Application of a microscopic optical potential of chiral effective field theory in (p, d) transfer reactions

The microscopic global nucleon–nucleus optical model potential(OMP)proposed by Whitehead,Lim,and Holt,the WLH potential(Whitehead et al.,Phys Rev Lett 127:182502,2021),which was constructed in the framework of many-body per-turbation theory with state-of-the-art nuclear interactions from chiral effective field theory(EFT),was tested with(p,d)transfer reactions calculated using adiabatic wave approximation.The target nuclei included both stable and unstable nuclei,and the incident energies reached 200 MeV.The results were compared with experimental data and predictions using the phenomenological global optical potential of Koning and Delaroche,the KD02 potential.Overall,we found that the micro-scopic WLH potential described the(p,d)reaction angular distributions similarly to the phenomenological KD02 potential;however,the former was slightly better than the latter for radioactive targets.On average,the obtained spectroscopic factors(SFs)using both microscopic and phenomenological potentials were similar when the incident energies were below approxi-mately 120 MeV.However,their difference tended to increase at higher incident energies,which was particularly apparent for the doubly magic target nucleus 40Ca.

A guide to human microbiome research: study design, sample collection, and bioinformatics analysis

The purpose of this review is to provide medical researchers,especially those without a bioinformatics background,with an easy-to-understand summary of the concepts and technologies used in microbiome research.First,we define primary concepts such as microbiota,microbiome,and metagenome.Then,we discuss study design schemes,the methods of sample size calculation,and the methods for improving the reliability of research.We emphasize the importance of negative and positive controls in this section.Next,we discuss statistical analysis methods used in microbiome research,focusing on problems with multiple comparisons and ways to compare β-diversity between groups.Finally,we provide step-by-step pipelines for bioinformatics analysis.In summary,the meticulous study design is a key step to obtaining meaningful results,and appropriate statistical methods are important for accurate interpretation of microbiome data.The step-by-step pipelines provide researchers with insights into newly developed bioinformatics analysis methods.

Clinical and laboratory features,treatment,and outcomes of macrophage activation syndrome in 80 children:a multi-center study in China

Background Macrophage activation syndrome(MAS)is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in pediatric rheumatology.We aimed to further understand the clinical features,treatment,and outcome of MAS in China.Methods A multi-center cohort study was performed in seven hospitals in China from 2012 to 2018.Eighty patients with MAS were enrolled,including 53 cases with systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis(SJIA-MAS),10 cases of Kawasaki disease(KD-MAS),and 17 cases of connective tissue disease(CTD-MAS).The clinical and laboratory data were collected before(pre-),at onset,and during full-blown stages of MAS.We compared the data among the SJIA-MAS,KD-MAS,and CTD-MAS subjects.Results 51.2%of patients developed MAS when the underlying disease was first diagnosed.In patients with SJIA,22.6%(12/53)were found to have hypotension before the onset of SJIA-MAS.These patients were also found to have significantly increased aspartate aminotransferase(AST)and lactate dehydrogenase(LDH),as well as decreased albumin(P<0.05),but no difference in alanine aminotransferase,ferdtin,and ratio of ferritin/erythrocyte sedimentation rate(ESR)at onset of MAS when compared to pre-MAS stages of the disease.In addition,ferritin and ratio of ferritin/ESR were significantly elevated in patients at full-blown stages of SJIA-MAS compared to pre-MAS stage.Significantly increased ferritin and ratio of ferritin/ESR were also observed in patients with SJIA compared to in KD and CTD.Receiver-operating characteristic analysis showed that 12,217.5μg/L of ferritin and 267.5 of ferritin/ESR ratio had sensitivity(80.0%and 90.5%)and specificity(88.2%and 86.7%),respectively,for predicting full-blown SJIA-MAS.The majority of the patients received corticosteroids(79/80),while biologic agents were used in 12.5%(10/80)of cases.Tocilizumab was the most commonly selected biologic agent.The overall mortality rate was 7.5%.Conclusions About half of MAS occurred when the underlying autoimmune diseases(SJIA,KD,and CTD)were first diagnosed.Hypotension could be an important manifestation before MAS diagnosis.Decreased albumin and increased AST,LDH,ferritin,and ratio of ferritin/ESR could predict the onset or full blown of MAS in patient with SJIA.

A New Algorithm for Total Variation Based Image Denoising

We propose a new algorithm for the total variation based on image denoising problem. The split Bregman method is used to convert an unconstrained minimization denoising problem to a linear system in the outer iteration. An algebraic multi-grid method is applied to solve the linear system in the inner iteration. Furthermore, Krylov subspace acceleration is adopted to improve convergence in the outer iteration. Numerical experiments demonstrate that this algorithm is efficient even for images with large signal-to-noise ratio.

Quenching of single-particle strengths of carbon isotopes 9-12,14-20C with knockout reactions for incident energies 43–2100 MeV/nucleon

To study the quenching of single-particle strengths of carbon isotopes,a systematic analysis is performed for ^(9-12,14-20) C,with single neutron knockout reactions on Be/C targets,within an energy range from approximately 43 to 2100 MeV/nucleon,using the Glauber model.Incident energies do not show any obvious effect on the resulting values across this wide energy range.The extracted quenching factors are found to be strongly dependent on the proton-neutron asymmetry,which is consistent with the recent analysis of knockout reactions but is inconsistent with the systematics of transfer and quasi-free knockout reactions.

A Combination Model for Image Denoising

In this paper, we propose an efficient combination model of the second-order ROF model and a simple fourth-order partial differential equation （PDE） for image denoising. The split Bregman method is used to convert the nonlinear combination model into a linear system in the outer iteration, and an algebraic multigrid method is applied to solve the linear system in the inner iteration. Furthermore, Krylov subspace acceleration is adopted to improve convergence in the outer iteration. At the same time, we prove that the model is strictly convex and exists a unique global minimizer. We have also conducted a variety of numerical experiments to analyze the parameter selection criteria and discuss the performance of ~he fourth-order PDE in the combination model. The results show that our model can reduce blocky effects and our algorithm is efficient and robust to solve the proposed model.

Prevalence of Epstein-Barr virus infection and characteristics of lymphocyte subsets in newly onset juvenile dermatomyositis

Background The underlying etiology of juvenile dermatomyositis(JDM)is unknown.T cell deficiency as well as Epstein-Barr virus(EBV)infection had been suspected to be involved in the pathogenesis,but it has been poorly evaluated in JDM patients.Methods This study described the traits of T and B lymphocyte subsets in newly onset JDM patients and the incidence of EBV infection in JDM patients compared with match controls.Newly developed JDM patients from 2014 to 2018 were included in the study.Lymphocytes with different markers(CD3+,CD3+CD4+,CD3+CD8+,CD3-CD19+and CD3-CD16+CD56+)were tested with flow cytometry in the first admission or after 6 months of treatment.Statistical analysis was conducted to compare the EBV infection in the group of JDM patients and controls.Results We observed that JDM patients had higher positive rate of Epstein-Barr nuclear antigen-immunoglobulin G(IgG)(P<0.0001)as well as EBV capsid antigen-IgG(P<0.05)than normal controls.CD3-CD16+CD56+lymphocyte was found to be extremely low in early stage of JDM patients,but increased after 6 months of treatment(P=0.0091).Conclusions The level of CD3-CD16+CD56+cells may associate with the clinical course of JDM.EBV may act as an environmental factor predisposing patients to the development of JDM.