540 research outputs found
Weak Values and Continuous-Variable Entanglement Concentration
We demonstrate a general weak measurement model which allows Gaussian
preserving entanglement concentration of the two mode squeezed vacuum. The
power of this simple and elegant protocol is through the constraints it places
on possible ancilla states and measurement strategies that will allow
entanglement concentration. In particular, it is shown how previously
discovered protocols of this kind emerge as special examples of the general
model described here. Finally, as evidence of its utility, we use it to provide
another novel example of such a protocol.Comment: 4 pages, 1 figure, Final version to appear in Phys. Rev.
Aerosol Data Sources and Their Roles within PARAGON
We briefly but systematically review major sources of aerosol data, emphasizing suites of measurements that seem most likely to contribute to assessments of global aerosol climate forcing. The strengths and limitations of existing satellite, surface, and aircraft remote sensing systems are described, along with those of direct sampling networks and ship-based stations. It is evident that an enormous number of aerosol-related observations have been made, on a wide range of spatial and temporal sampling scales, and that many of the key gaps in this collection of data could be filled by technologies that either exist or are expected to be available in the near future. Emphasis must be given to combining remote sensing and in situ active and passive observations and integrating them with aerosol chemical transport models, in order to create a more complete environmental picture, having sufficient detail to address current climate forcing questions. The Progressive Aerosol Retrieval and Assimilation Global Observing Network (PARAGON) initiative would provide an organizational framework to meet this goal
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Development of an Objective Structured Clinical Examination as a Component of Assessment for Initial Board Certification in Anesthesiology.
With its first administration of an Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) in 2018, the American Board of Anesthesiology (ABA) became the first US medical specialty certifying board to incorporate this type of assessment into its high-stakes certification examination system. The fundamental rationale for the ABA's introduction of the OSCE is to include an assessment that allows candidates for board certification to demonstrate what they actually "do" in domains relevant to clinical practice. Inherent in this rationale is that the OSCE will capture competencies not well assessed in the current written and oral examinations-competencies that will allow the ABA to judge whether a candidate meets the standards expected for board certification more properly. This special article describes the ABA's journey from initial conceptualization through first administration of the OSCE, including the format of the OSCE, the process for scenario development, the standardized patient program that supports OSCE administration, examiner training, scoring, and future assessment of reliability, validity, and impact of the OSCE. This information will be beneficial to both those involved in the initial certification process, such as residency graduate candidates and program directors, and others contemplating the use of high-stakes summative OSCE assessments
Longitudinal Systemic Corticosteroid Utilisation for Asthma and Other Diseases in the United Kingdom from 1990 to 2018 : A Population-based Cohort Analysis
Funding: This work was supported by AstraZeneca.Peer reviewedPostprin
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Particle size distributions in a region of coastal upwelling analyzed by characteristic vectors
Particle size distributions (8-105-ÎŒm diameter), chlorophyll a, and particulate carbon
were measured off the Oregon coast during July 1973. The particle counts were transformed
to volume concentration and then subjected to characteristic vector analysis.
Ninety-two percent of the variance was accounted for by linear combinations of the first
two characteristic vectors. Two weighting factors define the proportions of the two characteristic
vectors which will, when added to the mean volume concentration curve, approximate
the actual data for each sample. Variations in the first weighting factor correspond well
with variations in total volume. Changes in the second weighting factor indicate which
segment of the size range contains the largest proportion of the particulate volume. Comparison
with temperature and salinity data indicated that the near surface water with proportionately
large volumes of particles less than 20 ÎŒm was warmer and less saline than
the surface waters with large volumes between 20 and 50 ÎŒm. High correlation with particulate
carbon and chlorophyll suggests that in both cases a large proportion of the particles
is phytoplankton
An Integrated Approach for Characterizing Aerosol Climate Impacts and Environmental Interactions
Aerosols exert myriad influences on the earth's environment and climate, and on human health. The complexity of aerosol-related processes requires that information gathered to improve our understanding of climate change must originate from multiple sources, and that effective strategies for data integration need to be established. While a vast array of observed and modeled data are becoming available, the aerosol research community currently lacks the necessary tools and infrastructure to reap maximum scientific benefit from these data. Spatial and temporal sampling differences among a diverse set of sensors, nonuniform data qualities, aerosol mesoscale variabilities, and difficulties in separating cloud effects are some of the challenges that need to be addressed. Maximizing the long-term benefit from these data also requires maintaining consistently well-understood accuracies as measurement approaches evolve and improve. Achieving a comprehensive understanding of how aerosol physical, chemical, and radiative processes impact the earth system can be achieved only through a multidisciplinary, inter-agency, and international initiative capable of dealing with these issues. A systematic approach, capitalizing on modern measurement and modeling techniques, geospatial statistics methodologies, and high-performance information technologies, can provide the necessary machinery to support this objective. We outline a framework for integrating and interpreting observations and models, and establishing an accurate, consistent, and cohesive long-term record, following a strategy whereby information and tools of progressively greater sophistication are incorporated as problems of increasing complexity are tackled. This concept is named the Progressive Aerosol Retrieval and Assimilation Global Observing Network (PARAGON). To encompass the breadth of the effort required, we present a set of recommendations dealing with data interoperability; measurement and model integration; multisensor synergy; data summarization and mining; model evaluation; calibration and validation; augmentation of surface and in situ measurements; advances in passive and active remote sensing; and design of satellite missions. Without an initiative of this nature, the scientific and policy communities will continue to struggle with understanding the quantitative impact of complex aerosol processes on regional and global climate change and air quality
Simulating carbon capture by enhanced weathering with global croplands: an overview of key processes highlighting areas of future model development
Enhanced weathering (EW) aims to amplify a natural sink for CO2 by incorporating
powdered silicate rock with high reactive surface area into
agricultural soils. The goal is to achieve rapid dissolution of minerals and
release of alkalinity with accompanying dissolution of CO2 into soils and drainage
waters. EW could counteract phosphorus limitation and greenhouse gas
(GHG) emissions in tropical soils, and soil acidification, a common agricultural
problem studied with numerical process models over several decades.
Here, we review the processes leading to soil acidification in croplands and
how the soil weathering CO2 sink is represented in models. Mathematical
models capturing the dominant processes and human interventions governing
cropland soil chemistry and GHG emissions neglect weathering, while
most weathering models neglect agricultural processes. We discuss current
approaches to modelling EW and highlight several classes of model having
the potential to simulate EW in croplands. Finally, we argue for further integration
of process knowledge in mathematical models to capture feedbacks
affecting both longer-term CO2 consumption and crop growth and yields
Optical Photometry of the Type Ia SN 1999ee and the Type Ib/c SN 1999ex in IC 5179
We present UBVRIz lightcurves of the Type Ia SN 1999ee and the Type Ib/c SN
1999ex, both located in the galaxy IC 5179. SN 1999ee has an extremely well
sampled lightcurve spanning from 10 days before Bmax through 53 days after
peak. Near maximum we find systematic differences ~0.05 mag in photometry
measured with two different telescopes, even though the photometry is reduced
to the same local standards around the supernova using the specific color terms
for each instrumental system. We use models for our bandpasses and
spectrophotometry of SN 1999ee to derive magnitude corrections (S-corrections)
and remedy this problem. This exercise demonstrates the need of accurately
characterizing the instrumental system before great photometric accuracies of
Type Ia supernovae can be claimed. It also shows that this effect can have
important astrophysical consequences since a small systematic shift of 0.02 mag
in the B-V color can introduce a 0.08 mag error in the extinction corrected
peak B magnitudes of a supernova and thus lead to biased cosmological
parameters. The data for the Type Ib/c SN 1999ex present us with the first ever
observed shock breakout of a supernova of this class. These observations show
that shock breakout occurred 18 days before Bmax and support the idea that Type
Ib/c supernovae are due to core collapse of massive stars rather than
thermonuclear disruption of white dwarfs.Comment: 55 pages, 15 figures, accepted by the Astronomical Journa
Rationing tests for drug-resistant tuberculosis - who are we prepared to miss?
BACKGROUND: Early identification of patients with drug-resistant tuberculosis (DR-TB) increases the likelihood of treatment success and interrupts transmission. Resource-constrained settings use risk profiling to ration the use of drug susceptibility testing (DST). Nevertheless, no studies have yet quantified how many patients with DR-TB this strategy will miss. METHODS: A total of 1,545 subjects, who presented to Lima health centres with possible TB symptoms, completed a clinic-epidemiological questionnaire and provided sputum samples for TB culture and DST. The proportion of drug resistance in this population was calculated and the data was analysed to demonstrate the effect of rationing tests to patients with multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB) risk factors on the number of tests needed and corresponding proportion of missed patients with DR-TB. RESULTS: Overall, 147/1,545 (9.5%) subjects had culture-positive TB, of which 32 (21.8%) had DR-TB (MDR, 13.6%; isoniazid mono-resistant, 7.5%; rifampicin mono-resistant, 0.7%). A total of 553 subjects (35.8%) reported one or more MDR-TB risk factors; of these, 506 (91.5%; 95% CI, 88.9-93.7%) did not have TB, 32/553 (5.8%; 95% CI, 3.4-8.1%) had drug-susceptible TB, and only 15/553 (2.7%; 95% CI, 1.5-4.4%) had DR-TB. Rationing DST to those with an MDR-TB risk factor would have missed more than half of the DR-TB population (17/32, 53.2%; 95% CI, 34.7-70.9). CONCLUSIONS: Rationing DST based on known MDR-TB risk factors misses an unacceptable proportion of patients with drug-resistance in settings with ongoing DR-TB transmission. Investment in diagnostic services to allow universal DST for people with presumptive TB should be a high priority
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