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We present a measurement of the cosmic-ray spectrum above 100 PeV using the part of the surface detector of the Pierre Auger Observatory that has a spacing of 750 m. An inflection of the spectrum is observed, confirming the presence of the so-called second-knee feature. The spectrum is then combined with that of the 1500 m array to produce a single measurement of the flux, linking this spectral feature with the three additional breaks at the highest energies. The combined spectrum, with an energy scale set calorimetrically via fluorescence telescopes and using a single detector type, results in the most statistically and systematically precise measurement of spectral breaks yet obtained. These measurements are critical for furthering our understanding of the highest energy cosmic rays.

Using data collected at the Pierre Auger Observatory during the past 3.7 years, we demonstrated a correlation between the arrival directions of cosmic rays with energy above 6 × 10 19 electron volts and the positions of active galactic nuclei (AGN) lying within ∼75 megaparsecs. We rejected the hypothesis of an isotropic distribution of these cosmic rays with at least a 99% confidence level from a prescribed a priori test. The correlation we observed is compatible with the hypothesis that the highest-energy particles originate from nearby extragalactic sources whose flux has not been substantially reduced by interaction with the cosmic background radiation. AGN or objects having a similar spatial distribution are possible sources.

Energy-dependent patterns in the arrival directions of cosmic rays are searched for using data of the Pierre Auger Observatory. We investigate local regions around the highest-energy cosmic rays with E ≥ 6 × 10 19 eV by analyzing cosmic rays with energies above E ≥ 5 × 10 18 eV arriving within an angular separation of approximately 15 ∘ . We characterize the energy distributions inside these regions by two independent methods, one searching for angular dependence of energy-energy correlations and one searching for collimation of energy along the local system of principal axes of the energy distribution. No significant patterns are found with this analysis. The comparison of these measurements with astrophysical scenarios can therefore be used to obtain constraints on related model parameters such as strength of cosmic-ray deflection and density of point sources.

Carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) is a well-known pharmaceutical polymer, recently gaining attention in the field of nanomedicine, especially as a polyelectrolyte agent for the formation of complexes with oppositely charged macromolecules. Here, we report on the application of pH-sensitive pharmaceutical grade CMC-based nanoparticles (NP) for white blood cells (WBC) PET imaging. In this context and as an alternative to 99mTc-HMPAO SPECT labeling, the use of 68Ga3+ as PET radionuclide was investigated since, at early time points, it could provide the greater spatial resolution and patient convenience of PET tomography over SPECT clinical practices. Two operator-friendly kit-type formulations were compared, with the intention of radiolabeling within a short time (10 min), under mild conditions (physiological pH, room temperature) and in agreement with the actual clinically applied guidelines. NP were labeled by directly using 68Ga3+ eluted in HCL 0.05 N, from hospital suited 68Ge/68Ga generator and in absence of chelator. The first kit type approach involved the application of 68Ga3+ as an ionotropic gelation agent for in-situ forming NP. The second kit type approach concerned the re-hydration of a proper freeze-dried injectable NP powder. pH-sensitive NP with 250 nm average diameter and 80% labeling efficacy were obtained. The NP dispersant medium, including a cryoprotective agent, was modulated in order to optimize the Zeta potential value (−18 mV), minimize the NP interaction with serum proteins and guarantee a physiological environment for WBC during NP incubation. Time-dependent WBC radiolabeling was correlated to NP uptake by using both confocal and FT-IR microscopies. The ready to use lyophilized NP formulation approach appears promising as a straightforward 68Ga-WBC labeling tool for PET imaging applications.

The simulation software for the ATLAS Experiment at the Large Hadron Collider is being used for large-scale production of events on the LHC Computing Grid. This simulation requires many components, from the generators that simulate particle collisions, through packages simulating the response of the various detectors and triggers. All of these components come together under the ATLAS simulation infrastructure. In this paper, that infrastructure is discussed, including that supporting the detector description, interfacing the event generation, and combining the GEANT4 simulation of the response of the individual detectors. Also described are the tools allowing the software validation, performance testing, and the validation of the simulated output against known physics processes.

(ProQuest: ... denotes formulae and/or non-USASCII text omitted; see image) The luminosity calibration for the ATLAS detector at the LHC during pp collisions at ... in 2010 and 2011 is presented. Evaluation of the luminosity scale is performed using several luminosity-sensitive detectors, and comparisons are made of the long-term stability and accuracy of this calibration applied to the pp collisions at ... A luminosity uncertainty of ... is obtained for the 47 pb^sup -1^ of data delivered to ATLAS in 2010, and an uncertainty of ... is obtained for the 5.5 fb^sup -1^ delivered in 2011.

(ProQuest: ... denotes formulae and/or non-USASCII text omitted; see image) The jet energy scale and its systematic uncertainty are determined for jets measured with the ATLAS detector at the LHC in proton-proton collision data at a centre-of-mass energy of ... corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 38 pb^sup -1^. Jets are reconstructed with the anti-k ^sub t^ algorithm with distance parameters R=0.4 or R=0.6. Jet energy and angle corrections are determined from Monte Carlo simulations to calibrate jets with transverse momenta p ^sub T^[greater than or equal to]20 GeV and pseudorapidities |[eta]|<4.5. The jet energy systematic uncertainty is estimated using the single isolated hadron response measured in situ and in test-beams, exploiting the transverse momentum balance between central and forward jets in events with dijet topologies and studying systematic variations in Monte Carlo simulations. The jet energy uncertainty is less than 2.5 % in the central calorimeter region (|[eta]|<0.8) for jets with 60[less than or equal to]p ^sub T^<800 GeV, and is maximally 14 % for p ^sub T^<30 GeV in the most forward region 3.2[less than or equal to]|[eta]|<4.5. The jet energy is validated for jet transverse momenta up to 1 TeV to the level of a few percent using several in situ techniques by comparing a well-known reference such as the recoiling photon p ^sub T^, the sum of the transverse momenta of tracks associated to the jet, or a system of low-p ^sub T^ jets recoiling against a high-p ^sub T^ jet. More sophisticated jet calibration schemes are presented based on calorimeter cell energy density weighting or hadronic properties of jets, aiming for an improved jet energy resolution and a reduced flavour dependence of the jet response. The systematic uncertainty of the jet energy determined from a combination of in situ techniques is consistent with the one derived from single hadron response measurements over a wide kinematic range. The nominal corrections and uncertainties are derived for isolated jets in an inclusive sample of high-p ^sub T^ jets. Special cases such as event topologies with close-by jets, or selections of samples with an enhanced content of jets originating from light quarks, heavy quarks or gluons are also discussed and the corresponding uncertainties are determined.

(ProQuest: ... denotes formulae and/or non-USASCII text omitted; see image) The measurement of the jet energy resolution is presented using data recorded with the ATLAS detector in proton-proton collisions at ... The sample corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 35 pb^sup -1^. Jets are reconstructed from energy deposits measured by the calorimeters and calibrated using different jet calibration schemes. The jet energy resolution is measured with two different in situ methods which are found to be in agreement within uncertainties. The total uncertainties on these measurements range from 20 % to 10 % for jets within |y|<2.8 and with transverse momenta increasing from 30 GeV to 500 GeV. Overall, the Monte Carlo simulation of the jet energy resolution agrees with the data within 10 %.

(ProQuest: ... denotes formulae and/or non-USASCII text omitted; see image) The inclusive jet cross-section has been measured in proton-proton collisions at ... in a dataset corresponding to an integrated luminosity of ... collected with the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider in 2011. Jets are identified using the anti-k ^sub t^ algorithm with two radius parameters of 0.4 and 0.6. The inclusive jet double-differential cross-section is presented as a function of the jet transverse momentum p ^sub T^ and jet rapidity y, covering a range of 20[less than or equal to]p ^sub T^<430 GeV and |y|<4.4. The ratio of the cross-section to the inclusive jet cross-section measurement at ..., published by the ATLAS Collaboration, is calculated as a function of both transverse momentum and the dimensionless quantity ..., in bins of jet rapidity. The systematic uncertainties on the ratios are significantly reduced due to the cancellation of correlated uncertainties in the two measurements. Results are compared to the prediction from next-to-leading order perturbative QCD calculations corrected for non-perturbative effects, and next-to-leading order Monte Carlo simulation. Furthermore, the ATLAS jet cross-section measurements at ... and ... are analysed within a framework of next-to-leading order perturbative QCD calculations to determine parton distribution functions of the proton, taking into account the correlations between the measurements.