2,345 research outputs found
Recent results on Vub, Vcb and Mixing from the BaBar Experiment
We present the measurements of the CKM matrix parameters Vub, Vcb and of the
B mixing oscillation frequency with the BaBar experiment at the asymmetric
B-factory PEPII. Data were collected in the years 2000-2002 and the total
available statistics corresponds to 91 fb-1. The Vub, Vcb measurements utilize
both inclusive and exclusive semileptonic decays of the meson. The
Delta(md) parameter is measured by using the time evolution of the B,
determined from the flight length difference between the two B mesons.Comment: 10 pages, 7 postscript figues, contributed to the Proceedings of
Moriond E
High Voltage System for the CMS Electromagnetic Calorimeter
The CMS electromagnetic calorimeter (ECAL) is made of about 75000 lead tungstate crystals. The 61200 crystals of the barrel part are read by avalanche photodiodes (APD) with internal amplification of the signal. Since the gain strongly depends on the bias voltage, the APDs require a very stable power supply system. To preserve the high energy resolution of the calorimeter, a stability of the bias voltage of the order of 10^-4 is required over several months, a typical interval between absolute calibrations of the full read-out chain with physics events. This paper describes the High Voltage power supply system developed for CMS ECAL and its performances as measured in laboratory tests and during test-beam operations of several modules of the calorimeter
Contribution of KRAS mutations and c.2369C > T (p.T790M) EGFR to acquired resistance to EGFR-TKIs in EGFR mutant NSCLC: a study on circulating tumor DNA
INTRODUCTION:
KRAS oncogene mutations (MUTKRAS) drive resistance to EGFR inhibition by providing alternative signaling as demonstrated in colo-rectal cancer. In non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), the efficacy of treatment with EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKIs) depends on activating EGFR mutations (MUTEGFR). However, inhibition of EGFR may select resistant cells displaying alternative signaling, i.e., KRAS, or restoration of EGFR activity due to additional MUTEGFR, i.e., the c.2369C > T (p.T790MEGFR).
AIM:
The aim of this study was to investigate the appearance of MUTKRAS during EGFR-TKI treatment and their contribution to drug resistance.
METHODS:
This study used cell-free circulating tumor DNA (cftDNA) to evaluate the appearance of codon 12 MUTKRAS and p.T790MEGFR mutations in 33 advanced NSCLC patients progressing after an EGFR-TKI.
RESULTS:
p.T790MEGFR was detected in 11 (33.3%) patients, MUTKRAS at codon 12 in 3 (9.1%) while both p.T790MEGFR and MUTKRAS codon 12 were found in 13 (39.4%) patients. Six patients (18.2%) were KRAS wild-type (WTKRAS) and negative for p.T790MEGFR. In 8 subjects paired tumor re-biopsy/plasma samples were available; the percent concordance of tissue/plasma was 62.5% for p.T790MEGFR and 37.5% for MUTKRAS. The analysis of time to progression (TTP) and overall survival (OS) in WTKRAS vs. MUTKRAS were not statistically different, even if there was a better survival with WTKRAS vs. MUTKRAS, i.e., TTP 14.4 vs. 11.4 months (p = 0.97) and OS 40.2 vs. 35.0 months (p = 0.56), respectively.
CONCLUSIONS:
MUTKRAS could be an additional mechanism of escape from EGFR-TKI inhibition and cftDNA is a feasible approach to monitor the molecular development of drug resistance
VectAbundance: a spatio-temporal database of Aedes mosquitoes observations
Modelling approaches play a crucial role in supporting local public health agencies by estimating and forecasting vector abundance and seasonality. However, the reliability of these models is contingent on the availability of standardized, high-quality data. Addressing this need, our study focuses on collecting and harmonizing egg count observations of the mosquito Aedes albopictus, obtained through ovitraps in monitoring and surveillance efforts across Albania, France, Italy, and Switzerland from 2010 to 2022. We processed the raw observations to obtain a continuous time series of ovitraps observations allowing for an extensive geographical and temporal coverage of Ae. albopictus population dynamics. The resulting post-processed observations are stored in the open-access database VectAbundance.This initiative addresses the critical need for accessible, high-quality data, enhancing the reliability of modelling efforts and bolstering public health preparedness
The evaluation of the CUSP scientific performance by a GEANT4 Monte Carlo simulation
The CUbesat Solar Polarimeter (CUSP) project is a CubeSat mission orbiting
the Earth aimed to measure the linear polarization of solar flares in the hard
X-ray band by means of a Compton scattering polarimeter. CUSP will allow to
study the magnetic reconnection and particle acceleration in the flaring
magnetic structures of our star. CUSP is a project in the framework of the
Alcor Program of the Italian Space Agency aimed to develop new CubeSat
missions. It is approved for a Phase B study. In this work, we report on the
accurate simulation of the detector's response to evaluate the scientific
performance. A GEANT4 Monte Carlo simulation is used to assess the physical
interactions of the source photons with the detector and the passive materials.
Using this approach, we implemented a detailed CUSP Mass Model. In this work,
we report on the evaluation of the detector's effective area as a function of
the beam energy.Comment: Proceeding of SPIE Conference "Astronomical Telescopes+
Instrumentation", Yokohama (Japan), 16-21 June 202
The multiphysics analysis and design of CUSP, a two CubeSat constellation for Space Weather and Solar flares X-ray polarimetry
The CUbesat Solar Polarimeter (CUSP) project aims to develop a constellation
of two CubeSats orbiting the Earth to measure the linear polarization of solar
flares in the hard X-ray band by means of a Compton scattering polarimeter on
board of each satellite. CUSP will allow to study the magnetic reconnection and
particle acceleration in the flaring magnetic structures. CUSP is a project
approved for a Phase B study by the Italian Space Agency in the framework of
the Alcor program aimed to develop CubeSat technologies and missions. In this
paper we describe the a method for a multi-physical simulation analysis while
analyzing some possible design optimization of the payload design solutions
adopted. In particular, we report the mechanical design for each structural
component, the results of static and dynamic finite element analysis, the
preliminary thermo-mechanical analysis for two specific thermal cases (hot and
cold orbit) and a topological optimization of the interface between the
platform and the payload.Comment: Proceeding of SPIE Conference "Astronomical Telescopes+
Instrumentation", Yokohama (Japan), 16-21 June 202
Determining Higgs couplings with a model-independent analysis of h ->gamma gamma
Discovering a Higgs boson at the LHC will address a major outstanding issue
in particle physics but will also raise many new questions. A concerted effort
to determine the couplings of this new state to other Standard Model fields
will be of critical importance. Precise knowledge of these couplings can serve
as a powerful probe of new physics, and will be needed in attempts to
accommodate such a new boson within specific models. In this paper, we present
a method for constraining these couplings in a model-independent way, focusing
primarily on an exclusive analysis of the gamma gamma final state. We
demonstrate the discriminating power of fully exclusive analyses, and discuss
ways in which information can be shared between experimentalists and theorists
in order to facilitate collaboration in the task of establishing the true
origins of any new physics discovered at the LHC.Comment: 24 pages, 4 figure
Intercalibration of the barrel electromagnetic calorimeter of the CMS experiment at start-up
Calibration of the relative response of the individual channels of the barrel electromagnetic calorimeter of the CMS detector was accomplished, before installation, with cosmic ray muons and test beams. One fourth of the calorimeter was exposed to a beam of high energy electrons and the relative calibration of the channels, the intercalibration, was found to be reproducible to a precision of about 0.3%. Additionally, data were collected with cosmic rays for the entire ECAL barrel during the commissioning phase. By comparing the intercalibration constants obtained with the electron beam data with those from the cosmic ray data, it is demonstrated that the latter provide an intercalibration precision of 1.5% over most of the barrel ECAL. The best intercalibration precision is expected to come from the analysis of events collected in situ during the LHC operation. Using data collected with both electrons and pion beams, several aspects of the intercalibration procedures based on electrons or neutral pions were investigated
Report from Working Group 3: Beyond the standard model physics at the HL-LHC and HE-LHC
This is the third out of five chapters of the final report [1] of the Workshop on Physics at HL-LHC, and perspectives on HE-LHC [2]. It is devoted to the study of the potential, in the search for Beyond the Standard Model (BSM) physics, of the High Luminosity (HL) phase of the LHC, defined as ab of data taken at a centre-of-mass energy of 14 TeV, and of a possible future upgrade, the High Energy (HE) LHC, defined as ab of data at a centre-of-mass energy of 27 TeV. We consider a large variety of new physics models, both in a simplified model fashion and in a more model-dependent one. A long list of contributions from the theory and experimental (ATLAS, CMS, LHCb) communities have been collected and merged together to give a complete, wide, and consistent view of future prospects for BSM physics at the considered colliders. On top of the usual standard candles, such as supersymmetric simplified models and resonances, considered for the evaluation of future collider potentials, this report contains results on dark matter and dark sectors, long lived particles, leptoquarks, sterile neutrinos, axion-like particles, heavy scalars, vector-like quarks, and more. Particular attention is placed, especially in the study of the HL-LHC prospects, to the detector upgrades, the assessment of the future systematic uncertainties, and new experimental techniques. The general conclusion is that the HL-LHC, on top of allowing to extend the present LHC mass and coupling reach by on most new physics scenarios, will also be able to constrain, and potentially discover, new physics that is presently unconstrained. Moreover, compared to the HL-LHC, the reach in most observables will, generally more than double at the HE-LHC, which may represent a good candidate future facility for a final test of TeV-scale new physics
Prescription appropriateness of anti-diabetes drugs in elderly patients hospitalized in a clinical setting: evidence from the REPOSI Register
Diabetes is an increasing global health burden with the highest prevalence (24.0%) observed in elderly people. Older diabetic adults have a greater risk of hospitalization and several geriatric syndromes than older nondiabetic adults. For these conditions, special care is required in prescribing therapies including anti- diabetes drugs. Aim of this study was to evaluate the appropriateness and the adherence to safety recommendations in the prescriptions of glucose-lowering drugs in hospitalized elderly patients with diabetes. Data for this cross-sectional study were obtained from the REgistro POliterapie-Società Italiana Medicina Interna (REPOSI) that collected clinical information on patients aged ≥ 65 years acutely admitted to Italian internal medicine and geriatric non-intensive care units (ICU) from 2010 up to 2019. Prescription appropriateness was assessed according to the 2019 AGS Beers Criteria and anti-diabetes drug data sheets.Among 5349 patients, 1624 (30.3%) had diagnosis of type 2 diabetes. At admission, 37.7% of diabetic patients received treatment with metformin, 37.3% insulin therapy, 16.4% sulfonylureas, and 11.4% glinides. Surprisingly, only 3.1% of diabetic patients were treated with new classes of anti- diabetes drugs. According to prescription criteria, at admission 15.4% of patients treated with metformin and 2.6% with sulfonylureas received inappropriately these treatments. At discharge, the inappropriateness of metformin therapy decreased (10.2%, P < 0.0001). According to Beers criteria, the inappropriate prescriptions of sulfonylureas raised to 29% both at admission and at discharge. This study shows a poor adherence to current guidelines on diabetes management in hospitalized elderly people with a high prevalence of inappropriate use of sulfonylureas according to the Beers criteria
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