Status of the physics validation studies using Geant4 in ATLAS

The new simulation for the ATLAS detector at LHC is performed using Geant4 in a complete OO/C++ environment. In this framework the simulation of the various test beams for the different ATLAS subdetectors offers an excellent opportunity to perform physics validation studies over a wide range of physics domains: the electromagnetic processes, the individual hadronic interactions, the electromagnetic and hadronic signals in calorimeters. The simulation is implemented by paying special attention to all details of the experimental layout and by testing all possible physics processes which may be of relevance to the specific detector under test: the resulting simulation programs are often more detailed than the corresponding Geant3-based simulation suites. In this paper we present relevant features of muon, electron and pion signals in various ATLAS detectors. All remaining discrepancies between Geant4 and test-beam data are currently being addressed and progress is continuous. This work shows that Geant4 is becoming a mature and useful product for simulating specific features of large-scale detector systems.Comment: CHEP '03 proceedings, 7 pages, 22 figure

Correlation analysis of the transcriptome of growing leaves with mature leaf parameters in a maize RIL population

Background: To sustain the global requirements for food and renewable resources, unraveling the molecular networks underlying plant growth is becoming pivotal. Although several approaches to identify genes and networks involved in final organ size have been proven successful, our understanding remains fragmentary. Results: Here, we assessed variation in 103 lines of the Zea mays B73xH99 RIL population for a set of final leaf size and whole shoot traits at the seedling stage, complemented with measurements capturing growth dynamics, and cellular measurements. Most traits correlated well with the size of the division zone, implying that the molecular basis of final leaf size is already defined in dividing cells of growing leaves. Therefore, we searched for association between the transcriptional variation in dividing cells of the growing leaf and final leaf size and seedling biomass, allowing us to identify genes and processes correlated with the specific traits. A number of these genes have a known function in leaf development. Additionally, we illustrated that two independent mechanisms contribute to final leaf size, maximal growth rate and the duration of growth. Conclusions: Untangling complex traits such as leaf size by applying in-depth phenotyping allows us to define the relative contributions of the components and their mutual associations, facilitating dissection of the biological processes and regulatory networks underneath

JRC Ispra EMEP - GAW Regional Station for Atmospheric Research - 2005 Report

The aim of the JRC-Ispra station for atmospheric research (45°49'N, 8°38'E) is to monitor atmospheric parameters (pollutant concentrations and fluxes, atmospheric particle chemical composition, number size distribution and optical properties) to contribute in assessing the impact of European policies on air pollution and climate change. The station has been operated continuously since November 1985, with a gap in gas phase data due to a severe breakdown of the data acquisition system in 2003 though. The measurements performed in 2005 led to annual averages of ca. 43 µg m-3 O3, 4 µg m-3 SO2, 16 µg m-3 NO2, 0.8 mg m-3 CO and 41 µg m-3 PM10. Carbonaceous species (organic matter plus elemental carbon) are the main constituents of both PM10 and PM2.5 (> 50%) followed by (NH4)2SO4 and NH4NO3 (a bit less than 20% each). The measurements confirmed the seasonal variations observed over the previous years, mainly driven by meteorology rather than by changes in emissions. Aerosol physical and optical properties were measured from 2004. The average particle number (from 6 nm to 10 µm) was about 10000 cm-3 in 2005. The mean (close to dry) aerosol single scattering albedo (a key parameter for determining the aerosol direct radiative forcing) was 0.80. Long-term trends (over 20 years) show decreases in sulfur concentrations and deposition, and in extreme ozone value occurrence frequency. The decreasing trends in nitrogen oxides, reduced nitrogen species, and PM concentrations are much less marked.JRC.H.2-Climate chang

Velocity control in Parkinson's disease: a quantitative analysis of isochrony in scribbling movements

An experiment was conducted to contrast the motor performance of three groups (N=20) of participants: (1) patients with confirmed Parkinson Disease (PD) diagnose; (2) age-matched controls; (3) young adults. The task consisted of scribbling freely for 10s within circular frames of different sizes. Comparison among groups focused on the relation between the figural elements of the trace (overall size and trace length) and the velocity of the drawing movements. Results were analysed within the framework of previous work on normal individuals showing that instantaneous velocity of drawing movements depends jointly on trace curvature (Two-thirds Power Law) and trace extent (Isochrony principle). The motor behaviour of PD patients exhibited all classical symptoms of the disease (reduced average velocity, reduced fluency, micrographia). At a coarse level of analysis both isochrony and the dependence of velocity on curvature, which are supposed to reflect cortical mechanisms, were spared in PD patients. Instead, significant differences with respects to the control groups emerged from an in-depth analysis of the velocity control suggesting that patients did not scale average velocity as effectively as controls. We factored out velocity control by distinguishing the influence of the broad context in which movement is planned—i.e. the size of the limiting frames—from the influence of the local context—i.e. the linear extent of the unit of motor action being executed. The balance between the two factors was found to be distinctively different in PD patients and controls. This difference is discussed in the light of current theorizing on the role of cortical and sub-cortical mechanisms in the aetiology of PD. We argue that the results are congruent with the notion that cortical mechanisms are responsible for generating a parametric template of the desired movement and the BG specify the actual spatio-temporal parameters through a multiplicative gain factor acting on both size and velocit

Long term trends in aerosol optical characteristics in the Po Valley, Italy

Aerosol properties have been monitored by ground-based in situ and remote sensing measurements at the station for atmospheric research located in Ispra, on the edge of the Po Valley, for almost one decade. In situ measurements are performed according to Global Atmosphere Watch recommendations, and quality is assured through the participation in regular inter-laboratory comparisons. Sunphotometer data are produced by the Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET). Data show significant decreasing trends over the 2004–2010 period for a number of variables, including particulate matter (PM) mass concentration, aerosol scattering, backscattering and absorption coefficients, and aerosol optical thickness (AOT). In situ measurement data show no significant trends in the aerosol backscatter ratio, but they do show a significant decreasing trend of about −0.7±0.3%yr−1 in the aerosol single scattering albedo (SSA) in the visible light range. Similar trends are observed in the SSA retrieved from sun-photometer measurements. Correlations appear between in situ PM mass concentration and aerosol scattering coefficient, on the one hand, and elemental carbon (EC) concentration and aerosol absorption coefficient, on the other hand. However, no increase in the EC /PM ratio was observed, which could have explained the decrease in SSA. The application of a simple approximation to calculate the direct radiative forcing by aerosols suggests a significant diminution in their cooling effect, mainly due to the decrease in AOT. Applying the methodology we present to those sites, where the necessary suite of measurements is available, would provide important information to inform future policies for air-quality enhancement and fast climate change mitigation.JRC.H.2-Air and Climat