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1.
Environ Monit Assess ; 195(11): 1396, 2023 Nov 01.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37910325

ABSTRACT

This study examined the accumulation of potentially toxic elements (PTE) in oil palm (Elaeis guineensis) biomass, fruits, and soils. About 40 soil samples to a depth of 40 cm and 90 palm biomass samples from roots, leaves/stems, and fruits were collected from reclaimed tailings dam and control sites at two mining areas in southwestern Ghana. PTE concentrations and pollution indices were analyzed via various inferential statistics. The PTE (As, Fe, Zn, Mn, and Cu) concentrations in the palm roots were significantly higher (p < 0.001) than in the soil at Ghana Manganese Company (GMC) Ltd, Nsuta except for As which was significantly higher (p < 0.0001) in the fruits than the soil. Soil PTE concentration was however significantly higher (p < 0.0001) than that of the roots, leaves, and fruits at the Bogoso tailings dam. The contamination factors, enrichment factors, geoaccumulation indices, and pollution load index (PLI) of soils at the tailings dam and reclaimed sites were significantly higher than the control sites. The PLI of the reclaimed tailings and control sites at Bogoso were 17.98 ± 0.56 and 6.06 ± 0.58, respectively, implying the soils at Bogoso are severely polluted with As, Fe, Zn, and Mn while those of the GMC are unpolluted. Bioaccumulation factors were significantly higher in roots than in the leaves and fruits (p < 0.0001) and were greater than 2 at GMC. The translocation of Cu and As to the fruits was significantly high on both study locations with TF of As = 9 at GMC. PTE accumulation in the palm biomass reduced soil PTE concentrations, but the soils on these mined spoils were severely polluted. These high As contents, in the fruits, may contaminate the food chain and increase PTE-related health risks among human populations. Therefore, phytoremediation of mine spoils with oil palm should be done with caution. Experimental studies to examine soil amendment effects on PTE accumulation capacity or removal efficacy by the palm plants at various ages are recommended.


Subject(s)
Arecaceae , Metals, Heavy , Soil Pollutants , Humans , Metals, Heavy/analysis , Soil , Ghana , Environmental Monitoring , Soil Pollutants/analysis , Manganese , Biodegradation, Environmental
2.
Eur Heart J Suppl ; 22(Suppl H): H47-H49, 2020 Aug.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-32884468

ABSTRACT

To determine the proportion with hypertension among opportunistic screenees in the Republic of the Congo. This cross-sectional study was conducted in Republic of the Congo in May 2018. This screening was done in urban and rural areas that included Brazzaville, Pointe-Noire, District of Ngoyo, and District of Nkayi. The study protocol was provided by the International Society of Hypertension, and local ethical clearance was obtained. The data were processed by the May Measurement Month global project team. In total, 6169 people were screened, 2418 of which were female (39.2%). Most of the people screened were from 18 to 29 years old (n = 4184, 67.8%). The proportion of hypertension found was 22.2% (n = 1371). Among the hypertensive patients, 40.2% were aware of their hypertension, but only 493 (36.0%) were on antihypertensive treatment, and only 16.0% were controlled. The frequency of diabetes was 2.2% (n = 135), 2.3% (n = 139) had a previous stroke, and overweight and obesity were present in 15.4% (n = 952) and 7.3% (n = 449), respectively. Hypertension is frequent in the Republic of the Congo, and levels of awareness, treatment and control are low. Actions are needed to increase access of all to a correct diagnosis and treatment of hypertension to achieve universal health coverage.

3.
Eur Heart J Suppl ; 21(Suppl D): D44-D46, 2019 Apr.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-31043875

ABSTRACT

Hypertension (HT) is a growing burden worldwide, leading to over 10 million deaths each year. In Brazzaville, the prevalence of HT was 32.5% in 2004. The mortality for stroke in 2008 and heart failure in 2013 were, respectively, 24% and 20.2%. May Measurement Month (MMM) is a global initiative initiated by the International Society of Hypertension aimed at raising awareness of HT and to act as a temporary solution to the lack of screening programmes worldwide. An opportunistic cross-sectional survey of volunteers aged ≥18 was carried out in May 2017. Blood pressure (BP) measurement, the definition of HT and statistical analysis followed the standard MMM protocol. The screening was carried out in Brazzaville, and the screening sites were distributed in different districts of the city in public places and health facilities. A total of 3842 individuals were screened during MMM17. After multiple imputations, 1576 (41.0%) had HT. About 956 (29.7%) individuals not receiving anti-hypertensive medication, were hypertensive. Four hundred and nine (66.0%) individuals receiving anti-hypertensive medication, had uncontrolled BP. Systolic and diastolic BPs after adjustment for age and sex differed significantly in association with use of anti-hypertensive medication (P < 0.0001), previous stroke (P = 0.001 for systolic), and waist circumference (P < 0.0001). MMM17 was the largest BP screening campaign undertaken in Congo. Almost one-third of screenees had untreated HT, and two-thirds of treated hypertensives were not well controlled. These results suggest that opportunistic screening can identify significant numbers with raised BP.

4.
Am J Physiol Cell Physiol ; 315(3): C310-C318, 2018 09 01.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-29768046

ABSTRACT

The aim of this study was to determine the role of titin in preventing the development of sarcomere length nonuniformities following activation and after active and passive stretch by determining the effect of partial titin degradation on sarcomere length nonuniformities and force in passive and active myofibrils. Selective partial titin degradation was performed using a low dose of trypsin. Myofibrils were set at a sarcomere length of 2.4 µm and then passively stretched to sarcomere lengths of 3.4 and 4.4 µm. In the active condition, myofibrils were set at a sarcomere length of 2.8 µm, activated, and actively stretched by 1 µm/sarcomere. The extent of sarcomere length nonuniformities was calculated for each sarcomere as the absolute difference between sarcomere length and the mean sarcomere length of the myofibril. Our main finding is that partial titin degradation does not increase sarcomere length nonuniformities after passive stretch and activation compared with when titin is intact but increases the extent of sarcomere length nonuniformities after active stretch. Furthermore, when titin was partially degraded, active and passive stresses were substantially reduced. These results suggest that titin plays a crucial role in actively stretched myofibrils and is likely involved in active and passive force production.


Subject(s)
Connectin/metabolism , Muscle Proteins/metabolism , Myofibrils/metabolism , Sarcomeres/metabolism , Sarcomeres/physiology , Animals , Female , Mechanical Phenomena , Muscle Contraction/physiology , Rabbits
5.
Phys Rev Lett ; 120(21): 211804, 2018 May 25.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-29883176

ABSTRACT

The Majorana Demonstrator is an ultralow-background experiment searching for neutrinoless double-beta decay in ^{76}Ge. The heavily shielded array of germanium detectors, placed nearly a mile underground at the Sanford Underground Research Facility in Lead, South Dakota, also allows searches for new exotic physics. Free, relativistic, lightly ionizing particles with an electrical charge less than e are forbidden by the standard model but predicted by some of its extensions. If such particles exist, they might be detected in the Majorana Demonstrator by searching for multiple-detector events with individual-detector energy depositions down to 1 keV. This search is background-free, and no candidate events have been found in 285 days of data taking. New direct-detection limits are set for the flux of lightly ionizing particles for charges as low as e/1000.

6.
Phys Rev Lett ; 120(13): 132502, 2018 Mar 30.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-29694188

ABSTRACT

The Majorana Collaboration is operating an array of high purity Ge detectors to search for neutrinoless double-ß decay in ^{76}Ge. The Majorana Demonstrator comprises 44.1 kg of Ge detectors (29.7 kg enriched in ^{76}Ge) split between two modules contained in a low background shield at the Sanford Underground Research Facility in Lead, South Dakota. Here we present results from data taken during construction, commissioning, and the start of full operations. We achieve unprecedented energy resolution of 2.5 keV FWHM at Q_{ßß} and a very low background with no observed candidate events in 9.95 kg yr of enriched Ge exposure, resulting in a lower limit on the half-life of 1.9×10^{25} yr (90% C.L.). This result constrains the effective Majorana neutrino mass to below 240-520 meV, depending on the matrix elements used. In our experimental configuration with the lowest background, the background is 4.0_{-2.5}^{+3.1} counts/(FWHM t yr).

7.
Phys Rev Lett ; 118(16): 161801, 2017 Apr 21.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-28474933

ABSTRACT

We present new limits on exotic keV-scale physics based on 478 kg d of Majorana Demonstrator commissioning data. Constraints at the 90% confidence level are derived on bosonic dark matter (DM) and solar axion couplings, Pauli exclusion principle violating (PEPV) decay, and electron decay using monoenergetic peak signal limits above our background. Our most stringent DM constraints are set for 11.8 keV mass particles, limiting g_{Ae}<4.5×10^{-13} for pseudoscalars and (α^{'}/α)<9.7×10^{-28} for vectors. We also report a 14.4 keV solar axion coupling limit of g_{AN}^{eff}×g_{Ae}<3.8×10^{-17}, a 1/2ß^{2}<8.5×10^{-48} limit on the strength of PEPV electron transitions, and a lower limit on the electron lifetime of τ_{e}>1.2×10^{24} yr for e^{-}→ invisible.

8.
Phys Rev Lett ; 114(9): 098301, 2015 Mar 06.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-25793857

ABSTRACT

We study the emergence of discontinuous shear thickening (DST) in cornstarch by combining macroscopic rheometry with local magnetic resonance imaging measurements. We bring evidence that macroscopic DST is observed only when the flow separates into a low-density flowing and a high-density jammed region. In the shear-thickened steady state, the local rheology in the flowing region is not DST but, strikingly, is often shear thinning. Our data thus show that the stress jump measured during DST, in cornstarch, does not capture a secondary, high-viscosity branch of the local steady rheology but results from the existence of a shear jamming limit at volume fractions quite significantly below random close packing.

10.
JAMA Oncol ; 10(5): 594-602, 2024 May 01.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38451492

ABSTRACT

Importance: Combination androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) with radiotherapy is commonly used for patients with localized and advanced prostate cancer. Objective: To assess the efficacy and safety of the oral gonadotropin-releasing hormone antagonist relugolix with radiotherapy for treating prostate cancer. Design, Setting, and Participants: This multicenter post hoc analysis of patients with localized and advanced prostate cancer receiving radiotherapy in 2 randomized clinical trials (a phase 2 trial of relugolix vs degarelix, and a subset of the phase 3 HERO trial of relugolix vs leuprolide acetate) included men who were receiving radiotherapy and short-term (24 weeks) ADT (n = 103) from 2014 to 2015 and men receiving radiotherapy and longer-term (48 weeks) ADT (n = 157) from 2017 to 2019. The data were analyzed in November 2022. Interventions: Patients receiving short-term ADT received relugolix, 120 mg, orally once daily (320-mg loading dose) or degarelix, 80 mg, 4-week depot (240-mg loading dose) for 24 weeks with 12 weeks of follow-up. Patients receiving longer-term ADT received relugolix, 120 mg, orally once daily (360-mg loading dose) or leuprolide acetate injections every 12 weeks for 48 weeks, with up to 90 days of follow-up. Main Outcomes and Measures: Castration rate (testosterone level <50 ng/dL [to convert to nmol/L, multiply by 0.0347) at all scheduled visits between weeks 5 and 25 for patients receiving short-term ADT and weeks 5 and 49 for patients receiving longer-term ADT. Results: Of 260 patients (38 Asian [14.6%], 23 Black or African American [8.8%], 21 Hispanic [8.1%], and 188 White [72.3%] individuals), 164 (63.1%) received relugolix. Relugolix achieved castration rates of 95% (95% CI, 87.1%-99.0%) and 97% (95% CI, 90.6%-99.0%) among patients receiving short-term and longer-term ADT, respectively. Twelve weeks post-short-term relugolix, 34 (52%) achieved testosterone levels to baseline or more than 280 ng/dL. Ninety days post longer-term ADT, mean (SD) testosterone levels were 310.5 (122.4) (106.7) ng/dL (relugolix; n = 15) vs 53.0 ng/dL (leuprolide acetate; n = 8) among the subset assessed for testosterone recovery. Castration resistance-free survival was not statistically different between the relugolix and leuprolide acetate cohorts (hazard ratio, 0.97; 95% CI, 0.35-2.72; P = .62). Adverse events grade 3 or greater for short-term or longer-term relugolix (headache, hypertension, and atrial fibrillation) were uncommon (less than 5%). Conclusions and Relevance: The results of these 2 randomized clinical trials suggest that relugolix rapidly achieves sustained castration in patients with localized and advanced prostate cancer receiving radiotherapy. No new safety concerns were identified when relugolix was used with radiotherapy.


Subject(s)
Androgen Antagonists , Prostatic Neoplasms , Humans , Male , Prostatic Neoplasms/drug therapy , Prostatic Neoplasms/radiotherapy , Prostatic Neoplasms/pathology , Aged , Middle Aged , Androgen Antagonists/therapeutic use , Androgen Antagonists/adverse effects , Treatment Outcome , Leuprolide/therapeutic use , Leuprolide/adverse effects , Leuprolide/administration & dosage , Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal/therapeutic use , Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal/adverse effects , Aged, 80 and over , Oligopeptides/therapeutic use , Oligopeptides/adverse effects , Phenylurea Compounds , Pyrimidinones
11.
Eur Urol Oncol ; 2024 Jan 24.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38272747

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Darolutamide is an androgen receptor inhibitor that increases overall survival in combination with androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) in patients with metastatic hormone-sensitive and nonmetastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (PCa). This phase 2 study assessed the efficacy and safety of darolutamide as monotherapy without ADT in patients with eugonadal testosterone levels. METHODS: This was a 24-wk, open-label, randomized study of patients with hormone-sensitive, histologically confirmed PCa requiring gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH); an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status score of 0/1; and life expectancy >1 yr. All patients received darolutamide 600 mg bid or a commercially available GnRH analog. The primary endpoint is a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) response, defined as a ≥80% decline at week 24 relative to baseline in the darolutamide study arm. The GnRH arm is used as an internal control. The secondary endpoints included changes in T levels, safety/tolerability, and quality of life. KEY FINDINGS AND LIMITATIONS: Among 61 men enrolled, the median (range) age was 72 yr (53-86 yr); 42.6% of them had metastases. In the darolutamide arm, the evaluable population with available PSA values at baseline and week 24 consisted of 23 patients. Twenty-three (100%) evaluable darolutamide patients achieved a PSA decline of >80% at week 24 (primary endpoint), with a median (range) decrease of -99.1% (-91.9%, -100%). Serum T levels increased by a median (range) of 44.3 (5.7-144.0) at week 24, compared with baseline. In the darolutamide arm, 48.4% of men reported drug-related adverse events (AEs; mostly grade 1 or 2). The most frequent treatment-emergent AEs included gynecomastia (35.5%), fatigue (12.9%), hot flush (12.9%), and hypertension (12.9%). Health-related quality of life measures are descriptive, and GnRH arm results will be presented as an internal reference. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Darolutamide monotherapy was associated with a significant PSA response in nearly all men with hormone-naïve PCa. Testosterone-level changes and most common AEs (gynecomastia, fatigue, hypertension, and hot flush) were consistent with potent androgen receptor inhibition. PATIENT SUMMARY: In this study, we report the first use of darolutamide, a novel antiandrogen, as monotherapy without androgen deprivation therapy (ADT). The study shows that darolutamide induce a profound suppression of prostate-specific antigen in all patients, with a safety profile different from that of ADT.

12.
Phys Rev Lett ; 110(6): 067210, 2013 Feb 08.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-23432305

ABSTRACT

We report on NMR and torque measurements on the frustrated quasi-two-dimensional spin-dimer system SrCu(2)(BO(3))(2) in magnetic fields up to 34 T that reveal a sequence of magnetization plateaus at 1/8, 2/15, 1/6, and 1/4 of the saturation and two incommensurate phases below and above the 1/6 plateau. The magnetic structures determined by NMR involve a stripe order of triplets in all plateaus, suggesting that the incommensurate phases originate from proliferation of domain walls. We propose that the magnetization process of SrCu(2)(BO(3))(2) is best described as an incomplete devil's staircase.

13.
Phys Rev Lett ; 110(15): 157208, 2013 Apr 12.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-25167309

ABSTRACT

We have determined the terahertz spectrum of the chiral langasite Ba3NbFe3Si2O14 by means of synchrotron-radiation measurements. Two excitations are revealed that are shown to have a different nature. The first one, purely magnetic, is observed at low temperature in the magnetically ordered phase and is assigned to a magnon. The second one persists far into the paramagnetic phase and exhibits both an electric and a magnetic activity at slightly different energies. This magnetoelectric excitation is interpreted in terms of atomic rotations and requires a helical electric polarization.

14.
Am J Cardiol ; 188: 1-6, 2023 02 01.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36446226

ABSTRACT

This study aimed to explore contemporary in-hospital outcomes and trends of transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) outcomes in patients with baseline right bundle branch block (RBBB) using data collected from a nationwide sample. Using the National Inpatient Sample, we identified patients hospitalized for an index TAVI procedure from 2016 to 2019. Primary outcomes included in-hospital all-cause mortality, complete heart block, and permanent pacemaker (PPM) implantation. A total of 199,895 hospitalizations for TAVI were identified. RBBB was present in 10,495 cases (5.3%). Patients with RBBB were older (median age 81 vs 80 years, p <0.001) and less likely to be female (35% vs 47.4%, p <0.001). After adjusting for differences in baseline characteristics and elective versus nonelective admission, patients with RBBB had a higher incidence of complete heart block (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 4.77, confidence interval [CI] 4.55 to 5.01, p <0.001) and PPM implantation (aOR 4.15, CI 3.95 to 4.35, p <0.001) and no difference in-hospital mortality rate (aOR 0.85, CI 0.69 to 1.05, p = 0.137). Between 2016 and 2019, there was a 3.5% and 2.9% decrease in in-hospital PPM implantation in patients with and without RBBB, respectively. In conclusion, from 2016 to 2019, the rate of in-hospital PPM implantation decreased during index TAVI hospitalization in both patients with and without RBBB. However, in those with baseline RBBB, complete heart block complication rates requiring PPM implantation remain relatively high. Further research and advances are needed to continue to reduce complication rates and the need for PPM implantation.


Subject(s)
Aortic Valve Stenosis , Atrioventricular Block , Heart Valve Prosthesis , Pacemaker, Artificial , Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement , Humans , Female , Aged, 80 and over , Male , Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement/adverse effects , Bundle-Branch Block/etiology , Pacemaker, Artificial/adverse effects , Atrioventricular Block/etiology , Hospitals , Aortic Valve/surgery , Treatment Outcome , Heart Valve Prosthesis/adverse effects , Risk Factors
15.
Patient ; 16(6): 607-623, 2023 Nov.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37566214

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Treatment options for patients with metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer (mHSPC) have broadened, and treatment decisions can have a long-lasting impact on patients' quality of life. Data on patient preferences can improve therapeutic decision-making by helping physicians suggest treatments that align with patients' values and needs. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to quantify patient preferences for attributes of chemohormonal therapies among patients with mHSPC in the USA, Canada, and the UK. METHODS: A discrete-choice experiment survey instrument was developed and administered to patients with high- and very-high-risk localized prostate cancer and mHSPC. Patients chose between baseline androgen-deprivation therapy (ADT) alone and experimentally designed, hypothetical treatment alternatives representing chemohormonal therapies. Choices were analyzed using logit models to derive the relative importance of attributes for each country and to evaluate differences and similarities among patients across countries. RESULTS: A total of 550 respondents completed the survey (USA, 200; Canada, 200; UK, 150); the mean age of respondents was 64.3 years. Treatment choices revealed that patients were most concerned with treatment efficacy. However, treatment-related convenience factors, such as route of drug administration and frequency of monitoring visits, were as important as some treatment-related side effects, such as skin rash, nausea, and fatigue. Patient preferences across countries were similar, although patients in Canada appeared to be more affected by concomitant steroid use. CONCLUSION: Patients with mHSPC believe the use of ADT alone is insufficient when more effective treatments are available. Efficacy is the most significant driver of patient choices. Treatment-related convenience factors can be as important as safety concerns for patients.

16.
Prostate Cancer Prostatic Dis ; 25(2): 288-295, 2022 02.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-34518652

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Fatigue is a multifactorial symptom commonly reported by patients with prostate cancer as a result of disease and treatment. This study assesses the impact enzalutamide has on patient-reported fatigue ("fatigue") by using patient-reported outcomes from four pivotal, placebo-controlled trials of enzalutamide (ARCHES (NCT02677896), PROSPER (NCT02003924), PREVAIL (NCT01212991), and AFFIRM (NCT00974311)). METHODS: Fatigue was assessed in the individual studies using the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Prostate item GP1 at baseline, weeks 13 or 17, and every 12 weeks until disease progression. Longitudinal changes were assessed using mean scores and mixed-model repeated measures. RESULTS: The fatigue rates at baseline were higher in patients with later-stage disease (metastatic and/or castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC)) and among patients who had already received prior treatment lines; rates ranged between 58% in PROSPER (nonmetastatic CRPC) and 86% in AFFIRM (post-docetaxel metastatic CRPC). Irrespective of disease state, initiation of enzalutamide or placebo resulted in an early increase of fatigue (by weeks 13 or 17), with fatigue levels stabilizing thereafter. At last assessment, ≥55% of patients reported fatigue improvement or stabilization in all trials compared to baseline. More patients reported fatigue worsening by ≥1 or ≥2 units with enzalutamide plus androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) than with placebo plus ADT in ARCHES, PROSPER, and PREVAIL, but the between-group difference was <10% in all trials. CONCLUSIONS: The levels of fatigue were greater in mCRPC and lower in earlier states of disease. In all trials, patients reported a small increase in fatigue for the first 13-17 weeks after starting enzalutamide or placebo, with slightly greater fatigue with enzalutamide in all studies except AFFIRM, but fatigue stabilized or improved thereafter. This suggests a role for clinical management of fatigue to help patients cope early in treatment.


Subject(s)
Prostatic Neoplasms, Castration-Resistant , Androgen Antagonists/therapeutic use , Benzamides , Fatigue/drug therapy , Fatigue/etiology , Humans , Male , Nitriles/therapeutic use , Patient Reported Outcome Measures , Phenylthiohydantoin , Prostatic Neoplasms, Castration-Resistant/complications , Prostatic Neoplasms, Castration-Resistant/drug therapy , Prostatic Neoplasms, Castration-Resistant/pathology , Treatment Outcome
17.
J Eur CME ; 11(1): 2153438, 2022.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36465494

ABSTRACT

The PinPoint Case Platform (PPCP) offers independent online case-based CME. To align with personal learning needs, a functionality of needs assessments ("QuickScan") was developed, directing users to follow personalised case journeys. A randomised study was conducted, comparing its effectiveness, time efficiency and user experience with a format of non-individualised case-based learning. Forty-two residents in urology from five European countries were randomly assigned to follow non-individualised case-based learning (control group) or a needs assessment plus personalised case journeys on different topics in prostate cancer. After performing a pre- and post-assessment, both groups showed a similar increase in test scores (Mann-Whitney U = 247; p = .113), but the time needed for completing the learning exercise was significantly lower in the group with the personalised approach (median: 45 vs 90 minutes; Mann-Whitney U = 97.5; p = .0141). The quality of the two learning methods was similarly well received by both groups. In conclusion, learners who followed personalised case journeys learned similarly effective but more time efficient than non-individualised case-based learners. Future studies should determine if these findings can be extrapolated to board-certified physicians following CME activities.

18.
Eur Phys J C Part Fields ; 82(3): 226, 2022.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-35310515

ABSTRACT

P-type point contact (PPC) HPGe detectors are a leading technology for rare event searches due to their excellent energy resolution, low thresholds, and multi-site event rejection capabilities. We have characterized a PPC detector's response to α particles incident on the sensitive passivated and p + surfaces, a previously poorly-understood source of background. The detector studied is identical to those in the Majorana Demonstrator experiment, a search for neutrinoless double-beta decay ( 0 ν ß ß ) in 76 Ge. α decays on most of the passivated surface exhibit significant energy loss due to charge trapping, with waveforms exhibiting a delayed charge recovery (DCR) signature caused by the slow collection of a fraction of the trapped charge. The DCR is found to be complementary to existing methods of α identification, reliably identifying α background events on the passivated surface of the detector. We demonstrate effective rejection of all surface α events (to within statistical uncertainty) with a loss of only 0.2% of bulk events by combining the DCR discriminator with previously-used methods. The DCR discriminator has been used to reduce the background rate in the 0 ν ß ß region of interest window by an order of magnitude in the Majorana Demonstrator  and will be used in the upcoming LEGEND-200 experiment.

19.
Drug Dev Ind Pharm ; 37(2): 234-42, 2011 Feb.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-20704461

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Magnesium stearate (MgSt) is widely used as a lubricant in the production of tablets. However, the amount added to a formulation is often too high or it is poorly mixed, which can lead to the production of tablets whose properties are out of specifications. METHOD: The objective of this work was to investigate by means of a new method based on gamma-ray flux measurement and to study the impact of the amount of MgSt on the mass, thickness, hardness, friability, and disintegration time of tablets containing a 50 : 50 wt.% microcrystalline cellulose and spray-dried lactose pre-blend. Other blends were lubricated with sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) to compare the performance of the two lubricants in equal amounts. RESULTS: It was observed that, contrary to SLS, a greater amount of MgSt increased the variability of the tablet mass. The tablet hardness decreased with an increasing amount of MgSt, whereas it remained relatively unaffected by the presence of SLS. No solid conclusion could be drawn concerning the relationship between the lubricant concentration and the tablet friability. CONCLUSION: An amount of 0.25 wt.% MgSt and 0.75 wt.% SLS were found to be sufficient amounts of lubricants to obtain a proper compression.


Subject(s)
Lubricants/chemistry , Stearic Acids/chemistry , Technology, Pharmaceutical/methods , Cellulose/chemistry , Excipients/chemistry , Gamma Rays , Hardness , Lactose/chemistry , Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate/chemistry , Tablets , Time Factors
20.
Rev Sci Instrum ; 92(10): 105005, 2021 Oct 01.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-34717435

ABSTRACT

Low intrinsic noise, high bandwidth, and high accuracy vector magnetometers are key components for many ground or space geophysical applications. Here, we report the design and the test of a 4He vector optically pumped magnetometer specifically dedicated to these needs. It is based on a parametric resonance magnetometer architecture operated in the Earth magnetic field with closed-loop compensation of the three components of the magnetic field. It provides offset-free vector measurements in a ±70 µT range with a DC to 1 kHz bandwidth. We demonstrate a vector sensitivity up to 130 fT/√Hz, which is about ten times better than the best available fluxgate magnetometers currently available for the same targeted applications.

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