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.
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.
The aims of the study were to: (1) examine levels of trismus, xerostomia and nutritional status; (2) compare levels of trismus, xerostomia and nutritional status in patients with nasopharyngeal ...carcinoma (NPC) receiving different types of radiation modalities; and (3) identify factors related to NPC survivors’ risk status for malnutrition and existing malnutrition. A cross‐sectional study with consecutive sampling was conducted. NPC survivors were recruited from otolaryngology/oncology outpatient clinics in a medical centre in Northern Taiwan. Study measures included (1) Mandibular Function Impairment Questionnaire, (2) Xerostomia Questionnaire, (3) Mini Nutrition Assessment, (4) Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale – Depression subscale, and (5) Symptom Severity Scale. A total of 110 subjects were recruited. Those receiving intensity‐modulated radiation therapy had less trismus and xerostomia than patients receiving two‐dimensional radiation therapy. Patients with female gender, advanced stage, completion of treatments within 1 year, higher levels of depression, more severe trismus and higher symptom severity tended to have malnutrition or were at risk of malnutrition. Trismus and xerostomia are long‐term problems in some NPC survivors and may contribute to malnutrition. To better manage a patient's trismus and xerostomia and to enhance nutritional status, clinicians should develop a patient‐specific care programme based on careful assessment and targeted measures to improve oral function and insure adequate nutritional intake.
Internet addiction is a newly emergent disorder. It has been found to be associated with a variety of psychiatric disorders. Information about such coexisting psychiatric disorders is essential to ...understand the mechanism of Internet addiction. In this review, we have recruited articles mentioning coexisting psychiatric disorders of Internet addiction from the PubMed database as at November 3, 2009. We describe the updated results for such disorders of Internet addiction, which include substance use disorder, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, depression, hostility, and social anxiety disorder. We also provide discussion for possible mechanisms accounting for the coexistence of psychiatric disorders and Internet addiction. The review might suggest that combined psychiatric disorders mentioned above should be evaluated and treated to prevent their deteriorating effect on the prognosis of Internet addiction. On the other hand, Internet addiction should be paid more attention to when treating people with these coexisting psychiatric disorders of Internet addiction. Additionally, we also suggest future necessary research directions that could provide further important information for the understanding of this issue.
Neutrino elastic scattering observation with NaI (NEON) is an experiment designed to detect neutrino-nucleus coherent scattering using reactor electron antineutrinos. NEON is based on an array of six ...NaI(Tl) crystals with a total mass of 13.3 kg, located at the tendon gallery that is 23.7 m away from a reactor core with a thermal power of 2.8 GW in the Hanbit nuclear power complex. The installation of the NEON detector was completed in December 2020, and since May 2021, the detector has acquired data at full reactor power. Based on the observed light yields of the NaI crystals of approximately 22, number of photoelectrons per unit keV electron-equivalent energy (keVee), and 6 counts/kg/keV/day background level at 2–6 keVee energy, coherent elastic neutrino-nucleus scattering (CE
ν
NS) observation sensitivity is evaluated as more than 3
σ
assuming 1-year reactor-on and 100 days reactor-off data, 0.2 keVee energy threshold, and 7 counts/keV/kg/day background in the signal region of 0.2
-
0.5 keVee. This paper describes the design of the NEON detector, including the shielding arrangement, configuration of NaI(Tl) crystals, and associated operating systems. The initial performance and associated sensitivity of the experiment are also presented.
BackgroundThe secondary cell wall is a defining feature of xylem cells and allows them to resist both gravitational forces and the tension forces associated with the transpirational pull on their ...internal columns of water. Secondary walls also constitute the majority of plant biomass. Formation of secondary walls requires co-ordinated transcriptional regulation of the genes involved in the biosynthesis of cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin. This co-ordinated control appears to involve a multifaceted and multilayered transcriptional regulatory programme.ScopeTranscription factor MYB46 (At5g12870) has been shown to function as a master regulator in secondary wall formation in Arabidopsis thaliana. Recent studies show that MYB46 not only regulates the transcription factors but also the biosynthesis genes for all of the three major components (i.e. cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin) of secondary walls. This review considers our current understanding of the MYB46-mediated transcriptional regulatory network, including upstream regulators, downstream targets and negative regulators of MYB46.Conclusions and OutlookMYB46 is a unique transcription factor in that it directly regulates the biosynthesis genes for all of the three major components of the secondary wall as well as the transcription factors in the biosynthesis pathway. As such, MYB46 may offer a useful means for pathway-specific manipulation of secondary wall biosynthesis. However, realization of this potential requires additional information on the ‘MYB46-mediated transcriptional regulatory programme’, such as downstream direct targets, upstream regulators and interacting partners of MYB46.
Aims
For the effective production of 146S particles, which determines foot‐and‐mouth disease (FMD) vaccine efficacy, we aimed to identify the optimal medium that is easy‐to‐use, productive and ...economically affordable for the large‐scale production of FMD vaccine.
Methods and Results
Nine combinations of cell growth media and replacement media were tested for virus propagation. Apart from the replacement strategy, we tested a simple addition strategy involving the addition of 30% v/v of fresh medium to the total spent medium using the Cellvento BHK‐200 (Vento). Unlike other tested media that produced poor yields of 146S particles when the spent media were not eliminated, Vento exhibited high productivity with the 30% addition strategy.
Conclusions
Considering its lower price and media consumption compared to those of other media that require media replacement, the 30% addition strategy of Vento is highly effective. Furthermore, owing to its simple application strategy, it makes the scale‐up process easy and helps in saving the time and labour involved in spent media removal.
Significance and Impact of the Study
Through the first comparative assessment of commercial media for the 146S particle recovery, this study suggests the best practical medium for the industrial‐scale production of FMD vaccines.
This cutting-edge study delves into regional magmatism in northern Taiwan through advanced 3-D P- and S-wave frequency-dependent attenuation tomography. Positioned at the dynamic convergence boundary ...between the Philippine Sea Plate and the Eurasian Plate, Taiwan experiences moderate earthquakes and intriguing volcanic activity, with a focus on the Tatun volcano group. Employing the Formosa seismic array for high-resolution results, our research identifies high-attenuation anomalies (low Q) beneath the northern Taiwan volcanic zone (NTVZ) and offshore submarine volcanoes, indicative of potential hydrothermal activities and magma reservoirs at varying depths. Additionally, we explore low-attenuation anomalies (high Q) in the forearc region of the Ryukyu subduction zone, suggestive of partial saturation linked to serpentinization processes resulting from seawater infiltration or forearc mantle hydration. These findings shed light on the complex geological features and provide essential insights into the crustal properties of northern Taiwan, contributing to a deeper understanding of its magmatic evolution and tectonic processes.