Abstract The average energy and multiplicity of prompt $$\gamma $$ γ -rays from slow neutron-induced fission of $$^{235}$$ 235 U have been measured using the STEFF spectrometer at the neutron ...time-of-flight facility n_TOF. The individual responses from 11 NaI scintillators were corrected for multiple $$\gamma $$ γ -ray interactions, prompt fission neutrons and background counts before being deconvolved to estimate the emitted spectrum of prompt fission $$\gamma $$ γ -rays. The results give an average $$\gamma $$ γ -ray energy $${\bar{E}}_{\gamma }$$ E ¯ γ of 1.71(5) MeV and multiplicity $$\bar{\nu }_{\gamma }$$ ν ¯ γ of 2.66(18) considering $$\gamma $$ γ -rays emitted within the energy range 0.8–6.8 MeV. The n_TOF data has a slightly larger $${\bar{E}}_{\gamma }$$ E ¯ γ and smaller $$\bar{\nu }_{\gamma }$$ ν ¯ γ than other recent measurements, however the product of the two is in agreement within quoted uncertainties.
The Thoracic Centers International coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) Collaboration (TERAVOLT) registry found approximately 30% mortality in patients with thoracic malignancies during the initial ...COVID-19 surges. Data from South Africa suggested a decrease in severity and mortality with the Omicron wave. Our objective was to assess mortality of patients with thoracic malignancies with the Omicron-predominant wave and evaluate efficacy of vaccination.
A prospective, multicenter observational study was conducted. A total of 28 institutions contributed data from January 14, 2022, to February 4, 2022. Inclusion criteria were any thoracic cancer and a COVID-19 diagnosis on or after November 1, 2021. End points included mortality, hospitalization, symptomatic COVID-19 infection, asymptomatic COVID-19 infection, and delay in cancer therapy. Analysis was done through contingency tables and a multivariable logistic model.
We enrolled a total of 346 patients. Median age was 65 years, 52.3% were female, 74.2% were current or former smokers, 86% had NSCLC, 72% had stage IV at time of COVID-19 diagnosis, and 66% were receiving cancer therapy. Variant was unknown for 70%; for those known, Omicron represented 82%. Overall mortality was 3.2%. Using multivariate analysis, COVID-19 vaccination with booster compared with no vaccination had a protective effect on hospitalization or death (OR = 0.30, confidence interval: 0.15–0.57, p = 0.0003), whereas vaccination without booster did not (OR = 0.64, confidence interval: 0.33–1.24, p = 0.1864). Cancer care was delayed in 56.4% of the patients.
TERAVOLT found reduced patient mortality with the most recent COVID-19 surge. COVID-19 vaccination with booster improved outcomes of hospitalization or death. Delays in cancer therapy remain an issue, which has the potential to worsen cancer-related mortality.
Reliable data on large cohorts of patients with glioblastoma are needed because such studies differ importantly from trials that have a strong bias toward the recruitment of younger patients with a ...higher performance status. We analyzed the outcome of 676 patients with histologically confirmed newly diagnosed glioblastoma who were treated consecutively at a single institution over a 7-year period (1997-2003) with follow-up to April 30, 2006. Survival probabilities were 57% at 1 year, 16% at 2 years, and 7% at 3 years. Progression-free survival was 15% at 1 year. Prolongation of survival was significantly associated with surgery in patients with a good performance status, whatever the patient's age, with an adjusted hazard ratio of 0.55 (p < 0.001) or a 45% relative decrease in the risk of death. Radiotherapy and chemotherapy improved survival, with adjusted hazard ratios of 0.61 (p = 0.001) and 0.89 (p = 0.04), respectively, regardless of age, performance status, or residual tumor volume. Recurrence occurred in 99% of patients throughout the follow-up. Reoperation was performed in one-fourth of these patients but was not effective, whether performed within 9 months (hazard ratio, 0.86; p = 0.256) or after 9 months (hazard ratio, 0.98; p = 0.860) of initial surgery, whereas second-line chemotherapy with procarbazine, lomustine, and vincristine (PCV) or with temozolomide improved survival (hazard ratio, 0.77; p = 0.008). Surgery followed by radiotherapy and chemotherapy should be considered in all patients with glioblastoma, and these treatments should not be withheld because of increasing age alone. The benefit of second surgery at recurrence is uncertain, and new trials are needed to assess its effectiveness. Chemotherapy with PCV or temozolomide seems to be a reasonable option at tumor recurrence.
i-TED is an innovative detection system which exploits Compton imaging techniques to achieve a superior signal-to-background ratio in (
n
,
γ
) cross-section measurements using time-of-flight ...technique. This work presents the first experimental validation of the i-TED apparatus for high-resolution time-of-flight experiments and demonstrates for the first time the concept proposed for background rejection. To this aim, the
197
Au(
n
,
γ
) and
56
Fe(
n
,
γ
) reactions were studied at CERN n_TOF using an i-TED demonstrator based on three position-sensitive detectors. Two C
6
D
6
detectors were also used to benchmark the performance of i-TED. The i-TED prototype built for this study shows a factor of
∼
3 higher detection sensitivity than state-of-the-art C
6
D
6
detectors in the 10 keV neutron-energy region of astrophysical interest. This paper explores also the perspectives of further enhancement in performance attainable with the final i-TED array consisting of twenty position-sensitive detectors and new analysis methodologies based on Machine-Learning techniques.
Abstract
The study of heavy-ions induced double charge-exchange (HI-DCE) nuclear reactions is a promising way to access data-driven information on neutrino-less double-beta decay nuclear matrix ...elements. In the following, particular attention is given to the (
18
O,
18
Ne) and (
20
Ne,
20
O) HI-DCE reactions as tools for
β
+
β
+
and
β
−
β
−
decays, respectively. The experiments are performed in Catania at the Laboratori Nazionali del Sud of the Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare (INFN-LNS). The MAGNEX magnetic spectrometer is used to momentum analyse the ejectiles of a large network of nuclear reactions. New preliminary experimental data for the
76
Se(
18
O,
18
F)
76
As and
76
Ge(
20
Ne,
20
F)
76
As single charge exchange (SCE) and for the
76
Se(
18
O,
18
Ne)
76
Ge and
76
Ge(
20
Ne,
20
O)
76
Se DCE nuclear reactions were also investigated.
Abstract
The
18
O+
48
Ti reaction was studied at the energy of 275 MeV for the first time under the NUMEN and NURE experimental campaigns with the aim of investigating the complete reaction network ...potentially involved in the
48
Ti→
48
Ca double charge exchange transition. Understanding the degree of competition between successive nucleon transfer and double charge exchange reactions is crucial for the description of the meson exchange mechanism. Into this context, angular distribution measurements for one- and two-nucleon transfer reactions for the system
18
O+
48
Ti were performed at the MAGNEX facility of INFN-LNS in Catania. An overview of the status of the analysis for the two-proton transfer reaction will be given.
The study of a network of nuclear reactions populated in the 18O + 12C collision is the main topic of the present paper. It was performed to test nuclear structure and reaction theories in describing ...the full reaction mechanism occurring in the (18O, 18F) single charge exchange nuclear reaction. From the experimental side, an 18O beam was produced at 275 MeV incident energy by the K800 superconducting cyclotron and the MAGNEX magnetic spectrometer was used at the Laboratori Nazionali del Sud of the Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare to momentum analyse the ejectiles produced in the nuclear reactions within the same experimental setup. From the theoretical side, the proposed approach consists of analysing the whole network of nuclear reactions in the framework of a unique comprehensive and coherent theoretical calculation. This holistic approach, applied both to the experimental and theoretical analysis, is the main feature and novelty of the work presented here.
The average energy and multiplicity of prompt
γ
-rays from slow neutron-induced fission of
235
U have been measured using the STEFF spectrometer at the neutron time-of-flight facility n_TOF. The ...individual responses from 11 NaI scintillators were corrected for multiple
γ
-ray interactions, prompt fission neutrons and background counts before being deconvolved to estimate the emitted spectrum of prompt fission
γ
-rays. The results give an average
γ
-ray energy
E
¯
γ
of 1.71(5) MeV and multiplicity
ν
¯
γ
of 2.66(18) considering
γ
-rays emitted within the energy range 0.8–6.8 MeV. The n_TOF data has a slightly larger
E
¯
γ
and smaller
ν
¯
γ
than other recent measurements, however the product of the two is in agreement within quoted uncertainties.
Background and methods. The endogenous inhibitor of nitric oxide synthase (NOs) asymmetrical dimethyl-arginine (ADMA) has been implicated as a possible modulator of inducible NOs during acute ...inflammation. We examined the evolution in the plasma concentration of ADMA measured at the clinical outset of acute inflammation and after its resolution in a series of 17 patients with acute bacterial infections. Results. During the acute phase of inflammation/infection, patients displayed very high levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6), procalcitonin and nitrotyrosine. Simultaneous plasma ADMA concentration was similar to that in healthy subjects while symmetric dimethyl-arginine (SDMA) levels were substantially increased and directly related with creatinine. When infection resolved, ADMA rose from 0.62 ± 0.23 to 0.80 ± 0.18 μmol/l (+29%, P = 0.01) while SDMA remained unmodified. ADMA changes were independent on concomitant risk factor changes and inversely related with baseline systolic and diastolic pressure. Changes in the ADMA/SDMA ratio were compatible with the hypothesis that inflammatory cytokines activate ADMA degradation. Conclusions. Resolution of acute inflammation is characterized by an increase in the plasma concentration of ADMA. The results imply that ADMA suppression may actually serve to stimulate NO synthesis or that in this situation plasma ADMA levels may not reflect the inhibitory potential of this methylarginine at the cellular level.
Abstract
The broad network of nuclear reactions populated in the
18
O +
12
C collision was studied to test the capability of state-of-art nuclear structure and reaction theories to describe both the ...direct and sequential components of the (
18
O,
18
F) single charge exchange nuclear reaction. The experiment was performed using the
18
O beam at 275 MeV incident energy produced by the K800 superconducting cyclotron and the MAGNEX magnetic spectrometer at the Laboratori Nazionali del Sud of the Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare. A unique comprehensive and coherent theoretical calculation, able to describe the whole network of direct reactions, is the approach proposed for the first time to analyse this large set of experimental data. This holistic approach, applied both to the experimental and theoretical analysis, is the main feature and novelty of the work here presented.
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