On the mechanisms governing gas penetration into a tokamak plasma during a massive gas injection

A new 1D radial fluid code, IMAGINE, is used to simulate the penetration of gas into a tokamak plasma during a massive gas injection (MGI). The main result is that the gas is in general strongly braked as it reaches the plasma, due to mechanisms related to charge exchange and (to a smaller extent) recombination. As a result, only a fraction of the gas penetrates into the plasma. Also, a shock wave is created in the gas which propagates away from the plasma, braking and compressing the incoming gas. Simulation results are quantitatively consistent, at least in terms of orders of magnitude, with experimental data for a D 2 MGI into a JET Ohmic plasma. Simulations of MGI into the background plasma surrounding a runaway electron beam show that if the background electron density is too high, the gas may not penetrate, suggesting a possible explanation for the recent results of Reux et al in JET (2015 Nucl. Fusion 55 093013)

Reproduction coopérative et possible paternité multiple chez le Cossyphe à calotte blanche Cossypha albicapilus, supposé monogame

[EN] We report a case of cooperative breeding and putative multiple paternity in a nest of the White-crowned Robin-Chat Cossypha albicapillus. These phenomena have not been reported previously in this species and closely-related robin-chats. In a nest found in The Gambia we observed at least five adults feeding or visiting the young. We genotyped four adults (one female, three males) and the two young using a microsatellite marker previously developed for another species. The genotype data were consistent with the female being the mother of the two nestlings, but paternal alleles suggested two different males as fathers of the nestlings. Our observations show that cooperative breeding occurs in the White-crowned Robin-Chat, and that monogamy may not be as universal in this species as previously assumed.[FR] Nous rendons compte d’un cas de reproduction coopérative et paternité multiple putative dans un nid de Cossyphe à calotte blanche Cossypha albicapillus. Ces phénomènes n’ont pas jusqu’ici été rapportés pour cette espèce et les cossyphes proches. Dans un nid trouvé en Gambie, nous avons observé au moins cinq adultes de cette espèce nourrissant ou visitant les jeunes. Nous avons analysé le génome de quatre adultes (une femelle, trois mâles) et des deux jeunes en utilisant un marqueur microsatellite développé pour une autre espèce. Les données des génotypes étaient cohérentes avec l’hypothèse que la femelle était la mère des deux poussins, mais les allèles paternels suggéraient que deux mâles différents étaient les pères des poussins. Nos observations montrent qu’il peut y avoir une reproduction coopérative chez le Cossyphe à calotte blanche, et que cette espèce n’est pas toujours monogame comme on le supposait.The study was partially funded by a grant from the Royal Society of London to PJBS.Peer reviewe

Supplementary Material for: Public Perceptions of Disease Severity but Not Actionability Correlate with Interest in Receiving Genomic Results: Nonalignment with Current Trends in Practice

<b><i>Purpose:</i></b> Frameworks highlighting disease actionability and severity are evolving to address the need to organize results from genome-wide analyses. This approach represents a paradigm shift from consultations focused on one or more genes to multiple genes for multiple disorders. Empirical input from the general population is lacking, yet seems essential for understanding how to maximize patient autonomy and satisfaction in the decision-making process. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> We conducted a cross-sectional online survey with a representative sample of 900 US adults and assessed the participants' perceptions and attitudes toward disease actionability and severity, ranking hypothetical scenarios for these properties, and explored correlations with interest in learning test results. <b><i>Results:</i></b> Most respondents (>85%) rated actionability and severity as useful concepts; 46.6% indicated actionability alone would be adequate for decision making. Over half of them (53.8%) reported being very/extremely confident in their ability to score for actionability and severity. The participants' scoring of medical scenarios varied significantly between individuals. Scores for severity but not actionability were correlated with interest in learning genetic results. Subsets of the respondents projected wanting all results (30%) or no results (16%). The use of expert-created lists was acceptable to 43%. <b><i>Conclusions:</i></b> The respondents from the general population were confident in making their own decisions. The responses suggested different priorities than current expert-driven approaches. The emphasis on binning genes may be missing a complementary, simplifying approach of grouping patients based upon their all/none interest in genomic results. This study illuminates important differences between the general public and genetic experts