The German National Pandemic Cohort Network (NAPKON): rationale, study design and baseline characteristics

Schons M, Pilgram L, Reese J-P, et al. The German National Pandemic Cohort Network (NAPKON): rationale, study design and baseline characteristics. European Journal of Epidemiology . 2022.The German government initiated the Network University Medicine (NUM) in early 2020 to improve national research activities on the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic. To this end, 36 German Academic Medical Centers started to collaborate on 13 projects, with the largest being the National Pandemic Cohort Network (NAPKON). The NAPKON's goal is creating the most comprehensive Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) cohort in Germany. Within NAPKON, adult and pediatric patients are observed in three complementary cohort platforms (Cross-Sectoral, High-Resolution and Population-Based) from the initial infection until up to three years of follow-up. Study procedures comprise comprehensive clinical and imaging diagnostics, quality-of-life assessment, patient-reported outcomes and biosampling. The three cohort platforms build on four infrastructure core units (Interaction, Biosampling, Epidemiology, and Integration) and collaborations with NUM projects. Key components of the data capture, regulatory, and data privacy are based on the German Centre for Cardiovascular Research. By April 01, 2022, 34 university and 40 non-university hospitals have enrolled 5298 patients with local data quality reviews performed on 4727 (89%). 47% were female, the median age was 52 (IQR 36-62-) and 50 pediatric cases were included. 44% of patients were hospitalized, 15% admitted to an intensive care unit, and 12% of patients deceased while enrolled. 8845 visits with biosampling in 4349 patients were conducted by April 03, 2022. In this overview article, we summarize NAPKON's design, relevant milestones including first study population characteristics, and outline the potential of NAPKON for German and international research activities.Trial registration https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04768998 . https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04747366 . https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04679584. © 2022. The Author(s)

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We report the first observation of two Cabibbo-suppressed decay modes of the Bs0 meson. Using a sample of pp̄ collisions at √s=1.96TeV corresponding to 5.9fb-1 of integrated luminosity collected with the CDF II, the collider detector at the Fermilab Tevatron, we search for new Bs0 decay modes in a sample of events containing J/ψ→μ+μ - decays. We reconstruct a Bs0→J/ψK*(892)0 signal with K*(892)0→K+π-, observing a yield of 151±25 events with a statistical significance of 8.0σ. We also reconstruct a Bs0→J/ψKS0 signal with KS0→π+π-, observing a yield of 64±14 events with a statistical significance of 7.2σ. From these yields, we extract the branching ratios B(Bs0→J/ψK*(892)0)=(8. 3±3.8)×10-5 and B(Bs0→J/ψK0)=(3.5±0.8) ×10-5, where statistical, systematic, and fragmentation- fraction uncertainties are included in the combined uncertainty. © 2011 American Physical Society

Measurement of the Bs0 lifetime in fully and partially reconstructed Bs0→Ds-(Φπ \u3csup\u3e-\u3c/sup\u3e)X decays in p̄p collisions at √s=1.96TeV

We present a measurement of the Bs0 lifetime in fully and partially reconstructed Bs0→Ds-(Φπ -)X decays in 1.3fb -1 collected in pp̄ collisions at √s=1.96TeV by the CDF II detector at the Fermilab Tevatron. We measure τ(Bs0)=1.518±0.041(stat)±0. 027(syst)ps. The ratio of this result and the world average B0 lifetime yields τ(Bs0)/τ(B0)=0.99±0.03, which is in agreement with recent theoretical predictions. © 2011 American Physical Society

Search for Randall-Sundrum gravitons in the diphoton channel at CDF

We report on a search for new particles in the diphoton channel using a data sample of p (p) over bar collisions at root s = 1.96 TeV collected by the CDF II detector at the Fermilab Tevatron, with an integrated luminosity of 5.4 fb(-1). The diphoton invariant mass spectrum of the data agrees well with the standard model expectation. We set upper limits on the production cross section times branching ratio for the Randall-Sundrum graviton, as a function of diphoton mass. We subsequently derive lower limits on the graviton mass of 459 GeV = c(2) and 963 GeV = c(2), at the 95% confidence level, for coupling parameters ( k/(M) over bar (Pl)) of 0.01 and 0.1, respectively

A control oriented strategy of disruption prediction to avoid the configuration collapse of tokamak reactors

The objective of thermonuclear fusion consists of producing electricity from the coalescence of light nuclei in high temperature plasmas. The most promising route to fusion envisages the confinement of such plasmas with magnetic fields, whose most studied configuration is the tokamak. Disruptions are catastrophic collapses affecting all tokamak devices and one of the main potential showstoppers on the route to a commercial reactor. In this work we report how, deploying innovative analysis methods on thousands of JET experiments covering the isotopic compositions from hydrogen to full tritium and including the major D-T campaign, the nature of the various forms of collapse is investigated in all phases of the discharges. An original approach to proximity detection has been developed, which allows determining both the probability of and the time interval remaining before an incoming disruption, with adaptive, from scratch, real time compatible techniques. The results indicate that physics based prediction and control tools can be developed, to deploy realistic strategies of disruption avoidance and prevention, meeting the requirements of the next generation of devices.Confining plasma and managing disruptions in tokamak devices is a challenge. Here the authors demonstrate a method predicting and possibly preventing disruptions and macroscopic instabilities in tokamak plasma using data from JET

Serum potassium and adverse outcomes across the range of kidney function: a CKD Prognosis Consortium meta-analysis.

Aims: Both hypo- and hyperkalaemia can have immediate deleterious physiological effects, and less is known about long-term risks. The objective was to determine the risks of all-cause mortality, cardiovascular mortality, and end-stage renal disease associated with potassium levels across the range of kidney function and evaluate for consistency across cohorts in a global consortium. Methods and results: We performed an individual-level data meta-analysis of 27 international cohorts [10 general population, 7 high cardiovascular risk, and 10 chronic kidney disease (CKD)] in the CKD Prognosis Consortium. We used Cox regression followed by random-effects meta-analysis to assess the relationship between baseline potassium and adverse outcomes, adjusted for demographic and clinical characteristics, overall and across strata of estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and albuminuria. We included 1 217 986 participants followed up for a mean of 6.9 years. The average age was 55 ± 16 years, average eGFR was 83 ± 23 mL/min/1.73 m2, and 17% had moderate- to-severe increased albuminuria levels. The mean baseline potassium was 4.2 ± 0.4 mmol/L. The risk of serum potassium of >5.5 mmol/L was related to lower eGFR and higher albuminuria. The risk relationship between potassium levels and adverse outcomes was U-shaped, with the lowest risk at serum potassium of 4-4.5 mmol/L. Compared with a reference of 4.2 mmol/L, the adjusted hazard ratio for all-cause mortality was 1.22 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.15-1.29] at 5.5 mmol/L and 1.49 (95% CI 1.26-1.76) at 3.0 mmol/L. Risks were similar by eGFR, albuminuria, renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system inhibitor use, and across cohorts. Conclusions: Outpatient potassium levels both above and below the normal range are consistently associated with adverse outcomes, with similar risk relationships across eGFR and albuminuria

Evidence for s-channel single-top-quark production in events with one charged lepton and two jets at CDF

We report evidence for s-channel single-top-quark production in proton-antiproton collisions at center-of-mass energy s=1.96TeV using a data set that corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 9.4fb-1 collected by the Collider Detector at Fermilab. We select events consistent with the s-channel process including two jets and one leptonically decaying W boson. The observed significance is 3.8 standard deviations with respect to the background-only prediction. Assuming a top-quark mass of 172.5GeV/c2, we measure the s-channel cross section to be 1.41-0.42+0.44pb. © 2014 American Physical Society.This work was supported by the U.S. Department of Energy and National Science Foundation; the Italian Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare; the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of Japan; the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada; the National Science Council of the Republic of China; the Swiss National Science Foundation; the A. P. Sloan Foundation; the Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung, Germany; the Korean World Class University Program, the National Research Foundation of Korea; the Science and Technology Facilities Council and the Royal Society, UK; the Russian Foundation for Basic Research; the Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación, and Programa Consolider-Ingenio 2010, Spain; the Slovak R&D Agency; the Academy of Finland; and the Australian Research Council (ARC); and the EU community Marie Curie Fellowship Contract No. 302103.Peer Reviewe

Measurement of the Single Top Quark Production Cross Section and |Vtb| in Events with One Charged Lepton, Large Missing Transverse Energy, and Jets at CDF

We report a measurement of single top quark production in proton-antiproton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of vs=1.96 TeV using a data set corresponding to 7.5 fb-1 of integrated luminosity collected by the Collider Detector at Fermilab. We select events consistent with the single top quark decay process t→Wb→lνb by requiring the presence of an electron or muon, a large imbalance of transverse momentum indicating the presence of a neutrino, and two or three jets including at least one originating from a bottom quark. An artificial neural network is used to discriminate the signal from backgrounds. We measure a single top quark production cross section of 3.04+0.57-0.53 pb and set a lower limit on the magnitude of the coupling between the top quark and bottom quark |Vtb|>0.78 at the 95% credibility level.We thank the Fermilab staff and the technical staffs of the participating institutions for their vital contributions. This work was supported by the U.S. Department of Energy and National Science Foundation; the Italian Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare; the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of Japan; the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada; the National Science Council of the Republic of China;the Swiss National Science Foundation; the A. P. Sloan Foundation; the Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung, Germany; the Korean World Class University Program, the National Research Foundation of Korea; the Science and Technology Facilities Council and the RoyalSociety, United Kingdom; the Russian Foundation for Basic Research; the Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación and Programa Consolider-Ingenio 2010, Spain; the Slovak R&D Agency; the Academy of Finland; the Australian Research Council (ARC); and the EU community Marie Curie Fellowship, Contract No. 302103

Study of orbitally excited B mesons and evidence for a new Bp resonance

Using the full CDF Run II data sample, we report evidence for a new resonance, which we refer to as B(5970), found simultaneously in the B0p+ and B+p- mass distributions with a significance of 4.4 standard deviations. We further report the first study of resonances consistent with orbitally excited B+ mesons and an updated measurement of the properties of orbitally excited B0 and B0s mesons. We measure the masses and widths of all states, as well as the relative production rates of the B1, B*2, and B(5970) states and the branching fraction of the B*0s2 state to either B*+K- and B+K-. Furthermore, we measure the production rates of the orbitally excited B0,+ states relative to the B0,+ ground state. The masses of the new B(5970) resonances are 5978±5(stat)±12(syst)??MeV/c2 for the neutral state and 5961±5(stat)±12(syst)??MeV/c2 for the charged state, assuming that the resonance decays into Bp final states. The properties of the orbitally excited and the new B(5970)0,+ states are compatible with isospin symmetry.We thank the Fermilab staff and the technical staffs of the participating institutions for their vital contributions. This work was supported by the U.S. Department of Energy and the National Science Foundation; the Italian Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare; the Ministry of Education,Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of Japan; theNatural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada; the National Science Council of the Republic ofChina; the Swiss National Science Foundation; the A.P.Sloan Foundation; the Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung, Germany; the Korean World Class University Program, the National Research Foundation of Korea; the Science and Technology Facilities Council and the RoyalSociety, UK; the Russian Foundation for Basic Research;t he Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación, and Programa Consolider-Ingenio 2010, Spain; the Slovak R&D Agency; the Academy of Finland; the Australian Research Council(ARC); and the EU community Marie Curie Fellowship contract 302103

Measurement of the WZ cross section and triple gauge couplings in pp̄ collisions at √s=1.96TeV

This article describes the current most precise measurement of the WZ production cross section as well as limits on anomalous WWZ couplings at a center-of-mass energy of 1.96 TeV in proton-antiproton collisions for the Collider Detector at Fermilab (CDF). WZ candidates are reconstructed from decays containing three charged leptons and missing energy from a neutrino, where the charged leptons are either electrons or muons. Using data collected by the CDF II detector (7.1fb -1 of integrated luminosity), 63 candidate events are observed with the expected background contributing 8±1 events. The measured total cross section σ(pp̄→WZ)=3.93-0.53+0.60(stat)-0. 46+0.59(syst)pb is in good agreement with the standard model prediction of 3.50±0.21. The same sample is used to set limits on anomalous WWZ couplings. © 2012 American Physical Society.This work was supported by the U.S. Department of Energy and National Science Foundation; the Italian Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare; the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of Japan; the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada; the National Science Council of the Republic of China; the Swiss National Science Foundation; the A. P. Sloan Foundation; the Bundesministerium fÜr Bildung und Forschung, Germany; the Korean World Class University Program, the National Research Foundation of Korea; the Science and Technology Facilities Council and the Royal Society, United Kingdom; the Russian Foundation for Basic Research; the Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación, and Programa Consolider-Ingenio 2010, Spain; the Slovak R&D Agency; the Academy of Finland; and the Australian Research Council (ARC).Peer Reviewe