IceCube-Gen2: A Vision for the Future of Neutrino Astronomy in Antarctica

The recent observation by the IceCube neutrino observatory of an astrophysical flux of neutrinos represents the "first light" in the nascent field of neutrino astronomy. The observed diffuse neutrino flux seems to suggest a much larger level of hadronic activity in the non-thermal universe than previously thought and suggests a rich discovery potential for a larger neutrino observatory. This document presents a vision for an substantial expansion of the current IceCube detector, IceCube-Gen2, including the aim of instrumenting a $10\,\mathrm{km}^3$ volume of clear glacial ice at the South Pole to deliver substantial increases in the astrophysical neutrino sample for all flavors. A detector of this size would have a rich physics program with the goal to resolve the sources of these astrophysical neutrinos, discover GZK neutrinos, and be a leading observatory in future multi-messenger astronomy programs.Comment: 20 pages, 12 figures. Address correspondence to: E. Blaufuss, F. Halzen, C. Kopper (Changed to add one missing author, no other changes from initial version.

IceCube-Gen2: A Vision for the Future of Neutrino Astronomy in Antarctica

20 pages, 12 figures. Address correspondence to: E. Blaufuss, F. Halzen, C. Kopper (Changed to add one missing author, no other changes from initial version.)20 pages, 12 figures. Address correspondence to: E. Blaufuss, F. Halzen, C. Kopper (Changed to add one missing author, no other changes from initial version.)20 pages, 12 figures. Address correspondence to: E. Blaufuss, F. Halzen, C. Kopper (Changed to add one missing author, no other changes from initial version.)The recent observation by the IceCube neutrino observatory of an astrophysical flux of neutrinos represents the "first light" in the nascent field of neutrino astronomy. The observed diffuse neutrino flux seems to suggest a much larger level of hadronic activity in the non-thermal universe than previously thought and suggests a rich discovery potential for a larger neutrino observatory. This document presents a vision for an substantial expansion of the current IceCube detector, IceCube-Gen2, including the aim of instrumenting a $10\,\mathrm{km}^3$ volume of clear glacial ice at the South Pole to deliver substantial increases in the astrophysical neutrino sample for all flavors. A detector of this size would have a rich physics program with the goal to resolve the sources of these astrophysical neutrinos, discover GZK neutrinos, and be a leading observatory in future multi-messenger astronomy programs

Survival with Parenchymal and Pleural Invasion of Non–Small Cell Lung Cancers Less than 30 mm

© 2019 International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer Objective: To determine long-term survival of visceral pleural invasion (VPI) and parenchymal invasion (PAI) (angiolymphatic and/or vascular) on survival of NSCLCs less than 30 mm in maximum diameter. Methods: Kaplan-Meier survivals for NSCLCs, with and without VPI and/or PAI, were determined for a prospective cohort of screening participants stratified by pathologic tumor size (≤10 mm, 11–20 mm, and 21–30 mm) and nodule consistency. Log-rank test statistics were calculated. Results: The frequency of PAI versus VPI was significantly lower in patients with subsolid nodules than in those with solid nodules (4.9% versus 27.7% [p \u3c 0.0001]), and correspondingly, Kaplan-Meier lung cancer survival was significantly higher among patients with subsolid nodules (99.1% versus 91.3% [p = 0.0009]). Multivariable Cox regression found that only tumor diameter (adjusted hazard ratio [HR] =1.07, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.01–1.14, p = 0.02) and PAI (adjusted HR = 3.15, 95% CI: 1.25–7.90, p = 0.01) remained significant, whereas VPI was not significant (p = 0.15). When clinical and computed tomography findings were included with the pathologic findings, Cox regression showed that the risk of dying of lung cancer increased 10-fold (HR = 10.06, 95% CI: 1.35–75.30) for NSCLCs in patients with solid nodules and more than twofold (by a factor of 2.27) in patients with moderate to severe emphysema (HR = 2.27, 95% CI: 1.01–5.11), as well as with increasing tumor diameter (HR = 1.06, 95% CI: 1.01–1.13), whereas PAI was no longer significant (p = 0.19). Conclusions: Nodule consistency on computed tomography was a more significant prognostic indicator than either PAI or VPI. We propose that patients with NSCLC with VPI and a maximum tumor diameter of 30 mm or less not be upstaged to T2 without further large, multicenter studies of NSCLCs, stratified by the new T status and that classification be considered separately for patients with subsolid or solid nodules

Impact of surgery for stage IA non-smallcell lung cancer on patient quality of life

© 2016 Frontline Medical Communications. Background There is a paucity of literature comparing quality of life (QoL) before and after surgery in stage IA lung cancer, where surgical resection is the recommended curative treatment. Objective To assess the impact of surgery on physical and mental health-related QoL in patients with stage IA lung cancer treated with surgical resection. Methods Participants in the I-ELCAP cohort who were diagnosed with their frst primary pathologic stage IA non-small-cell lung cancer, underwent surgery, and provided follow-up information on QoL 1 year later were included in the present analysis (N = 107). QoL information was collected using the SF-12 (12-item Short Form Health Survey), which generates 2 component scores related to mental health and physical health. Results Statistical analyses indicated that physical health QoL was signifcantly worsened from before surgery to after surgery, whereas mental health QoL marginally improved from before to after surgery. Physical health QoL worsened for women from baseline to follow-up, but not for men. Only lobectomy (not limited resection) had an impact on QoL from before to after surgery. Limitations Results are considered preliminary given the small sample size and multiple comparisons. Conclusions The current study fndings have implications for lung cancer health care professionals in regard to how they can most effectively present the possible impact of surgery on quality of life to this subset of patients in which disease has not yet signifcantly progressed

Baseline and annual repeat rounds of screening: implications for optimal regimens of screening

© 2017, European Society of Radiology. Objectives: Differences in results of baseline and subsequent annual repeat rounds provide important information for optimising the regimen of screening. Methods: A prospective cohort study of 65,374 was reviewed to examine the frequency/percentages of the largest noncalcified nodule (NCN), lung cancer cell types and Kaplan–Meier (K-M) survival rates, separately for baseline and annual rounds. Results: Of 65,374 baseline screenings, NCNs were identified in 28,279 (43.3%); lung cancer in 737 (1.1%). Of 74,482 annual repeat screenings, new NCNs were identified in 4959 (7%); lung cancer in 179 (0.24%). Only adenocarcinoma was diagnosed in subsolid NCNs. Percentages of lung cancers by cell type were significantly different (p \u3c 0.0001) in the baseline round compared with annual rounds, reflecting length bias, as were the ratios, reflecting lead times. Long-term K-M survival rate was 100% for typical carcinoids and for adenocarcinomas manifesting as subsolid NCNs; 85% (95% CI 81–89%) for adenocarcinoma, 74% (95% CI 63–85%) for squamous cell, 48% (95% CI 34–62%) for small cell. The rank ordering by lead time was the same as the rank ordering by survival rates. Conclusions: The significant differences in the frequency of NCNs and frequency and aggressiveness of diagnosed cancers in baseline and annual repeat need to be recognised for an optimal regimen of screening. Key Points: • Lung cancer aggressiveness varies considerably by cell type and nodule consistency. • Kaplan–Meier survival rates varied by cell type between 100% and 48%. • The percentages of lung cancers by cell type in screening rounds reflect screening biases. • Rank ordering by cell type survival is consistent with that by lead times. • Empirical evidence provides critical information for the regimen of screening