On-chip III-V monolithic integration of heralded single photon sources and beamsplitters

We demonstrate a monolithic III-V photonic circuit combining a heralded single photon source with a beamsplitter, at room temperature and telecom wavelength. Pulsed parametric down-conversion in an AlGaAs waveguide generates counterpropagating photons, one of which is used to herald the injection of its twin into the beamsplitter. We use this configuration to implement an integrated Hanbury-Brown and Twiss experiment, yielding a heralded second-order correlation $g^{(2)}_{\rm her}(0)=0.10 \pm 0.02$ that confirms single-photon operation. The demonstrated generation and manipulation of quantum states on a single III-V semiconductor chip opens promising avenues towards real-world applications in quantum information

Role of Neurotrophins in Orofacial Pain Modulation: A Review of the Latest Discoveries

Orofacial pain represents a multidisciplinary biomedical challenge involving basic and clinical research for which no satisfactory solution has been found. In this regard, trigeminal pain is described as one of the worst pains perceived, leaving the patient with no hope for the future. The aim of this review is to evaluate the latest discoveries on the involvement of neurotrophins in orofacial nociception, describing their role and expression in peripheral tissues, trigeminal ganglion, and trigeminal nucleus considering their double nature as “supporters” of the nervous system and as “promoters” of nociceptive transmission. In order to scan recent literature (last ten years), three independent researchers referred to databases PubMed, Embase, Google Scholar, Scopus, and Web of Science to find original research articles and clinical trials. The researchers selected 33 papers: 29 original research articles and 4 clinical trials. The results obtained by the screening of the selected articles show an interesting trend, in which the precise modulation of neurotrophin signaling could switch neurotrophins from being a “promoter” of pain to their beneficial neurotrophic role of supporting the nerves in their recovery, especially when a structural alteration is present, as in neuropathic pain. In conclusion, neurotrophins could be interesting targets for orofacial pain modulation but more studies are necessary to clarify their role for future application in clinical practice

Efeito de diferentes temperaturas na sobrevivência e no crescimento de mudas de guanandi (Calophyllum brasiliense Cambess.).

São muitas as necessidades e as justificativas para o reflorestamento utilizando essências florestais nativas, especialmente com árvores de uso múltiplo em monocultivo ou em sistemas agroflorestais, visando, entre outros, à produção de madeiras nobres. O guanandi, uma espécie nativa, que fornece madeira de boa qualidade e ótimo valor econômico, tem sido muito utilizado neste sentido e, por muitas vezes, cultivado em condições climáticas desfavoráveis e/ou prejudiciais ao desenvolvimento da espécie. Neste trabalho objetivou-se avaliar as conseqüências de diferentes temperaturas na sobrevivência e no crescimento de mudas de guanandi (Calophyllum brasiliense Cambess.). O experimento foi conduzido no laboratório de Fisiologia Vegetal da Embrapa Gado de Corte, em Campo Grande, MS, de março até maio de 2009. Utilizaram-se mudas de guanandi, com seis meses de idade, que foram transplantadas para recipientes plásticos de 500 mL, contendo substrato comercial e solução nutritiva completa. Após aclimatação em temperatura constante de 27ºC, as mudas foram submetidas a três regimes de temperatura: 27/17ºC, 17/10ºC e 10/6ºC, durante 50 dias, em câmara climática do tipo B.O.D., com fotoperíodo de 12 horas. O delineamento experimental foi de blocos casualizados, com quatro tratamentos e cinco repetições, sendo que cada repetição foi constituída de cinco plantas. Avaliou-se a sobrevivência das plantas (%), a altura (cm) e o diâmetro do colo (mm), as taxas de fotossíntese (μmol/m²/s) e a condutância estomática (μmol/m²/s). Os melhores resultados, para todas as variáveis mensuradas, foram obtidos para as plantas submetidas à temperatura entre 27/17ºC. Para as plantas submetidas às temperaturas 27/17ºC e 17/10ºC obteve-se 100% de sobrevivência. Pode-se concluir que a temperatura afeta a sobrevivência e o crescimento do guanandi, porque a espécie se mostrou intolerante ao regime de temperatura 10/6ºC, de modo que ao final do experimento houve morte das plantas

Parental evaluation of a telemonitoring service for children with Type 1 Diabetes

Introduction In the past years, we developed a telemonitoring service for young patients affected by Type 1 Diabetes. That service provides data to the clinical staff and offers an important tool to the parents, that are able to oversee in real time their children. The aim of this work was to analyze the parents' perceived usefulness of the service. Methods The service was tested by the parents of 31 children enrolled in a seven-day clinical trial during a summer camp. To study the parents' perception we proposed and analyzed two questionnaires. A baseline questionnaire focused on the daily management and implications of their children's diabetes, while a post-study one measured the perceived benefits of telemonitoring. Questionnaires also included free text comment spaces. Results Analysis of the baseline questionnaires underlined the parents' suffering and fatigue: 51% of total responses showed a negative tendency and the mean value of the perceived quality of life was 64.13 in a 0-100 scale. In the post-study questionnaires about half of the parents believed in a possible improvement adopting telemonitoring. Moreover, the foreseen improvement in quality of life was significant, increasing from 64.13 to 78.39 ( p-value\u2009=\u20090.0001). The analysis of free text comments highlighted an improvement in mood, and parents' commitment was also proved by their willingness to pay for the service (median\u2009=\u2009200\u2009euro/year). Discussion A high number of parents appreciated the telemonitoring service and were confident that it could improve communication with physicians as well as the family's own peace of mind

Selected medical conditions and risk of breast cancer.

Several diseases are known or suspected to be associated with altered levels of hormones and growth factors that may influence breast cancer risk. To elucidate this possibility, we studied the relationship between 23 medical conditions or procedures and breast cancer risk by means of data from a multicentric case-control study conducted between 1991 and 1994 in six Italian areas. The study included 2569 histologically confirmed incident cases of breast cancer (median age 55 years, range 23-74 years) and 2588 control women (median age 56 years, range 20-74 years) admitted to the same hospitals as cases for a variety of acute conditions unrelated to known or suspected risk factors for breast cancer. After allowance for education, parity and body mass index, elevated odds ratios (ORs) emerged for history of diabetes mellitus in post-menopausal women (OR = 1.5, 95% CI 1.1-2.0), hypertension in pregnancy (OR = 1.8, 95% CI 1.0-3.4) and breast nodules (OR = 1.3, 95% CI 1.0-1.7). Risk decreases were associated with ovarian ablation for ovarian cysts (OR = 0.5, 95% CI 0.3-0.7) and with thyroid nodules (OR = 0.7, 95% CI 0.5-0.9) but not with the combination of any type of benign thyroid disease. While most examined conditions seemed unrelated to breast cancer risk, the association with late-onset diabetes is of special interest as it suggests a role of hyperinsulinaemia and insulin resistance in breast cancer promotion. It also points to preventive lifestyle modifications

Patients with Duchenne and Becker muscular dystrophies are not more asymmetrical than healthy controls on timed performance of upper limb tasks

This study aimed to investigate possible asymmetries and relationships between performance of dominant and non-dominant upper limbs (UL) in patients with Duchenne and Becker muscular dystrophies (DMD/BMD), to compare UL performance of patients and healthy subjects and to investigate the relationship between timed performance of UL and age, motor function and muscle strength in DMD/BMD patients. Sixteen patients with DMD and 3 with BMD were evaluated with Jebsen-Taylor Test (timed performance), Vignos scale and Dimension 3 of Motor Function Measure (motor function), and Medical Research Council scale (muscle strength) on a single session. ANOVA showed no asymmetry between dominant and non-dominant UL, except in the writing subtest, in patients and in healthy controls. There were relationships between dominant and non-dominant UL performances. Correlations between timed performance, motor function and muscle strength were found, but age was not correlated with these variables. These findings may reduce the assessment time, prevent fatigue and provide more accurate clinical reasoning involving UL in DMD/BMD treatment.Univ Sao Paulo, Fac Med, Dept Fonoaudiol Fisioterapia & Terapia Ocupac, Sao Paulo, BrazilUniv Fed Sao Paulo, Dept Ciencias Movimento Humano, Santos, SP, BrazilUniv Fed Sao Paulo, Dept Neurol Clin, Dept Neurol Neurocirurgia, Sao Paulo, SP, BrazilUniv Fed Sao Paulo, Dept Ciencias Movimento Humano, Santos, SP, BrazilUniv Fed Sao Paulo, Dept Neurol Clin, Dept Neurol Neurocirurgia, Sao Paulo, SP, BrazilWeb of Scienc

Fósforo sérico em bovinos em diferentes épocas em três solos da região da Campanha-RS.

O presente estudo objetivou observar as variações dos teores de fósforo (P) no soro de sangue de novilhas em três áreas de campo natural não perturbado, com características de solo e vegetação distintas, localizadas na região da Campanha-RS. Efetuou-se a amostragem em áreas sobre os solos Neossolo Regolítico eutrófico (RLe), Argissolo Bruno-Acinzentado (ABA) e Planossolo Háplico eutrófico (PHe) durante um ano, com um intervalo de aproximadamente 45 dias, num total de oito coletas. Para a variável P no soro foi detectado efeito altamente significativo (P<0,01) do tipo de solo e das épocas, bem como a interação destes dois fatores. Em função dos resultados obtidos e, considerando que o percentual de amostras do soro de sangue com níveis de fósforo sérico dentro do limite de normalidade durante todo o período experimental, em todos os solos, foram de 50%, infere-se que os animais mantidos em regime de pastejo extensivo contínuo e sem suplementação mineral, na região da Campanha-RS, apresentam baixos níveis de fósforo no soro de sangue

GaAs/AlOx Nonlinear Waveguides for Infrared Tunable Generation

Non

Au@MNPs-based electrochemical immunosensor for vitamin D3 serum samples analysis

We report a new sensitive label-free electrochemical immunosensor to detect Vitamin D3 (25-OHD3) in untreated serum samples. To this aim, a graphite screen printed electrode (SPE) was modified using cysteamine (CYM) functionalized core-shell magnetic nanoparticles (Au@MNPs) then, the 25-OHD3 antibody (AbD) was immobilized via glutaraldehyde crosslinking. The several steps involved in the immunosensor development and 25-OHD3 analysis were monitored by using differential pulse voltammetry (DPV). The developed immunosensor showed a LOD of 2.4 ng mL−1 and a linear range between 7.4 and 70 ng mL−1. The effectiveness of the immunosensor in human serum analysis was assessed by comparing the results obtained with the chemiluminescence-immunoassay (CLIA) reference method. The high sensitivity and excellent agreement with the reference method suggest its potential use as a POCT to monitor hypovitaminosis 25-OHD levels