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

Mesure in-situ d'impact de vague sur une digue composite

International audienc

Genetic diversity in an indigenous horse breed: implications for mating strategies and the control of future inbreeding

The Franches-Montagnes is an indigenous Swiss horse breed, with approximately 2500 foalings per year. The stud book is closed, and no introgression from other horse breeds was conducted since 1998. Since 2006, breeding values for 43 different traits (conformation, performance and coat colour) are estimated with a best linear unbiased prediction (BLUP) multiple trait animal model. In this study, we evaluated the genetic diversity for the breeding population, considering the years from 2003 to 2008. Only horses with at least one progeny during that time span were included. Results were obtained based on pedigree information as well as from molecular markers. A series of software packages were screened to combine best the best linear unbiased prediction (BLUP) methodology with optimal genetic contribution theory. We looked for stallions with highest breeding values and lowest average relationship to the dam population. Breeding with such stallions is expected to lead to a selection gain, while lowering the future increase in inbreeding within the breed

Seven novel KIT mutations in horses with white coat colour phenotypes

White coat colour in horses is inherited as a monogenic autosomal dominant trait showing a variable expression of coat depigmentation. Mutations in the KIT gene have previously been shown to cause white coat colour phenotypes in pigs, mice and humans. We recently also demonstrated that four independent mutations in the equine KIT gene are responsible for the dominant white coat colour phenotype in various horse breeds. We have now analysed additional horse families segregating for white coat colour phenotypes and report seven new KIT mutations in independent Thoroughbred, Icelandic Horse, German Holstein, Quarter Horse and South German Draft Horse families. In four of the seven families, only one single white horse, presumably representing the founder for each of the four respective mutations, was available for genotyping. The newly reported mutations comprise two frameshift mutations (c.1126_1129delGAAC; c.2193delG), two missense mutations (c.856G>A; c.1789G>A) and three splice site mutations (c.338-1G>C; c.2222-1G>A; c.2684+1G>A). White phenotypes in horses show a remarkable allelic heterogeneity. In fact, a higher number of alleles are molecularly characterized at the equine KIT gene than for any other known gene in livestock species

Haematological parameters are normal in dominant white Franches-Montagnes horses carrying a KIT mutation

The KIT receptor protein-tyrosine kinase plays an important role during embryonic development. Activation of KIT is crucial for the development of various cell lineages such as melanoblasts, stem cells of the haematopoietic system, spermatogonia and intestinal cells of Cajal. In mice, many mutations in the Kit gene cause pigmentation disorders accompanied by pleiotropic effects on blood cells and male fertility. Previous work has demonstrated that dominant white Franches-Montagnes horses carry one copy of the KIT gene with the p.Y717X mutation. The targeted breeding of white horses would be ethically questionable if white horses were known to suffer from anaemia or leukopenia. The present study demonstrates that no statistically significant differences in peripheral blood parameters are detectable between dominant white and solid-coloured Franches-Montagnes horses. The data indicate that KIT mutations may have different effects in mice, pigs, and horses. The KIT p.Y717X mutation does not have a major negative effect on the haematopoietic system of dominant white horses

Hiatal hernia after oesophagectomy: a large European survey.

Hiatal hernias (HH) after oesophagectomy are rare, and their surgical management is not well standardized. Our goal was to report on the management of HH after oesophagectomy in high-volume tertiary European French-speaking centres. We conducted a retrospective multicentre study among 19 European French-speaking departments of upper gastrointestinal and/or thoracic surgery. All patients scheduled or operated on for the repair of an HH after oesophagectomy were collected between 2000 and 2016. Demographics, details of the initial procedure, surgical management and long-term outcome were analysed. Seventy-nine of 6608 (1.2%) patients who had oesophagectomies were included in the study. The postoesophagectomy diagnostic interval of an HH after oesophagectomy was ≤90 days (n = 17; 21%), 13 were emergency cases; between 91 days and 1 year, n = 21 (27%), 13 in emergency; ≥1 year, n = 41 (52%), 17 in emergency. The time to occurrence of HH after oesophagectomy was shorter after laparoscopy (median 308 days; interquartile range 150-693) compared to that after laparotomy (median 562 days, interquartile range 138-1768; P = 0.01). The incidence of HH after oesophagectomy was 0.73% (22/3010) after open surgery and 1.4% (26/1761) after laparoscopy (P = 0.03). Among the 79 patients, 78 were operated on: 35 had laparotomies (45%), 19 had laparoscopies (24%) and 24 (31%) had transthoracic approaches. Among the 43 urgent surgeries, 35 were open (25 laparotomies and 10 transthoracic approaches) and 8 were laparoscopies (conversion rate, 25%). Nine patients required bowel resections. Morbidity occurred in 36 (46%) patients with 1 postoperative death (1.2%). During the follow-up period, recurrent HH after oesophagectomy requiring revisional surgery developed in 8 (6 days-26 months) patients. Surgical management of HH after oesophagectomy could be done by laparoscopy in patients with scheduled surgery but laparotomy or thoracotomy was preferred in urgent situations. The incidence of HH after oesophagectomy is higher and its onset earlier when laparoscopy is used at the initial oesophagectomy

Clinical utility of MammaPrint testing in Invasive Lobular Carcinoma: Results from the MINDACT phase III trial

SCOPUS: ar.jDecretOANoAutActifinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishe