Nuclear collisions at the Future Circular Collider

The Future Circular Collider is a new proposed collider at CERN with centre-of-mass energies around 100 TeV in the pp mode. Ongoing studies aim at assessing its physics potential and technical feasibility. Here we focus on updates in physics opportunities accessible in pA and AA collisions not covered in previous Quark Matter contributions, including Quark-Gluon Plasma and gluon saturation studies, novel hard probes of QCD matter, and photon-induced collisions.Comment: 4 pages, 5 figures, proceedings of Quark Matter 201

Heavy-flavor dynamics in nucleus-nucleus collisions: from RHIC to LHC

The stochastic dynamics of c and b quarks in the fireball created in nucleus-nucleus collisions at RHIC and LHC is studied employing a relativistic Langevin equation, based on a picture of multiple uncorrelated random collisions with the medium. Heavy-quark transport coefficients are evaluated within a pQCD approach, with a proper HTL resummation of medium effects for soft scatterings. The Langevin equation is embedded in a multi-step setup developed to study heavy-flavor observables in pp and AA collisions, starting from a NLO pQCD calculation of initial heavy-quark yields, complemented in the nuclear case by shadowing corrections, k_T-broadening and nuclear geometry effects. Then, only for AA collisions, the Langevin equation is solved numerically in a background medium described by relativistic hydrodynamics. Finally, the propagated heavy quarks are made hadronize and decay into electrons. Results for the nuclear modification factor R_AA of heavy-flavor hadrons and electrons from their semi-leptonic decays are provided, both for RHIC and LHC beam energies.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figures (3 eps files); submitted for publication in the proceedings of "Quark Matter 2011", 23-28 May 2011, Annecy (France

Heavy-flavour production in Pb-Pb collisions at the LHC, measured with the ALICE detector

We present the first results from the ALICE experiment on the nuclear modification factors for heavy-flavour hadron production in Pb-Pb collisions at sqrt{s_NN}=2.76 TeV. Using proton-proton and lead-lead collision samples at sqrt{s}=7 TeV and sqrt{s_NN}=2.76 TeV, respectively, nuclear modification factors R_AA(pt) were measured for D mesons at central rapidity (via displaced decay vertex reconstruction), and for electrons and muons, at central and forward rapidity, respectively.Comment: 8 pages, 5 figures, plenary talk at Quark Matter 2011, Annecy, Franc

Site-occupancy factors in the Debye scattering equation : a theoretical discussion on significance and correctness

The Debye scattering equation (DSE) [Debye (1915). Ann. Phys. 351, 809-823] is widely used for analyzing total scattering data of nanocrystalline materials in reciprocal space. In its modified form (MDSE) [Cervellino et al. (2010). J. Appl. Cryst. 43, 1543-1547], it includes contributions from uncorrelated thermal agitation terms and, for defective crystalline nanoparticles (NPs), average site-occupancy factors (s.o.f.'s). The s.o.f.'s were introduced heuristically and no theoretical demonstration was provided. This paper presents in detail such a demonstration, corrects a glitch present in the original MDSE, and discusses the s.o.f.'s physical significance. Three new MDSE expressions are given that refer to distinct defective NP ensembles characterized by: (i) vacant sites with uncorrelated constant site-occupancy probability; (ii) vacant sites with a fixed number of randomly distributed atoms; (iii) self-excluding (disordered) positional sites. For all these cases, beneficial aspects and shortcomings of introducing s.o.f.'s as free refinable parameters are demonstrated. The theoretical analysis is supported by numerical simulations performed by comparing the corrected MDSE profiles and the ones based on atomistic modeling of a large number of NPs, satisfying the structural conditions described in (i)-(iii)

Investigation of charm and beauty production via semileptonic decays of heavy-flavour hadrons in pp at 7 TeV and Pb--Pb at 2.76 TeV with ALICE

Electron spectra measured with ALICE at mid-rapidity are used to study the production of hadrons carrying a charm or a beauty quark. The production cross section of electrons from heavy-flavour hadron decays is measured in pp collisions at $\sqrt{s}$=7 TeV. Electrons from the beauty decays are identified via the displacement from the interaction vertex. From the electron spectra measured in Pb--Pb collisions, we determine the nuclear modification factor, which is sensitive to the heavy-quark energy loss in a hot strongly interacting medium.Comment: Quark Matter 2011 proceeding

Oral platelet gel supernatant plus supportive medical treatment versus supportive medical treatment in the management of radiation-induced oral mucositis: a matched explorative active control trial by propensity analysis

OBJECTIVES:: In this active control trial, the rate of radio-induced WHO grade 3/4 oral mucositis and the change in quality of life, assessed by OMWQ-HN, were measured in subjects with head and neck cancer treated by platelet gel supernatant (PGS) and supportive medical treatment versus subjects treated by supportive medical treatment alone. MATERIALS AND METHODS:: Eighty patients with nonmetastatic head and neck cancer underwent curative or adjuvant radiotherapy. All patients underwent supportive medical treatment and/or PGS at the beginning and during radiotherapy. Sixteen patients received PGS in association with supportive medical treatment. To obtain 2 groups virtually randomized for important clinical characteristics subjects were matched, by propensity analysis, with a group of subjects (64 patients) treated with supportive medical treatment alone. RESULTS:: Subjects treated with standard supportive treatment experienced significant higher WHO grade 3/4 toxicity (55%; 35/64) than subjects treated by PGS (13%; 3/16). The reduced toxicity found in PGS group paralleled with the evidence that they developed later symptoms with respect to controls. The Cox proportional hazard model indicated that patients treated with standard supportive medical treatment experienced 2.7-fold increase (hazard ratio=2.7; 95% confidence interval, 1.3-5.7) in the occurrence of WHO grade 3/4 toxicity. PGS group significantly experienced higher quality of life than control groups as measured by OMWQ-HN. A significant decrease in the opioid analgesics usage was found in the PGS group. CONCLUSIONS:: These preliminary data should be interpreted with caution and could serve as a framework around which to design future trials

Foraging niche separation of social wasps in an invaded area: Implications for their management

Foraging niche separation may be a mechanism to promote coexistence of two competing species by concentrating intraspecific competition relative to interspecific competition. The present study investigated foraging behaviour and microhabitat use of two coexisting species of invasive social wasps, Vespula germanica and Vespula vulgaris, when foraging for two different food resources. Also, we tested the attractiveness of traps baited with a synthetic lure for those two species. We found that V. germanica wasps prefer to forage at ground level regardless of the resource, while V. vulgaris prefers protein resources at the shrubland level given a choice between a protein bait at ground or at shrubland level. However, when baited with the synthetic lure, the species caught was not affected by the height at which traps were placed. That is, in a no choice scenario, the traps were sufficiently attractive to lure both species of wasps to both microhabitats (ground and shrubland levels). Thus, our results support the existence of spatial niche differentiation at least in protein foraging and suggest that the synthetic lure evaluated could be used to trap both species of Vespula wasps present in Argentina. These results could help to improve management strategies of these social wasps in an invaded area.Estación Experimental Agropecuaria BarilocheFil: Masciocchi, Maite. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Bariloche. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas. Instituo de Investigaciones Forestales y Agropecuarias Bariloche. Grupo de Ecología de Poblaciones de Insectos; ArgentinaFil: Unelius, Carl Rikard. Linnaeus University. Faculty of Health and Life Sciences; SueciaFil: Buteler, Micaela. Universidad Nacional del Comahue. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas. Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medio Ambiente; Argentin

Neuroendocrine carcinomas of the breast

INTRODUCTION: Neuroendocrine (NE) breast cancers encompass a heterogeneous group of tumours showing morphological features similar to those of NE neoplasms of the gut and lung and expressing one or more neuroendocrine markers (neuron specific enolase, chromogranins synaptophysin) in at least 50% of tumour cells. They are rare lesions representing about 2-3% of all breast cancers and affecting more frequently elderly patients. AIM: Prospective observational study is to analyse the clinico-pathological aspects of NE carcinomas of the breast undergone surgical resection compared to breast carcinomas with a minor neuroendocrine component and to conventional invasive ductal or lobular cancers. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Thirty-five consecutive breast carcinomas showing morphological features suggestive of an endocrine differentiation were selected among breast cancers undergone surgical treatment during the period of January 1979-December 2004. RESULTS: The 35 patients were divided into two categories: 13 neuroendocrine carcinomas (NECs) and 22 ductal carcinomas with a minor neuroendocrine component (DC-NE). The average follow-up was 60 months. The patients with CNE developed breast cancer in an advanced age compared to the patients with infiltrating ductal carcinoma NAS or infiltrating lobular carcinoma. We did not find recurrent disease in the NEC group, while it was observed in 2 patients (9%) with DC-NE, in 6 cases (17%) with infiltrating ductal carcinoma NAS and in 7 cases (20%) with infiltrating lobular carcinoma. DISCUSSION: The CNE compared with the infiltrating ductal and lobular carcinoma are statistically different in relation to the expression of the receptor of c-erb-B2, p53, progesterone, for the lymph node state at diagnosis and the risk of reappearance of breast tumour. Our study confirms the choice to consider the neuroendocrine carcinoma of the breast as a separate histological group and seems to suggest a less aggressiveness of this type of tumou

Biparametric (bp) and multiparametric (mp) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) approach to prostate cancer disease: a narrative review of current debate on dynamic contrast enhancement

Prostate cancer is the most common malignancy in male population. Over the last few years, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has proved to be a robust clinical tool for identification and staging of clinically significant prostate cancer. Though suggestions by the European Society of Urogenital Radiology to use complete multiparametric (mp) T2-weighted/diffusion weighted imaging (DWI)/dynamic contrast enhancement (DCE) acquisition for all prostate MRI examinations, the real advantage of functional DCE remains a matter of debate. Recent studies demonstrate that biparametric (bp) and mp approaches have similar accuracy, but controversial evidences remain, and the specific potential benefits of contrast medium administration are still poorly discussed in literature. The bp approach is in fact sufficient in most cases to adequately identify a negative test, or to accurately define the degree of aggressiveness of a lesion, especially if larger or with major characteristics of malignancy. This feature would give the DCE a secondary role, probably limited to a second evaluation of the lesion location, for detecting small cancer or in case of controversy. However, DCE has proved to increase the sensitivity of prostate MRI, though a less specificity. Therefore, an appropriate decision algorithm is needed to standardize the MRI approach. Aim of this review study was to provide a schematic description of bpMRI and mpMRI approaches in the study of prostatic anatomy, focusing on comparative validity and current DCE application. Additional theoretical considerations on prostate MRI are provided