Demonstrating Agreement between Radio and Fluorescence Measurements of the Depth of Maximum of Extensive Air Showers at the Pierre Auger Observatory.

We show, for the first time, radio measurements of the depth of shower maximum (X_{max}) of air showers induced by cosmic rays that are compared to measurements of the established fluorescence method at the same location. Using measurements at the Pierre Auger Observatory we show full compatibility between our radio and the previously published fluorescence dataset, and between a subset of air showers observed simultaneously with both radio and fluorescence techniques, a measurement setup unique to the Pierre Auger Observatory. Furthermore, we show radio X_{max} resolution as a function of energy and demonstrate the ability to make competitive high-resolution X_{max} measurements with even a sparse radio array. With this, we show that the radio technique is capable of cosmic-ray mass composition studies, both at Auger and at other experiments.

Limits to Gauge Coupling in the Dark Sector Set by the Nonobservation of Instanton-Induced Decay of Super-Heavy Dark Matter in the Pierre Auger Observatory Data.

Instantons, which are nonperturbative solutions to Yang-Mills equations, provide a signal for the occurrence of quantum tunneling between distinct classes of vacua. They can give rise to decays of particles otherwise forbidden. Using data collected at the Pierre Auger Observatory, we search for signatures of such instanton-induced processes that would be suggestive of super-heavy particles decaying in the Galactic halo. These particles could have been produced during the post-inflationary epoch and match the relic abundance of dark matter inferred today. The nonobservation of the signatures searched for allows us to derive a bound on the reduced coupling constant of gauge interactions in the dark sector: α_{X}≲0.09, for 10^{9}≲M_{X}/GeV<10^{19}. Conversely, we obtain that, for instance, a reduced coupling constant α_{X}=0.09 excludes masses M_{X}≳3×10^{13} GeV. In the context of dark matter production from gravitational interactions alone, we illustrate how these bounds are complementary to those obtained on the Hubble rate at the end of inflation from the nonobservation of tensor modes in the cosmological microwave background.

Dotting the Three I's for collaborative TB-HIV activities: evaluation of a pilot programme in Kathmandu, Nepal.

Setting: The three government tertiary care hospitals providing care for people living with the human immunodeficiency virus (PLHIV) in Kathmandu, Nepal. Objectives: To assess 1) the screening cascades for intensified case finding for tuberculosis (TB), 2) isoniazid preventive therapy (IPT), including demographic and clinical factors associated with treatment interruption, and 3) TB infection control (IC) in the health facilities. Design: A cross-sectional study of new PLHIV enrolled from January 2012 to December 2014. Results: Among 572 registered PLHIV, 91% were on antiretroviral therapy. Of those registered, 561 (98%) were screened for TB and 73 (13%) were diagnosed with TB (17 [25%] sputum smear-positive, 17 [25%] smear-negative and 35 [51%] extra-pulmonary). Among the 488 (87%) PLHIV without active TB, 157 (32%) were initiated on IPT, of whom 136 (87%) completed treatment and 17 (11%) interrupted treatment. Those who experienced adverse events were 12 times more likely to interrupt IPT. TB IC showed gaps in personal control measures and supporting structures and policies. Conclusion: The implementation of the Three I's for collaborative TB-HIV activities in pilot sites in Nepal was successful and should be scaled up.

Contexte : Les trois hôpitaux d'état de niveau tertiaire offrant des soins aux personnes vivant avec le virus de l'immunodéficience humaine (PVVIH) à Katmandou, Népal.Objectifs : Evaluer 1) les étapes du dépistage pour une recherche intensifiée de cas (ICF) de tuberculose (TB) ; 2) le traitement préventif par isoniazide (TPI), y compris les facteurs démographiques et cliniques associés à l'interruption du traitement ; et 3) la lutte contre l'infection tuberculeuse (IC) dans les structures de santé.Schéma : Etude transversale auprès des nouveaux PVVIH enrôlés entre janvier 2012 et décembre 2014.Résultats : Parmi 572 PVVIH enregistrés, 91% étaient sous traitement antirétroviral. Parmi les inscrits, 561 (98%) ont eu un dépistage de TB et 73 (13%) ont eu un diagnostic de TB (17 [25%] TB à frottis positif, 17 [25%] TB à frottis négatif et 35 [51%] TB extra-pulmonaire). Parmi les 488 (87%) PVVIH sans TB active, 157 (32%) ont été mis sous TPI, 136 (87%) d'entre eux l'ont achevé et 17 (11%) ont interrompu le traitement. Ceux qui ont eu des effets secondaires ont été 12 fois plus susceptibles d'interrompre le TPI. Les mesures de lutte contre l'infection TB connaissent des lacunes en termes de mesures de protection individuelle et des structures et des politiques de soutien.Conclusion : La mise en œuvre des Trois I pour des activités collaborative TB-VIH dans des sites pilotes au Népal s'est faite avec succès et devrait être étendue.

Marco de referencia: Los tres hospitales públicos de atención terciaria que prestan servicios a las personas aquejadas de infección por el virus de la inmunodeficiencia humana (PVVIH) en Katmandú, Nepal.Objetivos: Evaluar 1) el algoritmo de detección en la búsqueda intensiva de casos de tuberculosis (TB); 2) el tratamiento preventivo con isoniazida (TPI), incluidos los factores demográficos y clínicos que se asocian con su interrupción; y 3) el control de la infección (IC) tuberculosa en los establecimientos de salud.Método: Fue este un estudio transversal de los PVVIH recién inscritos en el programa de enero del 2012 a diciembre del 2014.Resultados: De 572 PVVIH inscritos, el 91% recibía tratamiento antirretrovírico. De los pacientes registrados, en 561 se practicó la detección sistemática de la TB (98%) y se diagnosticaron 73 casos de enfermedad activa (13%) (17 obtuvieron un resultado positivo de la baciloscopia del esputo [25%], 17 un resultado negativo [25%] y ocurrieron 35 casos de TB extrapulmonar [51%]). De los 488 PVVIH sin TB activa (87%), 157 iniciaron el TPI (32%), 136 de ellos lo completaron (87%) y 17 lo interrumpieron (11%). La probabilidad de interrumpir el TPI fue 12 veces mayor en los pacientes que presentaron reacciones adversas. Al evaluar las medidas de control de las infecciones se observaron deficiencias en las medidas personales, las estructuras auxiliares y en las normas.Conclusión: La ejecución de actividades conjuntas, los Tres I's, de atención de la TB-VIH en tres centros piloto en Nepal fue eficaz y sería muy útil ampliar su escala de aplicación.

Interrenal of a female gymnophione amphibian, Ichthyophis beddomei, during the annual reproductive cycle.

The interrenal (adrenal) of Ichthyophis beddomei lies on the ventral side of the kidney, distributed in four zones. It is separated from the renal tissue by a thin layer of connective tissue and contains both adrenocortical and chromaffin cells. Adrenocortical tissue constitutes a major portion of the interrenal islets; the chromaffin tissue consists of a few cells located at the peripheries of the interrenal islets. Histochemical studies demonstrate the presence of Δ5 3ß-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase, 17 ß-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, succinate dehydrogenase, and sudanophilic lipids in the adrenocortical tissue, suggesting its steroidogenic potential. Annual histometric and histochemical studies show two peaks of interrenal activity: (1) during the breeding phase of the reproductive cycle (January and February) and (2) during the season of heavy monsoon rains (June and July) in the postbreeding phase.