Search

Background and Purpose Electrical bioimpedance spectroscopy (BIS) allows the evaluation of limb extracellular fluid (R0) and total fluid (Rinf). BIS could facilitate post-surgical oedema evaluation after total knee arthroplasty (TKA), as it is easily performed and is non-invasive. However, neither its applicability in this context nor the influence of metallic implants on measurement has been evaluated. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of TKA implants on the BIS R0 and Rinf variables used for oedema evaluation. Method This was a prospective non-randomized comparative clinical trial. One oedema-free group of patients with TKA was compared with a group presenting similar characteristics except for the arthroplasty, to assess the influence of the implant on BIS measurement in the absence of oedema. The TKA group included 15 patients who had undergone surgery more than a year previously, and the control group included 19 patients awaiting TKA surgery. Volume and perimeter measurements served as reference criterions. The lower limb percentage differences for BIS, knee perimeter and volume were calculated. The significance of differences between groups was calculated for all measurement methods, using the Mann-Whitney test. The setting was a Department of Orthopedic Surgery and Traumatology in a university hospital. Results The differences between groups were not significant for R0, Rinf, volume and perimeter. R0 showed the smallest mean difference in limb percentage difference between groups [means (SD): TKA 3.98 (8.09), controls 3.97 (5.16)]. Conclusions The lower-leg percentage difference in the TKA group is comparable with that of healthy subjects. R0 can be used for oedema evaluation following TKA surgery, as there was no sign of alteration from the metallic implant. These findings indicate the potential for early oedema evaluation after TKA. More research is warranted to extensively validate the application of BIS for oedema evaluation after TKA. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As new experimental data arrive from the LHC the prospect of indirectly detecting new physics through precision tests of the Standard Model grows more exciting. Precise experimental and theoretical inputs are required to test the unitarity of the CKM matrix and to search for new physics effects in rare decays. Lattice QCD calculations of non-perturbative inputs have reached a precision at the level of a few percent; in many cases aided by the use of lattice perturbation theory. This review examines the role of lattice perturbation theory in B physics calculations on the lattice in the context of two questions: how is lattice perturbation theory used in the different heavy quark formalisms implemented by the major lattice collaborations? And what role does lattice perturbation theory play in determinations of non-perturbative contributions to the physical processes at the heart of the search for new physics? Framing and addressing these questions reveals that lattice perturbation theory is a tool with a spectrum of applications in lattice B physics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: We provide a complete extension of Minimal Walking Technicolor able to account for the Standard Model fermion masses. The model is supersymmetric at energies greater or equal to the technicolor compositeness scale. We integrate out, at the supersymmetry breaking scale, the elementary Higgses. We use the resulting four-fermion operators to derive the low energy effective theory. We then determine the associated tree-level vacuum and low energy spectrum properties. Furthermore we investigate the phenomenological viability of the model by comparing its predictions with electroweak precision tests and experimental bounds on the mass spectrum. We then turn to the composite Higgs phenomenology at the LHC and show that current data are already constraining the parameter space of the model. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: We celebrate the recent Higgs discovery announcement with our experimental colleagues at the LHC and look forward to the implications that this success will bring to bear upon the continuing search for supersymmetry (SUSY). The model framework named No-Scale – possesses the rather unique capacity to provide a light CP-even Higgs boson mass in the favored 124–126 GeV window while simultaneously retaining a testably light SUSY spectrum that is consistent with emerging low-statistics excesses beyond the Standard Model expectation in the ATLAS and CMS multijet data. In this Letter we review the distinctive – mechanism that forges the physical 125 GeV Higgs boson and make a specific assessment of the ATLAS multijet SUSY search observables that may be expected for a 15 fb−1 delivery of 8 TeV data in this model context. Based on our Monte Carlo study, we anticipate that the enticing hints of a SUSY signal observed in the 7 TeV data could be amplified in the 8 TeV results. Moreover, if the existing signal is indeed legitimate, we project that the rendered gains in significance will be sufficient to conclusively rule out an alternative attribution to statistical fluctuation at that juncture. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Phenomenological Tsallis fits to the CMS and ATLAS transverse spectra of charged particles were found to extend for pT from 0.5 to 181 GeV in pp collisions at the LHC at √s = 7 TeV, and for pT from 0.5 to 31 GeV at √s = 0:9 TeV. The simplicity of the Tsallis parametrization and the large range of the fitting transverse momentum raise questions on the physical meaning of the degrees of freedom that enter into the Tsallis distribution or q-statistics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hadron physics represents the study of strongly interacting matter in all its manifestations and understanding its properties and interactions. The interest in this field has been revitalized by the discovery of new light hadrons, charmonium- and bottomonium-like states. In this paper, the most recent experimental results from different experiments are reviewed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: We present the production cross-section of γ-rays based on data of p–p collisions at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), revising the previous semi-empirical formula mainly for (1) the inelastic cross-section in p–p collisions, , and 2) the inclusive γ-ray spectrum in the forward region, . We find that the previous cross-section gives a significantly softer spectrum than found in the data of LHC. In this paper, we focus our interest mainly upon the LHC forward (LHCf) experiment, giving γ-ray spectra in the very forward region with the pseudo-rapidity in the center of mass system (CMS), which have not been reported so far. We also give the pseudo-rapidity distribution of charged hadrons with obtained by ALICE and TOTEM experiments, both with LHC. We find that the revised cross-section reproduces quite well the accelerator data over the wide energy range from GeV to 30PeV for projectile protons, corresponding approximately to 100MeV to 3PeV for secondary γ-rays. The production cross-section of γ-rays produced in the forward region is essential for the study of γ-ray astronomy, while not important are those produced in the central region in CMS, and of much less importance in the backward. We discuss also the average transverse momentum of γ-rays, , and the average inelasticity transferred to γ-rays, , obtaining that the former increases very slowly with for , and the latter is almost independent of , with , while we cannot exclude the possibility of a small increase of . [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Single particle momentum spectra are calculated within three microcanonical statistical ensembles, namely, with conserved system energy, system momentum, as well as system energy and momentum. Deviations from the exponential spectrum of the grand canonical ensemble are quantified and discussed. For mean particle multiplicity and temperature, typical for p + p interactions at the LHC energies, the effect of the conservation laws extends to transverse momenta as low as about 3GeV/c. The presented results should be considered as the next step in development of statistical models for particle production in high energy collisions. They can be useful to interpret spectra measured in nuclear collisions at high energies, in particular, their system size dependence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The single-freeze-out model with parametrized hypersurface and flow geometry is employed to analyze the transverse-momentum spectra of hadrons produced in the Pb + Pb collisions at the collision energy of &radicsNN; = 2.76 TeV at the CERN Large Hadron Collider (LHC). With the notable exception for protons and antiprotons, we find a very good agreement between the model results and the data for the measured hadron species. The additional analysis of the Hanbury-Brown-Twiss (HBT) radii of pions helps us to select, from several different types of freeze-out studied in this work, the most realistic form of the freeze-out hypersurface. We find that the discrepancy ratio between the model and experiment for the proton and antiproton spectra depends on pT, dropping from 2 in the soft region to 1 around pr = 1.5 GeV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thanks to its unique capabilities the ALICE experiment can measure the production of identified particles and resonances over a wide momentum range both in pp and Pb--Pb collisions at the LHC. In this report, particle-identification detectors and techniques, as well as achieved performance, are shortly reviewed. The current results on hadron transverse momentum spectra measured in pp collisions at √s = 0.9TeV and 7TeV, and in Pb--Pb collisions at √SNN = 2.76TeV are shown. In particular, proton-- proton results on particle production yields, spectral shapes and particle ratios are presented as a function of the collision energy and compared to previous experiments and commonly-used Monte Carlo models. Particle spectra, yields and ratios in Pb--Pb are measured as a function of the collision centrality and the results are compared with published RHIC data in Au--Au collisions at √SNN = 0:2TeV and predictions for the LHC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The design and properties of a new cryogenic set-up for laser–microwave–laser hyperfine structure spectroscopy of antiprotonic helium – an experiment performed at the CERN-Antiproton Decelerator (AD), Geneva, Switzerland – are described. Similar experiments for 4He have been performed at the AD for several years. Due to the usage of a liquid helium operated cryostat and therefore necessary refilling of coolants, a loss of up to 10% beamtime occurred. The decision was made to change the cooling system to a closed-circuit cryocooler. New hermetically sealed target cells with minimised 3He gas volume and different dimensions of the microwave resonator for measuring the 3He transitions were needed. A new set-up has been designed and tested at Stefan Meyer Institute in Vienna before being used for the 2009 and 2010 beamtimes at the AD. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The transverse-momentum distributions of identified hadrons produced in Pb-Pb collisions at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) are studied in the low and intermediate range for pT < 5 GeV/c. All four spectra (π. K. p. Λ) can be well reproduced in the recombination model based on a common thermal parton distribution of light and strange quarks and on shower partons emitted in hard and semihard jets. Two essential parameters are adjusted to fit the data, one being the inverse slope of the thermal distribution and the other revealing the degree of momentum degradation in the medium. Various combinations of thermal and shower-parton components are calculated, showing the dominance of minijets. The effect of minijets is to produce harder baryons than mesons, resulting in their ratio to peak at around pT ∼ 3 GeV/c. A substantial portion of the jet energy is found to be lost to the dense medium before the partons emerge at the surface to undergo hadronization by recombination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The original Standard Model has massless neutrinos, but the observation of neutrino oscillations requires that neutrinos are massive. The simple extension of adding gauge singlet fermions to the particle spectrum allows normal Yukawa mass terms for neutrinos. The seesaw mechanism then suggests an explanation for the observed smallness of the neutrino masses. After reviewing the framework of the seesaw we suggest a parametrization that directly exhibits the smallness of the mass ratios in the seesaw for an arbitrary number of singlet fermions and we present our plans to perform calculations for a process that might be studied at the LHC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The observation of long range near side angular correlation (the so-called ridge effect) in pp collisions at the LHC is presented. Data on such correlations in heavy ion collisions at RHIC are shown. Previous informations on angular correlations in high energy pp collisions are critically reviewed. A spectrum of many recent interpretations concerning the effect is presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: We report on a first measurement of forward jet production and forward energy flow in pp collisions up to highest energies of . Inclusive spectra of jets are presented with in the region of . The energy flow in the forward region is measured for minimum bias events and for events with a high dijet in the central region. In addition, the absence of energy deposition in the forward region is used to observe diffractive events. We compare our results with predictions from Monte Carlo event generators including a simulation of multi-parton scattering. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: We present a measurement of the transverse momentum spectrum and of the ratio in proton-proton collisions at at the CERN LHC. In this analysis the reconstruction of and η mesons has been done via photon conversions in the central tracking system of ALICE. Therefore, this method is completely independent from the electromagnetic calorimeters. It makes the (η) measurement possible down to with a very good resolution and a very small background. For 108 pp collisions the reach is 7 GeV/c. The results are compared to NLO pQCD calculations. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The ATLAS experiment has extensive charged particle tracking over full azimuth and within . The performance of this system is illustrated and some of the first results for pp collisions are presented. The prospects for tracking in the expected high-multiplicity heavy ion environment are shortly commented. The tracking performance within jets, which is essential for the measurement of jet fragmentation functions, will also be shortly presented. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: High resolution gamma-ray spectroscopy measurements were performed on 61rods of an SCWR-like fuel lattice, after irradiation in the central test zone of the PROTEUS zero-power research reactor at the Paul Scherrer Institute in Switzerland. The derived reaction rates are the capture rate in 238U (C8) and the total fission rate (F tot), and also the reaction rate ratio C8/F tot. Each of these has been mapped rod-wise on the lattice and compared to calculated results from whole-reactor Monte Carlo simulations with MCNPX. Ratios of calculated to experimental values (C/E’s) have been assessed for the C8, F tot and C8/F tot distributions across the lattice. These C/E’s show excellent agreement between the calculations and the measurements. For the 238U capture rate distribution, the 1σ level in the comparisons corresponds to an uncertainty of ±0.8%, while for the total fission rate the corresponding value is ±0.4%. The uncertainty for C8/F tot, assessed as a reaction rate ratio characterizing each individual rod position in the test lattice, is significantly higher at ±2.2%. To determine the reproducibility of these results, the measurements were performed twice, once in 2006 and again in 2009. The agreement between these two measurement sets is within the respective statistical uncertainties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The LHCf experiment aims to improve knowledge of forward neutral particle production spectra at the LHC energy which is relevant for the interpretation of air shower development of high energy cosmic rays. Two detectors, each composed of a pair of sampling and imaging calorimeters, have been installed at the forward region of IP1 to measure π 0 energy spectra above 600GeV. In this paper, we present a Monte Carlo study of the π 0 measurements to be performed with one of the LHCf detectors for proton–proton collisions at TeV. In approximately 40min of operation at luminosity during the beam commissioning phase of LHC, about 1.5×104 π 0 events are expected to be obtained at two transverse positions of the detector. The backgrounds from interactions of secondary particles with beam pipes and interactions of beam particles with residual gas in the beam pipes are expected to be less than 0.1% of the signal from π 0s. We also discuss the capability of LHCf measurements to discriminate between the various hadron interaction models that are used for simulation of high energy air showers, such as DPMJET3.03, QGSJETII-03, SIBYLL2.1 and EPOS1.99. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The inclusive charged particle transverse momentum distribution is measured in proton–proton collisions at at the LHC using the ALICE detector. The measurement is performed in the central pseudorapidity region over the transverse momentum range . The correlation between transverse momentum and particle multiplicity is also studied. Results are presented for inelastic (INEL) and non-single-diffractive (NSD) events. The average transverse momentum for is and , respectively. The data exhibit a slightly larger than measurements in wider pseudorapidity intervals. The results are compared to simulations with the Monte Carlo event generators PYTHIA and PHOJET. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: We present a first precision analysis of the transverse-momentum spectrum of gaugino pairs produced at the Tevatron and the LHC with center-of-mass energies of 1.96 and 10 or 14 TeV, respectively. Our calculation is based on a universal resummation formalism at next-to-leading logarithmic accuracy, which is consistently matched to the perturbative prediction at . Numerical results are given for the “gold-plated” associated production of neutralinos and charginos decaying into three charged leptons with missing transverse energy as well as for the pair production of neutralinos and charginos at two typical benchmark points in the constrained MSSM. We show that the matched resummation results differ considerably from the Monte Carlo predictions employed traditionally in experimental analyses and discuss the impact on the determination of SUSY mass parameters from derived transverse-mass spectra. We also investigate in detail the theoretical uncertainties coming from scale and parton-density function variations and non-perturbative effects. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Since January 2000, continuous information on the vertical distribution of ozone over Payerne in Switzerland has been derived from measurements taken by the stratospheric ozone monitoring radiometer SOMORA. A new retrieval of ozone profiles from the measured ozone line spectra has been developed using the inversion software ARTS/Qpack. To validate the new retrieval method it has been compared to ozone profiles measured by ozonesonde and satellite (MLS/AURA). Before May 2001 and after June 2005, the relative difference to ozonesonde is within -5 to 15% depending on the altitude. However, SOMORA and ozonesonde profiles show a difference of up to 30% below 23 km between May 2001 and June 2005, after technical interventions on the instrument, i.e. mixer and front end changes. The new retrieval still has some problems with the instrumental change of 2001 below 23 km but is satisfactory for the change of 2005 where the difference to ozonesonde has been significantly reduced compared to the previous retrieval algorithm. A high difference is shown in summer 2006 which can be related to low tropospheric transmittance during this period. The comparison to MLS on AURA satellite is good before May 2007 with values of -5 to 15% depending on the altitude. The relative difference to satellite ozone profiles show a seasonal cycle with higher values in summer correlated to low tropospheric transmittance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: We propose a simple renormalizable left–right theory where R-parity is spontaneously broken and neutrino masses are generated through the Type I seesaw mechanism and R-parity violation. In this theory R-parity and the gauge symmetry are broken by the sneutrino vacuum expectation values and there is no Majoron problem. The and R-parity violation scales are determined by the SUSY breaking scale making the model very predictive. We discuss the spectrum and possible tests of the theory through the neutralinos, charginos, and decays at the Large Hadron Collider. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: We present numerical modeling of earthquake ground motion for various profiles across the Swiss Rhône Valley and characterize the seismic response in terms of spectral acceleration. First, we evaluate the relative amplification of 2D with respect to 1D response. Then, we show how the selected bedrock spectrum influences the response spectra of the valley sites. Particular attention is paid to how the internal sediment structure and the often weakly constrained Q-factor shape the seismic response. Results obtained for the different profiles are compared with reference spectra (Swiss building code and Eurocode 8) and for one profile with recorded data as well. From this comparison, we infer that the surficial layer strongly influences spectral acceleration values between 0.1 and 1s. The total thickness of sediments significantly affects the seismic response at longer periods around the fundamental period of the studied valley sections between 1.8 and 3.6s. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), soft X-ray scanning transmission X-ray microscopy (STXM), and μ-FTIR spectromicroscopy were used to map colloidal/particulate material in an ultra-oligotrophic lake, Lake Brienz, Switzerland, with a special focus on organic functionality. Within the statistical margin of error and the uncertainties arising from the representativeness of the results, the research reveals that organic material was associated with potassium-rich inorganic colloids present in surface and deep water (depths of 1 and 100 m, respectively), which indicates a vertical transfer of aggregates by sedimentation. Pure organic colloids could only be detected in surface waters. In addition, correlation map analysis of synchrotron-based μ-FTIR and carbon K-edge STXM spectromicroscopic data using spectra from the Lutschine and Aare Rivers as target spectra revealed spectral similarities with organic components from both tributary rivers in deeper regions (100 m) of the lake. The results prove that STXM and μ-FTIR can characterize colloidal and particulate organic material in low organic carbon systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three calibration methods were applied to UV/VIS spectra recorded in the influent of six wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) to measure total COD (CODtot), filtered COD (CODfil), nitrate and nitrite nitrogen (NOx-N) and total suspended solids (TSS). It could be shown that a calibration of the sensor using data sets from four Swiss WWTPs leads to an improvement of the precision in comparison to the global calibration provided by the manufacturer. A calibration to the specific wastewater matrix always improves the results and gives the highest accuracy. For CODtot a mean coefficient of variation CVx of 12.5% could be reached, whereas for NOx-N only weak results were achieved (average CVx = 36%). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For the first time precarious rocks have been analysed in the epicentral area of the AD 1356 Basle earthquake in northern Switzerland. Several cliff sites in flat-lying, thickly bedded Upper Jurassic coral limestones in the Jura Mountains were investigated. Seven blocks are regarded as precarious with respect to earthquake strong ground motions. The age of these precarious rocks could not be determined directly as for instance by radiometric dating methods; however, based on slope degradation processes it can be concluded that the formation of these blocks predates the AD 1356 Basle earthquake. The acceleration required to topple a precarious rock from its pedestal is estimated using geometrical data for individual block sections and earthquake strong-motion records from stations on rock sites in the European Strong-Motion Database as input data for the computer program ROCKING V1.0 from the Seismological Laboratory, University of Nevada, Reno. The calculations indicate that toppling of a precarious rock largely depends on earthquake strength but also on the frequency spectrum of the signal. Although most investigated precarious rocks are surprisingly stable for ground motions similar to those expected to have occurred during the AD 1356 Basle earthquake, at least two blocks are clearly precariously balanced, with peak toppling accelerations lower than 0.3 g. Possible reasons why these blocks did not topple during the AD 1356 Basle earthquake include incomplete separation from their base, sliding of precarious rocks, their size, lower than assumed ground accelerations and/or duration of shaking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For the first time, Optically Stimulated Luminescent (OSL) materials with enhanced neutron-sensitivity have been irradiated. The neutron irradiations were carried out in the accelerator-like environment of the IRRAD2 facility at CERN, Geneva, Switzerland and in the TRIGA reactor at JSI, Ljubljana, Slovenia. The results show the possibility to measure with good accuracy the thermal and the fast components of these two different neutron spectra by means of OSL materials doped with Boron or mixed with Polyethylene. The applicability of this technology in the measurement of the neutron components in the complex radiation environment expected at CERN LHC experiments is therefore demonstrated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The continuous wavelet transform provides a suitable tool to visualize the vertical structure of turbulence and to detect coherent structures in turbulent time series. This is demonstrated with a simple example of an artificially ramp structured time series. In this study turbulence data, i.e. the fluctuations of the horizontal wind components u′ and v′, the vertical component w′ and temperature T′, sampled with 20.83 Hz and measured simultaneously at three levels ( z/ h=1.5, 2.1 and 3.2, with z as the sensor height and h the height of the roughness elements) over an urban canopy in the inner city of Basel, Switzerland, are analyzed. The detection of the coherent structures was performed using the Mexican hat wavelet and the zero-crossing method. The analysis for unstable conditions shows that organized structures (ejection-sweep cycles) cover about 45% of the total run time. A conditional average from a total of 116 detected ejection-sweep sequences during 7 hours was calculated over a time window of 100 seconds. This dominating time scale was derived from peak frequencies of the wavelet spectra as well as from the Fourier spectra. It is shown that the normalized amplitudes of fluctuations of temperature and longitudinal wind speed during the events are largest at the lowest measurement level just above the canopy and decrease with increasing distance from the roughness elements. A comparison of related studies over different non-urban surfaces (mainly forests) shows that the shape of conditionally averaged ejection-sweep sequences is very similar for all canopies, however, the dominating time scale in general increases the rougher the surface is and the higher the roughness elements are. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are an ubiquitous class of compounds in the environment, mostly generated by anthropogenic processes. High time resolution measurements are necessary to gain further knowledge on the fate and diurnal pattern of these often carcinogenic and mutagenic compounds in the atmosphere. It is expected to find a strong correlation of the PAH levels with the strength and proximity to sources, as well as with meteorological parameters. To determine the fate of particle- bound PAHs, they were sampled in this study at an urban background site in Zurich, Switzerland, during summer 2002 and winter 2003. Particle-bound PAHs were collected with a rotating drum impactor and subsequently analyzed with two-step laser mass spectrometry. Using this combination of sampling and measurement, size-segregated (10-1.1,1.1- 0.3, and 0.3-0.1 μm) and high time resolution (20 mm) data were obtained. The pronounced diurnal cycle (with day! night ratios of 0.1) was only altered during intensive atmospheric mixing periods (resulting in day/night ratios of up to 8) by cleaner air from upper atmospheric layers which was mixed into the boundary layer. During summer, signal intensities due to particle-bound PAHs were about a factor of 2-10 lower than during winter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: During the first Cloud and Aerosol Characterization Experiment (CLACE-1) in February and March 2000 various methods were used to characterize the aerosol at the high-alpine site Jungfraujoch, Switzerland (3580m asl). One aim of the campaign was to perform the size-resolved chemical analysis of single particles under conditions of the free troposphere in real-time. Evaluation of single particle spectra measured predominantly in the size range between 0.5 and and determination of spectra patterns of the most frequent particle classes showed a great variability ranging from pure carbon particles over carbon particles internally mixed with salts and/or secondary components to mineral dust particles. Such mineral particles sometimes showed internal mixtures with carbon indicating scavenging effects of carbonaceous material by minerals. This can be due to coagulation or condensation of organic molecules on the mineral particles. Observation of internally mixed carbon particles is an indication for atmospheric transformation processes of pure carbon particles. Such internally mixed particles can strongly influence cloud formation due to an increase in particle size and hygroscopicity. High abundance of mineral and carbon-containing particles could be correlated to enhanced light absorption and light scattering coefficients, respectively. Semi-quantitative evaluation of mass spectra using relative sensitivity factors showed comparable ratios of selected ion pairs compared to bulk concentrations determined by ion chromatography. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract. Four different Fourier transform infrared spectroscopic techniques (near infrared diffuse reflection (NIR/DR), mid-infrared attenuated total reflection (mIR/ATR) using two different instruments and mid-infrared transmission (mIR/Tr) spectroscopy) in combination with multivariate chemometrics were investigated for their potential for discriminating Emmental cheese of various geographic origins. A total of 20 Emmental cheese samples produced in winter from Switzerland (n=6), Allgäu (Germany) (n=3), Bretagne (France) (n=3), Savoie (France) (n=3), Vorarlberg (Austria) (n=3) and Finland (n=2) were analysed. The normalised spectra or their 2nd derivatives were analysed by principal component analysis (PCA) and linear discriminant analysis (LDA) of the PCA-scores. Despite the few samples in this preliminary investigation clear trends were observed. The mIR transmission spectra achieved 100% correct classification in LDA when differentiating the Swiss Emmental from the other samples pooled as one group. The NIR/DR spectroscopy allowed a classification by the six regions of cheese origin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract. The volatile compounds of Emmental cheese of different origins were investigated to check their suitability as markers of geographic origin. A total of 20 Emmental cheese samples from Switzerland, Allgäu (D), Bretagne (F), Savoie (F), Vorarlberg (A) and Finland (produced in winter with a ripening time according to that sold in the corresponding regions) were analysed using dynamic headspace gas chromatography followed by flame ionisation and mass spectrometry. All regions were easily differentiated by using compounds occurring only in the corresponding region or by combining a few compounds by principal component analysis (PCA). Further analyses were carried out using a mass spectrometry-based electronic nose. PCA achieved 90 and 91% of correct classifications for the Emmental from Switzerland and other regions, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The ATLAS detector is now installed at the CERN LHC and a precise evaluation of the radiation environment within and around the detector is required to understand the performance of the various detector systems, and to predict their useful lifetime. Furthermore, validation of earlier Monte Carlo predictions about the radiation field in ATLAS is necessary. In particular, it is important to perform these measurements in the early phases of the LHC operation. Many other radiation measuring devices lack sensitivity to low doses, and usually do not provide information on the composition of the radiation during this low intensity period. A network of 15 ATLAS-MPX devices has been installed at various positions in the ATLAS detector. These devices are capable of providing quantitative real-time information on the fluxes and flux distributions of the main radiation types in the experiment, including slow and fast neutrons. The technical description of the ATLAS-MPX detector network as well as the principles of the data analysis is presented. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

There is a growing need of measurement technologies that can be used close to the sample source and optical spectroscopy is an excellent example of this genre of technology: from the lab to the field. This study investigates the possibility to quantify the major components and to detect the presence or absence of lactose in commercial milks with ATR-MIR spectroscopy. We explored the possibility to use a portable and economical ATR-MIR instrument, comparing the results with a benchtop system. Commercial milk samples from Italy, Switzerland and Spain were chosen covering the maximum range of variation for protein, carbohydrate and fat content. The analytical protocol was optimized to make it as fast and useable as possible for both instruments, from the sample pretreatment to the instrumental parameters. Multivariate calibration was used to correlate the recorded spectra to the content of the major milk components, while a classification was done in order to classify samples with or without lactose. A comparison was performed between the predictive capabilities of the models built with different data pretreatments, different variable selection methods and different validation systems to obtain the best results and to assure robust models. • ATR-FT-MIR and multivariate regression allowed to predict fat, carbohydrate and protein contents in commercial milk samples. • ATR-FT-MIR and chemometrics allowed to classify commercial milk samples according to the presence or absence of lactose. • Portable ATR-FT-MIR is a good alternative to benchtop instrument in the analysis of macrocomponents in commercial milks. • Portable ATR-FT-MIR instrument and chemometrics can be used in quality control of commercial milk samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the highlights of ANAKON 2011, a German-speaking conference in analytical chemistry, that took place from March 22-25, 2011 in Zurich, Switzerland. Aims and topics covered in the conference include bioanalysis, environmental analysis and spectroscopy. A number of scientists were also honoured during the event for their scientific achievements or commitments to the analysis community including Reiner Salzer and Nina Käppel.

The article highlights the Fourth PSI Summer School on Condensed Matter Research which was held on Zuoz, Switzerland. The summit emphasized on spectroscopy and microscopy activities for which PSI offers synchrotron, neutron and muon facilities. The program started with basic introductions to the generation of synchrotron radiation. Tandem talk concepts were followed throughout the program.

Abstract: With the intention of developing a new data analysis method using virtual experiments we have built a detailed virtual model of the cold triple-axis spectrometer RITA-II at PSI, Switzerland, using the McStas neutron ray-tracing package. The parameters characterising the virtual instrument were carefully tuned against real experiments. In the present paper we show that virtual experiments reproduce experimentally observed linewidths within 1–3% for a variety of samples. Furthermore we show that the detailed knowledge of the instrumental resolution found from virtual experiments, including sample mosaicity, can be used for quantitative estimates of linewidth broadening resulting from, e.g., finite domain sizes in single-crystal samples. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: We show that if a flavour-less vector meson remains bound after deconfinement, and if its limiting velocity in the quark-gluon plasma is subluminal, then this meson produces a distinct peak in the spectrum of thermal photons emitted by the plasma. We also demonstrate that this effect is a universal property of all strongly coupled, large- plasmas with a gravity dual. For the the corresponding peak lies between 3 and 5 GeV and could be observed at the LHC. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The first full greenhouse gas (GHG) flux budget of an intensively managed grassland in Switzerland (Chamau) is presented. The three major trace gases, carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), and nitrous oxide (N2O) were measured with the eddy covariance (EC) technique. For CO2 concentrations, an open-path infrared gas analyzer was used, while N2O and CH4 concentrations were measured with a recently developed continuous-wave quantum cascade laser absorption spectrometer (QCLAS). We investigated the magnitude of these trace gas emissions after grassland restoration, including ploughing, harrowing, sowing, and fertilization with inorganic and organic fertilizers in 2012. Large peaks of N2O fluxes (20-50 nmol m(-2) s(-1) compared with a <5 nmol m(-2) s(-1) background) were observed during thawing of the soil after the winter period and after mineral fertilizer application followed by re-sowing in the beginning of the summer season. Nitrous oxide (N2O) fluxes were controlled by nitrogen input, plant productivity, soil water content and temperature. Management activities led to increased variations of N2O fluxes up to 14 days after the management event as compared with background fluxes measured during periods without management (<5 nmol m(-2) s(-1)). Fluxes of CO2 remained small until full plant development in early summer 2012. In contrast, methane emissions showed only minor variations over time. The annual GHG flux budget was dominated by N2O (48% contribution) and CO2 emissions (44%). CH4 flux contribution to the annual budget was only minor (8%). We conclude that recently developed multi-species QCLAS in an EC system open new opportunities to determine the temporal variation of N2O and CH4 fluxes, which further allow to quantify annual emissions. With respect to grassland restoration, our study emphasizes the key role of N2O and CO2 losses after ploughing, changing a permanent grassland from a carbon sink to a significant carbon source., (© 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)