Utilization of Birefringent Fiber as Sensor of Temperature Field Disturbance

The paper deals with utilization of induced birefringence sensitivity to temperature field in birefringent optical fibers. The propagating optical wave and optical fibers are described by means of coherency and Jones matrices, which are decomposed into unitary matrix and spin matrices. The development of polarization caused by temperature field is interpreted on the Poincare sphere by means of MATLAB® environment. The temperature sensitivity of Panda and bow-tie fiber has been measured for circular polarization excitation. Curves of intensity fluctuation caused by the temperature dependence are presented

The diagnosis of severe combined immunodeficiency: Implementation of the PIDTC 2022 Definitions

BACKGROUND: Shearer et al in 2014 articulated well-defined criteria for the diagnosis and classification of severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) as part of the Primary Immune Deficiency Treatment Consortium\u27s (PIDTC\u27s) prospective and retrospective studies of SCID. OBJECTIVE: Because of the advent of newborn screening for SCID and expanded availability of genetic sequencing, revision of the PIDTC 2014 Criteria was needed. METHODS: We developed and tested updated PIDTC 2022 SCID Definitions by analyzing 379 patients proposed for prospective enrollment into Protocol 6901, focusing on the ability to distinguish patients with various SCID subtypes. RESULTS: According to PIDTC 2022 Definitions, 18 of 353 patients eligible per 2014 Criteria were considered not to have SCID, whereas 11 of 26 patients ineligible per 2014 Criteria were determined to have SCID. Of note, very low numbers of autologous T cells (\u3c0.05 × 10 CONCLUSIONS: The PIDTC 2022 Definitions describe SCID and its subtypes more precisely than before, facilitating analyses of SCID characteristics and outcomes

Detection of testosterone administration based on the carbon isotope ratio profiling of endogenous steroids: international reference populations of professional soccer players

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The determination of the carbon isotope ratio in androgen metabolites has been previously shown to be a reliable, direct method to detect testosterone misuse in the context of antidoping testing. Here, the variability in the 13C/12C ratios in urinary steroids in a widely heterogeneous cohort of professional soccer players residing in different countries (Argentina, Italy, Japan, South Africa, Switzerland and Uganda) is examined. METHODS: Carbon isotope ratios of selected androgens in urine specimens were determined using gas chromatography/combustion/isotope ratio mass spectrometry (GC-C-IRMS). RESULTS: Urinary steroids in Italian and Swiss populations were found to be enriched in 13C relative to other groups, reflecting higher consumption of C3 plants in these two countries. Importantly, detection criteria based on the difference in the carbon isotope ratio of androsterone and pregnanediol for each population were found to be well below the established threshold value for positive cases. CONCLUSIONS: The results obtained with the tested diet groups highlight the importance of adapting the criteria if one wishes to increase the sensitivity of exogenous testosterone detection. In addition, confirmatory tests might be rendered more efficient by combining isotope ratio mass spectrometry with refined interpretation criteria for positivity and subject-based profiling of steroids

Where are the Uranus Trojans?

The area of stable motion for fictitious Trojan asteroids around Uranus' equilateral equilibrium points is investigated with respect to the inclination of the asteroid's orbit to determine the size of the regions and their shape. For this task we used the results of extensive numerical integrations of orbits for a grid of initial conditions around the points L4 and L5, and analyzed the stability of the individual orbits. Our basic dynamical model was the Outer Solar System (Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune). We integrated the equations of motion of fictitious Trojans in the vicinity of the stable equilibrium points for selected orbits up to the age of the Solar system of 5 billion years. One experiment has been undertaken for cuts through the Lagrange points for fixed values of the inclinations, while the semimajor axes were varied. The extension of the stable region with respect to the initial semimajor axis lies between 19.05 < a < 19.3 AU but depends on the initial inclination. In another run the inclination of the asteroids' orbit was varied in the range 0 < i < 60 and the semimajor axes were fixed. It turned out that only four 'windows' of stable orbits survive: these are the orbits for the initial inclinations 0 < i < 7, 9 < i < 13, 31 < i < 36 and 38 < i < 50. We postulate the existence of at least some Trojans around the Uranus Lagrange points for the stability window at small and also high inclinations.Comment: 15 pages, 12 figures, submitted to CMD

Selection of provenances to adapt tropical pine forestry to climate change on the basis of climate analogs

Pinus patula and Pinus tecunumanii play an important role in the forestry sector in the tropics and subtropics and, in recent decades, members of the International Tree Breeding and Conservation Program (Camcore) at North Carolina State University have established large, multi-site provenance trials for these pine species. The data collected in these trials provide valuable information about species and provenance choice for plantation establishment in many regions with different climates. Since climate is changing rapidly, it may become increasingly difficult to choose the right species and provenance to plant. In this study, growth performance of plantings in Colombia, Brazil and South Africa was correlated to the degree of climatic dissimilarity between planting sites. Results are used to assess the suitability of seed material under a changing climate for four P. patula provenances and six P. tecunumanii provenances. For each provenance, climate dissimilarities based on standardized Euclidean distances were calculated and statistically related to growth performances. We evaluated the two methods of quantifying climate dissimilarity with extensive field data based on the goodness of fit and statistical significance of the climate distance relation to differences in height growth. The best method was then used as a predictor of a provenance change in height growth. The provenance-specific models were used to predict provenance performance under different climate change scenarios. The developed provenance-specific models were able to significantly relate climate similarity to different growth performances for five out of six P. tecunumanii provenances. For P. patula provenances, we did not find any correlation. Results point towards the importance of the identification of sites with stable climates where high yields are achievable. In such sites, fast-growing P. tecunumanii provenances with a high but narrow growth optimum can be planted. At sites with climate change of uncertain direction and magnitude, the choice of P. patula provenances, with greater tolerance towards different temperature and precipitation regimes, is recommended. Our results indicate that the analysis of provenance trial data with climate similarity models helps us to (1) maintain plantation productivity in a rapidly changing environment; and (2) improve our understanding of tree species’ adaptation to a changing climate

An Overview of the 13:8 Mean Motion Resonance between Venus and Earth

It is known since the seminal study of Laskar (1989) that the inner planetary system is chaotic with respect to its orbits and even escapes are not impossible, although in time scales of billions of years. The aim of this investigation is to locate the orbits of Venus and Earth in phase space, respectively to see how close their orbits are to chaotic motion which would lead to unstable orbits for the inner planets on much shorter time scales. Therefore we did numerical experiments in different dynamical models with different initial conditions -- on one hand the couple Venus-Earth was set close to different mean motion resonances (MMR), and on the other hand Venus' orbital eccentricity (or inclination) was set to values as large as e = 0.36 (i = 40deg). The couple Venus-Earth is almost exactly in the 13:8 mean motion resonance. The stronger acting 8:5 MMR inside, and the 5:3 MMR outside the 13:8 resonance are within a small shift in the Earth's semimajor axis (only 1.5 percent). Especially Mercury is strongly affected by relatively small changes in eccentricity and/or inclination of Venus in these resonances. Even escapes for the innermost planet are possible which may happen quite rapidly.Comment: 14 pages, 11 figures, submitted to CMD

Does the Spine Surgeon’s Experience Affect Fracture Classification, Assessment of Stability, and Treatment Plan in Thoracolumbar Injuries?

Study Design: Prospective survey-based study. Objectives: The AO Spine thoracolumbar injury classification has been shown to have good reproducibility among clinicians. However, the influence of spine surgeons’ clinical experience on fracture classification, stability assessment, and decision on management based on this classification has not been studied. Furthermore, the usefulness of varying imaging modalities including radiographs, computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in the decision process was also studied. Methods: Forty-one spine surgeons from different regions, acquainted with the AOSpine classification system, were provided with 30 thoracolumbar fractures in a 3-step assessment: first radiographs, followed by CT and MRI. Surgeons classified the fracture, evaluated stability, chose management, and identified reasons for any changes. The surgeons were divided into 2 groups based on years of clinical experience as \u3c10 years (n = 12) and \u3e10 years (n = 29). Results: There were no significant differences between the 2 groups in correctly classifying A1, B2, and C type fractures. Surgeons with less experience hadmore correct diagnosis in classifyingA3 (47.2% vs 38.5%in step 1, 73.6% vs 60.3% in step 2 and 77.8% vs 65.5% in step 3), A4 (16.7% vs 24.1% in step 1, 72.9% vs 57.8% in step 2 and 70.8% vs 56.0%in step3) and B1 injuries (31.9% vs 20.7% in step 1, 41.7% vs 36.8% in step 2 and 38.9% vs 33.9% in step 3). In the assessment of fracture stability and decision on treatment, the less and more experienced surgeons performed equally. The selection of a particular treatment plan varied in all subtypes except in A1 and C type injuries. Conclusion: Surgeons’ experience did not significantly affect overall fracture classification, evaluating stability and planning the treatment. Surgeons with less experience had a higher percentage of correct classification in A3 and A4 injuries. Despite variations between them in classification, the assessment of overall stability and management decisions were similar between the 2 groups. © The Author(s) 2017