217 research outputs found
A Novel and Practical Protocol for Three-Dimensional Assessment of Alveolar Cleft Grafting Procedures
Objective: To evaluate the reproducibility and accuracy of a new, easy-to-use volumetric assessment of the alveolar cleft. Design: Twelve cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) datasets of patients with a unilateral cleft lip, alveolus, and palate were evaluated by two investigators. Residual alveolar cleft calcified volume one year after surgery was analyzed by using standardized landmarks to determine the borders of the cleft defect and semi-automatically segment the alveolar cleft defect. Results: The Dice-coefficient between observers for the segmented preoperative alveolar cleft defect was 0.81. Average percentage of residual alveolar cleft calcified material was 66.7% one year postoperatively. Conclusions: This study demonstrates a reliable and practical semi-automatic three-dimensional volumetric assessment method for unilateral clefts using CBCT
Risk of hepatitis B virus reactivation in rheumatoid arthritis patients undergoing biologic treatment : extending perspective from old to newer drugs
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) reactivation in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients undergoing biological therapy is not infrequent. This condition can occur in patients with chronic hepatitis B as well as in patients with resolved HBV infection. Current recommendations are mainly focused on prevention and management strategies of viral reactivation under tumor necrosis factor-\u3b1 inhibitors or chimeric monoclonal antibody rituximab. In recent years, growing data concerning HBV reactivation in RA patients treated with newer biological drugs like tocilizumab and abatacept have cumulated. In this review, epidemiology, pathogenesis and natural history of HBV infection have been revised first, mainly focusing on the role that specific therapeutic targets of current biotechnological drugs play in HBV pathobiology; finally we have summarized current evidences from scientific literature, including either observational studies and case reports as well, concerning HBV reactivation under different classes of biological drugs in RA patients. Taking all these evidences into account, some practical guidelines for screening, vaccination, prophylaxis and treatment of HBV reactivation have been proposed
The MEG detector for decay search
The MEG (Mu to Electron Gamma) experiment has been running at the Paul
Scherrer Institut (PSI), Switzerland since 2008 to search for the decay \meg\
by using one of the most intense continuous beams in the world. This
paper presents the MEG components: the positron spectrometer, including a thin
target, a superconducting magnet, a set of drift chambers for measuring the
muon decay vertex and the positron momentum, a timing counter for measuring the
positron time, and a liquid xenon detector for measuring the photon energy,
position and time. The trigger system, the read-out electronics and the data
acquisition system are also presented in detail. The paper is completed with a
description of the equipment and techniques developed for the calibration in
time and energy and the simulation of the whole apparatus.Comment: 59 pages, 90 figure
Impact of electrostatic crosstalk on spin qubits in dense CMOS quantum dot arrays
Quantum processors based on integrated nanoscale silicon spin qubits are a
promising platform for highly scalable quantum computation. Current CMOS spin
qubit processors consist of dense gate arrays to define the quantum dots,
making them susceptible to crosstalk from capacitive coupling between a dot and
its neighbouring gates. Small but sizeable spin-orbit interactions can transfer
this electrostatic crosstalk to the spin g-factors, creating a dependence of
the Larmor frequency on the electric field created by gate electrodes
positioned even tens of nanometers apart. By studying the Stark shift from tens
of spin qubits measured in nine different CMOS devices, we developed a
theoretical frawework that explains how electric fields couple to the spin of
the electrons in increasingly complex arrays, including those electric
fluctuations that limit qubit dephasing times . The results will aid in
the design of robust strategies to scale CMOS quantum technology.Comment: 9 pages, 4 figure
Consistency of high-fidelity two-qubit operations in silicon
The consistency of entangling operations between qubits is essential for the
performance of multi-qubit systems, and is a crucial factor in achieving
fault-tolerant quantum processors. Solid-state platforms are particularly
exposed to inconsistency due to the materials-induced variability of
performance between qubits and the instability of gate fidelities over time.
Here we quantify this consistency for spin qubits, tying it to its physical
origins, while demonstrating sustained and repeatable operation of two-qubit
gates with fidelities above 99% in the technologically important silicon
metal-oxide-semiconductor (SiMOS) quantum dot platform. We undertake a detailed
study of the stability of these operations by analysing errors and fidelities
in multiple devices through numerous trials and extended periods of operation.
Adopting three different characterisation methods, we measure entangling gate
fidelities ranging from 96.8% to 99.8%. Our analysis tools also identify
physical causes of qubit degradation and offer ways to maintain performance
within tolerance. Furthermore, we investigate the impact of qubit design,
feedback systems, and robust gates on implementing scalable, high-fidelity
control strategies. These results highlight both the capabilities and
challenges for the scaling up of spin-based qubits into full-scale quantum
processors
High-fidelity spin qubit operation and algorithmic initialization above 1 K
The encoding of qubits in semiconductor spin carriers has been recognized as a promising approach to a commercial quantum computer that can be lithographically produced and integrated at scale. However, the operation of the large number of qubits required for advantageous quantum applications will produce a thermal load exceeding the available cooling power of cryostats at millikelvin temperatures. As the scale-up accelerates, it becomes imperative to establish fault-tolerant operation above 1 K, at which the cooling power is orders of magnitude higher. Here we tune up and operate spin qubits in silicon above 1 K, with fidelities in the range required for fault-tolerant operations at these temperatures. We design an algorithmic initialization protocol to prepare a pure two-qubit state even when the thermal energy is substantially above the qubit energies and incorporate radiofrequency readout to achieve fidelities up to 99.34% for both readout and initialization. We also demonstrate single-qubit Clifford gate fidelities up to 99.85% and a two-qubit gate fidelity of 98.92%. These advances overcome the fundamental limitation that the thermal energy must be well below the qubit energies for the high-fidelity operation to be possible, surmounting a main obstacle in the pathway to scalable and fault-tolerant quantum computation
High-fidelity operation and algorithmic initialisation of spin qubits above one kelvin
The encoding of qubits in semiconductor spin carriers has been recognised as
a promising approach to a commercial quantum computer that can be
lithographically produced and integrated at scale. However, the operation of
the large number of qubits required for advantageous quantum applications will
produce a thermal load exceeding the available cooling power of cryostats at
millikelvin temperatures. As the scale-up accelerates, it becomes imperative to
establish fault-tolerant operation above 1 kelvin, where the cooling power is
orders of magnitude higher. Here, we tune up and operate spin qubits in silicon
above 1 kelvin, with fidelities in the range required for fault-tolerant
operation at such temperatures. We design an algorithmic initialisation
protocol to prepare a pure two-qubit state even when the thermal energy is
substantially above the qubit energies, and incorporate high-fidelity
radio-frequency readout to achieve an initialisation fidelity of 99.34 per
cent. Importantly, we demonstrate a single-qubit Clifford gate fidelity of
99.85 per cent, and a two-qubit gate fidelity of 98.92 per cent. These advances
overcome the fundamental limitation that the thermal energy must be well below
the qubit energies for high-fidelity operation to be possible, surmounting a
major obstacle in the pathway to scalable and fault-tolerant quantum
computation
Osteoinductive calcium phosphate with submicron topography as bone graft substitute for maxillary sinus floor augmentation: A translational study
Objectives: The aim of this study was the preclinical and clinical evaluation of osteoinductive calcium phosphate with submicron surface topography as a bone graft substitute for maxillary sinus floor augmentation (MSFA). Material and Methods: A preclinical sheep model of MSFA was used to compare a calcium phosphate with submicron needle-shaped topography (BCPN, MagnetOs Granules, Kuros Biosciences BV) to a calcium phosphate with submicron grain-shaped topography (BCPG) and autologous bone graft (ABG) as controls. Secondly, a 10-patient, prospective, randomized, controlled trial was performed to compare BCPN to ABG in MSFA with two-stage implant placement. Results: The pre-clinical study demonstrated that both BCPN and BCPG were highly biocompatible, supported bony ingrowth with direct bone apposition against the material, and exhibited bone formation as early as 3 weeks post-implantation. However, BCPN demonstrated significantly more bone formation than BCPG at the study endpoint of 12 weeks. Only BCPN reached an equivalent amount of bone formation in the available space and a greater proportion of calcified material (bone + graft material) in the maxillary sinus compared to the “gold standard” ABG after 12 weeks. These results were validated in a small prospective clinical study, in which BCPN was found comparable to ABG in implant stability, bone height, new bone formation in trephine core biopsies, and overall clinical outcome. Conclusion: This translational work demonstrates that osteoinductive calcium phosphates are promising bone graft substitutes for MSFA, whereas their bone-forming potential depends on the design of their surface features. Netherlands Trial Register, NL6436
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