Unbiased Filtering for State and Unknown Input with Delay

International audienceIn this paper, we consider linear network systems with unknown inputs. We present an unbiased recursive algorithm that simultaneously estimates states and inputs. We focus on delay-left invertible systems with intrinsic delay l ≥ 1, where the input reconstruction is possible only by using outputs up to l time steps later in the future. By showing an equivalence with a descriptor system, we state conditions under which the time-varying filter converges to a stationary stable filter, involving the solution of a discrete-time algebraic Riccati equation

IL-8 production by peripheral blood mononuclear cells in nephrotic patients

IL-8 production by peripheral blood mononuclear cells in nephrotic patients. We studied the interleukin 8 (IL-8) gene expression by peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and the IL-8 serum concentration in patients with idiopathic minimal lesion nephrotic syndrome (IMLNS) and other glomerulopathies. PBMC from eight of the nine (IMLNS) patients in relapse demonstrated the presence of IL-8 mRNA. All three IMLNS patients in remission (P = 0.0026 when compared to patients in relapse) and the two patients with nephrotic syndrome with other glomerulopathies failed to elicit an IL-8 mRNA response. Eleven of the 12 IMLNS patients in relapse showed IL-8 serum concentration above the level of detection. Only one of the seven patients in remission had detectable serum levels of IL-8 (P = 0.0033 when compared to levels from IMLNS patients in relapse). IL-8 serum levels were not detectable in three patients with nephrotic syndrome and other glomerulopathies. Supernatants of PBMC cultures from IMLNS patients in relapse increased the 35sulfate uptake by rat GBM. This effect was abolished by the addition of anti-IL-8 neutralizing antibody to the culture media and reproduced by the addition to the media of IL-8 in concentrations found in the serum of IMLNS patients in relapse. Finally, the effect of IL-8 on the 35sulfate turnover of the glomerular basement membrane (GBM) sulfated compounds was evaluated in vitro. A significant decrease in the percentage of residual 35sulfate incorporated in the GBM (41 ± 5, mean ± sem) was observed in cultures treated with IL-8 as compared to those that were not treated with IL-8 (58 ± 8, P < 0.01). Because IL-8 affects the metabolism of GBM compounds that may play a role in glomerular permeability, this lymphokine may have a potential pathogenic role in the proteinuria of IMLNS

Prioritizing otological surgery during the COVID-19 Pandemic

The initial cases of pulmonary infection with the novel corona virus SARS-CoV-2, causing COVID-19, occurred in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China in December 2019 and January 2020 (1). The spread through human-to-human transmission has led to a pandemic with disastrous consequences all over the world. The exponential rate of transmission and no existing vaccine has been a great challenge for all health care systems. A strategy to flatten the curve of transmission was put forward to adjust to the capacities of hospitals and particularly the intensive care units. Governments implemented isolation and social distancing upon societies either with laws or with strong recommendations

Reaction ⁶Li(p, Δ⁺⁺)⁶He At 1.04 GeV And The Δ−N Interaction

The reaction ⁶Li(p, Δ⁺⁺)⁶He has been studied at 1.04 GeV for transferred momenta ranging from 0.11 to 0.35 (GeV/c)2. An exponential decrease of the cross section is observed. A Glauber-type calculation is presented. The possibility of extracting information on σ(ΔN) and α(ΔN) is discussed

Permanent Neonatal Diabetes Caused by Creation of an Ectopic Splice Site within the INS Gene

PublishedCase ReportsJournal ArticleResearch Support, Non-U.S. Gov'tBACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to characterize the genetic etiology in a patient who presented with permanent neonatal diabetes at 2 months of age. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Regulatory elements and coding exons 2 and 3 of the INS gene were amplified and sequenced from genomic and complementary DNA samples. A novel heterozygous INS mutation within the terminal intron of the gene was identified in the proband and her affected father. This mutation introduces an ectopic splice site leading to the insertion of 29 nucleotides from the intronic sequence into the mature mRNA, which results in a longer and abnormal transcript. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: This study highlights the importance of routinely sequencing the exon-intron boundaries and the need to carry out additional studies to confirm the pathogenicity of any identified intronic genetic variants.Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Diabetes y Enfermedades Metabólicas (CIBERDEM)Instituto de Salud Carlos III of the Spanish Ministry of HealthFIS-programsWellcome Trus

Liolaemus flavipiceus Cei & Videla, 2003: primer registro en Chile y nuevos antecedentes para el taxón (Reptilia, Sauria, Liolaemidae)

Se analizó una muestra de 16 ejemplares provenientes de los alrededores del embalse Laguna del Maule, Comuna de San Clemente, Provincia de Talca, VII Región del Maule, aproximadamente 2150 m (36°00’42,8’’S; 70°33’24,2’’W; Datum WGS84. Nueve individuos (dos machos y siete hembras) fueron capturados a principios de marzo de 2008 en zonas rocosas adyacentes a la laguna, aguas abajo del pretil del embalse. Esta muestra se complementó con dos individuos (un macho y una hembra), obtenidos en febrero de 2012 aguas arriba del pretil. El diseño y color en vida fueron registrados mediante fotografía digital.Asociación Herpetológica Argentin

Recommandations préanalytiques pour les analyses de protéomique clinique des fluides biologiques

International audienc

Trajectories of self-rated health in people with diabetes: Associations with functioning in a prospective community sample

© 2013 Schmitz et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.Background: Self-rated health (SRH) is a single-item measure that is one of the most widely used measures of general health in population health research. Relatively little is known about changes and the trajectories of SRH in people with chronic medical conditions. The aims of the present study were to identify and describe longitudinal trajectories of self-rated health (SRH) status in people with diabetes. Methods: A prospective community study was carried out between 2008 and 2011. SRH was assessed at baseline and yearly at follow-ups (n=1288). Analysis was carried out through trajectory modeling. The trajectory groups were subsequently compared at 4 years follow-up with respect to functioning. Results: Four distinct trajectories of SRH were identified: 1) 72.2% of the participants were assigned to a persistently good SRH trajectory; 2) 10.1% were assigned to a persistently poor SRH trajectory; 3) mean SRH scores changed from good to poor for one group (7.3%); while 4) mean SRH scores changed from poor to medium/good for another group (10.4%). Those with a persistently poor perception of health status were at higher risk for poor functioning at 4 years follow-up than those whose SRH scores decreased from good to poor. Conclusions: SRH is an important predictor for poor functioning in diabetes, but the trajectory of SRH seems to be even more important. Health professionals should pay attention to not only SRH per se, but also changes in SRH over time.This work was supported by Operating Grant MOP-84574 from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR). GG was supported by a doctoral fellowship from the CIHR. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript

Resonant Visible Light Modulation with Graphene

Fast modulation and switching of light at visible and near-infrared (vis-NIR) frequencies is of utmost importance for optical signal processing and sensing technologies. No fundamental limit appears to prevent us from designing wavelength-sized devices capable of controlling the light phase and intensity at gigaherts (and even terahertz) speeds in those spectral ranges. However, this problem remains largely unsolved, despite recent advances in the use of quantum wells and phase-change materials for that purpose. Here, we explore an alternative solution based upon the remarkable electro-optical properties of graphene. In particular, we predict unity-order changes in the transmission and absorption of vis-NIR light produced upon electrical doping of graphene sheets coupled to realistically engineered optical cavities. The light intensity is enhanced at the graphene plane, and so is its absorption, which can be switched and modulated via Pauli blocking through varying the level of doping. Specifically, we explore dielectric planar cavities operating under either tunneling or Fabry-Perot resonant transmission conditions, as well as Mie modes in silicon nanospheres and lattice resonances in metal particle arrays. Our simulations reveal absolute variations in transmission exceeding 90% as well as an extinction ratio >15 dB with small insertion losses using feasible material parameters, thus supporting the application of graphene in fast electro-optics at vis-NIR frequencies.Comment: 17 pages, 13 figures, 54 reference

Production of Medical Radioisotopes with High Specific Activity in Photonuclear Reactions with γ\gamma Beams of High Intensity and Large Brilliance

We study the production of radioisotopes for nuclear medicine in $(\gamma,x{\rm n}+y{\rm p})$ photonuclear reactions or ($\gamma,\gamma'$) photoexcitation reactions with high flux [($10^{13}-10^{15}$)$\gamma$/s], small diameter $\sim (100 \, \mu$m$)^2$ and small band width ($\Delta E/E \approx 10^{-3}-10^{-4}$) $\gamma$ beams produced by Compton back-scattering of laser light from relativistic brilliant electron beams. We compare them to (ion,$x$n$+ y$p) reactions with (ion=p,d,$\alpha$) from particle accelerators like cyclotrons and (n,$\gamma$) or (n,f) reactions from nuclear reactors. For photonuclear reactions with a narrow $\gamma$ beam the energy deposition in the target can be managed by using a stack of thin target foils or wires, hence avoiding direct stopping of the Compton and pair electrons (positrons). $(\gamma,\gamma')$ isomer production via specially selected $\gamma$ cascades allows to produce high specific activity in multiple excitations, where no back-pumping of the isomer to the ground state occurs. We discuss in detail many specific radioisotopes for diagnostics and therapy applications. Photonuclear reactions with $\gamma$ beams allow to produce certain radioisotopes, e.g. $^{47}$Sc, $^{44}$Ti, $^{67}$Cu, $^{103}$Pd, $^{117m}$Sn, $^{169}$Er, $^{195m}$Pt or $^{225}$Ac, with higher specific activity and/or more economically than with classical methods. This will open the way for completely new clinical applications of radioisotopes. For example $^{195m}$Pt could be used to verify the patient's response to chemotherapy with platinum compounds before a complete treatment is performed. Also innovative isotopes like $^{47}$Sc, $^{67}$Cu and $^{225}$Ac could be produced for the first time in sufficient quantities for large-scale application in targeted radionuclide therapy.Comment: submitted to Appl. Phys.