An experiment to search for light sterile neutrinos is conducted at a reactor with a thermal power of 2.8 GW located at the Hanbit nuclear power complex. The search is done with a detector consisting ...of a ton of Gd-loaded liquid scintillator in a tendon gallery approximately 24 m from the reactor core. The measured antineutrino event rate is 1976 per day with a signal to background ratio of about 22. The shape of the antineutrino energy spectrum obtained from the eight-month data-taking period is compared with a hypothesis of oscillations due to active-sterile antineutrino mixing. No strong evidence of 3+1 neutrino oscillation is found. An excess around the 5 MeV prompt energy range is observed as seen in existing longer-baseline experiments. The mixing parameter sin^{2}2θ_{14} is limited up to less than 0.1 for Δm_{41}^{2} ranging from 0.2 to 2.3 eV^{2} with a 90% confidence level.
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The mammalian retina is the most unique tissue among those that display robust circadian/diurnal oscillations. The retina is not only a light sensing tissue that relays light information to the ...brain, it has its own circadian “system” independent from any influence from other circadian oscillators. While all retinal cells and retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) possess circadian oscillators, these oscillators integrate by means of neural synapses, electrical coupling (gap junctions), and released neurochemicals (such as dopamine, melatonin, adenosine, and ATP), so the whole retina functions as an integrated circadian system. Dysregulation of retinal clocks not only causes retinal or ocular diseases, it also impacts the circadian rhythm of the whole body, as the light information transmitted from the retina entrains the brain clock that governs the body circadian rhythms. In this review, how circadian oscillations in various retinal cells are integrated, and how retinal diseases affect daily rhythms.
The vertebrate retina is the most unique tissue among those that display robust circadian rhythms, because it is a light sensing tissue that can “know” time through detecting the ambient illumination, but its own “circadian system” prepares the retina ready to anticipate the upcoming down or dusk. This review provides an overview on how circadian oscillations in various retinal cells are integrated, and how retinal diseases might affect daily rhythms.
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BFBNIB, DOBA, FZAB, GIS, IJS, IZUM, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBMB, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Recently novel Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) lymphoproliferative diseases (LPDs) have been identified in non-immunocompromised hosts, both in Asia and Western countries. These include aggressive T-cell ...and NK-cell LPDs often subsumed under the heading of chronic active Epstein–Barr virus (CAEBV) infection and EBV-driven B-cell LPDs mainly affecting the elderly.
To better define the pathogenesis, classification, and treatment of these disorders, participants from Asia, The Americas, Europe, and Australia presented clinical and experimental data at an international meeting.
The term systemic EBV-positive T-cell LPD, as adopted by the WHO classification, is preferred as a pathological classification over CAEBV (the favored clinical term) for those cases that are clonal. The disease has an aggressive clinical course, but may arise in the background of CAEBV. Hydroa vacciniforme (HV) and HV-like lymphoma represent a spectrum of clonal EBV-positive T-cell LPDs, which have a more protracted clinical course; spontaneous regression may occur in adult life. Severe mosquito bite allergy is a related syndrome usually of NK cell origin. Immune senescence in the elderly is associated with both reactive and neoplastic EBV-driven LPDs, including EBV-positive diffuse large B-cell lymphomas.
The participants proposed an international consortium to facilitate further clinical and biological studies of novel EBV-driven LPDs.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
While it is certain that the fast solar wind originates from coronal holes, where and how the slow solar wind (SSW) is formed remains an outstanding question in solar physics even in the post-SOHO ...era. The quest for the SSW origin forms a major objective for the planned future missions such as the Solar Orbiter and Solar Probe Plus. Nonetheless, results from spacecraft data, combined with theoretical modeling, have helped to investigate many aspects of the SSW. Fundamental physical properties of the coronal plasma have been derived from spectroscopic and imaging remote-sensing data and in situ data, and these results have provided crucial insights for a deeper understanding of the origin and acceleration of the SSW. Advanced models of the SSW in coronal streamers and other structures have been developed using 3D MHD and multi-fluid equations.
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DOBA, EMUNI, FIS, FZAB, GEOZS, GIS, IJS, IMTLJ, IZUM, KILJ, KISLJ, MFDPS, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, SBMB, SBNM, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK, VKSCE, ZAGLJ
Because of its distinctive compositional properties and variability, low-speed ( 450 km s−1) solar wind is widely believed to originate from coronal streamers, unlike high-speed wind, which comes ...from coronal holes. An alternative scenario is that the bulk of the slow wind (excluding that in the immediate vicinity of the heliospheric current sheet) originates from rapidly diverging flux tubes rooted inside small coronal holes or just within the boundaries of large holes. This viewpoint is based largely on photospheric field extrapolations, which are subject to considerable uncertainties and do not include dynamical effects, making it difficult to be certain whether a source is located just inside or outside a hole boundary, or whether a high-latitude hole will be connected to Earth. To minimize the dependence on field-line extrapolations, we have searched for cases where equatorial coronal holes at central meridian are followed by low-speed streams at Earth. We describe 14 examples from the period 2014-2017, involving Fe xiv 21.1 nm coronal holes located near active regions and having equatorial widths of ∼3°-10°. The associated in situ wind was characterized by speeds v ∼ 300-450 km s−1 and by O7+/O6+ ratios of ∼0.05-0.15, with v showing the usual correlation with proton temperature. In addition, consistent with other recent studies, this slow wind had remarkably high Alfvénicity, similar to that in high-speed streams. We conclude that small coronal holes are a major contributor to the slow solar wind during the maximum and early post-maximum phases of the solar cycle.
Background Accurately estimating surgical risks is critical for shared decision making and informed consent. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services may soon put forth a measure requiring ...surgeons to provide patients with patient-specific, empirically derived estimates of postoperative complications. Our objectives were to develop a universal surgical risk estimation tool, to compare performance of the universal vs previous procedure-specific surgical risk calculators, and to allow surgeons to empirically adjust the estimates of risk. Study Design Using standardized clinical data from 393 ACS NSQIP hospitals, a web-based tool was developed to allow surgeons to easily enter 21 preoperative factors (demographics, comorbidities, procedure). Regression models were developed to predict 8 outcomes based on the preoperative risk factors. The universal model was compared with procedure-specific models. To incorporate surgeon input, a subjective surgeon adjustment score, allowing risk estimates to vary within the estimate's confidence interval, was introduced and tested with 80 surgeons using 10 case scenarios. Results Based on 1,414,006 patients encompassing 1,557 unique CPT codes, a universal surgical risk calculator model was developed that had excellent performance for mortality (c-statistic = 0.944; Brier score = 0.011 where scores approaching 0 are better), morbidity (c-statistic = 0.816, Brier score = 0.069), and 6 additional complications (c-statistics > 0.8). Predictions were similarly robust for the universal calculator vs procedure-specific calculators (eg, colorectal). Surgeons demonstrated considerable agreement on the case scenario scoring (80% to 100% agreement), suggesting reliable score assignment between surgeons. Conclusions The ACS NSQIP surgical risk calculator is a decision-support tool based on reliable multi-institutional clinical data, which can be used to estimate the risks of most operations. The ACS NSQIP surgical risk calculator will allow clinicians and patients to make decisions using empirically derived, patient-specific postoperative risks.
Multielement solid solution alloys are intrinsically disordered on the atomic scale, and many of their advanced properties originate from the local structural characteristics. The local structure of ...a NiCoCr solid solution alloy is measured with x-ray or neutron total scattering and extended x-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) techniques. The atomic pair distribution function analysis does not exhibit an observable structural distortion. However, an EXAFS analysis suggests that the Cr atoms are favorably bonded with Ni and Co in the solid solution alloys. This short-range order (SRO) may make an important contribution to the low values of the electrical and thermal conductivities of the Cr-alloyed solid solutions. In addition, an EXAFS analysis of Ni ion irradiated samples reveals that the degree of SRO in NiCoCr alloys is enhanced after irradiation.
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Summary
Background
Breastfeeding is a modifiable factor that may influence development of inflammatory bowel diseases. However, literature on this has been inconsistent and not accounted for ...heterogeneity in populations and exposure.
Aim
To conduct a meta‐analysis to examine the association between breastfeeding in infancy and risk of Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC).
Methods
A systematic search of Medline/PubMed and Embase was performed for full text, English‐language literature through November 2016. Studies were included if they described breastfeeding in infancy in patients with CD or UC, and healthy controls. Data were pooled using a random effects model for analysis.
Results
A total of 35 studies were included in the final analysis, comprising 7536 individuals with CD, 7353 with UC and 330 222 controls. Ever being breastfed was associated with a lower risk of CD (OR 0.71, 95% CI 0.59‐0.85) and UC (OR 0.78, 95% CI 0.67‐0.91). While this inverse association was observed in all ethnicity groups, the magnitude of protection was significantly greater among Asians (OR 0.31, 95% CI 0.20‐0.48) compared to Caucasians (OR 0.78, 95% CI 0.66‐0.93; P = .0001) in CD. Breastfeeding duration showed a dose‐dependent association, with strongest decrease in risk when breastfed for at least 12 months for CD (OR 0.20, 95% CI 0.08‐0.50) and UC (OR 0.21, 95% CI 0.10‐0.43) as compared to 3 or 6 months.
Conclusion
Breastfeeding in infancy protects against the development of CD and ulcerative colitis.
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BFBNIB, DOBA, FZAB, GIS, IJS, IZUM, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBMB, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
We report direct observations of the magnetic reconnection site during an eruptive process that occurred on 2003 November 18. The event started with a rapid expansion of a few magnetic arcades ...located over the east limb of the Sun and developed an energetic partial-halo coronal mass ejection (CME), a long current sheet, and a group of bright flare loops in the wake of the CME. It was observed by several instruments, both in space and on the ground, including the EUV Imaging Telescope, Ultraviolet Coronagraph Spectrometer, and Large Angle Spectrometric Coronagraph experiment on board the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory, the Reuven Ramaty High Energy Solar Spectroscopic Imager, and the Mauna Loa Solar Observatory Mark IV K-Coronameter. We combine the data from these instruments to investigate various properties of the eruptive process, including those around the current sheet. The maximum velocities of the CME leading edge and the core were 1939 and 1484 km s super(-1), respectively. The average reconnection inflow velocities near the current sheet over different time intervals ranged from 10.5 to 106 km s super(-1), and the average outflow velocities ranged from 460 to 1075 km s super(-1). This leads to a corresponding rate of reconnection in terms of the Alfven Mach number M sub(A) ranging from 0.01 to 0.23. The composite of images from different instruments specifies explicitly how the different objects developed by a single eruptive process are related to one another.
Purpose Guidelines regarding the prevention, detection, and management of surgical site infections (SSI) have been published previously.1-3 This document is intended to update prior guidelines based ...on the current literature and to provide a concise summary of relevant topics.
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