2,641 research outputs found
NIRS assessment of brain hemodynamics
Near Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS) allows for assessing brain hemodynamics non-invasively. In NIRS studies, the maneuver of breath holding is frequently used as an activation of the brain autoregulation response. However, breath holding is not always feasible or effective in the clinical practice. We explored the possibility of using kapalabathi, an ancient yoga respiration technique, as an alternate activation maneuver. We studied the brain oxygenation response to kapalabathi, in yoga practitioners, in three different postures. In all the three postures considered Kapalabathi produces a measurable effect on the oxygen availability at the brain cortex level. Remarkable differences were observed in the brain autoregulatory response of smoker and non-smoker practitioners
Quantum superposition principle and generation of ultrashort optical pulses
We discuss the propagation of laser radiation through a medium of quantum
prepared {\Lambda}-type atoms in order to enhance the insight into the physics
of QS-PT generator suggested in Phys. Rev. A 80, 035801 (2009). We obtain
analytical results which give a qualitatively corerct description of the
outcoming series of ultrashort optical pulses and show that for the case of
alkali vapor medium QS-PT generation may be implemented under ordinary
experimental conditions
Inelastic scattering of broadband electron wave packets driven by an intense mid-infrared laser field
Intense, 100 fs laser pulses at 3.2 and 3.6 um are used to generate, by
multi-photon ionization, broadband wave packets with up to 400 eV of kinetic
energy and charge states up to Xe+6. The multiple ionization pathways are well
described by a white electron wave packet and field-free inelastic cross
sections, averaged over the intensity-dependent energy distribution for (e,ne)
electron impact ionization. The analysis also suggests a contribution from a 4d
core excitation in xenon
Replica symmetry breaking in mean field spin glasses trough Hamilton-Jacobi technique
During the last years, through the combined effort of the insight, coming
from physical intuition and computer simulation, and the exploitation of
rigorous mathematical methods, the main features of the mean field
Sherrington-Kirkpatrick spin glass model have been firmly established. In
particular, it has been possible to prove the existence and uniqueness of the
infinite volume limit for the free energy, and its Parisi expression, in terms
of a variational principle, involving a functional order parameter. Even the
expected property of ultrametricity, for the infinite volume states, seems to
be near to a complete proof. The main structural feature of this model, and
related models, is the deep phenomenon of spontaneous replica symmetry breaking
(RSB), discovered by Parisi many years ago. By expanding on our previous work,
the aim of this paper is to investigate a general frame, where replica symmetry
breaking is embedded in a kind of mechanical scheme of the Hamilton-Jacobi
type. Here, the analog of the "time" variable is a parameter characterizing the
strength of the interaction, while the "space" variables rule out
quantitatively the broken replica symmetry pattern. Starting from the simple
cases, where annealing is assumed, or replica symmetry, we build up a
progression of dynamical systems, with an increasing number of space variables,
which allow to weaken the effect of the potential in the Hamilton-Jacobi
equation, as the level of symmetry braking is increased. This new machinery
allows to work out mechanically the general K-step RSB solutions, in a
different interpretation with respect to the replica trick, and lightens easily
their properties as existence or uniqueness.Comment: 24 pages, no figure
Statistics and Nos\'e formalism for Ehrenfest dynamics
Quantum dynamics (i.e., the Schr\"odinger equation) and classical dynamics
(i.e., Hamilton equations) can both be formulated in equal geometric terms: a
Poisson bracket defined on a manifold. In this paper we first show that the
hybrid quantum-classical dynamics prescribed by the Ehrenfest equations can
also be formulated within this general framework, what has been used in the
literature to construct propagation schemes for Ehrenfest dynamics. Then, the
existence of a well defined Poisson bracket allows to arrive to a Liouville
equation for a statistical ensemble of Ehrenfest systems. The study of a
generic toy model shows that the evolution produced by Ehrenfest dynamics is
ergodic and therefore the only constants of motion are functions of the
Hamiltonian. The emergence of the canonical ensemble characterized by the
Boltzmann distribution follows after an appropriate application of the
principle of equal a priori probabilities to this case. Once we know the
canonical distribution of a Ehrenfest system, it is straightforward to extend
the formalism of Nos\'e (invented to do constant temperature Molecular Dynamics
by a non-stochastic method) to our Ehrenfest formalism. This work also provides
the basis for extending stochastic methods to Ehrenfest dynamics.Comment: 28 pages, 1 figure. Published version. arXiv admin note: substantial
text overlap with arXiv:1010.149
High harmonic generation at long wavelengths
High harmonic radiation spectra up to 19th order in alkali metal vapors excited by an intense, picosecond mid-infrared (3 -4 mu m) laser are reported and compared to theory. The strong-field dynamics in the alkali metal atoms exhibit significant differences from all previously studied systems due to the strong coupling between their ground and first excited states
Two-color ionization of hydrogen by short intense pulses
Photoelectron energy spectra resulting by the interaction of hydrogen with
two short pulses having carrier frequencies, respectively, in the range of the
infrared and XUV regions have been calculated. The effects of the pulse
duration and timing of the X-ray pulse on the photoelectron energy spectra are
discussed. Analysis of the spectra obtained for very long pulses show that
certain features may be explained in terms of quantum interferences in the time
domain. It is found that, depending on the duration of the X-ray pulse, ripples
in the energy spectra separated by the infrared photon energy may appear.
Moreover, the temporal shape of the low frequency radiation field may be
inferred by the breadth of the photoelectron energy spectra.Comment: 12 pages, 8 figure
Comparison of the Efficacy of Brolucizumab with Natural Disease Progression in Wet AMD Using Clinical Data from the Phase III HAWK and HARRIER Trials and Modelled Placebo Data
Aim: To compare the treatment effect of brolucizumab, a novel anti-vascular endothelial growth factor therapeutic, with a putative placebo in patients with wet age-related macular degeneration.
Materials and Methods: Clinical treatment-effect data from patients receiving brolucizumab 6 mg in the HAWK and HARRIER studies were compared with modelled placebo data using a previously developed and validated indirect response, non-linear, mixed effects model describing the natural visual acuity decline in wet age-related macular degeneration. The placebo model incorporated patient-level data from the sham injection arms of the MARINA and PIER studies, corrected for baseline best corrected visual acuity and age difference between these studies and the HAWK and HARRIER studies.
Results: Compared with a modelled placebo, brolucizumab treatment was associated with an overall best corrected visual acuity gain of approximately 22 Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study letters at Week 48 and 28 letters at Week 96.
Conclusions: As anti-vascular endothelial growth factor therapy is now a standard of care for wet age-related macular degeneration, it is not feasible to conduct placebo-controlled trials for new wet age-related macular degeneration treatments. By allowing comparison with the natural decline in visual acuity without treatment, this analysis conveys the clinical importance of brolucizumab for the treatment of wet age-related macular degeneration
- …