Transformative Leadership in Education

Review of Transformative LEadership in educatio

Astronomical random numbers for quantum foundations experiments

Photons from distant astronomical sources can be used as a classical source of randomness to improve fundamental tests of quantum nonlocality, wave-particle duality, and local realism through Bell's inequality and delayed-choice quantum eraser tests inspired by Wheeler's cosmic-scale Mach-Zehnder interferometer gedankenexperiment. Such sources of random numbers may also be useful for information-theoretic applications such as key distribution for quantum cryptography. Building on the design of an "astronomical random-number generator" developed for the recent "cosmic Bell" experiment [Handsteiner et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 118, 060401 (2017)], in this paper we report on the design and characterization of a device that, with 20-nanosecond latency, outputs a bit based on whether the wavelength of an incoming photon is greater than or less than 700 nm. Using the one-meter telescope at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) Table Mountain Observatory, we generated random bits from astronomical photons in both color channels from 50 stars of varying color and magnitude, and from 12 quasars with redshifts up to $z = 3.9$. With stars, we achieved bit rates of $\sim 1 \times 10^6$ Hz / m$^2$, limited by saturation for our single-photon detectors, and with quasars of magnitudes between 12.9 and 16, we achieved rates between $\sim 10^2$ and $2 \times 10^3$ Hz /m$^2$. For bright quasars, the resulting bitstreams exhibit sufficiently low amounts of statistical predictability as quantified by the mutual information. In addition, a sufficiently high fraction of bits generated are of true astronomical origin in order to address both the locality and freedom-of-choice loopholes when used to set the measurement settings in a test of the Bell-CHSH inequality.Comment: 17 pages, 12 figures. References added and minor edits to match published versio

Laser spectroscopy of iridium monoboride

High resolution laser induced fluorescence spectrum of IrB in the spectral region between 545 and 610 nm has been recorded and analyzed. Reacting laser-ablated iridium atoms with 1% B2 H6 seeded in argon produced the IrB molecule. This is the first experimental observation of the IrB molecule. Four vibronic transition bands, (v,0) with v=0-3 of an electronic transition system, have been observed. Spectra of all four isotopic molecules, Ir191 B10, Ir193 B10, Ir191 B11, and Ir193 B11, were recorded. Isotopic relationships confirmed the carrier of the spectra and the vibrational quantum number assignment. Preliminary analysis of rotational lines showed that these vibronic bands are with ′ =2 and ″ =3. The electronic transition identified is assigned as the [16.5] Π23 -X Δ33 system. Partially resolved hyperfine structure which conforms to the Hund's case aΒ coupling scheme has been observed and analyzed. The bond length r0 of the lower X Δ33 state of IrB was determined to be 1.7675 Å. © 2008 American Institute of Physics.published_or_final_versio

Complete genome assembly and characterization of an outbreak strain of the causative agent of swine erysipelas – Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae SY1027

BACKGROUND: Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae is the causative agent of animal erysipelas and, to a fewer occurrences, human erysipeloid. It is ubiquitous in nature and commensal in diverse species of animals, wild or domestic, from mammals and birds to reptiles and fish. Mechanisms of its virulence and pathogenicity are poorly understood. RESULTS: Making use of the complete genome sequencing of E. rhusiopathiae strain SY1027 and comparative genome analysis between the three highly pathogenic strains (SY1027, Fujisawa and ATCC19414), the genomic structure and putative functional elements, such as pathogenicity island (PAI)-like regions, potential virulence factors and horizontal transferring genes of the bacteria are identified. Strain SY1027 genome is 1,752,910 base pairs long, just 30 kilobases smaller than strain Fujisawa, with the same GC level of 36.36%. It contains 1,845 open reading frames (ORF) predicted by GLIMMER 3.02, of which 1,775 were annotated by PGAAP, 1,757 (~95.23%) were annotated by NCBI nr blast, 1,209 by COG database and 1,076 by KEGG database. 37 potential virulence factors were annotated in strain SY1027 by VFDB, while 19 (~51.35%) of them are common in the 2 strains, 7 of which are potentially related to antibiotic resistance and highly conserved (~98-100% match identity (ID)) amongst the three strains of E. rhusiopathiae and modestly homologous to other gastrointestinal tract-inhabiting Firmicutes (~40% match ID), e.g. Clostridium spp., Enterococcus spp. Genomic island- and pathogenicity island-like regions were also predicted, in which some showed association with tRNA and potential virulence factors. CONCLUSION: Complete genome sequencing of Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae, the causative agent of animal erysipelas, was performed. Molecular identification of various genomic elements pave the way to the better understanding of mechanisms underlying metabolic capabilities, pathogenicity of swine erysipelas and prospective vaccine targets besides the widely used SpaA antigens

Extreme low-lying carotid bifurcations

A 52-year-old male with no past medical history was referred to the transient ischaemic attack (TIA) clinic following an event at home. The transient symptoms were of an inability to move his left arm and leg for a period of approximately 15 minutes. The patient denied any numbness of the face, headaches or blurring of vision. A careful history revealed two previous transient attacks of blurred vision approximately 1–2 years prior to this presentation. He had no other co-morbidities or associated syndromes. Given this history, suggestive of TIA(s) in the right anterior circulation, an ultrasound examination of the carotid vessels was performed to include or exclude an atherosclerotic source of embolus. The ultrasound scan demonstrated an extremely short common carotid artery (CCA) of just 2.5 cm on the right, with apparently normal flows and velocities in both the external and internal carotids (ECA and ICA) but poor views of the bifurcation. Similarly, the flows and velocities in the left ICA and ECA were also normal, with the carotid bulb lying low in the base of the neck, so further imaging with a magnetic resonance angiogram (MRA) was performed (Panel A) to clarify the anatomic and ultrasound findings. This confirmed extremely low-lying bilateral carotid bifurcations (highlighted in Panel A). The short, right-side CCA bifurcates at the level of C7/T1 (Panel B) and the left carotid bifurcation is at the level of C6/C7 (Panel C)

Characteristics of infants with positional abnormal head shapes and their physiotherapy service at an Australian community health facility

Purpose: There is limited biographic information regarding infants presenting with abnormal head shape in Australia and little discussion of the effect of different cutoff values for diagnosis of plagiocephaly. This study aimed to 1) describe the biographic characteristics of infants with positional abnormal head shapes referred for physiotherapy management; 2) explore their access to physiotherapy services and intervention outcomes; and 3) explore the impact of using different modified Cranial Vault Asymmetry Index (mCVAI) cutoff points in plagiocephaly classification.Patients and methods: This retrospective community health record audit included the total cohort of infants referred over concerns about abnormal head shape to a pediatric physiotherapy service at a community health center in Australia from January 2004 to December 2007 (N=126 valid cases). Data retrieved included: demographic data; birth history; positioning; initial physiotherapy assessment; and factors associated with physiotherapy intervention and outcomes.Results: Of the 126 charts (65 males), 106 infants (84.1%) presented with plagiocephaly, ten (7.9%) with brachycephaly, and ten (7.9%) with combined deformities. Most biographic data from this study were similar to those reported in the literature. The mean age +/- standard deviation (SD) of infants at referral was 11.29 +/- 7.84 weeks, with about 4-weeks wait for assessment. For the plagiocephalic group, there was significant reduction in mCVAI mean value from assessment (- 5.44%+/- 2.95%) to discharge (-4.41%+/- 2.66%) (t([df= 60]) =-5.396; 95% confidence interval [CI]: -1.66%, -0.76%;

A clinical tool to measure plagiocephaly in infants using a flexicurve: a reliability study

Purpose: There has been an increasing incidence of infants presenting with plagiocephaly in the last two decades. A practical, economical, and reliable clinical plagiocephaly measure is essential to assess progression and intervention outcomes. This study investigated the reliability of a modified cranial vault asymmetry index using a flexible curve in infants.Measurement: A flexicurve was molded to the infant's head and its shape maintained as it was placed onto paper to trace the head shape. Using a small modification of Loveday and De Chaplain's procedure to measure a cranial vault asymmetry index, a pair of diagonals were drawn at 30 degrees through the midpoint of the central line to their intersection with the traced head outline. The difference in length of the paired diagonals was divided by the short diameter then multiplied by 100%, yielding the modified cranial vault-asymmetry index.Patients and methods: Infants referred to a community health physiotherapist for assessment due to suspected abnormal head shape were included. To explore intrarater reliability, 34 infants aged 3-14 months were measured twice (T-1/T-1') at the beginning, and 21 of these remeasured twice at the end (T-2/T-2') of their physiotherapy sessions. Test-retest reliability used matchedaverage data (T1/T1') and (T2/T2') from 21 infants. To explore interrater reliability, 18 healthy infants aged 2-6 months were recruited. Each infant was measured once by each rater.Results: For intrarater reliability, the intraclass correlation coefficient with 54 degrees of freedom (ICCdf54) was 0.868 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.783-0.921); for test-retest reliability, ICCdf20 = 0.958 (95% CI 0.897-0.983); and for interrater reliability, ICCdf17 = 0.874 (95% CI 0.696-0.951).Conclusion: The modified cranial vault asymmetry index using flexicurve in measuring plagiocephaly is a reliable assessment tool. It is economical and efficient for use in clinical settings

Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells and Genome-Editing Tools in Determining Gene Function and Therapy for Inherited Retinal Disorders

Inherited retinal disorders (IRDs) affect millions of people worldwide and are a major cause of irreversible blindness. Therapies based on drugs, gene augmentation or transplantation approaches have been widely investigated and proposed. Among gene therapies for retinal degenerative diseases, the fast-evolving genome-editing CRISPR/Cas technology has emerged as a new potential treatment. The CRISPR/Cas system has been developed as a powerful genome-editing tool in ophthalmic studies and has been applied not only to gain proof of principle for gene therapies in vivo, but has also been extensively used in basic research to model diseases-in-a-dish. Indeed, the CRISPR/Cas technology has been exploited to genetically modify human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) to model retinal disorders in vitro, to test in vitro drugs and therapies and to provide a cell source for autologous transplantation. In this review, we will focus on the technological advances in iPSC-based cellular reprogramming and gene editing technologies to create human in vitro models that accurately recapitulate IRD mechanisms towards the development of treatments for retinal degenerative diseases

Protein Sequence Annotation Tool (PSAT): a centralized web-based meta-server for high-throughput sequence annotations

The EC2KEGG output for the RV1423 analysis sorted in ascending order by the FDR value. (XLSX 58 kb