Velocity-space sensitivity of the time-of-flight neutron spectrometer at JET

The velocity-space sensitivities of fast-ion diagnostics are often described by so-called weight functions. Recently, we formulated weight functions showing the velocity-space sensitivity of the often dominant beam-target part of neutron energy spectra. These weight functions for neutron emission spectrometry (NES) are independent of the particular NES diagnostic. Here we apply these NES weight functions to the time-of-flight spectrometer TOFOR at JET. By taking the instrumental response function of TOFOR into account, we calculate time-of-flight NES weight functions that enable us to directly determine the velocity-space sensitivity of a given part of a measured time-of-flight spectrum from TOFOR

Relationship of edge localized mode burst times with divertor flux loop signal phase in JET

A phase relationship is identified between sequential edge localized modes (ELMs) occurrence times in a set of H-mode tokamak plasmas to the voltage measured in full flux azimuthal loops in the divertor region. We focus on plasmas in the Joint European Torus where a steady H-mode is sustained over several seconds, during which ELMs are observed in the Be II emission at the divertor. The ELMs analysed arise from intrinsic ELMing, in that there is no deliberate intent to control the ELMing process by external means. We use ELM timings derived from the Be II signal to perform direct time domain analysis of the full flux loop VLD2 and VLD3 signals, which provide a high cadence global measurement proportional to the voltage induced by changes in poloidal magnetic flux. Specifically, we examine how the time interval between pairs of successive ELMs is linked to the time-evolving phase of the full flux loop signals. Each ELM produces a clear early pulse in the full flux loop signals, whose peak time is used to condition our analysis. The arrival time of the following ELM, relative to this pulse, is found to fall into one of two categories: (i) prompt ELMs, which are directly paced by the initial response seen in the flux loop signals; and (ii) all other ELMs, which occur after the initial response of the full flux loop signals has decayed in amplitude. The times at which ELMs in category (ii) occur, relative to the first ELM of the pair, are clustered at times when the instantaneous phase of the full flux loop signal is close to its value at the time of the first ELM

Birt–Hogg–Dubé Syndrome: A Review of Dermatological Manifestations and Other Symptoms

<p>The full text of this article can be found here:</p> <p><a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40257-017-0307-8">https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40257-017-0307-8</a></p

Fermentation of <em>Propionibacterium acnes,</em> a Commensal Bacterium in the Human Skin Microbiome, as Skin Probiotics against Methicillin-Resistant <em>Staphylococcus aureus</em>

<div><p>Bacterial interference creates an ecological competition between commensal and pathogenic bacteria. Through fermentation of milk with gut-friendly bacteria, yogurt is an excellent aid to balance the bacteriological ecosystem in the human intestine. Here, we demonstrate that fermentation of glycerol with Propionibacterium acnes (P. acnes), a skin commensal bacterium, can function as a skin probiotic for in vitro and in vivo growth suppression of USA300, the most prevalent community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA). We also promote the notion that inappropriate use of antibiotics may eliminate the skin commensals, making it more difficult to fight pathogen infection. This study warrants further investigation to better understand the role of fermentation of skin commensals in infectious disease and the importance of the human skin microbiome in skin health.</p> </div

Glycerol fermentation of <i>P. acnes</i> in skin wounds diminishes the colonization of USA300.

<p><i>P. acnes</i> (10⁷ CFU in 5 µl PBS), P. acnes and glycerol (0.2 mg), PBS (5 µl) alone or glycerol alone were applied onto the skin wounds for 3 days before administration of USA300 (10⁷ CFU in 5 µl PBS) onto the wounded areas. (A, B) Skin lesions pictured 3 days after USA300 application were illustrated. Bar = 0.5 cm. (C) The USA300 numbers in the skin wounds were enumerated 3 days after USA300 application and presented as % of those in skin applied with <i>P. acnes</i> (C) or PBS (D). *<i>P</i><0.05. <i>P</i>-values were evaluated using two-tailed <i>t</i>-tests. Data are the mean ± SD of lesions from five mice per group. NS: Non-significant.</p

NMR validation of fermentation of <i>P. acnes</i> in mouse skin.

<p>(B) The ear of ICR mice was intradermally injected with ¹³C₃-glycerol (0.2 mg) and P. acnes (ATCC6919; 10⁷ CFU in 10 µl PBS) for 3 days. (A) The other ear of the same mouse received ¹³C₃-glycerol (0.2 mg) and PBS (10 µl) as a control. Supernatants of ear homogenates were mixed with 10% D₂O and analyzed by a NMR (400 MHz JEOL JNM-ECS) spectrometer. Data from 1,024 scans were accumulated. The NMR signals (17.1 and 58.4 ppm) of ¹³C-ethanol (Et) metabolized from ¹³C₃-glycerol (Gly) were detected exclusively in the mice injected with ¹³C₃-glycerol and <i>P. acnes</i>. The un-metabolized ¹³C₃-glycerol appears between 60 and 80 ppm in the ¹³C-NMR spectrum. (C) A 2-D ¹H-¹³C HSQC NMR spectrum (600 MHz) was displayed. In addition to glycerol (Gly), ethanol (Et), four SCFAs [butyric acid (B), 3-hydroxy-butyric acid (3HB), lactic acid (L), and propionic acid (P)] were detected in the ear injected with glycerol and <i>P. acnes</i>.</p