Hohlraum Reheating from Burning NIF Implosions.

As fusion experiments at the National Ignition Facility (NIF) approach and exceed breakeven, energy from the burning capsule is predicted to couple to the gold walls and reheat the hohlraum. On December 5, 2022, experiment N221204 exceeded target breakeven, historically achieving 3.15 MJ of fusion energy from 2.05 MJ of laser drive; for the first time, energy from the igniting capsule reheated the hohlraum beyond the peak laser-driven radiation temperature of 313 eV to a peak of 350 eV, in less than half a nanosecond. This reheating effect has now been unambiguously observed by the two independent Dante calorimeter systems across multiple experiments, and is shown to result from reheating of the remnant tungsten-doped ablator by the exploding core, which is heated by alpha deposition.

Twist and strain tuning of third harmonic generation in glass nanostrand with two sub-wavelength hollow channels.

A major challenge in third harmonic generation and its converse, parametric down-conversion, is how to arrange phase matching between signals at ω and 3ω while maintaining a high nonlinear overlap. In this Letter, we present a design consisting of a nanostrand of glass with two hollow channels. The fundamental and third harmonic modal fields, enhanced in the region between the channels, have high nonlinear overlap, while the phase-matching wavelength can be coarse-tuned by gas pressure and fine-tuned by axial strain and mechanical twist, which, remarkably, have opposite effects. The ability to adjust the phase-matching condition may facilitate efficient generation of entangled photon triplets.

Lower serum adiponectin level is associated with lipodystrophy among HIV-infected men in the Study to Understand the Natural History of HIV/AIDS in the Era of Effective Therapy (SUN) study.

OBJECTIVES: Adiponectin levels are inversely related to cardiovascular risk and are low in diabetics and obese persons. We examined the association between adiponectin concentration and HIV-associated lipodystrophy, which remains unclear. METHODS: The Study to Understand the Natural History of HIV/AIDS in the Era of Effective Therapy (SUN) was a prospective cohort study of HIV-infected adults conducted in four US cities. Lean body and fat masses were assessed using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry scans. Using baseline data from 2004 to 2006, we defined lipodystrophy using a sex-specific fat mass ratio and performed cross-sectional analyses of associated risks using multivariable logistic regression. RESULTS: Among 440 male participants (median age 42 years; 68% non-Hispanic white; 88% prescribed combination antiretroviral therapy; median CD4 lymphocyte count 468 cells/µL; 76% with viral load < 400 HIV-1 RNA copies/mL; 5% diabetic; median body mass index 25 kg/m2 ), median concentrations of leptin and adiponectin were 3.04 ng/L [interquartile range (IQR) 1.77-5.43 ng/L] and 8005 µg/mL (IQR 4950-11 935 µg/mL), respectively. The prevalence of lipodystrophy was 14%. Lipodystrophy was significantly associated with increasing age [prevalence ratio (PR) 1.50; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.10-2.06, per 10 years], adiponectin < 8005 µg/mL (PR 5.02; 95% CI 2.53-9.95), ever stavudine use (PR 2.26; 95% CI 1.36-3.75), CD4 cell count > 500 cells/µL (PR 2.59; 95% CI 1.46-4.61), viral load < 400 copies/mL (PR 3.98; 95% CI 1.25-12.6), highly sensitive C-reactive protein < 1.61 mg/L (PR 1.91; 95% CI 1.11-3.28) and smoking (PR 0.42; 95% CI 0.22-0.78). CONCLUSIONS: Among men in this HIV-infected cohort, the prevalence of lipodystrophy was similar to previous estimates for persons living with HIV, and was associated with lower adiponectin levels, potentially indicating increased cardiovascular disease risk.

Solubility Constraints on Aquatic Ecotoxicity Testing of Anionic Surfactants.

In order to develop models that can predict the environmental behavior and effects of chemicals, reliable experimental data are needed. However, for anionic surfactants the number of ecotoxicity studies is still limited. The present study therefore aimed to determine the aquatic ecotoxicity of three classes of anionic surfactants. To this purpose we subjected daphnids (Daphnia magna) for 48 h to alkyl carboxylates (CxCO2-), alkyl sulfonates (CxSO3-), and alkyl sulfates (CxSO4-) with different carbon chain lengths (x). However, all surfactants with x > 11 showed less than 50% immobility at water solubility. Hence, EC50 values for only few surfactants could be gathered: C9CO2- (16 mg L-1), C11CO2- (0.8 mg L-1) and C11SO4- (13.5 mg L-1). Data from these compounds showed an increase in ecotoxicity with a factor 4.5 per addition of a hydrocarbon unit to the alkyl chain, and a factor 20 when replacing the sulfate head group by a carboxylate head group. Unfortunately, we could not test carboxylates with a broader variety of chain lengths because solubility limited the range of chain length that can be tested.

Targeting granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor in epithelial and vascular remodeling in experimental eosinophilic esophagitis.

BACKGROUND: Eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) is a chronic antigen-mediated clinicopathologic disease of the esophagus characterized by an eosinophil-predominant inflammatory infiltrate. A clinical hallmark is extensive tissue remodeling including basal zone hyperplasia, fibrosis, and angiogenesis. However, the cellular mechanisms responsible for these processes are not fully defined. We hypothesized that targeting granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF; an agonist cytokine linked with eosinophil survival and activation) would be protective in a preclinical model of EoE. METHODS: Eosinophilic esophagitis-like esophageal inflammation was induced in the L2-IL5OXA EoE mouse model, and GM-CSF production was assessed by mRNA and protein analyses. Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor-receptor-alpha expression patterns were examined by flow cytometric and immunofluorescence analysis. L2-IL5OXA EoE mice were treated with anti-GM-CSF neutralizing antibody or isotype control and assessed for histopathological indices of eosinophilia, epithelial hyperplasia, and angiogenesis by immunohistochemistry and RT-PCR. RESULTS: Significantly increased levels of esophageal GM-CSF expression was detected in the L2-IL5OXA mouse EoE model during active inflammation. Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor-receptor-alpha was predominantly expressed on esophageal eosinophils during EoE, in addition to select cells within the lamina propria. Anti-GM-CSF neutralization in L2-IL5OXA EoE mice resulted in a significant diminution of epithelial eosinophilia in addition to basal cell hyperplasia and vascular remodeling. This treatment response was independent of effects on esophageal eosinophil maturation or activation. CONCLUSION: Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor is a potential therapeutic target to reduce esophageal eosinophilia and remodeling.

The Validity of a New Structured Assessment of Gastrointestinal Symptoms Scale (SAGIS) for Evaluating Symptoms in the Clinical Setting.

BACKGROUND: The clinical assessments of patients with gastrointestinal symptoms can be time-consuming, and the symptoms captured during the consultation may be influenced by a variety of patient and non-patient factors. To facilitate standardized symptom assessment in the routine clinical setting, we developed the Structured Assessment of Gastrointestinal Symptom (SAGIS) instrument to precisely characterize symptoms in a routine clinical setting. AIMS: We aimed to validate SAGIS including its reliability, construct and discriminant validity, and utility in the clinical setting. METHODS: Development of the SAGIS consisted of initial interviews with patients referred for the diagnostic work-up of digestive symptoms and relevant complaints identified. The final instrument consisted of 22 items as well as questions on extra intestinal symptoms and was given to 1120 consecutive patients attending a gastroenterology clinic randomly split into derivation (n = 596) and validation datasets (n = 551). Discriminant validity along with test-retest reliability was assessed. The time taken to perform a clinical assessment with and without the SAGIS was recorded along with doctor satisfaction with this tool. RESULTS: Exploratory factor analysis conducted on the derivation sample suggested five symptom constructs labeled as abdominal pain/discomfort (seven items), gastroesophageal reflux disease/regurgitation symptoms (four items), nausea/vomiting (three items), diarrhea/incontinence (five items), and difficult defecation and constipation (2 items). Confirmatory factor analysis conducted on the validation sample supported the initially developed five-factor measurement model ([Formula: see text], p < 0.0001, χ 2/df = 4.6, CFI = 0.90, TLI = 0.88, RMSEA = 0.08). All symptom groups demonstrated differentiation between disease groups. The SAGIS was shown to be reliable over time and resulted in a 38% reduction of the time required for clinical assessment. CONCLUSIONS: The SAGIS instrument has excellent psychometric properties and supports the clinical assessment of and symptom-based categorization of patients with a wide spectrum of gastrointestinal symptoms.

Regulatory T cell frequencies are increased in preterm infants with clinical early-onset sepsis.

The predisposition of preterm neonates to invasive infection is, as yet, incompletely understood. Regulatory T cells (Tregs ) are potential candidates for the ontogenetic control of immune activation and tissue damage in preterm infants. It was the aim of our study to characterize lymphocyte subsets and in particular CD4(+) CD25(+) forkhead box protein 3 (FoxP3)(+) Tregs in peripheral blood of well-phenotyped preterm infants (n = 117; 23 + 0 - 36 + 6 weeks of gestational age) in the first 3 days of life in comparison to term infants and adults. We demonstrated a negative correlation of Treg frequencies and gestational age. Tregs were increased in blood samples of preterm infants compared to term infants and adults. Notably, we found an increased Treg frequency in preterm infants with clinical early-onset sepsis while cause of preterm delivery, e.g. chorioamnionitis, did not affect Treg frequencies. Our data suggest that Tregs apparently play an important role in maintaining maternal-fetal tolerance, which turns into an increased sepsis risk after preterm delivery. Functional analyses are needed in order to elucidate whether Tregs have potential as future target for diagnostics and therapeutics.

Novel characterization of capsule x-ray drive at the National Ignition Facility.

Indirect drive experiments at the National Ignition Facility are designed to achieve fusion by imploding a fuel capsule with x rays from a laser-driven hohlraum. Previous experiments have been unable to determine whether a deficit in measured ablator implosion velocity relative to simulations is due to inadequate models of the hohlraum or ablator physics. ViewFactor experiments allow for the first time a direct measure of the x-ray drive from the capsule point of view. The experiments show a 15%-25% deficit relative to simulations and thus explain nearly all of the disagreement with the velocity data. In addition, the data from this open geometry provide much greater constraints on a predictive model of laser-driven hohlraum performance than the nominal ignition target.

Evidence for associated production of a single top quark and W boson in pp collisions at sqrt[s]=7 TeV.

Evidence is presented for the associated production of a single top quark and W boson in pp collisions at sqrt[s]=7 TeV with the CMS experiment at the LHC. The analyzed data correspond to an integrated luminosity of 4.9 fb(-1). The measurement is performed using events with two leptons and a jet originated from a b quark. A multivariate analysis based on kinematic properties is utilized to separate the tt background from the signal. The observed signal has a significance of 4.0σ and corresponds to a cross section of 16(-4)(+5) pb, in agreement with the standard model expectation of 15.6±0.4(-1.2)(+1.0) pb.

Search for pair production of third-generation leptoquarks and top squarks in pp collisions at sqrt[s] = 7 TeV.

Results are presented from a search for the pair production of third-generation scalar and vector leptoquarks, as well as for top squarks in R-parity-violating supersymmetric models. In either scenario, the new, heavy particle decays into a τ lepton and a b quark. The search is based on a data sample of pp collisions at sqrt[s] = 7 TeV, which is collected by the CMS detector at the LHC and corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 4.8 fb(-1). The number of observed events is found to be in agreement with the standard model prediction, and exclusion limits on mass parameters are obtained at the 95% confidence level. Vector leptoquarks with masses below 760 GeV are excluded and, if the branching fraction of the scalar leptoquark decay to a τ lepton and a b quark is assumed to be unity, third-generation scalar leptoquarks with masses below 525 GeV are ruled out. Top squarks with masses below 453 GeV are excluded for a typical benchmark scenario, and limits on the coupling between the top squark, τ lepton, and b quark, λ(333)(') are obtained. These results are the most stringent for these scenarios to date.

Measurement of the Υ1S, Υ2S, and Υ3S polarizations in pp collisions at sqrt[s] = 7 TeV.

The polarizations of the Υ(1S), Υ(2S), and Υ(3S) mesons are measured in proton-proton collisions at sqrt[s] = 7 TeV, using a data sample of Υ(nS) → µ +µ- decays collected by the CMS experiment, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 4.9 fb(-1). The dimuon decay angular distributions are analyzed in three different polarization frames. The polarization parameters λ[symbol see text], λ(φ), and λ([symbol see text]φ), as well as the frame-invariant quantity λ, are presented as a function of the Υ(nS) transverse momentum between 10 and 50 GeV, in the rapidity ranges |y|<0.6 and 0.6<|y|<1.2. No evidence of large transverse or longitudinal polarizations is seen in the explored kinematic region.

Inclusive search for supersymmetry using razor variables in pp collisions at √s=7 TeV.

An inclusive search is presented for new heavy particle pairs produced in √s=7 TeV proton-proton collisions at the LHC using 4.7±0.1 fb(-1) of integrated luminosity. The selected events are analyzed in the 2D razor space of M(R), an event-by-event indicator of the heavy particle mass scale, and R, a dimensionless variable related to the missing transverse energy. The third-generation sector is probed using the event heavy-flavor content. The search is sensitive to generic supersymmetry models with minimal assumptions about the superpartner decay chains. No excess is observed in the number of events beyond that predicted by the standard model. Exclusion limits are derived in the CMSSM framework as well as for simplified models. Within the CMSSM parameter space considered, gluino masses up to 800 GeV and squark masses up to 1.35 TeV are excluded at 95% confidence level depending on the model parameters. The direct production of pairs of top or bottom squarks is excluded for masses as high as 400 GeV.

Measurement of the azimuthal anisotropy of neutral pions in Pb-Pb collisions at sqrt[s](NN)] = 2.76 TeV.

First measurements of the azimuthal anisotropy of neutral pions produced in Pb-Pb collisions at a center-of-mass energy of sqrt[s(NN)] = 2.76 TeV are presented. The amplitudes of the second Fourier component (v(2)) of the π(0) azimuthal distributions are extracted using an event-plane technique. The values of v(2) are studied as a function of the neutral pion transverse momentum (p(T)) for different classes of collision centrality in the kinematic range 1.6

Computed Analysis of Retinal Vascular Growth After Bevacizumab Treatment of Retinopathy of Prematurity Until Age 3 Years.

PURPOSE: Premature infants, after anti-vascular endothelial growth factor injections for retinopathy of prematurity, have persistent peripheral avascular retina (PAR). PAR is ablated with laser; however, physiologic growth of the retinal vasculature in the long term has not been measured. The purposes of this study were to measure retinal vessel growth after treatment with intravitreal bevacizumab (IVB) for retinopathy of prematurity, using serial fluorescein angiography (FA), until age 3 years, and to assess the timing for providing laser ablation in PAR. METHODS: Data from an observational, longitudinal clinical study were collected. Angiographic images of eyes treated with IVB were included; imaging data from laser photocoagulation were excluded. All eyes underwent initial examination under general anesthesia with FA and photographic imaging. The retinal vessel length was measured from the temporal margin of the optic disc passing through the foveal center, and the lengths at subsequent FA were compared. To compare the changes in retinal vessel length over time in individual eyes, a paired-sample t test was performed. FINDINGS: FA images from 70 eyes (35 infants) treated with IVB were available. A total of 150 FA images were available for review; data from 125 images of good quality were used for analysis. The mean postmenstrual ages (PMAs) at first, second, third, and fourth FA were 66.2, 100.9, 135.1, and 180.7 weeks, respectively. The mean retinal vessel length was 14.177 mm at first FA and 13.199 mm at fourth FA (PMA range, 42...234 weeks). Retinal vascular lengths of individual eyes compared over time showed no statistically significant growth from the first FA to age 3 years. The changes in retinal vessel length from first to second FA were -0.117 ± 0.79 mm (p = 0.42; n = 30); from first to third FA, +0.060 ± 0.85 mm (p = 0.79; n = 15); and first to fourth FA, -0.404 ± 1.32 mm (p = 0.45; n = 7). IMPLICATIONS: Beyond 65 weeks' PMA, no meaningful retinal vascular growth occurred after IVB up to age 3 years, guiding the timing for physicians if laser photocoagulation is being considered. Future studies are needed to address retinal growth changes in the growing eyes of infants.

Search for new physics in the multijet and missing transverse momentum final state in proton-proton collisions at √s = 7 TeV.

A search for physics beyond the standard model is performed in events with at least three jets and large missing transverse momentum produced in proton-proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of √s=7 TeV. No significant excess of events above the expected backgrounds is observed in 4.98 fb(-1) of data collected with the CMS detector at the Large Hadron Collider. The results are presented in the context of the constrained minimal supersymmetric extension of the standard model and more generically for simplified models. For the simplified models of gluino-gluino and squark-squark production, gluino masses below 1.0 TeV and squark masses below 0.76 TeV are excluded in case the lightest supersymmetric particle mass is below 200 GeV. These results significantly extend previous searches.

Measurement of the pseudorapidity and centrality dependence of the transverse energy density in Pb-Pb collisions at √(s(NN))=2.76 TeV.

The transverse energy (E(T)) in Pb-Pb collisions at 2.76 TeV nucleon-nucleon center-of-mass energy (√(s(NN)) has been measured over a broad range of pseudorapidity (η) and collision centrality by using the CMS detector at the LHC. The transverse energy density per unit pseudorapidity (dE(T)/dη) increases faster with collision energy than the charged particle multiplicity. This implies that the mean energy per particle is increasing with collision energy. At all pseudorapidities, the transverse energy per participating nucleon increases with the centrality of the collision. The ratio of transverse energy per unit pseudorapidity in peripheral to central collisions varies significantly as the pseudorapidity increases from η=0 to |η|=5.0. For the 5% most central collisions, the energy density per unit volume is estimated to be about 14 GeV/fm(3) at a time of 1 fm/c after the collision. This is about 100 times larger than normal nuclear matter density and a factor of 2.6 times higher than the energy density reported at √(s(NN))=200 GeV at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider.

Search for a W' or techni-ρ decaying into WZ in pp Collisions at sqrt[s] = 7 TeV.

A search is performed in pp collisions at sqrt[s]=7 TeV for exotic particles decaying via WZ to final states with electrons and muons. The data sample corresponds to an integrated luminosity of approximately 5 fb(-1). No significant excess is observed in the data above the expected standard model background. Upper bounds at 95% confidence level are set on the production cross section of the W' boson described by the sequential standard model and on the W' WZ coupling. W' bosons with masses below 1143 GeV are excluded. Limits are also set in the context of low-scale technicolor models, under a range of assumptions concerning the model parameters.

Observation of sequential Υ suppression in PbPb collisions.

The suppression of the individual Υ(nS) states in PbPb collisions with respect to their yields in pp data has been measured. The PbPb and pp data sets used in the analysis correspond to integrated luminosities of 150 µb(-1) and 230 nb(-1), respectively, collected in 2011 by the CMS experiment at the LHC, at a center-of-mass energy per nucleon pair of 2.76 TeV. The Υ(nS) yields are measured from the dimuon invariant mass spectra. The suppression of the Υ(nS) yields in PbPb relative to the yields in pp, scaled by the number of nucleon-nucleon collisions, R(AA), is measured as a function of the collision centrality. Integrated over centrality, the R(AA) values are 0.56±0.08(stat)±0.07(syst), 0.12±0.04(stat)±0.02(syst), and lower than 0.10 (at 95% confidence level), for the Υ(1S), Υ(2S), and Υ(3S) states, respectively. The results demonstrate the sequential suppression of the Υ(nS) states in PbPb collisions at LHC energies.

Study of the Dijet mass spectrum in pp → W+jets events at sqrt[s] = 7 TeV.

We report an investigation of the invariant mass spectrum of the two jets with highest transverse momentum in pp → W+2-jet and W+3-jet events to look for resonant enhancement. The data sample corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 5.0 fb(-1) collected with the CMS detector at sqrt[s] = 7 TeV. We find no evidence for the anomalous structure reported by the CDF Collaboration, and establish an upper limit of 5.0 pb at 95% confidence level on the production cross section for a generic Gaussian signal with mass near 150 GeV. Additionally, we exclude two theoretical models that predict a CDF-like dijet resonance near 150 GeV.

Search for heavy neutrinos and W(R) bosons with right-handed couplings in a left-right symmetric model in pp collisions at sqrt[s]=7 TeV.

Results are presented from a search for heavy, right-handed muon neutrinos, N(µ), and right-handed W(R) bosons, which arise in the left-right symmetric extensions of the standard model. The analysis is based on a 5.0 fb(-1) sample of proton-proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 7 TeV, collected by the CMS detector at the Large Hadron Collider. No evidence is observed for an excess of events over the standard model expectation. For models with exact left-right symmetry, heavy right-handed neutrinos are excluded at 95% confidence level for a range of neutrino masses below the W(R) mass, dependent on the value of M(W(R)). The excluded region in the two-dimensional (M(W(R)), M(N(µ)) mass plane extends to M(W(R))=2.5 TeV.