Non-Markovian Decay of a Three Level Cascade Atom in a Structured Reservoir

We present a formalism that enables the study of the non-Markovian dynamics of a three-level ladder system in a single structured reservoir. The three-level system is strongly coupled to a bath of reservoir modes and two quantum excitations of the reservoir are expected. We show that the dynamics only depends on reservoir structure functions, which are products of the mode density with the coupling constant squared. This result may enable pseudomode theory to treat multiple excitations of a structured reservoir. The treatment uses Laplace transforms and an elimination of variables to obtain a formal solution. This can be evaluated numerically (with the help of a numerical inverse Laplace transform) and an example is given. We also compare this result with the case where the two transitions are coupled to two separate structured reservoirs (where the example case is also analytically solvable)

Adherence to a MIND-Like Dietary Pattern, Long-Term Exposure to Fine Particulate Matter Air Pollution, and MRI-Based Measures of Brain Volume: The Women’s Health Initiative Memory Study-MRI

BACKGROUND: Previous studies suggest that certain dietary patterns and constituents may be beneficial to brain health. Airborne exposures to fine particulate matter [particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter ≤2.5 μm (PM2.5)] are neurotoxic, but the combined effects of dietary patterns and PM2.5 have not been investigated. OBJECTIVES: We examined whether previously reported association between PM2.5 exposure and lower white matter volume (WMV) differed between women whose usual diet during the last 3 months before baseline was more or less consistent with a Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay (MIND)-like diet, a dietary pattern that may slow neurodegenerative changes. METHODS: This study included 1,302 U.S. women who were 65-79 y old and free of dementia in the period 1996-1998 (baseline). In the period 2005-2006, structural brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans were performed to estimate normal-appearing brain volumes (excluding areas with evidence of small vessel ischemic disease). Baseline MIND diet scores were derived from a food frequency questionnaire. Three-year average PM2.5 exposure prior to MRI was estimated using geocoded participant addresses and a spatiotemporal model. RESULTS: Average total and temporal lobe WMVs were 0:74 cm3 [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.001, 1.48) and 0:19 cm3 (95% CI: 0.002, 0.37) higher, respectively, with each 0.5-point increase in the MIND score and were 4:16 cm3 (95% CI: -6:99, -1:33) and 1:46 cm3 (95% CI: -2:16, -0:76) lower, respectively, with each interquartile range (IQR) (IQR = 3:22 μg/m3) increase in PM2.5. The inverse association between PM2.5 per IQR and WMV was stronger (p-interaction <0:001) among women with MIND scores below the median (for total WMV, -12:47 cm3; 95% CI: −17:17, −7:78), but absent in women with scores above the median (0:16 cm3; 95% CI: −3:41, 3.72), with similar patterns for WMV in the frontal, parietal, and temporal lobes. For total cerebral and hippocampus brain volumes or WMV in the corpus callosum, the associations with PM2.5 were not significantly different for women with high MIND scores and women with low MIND scores

Auditory conflict and congruence in frontotemporal dementia.

Impaired analysis of signal conflict and congruence may contribute to diverse socio-emotional symptoms in frontotemporal dementias, however the underlying mechanisms have not been defined. Here we addressed this issue in patients with behavioural variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD; n = 19) and semantic dementia (SD; n = 10) relative to healthy older individuals (n = 20). We created auditory scenes in which semantic and emotional congruity of constituent sounds were independently probed; associated tasks controlled for auditory perceptual similarity, scene parsing and semantic competence. Neuroanatomical correlates of auditory congruity processing were assessed using voxel-based morphometry. Relative to healthy controls, both the bvFTD and SD groups had impaired semantic and emotional congruity processing (after taking auditory control task performance into account) and reduced affective integration of sounds into scenes. Grey matter correlates of auditory semantic congruity processing were identified in distributed regions encompassing prefrontal, parieto-temporal and insular areas and correlates of auditory emotional congruity in partly overlapping temporal, insular and striatal regions. Our findings suggest that decoding of auditory signal relatedness may probe a generic cognitive mechanism and neural architecture underpinning frontotemporal dementia syndromes

Comparison of Physical-chemical and Mechanical Properties of Chlorapatite and Hydroxyapatite Plasma Sprayed Coatings

Chlorapatite can be considered a potential biomaterial for orthopaedic applications. Its use as plasma-sprayed coating could be of interest considering its thermal properties and particularly its ability to melt without decomposition unlike hydroxyapatite. Chlorapatite (ClA) was synthesized by a high-temperature ion exchange reaction starting from commercial stoichiometric hydroxyapatites (HA). The ClA powder showed similar characteristics as the original industrial HA powder, and was obtained in the monoclinic form. The HA and ClA powders were plasma-sprayed using a low-energy plasma spraying system with identical processing parameters. The coatings were characterized by physical-chemical methods, i.e. X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and Raman spectroscopy, including distribution mapping of the main phases detected such as amorphous calcium phosphate (ACP), oxyapatite (OA), and HA or ClA. The unexpected formation of oxyapatite in ClA coatings was assigned to a side reaction with contaminating oxygenated species (O2, H2O). ClA coatings exhibited characteristics different from HA, showing a lower content of oxyapatite and amorphous phase. Although their adhesion strength was found to be lower than that of HA coatings, their application could be an interesting alternative, offering, in particular, a larger range of spraying conditions without formation of massive impurities.This study was carried out under a MNT ERA-Net Project named NANOMED. The authors gratefully thank the Midi-Pyrénées region (MNT ERA Net Midi-Pyrénées Région, NANOMED2 project) and the Institute National Polytechnique de Toulouse (BQR INPT 2011, BIOREVE project) for supporting this research work, especially the financial support for research carried out in the CIRIMAT and the LGP laboratories (France), and the Basque government and Tratamientos Superficiales Iontech, S.A. for their financial and technical support under the IG-2007/0000381 grant for the development of the LEPS device and deposition of the coatings carried out in Inasmet-Tecnalia. The French industrial collaborators (TEKNIMED SA and 2PS SA) were financed by the OSEO programs

Journeys from quantum optics to quantum technology

Sir Peter Knight is a pioneer in quantum optics which has now grown to an important branch of modern physics to study the foundations and applications of quantum physics. He is leading an effort to develop new technologies from quantum mechanics. In this collection of essays, we recall the time we were working with him as a postdoc or a PhD student and look at how the time with him has influenced our research

Biomarkers of Multiple Sclerosis

The search for an ideal multiple sclerosis biomarker with good diagnostic value, prognostic reference and an impact on clinical outcome has yet to be realized and is still ongoing. The aim of this review is to establish an overview of the frequent biomarkers for multiple sclerosis that exist to date. The review summarizes the results obtained from electronic databases, as well as thorough manual searches. In this review the sources and methods of biomarkers extraction are described; in addition to the description of each biomarker, determination of the prognostic, diagnostic, disease monitoring and treatment response values besides clinical impact they might possess. We divided the biomarkers into three categories according to the achievement method: laboratory markers, genetic-immunogenetic markers and imaging markers. We have found two biomarkers at the time being considered the gold standard for MS diagnostics. Unfortunately, there does not exist a single solitary marker being able to present reliable diagnostic value, prognostic value, high sensitivity and specificity as well as clinical impact. We need more studies to find the best biomarker for MS.publishersversionPeer reviewe

Constraints on axionlike particles with H.E.S.S. from the irregularity of the PKS 2155-304 energy spectrum

Axionlike particles (ALPs) are hypothetical light (sub-eV) bosons predicted in some extensions of the Standard Model of particle physics. In astrophysical environments comprising high-energy gamma rays and turbulent magnetic fields, the existence of ALPs can modify the energy spectrum of the gamma rays for a sufficiently large coupling between ALPs and photons. This modification would take the form of an irregular behavior of the energy spectrum in a limited energy range. Data from the H.E.S.S. observations of the distant BL Lac object PKS 2155-304 (z=0.116) are used to derive upper limits at the 95% C.L. on the strength of the ALP coupling to photons, ggammaa<2.1×10-11GeV-1 for an ALP mass between 15 and 60 neV. The results depend on assumptions on the magnetic field around the source, which are chosen conservatively. The derived constraints apply to both light pseudoscalar and scalar bosons that couple to the electromagnetic fieldFil: Medina, Maria Clementina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico La Plata. Instituto Argentino de Radioastronomia (i); ArgentinaFil: H.E.S. S. collaboration

A novel formulation of inhaled sodium cromoglicate (PA101) in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and chronic cough: a randomised, double-blind, proof-of-concept, phase 2 trial

Background Cough can be a debilitating symptom of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and is difficult to treat. PA101 is a novel formulation of sodium cromoglicate delivered via a high-efficiency eFlow nebuliser that achieves significantly higher drug deposition in the lung compared with the existing formulations. We aimed to test the efficacy and safety of inhaled PA101 in patients with IPF and chronic cough and, to explore the antitussive mechanism of PA101, patients with chronic idiopathic cough (CIC) were also studied. Methods This pilot, proof-of-concept study consisted of a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in patients with IPF and chronic cough and a parallel study of similar design in patients with CIC. Participants with IPF and chronic cough recruited from seven centres in the UK and the Netherlands were randomly assigned (1:1, using a computer-generated randomisation schedule) by site staff to receive PA101 (40 mg) or matching placebo three times a day via oral inhalation for 2 weeks, followed by a 2 week washout, and then crossed over to the other arm. Study participants, investigators, study staff, and the sponsor were masked to group assignment until all participants had completed the study. The primary efficacy endpoint was change from baseline in objective daytime cough frequency (from 24 h acoustic recording, Leicester Cough Monitor). The primary efficacy analysis included all participants who received at least one dose of study drug and had at least one post-baseline efficacy measurement. Safety analysis included all those who took at least one dose of study drug. In the second cohort, participants with CIC were randomly assigned in a study across four centres with similar design and endpoints. The study was registered with ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT02412020) and the EU Clinical Trials Register (EudraCT Number 2014-004025-40) and both cohorts are closed to new participants. Findings Between Feb 13, 2015, and Feb 2, 2016, 24 participants with IPF were randomly assigned to treatment groups. 28 participants with CIC were enrolled during the same period and 27 received study treatment. In patients with IPF, PA101 reduced daytime cough frequency by 31·1% at day 14 compared with placebo; daytime cough frequency decreased from a mean 55 (SD 55) coughs per h at baseline to 39 (29) coughs per h at day 14 following treatment with PA101, versus 51 (37) coughs per h at baseline to 52 (40) cough per h following placebo treatment (ratio of least-squares [LS] means 0·67, 95% CI 0·48–0·94, p=0·0241). By contrast, no treatment benefit for PA101 was observed in the CIC cohort; mean reduction of daytime cough frequency at day 14 for PA101 adjusted for placebo was 6·2% (ratio of LS means 1·27, 0·78–2·06, p=0·31). PA101 was well tolerated in both cohorts. The incidence of adverse events was similar between PA101 and placebo treatments, most adverse events were mild in severity, and no severe adverse events or serious adverse events were reported. Interpretation This study suggests that the mechanism of cough in IPF might be disease specific. Inhaled PA101 could be a treatment option for chronic cough in patients with IPF and warrants further investigation