ÉTUDE THÉORIQUE DU SPECTRE D'UN RAYONNEMENT GAMMA ÉMIS LORS D'UNE RÉACTION NUCLÉAIRE MESURES DE VIES MOYENNES

A l'aide des détecteurs à semi-conducteur, il s'est avéré possible de mesurer le spectre continu d'un rayonnement gamma émis lors d'une réaction nucléaire. Ce spectre, dû à l'effet Doppler, est fonction de la vie moyenne de l'état initial de la transition électromagnétique. Les résultats expérimentaux obtenus permettent d'envisager la mesure de vies moyennes

Low energy measurement of the 7Be(p,gamma)8B cross section

We have measured the cross section of the 7Be(p,gamma)8B reaction for E_cm = 185.8 keV, 134.7 keV and 111.7 keV using a radioactive 7Be target (132 mCi). Single and coincidence spectra of beta^+ and alpha particles from 8B and 8Be^* decay, respectively, were measured using a large acceptance spectrometer. The zero energy S factor inferred from these data is 18.5 +/- 2.4 eV b and a weighted mean value of 18.8 +/- 1.7 eV b (theoretical uncertainty included) is deduced when combining this value with our previous results at higher energies.Comment: Accepted for publication in Phys. Rev. Let

Internally Electrodynamic Particle Model: Its Experimental Basis and Its Predictions

The internally electrodynamic (IED) particle model was derived based on overall experimental observations, with the IED process itself being built directly on three experimental facts, a) electric charges present with all material particles, b) an accelerated charge generates electromagnetic waves according to Maxwell's equations and Planck energy equation and c) source motion produces Doppler effect. A set of well-known basic particle equations and properties become predictable based on first principles solutions for the IED process; several key solutions achieved are outlined, including the de Broglie phase wave, de Broglie relations, Schr\"odinger equation, mass, Einstein mass-energy relation, Newton's law of gravity, single particle self interference, and electromagnetic radiation and absorption; these equations and properties have long been broadly experimentally validated or demonstrated. A specific solution also predicts the Doebner-Goldin equation which emerges to represent a form of long-sought quantum wave equation including gravity. A critical review of the key experiments is given which suggests that the IED process underlies the basic particle equations and properties not just sufficiently but also necessarily.Comment: Presentation at the 27th Int Colloq on Group Theo Meth in Phys, 200

Comparison of low--energy resonances in 15N(alpha,gamma)19F and 15O(alpha,gamma)19Ne and related uncertainties

A disagreement between two determinations of Gamma_alpha of the astro- physically relevant level at E_x=4.378 MeV in 19F has been stated in two recent papers by Wilmes et al. and de Oliveira et al. In this work the uncertainties of both papers are discussed in detail, and we adopt the value Gamma_alpha=(1.5^{+1.5}_{-0.8})10^-9eV for the 4.378 MeV state. In addition, the validity and the uncertainties of the usual approximations for mirror nuclei Gamma_gamma(19F) approx Gamma_gamma(19Ne), theta^2_alpha(19F) approx theta^2_alpha(19Ne) are discussed, together with the resulting uncertainties on the resonance strengths in 19Ne and on the 15O(alpha,gamma)19Ne rate.Comment: 9 pages, Latex, To appear in Phys. Rev.

CT-based radiomic signature predicts distant metastasis in lung adenocarcinoma

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Radiomics provides opportunities to quantify the tumor phenotype non-invasively by applying a large number of quantitative imaging features. This study evaluates computed-tomography (CT) radiomic features for their capability to predict distant metastasis (DM) for lung adenocarcinoma patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We included two datasets: 98 patients for discovery and 84 for validation. The phenotype of the primary tumor was quantified on pre-treatment CT-scans using 635 radiomic features. Univariate and multivariate analysis was performed to evaluate radiomics performance using the concordance index (CI). RESULTS: Thirty-five radiomic features were found to be prognostic (CI > 0.60, FDR < 5%) for DM and twelve for survival. It is noteworthy that tumor volume was only moderately prognostic for DM (CI=0.55, p-value=2.77 × 10(−5)) in the discovery cohort. A radiomic-signature had strong power for predicting DM in the independent validation dataset (CI=0.61, p-value=1.79 ×10(−17)). Adding this radiomic-signature to a clinical model resulted in a significant improvement of predicting DM in the validation dataset (p-value=1.56 × 10(−11)). CONCLUSIONS: Although only basic metrics are routinely quantified, this study shows that radiomic features capturing detailed information of the tumor phenotype can be used as a prognostic biomarker for clinically-relevant factors such as DM. Moreover, the radiomic-signature provided additional information to clinical data

Low Incidence of Chest Wall Pain with a Risk-Adapted Lung Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy Approach Using Three or Five Fractions Based on Chest Wall Dosimetry

Purpose To examine the frequency and potential of dose-volume predictors for chest wall (CW) toxicity (pain and/or rib fracture) for patients receiving lung stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) using treatment planning methods to minimize CW dose and a risk-adapted fractionation scheme. Methods: We reviewed data from 72 treatment plans, from 69 lung SBRT patients with at least one year of follow-up or CW toxicity, who were treated at our center between 2010 and 2013. Treatment plans were optimized to reduce CW dose and patients received a risk-adapted fractionation of 18 Gy×3 fractions (54 Gy total) if the CW V30 was less than 30 mL or 10–12 Gy×5 fractions (50–60 Gy total) otherwise. The association between CW toxicity and patient characteristics, treatment parameters and dose metrics, including biologically equivalent dose, were analyzed using logistic regression. Results: With a median follow-up of 20 months, 6 (8.3%) patients developed CW pain including three (4.2%) grade 1, two (2.8%) grade 2 and one (1.4%) grade 3. Five (6.9%) patients developed rib fractures, one of which was symptomatic. No significant associations between CW toxicity and patient and dosimetric variables were identified on univariate nor multivariate analysis. Conclusions: Optimization of treatment plans to reduce CW dose and a risk-adapted fractionation strategy of three or five fractions based on the CW V30 resulted in a low incidence of CW toxicity. Under these conditions, none of the patient characteristics or dose metrics we examined appeared to be predictive of CW pain

An epigenome-wide association study of sex-specific chronological ageing

Background Advanced age is associated with cognitive and physical decline and is a major risk factor for a multitude of disorders. There is also a gap in life expectancy between males and females. DNA methylation differences have been shown to be associated with both age and sex. Here, we investigate age-by-sex differences in blood-based DNA methylation in an unrelated cohort of 2586 individuals between the ages of 18 and 87 years, with replication in a further 4450 individuals between the ages of 18 and 93 years. Methods Linear regression models were applied, with stringent genome-wide significance thresholds (p < 3.6 x 10(-8)) used in both the discovery and replication data. A second, highly conservative mixed linear model method that better controls the false-positive rate was also applied, using the same genome-wide significance thresholds. Results Using the linear regression method, 52 autosomal and 597 X-linked CpG sites, mapping to 251 unique genes, replicated with concordant effect size directions in the age-by-sex interaction analysis. The site with the greatest difference mapped to GAGE10, an X-linked gene. Here, DNA methylation levels remained stable across the male adult age range (DNA methylation by age r = 0.02) but decreased across female adult age range (DNA methylation by age r = - 0.61). One site (cg23722529) with a significant age-by-sex interaction also had a quantitative trait locus (rs17321482) that is a genome-wide significant variant for prostate cancer. The mixed linear model method identified 11 CpG sites associated with the age-by-sex interaction. Conclusion The majority of differences in age-associated DNA methylation trajectories between sexes are present on the X chromosome. Several of these differences occur within genes that have been implicated in sexually dimorphic traits

Ancient landscapes of the Namib Desert harbor high levels of genetic variability and deeply divergent lineages for Collembola.

Aim: To assess spatial patterns of genetic and species-level diversity for Namib Desert Collembola using mitochondrial DNA cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) gene sequences. Location: Namib Desert gravel plains. Taxon: Collembola (springtails). Methods: A total of 77 soil samples were collected along NE-SW (60 km) and E-W (160 km) transects from within a 4,000 km2 area of the Namib Desert gravel plains. We extracted 434 springtails from the 37 samples which contained Collembola and sequenced them at the COI gene locus. In the absence of specific taxonomic keys and previous genetic data for these taxa, we used Generalized Mixed Yule Coalescent (GMYC) analyses to provide putative species-level designations. Results: We obtained 341 successful COI sequences, 175 of which were unique haplotypes. GMYC analyses identified 30 putative species, with up to 28% sequence divergence (uncorrected p-distance). The distribution of genetic variants was disjunct, with 97% of haplotypes and 70% of "GMYC species" found only at single sites. Main conclusions: Dispersal events, although rare, may be facilitated by environmental events such as prevailing onshore winds or occasional flow of rainwater to the coast. We conclude that the high genetic diversity we observed is the result of ancient springtail lineages, patchy distribution of suitable habitats, and limited dispersal (gene flow) among habitable locations