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The ALICE collaboration at the LHC reports measurement of the inclusive production cross section of electrons from semi-leptonic decays of beauty hadrons with rapidity |y|<0.8 and transverse momentum 1<pT<10 GeV/c, in pp collisions at s√= 2.76 TeV. Electrons not originating from semi-electronic decay of beauty hadrons are suppressed using the impact parameter of the corresponding tracks. The production cross section of beauty decay electrons is compared to the result obtained with an alternative method which uses the distribution of the azimuthal angle between heavy-flavour decay electrons and charged hadrons. Perturbative QCD calculations agree with the measured cross section within the experimental and theoretical uncertainties. The integrated visible cross section, σb→e=3.47±0.40(stat)+1.12−1.33(sys)±0.07(norm)μb, was extrapolated to full phase space using Fixed Order plus Next-to-Leading Log (FONLL) predictions to obtain the total bb¯ production cross section, σbb¯=130±15.1(stat)+42.1−49.8(sys)+3.4−3.1(extr)±2.5(norm)±4.4(BR)μb.
Transverse momentum spectra of π±, K± and p(p¯) up to pT = 20 GeV/c at mid-rapidity in pp and Pb-Pb collisions at sNN−−−√= 2.76 TeV have been measured using the ALICE detector at the Large Hadron Collider. The proton-to-pion and the kaon-to-pion ratios both show a distinct peak at pT≈3GeV/c in central Pb-Pb collisions. Below the peak, pT < 3 GeV/c, both ratios are in good agreement with hydrodynamical calculations, suggesting that the peak itself is dominantly the result of radial flow rather than anomalous hadronization processes. For pT > 10 GeV/c particle ratios in pp and Pb-Pb collisions are in agreement and the nuclear modification factors for π±, K± and p(p¯) indicate that, within the systematic and statistical uncertainties, the suppression is the same. This suggests that the chemical composition of leading particles from jets in the medium is similar to that of vacuum jets.
The pT-differential production cross section of electrons from semileptonic decays of heavy-flavor hadrons has been measured at mid-rapidity in proton-proton collisions at s√=2.76 TeV in the transverse momentum range 0.5 < pT < 12 GeV/c with the ALICE detector at the LHC. The analysis was performed using minimum bias events and events triggered by the electromagnetic calorimeter. Predictions from perturbative QCD calculations agree with the data within the theoretical and experimental uncertainties.
The differential charged jet cross sections, jet fragmentation distributions, and jet shapes are measured in minimum bias proton-proton collisions at centre-of-mass energy s√=7 TeV using the ALICE detector at the LHC. Jets are reconstructed from charged particle momenta in the mid-rapidity region using the sequential recombination kT and anti-kT as well as the SISCone jet finding algorithms with several resolution parameters in the range R=0.2 to 0.6. Differential jet production cross sections measured with the three jet finders are in agreement in the transverse momentum (pT) interval 20<pjet,chT<100 GeV/c. They are also consistent with prior measurements carried out at the LHC by the ATLAS collaboration. The jet charged particle multiplicity rises monotonically with increasing jet pT, in qualitative agreement with prior observations at lower energies. The transverse profiles of leading jets are investigated using radial momentum density distributions as well as distributions of the average radius containing 80% (⟨R80⟩) of the reconstructed jet pT. The fragmentation of leading jets with R=0.4 using scaled pT spectra of the jet constituents is studied. The measurements are compared to model calculations from event generators (PYTHIA, PHOJET, HERWIG). The measured radial density distributions and ⟨R80⟩ distributions are well described by the PYTHIA model (tune Perugia-2011). The fragmentation distributions are better described by HERWIG.
Event-by-event fluctuations of the mean transverse momentum of charged particles produced in pp collisions at s√ = 0.9, 2.76 and 7 TeV, and Pb-Pb collisions at sNN−−−−√ = 2.76 TeV are studied as a function of the charged-particle multiplicity using the ALICE detector at the LHC. Dynamical fluctuations indicative of correlated particle emission are observed in all systems. The results in pp collisions show little dependence on collision energy. The Monte Carlo event generators PYTHIA and PHOJET are in qualitative agreement with the data. Peripheral Pb-Pb data exhibit a similar multiplicity dependence as that observed in pp. In central Pb-Pb, the results deviate from this trend, featuring a significant reduction of the fluctuation strength. The results in Pb--Pb are in qualitative agreement with previous measurements in Au-Au at lower collision energies and with expectations from models that incorporate collective phenomena.
We report on the production of inclusive Υ(1S) and Υ(2S) in p-Pb collisions at sNN−−−√=5.02 TeV at the LHC. The measurement is performed with the ALICE detector at backward (−4.46<ycms<−2.96) and forward (2.03<ycms<3.53) rapidity down to zero transverse momentum. The production cross sections of the Υ(1S) and Υ(2S) are presented, as well as the nuclear modification factor and the ratio of the forward to backward yields of Υ(1S). A suppression of the inclusive Υ(1S) yield in p-Pb collisions with respect to the yield from pp collisions scaled by the number of binary nucleon-nucleon collisions is observed at forward rapidity but not at backward rapidity. The results are compared to theoretical model calculations including nuclear shadowing or partonic energy loss effects.
We report on the production of inclusive Υ(1S) and Υ(2S) in p-Pb collisions at sNN−−−√=5.02 TeV at the LHC. The measurement is performed with the ALICE detector at backward (−4.46<ycms<−2.96) and forward (2.03<ycms<3.53) rapidity down to zero transverse momentum. The production cross sections of the Υ(1S) and Υ(2S) are presented, as well as the nuclear modification factor and the ratio of the forward to backward yields of Υ(1S). A suppression of the inclusive Υ(1S) yield in p-Pb collisions with respect to the yield from pp collisions scaled by the number of binary nucleon-nucleon collisions is observed at forward rapidity but not at backward rapidity. The results are compared to theoretical model calculations including nuclear shadowing or partonic energy loss effects.
The pT-differential production cross section of electrons from semileptonic decays of heavy-flavor hadrons has been measured at mid-rapidity in proton-proton collisions at s√=2.76 TeV in the transverse momentum range 0.5 < pT < 12 GeV/c with the ALICE detector at the LHC. The analysis was performed using minimum bias events and events triggered by the electromagnetic calorimeter. Predictions from perturbative QCD calculations agree with the data within the theoretical and experimental uncertainties.
The differential charged jet cross sections, jet fragmentation distributions, and jet shapes are measured in minimum bias proton-proton collisions at centre-of-mass energy s√=7 TeV using the ALICE detector at the LHC. Jets are reconstructed from charged particle momenta in the mid-rapidity region using the sequential recombination kT and anti-kT as well as the SISCone jet finding algorithms with several resolution parameters in the range R=0.2 to 0.6. Differential jet production cross sections measured with the three jet finders are in agreement in the transverse momentum (pT) interval 20<pjet,chT<100 GeV/c. They are also consistent with prior measurements carried out at the LHC by the ATLAS collaboration. The jet charged particle multiplicity rises monotonically with increasing jet pT, in qualitative agreement with prior observations at lower energies. The transverse profiles of leading jets are investigated using radial momentum density distributions as well as distributions of the average radius containing 80% (⟨R80⟩) of the reconstructed jet pT. The fragmentation of leading jets with R=0.4 using scaled pT spectra of the jet constituents is studied. The measurements are compared to model calculations from event generators (PYTHIA, PHOJET, HERWIG). The measured radial density distributions and ⟨R80⟩ distributions are well described by the PYTHIA model (tune Perugia-2011). The fragmentation distributions are better described by HERWIG.
Mutations in the PINK1 gene cause autosomal recessive familial Parkinson’s disease (PD). The gene encodes a mitochondrial protein kinase that plays an important role in maintaining mitochondrial function and integrity. However, the pathophysiological link between mutation-related bioenergetic deficits and the degenerative process in dopaminergic neurons remains to be elucidated. We performed phosphorous (31P) and proton (1H) 3-T magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging (MRSI) in 11 members of a German family with hereditary PD due to PINK1 mutations (PARK6) compared to 23 age-matched controls. All family members had prior 18-Fluorodopa (FDOPA) positron emission tomography (PET). The striatal FDOPA uptake was correlated with quantified metabolic brain mapping in MRSI. At group level, the heterozygous PINK1 mutation carriers did not show any MRSI abnormalities relative to controls. In contrast, homozygous individuals with manifest PD had putaminal GPC, PCr, HEP and β-ATP levels well above the 2SD range of controls. Across all subjects, the FDOPA Ki values correlated positively with MI (r = 0.879, p<0.001) and inversely with β-ATP (r = −0.784, p = 0.008) and GPC concentrations (r = −0.651, p = 0.030) in the putamen. Our combined imaging data suggest that the dopaminergic deficit in this family with PD due to PINK1 mutations relates to osmolyte dysregulation, while the delivery of high energy phosphates was preserved. Our results corroborate the hypothesis that PINK1 mutations result in reduced neuronal survival, most likely due to impaired cellular stress resistance.
Long-range angular correlations on the near and away side in p–Pb collisions at √sNN=5.02 TeV
(2013)
Angular correlations between charged trigger and associated particles are measured by the ALICE detector in p–Pb collisions at a nucleon–nucleon centre-of-mass energy of 5.02 TeV for transverse momentum ranges within 0.5<pT,assoc<pT,trig<4 GeV/c. The correlations are measured over two units of pseudorapidity and full azimuthal angle in different intervals of event multiplicity, and expressed as associated yield per trigger particle. Two long-range ridge-like structures, one on the near side and one on the away side, are observed when the per-trigger yield obtained in low-multiplicity events is subtracted from the one in high-multiplicity events. The excess on the near-side is qualitatively similar to that recently reported by the CMS Collaboration, while the excess on the away-side is reported for the first time. The two-ridge structure projected onto azimuthal angle is quantified with the second and third Fourier coefficients as well as by near-side and away-side yields and widths. The yields on the near side and on the away side are equal within the uncertainties for all studied event multiplicity and pT bins, and the widths show no significant evolution with event multiplicity or pT. These findings suggest that the near-side ridge is accompanied by an essentially identical away-side ridge.
Introduction: The German PID-NET registry was founded in 2009, serving as the first national registry of patients with primary immunodeficiencies (PID) in Germany. It is part of the European Society for Immunodeficiencies (ESID) registry. The primary purpose of the registry is to gather data on the epidemiology, diagnostic delay, diagnosis, and treatment of PIDs.
Methods: Clinical and laboratory data was collected from 2,453 patients from 36 German PID centres in an online registry. Data was analysed with the software Stata® and Excel.
Results: The minimum prevalence of PID in Germany is 2.72 per 100,000 inhabitants. Among patients aged 1–25, there was a clear predominance of males. The median age of living patients ranged between 7 and 40 years, depending on the respective PID. Predominantly antibody disorders were the most prevalent group with 57% of all 2,453 PID patients (including 728 CVID patients). A gene defect was identified in 36% of patients. Familial cases were observed in 21% of patients. The age of onset for presenting symptoms ranged from birth to late adulthood (range 0–88 years). Presenting symptoms comprised infections (74%) and immune dysregulation (22%). Ninety-three patients were diagnosed without prior clinical symptoms. Regarding the general and clinical diagnostic delay, no PID had undergone a slight decrease within the last decade. However, both, SCID and hyper IgE- syndrome showed a substantial improvement in shortening the time between onset of symptoms and genetic diagnosis. Regarding treatment, 49% of all patients received immunoglobulin G (IgG) substitution (70%—subcutaneous; 29%—intravenous; 1%—unknown). Three-hundred patients underwent at least one hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). Five patients had gene therapy.
Conclusion: The German PID-NET registry is a precious tool for physicians, researchers, the pharmaceutical industry, politicians, and ultimately the patients, for whom the outcomes will eventually lead to a more timely diagnosis and better treatment.
In dieser Arbeit wurde die Leistungsfähigkeit des neuen Inner Tracking System (ITS) in Bezug auf die Messung von Spektren der invarianten Masse von Dielektronpaaren im Rahmen des ALICE Experiments am LHC ausgewertet. Zu Beginn der Planungen zum zukünftigen ITS wurden zwei verschiedene Designmöglichkeiten in Betracht gezogen: Auf der einen Seite ein ITS, welches die Möglichkeit zur Teilchenidentifizierung mittels spezifischem Energieverlust pro Wegstrecke bietet und auf der anderen Seite ein ITS welches diese Möglichkeiten nicht hat. Es wurde untersucht, ob es zukünftig möglich sein wird aus der Steigung des Spektrums der invarianten Masse von Dileptonen zwischen 1,1 GeV/c2 < Mee < 2,0 GeV/c2 direkt die Temperatur des Quark-Gluon-Plasmas zu extrahieren. Weiterhin wurde geprüft welches der beiden Systeme diese Aufgabe besser erfüllt.
Das neue ITS bietet gegenüber dem alten ITS Vorteile, die in dieser Analyse genutzt wurden. Zuerst, siehe Abschnitt 3.4, wurde ein zweidimensionaler Schnitt auf den Öffnungswinkel und die invariante Masse angewandt um Elektronen und Positronen aus Dalitzzerfällen und Photonkonversionen zu identifizieren und für die folgende Analyse zu verwerfen. Hierzu wurde die verbesserte Spurfindungseffizienz hin zu kleinen Transversalimpulsen ausgenutzt, um die Anzahl an zu kombinierenden Teilchen und damit die Wahrscheinlichkeit richtige Paare zu finden, zu erhöhen. Allerdings können Teilchen, welche nur im ITS nachgewiesen werden können, nicht zweifelsfrei (ITSPID), beziehungsweise gar nicht (ITSnoPID) identifiziert werden. Die Simulationen ergeben, dass ein zukünftiges ITS mit der Möglichkeit zur Teilchenidentifizierung leicht bessere Werte in der Signifikanz und im Verhältnis von Signal zu Untergrund liefern kann.
Die verbesserte Vertexfindung wird zur Reduktion des Beitrags durch Elektronen und Positronen aus semileptonisch zerfallenden D-Mesonen (Abschnitt 3.4.4) ausgenutzt.
Die Elektronen und Positronen, welche nach den Schnitten in der Stichprobe blieben, wurden verwendet um den Untergrund zu simulieren (Abschnitt 3.4.5). Daraufhin wurde die Signifikanz und das Verhältnis von Signal zu Untergrund berechnet. Mit diesen Informationen (Abschnitt 3.5.3) wurde ein Spektrum der invarianten Masse von Dileptonen mit der zu erwartenden Anzahl von 2,5 · 109 zentralen Blei-Blei-Kollisionen erzeugt. Dies führt zu den in Abschnitt 3.5.4 gezeigten Spektren. Nach Abzug der Beiträge durch die semileptonischen D-Meson Zerfälle und durch den hadronischen Cocktail ist noch der zu erwartende Beitrag durch die thermische Strahlung (Abschnitt 1.5) im Spektrum vorhanden. Eine Parametrisierung dieser Kurve ergibt die Temperatur des Quark-Gluon-Plasmas.
Der Unterschied der ermittelten Messwerte der Temperatur zwischen dem zukünftigen ITS mit Teilchenidentifizierung und ohne ist gering (Abschnitt 3.5.5). Die Messung ergibt keine signifikanten Unterschiede zwischen beiden ITS Entwürfen. Aufgrund dieses Ergebnisses kann man sagen, dass für die Messung von Dileptonen im Niedrigmassenbereich keine ITS PID notwendig ist. In den mittlerweile veröffentlichten ITS Technical Design Report sind die Ergebnisse dieser Studie eingeflossen. Es wurde beschlossen, dass der ITSnoPID umgesetzt wird.
Der Urknall vor ungefähr 13.8 Milliarden Jahren markiert die Entstehung des Universums. Die gesamte Energie und Materie war in einem Punkt konzentriert und expandiert seitdem kontinuierlich. Wenige Sekundenbruchteile nach dem Urknall war die Temperatur und Dichte dieser Materie extrem hoch und die erschaffenen Elementarteilchen, speziell Quarks und Gluonen, durchliefen einen Zustand den man als Quark-Gluon-Plasma (QGP) bezeichnet und innerhalb dessen die starke Wechselwirkung dominiert. Innerhalb dieses Plasmas können Quarks und Gluonen, welche sonst in Hadronen gebunden sind, sich frei bewegen. Die direkte Beobachtung des frühzeitlichen QGPs ist mit heutigen Mitteln nicht möglich. Allerdings ist es möglich die Dynamik und Kinematik innerhalb eines künstlich erzeugten QGPs zu erforschen und damit Rückschlüsse auf die Vorgänge während des Urknalls zu machen.
Um künstliche QGPs unter kontrollierten Bedingungen zu erzeugen, werden heutzutage ultrarelativistische Schwerionen zur Kollision gebracht. Der stärkste je gebaute Schwerionenbeschleuniger LHC befindet sich am Kernforschungzentrum CERN in der Nähe von Genf. Das ALICE Experiment, als eines der vier großen Experimente am LHC, wurde speziell gebaut um das QGP näher zu untersuchen. Vollständig ionisierte Bleikerne werden mit nahezu Lichtgeschwindigkeit in den Experimenten zur Kollision gebracht. Die deponierte Energie lässt die Temperatur der Quarks und Gluonen innerhalb der kollidierenden Nukleonen ansteigen bis eine kritische Temperatur überschritten wird und ein Phasenübergang in das QGP erfolgt. Im Laufe der Kollision kühlt das Medium ab und gelangt unter die kritische Temperatur. Nun werden aus den ehemals freien Quarks Hadronen gebildet. Diese Hadronen oder Zerfallsprodukte dieser Hadronen können daraufhin in die Detektoren des Experiments fliegen und werden dann dort gemessen.
Es gibt mehrere mögliche Observablen des QGP, die messbar mit dem ALICE Experiment sind. Die Observablen, die in dieser Arbeit detailliert untersucht werden, sind die invariante Masse und der Paartransversalimpuls eines Dielektrons. Ein Dielektron besteht aus einem Elektron und einem Positron, welche miteinander korreliert sind. Dielektronen sind ideale Sonden zur Vermessung des QGPs. Sie werden durch verschiedene Prozesse während allen Kollisionsphasen produziert, wie beispielsweise bei den initialen, harten Stößen der kollidierenden Nukleonen oder durch den elektromagnetischen Zerfall verschiedener Hadronen wie π0 und J/ψ. Zusätzlich strahlt das QGP Dielektronen abhängig von seiner Temperatur ab. Theoretisch erlaubt dies die direkte Temperaturmessung des QGPs. Ein weiterer Vorteil der Dielektronenmessung gegenüber der Messung von Hadronen liegt darin, dass Elektronen und Positronen keine Farbladungen tragen und somit auch nicht mit der dominierenden starken Wechselwirkung innerhalb des QGPs interagieren und somit unbeeinflusst Informationen über seine Dynamik liefern können.
In dieser vorliegenden Arbeit werden Dielektronenspektren als Funktion der invarianten Masse und des Paartransversalimpulses in Blei-Blei-Kollisionen mit einer Schwerpunktsenergie von √sNN = 5.02 TeV gemessen. Das erste Mal in Schwerionenkollisionen konnte an einem der großen LHC Experimente der minimale Transversalimpuls der gemessenen Elektronen und Positronen auf peT > 0.2 GeV/c minimiert werden. Dies gibt im Vergleich zu der publizierten Messung mit peT > 0.4 GeV/c die Möglichkeit auch sogenannte weiche Prozesse zu messen, erhöht aber auch den Komplexit ätsgrad der Messung durch massiv gesteigerten Untergrund. Zusätzlich ist die Messung zentralitäsabhängig durchgeführt. Zentralität ist ein Maß für den Abstand der beiden Bleikerne zum Zeitpunkt der Kollision. Je zentraler eine Kollision, desto größer ist die deponierte Energie und desto größer und heißer ist das erzeugte QGP und die daraus resultierenden Effekte.
Die gemessenen Dielektronenverteilungen werden mit dem erwarteten Beiträgen aus hadronischen Zerfällen verglichen. Die Messung ergibt, dass der Beitrag aus semileptonischen Zerfällen von Charmquarks gemessen im Vakuum, welcher mit der Anzahl der binären Nukleon-Nukleon-Kollisionen in Blei-Blei-Ereignissen hochskaliert ist, nicht das Dielektronenspektrum beschreibt. Eine Modifizierung des Beitrag gemäß des unabhängig gemessenen nuklearen Modifikationsfaktors für einzelne Elektronen aus Charm- und Beautyquarks verbessert die Beschreibung des Dielektronenspektrums. Zusätzlich wurde der Beitrag virtueller direkter Photonen abgeschätzt. Die gemessenen Werte sind vergleichbar mit vorangegangenen Messungen bei einer niedrigeren Schwerpunktsenergie. Ebenso ist es möglich in periphären Kollisionen einen Beitrag durch eine Quelle zu vermessen, die Dielektronen bei niedrigem Transversalimpuls pT,ee < 0.15 GeV/c aussendet.
Introduction: Recent animal studies have shown that the alternate renin-angiotensin system (RAS) consisting of angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), angiotensin-(1–7) (Ang-(1–7)) and the Mas receptor is upregulated in cirrhosis and contributes to splanchnic vasodilatation and portal hypertension. To determine the potential relevance of these findings to human liver disease, we evaluated its expression and relationship to the patients’ clinical status in subjects with cirrhosis. Methods: Blood sampling from peripheral and central vascular beds was performed intra-operatively for cirrhotic patients at the time of liver transplantation (LT) or trans-jugular intra-hepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) procedures to measure angiotensin II (Ang II) and Ang-(1–7) peptide levels and ACE and ACE2 enzyme activity. Relevant clinical and hemodynamic data were recorded pre-operatively for all subjects and peripheral blood sampling was repeated 3 months or later post-operatively. Results: Ang-(1–-7) and ACE2 activity were up-regulated more than twofold in cirrhotic subjects both at the time of LT and TIPS and levels returned to comparable levels as control subjects post-transplantation. Ang-(1–7) levels correlated positively with the degree of liver disease severity, as measured by the model for an end-stage liver disease (MELD) and also with clinical parameters of pathological vasodilatation including cardiac output (CO). There were strong correlations found between the ACE2:ACE and the Ang-(1–7):Ang II ratio highlighting the inter-dependence of the alternate and classical arms of the RAS and thus their potential impact on vascular tone. Conclusions: In human cirrhosis, the alternate RAS is markedly upregulated and the activation of this system is associated strongly with features of the hyperdynamic circulation in advanced human cirrhosis.
Background: Pathogenesis of portal hypertension is multifactorial and includes pathologic intrahepatic angiogenesis, whereby TIPS insertion is an effective therapy of portal hypertension associated complications. While angiogenin is a potent contributor to angiogenesis in general, little is known about its impact on TIPS function over time. Methods: In a total of 118 samples from 47 patients, angiogenin concentrations were measured in portal and inferior caval vein plasma at TIPS insertion (each blood compartment n = 23) or angiographic intervention after TIPS (each blood compartment n = 36) and its relationship with patient outcome was investigated. Results: Angiogenin levels in the inferior caval vein were significantly higher compared to the portal vein (P = 0.048). Ten to 14 days after TIPS, inferior caval vein angiogenin level correlated inversely with the portal systemic pressure gradient (P<0.001), measured invasively during control angiography. Moreover, patients with TIPS revision during this angiography, showed significantly lower angiogenin level in the inferior caval vein compared to patients without TIPS dysfunction (P = 0.01). Conclusion: In cirrhosis patients with complications of severe portal hypertension, circulating levels of angiogenin are derived from the injured liver. Moreover, angiogenin levels in the inferior caval vein after TIPS may predict TIPS dysfunction.