52 research outputs found
Coherence Transition of Small Josephson Junctions Coupled to a Single-Mode Resonant Cavity: Connection to the Dicke Model
We calculate the thermodynamic properties of a collection of small
Josephson junctions coupled to a single-mode resonant electromagnetic cavity,
at finite temperature , using several approaches. In the first approach, we
include all the quantum-mechanical levels of the junction, but treat the
junction-cavity interaction using a mean-field approximation developed
previously for . In the other approaches, the junctions are treated
including only the two lowest energy levels per junction, but with two
different Hamiltonians. The first of these maps onto the Dicke model of quantum
optics. The second is a modified Dicke model which contains an additional
XY-like coupling between the junctions. The modified Dicke model can be treated
using a mean-field theory, which in the limit of zero XY coupling gives the
solution of the Dicke model in the thermodynamic limit using Glauber coherent
states to represent the cavity. In all cases, for an -independent
junction-cavity coupling, there is a critical junction number above which
there is a continuous transition from incoherence to coherence with decreasing
. If the coupling scales with so as to give a well-behaved thermodynamic
limit, there is a critical minimum coupling strength for the onset of
coherence. In all three models, the cavity photon occupation numbers have a
non-Bose distribution when the system is coherent.Comment: 26 page
Resonant-Cavity-Induced Phase Locking and Voltage Steps in a Josephson Array
We describe a simple dynamical model for an underdamped Josephson junction
array coupled to a resonant cavity. From numerical solutions of the model in
one dimension, we find that (i) current-voltage characteristics of the array
have self-induced resonant steps (SIRS), (ii) at fixed disorder and coupling
strength, the array locks into a coherent, periodic state above a critical
number of active Josephson junctions, and (iii) when active junctions are
synchronized on an SIRS, the energy emitted into the resonant cavity is
quadratic with . All three features are in agreement with a recent
experiment [Barbara {\it et al}, Phys. Rev. Lett. {\bf 82}, 1963 (1999)]}.Comment: 4 pages, 3 eps figures included. Submitted to PRB Rapid Com
Dynamics of a Josephson Array in a Resonant Cavity
We derive dynamical equations for a Josephson array coupled to a resonant
cavity by applying the Heisenberg equations of motion to a model Hamiltonian
described by us earlier [Phys. Rev. B {\bf 63}, 144522 (2001); Phys. Rev. B
{\bf 64}, 179902 (E)]. By means of a canonical transformation, we also show
that, in the absence of an applied current and dissipation, our model reduces
to one described by Shnirman {\it et al} [Phys. Rev. Lett. {\bf 79}, 2371
(1997)] for coupled qubits, and that it corresponds to a capacitive coupling
between the array and the cavity mode. From extensive numerical solutions of
the model in one dimension, we find that the array locks into a coherent,
periodic state above a critical number of active junctions, that the
current-voltage characteristics of the array have self-induced resonant steps
(SIRS's), that when active junctions are synchronized on a SIRS, the
energy emitted into the resonant cavity is quadratic in , and that when a
fixed number of junctions is biased on a SIRS, the energy is linear in the
input power. All these results are in agreement with recent experiments. By
choosing the initial conditions carefully, we can drive the array into any of a
variety of different integer SIRS's. We tentatively identify terms in the
equations of motion which give rise to both the SIRS's and the coherence
threshold. We also find higher-order integer SIRS's and fractional SIRS's in
some simulations. We conclude that a resonant cavity can produce threshold
behavior and SIRS's even in a one-dimensional array with appropriate
experimental parameters, and that the experimental data, including the coherent
emission, can be understood from classical equations of motion.Comment: 15 pages, 10 eps figures, submitted to Phys. Rev.
Eigenstates of a Small Josephson Junction Coupled to a Resonant Cavity
We carry out a quantum-mechanical analysis of a small Josephson junction
coupled to a single-mode resonant cavity. We find that the eigenstates of the
combined junction-cavity system are strongly entangled only when the gate
voltage applied at one of the superconducting islands is tuned to certain
special values. One such value corresponds to the resonant absorption of a
single photon by Cooper pairs in the junction. Another special value
corresponds to a {\em two-photon} absorption process. Near the single-photon
resonant absorption, the system is accurately described by a simplified model
in which only the lowest two levels of the Josephson junction are retained in
the Hamiltonian matrix. We noticed that this approximation does not work very
well as the number of photons in the resonator increases. Our system shows also
the phenomenon of ``collapse and revival'' under suitable initial conditions,
and our full numerical solution agrees with the two level approximation result.Comment: 7 pages, and 6 figures. To be published in Phys. Rev.
Co-Graft of Allogeneic Immune Regulatory Neural Stem Cells (NPC) and Pancreatic Islets Mediates Tolerance, while Inducing NPC-Derived Tumors in Mice
Data available on the immunomodulatory properties of neural stem/precursor cells (NPC) support their possible use as modulators for immune-mediated process. The aim of this study was to define whether NPC administered in combination with pancreatic islets prevents rejection in a fully mismatched allograft model.Diabetic Balb/c mice were co-transplanted under the kidney capsule with pancreatic islets and GFP(+) NPC from fully mismatched C57BL/6 mice. The following 4 groups of recipients were used: mice receiving islets alone; mice receiving islets alone and treated with standard immunosuppression (IL-2Ralpha chain mAbs + FK506 + Rapamycin); mice receiving a mixed islet/NPC graft under the same kidney capsule (Co-NPC-Tx); mice receiving the islet graft under the left kidney capsule and the NPC graft under the right kidney capsule (NPC-Tx). Our results demonstrate that only the co-transplantation and co-localization of NPC and islets (Co-NPC-Tx) induce stable long-term graft function in the absence of immunosuppression. This condition is associated with an expansion of CD4(+)CD25(+)FoxP3(+) T regulatory cells in the spleen. Unfortunately, stable graft function was accompanied by constant and reproducible development of NPC-derived cancer mainly sustained by insulin secretion.These data demonstrate that the use of NPC in combination with islets prevents graft rejection in a fully mismatched model. However, the development of NPC-derived cancer raises serious doubts about the safety of using adult stem cells in combination with insulin-producing cells outside the original microenvironment
Comparação de dois modelos experimentais de hipertensão pulmonar
Objective: To compare two models of pulmonary hypertension (monocrotaline and monocrotaline+pneumonectomy) regarding hemodynamic severity, structure of pulmonary arteries, inflammatory markers (IL-1 and PDGF), and 45-day survival. Methods: We used 80 Sprague-Dawley rats in two study protocols: structural analysis; and survival analysis. The rats were divided into four groups: control; monocrotaline (M), pneumonectomy (P), and monocrotaline+pneumonectomy (M+P). In the structural analysis protocol, 40 rats (10/group) were catheterized for the determination of hemodynamic variables, followed by euthanasia for the removal of heart and lung tissue. The right ventricle (RV) was dissected from the interventricular septum (IS), and the ratio between RV weight and the weight of the left ventricle (LV) plus IS (RV/LV+IS) was taken as the index of RV hypertrophy. In lung tissues, we performed histological analyses, as well as using ELISA to determine IL-1 and PDGF levels. In the survival protocol, 40 animals (10/group) were followed for 45 days. Results: The M and M+P rats developed pulmonary hypertension, whereas the control and P rats did not. The RV/LV+IS ratio was significantly higher in M+P rats than in M rats, as well as being significantly higher in M and M+P rats than in control and P rats. There were no significant differences between the M and M+P rats regarding the area of the medial layer of the pulmonary arteries; IL-1 and PDGF levels; or survival. Conclusions: On the basis of our results, we cannot conclude that the monocrotaline+pneumonectomy model is superior to the monocrotaline model.Comparar dois modelos de hipertensão pulmonar (monocrotalina e monocrotalina+pneumonectomia) em relação à gravidade hemodinâmica, estrutura de artérias pulmonares, marcadores inflamatórios (IL-1 e PDGF) e sobrevida em 45 dias. métodos: Foram utilizados 80 ratos Sprague-Dawley em dois protocolos de estudo: análise estrutural e de sobrevida. Os animais foram divididos em quatro grupos: controle, monocrotalina (M), pneumonectomia (P) e monocrotalina+pneumonectomia (M+P). Para a análise estrutural, 40 animais (10/grupo) foram cateterizados após 28 dias para a medição dos valores hemodinâmicos e sacrificados, obtendo-se tecidos cardÃaco e pulmonar. O ventrÃculo direito (VD) foi dissecado do septo interventricular (SI), e a relação do peso \ud
do VD e do peso do ventrÃculo esquerdo (VE) com o SI foi obtida como Ãndice de hipertrofia de VD. No tecido pulmonar, foram realizadas análises histológicas e dosados IL-1 e PDGF por ELISA. Para o estudo de sobrevida, 40 animais (10/grupo) foram observados por 45 dias. Resultados: Os grupos M e M+P apresentaram hipertensão pulmonar em relação aos demais. Houve um aumento significativo da relação VD/VE+S no grupo M+P em \ud
relação aos demais. Não houve diferenças significativas entre os grupos M e M+P quanto à área da camada média das artérias pulmonares, dosagens de IL-1 e PDGF ou sobrevida. Conclusões: Baseados nos resultados, não podemos afirmar que o modelo de monocrotalina+pneumonectomia é superior ao modelo de monocrotalina
The Geriatric G8 Score Is Associated with Survival Outcomes in Older Patients with Advanced Prostate Cancer in the ADHERE Prospective Study of the Meet-URO Network
Introduction: Androgen receptor pathway inhibitors (ARPIs) have been increasingly offered to older patients with prostate cancer (PC). However, prognostic factors relevant to their outcome with ARPIs are still little investigated. Methods and Materials: The Meet-URO network ADHERE was a prospective multicentre observational cohort study evaluating and monitoring adherence to ARPIs metastatic castrate-resistant PC (mCRPC) patients aged ≥70. Cox regression univariable and multivariable analyses for radiographic progression-free (rPFS) and overall survival (OS) were performed. Unsupervised median values and literature-based thresholds where available were used as cut-offs for quantitative variables. Results: Overall, 234 patients were enrolled with a median age of 78 years (73–82); 86 were treated with abiraterone (ABI) and 148 with enzalutamide (ENZ). With a median follow-up of 15.4 months (mo.), the median rPFS was 26.0 mo. (95% CI, 22.8–29.3) and OS 48.8 mo. (95% CI, 36.8–60.8). At the MVA, independent prognostic factors for both worse rPFS and OS were Geriatric G8 assessment ≤ 14 (p < 0.001 and p = 0.004) and PSA decline ≥50% (p < 0.001 for both); time to castration resistance ≥ 31 mo. and setting of treatment (i.e., post-ABI/ENZ) for rPFS only (p < 0.001 and p = 0.01, respectively); age ≥78 years for OS only (p = 0.008). Conclusions: Baseline G8 screening is recommended for mCRPC patients aged ≥70 to optimise ARPIs in vulnerable individuals, including early introduction of palliative care
Quintal da saúde project : new care strategies
O projeto de extensão Quintal da Saúde busca unir e difundir amplamente
os saberes cientÃfico e popular sobre as plantas medicinais. O projeto se desenvolve
fisicamente nos jardins internos da FS, onde são cultivadas inúmeras espécies de
plantas de maneira orgânica, permitindo além da interação do público com o projeto,
a possibilidade de realizar ações voltadas para a educação em saúde por meio do uso
de plantas medicinais e de outras práticas integrativas. No ano de 2020, o mundo foi
surpreendido pela pandemia da Covid-19, o que levou a reformulação do projeto. As
ações educativas migraram para as plataformas digitais, com postagens semanais, rodas
de conversa com participação de pesquisadores de outros estados, além de vÃdeos,
o que tornou possÃvel a interação de um número maior de pessoas com os conteúdos
produzidos.The Quintal da Saúde extension Project seeks to unite and widely
disseminate scientific and popular knowledge about medicinal plants. The project
is physically developed in the internal gardens of the FS, where numerous species of
plants are grown organically, allowing, in addition to the public interaction with the
project, the possibility of carrying out actions aimed at health education through the
use of medicinal plants and other integrative practices. In 2020, the world was surprised
by Covid-19 pandemic, which led to the reformulation of the project. Educational
actions migrated to digital platforms, with weekly posts and conversation circles with
the participation of researchers from other states, in addition to videos, which made it
possible for a greater number of people to interact with the content produced
Type 1 diabetes mellitus
Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM), also known as autoimmune diabetes, is a chronic disease characterized by insulin deficiency due to pancreatic β-cell loss and leads to hyperglycaemia. Although the age of symptomatic onset is usually during childhood or adolescence, symptoms can sometimes develop much later. Although the aetiology of T1DM is not completely understood, the pathogenesis of the disease is thought to involve T cell-mediated destruction of β-cells. Islet-targeting autoantibodies that target insulin, 65 kDa glutamic acid decarboxylase, insulinoma-associated protein 2 and zinc transporter 8-all of which are proteins associated with secretory granules in β-cells-are biomarkers of T1DM-associated autoimmunity that are found months to years before symptom onset, and can be used to identify and study individuals who are at risk of developing T1DM. The type of autoantibody that appears first depends on the environmental trigger and on genetic factors. The pathogenesis of T1DM can be divided into three stages depending on the absence or presence of hyperglycaemia and hyperglycaemia-associated symptoms (such as polyuria and thirst). A cure is not available, and patients depend on lifelong insulin injections; novel approaches to insulin treatment, such as insulin pumps, continuous glucose monitoring and hybrid closed-loop systems, are in development. Although intensive glycaemic control has reduced the incidence of microvascular and macrovascular complications, the majority of patients with T1DM are still developing these complications. Major research efforts are needed to achieve early diagnosis, prevent β-cell loss and develop better treatment options to improve the quality of life and prognosis of those affected
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