Performance of the Fully Digital FPGA-based Front-End Electronics for the GALILEO Array

In this work we present the architecture and results of a fully digital Front End Electronics (FEE) read out system developed for the GALILEO array. The FEE system, developed in collaboration with the Advanced Gamma Tracking Array (AGATA) collaboration, is composed of three main blocks: preamplifiers, digitizers and preprocessing electronics. The slow control system contains a custom Linux driver, a dynamic library and a server implementing network services. The digital processing of the data from the GALILEO germanium detectors has demonstrated the capability to achieve an energy resolution of 1.53 per mil at an energy of 1.33 MeV.Comment: 5 pages, 6 figures, preprint version of IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science paper submitted for the 19th IEEE Real Time Conferenc

Predicting Lung Deposition of Extrafine Inhaled Corticosteroid-Containing Fixed Combinations in Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Using Functional Respiratory Imaging: An in Silico Study

Background: Functional respiratory imaging (FRI) is a computational fluid dynamics-based technique using three-dimensional models of human lungs and formulation profiles to simulate aerosol deposition. Methods: FRI was used to evaluate lung deposition of extrafine beclomethasone dipropionate (BDP)/formoterol fumarate (FF)/glycopyrronium bromide (GB) and extrafine BDP/FF delivered through pressurized metered dose inhalers and to compare results with reference gamma scintigraphy data. FRI combined high-resolution computed tomography scans of 20 patients with moderate-to-severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (mean forced expiratory volume in 1 second 42% predicted) with in silico computational flow simulations, and incorporated drug delivery parameters to calculate aerosol airway deposition. Inhalation was simulated using profiles obtained from real-life measurements. Results: Total lung deposition (proportion deposited in intrathoracic region) was similarly high for both products, with mean ± standard deviation (SD) values of 31.0% ± 5.7% and 28.1% ± 5.2% (relative to nominal dose) for BDP/FF/GB and BDP/FF, respectively. Pairwise comparison of the deposition of BDP and FF gave a mean intrathoracic BDP/FF/GB:BDP/FF deposition ratio of 1.10 (p = 0.0405). Mean intrathoracic, central and peripheral deposition ratios for BDP were 1.09 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.05-1.14), 0.92 (95% CI: 0.89-0.96), and 1.20 (95% CI: 1.15-1.26), respectively, and for FF were 1.11 (95% CI: 1.07-1.15), 0.94 (95% CI: 0.91-0.98), and 1.21 (95% CI: 1.15-1.27), within the bioequivalence range (0.80-1.25) for intrathoracic and central regions, and slightly exceeding the upper boundary in the peripheral region. Mean ± SD central:peripheral deposition (C:P) was 0.48 ± 0.13 for BDP/FF/GB and 0.62 ± 0.17 for BDP/FF, indicating a higher proportion of drug deposition in the small airways than in the large airways. Conclusion: FRI demonstrated similar deposition patterns for extrafine BDP/FF/GB and BDP/FF, with both having a high lung deposition. Moreover, the deposition patterns of BDP and FF were similar in both products. Furthermore, the C:P ratios of both products indicated a high peripheral deposition, supporting small airway targeting and delivery of these two extrafine fixed combinations, with a small difference in ratios potentially due to mass median aerodynamic diameters

Absences from work among healthcare workers: are they related to influenza shot adherence?

BACKGROUND: The coverage for influenza vaccination among healthcare workers (HCWs) is inadequate in many countries despite strong recommendations; is there evidence that influenza vaccination is effective in preventing absenteeism? Aim of the study is to evaluate the influenza vaccination coverage and its effects on absences from work among HCWs of an Italian academic healthcare trust during the 2017-2018 influenza season. METHODS: We performed a retrospective study to identify predictive characteristics for vaccination, and a retrospective cohort study to establish the effect of vaccination on absences among the vaccinated and non-vaccinated cohorts between December 2017 and May 2018. Overall absence rates over the whole observation period and sub-rates over 14-days intervals were calculated; then comparison between the two groups were conducted applying Chi-square test. RESULTS: Influenza vaccination coverage among 4419 HCWs was 14.5%. Age, university degree, medical care area and physician profile were positively associated with vaccine uptake. Globally during influenza season non-vaccinated HCWs lost 2.47/100 person-days of work compared to 1.92/100 person-days of work among vaccinated HCWs (p\u2009<\u20090.001); significant differences in absences rates resulted when focusing on the influenza epidemic peak. CONCLUSIONS: Factors predicting influenza uptake among HCWs were male sex, working within medical care area and being a physician. Absenteeism among HCWs resulted to be negatively correlated with vaccination against influenza. These findings add evidence to the urgent need to implement better influenza vaccination strategies towards HCWs to tackle vaccine hesitancy among professionals

Follow-up for breast cancer - the patients' view

Background: International and national guidelines (S3 guideline) for the surveillance of post-treatment breast cancer patients recommend a clinical follow-up including routine history and physical examination and regular mammograms. The practice of a clinical follow-up has been often discussed, but has been proven not to be inferior when compared to an intensified follow-up in randomized trials. Patients and Methods: The present manuscript reports the patients' view on the basis of a survey including 2000 patients with a history of breast cancer. Results: A total of 452 patients (22.6%) answered the questionnaire. The median age was 62 years (range 23-85 years). More than 80% of the patients were disease-free at the time of the survey. The need for surveillance was affirmed by the majority of patients (>95%), and one third stated that there was a need for more technical efforts during follow-up. In contrast to the follow-up guidelines, the results of the present survey indicated that most of the regularly scheduled follow-up visits were expanded using extensive laboratory and imaging procedures. Conclusion: This survey shows that the majority of physicians obviously do not accept the present follow-up guidelines. A new surveillance study investigating the efficacy of an intensified surveillance based on the improved possibilities of modern diagnostics and endocrine, immunotherapeutic, chemotherapeutic and interventional treatment options is warranted

Constraints on the photon charge based on observations of extragalactic sources

Using modern high-resolution observations of extragalactic compact radio sources we obtain an estimate of the upper bound on a photon electric charge at the level $e_{\gamma} \lesssim 3 \cdot 10^{-33}$ of elementary charge (assuming the photon charge to be energy independent). This is three orders of magnitude better than the limit obtained with radio pulsar timing. Also we set a limit on a photon charge in the gamma-ray band (energies about 0.1 MeV). In future the estimate made for extragalactic sources can be significantly improved.Comment: 12 pages, no figures, accepted to Astronomy Letter

Raltitrexed (Tomudex) administration in patients with relapsed metastatic colorectal cancer after weekly irinotecan/5-Fluorouracil/Leucovorin chemotherapy

PURPOSE: The present study aimed at evaluating the efficacy of Raltitrexed, a specific thymidilate synthase inhibitor, in patients with advanced colorectal cancer (ACC) in relapse (>8 weeks) after a prior response or disease stabilization to first-line chemotherapy combination with lrinotecan+5-Fluorouracil (5-FU)+Leucovorin (LV). METHODS: Twenty-five patients with metastatic ACC entered; 17 males/8 females, median age 61 (range: 47–70), median Karnovsky PS: 80 (70–90), and sites of metastases; liver: 21, lung: 4, lymph nodes: 7, peritoneal: 5 and a life expectancy of at least 3 months, were entered in the present pilot study. All patients had progressed after prior chemotherapy with lrinotecan+5-FU+LV. Raltitrexed was administered at a dose of 3 mg/m(2) i.v. every 21 days. RESULTS: Three patients (12%) achieved a partial response (PR), 8 (32%) had stable disease (SD), and the remaining 14 (56%) developed progressive disease (PD). Median time-to-progression (TTP) was 5.5 months (range, 2–8.5), and median overall survival (OS) 8 months (range, 4.0–12.5). Toxicity was generally mild; it consisted mainly of myelosuppression; neutropenia grade 1–2: 52%-grade 3: 28%, and anemia grade 1–2 only: 36%. Mild mucositis grade 1–2 occured in 13.5% of patients and was the principal non-hematologic toxicity. CONCLUSION: Response to treatment with Raltitrexed is limited in patients with ACC failing after an initial response or non-progression to the weekly lrinotecan+5-FU+LV combination. However, it appears that a limited number of patients with PR/SD may derive clinical benefit, but final proof would require a randomized study

Strangeness Report

The paper provides a short report on strangeness production in ultrarelativistic nucleus-nucleus collision, with the main stress on strange particle abundances.Comment: Proceedings of Quark Matter 200

Propagation of ultra-high energy protons in the nearby universe

We present a new calculation of the propagation of protons with energies above $10^{19}$ eV over distances of up to several hundred Mpc. The calculation is based on a Monte Carlo approach using the event generator SOPHIA for the simulation of hadronic nucleon-photon interactions and a realistic integration of the particle trajectories in a random extragalactic magnetic field. Accounting for the proton scattering in the magnetic field affects noticeably the nucleon energy as a function of the distance to their source and allows us to give realistic predictions on arrival energy, time delay, and arrival angle distributions and correlations as well as secondary particle production spectra.Comment: 12 pages, 9 figures, ReVTeX. Physical Review D, accepte

The Benefits and Harms of Transmitting Into Space

Deliberate and unintentional radio transmissions from Earth propagate into space. These transmissions could be detected by extraterrestrial watchers over interstellar distances. Here, we analyze the harms and benefits of deliberate and unintentional transmissions relevant to Earth and humanity. Comparing the magnitude of deliberate radio broadcasts intended for messaging to extraterrestrial intelligence (METI) with the background radio spectrum of Earth, we find that METI attempts to date have much lower detectability than emissions from current radio communication technologies on Earth. METI broadcasts are usually transient and several orders of magnitude less powerful than other terrestrial sources such as astronomical and military radars, which provide the strongest detectable signals. The benefits of radio communication on Earth likely outweigh the potential harms of detection by extraterrestrial watchers; however, the uncertainty regarding the outcome of contact with extraterrestrial beings creates difficulty in assessing whether or not to engage in long-term and large-scale METI.Comment: Published in Space Polic

Recent results in relativistic heavy ion collisions: from ``a new state of matter'' to "the perfect fluid"

Experimental Physics with Relativistic Heavy Ions dates from 1992 when a beam of 197Au of energy greater than 10A GeV/c first became available at the Alternating Gradient Synchrotron (AGS) at Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) soon followed in 1994 by a 208Pb beam of 158A GeV/c at the Super Proton Synchrotron (SPS) at CERN (European Center for Nuclear Research). Previous pioneering measurements at the Berkeley Bevalac in the late 1970's and early 1980's were at much lower bombarding energies (~ 1 A GeV/c) where nuclear breakup rather than particle production is the dominant inelastic process in A+A collisions. More recently, starting in 2000, the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) at BNL has produced head-on collisions of two 100A GeV beams of fully stripped Au ions, corresponding to nucleon-nucleon center-of-mass energy, sqrt(sNN)=200 GeV, total c.m. energy 200A GeV. The objective of this research program is to produce nuclear matter with extreme density and temperature, possibly resulting in a state of matter where the quarks and gluons normally confined inside individual nucleons (r < 1 fm) are free to act over distances an order of magnitude larger. Progress from the period 1992 to the present will be reviewed, with reference to previous results from light ion and proton-proton collisions where appropriate. Emphasis will be placed on the measurements which formed the basis for the announcements by the two major laboratories: "A new state of matter", by CERN on Feb 10, 2000 and "The perfect fluid", by BNL on April 19, 2005.Comment: 62 pages, 39 figures. Review article published in Reports on Progress in Physics on June 23, 2006. In this published version, mistakes, typographical errors, and citations have been corrected and a subsection has been adde