1,190 research outputs found
Self-Energy Correction to the Bound-Electron g Factor of P States
The radiative self-energy correction to the bound-electron g factor of 2P_1/2
and 2P_3/2 states in one-electron ions is evaluated to order alpha (Z alpha)^2.
The contribution of high-energy virtual photons is treated by means of an
effective Dirac equation, and the result is verified by an approach based on
long-wavelength quantum electrodynamics. The contribution of low-energy virtual
photons is calculated both in the velocity and in the length gauge and gauge
invariance is verified explicitly. The results compare favorably to recently
available numerical data for hydrogenlike systems with low nuclear charge
numbers.Comment: 8 pages, RevTe
Observation of Spin Flips with a Single Trapped Proton
Radio-frequency induced spin transitions of one individual proton are
observed for the first time. The spin quantum jumps are detected via the
continuous Stern-Gerlach effect, which is used in an experiment with a single
proton stored in a cryogenic Penning trap. This is an important milestone
towards a direct high-precision measurement of the magnetic moment of the
proton and a new test of the matter-antimatter symmetry in the baryon sector
3D tomography of cells in micro-channels
We combine confocal imaging, microfluidics and image analysis to record
3D-images of cells in flow. This enables us to recover the full 3D
representation of several hundred living cells per minute. Whereas 3D confocal
imaging has thus far been limited to steady specimen, we overcome this
restriction and present a method to access the 3D shape of moving objects. The
key of our principle is a tilted arrangement of the micro-channel with respect
to the focal plane of the microscope. This forces cells to traverse the focal
plane in an inclined manner. As a consequence, individual layers of passing
cells are recorded which can then be assembled to obtain the volumetric
representation. The full 3D information allows for a detailed comparisons with
theoretical and numerical predictions unfeasible with e.g.\ 2D imaging. Our
technique is exemplified by studying flowing red blood cells in a micro-channel
reflecting the conditions prevailing in the microvasculature. We observe two
very different types of shapes: `croissants' and `slippers'. Additionally, we
perform 3D numerical simulations of our experiment to confirm the observations.
Since 3D confocal imaging of cells in flow has not yet been realized, we see
high potential in the field of flow cytometry where cell classification thus
far mostly relies on 1D scattering and fluorescence signals
Resolution of Single Spin-Flips of a Single Proton
The spin magnetic moment of a single proton in a cryogenic Penning trap was
coupled to the particle's axial motion with a superimposed magnetic bottle.
Jumps in the oscillation frequency indicate spin-flips and were identified
using a Bayesian analysis.Comment: accepted for publication by Phys. Rev. Lett., submitted 6.June.201
SAMplus: adaptive optics at optical wavelengths for SOAR
Adaptive Optics (AO) is an innovative technique that substantially improves
the optical performance of ground-based telescopes. The SOAR Adaptive Module
(SAM) is a laser-assisted AO instrument, designed to compensate ground-layer
atmospheric turbulence in near-IR and visible wavelengths over a large Field of
View. Here we detail our proposal to upgrade SAM, dubbed SAMplus, that is
focused on enhancing its performance in visible wavelengths and increasing the
instrument reliability. As an illustration, for a seeing of 0.62 arcsec at 500
nm and a typical turbulence profile, current SAM improves the PSF FWHM to 0.40
arcsec, and with the upgrade we expect to deliver images with a FWHM of
arcsec -- up to 0.23 arcsec FWHM PSF under good seeing
conditions. Such capabilities will be fully integrated with the latest SAM
instruments, putting SOAR in an unique position as observatory facility.Comment: To appear in Proc. SPIE 10703 (Ground-based and Airborne
Instrumentation for Astronomy VII; SPIEastro18
Development and validation of a method to estimate COPD severity in multiple datasets: a retrospective study
Introduction Outcomes in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) such as symptoms, hospitalisations and mortality rise with increasing disease severity. However, the heterogeneity of electronic medical records presents a significant challenge in measuring severity across geographies. We aimed to develop and validate a method to approximate COPD severity using the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) 2011 classification scheme, which categorises patients based on forced expiratory volume in 1 s, hospitalisations and the modified Medical Research Council dyspnoea scale or COPD Assessment Test. Methods This analysis was part of a comprehensive retrospective study, including patients sourced from the IQVIA Medical Research Data [IMRD; incorporating data from The Health Improvement Network (THIN), a Cegedim database] and the Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD) in the UK, the Disease Analyzer in Germany and the Longitudinal Patient Data in Italy, France and Australia. Patients in the CPRD with the complete set of information required to calculate GOLD 2011 groups were used to develop the method. Ordinal logistic models at COPD diagnosis and at index (first episode of triple therapy) were then used to validate the method to estimate COPD severity, and this was applied to the full study population to estimate GOLD 2011 categories. Results Overall, 4579 and 12,539 patients were included in the model at COPD diagnosis and at index, respectively. Models correctly classified 74.4% and 75.9% of patients into severe and non-severe categories at COPD diagnosis and at index, respectively. Age, gender, time between diagnosis and start of triple therapy, healthcare resource use, comorbid conditions and prescriptions were included as covariates. Conclusion This study developed and validated a method to approximate disease severity based on GOLD 2011 categories that can potentially be used in patients without all the key parameters needed for this calculation
Demonstration of the Double Penning Trap Technique with a Single Proton
Spin flips of a single proton were driven in a Penning trap with a
homogeneous magnetic field. For the spin-state analysis the proton was
transported into a second Penning trap with a superimposed magnetic bottle, and
the continuous Stern-Gerlach effect was applied. This first demonstration of
the double Penning trap technique with a single proton suggests that the
antiproton magnetic moment measurement can potentially be improved by three
orders of magnitude or more
Towards a high-precision measurement of the antiproton magnetic moment
The recent observation of single spins flips with a single proton in a
Penning trap opens the way to measure the proton magnetic moment with high
precision. Based on this success, which has been achieved with our apparatus at
the University of Mainz, we demonstrated recently the first application of the
so called double Penning-trap method with a single proton. This is a major step
towards a measurement of the proton magnetic moment with ppb precision. To
apply this method to a single trapped antiproton our collaboration is currently
setting up a companion experiment at the antiproton decelerator of CERN. This
effort is recognized as the Baryon Antibaryon Symmetry Experiment (BASE). A
comparison of both magnetic moment values will provide a stringent test of CPT
invariance with baryons.Comment: Submitted to LEAP 2013 conference proceeding
Hospitalisation and mortality in patients with comorbid COPD and heart failure: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Background Discrepancy exists amongst studies investigating the effect of comorbid heart failure (HF) on the morbidity and mortality of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients. Methods MEDLINE and Embase were searched using a pre-specified search strategy for studies comparing hospitalisation, rehospitalisation, and mortality of COPD patients with and without HF. Studies must have reported crude and/or adjusted rate ratios, risk ratios, odds ratios (OR), or hazard ratios (HR). Results Twenty-eight publications, reporting 55 effect estimates, were identified that compared COPD patients with HF with those without HF. One study reported on all-cause hospitalisation (1 rate ratio). Two studies reported on COPD-related hospitalisation (1 rate ratio, 2 OR). One study reported on COPD- or cardiovascular-related hospitalisation (4 HR). One study reported on 90-day all-cause rehospitalisation (1 risk ratio). One study reported on 3-year all-cause rehospitalisation (2 HR). Four studies reported on 30-day COPD-related rehospitalisation (1 risk ratio; 5 OR). Two studies reported on 1-year COPD-related rehospitalisation (1 risk ratio; 1 HR). One study reported on 3-year COPD-related rehospitalisation (2 HR). Eighteen studies reported on all-cause mortality (1 risk ratio; 4 OR; 24 HR). Five studies reported on all-cause inpatient mortality (1 risk ratio; 4 OR). Meta-analyses of hospitalisation and rehospitalisation were not possible due to insufficient data for all individual effect measures. Meta-analysis of studies requiring spirometry for the diagnosis of COPD found that risk of all-cause mortality was 1.61 (pooled HR; 95%CI: 1.38, 1.83) higher in patients with HF than in those without HF. Conclusions In this systematic review, we investigated the effect of HF comorbidity on hospitalisation and mortality of COPD patients. There is substantial evidence that HF comorbidity increases COPD-related rehospitalisation and all-cause mortality of COPD patients. The effect of HF comorbidity may differ depending on COPD phenotype, HF type, or HF severity and should be the topic of future research
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