Characterization of thick epitaxial silicon detectors from different producers after proton irradiation

Epitaxial (EPI) silicon has recently been investigated for the development of radiation tolerant detectors for future high-luminosity HEP experiments. A study of thick EPI silicon diodes irradiated with protons up to a fluence of has been performed by means of Charge Collection Efficiency (CCE) measurements, investigations with the Transient Current Technique (TCT) and standard CV/IV characterizations. The aim of the work was to investigate the impact of radiation damage as well as the influence of the wafer processing on the material performance by comparing diodes from different manufacturers. The changes of CCE, full depletion voltage and leakage current as a function of fluence are reported. While the generation of leakage current due to irradiation is similar in all investigated series of detectors, a difference in the effective doping concentration can be observed after irradiation. In the CCE measurements an anomalous drop in performance was found even for diodes exposed to very low fluences in all measured series. This result was confirmed for one series of diodes in TCT measurements with an infrared laser. TCT measurements with a red laser showed no type inversion up to fluences of for n-type devices whereas p-type diodes undergo type inversion from p- to n-type for fluences higher than .     

RAP46 is a negative regulator of glucocorticoid receptor action and hormone-induced apoptosis

RAP46 was first identified by its ability to bind the glucocorticoid receptor. It has since been reported to bind several cellular proteins, including the anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2, but the biological significance of these interactions is unknown. Here we show that RAP46 binds the hinge region of the glucocorticoid receptor and inhibits DNA binding and transactivation by the receptor. We further show that overexpression of RAP46 in mouse thymoma S49.1 cells inhibits glucocorticoid-induced apoptosis. Conversely, glucocorticoid-induced apoptosis and transactivation were enhanced after treating S49.1 cells with the immunosuppressant rapamycin, which down-regulates cellular levels of BAG-1, the mouse homolog of RAP46. The effect of rapamycin can, however, be overcome by overexpression of RAP46. These results together identify RAP46 as a protein that controls glucocorticoid-induced apoptosis through its negative regulatory action on the transactivation property of the glucocorticoid receptor.     

Auditory feedback in haptic collaborative interfaces

The combined effect of haptic and auditory feedback in shared interfaces on the cooperation between visually impaired and sighted persons is under-investigated. A central challenge for cooperating group members lies in obtaining a common understanding of the elements of the workspace and maintaining awareness of the other members' actions, as well as one's own, during the group work process. The aim of the experimental study presented here was to investigate if adding audio cues in a haptic and visual interface makes collaboration between a sighted and a blindfolded person more efficient. Results showed that task performance was significantly faster in the audio, haptic and visual feedback condition compared to the haptic and visual feedback condition. One special focus was also to study how participants utilize the auditory and haptic force feedback in order to obtain a common understanding of the workspace and to maintain an awareness of the group members' actions. Results from a qualitative analysis showed that the auditory and haptic feedback was used in a number of important ways to support the group members' action awareness and in the participants' grounding process.     

The primary aortoenteric fistula in The Netherlands--the unpublished cases

OBJECTIVE: Primary aortoenteric fistula is a rare disorder of which only four patients have been reported in the Dutch literature so far. The objective of our study was to obtain more realistic figures on the incidence of this condition, with data on the clinical presentation, diagnostic procedures, treatment and results in a group of patients not previously reported as "case histories". METHODS: A questionnaire was sent to all surgical clinics in The Netherlands. Out of 180 questionnaires, 102 have been returned reporting 27 patients to which data of eight others treated in our own institution were added. RESULTS: In all but one of these 29 patients the fistula was caused by an atherosclerotic aneurysm, the one exception being caused by an ingested cocktail pin. Gastrointestinal haemorrhage was the predominant symptom, being present in 28 of the patients, while the complete triad of haemorrhage, pain and a pulsating mass was found in only eight patients. Twenty-seven patients were treated with an in situ graft of which 14 are doing well at long term follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Primary aortoenteric fistula is far more common than one would expect from the number of patients reported in literature. A high index of suspicion based on a complete physical examination remains the key to a correct diagnosis. Direct closure of the intestine and in situ grafting of the aorta is the treatment of first choice.     

Phytoplankton Productivity and Standing Crop in the Vicinity of the Lake Huron-Saginaw Bay Front

Continuous underway sampling was used in four research cruises near the mouth of Saginaw Bay in order to locate the bay-lake front, where eutrophic bay water mixes with oligotrophic Lake Huron water. Although mixing between these water masses normally occurs in outer Saginaw Bay, the distribution was variable, depending on wind force and direction as well as water temperature. Large algal crops in inner Saginaw Bay had reduced soluble nutrients, particularly silicate and nitrate-nitrogen, in the outer bay to levels lower than the adjacent lake water. Nonetheless, outer bay water supported high algal biomass (up to 14 μg/L chlorophyll a) and ¹⁴C uptake (up to 73 μg /L/h). The phytoplankton community at the nutrient front between bay and lake waters was characterized by high chlorophyll a biomass ($\overline{x}$ = 4.47 μg/L), low ¹⁴C uptake ($\overline{x}$ = 7.12 μg/L/h), and high bacterial activity (V_max$\overline{x}$ = 1.33) indicating the presence of a senescent assemblage. Decomposition and settling of phytoplankton in the vicinity of the front apparently served to remove much of the bay plankton from the water column before mixing into the open lake. But, during mid-summer, occasional large inputs of nutrients and/or phytoplankton from the bay into the open lake were observed.     

Risk-benefit analysis for industrial and social needs

This study develops a decision method for evaluating the social acceptability of industrial controls on hazardous materials. Decisions are based on a "multiple criteria approach" that jointly considers measures such as risk-benefit tradeoff, minimum reducible health risk, maximum acceptable cost and implicit value of human life. Health risks are calculated by combining separate estimates of production and usage patterns, emissions to air and water, effectiveness of controls, pollutant dispersion and human susceptibility. Economic benefits consider employment, trade and consumer impacts, as well as direct costs of controls. The analysis focuses on asbestos as an example hazard. Relative values of hazard reduction alternatives are examined for asbestos manufacturing exhaust filters and for asbestos substitutes in brake linings. Preliminary calculations indicate risk reductions of these alternatives cannot justify their social costs.     

DETERMINATION OF BREWING YEAST PLOIDY BY DNA MEASUREMENT

A method has been derived which permits the determination of the degree of ploidy in industrial strains of yeast. The method involves measuring the DNA content per cell of the strains, which is achieved by careful counting of the cells using a haemocytometer and a determination of the amount of DNA by a colorimetric method. Using this technique it was determined that the two industrial lager strains under investigation are tetraploid. * 1 These results have been briefly described at the meeting of the EBC Subgroup on Yeast Genetics, Copenhagen 1982.
     

Determinants of variation in household CO2 emissions between and within countries

Variation in household CO₂ emissions between and within countries may have important consequences for the equity dimension of climate policies. In this study we aim to identify some determinants of national household CO₂ emissions and their distribution across income groups. For that purpose, we quantify the CO₂ emissions of households in the Netherlands, UK, Sweden and Norway around the year 2000 by combining a hybrid approach of process analysis and input–output analysis with data on household expenditures. Our results show that average households in the Netherlands and the UK give rise to higher amounts of CO₂ emissions than households in Sweden and Norway. Moreover, CO₂ emission intensities of household consumption decrease with increasing income in the Netherlands and the UK, whereas they increase in Sweden and Norway. A comparison of the national results at the product level points out that country characteristics, like energy supply, population density and the availability of district heating, influence variation in household CO₂ emissions between and within countries.     

Einsatz des Ritzpendels zur Quantifizierung des Verschleißverhaltens bei der Bearbeitung von Naturstein

Use of a Scratch Pendulum for Quantification of the Abrasive Behaviour in Machining Stones The machining of natural stones is one of the most demanding applications of today´s cutting technique. Modern stone processing is based on grinding and it is usually done with diamond based tools. The achievable material removal rate is process dependant and mainly determined by tool speed and infeed. The tool durability depends on the adjustment of the parameters to the wear resistance of the processed material. This resistance is a material characteristic value. Using a scratch pendulum, it is possible to determine the energy needed to create a defined scratch and relate it to the induced material loss and the chipped material volume. The analysis provides a value which, after verification by industrial production data, can be seen as characteristic for the material. It therefore enables the quantification of a material dependant scratch resistance.