J/ψ Elliptic Flow in Pb-Pb Collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=5.02 TeV

We report a precise measurement of the J/ψ elliptic flow in Pb-Pb collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=5.02  TeV with the ALICE detector at the LHC. The J/ψ mesons are reconstructed at midrapidity (|y|<0.9) in the dielectron decay channel and at forward rapidity (2.5<y<4.0) in the dimuon channel, both down to zero transverse momentum. At forward rapidity, the elliptic flow v_{2} of the J/ψ is studied as a function of the transverse momentum and centrality. A positive v_{2} is observed in the transverse momentum range 2<p_{T}<8  GeV/c in the three centrality classes studied and confirms with higher statistics our earlier results at sqrt[s_{NN}]=2.76  TeV in semicentral collisions. At midrapidity, the J/ψ  v_{2} is investigated as a function of the transverse momentum in semicentral collisions and found to be in agreement with the measurements at forward rapidity. These results are compared to transport model calculations. The comparison supports the idea that at low p_{T} the elliptic flow of the J/ψ originates from the thermalization of charm quarks in the deconfined medium but suggests that additional mechanisms might be missing in the models.

Systematic Review: Occupational illness in the waste and recycling sector

BACKGROUND

The waste and recycling sector is a growing part of industry. Whether health surveillance is indicated and how it should be undertaken is unclear.

AIMS

To undertake a review of the literature to identify hazards to health, biological effects and occupational illnesses for workers in the sector.

METHODS

A systematic review of the published literature and two UK databases.

RESULTS

Rates of fatal, non-fatal injuries and self-reported work-related illness were found to be higher in the waste and recycling sector than in UK industry as a whole. There was an increased prevalence of respiratory, gastro-intestinal and skin complaints in workers exposed to compost relative to controls. They may also be at increased risk of extrinsic allergic alveolitis, allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis, occupational asthma and abnormalities of lung function. Workers involved with the recycling of batteries and cables may be at risk of lead poisoning and exposure to other heavy metals. There were case reports of mercury poisoning from the recycling of fluorescent lights. Cases of occupational asthma have been reported in association with wood and paper recycling. The recycling of e-waste may cause exposure to heavy metals and organic pollutants, such as polybrominated diphenyl ethers, dioxins and polyaromatic hydrocarbons, which have been associated with damage to DNA and adverse neonatal outcomes.

CONCLUSIONS

Ill-health and adverse biological effects have been described in waste and recycling workers, but their true prevalence has probably not been captured. Targeted health surveillance may be required to assess exposure and to identify occupational illness.

Activated carbon from sugarcane bagasse ash for melanoidins recovery

This work investigates the value added utilization of two sugar-distillery wastes: (i) melanoidins, which are complex Maillard reaction products in molasses distillery wastewater, and (ii) unburnt carbon in sugarcane bagasse ash. Activated unburnt carbon (AUC), prepared by deashing and steam activation, had properties comparable to commercial activated carbon (CAC). Both carbons are suitable for melanoidins adsorption followed by desorption using 25% pyridine solution. For AUC, the equilibrium adsorption data is well described by Langmuir isotherm up to 35 °C while Freundlich model fits better at higher temperature. Adsorption using CAC followed Freundlich isotherm at all temperatures. Both carbons followed pseudo second order kinetics and displayed endothermic physisorption. Recovery of melanoidins from AUC (78%) was close to that observed with CAC (80%).

Anomalous Evolution of the Near-Side Jet Peak Shape in Pb-Pb Collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=2.76 TeV

The measurement of two-particle angular correlations is a powerful tool to study jet quenching in a p_{T} region inaccessible by direct jet identification. In these measurements pseudorapidity (Δη) and azimuthal (Δφ) differences are used to extract the shape of the near-side peak formed by particles associated with a higher p_{T} trigger particle (1<p_{T,trig}<8  GeV/c). A combined fit of the near-side peak and long-range correlations is applied to the data allowing the extraction of the centrality evolution of the peak shape in Pb-Pb collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=2.76  TeV. A significant broadening of the peak in the Δη direction at low p_{T} is found from peripheral to central collisions, which vanishes above 4  GeV/c, while in the Δφ direction the peak is almost independent of centrality. For the 10% most central collisions and 1<p_{T,assoc}<2  GeV/c, 1<p_{T,trig}<3  GeV/c a novel feature is observed: a depletion develops around the center of the peak. The results are compared to pp collisions at the same center of mass energy and ampt model simulations. The comparison to the investigated models suggests that the broadening and the development of the depletion is connected to the strength of radial and longitudinal flow.

Does breastfeeding duration decrease child obesity? An instrumental variables analysis

BACKGROUND

Many studies have documented that breastfeeding is associated with a significant reduction in child obesity risk. However, a persistent problem in this literature is that unobservable confounders may drive the correlations between breastfeeding behaviors and child weight outcomes.

OBJECTIVE

This study examines the effect of breastfeeding practices on child weight outcomes at age 2.

METHODS

This study relied on population-based data for all births in Oregon in 2009 followed for two years. We used instrumental variables methods to exploit variations in breastfeeding by mothers immediately after delivery and the degree to which hospitals encouraged mothers to breastfeed in order to isolate the effect of breastfeeding practices on child weight outcomes.

RESULTS

We found that for every extra week that the child was breastfed, the likelihood of the child being obese at age 2 declined by 0.82% [95% CI -1.8% to 0.1%]. Likewise, for every extra week that the child was exclusively breastfed, the likelihood of being obese declined by 0.66% [95% CI -1.4 to 0.06%]. While the magnitudes of effects were modest and marginally significant, the results were robust in a variety of specifications.

CONCLUSION

The results suggest that hospital practices that support breastfeeding may influence childhood weight outcomes.

Energy dependence of forward-rapidity [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] production in pp collisions at the LHC

We present results on transverse momentum ([Formula: see text]) and rapidity ([Formula: see text]) differential production cross sections, mean transverse momentum and mean transverse momentum square of inclusive [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] at forward rapidity ([Formula: see text]) as well as [Formula: see text]-to-[Formula: see text] cross section ratios. These quantities are measured in pp collisions at center of mass energies [Formula: see text] and 13 TeV with the ALICE detector. Both charmonium states are reconstructed in the dimuon decay channel, using the muon spectrometer. A comprehensive comparison to inclusive charmonium cross sections measured at [Formula: see text], 7 and 8 TeV is performed. A comparison to non-relativistic quantum chromodynamics and fixed-order next-to-leading logarithm calculations, which describe prompt and non-prompt charmonium production respectively, is also presented. A good description of the data is obtained over the full [Formula: see text] range, provided that both contributions are summed. In particular, it is found that for [Formula: see text] GeV/c the non-prompt contribution reaches up to 50% of the total charmonium yield.

Production of Σ(1385)± and Ξ(1530)0 in p-Pb collisions at sNN=5.02 TeV

The transverse momentum distributions of the strange and double-strange hyperon resonances (Σ ( 1385 ) ± , Ξ ( 1530 ) 0 ) produced in p-Pb collisions at s NN = 5.02 TeV were measured in the rapidity range - 0.5 < y CMS < 0 for event classes corresponding to different charged-particle multiplicity densities, ⟨ dN ch /dη lab ⟩ . The mean transverse momentum values are presented as a function of ⟨ dN ch /dη lab ⟩ , as well as a function of the particle masses and compared with previous results on hyperon production. The integrated yield ratios of excited to ground-state hyperons are constant as a function of ⟨ dN ch /dη lab ⟩ . The equivalent ratios to pions exhibit an increase with ⟨ dN ch /dη lab ⟩ , depending on their strangeness content.

Production of [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] mesons up to high transverse momentum in pp collisions at 2.76 TeV

The invariant differential cross sections for inclusive [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] mesons at midrapidity were measured in pp collisions at [Formula: see text] TeV for transverse momenta [Formula: see text] GeV/c and [Formula: see text] GeV/c, respectively, using the ALICE detector. This large range in [Formula: see text] was achieved by combining various analysis techniques and different triggers involving the electromagnetic calorimeter (EMCal). In particular, a new single-cluster, shower-shape based method was developed for the identification of high-[Formula: see text] neutral pions, which exploits that the showers originating from their decay photons overlap in the EMCal. Above 4 GeV/[Formula: see text], the measured cross sections are found to exhibit a similar power-law behavior with an exponent of about 6.3. Next-to-leading-order perturbative QCD calculations differ from the measured cross sections by about 30% for the [Formula: see text], and between 30-50% for the [Formula: see text] meson, while generator-level simulations with PYTHIA 8.2 describe the data to better than 10-30%, except at [Formula: see text] GeV/[Formula: see text]. The new data can therefore be used to further improve the theoretical description of [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] meson production.

Flow Dominance and Factorization of Transverse Momentum Correlations in Pb-Pb Collisions at the LHC

We present the first measurement of the two-particle transverse momentum differential correlation function, P_{2}≡⟨Δp_{T}Δp_{T}⟩/⟨p_{T}⟩^{2}, in Pb-Pb collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=2.76  TeV. Results for P_{2} are reported as a function of the relative pseudorapidity (Δη) and azimuthal angle (Δφ) between two particles for different collision centralities. The Δϕ dependence is found to be largely independent of Δη for |Δη|≥0.9. In the 5% most central Pb-Pb collisions, the two-particle transverse momentum correlation function exhibits a clear double-hump structure around Δφ=π (i.e., on the away side), which is not observed in number correlations in the same centrality range, and thus provides an indication of the dominance of triangular flow in this collision centrality. Fourier decompositions of P_{2}, studied as a function of the collision centrality, show that correlations at |Δη|≥0.9 can be well reproduced by a flow ansatz based on the notion that measured transverse momentum correlations are strictly determined by the collective motion of the system.

Measurement of azimuthal correlations of D mesons with charged particles in pp collisions at [Formula: see text] TeV and p-Pb collisions at [Formula: see text] TeV

The azimuthal correlations of D mesons with charged particles were measured with the ALICE apparatus in pp collisions at [Formula: see text] and p-Pb collisions at [Formula: see text] at the Large Hadron Collider. [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], and [Formula: see text] mesons and their charge conjugates with transverse momentum [Formula: see text] and rapidity in the nucleon-nucleon centre-of-mass system [Formula: see text] (pp collisions) and [Formula: see text] (p-Pb collisions) were correlated to charged particles with [Formula: see text]. The yield of charged particles in the correlation peak induced by the jet containing the D meson and the peak width are compatible within uncertainties in the two collision systems. The data are described within uncertainties by Monte-Carlo simulations based on PYTHIA, POWHEG, and EPOS 3 event generators.

Relationships between longitudinal neutrophil to lymphocyte ratios, body weight changes, and overall survival in patients with non-small cell lung cancer

Background

There is emerging evidence showing a significant relationship between overall survival (OS) in non-small cell lung cancer NSCLC patients and weight change during chemotherapy or chemoradiation. A high neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR) at baseline and at follow-up is associated with shorter survival in cancer patients and may be a surrogate for ongoing inflammation, implicated in cancer cachexia and tumor progression. The objective of this study is to explore potential relationships between OS, serial weights, and serial NLRs in advanced NSCLC patients receiving chemotherapy.

Methods

One hundred thirty-nine patients with chemotherapy-naïve NSCLC, predominantly with stage III/IV disease, were treated with first-line platinum doublets from June, 2011 to August, 2012. NLR, tumor response, and body weight were recorded at baseline, 6, and 12 weeks from initiation of therapy and correlated with OS. The association between NLR and OS was assessed using Cox PH (proportional hazards) analysis, the association between NLR and weight change was assessed using a simple regression analysis, and the association between NLR and tumor response was assessed using the Fisher’s exact test.

Results

One hundred thirty-nine patients with median age 68, PS 0-1/2 = 83/17%, male/female = 58%/42%. Median NLR at baseline was 3.6 (range 0.1898 to 30.910), at 6 weeks 3.11 (range 0.2703 to 42.11), and at 12 weeks 3.52 (range 0.2147 to 42.93). A Higher NLR at baseline, 6, and 12 weeks was associated with decreased OS (baseline: HR 1.06, p < 0.001; 6 weeks: HR 1.07, p = 0.001; 12 weeks: HR 1.05, p < 0.001), and longitudinal NLR, as a time-dependent covariate, was also associated with decreased OS (HR = 1.06, p < 0.001). Baseline weight and NLR were inversely related (cor = −0.267, p = 0.001), and weight change and NLR were inversely related at 12 weeks (cor = −0.371, p < 0.001). Longitudinal measurements of weight and NLR were also negatively associated (slope = −0.06, p < 0.001). Using a cutoff of NLR > 5, there was a significant association between progressive disease and NLR > 5 at 6 weeks (p = 0.02) and 12 weeks (p = 0.03).

Conclusions

High baseline and progressive increases in NLRs are associated with progressive disease, inferior OS and weight loss in NSCLC patients. In addition to having prognostic significance, these observations suggest that studying molecular mediators of cachexia/inflammation and their relationships to tumor progression may identify new therapeutic targets in the large subset of NSCLC patients who have cancer cachexia.

Evidence of Formation of Superdense Nonmagnetic Cobalt

Because of the presence of 3d transition metals in the Earth’s core, magnetism of these materials in their dense phases has been a topic of great interest. Theory predicts a dense face-centred-cubic phase of cobalt, which would be nonmagnetic. However, this dense nonmagnetic cobalt has not yet been observed. Recent investigations in thin film polycrystalline materials have shown the formation of compressive stress, which can increase the density of materials. We have discovered the existence of ultrathin superdense nonmagnetic cobalt layers in a polycrystalline cobalt thin film. The densities of these layers are about 1.2–1.4 times the normal density of Co. This has been revealed by X-ray reflectometry experiments, and corroborated by polarized neutron reflectometry (PNR) experiments. Transmission electron microscopy provides further evidence. The magnetic depth profile, obtained by PNR, shows that the superdense Co layers near the top of the film and at the film-substrate interface are nonmagnetic. The major part of the Co film has the usual density and magnetic moment. These results indicate the possibility of existence of nonmagnetic Co in the earth’s core under high pressure.

International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium report, data summary of 50 countries for 2010-2015: Device-associated module

BACKGROUND

We report the results of International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium (INICC) surveillance study from January 2010-December 2015 in 703 intensive care units (ICUs) in Latin America, Europe, Eastern Mediterranean, Southeast Asia, and Western Pacific.

METHODS

During the 6-year study period, using Centers for Disease Control and Prevention National Healthcare Safety Network (CDC-NHSN) definitions for device-associated health care-associated infection (DA-HAI), we collected prospective data from 861,284 patients hospitalized in INICC hospital ICUs for an aggregate of 3,506,562 days.

RESULTS

Although device use in INICC ICUs was similar to that reported from CDC-NHSN ICUs, DA-HAI rates were higher in the INICC ICUs: in the INICC medical-surgical ICUs, the pooled rate of central line-associated bloodstream infection, 4.1 per 1,000 central line-days, was nearly 5-fold higher than the 0.8 per 1,000 central line-days reported from comparable US ICUs, the overall rate of ventilator-associated pneumonia was also higher, 13.1 versus 0.9 per 1,000 ventilator-days, as was the rate of catheter-associated urinary tract infection, 5.07 versus 1.7 per 1,000 catheter-days. From blood cultures samples, frequencies of resistance of Pseudomonas isolates to amikacin (29.87% vs 10%) and to imipenem (44.3% vs 26.1%), and of Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates to ceftazidime (73.2% vs 28.8%) and to imipenem (43.27% vs 12.8%) were also higher in the INICC ICUs compared with CDC-NHSN ICUs.

CONCLUSIONS

Although DA-HAIs in INICC ICU patients continue to be higher than the rates reported in CDC-NSHN ICUs representing the developed world, we have observed a significant trend toward the reduction of DA-HAI rates in INICC ICUs as shown in each international report. It is INICC's main goal to continue facilitating education, training, and basic and cost-effective tools and resources, such as standardized forms and an online platform, to tackle this problem effectively and systematically.

Examining the sources of occupational stress in an emergency department

BACKGROUND

Previous work has established that health care staff, in particular emergency department (ED) personnel, experience significant occupational stress but the underlying stressors have not been well quantified. Such data inform interventions that can reduce cases of occupational mental illness, burnout, staff turnover and early retirement associated with cumulative stress.

AIMS

To develop, implement and evaluate a questionnaire examining the origins of occupational stress in the ED.

METHODS

A questionnaire co-designed by an occupational health practitioner and ED management administered to nursing, medical and support staff in the ED of a large English teaching hospital in 2015. The questionnaire assessed participants' demographic characteristics and perceptions of stress across three dimensions (demand-control-support, effort-reward and organizational justice). Work-related stressors in ED staff were compared with those of an unmatched control group from the acute ear, nose and throat (ENT) and neurology directorate.

RESULTS

A total of 104 (59%) ED staff returned questionnaires compared to 72 staff (67%) from the acute ENT/neurology directorate. The ED respondents indicated lower levels of job autonomy, management support and involvement in organizational change, but not work demand. High levels of effort-reward imbalance and organizational injustice were reported by both groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings suggest that internal ED interventions to improve workers' job control, increase support from management and involvement in organizational change may reduce work stress. The high levels of effort-reward imbalance and organizational injustice reported by both groups may indicate that wider interventions beyond the ED are also needed to address these issues.

Correlated Event-by-Event Fluctuations of Flow Harmonics in Pb-Pb Collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=2.76 TeV

We report the measurements of correlations between event-by-event fluctuations of amplitudes of anisotropic flow harmonics in nucleus-nucleus collisions, obtained for the first time using a new analysis method based on multiparticle cumulants in mixed harmonics. This novel method is robust against systematic biases originating from nonflow effects and by construction any dependence on symmetry planes is eliminated. We demonstrate that correlations of flow harmonics exhibit a better sensitivity to medium properties than the individual flow harmonics. The new measurements are performed in Pb-Pb collisions at the center-of-mass energy per nucleon pair of sqrt[s_{NN}]=2.76  TeV by the ALICE experiment at the Large Hadron Collider. The centrality dependence of correlation between event-by-event fluctuations of the elliptic v_{2} and quadrangular v_{4} flow harmonics, as well as of anticorrelation between v_{2} and triangular v_{3} flow harmonics are presented. The results cover two different regimes of the initial state configurations: geometry dominated (in midcentral collisions) and fluctuation dominated (in the most central collisions). Comparisons are made to predictions from Monte Carlo Glauber, viscous hydrodynamics, ampt, and hijing models. Together with the existing measurements of the individual flow harmonics the presented results provide further constraints on the initial conditions and the transport properties of the system produced in heavy-ion collisions.

Spread and exchange of bla NDM-1 in hospitalized neonates: role of mobilizable genetic elements

To investigate the mobilizable elements associated with bla _NDM-1 in Enterobacteriaceae isolated from septicaemic neonates at a NICU in India, during December, 2008-2011. An attempt was also made to understand whether there was a pattern in the temporal acquisition of bla _NDM-1 within the unit. Transferability of carbapenem resistance was tested by conjugation and transformation. Plasmid types and addiction systems were analysed. The genetic background of bla _NDM-1 and association with class 1 integron were evaluated by PCR mapping. RFLP was carried out to discriminate plasmids of same incompatibility group. Transfer of carbapenem resistance was successful in 13/15 cases. bla _NDM-1 was associated with different plasmid scaffolds (IncFII, IncL/M, IncN, IncR, IncHIB-M/FIB-M), IncF type being the prevalent one. Addiction systems ccdAB and hok/sok were associated with transferable plasmids. Genetic structures surrounding bla _NDM-1 showed its association with at least a remnant of ISAba125 at its 5'-end. The spread of NDM-1 was not related to class 1 integron which possessed resistance determinants against trimethoprim (dfrA12, dfrA1, dfrA5), streptomycin (aadA2, aacA4), and rifampicin (arr-3). RFLP showed that three isolates possessed the same FII/FIIs plasmid; two of these three isolates were from a single neonate, implying interspecies transfer of bla _NDM-1. The predominance of FII plasmids and ISAba125 along with bla _NDM-1 was noted, but no specific pattern in the temporal acquisition of mobile genetic elements could be identified. To the best of our knowledge, this report is the first to inform the in-vivo interspecies plasmid transfer event of bla _NDM-1 in a neonate.

Population-based cohort study of variation in the use of emergency cholecystectomy for benign gallbladder diseases

Background

The aims of this prospective population-based cohort study were to identify the patient and hospital characteristics associated with emergency cholecystectomy, and the influences of these in determining variations between hospitals.

Methods

Data were collected for consecutive patients undergoing cholecystectomy in acute UK and Irish hospitals between 1 March and 1 May 2014. Potential explanatory variables influencing the performance of emergency cholecystectomy were analysed by means of multilevel, multivariable logistic regression modelling using a two-level hierarchical structure with patients (level 1) nested within hospitals (level 2).

Results

Data were collected on 4744 cholecystectomies from 165 hospitals. Increasing age, lower ASA fitness grade, biliary colic, the need for further imaging (magnetic retrograde cholangiopancreatography), endoscopic interventions (endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography) and admission to a non-biliary centre significantly reduced the likelihood of an emergency cholecystectomy being performed. The multilevel model was used to calculate the probability of receiving an emergency cholecystectomy for a woman aged 40 years or over with an ASA grade of I or II and a BMI of at least 25·0 kg/m2, who presented with acute cholecystitis with an ultrasound scan showing a thick-walled gallbladder and a normal common bile duct. The mean predicted probability of receiving an emergency cholecystectomy was 0·52 (95 per cent c.i. 0·45 to 0·57). The predicted probabilities ranged from 0·02 to 0·95 across the 165 hospitals, demonstrating significant variation between hospitals.

Conclusion

Patients with similar characteristics presenting to different hospitals with acute gallbladder pathology do not receive comparable care.

Risk of self-reported symptoms or diagnosis of active tuberculosis in relationship to low body mass index, diabetes and their co-occurrence

OBJECTIVE

Globally, tuberculosis prevalence has declined, but its risk factors have varied across place and time - low body mass index (BMI) has persisted while diabetes has increased. Using India's National Family Health Survey (NFHS), wave 3 and World Health Survey (WHS) data, we examined their relationships to support projection of future trends and targeted control efforts.

METHODS

Multivariate logistic regressions at the individual level with and without diabetes/BMI interactions assessed the relationship between tuberculosis, diabetes and low BMI and the importance of risk factor co-occurrence. Population-level analyses examined how tuberculosis incidence and prevalence varied with diabetes/low BMI co-occurrence.

RESULTS

In NFHS, diabetic individuals had higher predicted tuberculosis risks (diabetic vs. non-diabetic: 2.50% vs. 0.63% at low BMI; 0.81% vs. 0.20% at normal BMI; 0.37% vs. 0.09% at high BMI), which were not significantly different when modelled independently or allowing for risk modification with diabetes/low BMI co-occurrence. WHS findings were generally consistent. Population-level analysis found that diabetes/low BMI co-occurrence may be associated with elevated tuberculosis risk, although its predicted effect on tuberculosis incidence/prevalence was generally ≤0.2 percentage points and not robustly statistically significant.

CONCLUSIONS

Concerns about the additional elevation of tuberculosis risk from diabetes/low BMI co-occurrence and hence the need to coordinate tuberculosis control efforts around the nexus of co-occurring diabetes and low BMI may be premature. However, study findings robustly support the importance of individually targeting low BMI and diabetes as part of ongoing tuberculosis control efforts.

Sphincter of Oddi disorder (SOD): Is it necessary to investigate and treat?

Sphincter of Oddi disorder (SOD) is a part of functional gastrointestinal disorder which is a non-calculous obstructive disorder. This disease is more common in middle-aged women with a prevalence of around 1.5% but in patients with post-cholecystectomy syndrome (PCS) the prevalence rate is markedly higher (9-55%). This high variability maybe attributed to lack of uniformity in patient selection criteria, definition of SOD, and the diagnostic method used. Abdominal pain is the most common symptom occurring due to obstruction at the SO leading to ductal hypertension, ischemia from spastic contraction and hypersensitivity of papilla. Clinical diagnosis of SOD can be achieved by Rome III criteria. Various classifications are used (Milwaukee billiary and modified Milwaukee group classification) for billiary and pancreatic SOD. Not a single non-invasive method is diagnostic. Sphincter of Oddimanometry (SOM) is the gold standard method for evaluating and deciding the management of an SOD patient. The symptomatic relief rate varies from 55% to 95%, so risk-benefit ratio should be evaluated with each patient.

Centrality Dependence of the Charged-Particle Multiplicity Density at Midrapidity in Pb-Pb Collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=5.02 TeV

The pseudorapidity density of charged particles, dN_{ch}/dη, at midrapidity in Pb-Pb collisions has been measured at a center-of-mass energy per nucleon pair of sqrt[s_{NN}]=5.02  TeV. For the 5% most central collisions, we measure a value of 1943±54. The rise in dN_{ch}/dη as a function of sqrt[s_{NN}] is steeper than that observed in proton-proton collisions and follows the trend established by measurements at lower energy. The increase of dN_{ch}/dη as a function of the average number of participant nucleons, ⟨N_{part}⟩, calculated in a Glauber model, is compared with the previous measurement at sqrt[s_{NN}]=2.76  TeV. A constant factor of about 1.2 describes the increase in dN_{ch}/dη from sqrt[s_{NN}]=2.76 to 5.02 TeV for all centrality classes, within the measured range of 0%-80% centrality. The results are also compared to models based on different mechanisms for particle production in nuclear collisions.

Measurement of an Excess in the Yield of J/ψ at Very Low p_{T} in Pb-Pb Collisions at sqrt[s]_{NN}=2.76 TeV

We report on the first measurement of an excess in the yield of J/ψ at very low transverse momentum (p_{T}<0.3  GeV/c) in peripheral hadronic Pb-Pb collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=2.76  TeV, performed by ALICE at the CERN LHC. Remarkably, the measured nuclear modification factor of J/ψ in the rapidity range 2.5<y<4 reaches about 7 (2) in the p_{T} range 0-0.3  GeV/c in the 70%-90% (50%-70%) centrality class. The J/ψ production cross section associated with the observed excess is obtained under the hypothesis that coherent photoproduction of J/ψ is the underlying physics mechanism. If confirmed, the observation of J/ψ coherent photoproduction in Pb-Pb collisions at impact parameters smaller than twice the nuclear radius opens new theoretical and experimental challenges and opportunities. In particular, coherent photoproduction accompanying hadronic collisions may provide insight into the dynamics of photoproduction and nuclear reactions, as well as become a novel probe of the quark-gluon plasma.

Superconductivity-induced magnetization depletion in a ferromagnet through an insulator in a ferromagnet-insulator-superconductor hybrid oxide heterostructure

Coupling between superconducting and ferromagnetic states in hybrid oxide heterostructures is presently a topic of intense research. Such a coupling is due to the leakage of the Cooper pairs into the ferromagnet. However, tunneling of the Cooper pairs though an insulator was never considered plausible. Using depth sensitive polarized neutron reflectivity we demonstrate the coupling between superconductor and magnetic layers in epitaxial La2/3Ca1/3MnO3 (LCMO)/SrTiO3/YBa2Cu3O7-δ (YBCO) hybrid heterostructures, with SrTiO3 as an intervening oxide insulator layer between the ferromagnet and the superconductor. Measurements above and below the superconducting transition temperature (TSC) of YBCO demonstrate a large modulation of magnetization in the ferromagnetic layer below the TSC of YBCO in these heterostructures. This work highlights a unique tunneling phenomenon between the epitaxial layers of an oxide superconductor (YBCO) and a magnetic layer (LCMO) through an insulating layer. Our work would inspire further investigations on the fundamental aspect of a long range order of the triplet spin-pairing in hybrid structures.

Centrality dependence of charged jet production in p-Pb collisions at [Formula: see text] = 5.02 TeV

Measurements of charged jet production as a function of centrality are presented for  p-Pb  collisions recorded at [Formula: see text] TeV with the ALICE detector. Centrality classes are determined via the energy deposit in neutron calorimeters at zero degree, close to the beam direction, to minimise dynamical biases of the selection. The corresponding number of participants or binary nucleon-nucleon collisions is determined based on the particle production in the Pb-going rapidity region. Jets have been reconstructed in the central rapidity region from charged particles with the anti-[Formula: see text] algorithm for resolution parameters [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] in the transverse momentum range 20 to 120 GeV/c. The reconstructed jet momentum and yields have been corrected for detector effects and underlying-event background. In the five centrality bins considered, the charged jet production in  p-Pb   collisions is consistent with the production expected from binary scaling from pp collisions. The ratio of jet yields reconstructed with the two different resolution parameters is also independent of the centrality selection, demonstrating the absence of major modifications of the radial jet structure in the reported centrality classes.

Production of K[Formula: see text](892)[Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text](1020) in p-Pb collisions at [Formula: see text] = 5.02 TeV

The production of K[Formula: see text](892)[Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text](1020) mesons has been measured in p-Pb collisions at [Formula: see text][Formula: see text] 5.02 TeV. K[Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] are reconstructed via their decay into charged hadrons with the ALICE detector in the rapidity range [Formula: see text]. The transverse momentum spectra, measured as a function of the multiplicity, have a p[Formula: see text] range from 0 to 15 GeV/c for K[Formula: see text] and from 0.3 to 21 GeV/c for [Formula: see text]. Integrated yields, mean transverse momenta and particle ratios are reported and compared with results in pp collisions at [Formula: see text][Formula: see text] 7 TeV and Pb-Pb collisions at [Formula: see text][Formula: see text] 2.76 TeV. In Pb-Pb and p-Pb collisions, K[Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] probe the hadronic phase of the system and contribute to the study of particle formation mechanisms by comparison with other identified hadrons. For this purpose, the mean transverse momenta and the differential proton-to-[Formula: see text] ratio are discussed as a function of the multiplicity of the event. The short-lived K[Formula: see text] is measured to investigate re-scattering effects, believed to be related to the size of the system and to the lifetime of the hadronic phase.

The Nucleosome Remodeling and Deacetylase Complex NuRD Is Built from Preformed Catalytically Active Sub-modules

The nucleosome remodeling deacetylase (NuRD) complex is a highly conserved regulator of chromatin structure and transcription. Structural studies have shed light on this and other chromatin modifying machines, but much less is known about how they assemble and whether stable and functional sub-modules exist that retain enzymatic activity. Purification of the endogenous Drosophila NuRD complex shows that it consists of a stable core of subunits, while others, in particular the chromatin remodeler CHD4, associate transiently. To dissect the assembly and activity of NuRD, we systematically produced all possible combinations of different components using the MultiBac system, and determined their activity and biophysical properties. We carried out single-molecule imaging of CHD4 in live mouse embryonic stem cells, in the presence and absence of one of core components (MBD3), to show how the core deacetylase and chromatin-remodeling sub-modules associate in vivo. Our experiments suggest a pathway for the assembly of NuRD via preformed and active sub-modules. These retain enzymatic activity and are present in both the nucleus and the cytosol, an outcome with important implications for understanding NuRD function.

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We have studied Drosophila nucleosome remodeling deacetylase (NuRD) assembly.

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NuRD consists of a core deacetylase complex, where MTA-like acts as the scaffold.

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This transiently associates with a chromatin remodeling sub-module including CHD4.

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Single-molecule imaging shows that the two sub-modules associate through MBD-like.

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NuRD comprises catalytically active sub-modules in both the cytosol and the nucleus.

Inclusive quarkonium production at forward rapidity in pp collisions at [Formula: see text]TeV

We report on the inclusive production cross sections of [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text](1S), [Formula: see text](2S) and [Formula: see text](3S), measured at forward rapidity with the ALICE detector in [Formula: see text] collisions at a center-of-mass energy [Formula: see text] TeV. The analysis is based on data collected at the LHC and corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 1.23 pb[Formula: see text]. Quarkonia are reconstructed in the dimuon-decay channel. The differential production cross sections are measured as a function of the transverse momentum [Formula: see text] and rapidity y, over the [Formula: see text] ranges [Formula: see text] GeV/c for [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text] GeV/c for all other resonances, and for [Formula: see text]. The cross sections, integrated over [Formula: see text] and y, and assuming unpolarized quarkonia, are [Formula: see text] [Formula: see text]b, [Formula: see text] [Formula: see text]b, [Formula: see text] nb, [Formula: see text] nb and [Formula: see text] nb, where the first uncertainty is statistical and the second one is systematic. These values agree, within at most [Formula: see text], with measurements performed by the LHCb collaboration in the same rapidity range.

Anisotropic Flow of Charged Particles in Pb-Pb Collisions at √[s{NN}]=5.02 TeV

We report the first results of elliptic (v_{2}), triangular (v_{3}), and quadrangular (v_{4}) flow of charged particles in Pb-Pb collisions at a center-of-mass energy per nucleon pair of sqrt[s_{NN}]=5.02  TeV with the ALICE detector at the CERN Large Hadron Collider. The measurements are performed in the central pseudorapidity region |η|<0.8 and for the transverse momentum range 0.2<p_{T}<5  GeV/c. The anisotropic flow is measured using two-particle correlations with a pseudorapidity gap greater than one unit and with the multiparticle cumulant method. Compared to results from Pb-Pb collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=2.76  TeV, the anisotropic flow coefficients v_{2}, v_{3}, and v_{4} are found to increase by (3.0±0.6)%, (4.3±1.4)%, and (10.2±3.8)%, respectively, in the centrality range 0%-50%. This increase can be attributed mostly to an increase of the average transverse momentum between the two energies. The measurements are found to be compatible with hydrodynamic model calculations. This comparison provides a unique opportunity to test the validity of the hydrodynamic picture and the power to further discriminate between various possibilities for the temperature dependence of shear viscosity to entropy density ratio of the produced matter in heavy-ion collisions at the highest energies.

Multiplicity and transverse momentum evolution of charge-dependent correlations in pp, p-Pb, and Pb-Pb collisions at the LHC

We report on two-particle charge-dependent correlations in pp, p-Pb, and Pb-Pb collisions as a function of the pseudorapidity and azimuthal angle difference, [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] respectively. These correlations are studied using the balance function that probes the charge creation time and the development of collectivity in the produced system. The dependence of the balance function on the event multiplicity as well as on the trigger and associated particle transverse momentum ([Formula: see text]) in pp, p-Pb, and Pb-Pb collisions at [Formula: see text] 7, 5.02, and 2.76 TeV, respectively, are presented. In the low transverse momentum region, for [Formula: see text] GeV/c, the balance function becomes narrower in both [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] directions in all three systems for events with higher multiplicity. The experimental findings favor models that either incorporate some collective behavior (e.g. AMPT) or different mechanisms that lead to effects that resemble collective behavior (e.g. PYTHIA8 with color reconnection). For higher values of transverse momenta the balance function becomes even narrower but exhibits no multiplicity dependence, indicating that the observed narrowing with increasing multiplicity at low [Formula: see text] is a feature of bulk particle production.

The epidemiological advantage of preferential targeting of tuberculosis control at the poor

Tuberculosis (TB) remains disproportionately concentrated among the poor, yet known determinants of TB reactivation may fail to explain observed disparities in disease rates according to wealth. Reviewing data on TB disparities in India and the wealth distribution of known TB risk factors, we describe how social mixing patterns could be contributing to TB disparities. Wealth-assortative mixing, whereby individuals are more likely to be in contact with others from similar socio-economic backgrounds, amplifies smaller differences in risk of TB, resulting in large population-level disparities. As disparities and assortativeness increase, TB becomes more difficult to control, an effect that is obscured by looking at population averages of epidemiological parameters, such as case detection rates. We illustrate how TB control efforts may benefit from preferential targeting toward the poor. In India, an equivalent-scale intervention could have a substantially greater impact if targeted at those living below the poverty line than with a population-wide strategy. In addition to potential efficiencies in targeting higher-risk populations, TB control efforts would lead to a greater reduction in secondary TB cases per primary case diagnosed if they were preferentially targeted at the poor. We highlight the need to collect programmatic data on TB disparities and explicitly incorporate equity considerations into TB control plans.