A study of ablation effects on antenna performance Final report, 7 Jul. 1965 - 12 Oct. 1966

Dielectric property screening tests, and temperature range tests for determining ablation material effects on Apollo model antennas - simulation of thermal protection syste

Progressive brain changes in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome: a longitudinal MRI study

To examine progressive brain changes associated with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS).We investigated progressive brain changes with longitudinal MRI in 15 CFS and 10 normal controls (NCs) scanned twice 6 years apart on the same 1.5 Tesla (T) scanner. MR images yielded gray matter (GM) volumes, white matter (WM) volumes, and T1- and T2-weighted signal intensities (T1w and T2w). Each participant was characterized with Bell disability scores, and somatic and neurological symptom scores. We tested for differences in longitudinal changes between CFS and NC groups, inter group differences between pooled CFS and pooled NC populations, and correlations between MRI and symptom scores using voxel based morphometry. The analysis methodologies were first optimized using simulated atrophy.We found a significant decrease in WM volumes in the left inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus (IFOF) in CFS while in NCs it was unchanged (family wise error adjusted cluster level P value, PFWE < 0.05). This longitudinal finding was consolidated by the group comparisons which detected significantly decreased regional WM volumes in adjacent regions (PFWE < 0.05) and decreased GM and blood volumes in contralateral regions (PFWE < 0.05). Moreover, the regional GM and WM volumes and T2w in those areas showed significant correlations with CFS symptom scores (PFWE < 0.05).The results suggested that CFS is associated with IFOF WM deficits which continue to deteriorate at an abnormal rate. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2016;44:1301-1311.Zack Y. Shan, Richard Kwiatek, Richard Burnet, Peter Del Fante, Donald R. Staines, Sonya M. Marshall-Gradisnik and Leighton R. Barnde

Atmospheric Channel Characteristics for Quantum Communication with Continuous Polarization Variables

We investigate the properties of an atmospheric channel for free space quantum communication with continuous polarization variables. In our prepare-and-measure setup, coherent polarization states are transmitted through an atmospheric quantum channel of 100m length on the roof of our institute's building. The signal states are measured by homodyne detection with the help of a local oscillator (LO) which propagates in the same spatial mode as the signal, orthogonally polarized to it. Thus the interference of signal and LO is excellent and atmospheric fluctuations are autocompensated. The LO also acts as spatial and spectral filter, which allows for unrestrained daylight operation. Important characteristics for our system are atmospheric channel influences that could cause polarization, intensity and position excess noise. Therefore we study these influences in detail. Our results indicate that the channel is suitable for our quantum communication system in most weather conditions.Comment: 6 pages, 4 figures, submitted to Applied Physics B following an invitation for the special issue "Selected Papers Presented at the 2009 Spring Meeting of the Quantum Optics and Photonics Section of the German Physical Society

Undiagnosed diabetes from cross-sectional GP practice data: an approach to identify communities with high likelihood of undiagnosed diabetes

OBJECTIVES To estimate undiagnosed diabetes prevalence from general practitioner (GP) practice data and identify areas with high levels of undiagnosed and diagnosed diabetes. DESIGN Data from the North-West Adelaide Health Survey (NWAHS) were used to develop a model which predicts total diabetes at a small area. This model was then applied to cross-sectional data from general practices to predict the total level of expected diabetes. The difference between total expected and already diagnosed diabetes was defined as undiagnosed diabetes prevalence and was estimated for each small area. The patterns of diagnosed and undiagnosed diabetes were mapped to highlight the areas of high prevalence. SETTING North-West Adelaide, Australia. PARTICIPANTS This study used two population samples-one from the de-identified GP practice data (n=9327 active patients, aged 18 years and over) and another from NWAHS (n=4056, aged 18 years and over). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Total diabetes prevalence, diagnosed and undiagnosed diabetes prevalence at GP practice and Statistical Area Level 1. RESULTS Overall, it was estimated that there was one case of undiagnosed diabetes for every 3-4 diagnosed cases among the 9327 active patients analysed. The highest prevalence of diagnosed diabetes was seen in areas of lower socioeconomic status. However, the prevalence of undiagnosed diabetes was substantially higher in the least disadvantaged areas. CONCLUSIONS The method can be used to estimate population prevalence of diabetes from general practices wherever these data are available. This approach both flags the possibility that undiagnosed diabetes may be a problem of less disadvantaged social groups, and provides a tool to identify areas with high levels of unmet need for diabetes care which would enable policy makers to apply geographic targeting of effective interventions

Validation and psychometric evaluation of the Italian version of the Fear of COVID-19 Scale

Background: The advent of COVID-19 worldwide has led to consequences for people’s health, both physical and psychological, such as fear and anxiety. This is the case in Italy, one of the countries most affected by the pandemic. Given the heightened fear concerning COVID-19 in Italy., the present study analyzed the psychometric properties of the Italian version of the Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19S). Methods: The sample comprised 250 Italian participants who were administered Italian versions of the FCV-19S, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), and the Severity Measure for Specific Phobia–Adult (SMSP-A). Several psychometric tests were performed to investigate the validity and reliability of the test including confirmatory factor analysis. Results: Analysis of the data showed satisfactory psychometric characteristics and confirmed the scale’s unidimensional properties. The seven FCV-19S items had acceptable correlations with the test total (from .443 to .784). Furthermore, the loadings on the factor were significant and strong (from .684 to .897). The internal consistency was very good (α = .871). Construct validity for the FCV-19S was supported by significant and positive correlations with the HADS (r=.649) and SMSP-A (r=.703). Conclusions: The Italian version of the Fear of COVID-19 Scale is valid and reliable in assessing fear of COVID-19 among the general Italian population

Dynamics of light propagation in spatiotemporal dielectric structures

Propagation, transmission and reflection properties of linearly polarized plane waves and arbitrarily short electromagnetic pulses in one-dimensional dispersionless dielectric media possessing an arbitrary space-time dependence of the refractive index are studied by using a two-component, highly symmetric version of Maxwell's equations. The use of any slow varying amplitude approximation is avoided. Transfer matrices of sharp nonstationary interfaces are calculated explicitly, together with the amplitudes of all secondary waves produced in the scattering. Time-varying multilayer structures and spatiotemporal lenses in various configurations are investigated analytically and numerically in a unified approach. Several new effects are reported, such as pulse compression, broadening and spectral manipulation of pulses by a spatiotemporal lens, and the closure of the forbidden frequency gaps with the subsequent opening of wavenumber bandgaps in a generalized Bragg reflector

Mutual Coherence of Polarized Light in Disordered Media: Two-Frequency Method Extended

The paper addresses the two-point correlations of electromagnetic waves in general random, bi-anisotropic media whose constitutive tensors are complex Hermitian, positive- or negative-definite matrices. A simplified version of the two-frequency Wigner distribution (2f-WD) for polarized waves is introduced and the closed form Wigner-Moyal equation is derived from the Maxwell equations. In the weak-disorder regime with an arbitrarily varying background the two-frequency radiative transfer (2f-RT) equations for the associated $2\times 2$ coherence matrices are derived from the Wigner-Moyal equation by using the multiple scale expansion. In birefringent media, the coherence matrix becomes a scalar and the 2f-RT equations take the scalar form due to the absence of depolarization. A paraxial approximation is developed for spatialy anisotropic media. Examples of isotropic, chiral, uniaxial and gyrotropic media are discussed

The importance of post-mortem computed tomography (PMCT) as a complementary diagnostic technique to traditional autopsy in a case of asphyxia related-death

Although asphyxia related-death is a common occurrence in forensic setting, traditional autopsy with neck dissection is not always sufficient to gain information about potential injuries of the deep structures of the neck. In this case a 40 years-old white female was found unresponsive on the floor of her living room, in supine position with a widespread brownish area on her neck. A preliminary PMCT examination showed a fracture line within the hyoid bone. This finding was confirmed by the autopsy, which revealed soft tissue’s haemorrhage of the sternocleidomastoid and sternohyoid muscles and a fracture of the right horn of the hyoid bone. A 3D reconstruction of the event showed the aggressor standing behind the victim while holding his arm around her neck. Our study demonstrates that, PMCT represent an effective aid to traditional examination techniques in order to visualize fractures. The former always requires to be associated with autoptic examination

Argyrophilic nucleolar organizer regions and bromodeoxyuridine and h3-thymidine labelling indices in colorectal cancer

The count of argyrophilic nucleolar organizer regions (AgNORs) has been proposed as a useful method for evaluating cell replication in human tumours. The current study was undertaken to compare AgNOR values in colorectal cancers with two better established methods for investigating cell proliferation such as bromodeoxyuridine (BrdUrd) and (3)[H]-thymidine ((3)[H]dT) labelling indices (LIs). Because some concern still exists regarding accuracy and reproducibility of AgNOR quantifying methods, we carried out a control study by independently repeating the same measurements (number, area and area per silver-stained NOR particle) in two centres with different operators and computer-assisted image analysers on 40 colorectal carcinomas. AgNOR values recorded in the two centres were strictly correlated (r = 0.75; P &lt; 0.001 for number; r = 0.62, P &lt; 0.01 for area; r = 0.63, P &lt; 0.001 for area per silver-stained NOR particle) and the range of values were almost identical, Then, AgNOR values were compared with BrdUrd and (3)[H]dT LIs, respectively obtained by in vivo incorporation and in vitro incubation in the same series of colorectal carcinomas. No correlation was found between AgNOR values and BrdUrd or (3)[H]dT LIs. BrdUrd and (3)[H]dT LIs were instead reciprocally significantly correlated, No evident correlation was seen between LIs or AgNOR values and clinico-pathological parameters of the tumour. In conclusion, in colorectal neoplasms, AgNOR values did not appear to relate with more direct parameters of cell proliferation. It follows that AgNOR reliability as a biomarker of cell proliferation remains questionable

Aberrant crypt foci in patients with colorectal cancer.

Aberrant crypt foci (ACF) are clusters of abnormally large colonic crypts identified on the mucosal surface of the human colon. They are thought to be preneoplastic lesions. The aim of the present study was to compare density (number of ACF per square cm of mucosal surface), crypt multiplicity (number of crypts per ACF) and histology of ACF in colonic resections of colorectal cancer patients resident in two Italian provinces with a twofold difference in colorectal cancer incidence rates. Thirty-two and 26 colonic resections were collected after operation in Ragusa (Southern Italy) and Modena (Northern Italy), respectively, and fixed in 10% formalin. Mucosal layers were observed under a light microscope at 25x after staining with methylene blue. Density of ACF was significantly higher in Modena (median 0.101 ACF cm(-2)) than in Ragusa (0.049, P = 0.001), whereas there was no difference in crypt multiplicity. ACF were classified into three groups according to histological features: ACF with mild alterations (hypertrophic ACF, 73%), ACF with hyperplasia (hyperplastic ACF, 17%) and ACF with dysplasia (microadenomas, 10%). The proportions of ACF in the three groups were similar in the two provinces. Density of ACF was higher and crypt multiplicity lower proceeding from proximal to distal large bowel. Microadenomas were observed only in the colon, whereas hyperplastic ACF were more frequent in the rectum. In conclusion, density of ACF correlates with colorectal cancer rates in two Italian provinces, and shows a positive gradient from proximal to distal large bowel. Histology of ACF suggests that they may be precursors of both hyperplastic and adenomatous polyps. These data provide further evidence of the role of ACF in human colorectal carcinogenesis