Summary
Background
Irritable bowel syndrome is the most frequent gastrointestinal disorder. It is assumed that lifestyle interventions might be a rational treatment approach.
Aim
To examine the ...effect of a yoga‐based intervention vs a low‐FODMAP diet on patients with irritable bowel syndrome.
Methods
Fifty‐nine patients with irritable bowel syndrome undertook a single‐blind, randomised controlled trial involving yoga or a low‐FODMAP diet for 12 weeks. Patients in the yoga group received two sessions weekly, while patients in the low‐FODMAP group received a total of three sessions of nutritional counselling. The primary outcome was a change in gastrointestinal symptoms (IBS‐SSS). Secondary outcomes explored changes in quality of life (IBS‐QOL), health (SF‐36), perceived stress (CPSS, PSQ), body awareness (BAQ), body responsiveness (BRS) and safety of the interventions. Outcomes were examined in weeks 12 and 24 by assessors “blinded” to patients’ group allocation.
Results
No statistically significant difference was found between the intervention groups, with regard to IBS‐SSS score, at either 12 (Δ = 31.80; 95%CI = −11.90, 75.50; P = .151) or 24 weeks (Δ = 33.41; 95%CI = −4.21, 71.04; P = .081). Within‐group comparisons showed statistically significant effects for yoga and low‐FODMAP diet at both 12 and 24 weeks (all P < .001). Comparable within‐group effects occurred for the other outcomes. One patient in each intervention group experienced serious adverse events (P = 1.00) and another, also in each group, experienced nonserious adverse events (P = 1.00).
Conclusions
Patients with irritable bowel syndrome might benefit from yoga and a low‐FODMAP diet, as both groups showed a reduction in gastrointestinal symptoms. More research on the underlying mechanisms of both interventions is warranted, as well as exploration of potential benefits from their combined use.
Linked ContentThis article is linked to Uno, Schumann and Cramer, Muir and Iacovou and Enck papers. To view these articles visit https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.14433, https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.14457, https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.14448, https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.14470, https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.14655 and https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.14686.
Linked Content
This article is linked to Schumann et al and Enck papers. To view these articles visit https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.14400 and https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.14655.
Natural plutonium from supernovaeThe rapid neutron capture process (r-process) produces many of the heavy chemical elements, but the astrophysical settings where it occurs remain unclear. Leading ...candidates are neutron star mergers and some types of supernovae. Wallner et al. analyzed the plutonium content of a deep-sea crust sample, identifying a few dozen atoms of the r-process isotope plutonium- 244 that were delivered to Earth within the past few million years. There was a simultaneous signal of iron-60, which is known to be produced in supernovae. Comparing the ratios of these isotopes constrains the relative contributions of supernovae and neutron star mergers to r-process nucleosynthesis.Science, this issue p. 742Half of the chemical elements heavier than iron are produced by the rapid neutron capture process (r-process). The sites and yields of this process are disputed, with candidates including some types of supernovae (SNe) and mergers of neutron stars. We search for two isotopic signatures in a sample of Pacific Ocean crust—iron-60 (60Fe) (half-life, 2.6 million years), which is predominantly produced in massive stars and ejected in supernova explosions, and plutonium-244 (244Pu) (half-life, 80.6 million years), which is produced solely in r-process events. We detect two distinct influxes of 60Fe to Earth in the last 10 million years and accompanying lower quantities of 244Pu. The 244Pu/60Fe influx ratios are similar for both events. The 244Pu influx is lower than expected if SNe dominate r-process nucleosynthesis, which implies some contribution from other sources.
Uranium and gold-bearing pyrobitumen from the Carbon Leader Reef in the Witwatersrand Basin, South Africa, was investigated by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. This study provides ...evidence for the in-situ growth of uraninite and anatase nanocrystals in the pyrobitumen, implying mobilization and concentration of uranium and titanium by formerly mobile liquid hydrocarbons. Individual nanocrystals of uraninite and anatase are pervasively distributed and locally isolated within the pyrobitumen matrix. Crystallization of uraninite and anatase led to the formation of complex nanocrystal aggregates by oriented attachment, in which anatase generally provided nuclei for the growth of uraninite. Single nanocrystals of curite occur locally in channel ways within masses of uraninite nanocrystals, consistent with later auto-oxidation of uraninite and limited release of water during hydrocarbon maturation. On the basis of evidence for the migration of liquid hydrocarbons in the Witwatersrand Basin and the presence of abundant uraninite and anatase nanoparticles in pyrobitumen, a new model is proposed for the transport and concentration of uranium (and titanium) in the Carbon Leader Reef. According to this model, liquid hydrocarbons that were circulating in the Witwatersrand Basin dissolved detrital U–Ti-bearing minerals and transported the uranium and titanium until thermal degradation immobilized the hydrocarbons by solidifying them as pyrobitumen. The latter process involved the release of volatiles and the destruction of bonds that may have held the uranium and titanium in solution, thereby inducing the growth of individual uraninite and anatase nanocrystals and the formation of complex nanocrystal aggregates within the pyrobitumen.
•High-resolution transmission electron microscopic study of Witwatersrand pyrobitumen•Nanocrystals of uraninite and anatase are common in the pyrobitumen matrix.•Complex nanocrystal aggregates were the result of growth by oriented attachment.•This study provides evidence for in-situ formation of uraninite and anatase.•Hydrocarbons mobilized U and Ti and concentrated them as uraninite and anatase.
Linked Content
This article is linked to Schumann et al and Muir and Iacovou papers. To view these articles visit https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.14400 and https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.14448.
Linked Content
This article is linked to Schumann et al and Uno papers. To view these articles visit https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.14400 and https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.14433.
Abstract
This work presents the first direct measurement of the
93
Mo half-life. The measurement is a combination of high-resolution mass spectrometry for the determination of the
93
Mo concentration ...and liquid scintillation counting for determining the specific activity. A
93
Mo sample of high purity was obtained from proton irradiated niobium by chemical separation of molybdenum with a decontamination factor larger than 1.6 × 10
14
with respect to Nb. The half-life of
93
Mo was deduced to be 4839(63) years, which is more than 20% longer than the currently adopted value, whereas the relative uncertainty could be reduced by a factor of 15. The probability that the
93
Mo decays to the metastable state
93m
Nb was determined to be 95.7(16)%. This value is a factor of 8 more precise than previous estimations. Due to the man-made production of
93
Mo in nuclear facilities, the result leads to significantly increased precision for modelling the low-level nuclear waste composition. The presented work demonstrates the importance of chemical separations in combination with state-of-the-art analysis techniques, which are inevitable for precise and accurate determinations of nuclear decay data.
The increased frequency and intensity of extreme weather events from climate change necessitates understanding impacts on critical infrastructure, particularly electrical transmission grids. One of ...the foundational concepts of a grid's resilience is its robustness to extreme weather events, such as hurricanes. Resilience of the electric grid to high wind speeds is predicated upon the location and physical characteristics of the system components. Previous modeling assessments of electric grid failure were done at the systems level with assumptions on location and type of specific components. To facilitate more explicit adaptation metrics, accurate component‐level information is needed. In this study, we build and utilize a data set of location, physical characteristics, and age of transmission structures for nine counties in the Florida Panhandle. These component characteristics were then simulated for failure under a variety of scenarios using fragility curves. Eight hurricanes were modeled using Hazus from the Federal Emergency Management Administration and the resulting impact to the network was assessed. The network was generated using the transmission lines and towers, showing increasing impacts to network efficiency with larger storms. Although modern transmission structures are built under the more stringent extreme wind loading construction standards, the prevalence of older, wooden transmission structures throughout the region poses a substantial risk to reliable electricity transmission during tropical cyclone events from the Gulf of Mexico.
Plain Language Summary
Coastal infrastructure is increasingly vulnerable to extreme weather events. A critical infrastructure, such as electric transmission grids, must be robust and resilient to increasing intensity events to continue to provide an appropriate level of service to its customers. However, there are limited data on the component‐level assets of the transmission grid. Therefore, there are significant uncertainties in models and how they can be used in disaster preparedness and response scenarios. In this study, we build a high‐resolution transmission grid data set for nine counties in the Florida Panhandle. We then simulate eight different hurricane scenarios and detail how vulnerable the transmission grid is to hurricanes.
Key Points
Component‐level characteristics of the electric transmission, such as tower type and location, are important for modeling
The tower types across the region has varying levels of vulnerability to hurricanes
Robustness efforts to increase structural integrity of transmission towers would reduce overall system vulnerability
The European Research Council has recently funded HOLMES, a new experiment to directly measure the neutrino mass. HOLMES will perform a calorimetric measurement of the energy released in the decay of ...Formula: see textHo. The calorimetric measurement eliminates systematic uncertainties arising from the use of external beta sources, as in experiments with beta spectrometers. This measurement was proposed in 1982 by A. De Rujula and M. Lusignoli, but only recently the detector technological progress allowed to design a sensitive experiment. HOLMES will deploy a large array of low temperature microcalorimeters with implanted Formula: see textHo nuclei. The resulting mass sensitivity will be as low as 0.4 eV. HOLMES will be an important step forward in the direct neutrino mass measurement with a calorimetric approach as an alternative to spectrometry. It will also establish the potential of this approach to extend the sensitivity down to 0.1 eV. We outline here the project with its technical challenges and perspectives.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
An updated overview of the HOLMES status Borghesi, M.; Alpert, B.; Balata, M. ...
Nuclear instruments & methods in physics research. Section A, Accelerators, spectrometers, detectors and associated equipment,
06/2023, Letnik:
1051
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Odprti dostop
HOLMES is an ERC project started in 2014 that will perform a model independent measurement of the neutrino mass with a sensitivity of the order of 1 eV. In order to reach its goal sensitivity, HOLMES ...will use 1000 low temperature microcalorimeters, each implanted with an activity of 300 Bq of 163Ho, performing thus a calorimetric measurement. This contribution presents the recent results achieved that lay the grounds for the low-activity phase of the HOLMES experiment, that will lead to its first limit on the neutrino mass.