Solid state photomultiplier for astronomy, phase 2

Epitaxial layers with varying donor concentration profiles were grown on silicon substrate wafers using chemical vapor deposition (CVD) techniques, and solid state photomultiplier (SSPM) devices were fabricated from the wafers. Representative detectors were tested in a low background photon flux, low temperature environment to determine the device characteristics for comparison to NASA goals for astronomical applications. The SSPM temperatures varied between 6 and 11 K with background fluxes in the range from less than 5 x 10 to the 6th power to 10 to the 13th power photons/square cm per second at wavelengths of 3.2 and 20 cm. Measured parameters included quantum efficiency, dark count rate and bias current. Temperature for optimal performance is 10 K, the highest ever obtained for SSPMs. The devices exhibit a combination of the lowest dark current and highest quantum efficiency yet achieved. Experimental data were reduced, analyzed and used to generate recommendations for future studies. The background and present status of the microscopic theory of SSPM operation were reviewed and summarized. Present emphasis is on modeling of the avalanche process which is the basis for SSPM operation. Approaches to the solution of the Boltzmann transport equation are described and the treatment of electron scattering mechanisms is presented. The microscopic single-electron transport theory is ready to be implemented for large-scale computations

Predictors and rates of treatment-resistant tumor growth in acromegaly

Background: Multimodal therapy for acromegaly affords adequate disease control for many patients; however, there remains a subset of individuals that exhibit treatment-resistant disease. The issue of treatment-resistant pituitary tumor growth remains relatively under-explored. Methods: We assessed the literature for relevant data regarding the surgical, medical and radio-therapeutic treatment of acromegaly in order to identify the factors that were predictive of aggressive or treatment-resistant pituitary tumor behavior in acromegaly and undertook an assessment of the rates of failure to control tumor progression with available treatment modalities. Results: Young age at diagnosis, large tumor size, high growth hormone secretion and certain histological markers are predictors of future aggressive tumor behavior in acromegaly. Significant tumor regrowth occurs in less than 10% of cases thought to be cured surgically, whereas failure to control tumor growth is seen in less than 1% of patients receiving radiotherapy. Somatostatin analogs induce a variable degree of tumor shrinkage in acromegaly but up to 2.2% of somatostatin analog-treated tumors continue to grow. Relative to other therapies, limited data are available for pegvisomant, but these indicate that persistent tumor growth occurs in 1.6-2.9% of cases followed up regularly with serial magnetic resonance imaging scans. Conclusions: Treatment-resistant tumor progression occurs in a small minority of patients with acromegaly, regardless of treatment modality. Young patients with large tumors or those with high pre-treatment levels of growth hormone particularly warrant close monitoring for continued tumor progression during treatment for acromegaly

Direct oral anticoagulants‐Remove versus Taipan snake venom time for detection of a lupus anticoagulant in patients taking oral direct factor Xa inhibitors

Background: The optimal method of detecting a lupus anticoagulant (LA) for patients taking direct factor Xa inhibitor (DFXaI) direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) remains controversial. Methods include charcoal adsorption of the DOACs to allow testing with the activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) and dilute Russell viper venom time (dRVVT), or use of the DFXaI‐insensitive Taipan snake venom time (TSVT) and Ecarin time (ET) assays on neat plasma. Objectives: The objective was to compare the utility of APTT and dRVVT analysis following DOAC Remove against TSVT/ET on untreated plasma for LA detection in spiked plasmas and routine clinical samples for patients on DFXaIs. Patients/methods: Various LA‐negative and LA‐positive samples were assayed by APTT, dRVVT, and TSVT/ET, and then separately spiked with rivaroxaban, apixaban, and edoxaban calibrators to a concentration of ~190 ng/ml and the assays repeated on spiked plasma before and after DOAC Remove treatment. Testing of 284 consecutive samples from DFXaI‐anticoagulated patients by APTT/dRVVT and TSVT/ET before and after DOAC Remove treatment was undertaken. Results: In the spiking model, we found that both TSVT/ET and DOAC Remove strategies generally distinguished LA‐negative and LA‐positive samples, but some false‐positive LA results occurred. In the investigation of 284 consecutive patient samples on DFXaIs, the percentage agreement for LA detection in neat samples tested by TSVT/ET versus APTT and dRVVT after DOAC Remove treatment was 90% (Cohen kappa 0.12). Conclusion: Our data highlight uncertainty and disagreement for testing LA in patients on DFXaI. Further studies are required

On Conceptually Simple Algorithms for Variants of Online Bipartite Matching

We present a series of results regarding conceptually simple algorithms for bipartite matching in various online and related models. We first consider a deterministic adversarial model. The best approximation ratio possible for a one-pass deterministic online algorithm is $1/2$, which is achieved by any greedy algorithm. D\"urr et al. recently presented a $2$-pass algorithm called Category-Advice that achieves approximation ratio $3/5$. We extend their algorithm to multiple passes. We prove the exact approximation ratio for the $k$-pass Category-Advice algorithm for all $k \ge 1$, and show that the approximation ratio converges to the inverse of the golden ratio $2/(1+\sqrt{5}) \approx 0.618$ as $k$ goes to infinity. The convergence is extremely fast --- the $5$-pass Category-Advice algorithm is already within $0.01\%$ of the inverse of the golden ratio. We then consider a natural greedy algorithm in the online stochastic IID model---MinDegree. This algorithm is an online version of a well-known and extensively studied offline algorithm MinGreedy. We show that MinDegree cannot achieve an approximation ratio better than $1-1/e$, which is guaranteed by any consistent greedy algorithm in the known IID model. Finally, following the work in Besser and Poloczek, we depart from an adversarial or stochastic ordering and investigate a natural randomized algorithm (MinRanking) in the priority model. Although the priority model allows the algorithm to choose the input ordering in a general but well defined way, this natural algorithm cannot obtain the approximation of the Ranking algorithm in the ROM model

Magnetopause stand-off distance in dependence on the magnetosheath and solar wind parameters

International audienceA model of the magnetosheath structure proposed in a recent paper from the authors is extended to estimate the magnetopause stand-off distance from solar wind data. For this purpose, the relationship of the magnetopause location to the magnetosheath and solar wind parameters is studied. It is shown that magnetopause erosion may be explained in terms of the magnetosheath magnetic field penetration into the magnetosphere. The coefficient of penetration (the ratio of the magnetospheric magnetic field depression to the intensity of the magnetosheath magnetic field Bm?z=?Bmsin2?/2, is estimated and found approximately to equal 1. It is shown that having combined a magnetosheath model presented in an earlier paper and the magnetosheath field penetration model presented in this paper, it is possible to predict the magnetopause stand-off distance from solar wind parameters

Secondary system bridge problems and strengthening solutions

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has reported approximately 40% of our nation's bridges are inadequate. Concern over the current status of these bridges has led to various research projects to study the substantial structural problems plaguing high ADT highway bridges on the federal and state highway systems. Unfortunately, very little research has been performed related to the structural problems of secondary system bridges. There exists a need for research to: 1) identify the critical problems on the secondary system and 2) determine economical strengthening solutions or economical replacement alternatives. The primary objective of this research study was to investigate the most significant structural bridge deficiencies in rural Iowa and to develop aids to assist county engineers evaluate and design legally sufficient bridges. Emphasis has been placed on relating bridge strengthening and replacement options to federal financial support obtained by Iowa Counties. This report summarizes the structural deficiencies found on the secondary highway system in Iowa, provides strengthening methods which may apply to the greatest percentage of these bridges and provides spreadsheets as design aids for evaluating these bridges

Geogenomic segregation and temporal trends of human pathogenic Escherichia coli o157:H7, Washington, USA, 2005-2014

The often-noted and persistent increased incidence of Escherichia coli O157:H7 infections in rural areas is not well understood. We used a cohort of E. coli O157:H7 cases reported in Washington, USA, during 2005–2014, along with phylogenomic characterization of the infecting isolates, to identify geographic segregation of and temporal trends in specific phylogenetic lineages of E. coli O157:H7. Kernel estimation and generalized additive models demonstrated that pathogen lineages were spatially segregated during the period of analysis and identified a focus of segregation spanning multiple, predominantly rural, counties for each of the main clinical lineages, Ib, IIa, and IIb. These results suggest the existence of local reservoirs from which humans are infected. We also noted a secular increase in the proportion of lineage IIa and IIb isolates. Spatial segregation by phylogenetic lineage offers the potential to identify local reservoirs and intervene to prevent continued transmission