Many plantations disrupted by the pathogen had to be cut down. Although several resistant genotypes have been identified, the cultivation of this species in forest stands has no future in this area. Because this disease was also identified in several ornamental plantations in the area, the bud blight epidemic haunts public green space administrators and nursery and Christmas tree plantation owners. Other pathogens and pests, such as Lophodermium piceae, Sirococcus conigenus and Elatobium abietinum, have also been identified as involved in the damage to P. pungens.
Background
Skin prick testing (SPT) is an important step in the diagnosis of IgE‐mediated occupational allergic diseases. The outcome of SPT is related to the quality of allergen extracts. Thus, the ...aim of the study was to assess different commercially available SPT solutions for selected occupational allergens.
Methods
SPT was performed in 116 bakers, 47 farmers and 33 subjects exposed to natural rubber latex (NRL), all with work‐related allergic symptoms. The SPT solutions from different manufacturers (n = 3–5) for wheat flour, rye flour, soy, cow hair/dander, storage mites (Tyrophagus putrescentiae, Lepidoglyphus destructor, Acarus siro) and NRL were analysed with respect to their protein and antigen contents. SPT was carried out in 16 allergy centres in six European countries using standardized procedures. Specific IgE values were used as the gold standard to calculate the sensitivity and specificity of SPT solutions. The optimal cut‐point for each SPT solution was determined by Youden Index.
Results
Protein and antigen contents and patterns of the SPT solutions varied remarkably depending on the manufacturer. While SPT solutions for wheat flour and soy reached overall low sensitivities, sensitivities of other tested SPT solutions depended on the manufacturer. As a rule, solutions with higher protein and antigen content showed higher sensitivities and test efficiencies.
Conclusions
There is a wide variability of SPT solutions for occupational allergens, and the sensitivity of several solutions is low. Thus, improvement and standardization of SPT solutions for occupational allergens is essential.
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