Probing the pairing interaction through two-neutron transfer reactions

Cross sections for ($p,t$) two-neutron transfer reactions are calculated in the one-step zero-range distorted-wave Born approximation for the tin isotopes $^{124}$Sn and $^{136}$Sn and for incident proton energies from 15 to 35 MeV. Microscopic quasiparticle random-phase approximation form factors are provided for the reaction calculation and phenomenological optical potentials are used in both the entrance and the exit channels. Three different surface/volume mixings of a zero-range density-dependent pairing interaction are employed in the microscopic calculations and the sensitivity of the cross sections to the different mixings is analyzed. Since absolute cross sections cannot be obtained within our model, we compare the positions of the diffraction minima and the shapes of the angular distributions. No differences are found in the position of the diffraction minima for the reaction $^{124}$Sn($p,t$)$^{122}$Sn. On the other side, the angular distributions obtained for the reaction $^{136}$Sn($p,t$)$^{134}$Sn with surface and mixed interactions differ at large angles for some values of the incident proton energy. For this reaction, we compare the ratios of the cross sections associated to the ground state and the first excited state transitions. Differences among the three different theoretical predictions are found and they are more important at the incident proton energy of 15 MeV. As a conclusion, we indicate ($p,t$) two-neutron transfer reactions with very neutron-rich Sn isotopes and at proton energies around 15 MeV as good experimental cases where the surface/volume mixing of the pairing interaction may be probed

CA 15.3 measurements for separating FDG PET/CT positive from negative findings in breast carcinoma recurrence

In breast cancer CA 15.3 is considered the tumour marker of choice. CA 15.3 is directly related to the disease extent and to hormone status (estrogen receptor ER+/ ER-, progesterone receptor PR+/PR-). This study was designed to assess the impact of disease extent, hormone receptor and HER2-status, and circulating blood volume on the area-under the ROC-curve of CA 15.3 to separate FDG PET positive from negative findings. Patients, methods: We retrospectively evaluated 379 FDG PET/CT examinations performed in 80 patients with breast cancer. Blood volumes were derived using the formulas by Nadler and multiplied by their corresponding CA 15.3 measurement. Results: ROC-curve analysis revealed an AUC of 0.695 (p = 0.0001) for CA 15.3 to separate FDG PET positive from negative findings. AUC measurements to separate normal scan findings from loco-regional disease and metastatic disease were 0.527 (p = 0.587) and 0.732 (p = 0.0001), respectively. AUC measurements for CA 15.3 to separate positive from negative FDG PET findings, in ER+ and ER-patients, were respectively 0.772 (p = 0.0001) and 0.596 (p = 0.143). AUC measurements for CA 15.3 to separate positive from negative FDG PET findings, in PR+ and PR-patients, were respectively 0.675 (p = 0.0001) and 0.694 (p = 0.0001). In HER2-positive and -negative patients, the AUC measurements were respectively 0.594 (p = 0.178) and 0.701 (p = 0.0001) to separate positive from negative FDG PET findings. Conclusion: The AUC for CA 15.3 measurements to separate FDG PET positive from negative findings in breast cancer patients with suspected recurrence proved to be directly related to the extent of the recurrent disease and hormone receptor status and inversely related to HER2-status. Correcting CA 15.3 measurements for blood volumes did not impact the AUC

In vitro bioconversion of polyphenols from black tea and red wine/grape juice by human intestinal microbiota displays strong interindividual variability

Dietary polyphenols in tea and wine have been associated with beneficial health effects. After ingestion, most polyphenols are metabolized by the colonic microbiota. The current study aimed at exploring the interindividual variation of gut microbial polyphenol bioconversion from 10 healthy human subjects. In vitro fecal batch fermentations simulating conditions in the distal colon were performed using polyphenols from black tea and a mixture of red wine and grape juice. Microbial bioconversion was monitored by NMR- and GC-MS-based profiling of diverse metabolites and phenolics. The complex polyphenol mixtures were degraded to a limited number of key metabolites. Each subject displayed a specific metabolite profile differing in composition and time courses as well as levels of these metabolites. Moreover, clear differences depending on the polyphenol sources were observed. In conclusion, varying metabolite pathways among individuals result in different metabolome profiles and therefore related health effects are hypothesized to differ between subjects

Risk assessment of mercury and methyl mercury intake via sardine and swordfish consumption in Algeria

NO ABSTRACT AVAILABLETotal mercury (Hg) and methylmercury (MeHg) concentrations in the flesh of sardine (Sardina pilchardus) and swordfish (Xiphias gladius) fished in three Algerian coasts were determined by a direct mercury analyzer (DMA). We also assessed the risk to which the consumer was exposed to by calculating the estimated daily intakes (EDIs), target hazard quotient (THQ) and hazard index (HI). The average concentrations of Hg and MeHg in the flesh of sardine were similar (0.04 mg/kg wet weight) and in swordfish were 0.61 mg/kg wet weight; 0.57 mg/kg wet weight, respectively. These concentrations have not surpassed the thresholds set by the Algerian and European regulations. The estimated daily intakes for Hg and MeHg were similar in sardine (0.0064 μg/kg/day) and were 0.098 μg/kg/day and 0.092 μg/kg/day for Hg and MeHg, respectively, in swordfish. These values did not exceed the provisional tolerable weekly intake (PTWI) established by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and by the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA). The target hazard quotient (THQ) and the hazard index (HI) calculated were < 1. Consequently, consumption of these fishes does not pose any risk for the adult groups of the Algerian population regarding mercury, and methylmercury studied

QED radiative corrections to virtual Compton scattering

The QED radiative corrections to virtual Compton scattering (reaction $e p for the first order soft-photon emission contributions. Furthermore, a full numerical calculation is given for the radiative tail, corresponding with photon emission processes, where the photon energy is not very small compared with the lepton momenta. We compare our results with existing works on elastic electron-proton scattering, and show for the$e p \to e p \gamma$ reaction how the observables are modified due to these first order QED radiative corrections. We show results for both unpolarized and polarized observables of the virtual Compton scattering in the low energy region (where one is sensitive to the generalized polarizabilities of the nucleon), as well as for the deeply virtual Compton scattering

Effect of polyaluminium chloride water treatment sludge on effluent quality of domestic wastewater treatment

Water resources degeneration is accelerated by the discharge of untreated wastewater and its byproducts, hence, reuse of these wastes is a major contributor to sustaining fresh water for the coming decades. In this study, the reuse of polyaluminium water treatment sludge (PA-WTS) as a flocculant aid to improve the effluent quality of wastewater during primary sedimentation is evaluated and presented. PA-WTS was collected from Gabba water treatment plant (Gabba WTP) Uganda, after the coagulation-flocculation process that makes use of aluminium chlorohydrate (ACH). The average aluminium residue concentration in PA-WTS was 3.4 mg/L. During this study, batch laboratory experiments were conducted in a jar-test apparatus in which different doses of PA-WTS were added. The results obtained showed a decrease in total suspended solids (TSS), chemical oxygen demand (COD), total ammonium nitrogen (TAN), and total phosphates (TP) in the supernatant after 30 min of settlement. The optimal PA-WTS dosage of 37.5 mL/L significantly (P<0.05) increased the TSS, TP and COD removal efficiencies by 15, 22 and 30%, respectively. It can be concluded that the PA-WTS positively complimented the sedimentation process in the primary treatment of wastewater to achieve better effluent quality.Key words: Aluminium chlorohydrate, poly aluminium sludge, reuse, wastewater, water treatment sludge

The impact of Lactobacillus plantarum IFPL935 on the composition and activity of a complex microbiota developed in a simulator of the Human Intestinal Microbial Ecosystem

Trabajo presentado al European Network For Gastrointestinal Health Research (ENGIHR): "The Gut Microbiota Throughout Life" celebrado en Karlsruhe (Alemania) del 24 al 26 de septiembre de 2014.Peer reviewe

Electroproduction generator in the forward scattering configuration of G0 experiment

An event generator of inclusive electroproduction of pions on proton is developed in the forward scattering configuration of G0 using the photoproduction code of Graal from pion threshold up to 4 GeV. The extension to the charged pion-pair electroproduction in the backward scattering configuration is also discussed. Compatibility with the G0-GEANT code has been checked successfully

Lactobacillus plantarum IFPL935 impacts colonic metabolism in a simulator of the human gut microbiota during feeding with red wine polyphenols

The colonic microbiota plays an important role in the bioavailibility of dietary polyphenols. This work has evaluated the impact on the gut microbiota of long-term feeding with both a red wine polyphenolic extract and the flavan-3-ol metabolizer strain Lactobacillus plantarum IFPL935. The study was conducted in the dynamic Simulator of the Human Intestinal Microbial Ecosystem (SHIME). The feeding of the gut microbiota model with red wine polyphenols caused an initial decrease in the counts of total bacteria in the ascending colon (AC), with Bacteroides, Clostridium coccoides/Eubacterium rectale and Bifidobacterium being the most affected bacterial groups. The bacterial counts recovered to initial numbers faster than the overall microbial fermentation and proteolysis, which seemed to be longer affected by polyphenols. Addition of L. plantarum IFPL935 helped to promptly recover total counts, Lactobacillus and Enterobacteriaceae and led to an increase in lactic acid formation in the AC vessel at the start of the polyphenol treatment as well as butyric acid in the transverse (TC) and descending (DC) vessels after 5 days. Moreover, L. plantarum IFPL935 favoured the conversion in the DC vessel of monomeric flavan-3-ols and their intermediate metabolites into phenylpropionic acids and in particular 3-(3′- hydroxyphenyl)propionic acid. The results open the possibilities of using L. plantarum IFPL935 as a food ingredient for helping individuals showing a low polyphenol-fermenting metabotype to increase their colonic microbial capacities of metabolizing dietary polyphenols. © 2014 Springer-Verlag.The authors acknowledge funding from the Spanish Ministry for Science and Innovation (AGL2009-13361-C02-00, AGL2010-17499, AGL2012-35814, AGL2012-40172-C02-01, and Consolider Ingenio 2010 FUN-C-FOOD CSD2007-00063), the Comunidad de Madrid (ALIBIRD P2009/AGR-1469), the INIA (RM2011-00003-00-00) and CYTED (IBEROFUN 110 AC0386). The authors are participants in the COST Action FA1005 INFOGEST.Peer Reviewe