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We present the development of resistive Micromegas aiming at operation under high rates, up to tens MHz/cm2, focusing on the optimisation of the spark protection resistive layer and the miniaturisation of the readout elements. Several Micromegas detectors have been built with an anode plane matrix of 48x16 rectangular readout pads, each pad 0.8x2.8 mm2. The detectors differ for the spark protection resistive schemes being realised with the following techniques: a pad-patterned embedded resistor by screen printing, and uniform DLC (Diamond Like Carbon structure) layers. Characterisation and performance studies of the detectors have been carried out by means of radioactive sources, X-Rays, and test beam. A comparison of the performance obtained with the different resistive layouts is presented, in particular focusing on the response under high irradiation and high rate exposure.

The new generation of particle physics experiments at current and future colliders demands more and more robust detectors. A proposed solution to the stringent requirements are the Small-pad Resistive Micormegas. This technology is being developed during recent years, in the framework of the new R&D project RHUM. Different resistive schemes have been implemented. The different behaviours of the embedded resistor layout and the Diamond-Like Carbon (DLC) uniform layers scheme have been studied. Results at very high rate are shown. HV stability studies with two different gases are reported.

SummaryIn hemodialysis patients, vertebral fractures were associated with elevated sclerostin levels, suggesting that sclerostin could reflect bone fragility in these patients.IntroductionFragility fractures are common in hemodialysis patients. The aims of our study were to determine the prevalence of vertebral fracture and analyze associations between sclerostin serum levels and vertebral fractures in hemodialysis patients.MethodsNinety-two hemodialysis patients and 100 controls matched for age and sex were studied. Bone mineral density was measured by ultrasonography at non-dominant heel. The markers of bone turnover included serum osteocalcin, C-terminal telopeptide, and sclerostin. All participants underwent radiography of the thoracic and lumbar spine to ascertain the presence of vertebral fractures.ResultsBone ultrasound parameters at calcaneus were significantly lower in hemodialysis patients compared with controls; bone turnover markers and parathyroid hormone level were significantly higher, while serum of 25-OH-D3 was significantly lower in hemodialysis group. One or more moderate or severe vertebral fractures were found in 38 hemodialysis patients, whereas in control group, 10 patients had a vertebral fracture. In hemodialysis group, the comparison between patients with and without vertebral fractures showed that the patients with vertebral fractures had the serum sclerostin levels statistically higher than patients without vertebral, while serum levels of 25-OH-D3 was significantly lower in patients with vertebral fractures compared to the patients without vertebral fractures. Multivariate analysis disclosed that sclerostin levels were associated with an increased risk of vertebral fractures in hemodialysis patients after adjusting for multiple variables.ConclusionsOur data shows high prevalence of vertebral fractures in hemodialysis patients and that it is associated with elevated sclerostin levels, reflecting bone fragility in these patients.

The Scattering and Neutrino Detector at the LHC (SND@LHC) started taking data at the beginning of Run 3 of the LHC. The experiment is designed to perform measurements with neutrinos produced in proton-proton collisions at the LHC in an energy range between 100 GeV and 1 TeV. It covers a previously unexplored pseudo-rapidity range of 7.2 < η < 8.4 . The detector is located 480 m downstream of the ATLAS interaction point in the TI18 tunnel. It comprises a veto system, a target consisting of tungsten plates interleaved with nuclear emulsion and scintillating fiber (SciFi) trackers, followed by a muon detector (UpStream, US and DownStream, DS). In this article we report the measurement of the muon flux in three subdetectors: the emulsion, the SciFi trackers and the DownStream Muon detector. The muon flux per integrated luminosity through an 18 × 18 cm 2 area in the emulsion is: 1.5 ± 0.1 ( stat ) × 10 4 fb/cm 2 . The muon flux per integrated luminosity through a 31 × 31 cm 2 area in the centre of the SciFi is: 2.06 ± 0.01 ( stat ) ± 0.12 ( sys ) × 10 4 fb/cm 2 The muon flux per integrated luminosity through a 52 × 52 cm 2 area in the centre of the downstream muon system is: 2.35 ± 0.01 ( stat ) ± 0.10 ( sys ) × 10 4 fb/cm 2 The total relative uncertainty of the measurements by the electronic detectors is 6 % for the SciFi and 4 % for the DS measurement. The Monte Carlo simulation prediction of these fluxes is 20–25 % lower than the measured values.

After rapid approval and installation, the SND@LHC Collaboration was able to gather data successfully in 2022 and 2023. Neutrino interactions from νμs originating at the LHC IP1 were observed. Since muons constitute the major background for neutrino interactions, the muon flux entering the acceptance was also measured. To improve the rejection power of the detector and to increase the fiducial volume, a third Veto plane was recently installed. The energy resolution of the calorimeter system was measured in a test beam. This will help with the identification of νe interactions that can be used to probe charm production in the pseudo-rapidity range of SND@LHC (7.2 < η < 8.4). Events with three outgoing muons have been observed and are being studied. With no vertex in the target, these events are very likely from muon trident production in the rock before the detector. Events with a vertex in the detector could be from trident production, photon conversion, or positron annihilation. To enhance SND@LHC’s physics case, an upgrade is planned for HL-LHC that will increase the statistics and reduce the systematics. The installation of a magnet will allow the separation of νμ from ν¯μ

To investigate the effect of water stress on carbon metabolism in growing potato tubers (Solanum tuberosum L.), freshly cut and washed discs were incubated in a range of mannitol concentrations corresponding to external water potential between 0 and -1.2 MPa. (i) Incorporation of [14C]glucose into starch was inhibited in water-stressed discs, and labeling of sucrose was increased. High glucose overrode the changes at low water stress (up to -0.5 MPa) but not at high water stress. (ii) Although [14C]sucrose uptake increased in water-stressed discs, less of the absorbed [14C]sucrose was metabolised. (iii) Analysis of the sucrose content of the discs confirmed that increasing water deficit leads to a switch, from net sucrose degradation to net sucrose synthesis. (iv) In parallel incubations containing identical concentrations of sugars but differing in which sugar was labeled, degradation of [14C]sucrose and labeling of sucrose from [14C]glucose and fructose was found at each mannitol concentration. This shows that there is a cycle of sucrose degradation and resynthesis in these tuber discs. Increasing the extent of water stress changed the relation between sucrose breakdown and sucrose synthesis, in favour of synthesis. (v) Analysis of metabolites showed a biphasic response to increasing water deficit. Moderate water stress (0—200 mM mannitol) led to a decrease of the phosphorylated intermediates, especially 3-phosphoglycerate (3PGA). The decrease of metabolites at moderate water stress was not seen when high concentrations of glucose were supplied to the discs. More extreme water stress (300—500 mM mannitol) was accompanied by an accumulation of metabolites at low and high glucose. (vi) Moderate water stress led to an activation of sucrose phosphate synthase (SPS) in discs, and in intact tubers. The stimulation involved a change in the kinetic properties of SPS, and was blocked by protein phosphatase inhibitors. (vii) The amount of ADP-glucose (ADPGlc) decreased when discs were incubated on 100 or 200 mM mannitol. There was a strong correlation between the in vivo levels of ADPGlc and 3PGA when discs were subjected to moderate water stress, and when the sugar supply was varied. (viii) The level of ADPGlc increased and starch synthesis was further inhibited when discs were incubated in 300—500 mM mannitol. (ix) It is proposed that moderate water stress leads to an activation of SPS and stimulates sucrose synthesis. The resulting decline of 3PGA leads to a partial inhibition of ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase and starch synthesis. More-extreme water stress leads to a further alteration of partitioning, because it inhibits the activities of one or more of the enzymes involved in the terminal reactions of starch synthesis.

A measurement of the W boson mass and width has been performed by the DELPHI collaboration using the data collected during the full LEP2 programme (1996-2000). The data sample has an integrated luminosity of 660 pb^-1 and was collected over a range of centre-of-mass energies from 161 to 209 GeV. Results are obtained by applying the method of direct reconstruction of the mass of the W from its decay products in both the W+W- -> lvqq and W+W- -> qqqq channels. The W mass result for the combined data set is M_W = 80.336 +/- 0.055 (Stat.) +/- 0.028 (Syst.) +/- 0.025 (FSI) +/- 0.009 (LEP) GeV/c^2, where FSI represents the uncertainty due to final state interaction effects in the qqqq channel, and LEP represents that arising from the knowledge of the collision energy of the accelerator. The combined value for the W width is Gamma_W = 2.404 +/- 0.140 (Stat.) +/- 0.077 (Syst.) +/- 0.065 (FSI) GeV/c^2. These results supersede all values previously published by the DELPHI collaboration. This paper is dedicated to the memory of Carlo Caso.

Purified α and β globin complementary DNAs (cDNAs) have been separated from total radioactively labeled human globin cDNA using mRNA purified from liver of a hydrops fetalis (α thalassemia). The β cDNA hybridizes to the hydrops fetalis mRNA while the α cDNA remains single-stranded. The purified α and β cDNAs were assayed for their purity by their hybridization to mRNA prepared from reticulocytes of nonthalassemia, α thalassemia, and β thalassemia subjects. The results indicate that the separated cDNAs are selective in hybridization to α or β globin mRNAs, respectively. The previously reported deficiency of globin mRNA in thalassemia cells has been confirmed with these purified cDNAs. The purified α and β cDNAs were hybridized to cellular DNA to determine the relative number of α - and β -like genes in non-thalassemia, β+thalassemia, and hydrops fetalis (α thalassemia) DNA. The α cDNA hybridized to hydrops fetalis liver DNA to a much lower extent than β cDNA, confirming the previously reported deletion of α globin genes in hydrops fetalis. By contrast, both the α and β cDNA probes hybridized to the same extent to spleen DNA from non-thalassemia and from β+thalassemia patients. Between two and five globin genes in non-thalassemia and β+thalassemia DNA hybridize to β cDNA and one to five to α cDNA. These studies indicate that in β+thalassemia, there is no detectable deletion in β globin genes. The genetic defect in β+thalassemia appears to be due to either repression of transcription of β globin genes or abnormal processing of β globin mRNA.

El presente artículo se inserta en el contexto de la calidad de la democracia, como uno de los nuevos focos de estudio de la ciencia política. Se hacen algunas reflexiones teóricas sobre los conceptos de democracia y calidad. Así mismo, se busca determinar cuáles son las variables que deben considerarse para el estudio de la calidad de la democracia. Para cumplir dicho objetivo, en la segunda parte los autores reconstruyen dos importantes índices que, habitualmente, se utilizan para evaluar la calidad de la democracia.