Scattering of a Partially-coherent Wave from a Material Circular Cylinder

The case of a partially-coherent wave scattered from a material circular cylinder is investigated. Expressions for the TMz and TEz scattered-field cross-spectral density functions are derived by utilizing the plane-wave spectrum representation of electromagnetic fields and cylindrical wave transformations. From the analytical scattered-field cross-spectral density functions, the mean scattering widths are derived and subsequently validated via comparison with those computed from Method of Moments Monte Carlo simulations. The analytical relations as well as the simulation results are discussed and physically interpreted. Key insights are noted and subsequently analyzed

Nondestructive Characterization of Salisbury Screen and Jaumann Absorbers Using a Clamped Rectangular Waveguide Geometry

A nondestructive technique to characterize Salisbury screen and Jaumann absorbers is presented. The proposed method utilizes two flanged rectangular waveguides to unambiguously determine the permittivities of two-layer dielectric absorbers. The derivation of the theoretical reflection and transmission coefficients, necessary to determine material under test permittivities, is presented. The derivation makes use of Love’s equivalence principle and the continuity of transverse magnetic fields to formulate a system of coupled magnetic field integral equations. These integral equations are solved using the Method of Methods to yield theoretical scattering parameters. The unknown permittivities are then found using nonlinear least squares. To validate the proposed nondestructive technique, measurement results of three two-layer dielectric absorbers are presented and analyzed. In addition, an extensive error analysis is performed on the extracted permittivity values. The results of the proposed method are found to be in good agreement with the results returned by traditional, destructive waveguide transmission/reflection approaches

Development of a CW Superconducting RF Booster Cryomodule for Future Light Sources

Future light sources based on seeded free electron lasers (FEL) have the potential to increase the soft xray flux by several orders of magnitude with short bunch lengths to probe electron structure and dynamics. A low emittance, high rep-rate radio frequency (RF) photocathode electron gun will generate the electron beam that will require very stringent beam control and manipulation through the superconducting linear accelerator to maintain the high brightness required for an x-ray FEL. The initial or booster cavities of the superconducting radio frequency (SRF) linear accelerator will require stringent control of transverse kicks and higher order modes (HOM) during the beam manipulation and conditioning that is needed for emittance exchange and bunch compression. This SBIR proposal will develop, fabricate and test a continuous-wave SRF booster cryomodule specifically for this application. Phase I demonstrated the technical feasibility of the project by completing the preliminary SRF cavity and cryomodule design and its integration into an R&D test stand for beam studies at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL). The five-cell bulk niobium cavities operate at 750 MHz, and generate 10 MV each with strong HOM damping and special care to eliminate transverse kicks due to couplers. Due to continuous-wave operation at fairly modest beam currents and accelerating gradients the complexity of the two cavity cryomodule is greatly reduced compared to an ILC type system. Phase II will finalize the design, and fabricate and test the booster cryomodule. The cryomodule consists of two five-cell cavities that will accelerate megahertz bunch trains with nano-coulomb charge. The accelerating gradient is a very modest 10 MV/m with peak surface fields of 20 MV/m and 42.6 mT. The cryogenic system operates at 2 K with a design dynamic load of 20 W and total required cryogenic capacity of 45 W. The average beam current of up to 1 mA corresponds to a beam power of 10 kW per 5- cell cavity and will require 20 kW of RF power for transmission, control and regulation. The RF power will be supplied by a commercial tetrode. Cryogenic tests will be carried out at LBNL to make use of their test facilities, cryogenics and laser systems, and for future use with beam. Demonstration of this new type of booster cryomodule will open many new applications of SRF linear accelerators

BOXIT—A Randomised Phase III Placebo-controlled Trial Evaluating the Addition of Celecoxib to Standard Treatment of Transitional Cell Carcinoma of the Bladder (CRUK/07/004)

BACKGROUND:Non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) has a significant risk of recurrence despite adjuvant intravesical therapy. OBJECTIVE:To determine whether celecoxib, a cyclo-oxygenase 2 inhibitor, reduces the risk of recurrence in NMIBC patients receiving standard treatment. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS:BOXIT (CRUK/07/004, ISRCTN84681538) is a double-blinded, phase III, randomised controlled trial. Patients aged ≥18 yr with intermediate- or high-risk NMIBC were accrued across 51 UK centres between 1 November 2007 and 23 July 2012. INTERVENTION:Patients were randomised (1:1) to celecoxib 200mg twice daily or placebo for 2 yr. Patients with intermediate-risk NMIBC were recommended to receive six weekly mitomycin C instillations; high-risk NMIBC cases received six weekly bacillus Calmette-Guérin and maintenance therapy. OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS AND STATISTICAL ANALYSIS:The primary endpoint was time to disease recurrence. Analysis was by intention to treat. RESULTS AND LIMITATIONS:A total of 472 patients were randomised (236:236). With median follow-up of 44 mo (interquartile range: 36-57), 3-yr recurrence-free rate (95% confidence interval) was as follows: celecoxib 68% (61-74%) versus placebo 64% (57-70%; hazard ratio [HR] 0.82 [0.60-1.12], p=0.2). There was no difference in high-risk (HR 0.77 [0.52-1.15], p=0.2) or intermediate-risk (HR 0.90 [0.55-1.48], p=0.7) NMIBC. Subgroup analysis suggested that time to recurrence was longer in pT1 NMIBC patients treated with celecoxib compared with those receiving placebo (HR 0.53 [0.30-0.94], interaction test p=0.04). The 3-yr progression rates in high-risk patients were low: 10% (6.5-17%) and 9.7% (6.0-15%) in celecoxib and placebo arms, respectively. Incidence of serious cardiovascular events was higher in celecoxib (5.2%) than in placebo (1.7%) group (difference +3.4% [-0.3% to 7.2%], p=0.07). CONCLUSIONS:BOXIT did not show that celecoxib reduces the risk of recurrence in intermediate- or high-risk NMIBC, although celecoxib was associated with delayed time to recurrence in pT1 NMIBC patients. The increased risk of cardiovascular events does not support the use of celecoxib. PATIENT SUMMARY:Celecoxib was not shown to reduce the risk of recurrence in intermediate- or high-risk non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC), although celecoxib was associated with delayed time to recurrence in pT1 NMIBC patients. The increased risk of cardiovascular events does not support the use of celecoxib

Mathematical models for immunology:current state of the art and future research directions

The advances in genetics and biochemistry that have taken place over the last 10 years led to significant advances in experimental and clinical immunology. In turn, this has led to the development of new mathematical models to investigate qualitatively and quantitatively various open questions in immunology. In this study we present a review of some research areas in mathematical immunology that evolved over the last 10 years. To this end, we take a step-by-step approach in discussing a range of models derived to study the dynamics of both the innate and immune responses at the molecular, cellular and tissue scales. To emphasise the use of mathematics in modelling in this area, we also review some of the mathematical tools used to investigate these models. Finally, we discuss some future trends in both experimental immunology and mathematical immunology for the upcoming years

Prognostic model to predict postoperative acute kidney injury in patients undergoing major gastrointestinal surgery based on a national prospective observational cohort study.

Background: Acute illness, existing co-morbidities and surgical stress response can all contribute to postoperative acute kidney injury (AKI) in patients undergoing major gastrointestinal surgery. The aim of this study was prospectively to develop a pragmatic prognostic model to stratify patients according to risk of developing AKI after major gastrointestinal surgery. Methods: This prospective multicentre cohort study included consecutive adults undergoing elective or emergency gastrointestinal resection, liver resection or stoma reversal in 2-week blocks over a continuous 3-month period. The primary outcome was the rate of AKI within 7 days of surgery. Bootstrap stability was used to select clinically plausible risk factors into the model. Internal model validation was carried out by bootstrap validation. Results: A total of 4544 patients were included across 173 centres in the UK and Ireland. The overall rate of AKI was 14·2 per cent (646 of 4544) and the 30-day mortality rate was 1·8 per cent (84 of 4544). Stage 1 AKI was significantly associated with 30-day mortality (unadjusted odds ratio 7·61, 95 per cent c.i. 4·49 to 12·90; P < 0·001), with increasing odds of death with each AKI stage. Six variables were selected for inclusion in the prognostic model: age, sex, ASA grade, preoperative estimated glomerular filtration rate, planned open surgery and preoperative use of either an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor or an angiotensin receptor blocker. Internal validation demonstrated good model discrimination (c-statistic 0·65). Discussion: Following major gastrointestinal surgery, AKI occurred in one in seven patients. This preoperative prognostic model identified patients at high risk of postoperative AKI. Validation in an independent data set is required to ensure generalizability