125 research outputs found
Large N limit of SO(N) gauge theory of fermions and bosons
In this paper we study the large N_c limit of SO(N_c) gauge theory coupled to
a Majorana field and a real scalar field in 1+1 dimensions extending ideas of
Rajeev. We show that the phase space of the resulting classical theory of
bilinears, which are the mesonic operators of this theory, is OSp_1(H|H
)/U(H_+|H_+), where H|H refers to the underlying complex graded space of
combined one-particle states of fermions and bosons and H_+|H_+ corresponds to
the positive frequency subspace. In the begining to simplify our presentation
we discuss in detail the case with Majorana fermions only (the purely bosonic
case is treated in our earlier work). In the Majorana fermion case the phase
space is given by O_1(H)/U(H_+), where H refers to the complex one-particle
states and H_+ to its positive frequency subspace. The meson spectrum in the
linear approximation again obeys a variant of the 't Hooft equation. The linear
approximation to the boson/fermion coupled case brings an additonal bound state
equation for mesons, which consists of one fermion and one boson, again of the
same form as the well-known 't Hooft equation.Comment: 27 pages, no figure
Large N limit of SO(N) scalar gauge theory
In this paper we study the large limit of SO(N_c) gauge theory coupled
to a real scalar field following ideas of Rajeev. We see that the phase space
of this resulting classical theory is Sp_1(H)/U(H_+) which is the analog of the
Siegel disc in infinite dimensions. The linearized equations of motion give us
a version of the well-known 't Hooft equation of two dimensional QCD.Comment: 16 pages, no figure
On three dimensional coupled bosons
This is a new version of the paper, which uses the same methods as in the
previous version, but the model is now different. We study two complex scalar
fields coupled through a quadratic interaction in 2+1 dimensions. We use the
method of bilinears as suggested by Rajeev. The resulting classical theory is
studied within the linear approximation and we show that there is a possible
bound state for the composite type particles for a range of coupling constant
strengths.Comment: 12 pages, to appear in JM
Supergrassmannian and large N limit of quantum field theory with bosons and fermions
We study a large N_{c} limit of a two-dimensional Yang-Mills theory coupled
to bosons and fermions in the fundamental representation. Extending an approach
due to Rajeev we show that the limiting theory can be described as a classical
Hamiltonian system whose phase space is an infinite-dimensional
supergrassmannian. The linear approximation to the equations of motion and the
constraint yields the 't Hooft equations for the mesonic spectrum. Two other
approximation schemes to the exact equations are discussed.Comment: 24 pages, Latex; v.3 appendix added, typos corrected, to appear in
JM
Impact of 18F-FDG PET/CT on Clinical Management of Suspected Radio-Iodine Refractory Differentiated Thyroid Cancer (RAI-R-DTC).
Background: As reported in the literature, [18F]-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography ([18F]-FDG PET/CT) provides useful qualitative and semi-quantitative data for the prognosis of advanced differentiated thyroid cancer. Instead, there is a lack of data about the real clinical impact of 18F-FDG PET/CT on the choice of the more effective therapeutic approach for advanced differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) that starts to lose iodine avidity. The primary aim of this retrospective study was to assess how 18F-FDG PET/CT can guide the choice of the best therapeutic approach to RAI-refractory DTC (RAI-R-DTC) in patients with a doubtful iodine uptake/negative 18F-FDG PET/CT I whole-body scan after several radioactive iodine therapies (RAIT). The secondary aim was to assess the prognostic role of clinical and semi-quantitative metabolic 18F-FDG PET/CT parameters in comparison to published data.
Materials and methods: A monocentric retrospective observational study was performed, reviewing the medical records of 53 patients recruited from a database of 208 patients treated at our Institution between 2011 and 2019, with advanced DTC that underwent FDG PET/CT scan for a suspected RAI-R-DTC. Selected patients had to perform a 18F-FDG PET/CT scan after the second RAIT based on a doubtful iodine uptake/negative 131 I whole-body scan and/or persistent elevated thyroglobulin levels. Metabolic response was defined according to positron emission tomography response criteria in solid tumors (PERCIST) guidelines. Standardized uptake value (SUV)max, SUVmean, metabolic tumor volume (MTV), and total lesion glycolysis (TLG) were calculated. The association between metabolic features, clinical parameters and progression free survival (PFS) was assessed applying Kruskal-Wallis, chi-square-Pearson correlation tests, and Cox regression analyses when appropriate.
Results: Among our sample of 53 patients (mean age 52.0 ± 19.9 years; 31 women and 22 men), 27 (51.0%) presented a positive 18F-FDG PET/CT scan: 16 (59.0%) underwent watchful waiting, 4 (15.0%) received external-beam radiation therapy (EBRT), 4 (15.0%) underwent surgery, 2 (7.4%) received another course of RAI therapy, and 1 underwent surgery + EBRT. PERCIST response was evaluated in 14/27 patients. Median follow-up was 5.8 ± 3.9 years and median PFS was 38.0 ± 21.8 months. At the last follow-up assessment, 14/53 (26.4%) demonstrated disease progression, 13/53 (24.5) persistence of structural disease, 25/53 (47%) persistence of biochemical disease, and 15/53 (28%) had an excellent response. A significant association was found between therapeutic approach, metabolic response, and final disease response evaluation, as well as a linear correlation between MTV and TLG with thyroglobulin level.
Conclusions: Our Institutional experience confirmed the role of 18F-FDG PET/CT as a useful guide in the clinical management of RAI-R-DTC and obviated further unnecessary RAIT
Frequency Tracking and Parameter Estimation for Robust Quantum State-Estimation
In this paper we consider the problem of tracking the state of a quantum
system via a continuous measurement. If the system Hamiltonian is known
precisely, this merely requires integrating the appropriate stochastic master
equation. However, even a small error in the assumed Hamiltonian can render
this approach useless. The natural answer to this problem is to include the
parameters of the Hamiltonian as part of the estimation problem, and the full
Bayesian solution to this task provides a state-estimate that is robust against
uncertainties. However, this approach requires considerable computational
overhead. Here we consider a single qubit in which the Hamiltonian contains a
single unknown parameter. We show that classical frequency estimation
techniques greatly reduce the computational overhead associated with Bayesian
estimation and provide accurate estimates for the qubit frequencyComment: 6 figures, 13 page
On two dimensional coupled bosons and fermions
We study complex bosons and fermions coupled through a generalized Yukawa
type coupling in the large-N_c limit following ideas of Rajeev [Int. Jour. Mod.
Phys. A 9 (1994) 5583]. We study a linear approximation to this model. We show
that in this approximation we do not have boson-antiboson and
fermion-antifermion bound states occuring together. There is a possibility of
having only fermion-antifermion bound states. We support this claim by finding
distributional solutions with energies lower than the two mass treshold in the
fermion sector. This also has implications from the point of view of scattering
theory to this model. We discuss some aspects of the scattering above the two
mass treshold of boson pairs and fermion pairs. We also briefly present a
gauged version of the same model and write down the linearized equations of
motion.Comment: 25 pages, no figure
Home parenteral nutrition with an omega-3-fatty-acid-enriched MCT/LCT lipid emulsion in patients with chronic intestinal failure (the HOME study):study protocol for a randomized, controlled, multicenter, international clinical trial
BACKGROUND: Home parenteral nutrition (HPN) is a life-preserving therapy for patients with chronic intestinal failure (CIF) indicated for patients who cannot achieve their nutritional requirements by enteral intake. Intravenously administered lipid emulsions (ILEs) are an essential component of HPN, providing energy and essential fatty acids, but can become a risk factor for intestinal-failure-associated liver disease (IFALD). In HPN patients, major effort is taken in the prevention of IFALD. Novel ILEs containing a proportion of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFA) could be of benefit, but the data on the use of n-3 PUFA in HPN patients are still limited. METHODS/DESIGN: The HOME study is a prospective, randomized, controlled, double-blind, multicenter, international clinical trial conducted in European hospitals that treat HPN patients. A total of 160 patients (80 per group) will be randomly assigned to receive the n-3 PUFA-enriched medium/long-chain triglyceride (MCT/LCT) ILE (Lipidem/Lipoplus® 200 mg/ml, B. Braun Melsungen AG) or the MCT/LCT ILE (Lipofundin® MCT/LCT/Medialipide® 20%, B. Braun Melsungen AG) for a projected period of 8 weeks. The primary endpoint is the combined change of liver function parameters (total bilirubin, aspartate transaminase and alanine transaminase) from baseline to final visit. Secondary objectives are the further evaluation of the safety and tolerability as well as the efficacy of the ILEs. DISCUSSION: Currently, there are only very few randomized controlled trials (RCTs) investigating the use of ILEs in HPN, and there are very few data at all on the use of n-3 PUFAs. The working hypothesis is that n-3 PUFA-enriched ILE is safe and well-tolerated especially with regard to liver function in patients requiring HPN. The expected outcome is to provide reliable data to support this thesis thanks to a considerable number of CIF patients, consequently to broaden the present evidence on the use of ILEs in HPN. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov, ID: NCT03282955. Registered on 14 September 2017
HOXB7 expression by myeloma cells regulates their pro-angiogenic properties in multiple myeloma patients
The deregulation of the homeobox genes as homeoboxB (HOXB)-7 has been previously associated to tumor progression and angiogenesis; here we investigated the potential role of HOXB7 in the pro-angiogenic properties of multiple myeloma (MM) cells. We found that HOXB7 was expressed in 10 out of 22 MM patients analyzed at the diagnosis related to high bone marrow angiogenesis and overexpressed in about 40% of myeloma cell lines compared with normal plasma cells. Enforced HOXB7 expression in MM cells by a lentiviral vector significantly modified their transcriptional and angiogenic profile, checked by combined microarray and angiogenesis PCR analyses, upregulating VEGFA, FGF2, MMP2, WNT5a and PDGFA and downregulating thrombospoindin-2. The pro- and anti-angiogenic HOXB7-related gene signature was also validated in a large independent dataset of MM patients. Accordingly, MM-induced vessel formation was significantly increased by HOXB7 overexpression both in vitro angiogenic and chorioallantoic membrane assays, as well as the HOXB7 silencing by small interfering RNA inhibited the production of angiogenic factors, and the pro-angiogenic properties of MM cells. Finally, in SCID-NOD mice we confirmed that HOXB7 overexpression by MM cells stimulated tumor growth, increased MM-associated angiogenesis and the expression of pro-angiogenic genes by microarray analysis supporting the critical role of HOXB7 in the angiogenic switch in M
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