We report on the design, construction and performance of a prototype for a high-granularity tile hadronic calorimeter for a future international linear collider detector. Scintillating tiles are read ...out via wavelength-shifting fibers that guide the scintillation light to a novel photodetector, the silicon photomultiplier. A prototype has been tested using a positron test beam at DESY. The results are compared with a reference prototype calorimeter equipped with multichannel vacuum photomultipliers. Detector calibration, noise, linearity and stability are discussed, and the energy response in a 1–6
GeV positron beam is compared with simulations. The present results demonstrate that the silicon photomultiplier is well-suited as photodetectors in calorimeters and thus has been selected for the construction of a
1
m
3
calorimeter prototype to operate in hadron beams.
We report upon the performance of an analog hadron calorimeter prototype, where plastic scintillator tiles are read out with wavelength-shifting fibers coupled to avalanche photodiodes. This ...prototype configuration has been tested using a positron beam at DESY with energies between 1 and 6
GeV. We present different detector calibration methods, show measurements for noise, linearity, and energy resolution and discuss gain monitoring with an LED system. The results are in good agreement with our simulation studies and previous measurements using silicon photomultiplier readout.
The electronic system developed for the SpaCal lead/scintillating-fibre calorimeters of the H1 detector in operation at the HERA ep collider is described in detail and the performance achieved during ...H1 data taking is presented. The 10 MHz bunch crossing rate of HERA puts severe constraints on the requirements of the electronics. The energy and time readout are performed, respectively, with a 14-bit dynamic range and with a resolution of ∼0.4 ns. The trigger branch consists of a nanosecond-resolution calorimetric time of flight for background rejection and an electron trigger based on analog ‘sliding windows’. The on-line background rejection currently achieved is ∼10
6. The electron trigger allows a low-energy trigger threshold to be set at ∼0.50±0.08 (RMS) GeV with an efficiency ⩾99.9%. The energy and time performance of the readout and trigger electronics is based on a newly developed low noise (
σ
noise∼0.4 MeV) wideband (
f⩽200 mHz) preamplifier located at the output of the photomultipliers which are used for the fibre light readout in the ∼1 T magnetic field of H1.
We report on the design, construction and performance of a prototype for a high-granularity tile hadronic calorimeter for a future international linear collider detector. Scintillating tiles are read ...out via wavelength-shifting fibers that guide the scintillation light to a novel photodetector, the silicon photomultiplier. A prototype has been tested using a positron test beam at DESY. The results are compared with a reference prototype calorimeter equipped with multichannel vacuum photomultipliers. Detector calibration, noise, linearity and stability are discussed, and the energy response in a 1–6 GeV positron beam is compared with simulations. The present results demonstrate that the silicon photomultiplier is well-suited as photodetectors in calorimeters and thus has been selected for the construction of a 1 m 3 calorimeter prototype to operate in hadron beams.
Purpose
Prospective evaluation of the prevalence of incomplete distal renal tubular acidosis (idRTA) in idiopathic calcium stone formers (ICSF) diagnosed by half-dose ammonium chloride loading (NH
4
...Cl, 0.05 g/kg body weight/day) and impact of alkali treatment of idRTA.
Methods
Evaluation of 386 consecutive idiopathic calcium stone formers (ICSF) (280 males, 106 females) for idRTA. If screening fasting urine pH was > 5.80, 1-day NH
4
Cl loading was performed without severe adverse effects. Normally, urine pH falls below 5.45.
Results
Sixty-four idiopathic calcium stone formers exhibited idRTA, one complete dRTA. Prevalence was higher in women (25.4%) than in men (13.6%). Thus, for more equilibrated comparisons, we formed pairs of 62 idiopathic calcium stone formers (ICSF) with and 62 without idRTA, matched for gender, age, BMI and serum creatinine. Idiopathic calcium stone formers with idRTA more often had hypercalciuria (
p
< 0.025) and urine citrate < 2 mmol/d (
p
< 0.05), formed calcium phosphate stones more frequently, exhibited higher numbers of stones/year (1.4 ± 1.5 vs. 0.9 ± 0.8,
p
= 0.034) and 2.5 times more intrarenal calcifications (4.6 ± 5.9 vs. 1.8 ± 3.6,
p
= 0.002). All idiopathic calcium stone formers with idRTA were recommended chronic alkali therapy. After 4–15 years of follow-up, stone events /years follow-up (stone passage or urologic intervention) were higher in patients non-adherent to alkali therapy (0.61 ± 0.92) than in patients adherent to treatment (0.11 ± 0.21,
p
= 0.006).
Conclusion
Incomplete distal renal tubular acidosis is 1.8-fold more prevalent among female idiopathic calcium stone formers, predicts more stone recurrences, predisposes to calcium phosphate stones and is associated with 2.5 times more intrarenal calcifications vs. non-idRTA patients. Chronic alkali treatment reduces clinical stone recurrences by 5.5 times.
Graphical abstract
Prospective evaluation of the prevalence of incomplete distal renal tubular acidosis (idRTA) in idiopathic calcium stone formers (ICSF) diagnosed by half-dose ammonium chloride loading (NH
Cl, ...0.05 g/kg body weight/day) and impact of alkali treatment of idRTA.
Evaluation of 386 consecutive idiopathic calcium stone formers (ICSF) (280 males, 106 females) for idRTA. If screening fasting urine pH was > 5.80, 1-day NH
Cl loading was performed without severe adverse effects. Normally, urine pH falls below 5.45.
Sixty-four idiopathic calcium stone formers exhibited idRTA, one complete dRTA. Prevalence was higher in women (25.4%) than in men (13.6%). Thus, for more equilibrated comparisons, we formed pairs of 62 idiopathic calcium stone formers (ICSF) with and 62 without idRTA, matched for gender, age, BMI and serum creatinine. Idiopathic calcium stone formers with idRTA more often had hypercalciuria (p < 0.025) and urine citrate < 2 mmol/d (p < 0.05), formed calcium phosphate stones more frequently, exhibited higher numbers of stones/year (1.4 ± 1.5 vs. 0.9 ± 0.8, p = 0.034) and 2.5 times more intrarenal calcifications (4.6 ± 5.9 vs. 1.8 ± 3.6, p = 0.002). All idiopathic calcium stone formers with idRTA were recommended chronic alkali therapy. After 4-15 years of follow-up, stone events /years follow-up (stone passage or urologic intervention) were higher in patients non-adherent to alkali therapy (0.61 ± 0.92) than in patients adherent to treatment (0.11 ± 0.21, p = 0.006).
Incomplete distal renal tubular acidosis is 1.8-fold more prevalent among female idiopathic calcium stone formers, predicts more stone recurrences, predisposes to calcium phosphate stones and is associated with 2.5 times more intrarenal calcifications vs. non-idRTA patients. Chronic alkali treatment reduces clinical stone recurrences by 5.5 times.
BACKGROUND AND AIMS To compare the performance of 3D magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in conjunction with an intravascular contrast agent with that of scintigraphy, with respect to detection and ...localisation of gastrointestinal haemorrhage in vivo in pigs. METHODS Intraluminal bleeding sites were surgically created in the small bowel and colon of six pigs. The animals underwent scintigraphy with 99mTc labelled red blood cells and 3D MRI following administration of an intravascular contrast agent (NC100150) at five minute intervals over 30 minutes. For analysis, the intestinal tract was divided into six segments. Based on the two evaluated methods, each segment was characterised on a five point scale regarding the presence of a bleed. At autopsy, the surgically manipulated bowel segments were inspected for the presence of haemorrhage. RESULTS Bleeding was confirmed at autopsy in 18/36 segments. Contrast extravasation with subsequent movement through the bowel could be documented on MRI data sets. All segments were correctly characterised, resulting in 100% sensitivity and specificity for MRI. Based on scintigraphy, interpretation of seven segments (19%) was false (sensitivity/specificity of 78%/72%). Differences in diagnostic performance were evident in the receiver operator characteristic (ROC) analysis, with an area under the MRI curve of 0.99 and under the scintigraphy curve of 0.85. CONCLUSION In conjunction with an intravascular contrast agent, 3D MRI permits accurate detection and localisation of gastrointestinal bleeding. The extent and evolution of intestinal bleeding can be determined with repeated data acquisition.
PDF
