A new anti-neutrino detection technique based on positronium tagging with plastic scintillators

The main signature for anti-neutrino detection in reactor and geo-neutrino experiments based on scintillators is provided by the space-time coincidence of positron and neutron produced in the Inverse Beta Decay reaction. Such a signature strongly suppresses backgrounds and allows for measurements performed underground with a relatively high signal-to-background ratio. In an aboveground environment, however, the twofold coincidence technique is not sufficient to efficiently reject the high background rate induced by cosmogenic events. Enhancing the positron-neutron twofold coincidence efficiency has the potential to pave the way future aboveground detectors for reactor monitoring. We propose a new detection scheme based on a threefold coincidence, between the positron ionization, the ortho-positronium (o-Ps) decay, and the neutron capture, in a sandwich detector with alternated layers of plastic scintillator and aerogel powder. We present the results of a set of dedicated measurements on the achievable light yield and on the o-Ps formation and lifetime. The efficiencies for signal detection and background rejection of a preliminary detector design are also discussed.Comment: 18 pages, 10 figure

On the effect of measurementmodel misspecification in PLS Path Modeling: the reflective case

The specification of a measurement model as reflective or formative is the object of a lively debate. Part of the existing literature focuses on measurement model misspecification. This means that a true model is assumed and the impact on the path coefficients of using a wrong model is investigated. The majority of these studies is restricted to Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). Regarding PLS-Path Modeling (PLS-PM), a few authors have carried out simulation studies to investigate the robustness of the estimates, but their focus is the comparison with SEM. The present paper discusses the misspecification problem in the PLSPM context from a novel perspective. First, a real application on Alumni Satisfaction will be used to verify whether different assumptions for the measurements models influence the results. Second, the results of a Monte-Carlo simulation study, in the reflective case, will help to bring some clarity on a complex problem that has not been sufficiently studied yet

Bayesian Using Gibbs Sampling Manual. Cambridge: MRC Bio-statistic Unit

In this paper we propose a methodology for measuring the 'relative effectiveness' of healthcare services (i.e. the effect of hospital care on patients) under general conditions, in which: α) a healthcare outcome underlies qualitative and quantitative observable indicators; β) we are interested in studying the simultaneous dependency of multiple outcomes on covariates (where the outcomes can also be correlated to each other); γ) the relative effectiveness is adjusted for hospital-specific covariates; δ) we hypothesise a general distribution for random disturbances and the random parameters of relative effectiveness. For this topic, a generalisation of the SURE (seemingly unrelated regression equations) multilevel model is proposed. Albert & Chib (1997, J. Am. Stat. Assoc., 92, 916-925). In addition, a new theoretical result regarding the joint posterior distribution for the parameters is provided. The model proposed has been implemented for an effectiveness study of a selection of Lombard hospitals

COVID-19 and MIS-C treatment in children—results from an international survey

Children have been mostly excluded from COVID-19 clinical trials, and, as a result, most medicines approved for COVID-19 have no pediatric indication. In addition, access to COVID-19 therapeutics remains limited. Collecting physicians’ experiences with off-label use of therapeutics is important to inform global prioritization processes and better target pediatric research and development. A standardized questionnaire was designed to explore the use of therapeutics used to treat COVID-19 and multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) in pediatric patients globally. Seventy-three physicians from 29 countries participated. For COVID-19, steroids were used by 75.6% of respondents; remdesivir and monoclonal antibodies were prescribed by 48.6% and 27.1% of respondents, respectively. For MIS-C, steroids were prescribed by 79.1% of respondents and intravenous immunoglobulins by 69.6%. The use of these products depended on their pediatric approval and the limited availability of antivirals and most monoclonal antibodies in Africa, South America, Southeast Asia, and Eastern Europe. Off-label prescription resulted widespread due to the paucity of clinical trials in young children at the time of the survey; though, based on our survey results, it was generally safe and led to clinical benefits. Conclusion: This survey provides a snapshot of current practice for treating pediatric COVID-19 worldwide, informing global prioritization efforts to better target pediatric research and development for COVID-19 therapeutics. Off-label use of such medicines is widespread for the paucity of clinical trials under 12 years and 40 kg, though appears to be safe and generally results in clinical benefits, even in young children. However, access to care, including medicine availability, differs widely globally. Clinical development of COVID-19 antivirals and monoclonal antibodies requires acceleration to ensure pediatric indication and allow worldwide availability of therapeutics that will enable more equitable access to COVID-19 treatment. What is Known: • Children have been mostly excluded from COVID-19 clinical trials, and, as a result, most medicines approved for COVID-19 have no pediatric indication. • Access to care differs widely globally, so because of the diversity of national healthcare systems; the unequal availability of medicines for COVID-19 treatment represents an obstacle to the pediatric population's universal right to health care. What is New: • Off-label COVID-19 drug prescription is widespread due to the lack of clinical trials in children younger than 12 years and weighing less than 40 kg, but relatively safe and generally leading to clinical benefit. • The application of the GAP-f framework to COVID-19 medicines is crucial, ensuring widespread access to all safe and effective drugs, enabling the rapid development of age-appropriate formulations, and developing specific access plans (including stability, storage, packaging, and labeling) for distribution in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Antivirals and monoclonal antibodies may benefit from the acceleration to reach widespread and equal diffusion

THREE-DIMENSIONAL SPORT MOVEMENT ANALYSIS BY MEANS OF FREE FLOATING TV CAMERAS WITH VARIABLE OPTICS

INTRODUCTION: Video analysis and off-line manual digitalization is usually used for 2-D and 3-D studies of human movement in sport science. The main advantage of this approach, with respect to the recourse to opto-electronic automatic motion analyzers, is the high flexibility in system set-up, the avoidance of marking procedures and the possibility of successful operation in a wide range of environmental situations. Such features turn out to be particularly important for recordings to be performed in the frame of high-level competition, when the experimental set-up must be adapted to a pre-defined competitive environment, without interfering with the performances of the athletes. However, when methods proper to conventional close-range photogrammetry are used, most of the advantages offered by the flexibility of video analysis are not obtained. Particularly critical is the restriction of the useful calibrated volume to the field of view made possible by fixed pairs of TV cameras. In this case the useful sequence of images (where the dimension of the acquired subject allows one to limit macroscopic digitalization errors) is often insufficient for the analysis of a complete movement cycle. This limitation hinders a fruitful application of video analysis in the frame of sport activities (alpine and Nordic skiing, swimming, track and field) in which the execution of the particular technical movement is performed within a large physical space. A solution to the problem is proposed based on the use of free moving and zooming cameras. The corresponding dedicated software for repeated calibration based on Direct Linear Transformation (DLT)(Abdel Aziz and Karara, 1971) is described. Results of recording performed in the laboratory are discussed aiming at the validation of the implemented method. The description of the methodology for the recording of sport activities and the presentation of the related results confirm the operational feasibility of the proposed method and the reliability of the resulting quantitative kinematics analysis

A five-year survey for plastic surgery malpractice claims in Rome, Italy

(1) Introduction: Medical malpractice claims against both health institutions and physicians are a crucial topic in Italy, as well as in other countries, particularly regarding civil proceedings. Our study reports an analysis of all of the malpractice judgments concerning plastic surgery decided in the Civil Court of Rome between 2012 and 2016. (2) Methods: the database of the Observatory Project on Medical Responsibility (ORMe) was analyzed, which collects all of the judgments of the Civil Court of Rome, that is, the first instance district court. Therefore, neither the jurisprudence of the second level court nor that of the Supreme Court was taken into account. (3) Results: 144 judgments concerning plastic surgery were delivered in the five-year period of 2012–2016 (corresponding to 10.6% of total professional liability verdicts of the Civil Court of Rome in the same period). In 101/144 cases (70.14%), the claim was accepted. A total of €4,727,579.00 was paid in compensation for plastic surgery malpractice claims, with a range from a minimum amount of €1555.96 to a maximum amount of €1,425,155.00 and an average compensation of €46,807.71 per claim that was significantly lower compared to other surgical disciplines. (4) Conclusions: Our data confirm that the analyzed branch has a high litigation rate, with a prevalence of convictions for cosmetic procedures over reconstructive ones, both for malpractice and for violation of the informed consent. Plastic surgery is also confirmed among those branches in which the professionals are more frequently sued compared to health institutions

Spectrum of early lung cancer presentation in low-dose screening CT : a pictorial review

The typical presentation of early stage lung cancers on low-dose CT screening are non-calcified pulmonary nodules. However, there is a wide spectrum of unusual focal abnormalities that can be early presentations of lung cancer. These abnormalities include, for example, cancers associated with \u2018cystic airspaces\u2019 or scar-like cancers. The detection of lung cancer with low-dose CT can be affected by the absence of intravenous contrast medium. As a consequence, endobronchial and central lesions can be difficult to recognize, raising the potential for missed cancers. Focal lesions arising within pre-existing lung disease, such as lung fibrosis or apical scars, can also be early lung cancer manifestations and deserve particular consideration as recognition of these lesions may be hindered by the underlying disease. Furthermore, the unpredictable growth rate of lung cancer, which ranges from indolent to aggressive cancers, necessitates attention to the wide spectrum of progression in lung cancer appearance on serial low-dose CT scans. In this pictorial review we discuss the spectrum of early lung cancer presentation in low-dose CT screening, highlighting typical as well as unusual radiological features and the varied growth rates of early lung cancer. Teaching Points \u2022 There is a wide spectrum of early presentations of lung cancer on LDCT. \u2022 Low radiation dose and the absence of contrast medium injection can affect lung cancer detection. \u2022 Lung cancer growth shows various behaviours, ranging from indolent to aggressive cancers. \u2022 Familiarity with LDCT technique can improve CT screening effectiveness and avoid missed diagnosis

Fat intake modifies vascular responsiveness and receptor expression of vasoconstrictors: Implications for diet-induced obesity

Objective: Angiotensin II (Ang II), endothelin-1 (ET-1) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) have been implicated in the development of pathologic changes associated with obesity including hypertension and atherosclerosis. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of dietary fat content on vasoreactivity and receptor expression at the level of gene and protein expression. Methods: C57BL/6 mice were fed diets of normal (Control, 12.3% kcal from fat), high (HF, 41% kcal from fat) and very high (VHF, 58% kcal from fat) fat content for 15weeks. Glucose tolerance tests were performed, and aortic rings were exposed to ET-1 (0.01-300nM) and Ang II (100nM) in the presence of l-nitro-arginine-methyl ester (l-NAME; 300μM). Gene and protein expressions of angiotensin and endothelin receptors were examined by real-time PCR and immunoblotting, respectively. The effects of diet on responses to acetylcholine (ACh 0.1-300μM), in the absence or presence of l-NAME, and to exogenous ROS/·OH were also investigated. Results: Both high fat diets similarly impaired glucose tolerance (P<0.05). Increasing dietary fat augmented contractions to Ang II in a step-wise manner (P<0.05). Conversely, increasing dietary fat had no effect on contractions to ET-1. Exposure to ROS/·OH resulted in a rapid vasodilation that was markedly augmented in a step-wise manner with increasing dietary fat (P<0.05). Endothelium-dependent relaxation to ACh was unaffected whereas vasoconstriction to high concentrations of ACh was enhanced in VHF animals (P<0.05 vs. control). Gene expression of the AT1B receptor was increased in the aorta of VHF mice, and aortic ETA receptor protein expression was increased after both high fat diets. Conclusions: These findings demonstrate that changes in dietary fat intake modulate vascular reactivity in response to Ang II and ROS, as well as expression of vascular angiotensin and endothelin receptors. Dietary fat intake may thereby directly affect cardiovascular ris

Model-based clustering via linear cluster-weighted models

A novel family of twelve mixture models with random covariates, nested in the linear $t$ cluster-weighted model (CWM), is introduced for model-based clustering. The linear $t$ CWM was recently presented as a robust alternative to the better known linear Gaussian CWM. The proposed family of models provides a unified framework that also includes the linear Gaussian CWM as a special case. Maximum likelihood parameter estimation is carried out within the EM framework, and both the BIC and the ICL are used for model selection. A simple and effective hierarchical random initialization is also proposed for the EM algorithm. The novel model-based clustering technique is illustrated in some applications to real data. Finally, a simulation study for evaluating the performance of the BIC and the ICL is presented