2,006 research outputs found
A point-of-care clinical trial comparing insulin administered using a sliding scale versus a weight-based regimen
Background Clinical trials are widely considered
the gold standard in comparative effectiveness research (CER) but the high cost
and complexity of traditional trials and concerns about generalizability to
broad patient populations and general clinical practice limit their appeal.
Unsuccessful implementation of CER results limits the value of even the highest
quality trials. Planning for a trial comparing two standard strategies of
insulin administration for hospitalized patients led us to develop a new method
for a clinical trial designed to be embedded directly into the clinical care
setting thereby lowering the cost, increasing the pragmatic nature of the
overall trial, strengthening implementation, and creating an integrated
environment of research-based care
Search for anomalies in the neutrino sector with muon spectrometers and large LArTPC imaging detectors at CERN
A new experiment with an intense ~2 GeV neutrino beam at CERN SPS is proposed
in order to definitely clarify the possible existence of additional neutrino
states, as pointed out by neutrino calibration source experiments, reactor and
accelerator experiments and measure the corresponding oscillation parameters.
The experiment is based on two identical LAr-TPCs complemented by magnetized
spectrometers detecting electron and muon neutrino events at Far and Near
positions, 1600 m and 300 m from the proton target, respectively. The ICARUS
T600 detector, the largest LAr-TPC ever built with a size of about 600 ton of
imaging mass, now running in the LNGS underground laboratory, will be moved at
the CERN Far position. An additional 1/4 of the T600 detector (T150) will be
constructed and located in the Near position. Two large area spectrometers will
be placed downstream of the two LAr-TPC detectors to perform charge
identification and muon momentum measurements from sub-GeV to several GeV
energy range, greatly complementing the physics capabilities. This experiment
will offer remarkable discovery potentialities, collecting a very large number
of unbiased events both in the neutrino and antineutrino channels, largely
adequate to definitely settle the origin of the observed neutrino-related
anomalies.Comment: Contribution to the European Strategy for Particle Physics - Open
Symposium Preparatory Group, Kracow 10-12 September 201
A First Search for coincident Gravitational Waves and High Energy Neutrinos using LIGO, Virgo and ANTARES data from 2007
We present the results of the first search for gravitational wave bursts
associated with high energy neutrinos. Together, these messengers could reveal
new, hidden sources that are not observed by conventional photon astronomy,
particularly at high energy. Our search uses neutrinos detected by the
underwater neutrino telescope ANTARES in its 5 line configuration during the
period January - September 2007, which coincided with the fifth and first
science runs of LIGO and Virgo, respectively. The LIGO-Virgo data were analysed
for candidate gravitational-wave signals coincident in time and direction with
the neutrino events. No significant coincident events were observed. We place
limits on the density of joint high energy neutrino - gravitational wave
emission events in the local universe, and compare them with densities of
merger and core-collapse events.Comment: 19 pages, 8 figures, science summary page at
http://www.ligo.org/science/Publication-S5LV_ANTARES/index.php. Public access
area to figures, tables at
https://dcc.ligo.org/cgi-bin/DocDB/ShowDocument?docid=p120000
Evaluation of the MOCAGE Chemistry Transport Model during the ICARTT/ITOP Experiment
We evaluate the Meteo-France global chemistry transport 3D model MOCAGE (MOdele de Chimie Atmospherique a Grande Echelle) using the important set of aircraft measurements collected during the ICARRT/ITOP experiment. This experiment took place between US and Europe during summer 2004 (July 15-August 15). Four aircraft were involved in this experiment providing a wealth of chemical data in a large area including the North East of US and western Europe. The model outputs are compared to the following species of which concentration is measured by the aircraft: OH, H2O2, CO, NO, NO2, PAN, HNO3, isoprene, ethane, HCHO and O3. Moreover, to complete this evaluation at larger scale, we used also satellite data such as SCIAMACHY NO2 and MOPITT CO. Interestingly, the comprehensive dataset allowed us to evaluate separately the model representation of emissions, transport and chemical processes. Using a daily emission source of biomass burning, we obtain a very good agreement for CO while the evaluation of NO2 points out incertainties resulting from inaccurate ratio of emission factors of NOx/CO. Moreover, the chemical behavior of O3 is satisfactory as discussed in the paper
Pharmacogenetic profiling and cetuximab outcome in patients with advanced colorectal cancer
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>We analyzed the influence of 8 germinal polymorphisms of candidate genes potentially related to EGFR signalling (<it>EGFR</it>, <it>EGF</it>, <it>CCND1</it>) or antibody-directed cell cytotoxicity (<it>FCGR2A </it>and <it>FCGR3A</it>) on outcome of colorectal cancer (CRC) patients receiving cetuximab-based therapy.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Fifty-eight advanced CRC patients treated with cetuximab-irinotecan salvage therapy between 2001 and 2007 were analyzed (mean age 60; 50 PS 0-1). The following polymorphisms were analyzed on blood DNA: <it>EGFR </it>(CA repeats in intron 1, -216 G > T, -191C > A, R497K), <it>EGF </it>(A61G), <it>CCND1 </it>(A870G), <it>FCGR2A </it>(R131H), <it>FCGR3A </it>(F158V). Statistical analyses were conducted on the total population and on patients with wt KRas tumors. All SNPs were considered as ternary variables (wt/wt <it>vs </it>wt/mut <it>vs </it>mut/mut), with the exception of -191C > A <it>EGFR </it>polymorphism (AA patient merged with CA patients).</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Analysis of skin toxicity as a function of EGFR intron 1 polymorphism showed a tendency for higher toxicity in patients with a low number of CA-repeats (p = 0.058). <it>CCND1 </it>A870G polymorphism was significantly related to clinical response, both in the entire population and in KRas wt patients, with the G allele being associated with a lack of response. In wt KRas patients, time to progression (TTP) was significantly related to <it>EGFR </it>-191C > A polymorphism with a longer TTP in CC patients as compared to others, and to <it>CCND1 </it>A870G polymorphism with the G allele being associated with a shorter TTP; a multivariate analysis including these two polymorphisms only retained <it>CCND1 </it>polymorphism. Overall survival was significantly related to <it>CCND1 </it>polymorphism with a shorter survival in patients bearing the G allele, and to <it>FCGR3A </it>F158V polymorphism with a shorter survival in VV patients (in the entire population and in KRas wt patients). <it>FCGR3A </it>F158V and <it>CCND1 </it>A870G polymorphisms were significant independent predictors of overall survival.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Present original data obtained in wt KRas patients corresponding to the current cetuximab-treated population clearly suggest that <it>CCND1 </it>A870G polymorphism may be used as an additional marker for predicting cetuximab efficacy, TTP and overall survival. In addition, <it>FCGR3A </it>F158V polymorphism was a significant independent predictor of overall survival.</p
Search for "anomalies" from neutrino and anti-neutrino oscillations at Delta_m^2 ~ 1eV^2 with muon spectrometers and large LAr-TPC imaging detectors
This proposal describes an experimental search for sterile neutrinos beyond
the Standard Model with a new CERN-SPS neutrino beam. The experiment is based
on two identical LAr-TPC's followed by magnetized spectrometers, observing the
electron and muon neutrino events at 1600 and 300 m from the proton target.
This project will exploit the ICARUS T600, moved from LNGS to the CERN "Far"
position. An additional 1/4 of the T600 detector will be constructed and
located in the "Near" position. Two spectrometers will be placed downstream of
the two LAr-TPC detectors to greatly complement the physics capabilities.
Spectrometers will exploit a classical dipole magnetic field with iron slabs,
and a new concept air-magnet, to perform charge identification and muon
momentum measurements in a wide energy range over a large transverse area. In
the two positions, the radial and energy spectra of the nu_e beam are
practically identical. Comparing the two detectors, in absence of oscillations,
all cross sections and experimental biases cancel out, and the two
experimentally observed event distributions must be identical. Any difference
of the event distributions at the locations of the two detectors might be
attributed to the possible existence of {\nu}-oscillations, presumably due to
additional neutrinos with a mixing angle sin^2(2theta_new) and a larger mass
difference Delta_m^2_new. The superior quality of the LAr imaging TPC, in
particular its unique electron-pi_zero discrimination allows full rejection of
backgrounds and offers a lossless nu_e detection capability. The determination
of the muon charge with the spectrometers allows the full separation of nu_mu
from anti-nu_mu and therefore controlling systematics from muon
mis-identification largely at high momenta.Comment: Experiment proposa
Selection of the silicon sensor thickness for the Phase-2 upgrade of the CMS Outer Tracker
During the operation of the CMS experiment at the High-Luminosity LHC the silicon sensors of the Phase-2 Outer Tracker will be exposed to radiation levels that could potentially deteriorate their performance. Previous studies had determined that planar float zone silicon with n-doped strips on a p-doped substrate was preferred over p-doped strips on an n-doped substrate. The last step in evaluating the optimal design for the mass production of about 200 m of silicon sensors was to compare sensors of baseline thickness (about 300 μm) to thinned sensors (about 240 μm), which promised several benefits at high radiation levels because of the higher electric fields at the same bias voltage. This study provides a direct comparison of these two thicknesses in terms of sensor characteristics as well as charge collection and hit efficiency for fluences up to 1.5 × 10 n/cm. The measurement results demonstrate that sensors with about 300 μm thickness will ensure excellent tracking performance even at the highest considered fluence levels expected for the Phase-2 Outer Tracker
Elective surgery cancellations due to the COVID-19 pandemic: global predictive modelling to inform surgical recovery plans.
BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted routine hospital services globally. This study estimated the total number of adult elective operations that would be cancelled worldwide during the 12 weeks of peak disruption due to COVID-19. METHODS: A global expert response study was conducted to elicit projections for the proportion of elective surgery that would be cancelled or postponed during the 12 weeks of peak disruption. A Bayesian β-regression model was used to estimate 12-week cancellation rates for 190 countries. Elective surgical case-mix data, stratified by specialty and indication (surgery for cancer versus benign disease), were determined. This case mix was applied to country-level surgical volumes. The 12-week cancellation rates were then applied to these figures to calculate the total number of cancelled operations. RESULTS: The best estimate was that 28 404 603 operations would be cancelled or postponed during the peak 12 weeks of disruption due to COVID-19 (2 367 050 operations per week). Most would be operations for benign disease (90·2 per cent, 25 638 922 of 28 404 603). The overall 12-week cancellation rate would be 72·3 per cent. Globally, 81·7 per cent of operations for benign conditions (25 638 922 of 31 378 062), 37·7 per cent of cancer operations (2 324 070 of 6 162 311) and 25·4 per cent of elective caesarean sections (441 611 of 1 735 483) would be cancelled or postponed. If countries increased their normal surgical volume by 20 per cent after the pandemic, it would take a median of 45 weeks to clear the backlog of operations resulting from COVID-19 disruption. CONCLUSION: A very large number of operations will be cancelled or postponed owing to disruption caused by COVID-19. Governments should mitigate against this major burden on patients by developing recovery plans and implementing strategies to restore surgical activity safely
Test beam performance of a CBC3-based mini-module for the Phase-2 CMS Outer Tracker before and after neutron irradiation
The Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN will undergo major upgrades to increase the instantaneous luminosity up to 5–7.5×10 cms. This High Luminosity upgrade of the LHC (HL-LHC) will deliver a total of 3000–4000 fb-1 of proton-proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 13–14 TeV. To cope with these challenging environmental conditions, the strip tracker of the CMS experiment will be upgraded using modules with two closely-spaced silicon sensors to provide information to include tracking in the Level-1 trigger selection. This paper describes the performance, in a test beam experiment, of the first prototype module based on the final version of the CMS Binary Chip front-end ASIC before and after the module was irradiated with neutrons. Results demonstrate that the prototype module satisfies the requirements, providing efficient tracking information, after being irradiated with a total fluence comparable to the one expected through the lifetime of the experiment
Comparative evaluation of analogue front-end designs for the CMS Inner Tracker at the High Luminosity LHC
The CMS Inner Tracker, made of silicon pixel modules, will be entirely replaced prior to the start of the High Luminosity LHC period. One of the crucial components of the new Inner Tracker system is the readout chip, being developed by the RD53 Collaboration, and in particular its analogue front-end, which receives the signal from the sensor and digitizes it. Three different analogue front-ends (Synchronous, Linear, and Differential) were designed and implemented in the RD53A demonstrator chip. A dedicated evaluation program was carried out to select the most suitable design to build a radiation tolerant pixel detector able to sustain high particle rates with high efficiency and a small fraction of spurious pixel hits. The test results showed that all three analogue front-ends presented strong points, but also limitations. The Differential front-end demonstrated very low noise, but the threshold tuning became problematic after irradiation. Moreover, a saturation in the preamplifier feedback loop affected the return of the signal to baseline and thus increased the dead time. The Synchronous front-end showed very good timing performance, but also higher noise. For the Linear front-end all of the parameters were within specification, although this design had the largest time walk. This limitation was addressed and mitigated in an improved design. The analysis of the advantages and disadvantages of the three front-ends in the context of the CMS Inner Tracker operation requirements led to the selection of the improved design Linear front-end for integration in the final CMS readout chip
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