4,547 research outputs found
Low energy n-\nuc{3}{H} scattering : a novel testground for nuclear interaction
The low energy n-\nuc{3}{H} elastic cross sections near the resonance peak
are calculated by solving the 4-nucleon problem with realistic NN interactions.
Three different methods -- Alt, Grassberger and Shandas (AGS), Hyperspherical
Harmonics and Faddeev-Yakubovsky -- have been used and their respective results
are compared. We conclude on a failure of the existing NN forces to reproduce
the n-\nuc{3}{H} total cross section.Comment: To be published in Phys. Rev.
Hepatitis C virus eradication with directly acting antivirals improves health-related quality of life and psychological symptoms
BACKGROUND Alterations in health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and neuropsychological disorders were described in the hepatitis C virus (HCV) patients. Although several studies investigated the modifications of HRQoL after HCV eradication, no data exists on the modifications of neuropsychological symptoms. AIM To investigate the effect of directly acting antivirals (DAAs) treatment on HRQoL and neuropsychological symptoms. METHODS Thirty nine patients with HCV infection underwent a neuropsychological assessment, including Zung-Self Depression-Rating-Scale, Spielberg State-Trait Anxiety Inventory Y1-Y2 and the Toronto-Alexithymia Scale-20 items before and after DAAs treatment. HRQoL was detected by Short-Form-36 (SF-36). RESULTS All HRQoL domains, but role limitation physical and bodily pain, significantly improved after treatment. Interestingly, after DAAs treatment, all domains of HRQoL returned similar to those of controls. Each neuropsychological test significantly improved after HCV eradication. A significant correlation was observed among each psychological test and the summary components of SF-36. At multiple linear regression analysis including each psychological test as possible covariates, Zung-Self Depression Rating Scale (Zung-SDS) score was independently and significantly related to summary components of the SF-36 in the basal state and the difference between Zung-SDS score before and after treatment was the only variable significantly and independently related to the modification of HRQoL induced by the treatment. CONCLUSION Neuropsychological symptoms strongly influenced HRQoL in HCV patients and there was a significant improvement of neuropsychological tests and HRQoL after DAAs treatment
Calculation of the Alpha--Particle Ground State within the Hyperspherical Harmonic Basis
The problem of calculating the four--nucleon bound state properties for the
case of realistic two- and three-body nuclear potentials is studied using the
hyperspherical harmonic (HH) approach. A careful analysis of the convergence of
different classes of HH functions has been performed. A restricted basis is
chosen to allow for accurate estimates of the binding energy and other
properties of the 4He ground state. Results for various modern two-nucleon and
two- plus three-nucleon interactions are presented. The 4He asymptotic
normalization constants for separation in 2+2 and 1+3 clusters are also
computed.Comment: 29 pages, 4 figures, 11 tables, revtex
Correlations and charge distributions of medium heavy nuclei
The effects of long- and short-range correlations on the charge distributions
of some medium and heavy nuclei are investigated. The long-range correlations
are treated within the Random Phase Approximation framework and the short-range
correlations with a model inspired to the Correlation Basis Function theory.
The two type of correlations produce effects of the same order of magnitude. A
comparison with the empirical charge distribution difference between 206Pb and
205Tl shows the need of including both correlations to obtain a good
description of the data.Comment: 20 pages, Latex, accepted for publication in Jour. Phys.
Benchmark calculation of n-3H and p-3He scattering
The n-3H and p-3He elastic phase-shifts below the trinucleon disintegration
thresholds are calculated by solving the 4-nucleon problem with three different
realistic nucleon-nucleon interactions (the I-N3LO model by Entem and
Machleidt, the Argonne v18 potential model, and a low-k model derived from the
CD-Bonn potential). Three different methods -- Alt, Grassberger and Sandhas,
Hyperspherical Harmonics, and Faddeev-Yakubovsky -- have been used and their
respective results are compared. For both n-3H and p-3He we observe a rather
good agreement between the three different theoretical methods. We also compare
the theoretical predictions with the available experimental data, confirming
the large underprediction of the p-3He analyzing power.Comment: 18 pages, 9 figure
NEPA (netupitant/palonosetron) for the antiemetic prophylaxis of nausea and vomiting induced by chemotherapy (CINV) with Folfirinox and Folfoxiri even during the COVID-19 pandemic: A real-life study
OBJECTIVE: The outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has affected the treatment of cancer patients, with particular regard to the management of both chemotherapy and side effects. Chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) are amongst the most troublesome side effects that impair patients’ adherence to treatments and their quality of life (QoL). NEPA (Akynzeo®), is an oral fixed-dose combination of netupitant [a neurokinin-1 receptor antagonist (NK1RA), 300 mg] and palonosetron [(5-hydroxytryptamine (serotonin or 5HT) type3 receptor antagonist (5HT3RA), 0.5 mg] which has been shown to be effective in preventing CINV. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This prospective study started before the outbreak of COVID-19 and was carried out during the pandemic period. The aim was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of a single oral dose NEPA plus 12 mg of dexamethasone (DEX) in patients treated with Folfoxiri plus Bevacizumab and Folfirinox. The patients were diagnosed with advanced colorectal cancer (CRC) or advanced pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). They were divided into two groups: naïve patients and patients previously treated with serotonin receptor antagonists (5HT3-RA) and neurokin-1 receptor antagonists (NK1-RA). RESULTS: During the overall phase, the complete response (CR) rate was 96.8% in naïve patients treated with Folfoxiri plus Bevacizumab, and 94.6% in patients treated with Folfirinox. During the acute and delayed phases, the CR rate was 92.8% and 94.2%, with Folfoxiri and Bevacizumab, as well as 96.2% and 94.6%, with Folfirinox. There was no adequate control of CINV events in patients on antiemetic prophylaxis with 5HT3-RA or NK1-RA associated with cortisone. During the overall phase, the CR rate was 74.6% with Folfoxiri plus Bevacizumab and 75.8% with Folfirinox. During the acute and delayed phases, the CR rate was 72.5% and 74.8% with Folfoxiri plus Bevacizumab, as well as 75.2% and 74.6% with Folfirinox. CONCLUSIONS: This study has shown the therapeutic benefits of NEPA in the management and prophylaxis of CINV events, both in naive patients and patients previously treated with 5HT3-RA and NK1-RA. In addition, NEPA has been shown to be safe, both before and during the COVID-19 pandemic
Technical and economical feasibility of on-farm fish feed production using fishmeal analogs
Ten experimental diets and one control diet were fed to 720 tilapia (20 fish × 12 cages × three replicates) in a recirculating aquaculture system to determine the economic significance of replacing fishmeal with fishmeal analogs if the fishmeal analogs were processed on-site by the producer. All experimental diets were produced at Illinois State University using an Insta-Pro Model 600 Jr. extruder plus grinding, weighing and mixing equipment commonly found on commercial livestock operations. Primary diet protein sources included corn gluten meal, corn gluten feed and distillers dried grains. All diets were balanced for amino acid requirements of the fish, and both 32 and 36% crude protein diets were fed. There was no significant difference in feed conversion ratio (FCR) between diets with fishmeal and diets without fishmeal. There was no significant difference in FCR between 32 and 36% crude protein diets. An economic engineering model which included all equipment necessary for extruding and handling pelleted feed on-site was developed. Annualized investment and operating costs were estimated to determine the total cost of processing each of the 10 experimental diets. There was a significant difference in cost of gain among the 10 experimental diets and the control diet. Cost of production was highly sensitive to volume of feed extruded
N-d scattering above the deuteron breakup threshold
The complex Kohn variational principle and the (correlated) Hyperspherical
Harmonics technique are applied to study the N--d scattering above the deuteron
breakup threshold. The configuration with three outgoing nucleons is explicitly
taken into account by solving a set of differential equations with outgoing
boundary conditions. A convenient procedure is used to obtain the correct
boundary conditions at values of the hyperradius fm. The
inclusion of the Coulomb potential is straightforward and does not give
additional difficulties. Numerical results have been obtained for a simple
s-wave central potential. They are in nice agreement with the benchmarks
produced by different groups using the Faddeev technique. Comparisons are also
done with experimental elastic N--d cross section at several energies.Comment: LaTeX, 13 pages, 3 figure
proton-deuteron elastic scattering above the deuteron breakup
The complex Kohn variational principle and the (correlated) hyperspherical
harmonics method are applied to study the proton-deuteron elastic scattering at
energies above the deuteron breakup threshold. Results for the elastic cross
section and various elastic polarization observables have been obtained by
fully taking into account the long-range effect of the Coulomb interaction and
using a realistic nucleon-nucleon interaction model. Detailed comparison
between the theoretical predictions and the accurate and abundant
proton-deuteron experimental data can now be performed.Comment: 6 pages, 2 figure
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