Nephropathy due to BK virus (BKV) infection is an evolving challenge in patients undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). We hypothesized that BKV infection was a marker of kidney ...function decline and a poor prognostic factor in HSCT recipients who experience this complication. In this retrospective study, we analyzed all patients who underwent their first allogeneic HSCT at our institution between 2004 and 2012. We evaluated the incidence of persistent kidney function decline, which was defined as a confirmed reduction in estimated glomerular filtration rate of at least 25% from baseline using the Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology equation. Cox proportional hazard regression was used to model the cause‐specific hazard of kidney function decline, and the Fine–Gray method was used to account for the competing risks of death. Among 2477 recipients of a first allogeneic HSCT, BK viruria was detected in 25% (n = 629) and kidney function decline in 944 (38.1%). On multivariate analysis, after adjusting for age, sex, acute graft‐versus‐host disease (GVHD), chronic GVHD, preparative conditioning regimen, and graft source, BK viruria remained a significant risk factor for kidney function decline (p < 0.001). In addition, patients with BKV infection and kidney function decline experienced worse overall survival. After allogeneic HSCT, BKV infection was strongly and independently associated with subsequent kidney function decline and worse patient survival after HSCT.
In a retrospective review of 2477 patients after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, the authors strongly and independently associate BKV infection with subsequent kidney function decline and worse patient survival.
Studies of spin-dependent observables generally rely on calculating the difference between scattering yields for opposite spin states of the beam helicity or the target polarization or both. While ...the beam helicity can be changed at rates of up to many times per second, target polarization flips involve times on the order of hours or longer. To measure observables that depend only on the differences for opposite target polarizations with minimal systematic effects caused by changes in the beam, target, and detector systems, special methods need to be followed. One option is to use targets which have two or more sections in the beam path, each with materials polarized independently. While this approach does not remove all sources of systematic effects, it can be combined with frequent alternation of spin states to improve the control of time dependent and configuration uncertainties.
The Spin Asymmetries of the Nucleon Experiment measured two double spin asymmetries using a polarized proton target and polarized electron beam at two beam energies, 4.7 and 5.9 GeV. A ...large-acceptance open-configuration detector package identified scattered electrons at 40° and covered a wide range in Bjorken x (0.3<x<0.8). Proportional to an average color Lorentz force, the twist-3 matrix element, dover ˜_{2}^{p}, was extracted from the measured asymmetries at Q^{2} values ranging from 2.0 to 6.0 GeV^{2}. The data display the opposite sign compared to most quark models, including the lattice QCD result, and an unexpected scale dependence. Furthermore, when combined with the neutron data in the same Q^{2} range the results suggest a flavor independent average color Lorentz force.
Experimental results on pion decays obtained with the PIBETA spectrometer at the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI) are reviewed. For pion beta decay π
+
→ π
0
е
+
ν (πβ), a precision measurement of ...relative probability yields Г(πβ) = 1.036 ± 0.004(stat) ± 0.004(syst) ± 0.003(π
+
→е
+
ν) × 10
–8
, which implies
V
ud
= 0.9728(30) for the corresponding element of the Cabibbo–Kobayashi–Maskawa mixing matrix. Using a sample of 65 × 10
3
events, relative probability of the π
+
→е
+
νγ radiative pion decay (RPD) in the kinematic region of
E
γ
> 10 MeV and
θ
eγ
> 40° is measured as
B
exp
= 73.86(54) × 10
–8
. A statistical analysis of measured
E
e
+
and
E
γ
distributions for this decay yield the values
F
V
= 0.0258(17) and
F
A
= 0.0117(17) for the pion weak formfactors. Assuming that
F
V
linearly depends on the е
+
ν invariant mass
q
2
as
F
V
(
q
2
) =
F
V
(0)(1 +
aq
2
), the slope parameter is extracted as
а
= 0.10(6). The pion polarizability and neutral-pion lifetime are estimated as
α
E
= 2.78(10) × 10
–4
fm
3
and τ(π
0
) = (8.5 ± 1.1) × 10
–17
s, respectively. The data for decays π
+
→ е
+
ν and
μ
+
→
e
+
v
v
¯
γ
have been collected and are being processed. The follow-up PEN experiment aims at reducing the uncertainty on the π
+
→ е
+
ν relative probability by almost an order of magnitude (to 5 × 10
–4
).
We have extracted QCD matrix elements from our data on doubly polarized inelastic scattering of electrons on nuclei. We find the higher twist matrix element d˜2, which arises strictly from ...quark-gluon interactions, to be unambiguously nonzero. The data also reveal an isospin dependence of higher twist effects if we assume that the Burkhardt-Cottingham sum rule is valid. The fundamental Bjorken sum rule obtained from the a0 matrix element is satisfied at our low momentum transfer.
Colombia has a high teen pregnancy (TP) rate. In 2018, one in five pregnancies was from teen mothers between 10 and 19 years of age. While TP rates are declining globally, Colombia's TP rate decline ...has been particularly low, despite sexual education and contraception campaigns. Other factors must be studied to prevent TP. Colombia has a long history of violence. We aim to assess whether there is a relationship between TP and exposure to violence in Colombia.
Data from the Colombian Demographic and Health Survey 2015 and the Colombian National Department of Statistics were analyzed for association between TP and sexual violence, physical violence, physical punishment as a child, and community violence. Univariate, bivariate, multivariate, and multilevel binary logistic regression models were calculated using SPSS v.25 and HLM v.7.
Fifteen percent of teens were pregnant. Emotional violence was reported by 47%, sexual harassment by 27%, physical violence by 17%, physical punishment as a child by 7%, and unwanted sex by 2%. Unwanted sex (odds ratio OR: 3.18, 95% confidence interval 95% CI: 1.96-5.16), sexual harassment (OR: 2.43, 95% CI: 1.89-3.14), and physical punishment (OR: 20.30, 95% CI: 7.96-22.81) were associated with adolescent pregnancy. In unadjusted models, emotional violence was associated (OR: 1.22, 95% CI 1.06-1.40) and community violence showed a tendency (OR: 1.24, 95% CI: 0.99-1.55). Physical violence was not associated.
Violence exposure and particularly physical punishment, unwanted sex and sexual harassment were associated with TP incidence and should be considered risk factors for TP.
Nasal allergen challenge (NAC) is an important tool to diagnose allergic rhinitis. In daily clinical routine, experimentally, or when measuring therapeutic success clinically, nasal allergen ...challenge is fundamental. It is further one of the key diagnostic tools when initiating specific allergen immunotherapy. So far, national recommendations offered guidance on its execution; however, international divergence left many questions unanswered. These differences in the literature caused EAACI to initiate a task force to answer unmet needs and find a consensus in executing nasal allergen challenge. On the basis of a systematic review containing nasal allergen challenges of the past years, task force members reviewed evidence, discussed open issues, and studied variations of several subjective and objective assessment parameters to propose a standardized way of a nasal allergen challenge procedure in clinical practice. Besides an update on indications, contraindications, and preparations for the test procedure, main recommendations are a bilaterally challenge with standardized allergens, with a spray device offering 0.1 mL per nostril. A systematic catalogue for positivity criteria is given for the variety of established subjective and objective assessment methods as well as a schedule for the challenge procedure. The task force recommends a unified protocol for NAC for daily clinical practice, aiming at eliminating the previous difficulty of comparing NAC results due to unmet needs.
Basic instrumentation for Hall A at Jefferson Lab Arrington, J.; Averett, T.; Beise, E.J. ...
Nuclear instruments & methods in physics research. Section A, Accelerators, spectrometers, detectors and associated equipment,
04/2004, Letnik:
522, Številka:
3
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Odprti dostop
The instrumentation in Hall A at the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility was designed to study electro- and photo-induced reactions at very high luminosity and good momentum and angular ...resolution for at least one of the reaction products. The central components of Hall A are two identical high resolution spectrometers, which allow the vertical drift chambers in the focal plane to provide a momentum resolution of better than 2×10
−4. A variety of Cherenkov counters, scintillators and lead-glass calorimeters provide excellent particle identification. The facility has been operated successfully at a luminosity well in excess of
10
38
cm
−2
s
−1
. The research program is aimed at a variety of subjects, including nucleon structure functions, nucleon form factors and properties of the nuclear medium.
Relapse has emerged as the most important cause of treatment failure after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). To test the hypothesis that natural killer (NK) cells can ...decrease the risk of leukemia relapse, we initiated a phase 1 dose-escalation study of membrane-bound interleukin 21 (mbIL21) expanded donor NK cells infused before and after haploidentical HSCT for high-risk myeloid malignancies. The goals were to determine the safety, feasibility, and maximum tolerated dose. Patients received a melphalan-based reduced-intensity conditioning regimen and posttransplant cyclophosphamide-based graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) prophylaxis. NK cells were infused on days −2, +7, and +28 posttransplant. All NK expansions achieved the required cell number, and 11 of 13 patients enrolled received all 3 planned NK-cell doses (1 × 105/kg to 1 × 108/kg per dose). No infusional reactions or dose-limiting toxicities occurred. All patients engrafted with donor cells. Seven patients (54%) developed grade 1-2 acute GVHD (aGVHD), none developed grade 3-4 aGVHD or chronic GVHD, and a low incidence of viral complications was observed. One patient died of nonrelapse mortality; 1 patient relapsed. All others were alive and in remission at last follow-up (median, 14.7 months). NK-cell reconstitution was quantitatively, phenotypically, and functionally superior compared with a similar group of patients not receiving NK cells. In conclusion, this trial demonstrated production feasibility and safety of infusing high doses of ex vivo–expanded NK cells after haploidentical HSCT without adverse effects, increased GVHD, or higher mortality, and was associated with significantly improved NK-cell number and function, lower viral infections, and low relapse rate posttransplant.
•High doses of NK cells expanded ex vivo with mbIL21-expressing feeder cells can be safely infused posthaplotransplant.•Infusion of NK cells was associated with improved NK-cell function, low relapse, and incidence of viral infections.
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