Photon-number-resolving segmented avalanche-photodiode detectors

We investigate the feasibility and performance of photon-number-resolved photodetection employing avalanche photodiodes (APDs) with low dark counts. The main idea is to split n photons over m modes such that every mode has no more than one photon, which is detected alongside propagation by an APD. We characterize performance by evaluating the purities of positive-operator-valued measurements (POVMs), in terms of APD number and photon loss.Comment: 5 pages, 7 figures, submitted for publicatio

Early Trends in Cystatin C and Outcomes in Patients with Cirrhosis and Acute Kidney Injury

Background. Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a common and severe complication in patients with cirrhosis. Progression of AKI to a higher stage associates with increased mortality. Intervening early in AKI when renal dysfunction is worsening may improve outcomes. However, serum creatinine correlates poorly with glomerular filtration in patients with cirrhosis and fluctuations may mask progression early in the course of AKI. Cystatin C, a low-molecular-weight cysteine proteinase inhibitor, is a potentially more accurate marker of glomerular filtration. Methods. We conducted a prospective multicenter study in patients with cirrhosis comparing changes in cystatin and creatinine immediately following onset of AKI as predictors of a composite endpoint of dialysis or mortality. Results. Of 106 patients, 37 (35%) met the endpoint. Cystatin demonstrated less variability between samples than creatinine. Patients were stratified into four groups reflecting changes in creatinine and cystatin: both unchanged or decreased 38 (36%) (Scr−/CysC−); only cystatin increased 25 (24%) (Scr−/CysC+); only creatinine increased 15 (14%) (Scr+/CysC−); and both increased 28 (26%) (Scr+/CysC+). With Scr−/CysC− as the reference, in both instances where cystatin rose, Scr−/CysC+ and Scr+/CysC+, the primary outcome was significantly more frequent in multivariate analysis, and , respectively. However, when only creatinine rose, outcomes were similar to the reference group. Conclusions. Changes in cystatin levels early in AKI are more closely associated with eventual dialysis or mortality than creatinine and may allow more rapid identification of patients at risk for adverse outcomes

Calcisponges have a ParaHox gene and dynamic expression of dispersed NK homeobox genes

This study was funded by the Sars Centre core budget to M. Adamska. Sequencing was performed at the Norwegian High Throughput Sequencing Centre funded by the Norwegian Research Council. O.M.R. and D.E.K.F. acknowledge support from the BBSRC and the School of Biology, University of St Andrews.Sponges are simple animals with few cell types, but their genomes paradoxically contain a wide variety of developmental transcription factors1,2,3,4, including homeobox genes belonging to the Antennapedia (ANTP) class5,6, which in bilaterians encompass Hox, ParaHox and NK genes. In the genome of the demosponge Amphimedon queenslandica, no Hox or ParaHox genes are present, but NK genes are linked in a tight cluster similar to the NK clusters of bilaterians5. It has been proposed that Hox and ParaHox genes originated from NK cluster genes after divergence of sponges from the lineage leading to cnidarians and bilaterians5,7. On the other hand, synteny analysis lends support to the notion that the absence of Hox and ParaHox genes in Amphimedon is a result of secondary loss (the ghost locus hypothesis)8. Here we analysed complete suites of ANTP-class homeoboxes in two calcareous sponges, Sycon ciliatum and Leucosolenia complicata. Our phylogenetic analyses demonstrate that these calcisponges possess orthologues of bilaterian NK genes (Hex, Hmx and Msx), a varying number of additional NK genes and one ParaHox gene, Cdx. Despite the generation of scaffolds spanning multiple genes, we find no evidence of clustering of Sycon NK genes. All Sycon ANTP-class genes are developmentally expressed, with patterns suggesting their involvement in cell type specification in embryos and adults, metamorphosis and body plan patterning. These results demonstrate that ParaHox genes predate the origin of sponges, thus confirming the ghost locus hypothesis8, and highlight the need to analyse the genomes of multiple sponge lineages to obtain a complete picture of the ancestral composition of the first animal genome.PostprintPeer reviewe

A FRAUDE NA FIGURA DO EMPREGADO QUE É CONVIDADO A SER SÓCIO NAS SOCIEDADES EMPRESÁRIAS DE PESSOAS QUANDO ESSE PERMANECE NA MESMA CONDIÇÃO (FRAUD SHOWN THAT THE EMPLOYEE ARE INVITED TO BE SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURS IN THE COMPANY OF PEOPLE WHEN ...)

RESUMO: O presente artigo apresenta uma discussão acerca da situação fática - jurídica do empregado que é convidado, por uma sociedade de pessoas, para participar do quadro societário cda empresa na qual trabalha, permanecendo, no entanto, nas mesmas funções. Este empregado passa à figura de sócio com a finalidade de ser um instrumento de fraude às obrigações trabalhistas e fiscais da empresa. Ressalta-se que, na maioria das vezes, este empregado não sabe e não participa voluntariamente desta fraude, e acaba sendo prejudicado juntamente com a sociedade.Para elucidação do tema serão abordadas a sociedade empresária, o sócio e sua função e o empregado, buscando delinear cada um deles, apresentando primeiramente seus conceitos e então suas funções, para posteriormente, identificar as hipóteses em que o empregado é apenas usado como sócio, não havendo na prática mudanças da sua função de empregado para a de sócio, permanecendo com as obrigações(funções) trabalhistas e não exercendo os direitos societários. ABSTRACT: This article presents a discussion of the factual situation - legal employee who is invited by a partnership , to participate in the corporate structure cda company you work for , remaining , however , the same functions . This employee passes the figure associate for the purpose of being an instrument of fraud to labor and tax obligations of the company. It is noteworthy that , in most cases , this employee does not know and does not participate voluntarily in this fraud, and ends up being harmed along with company.A company elucidation of the subject will be dealt with business associations , partner and their function and the employee seeking to delineate each , first presenting their concepts and then their functions , to further identify the cases in which the employee is only used as a partner , with no changes in the practice of his duties as employee for membership , with the remaining obligations ( duties ) labor and not exerting corporate rights

Successful outcome of a pregnancy in a woman with advanced cirrhosis due to hepatitis B surface antigenemia, delta super-infection and hepatitis C co-infection: a case report

Pregnancy in women with advanced liver disease is rare. In this paper we described the case of a successful pregnancy in a young woman with advanced cirrhosis due to hepatitis B surface antigenemia, hepatitis delta super-infection and Hepatitis C co-infection. A brief review of the medical literature on pregnancy in women with cirrhosis is also presented

16th International Congress on Antiphospholipid Antibodies Task Force Report on Antiphospholipid Syndrome Treatment Trends

Antiphospholipid syndrome (APS), an acquired autoimmune thrombophilia, is characterised by thrombosis and/or pregnancy morbidity in association with persistent antiphospholipid antibodies. The 16th International Congress on Antiphospholipid Antibodies Task Force on APS Treatment Trends reviewed the current status with regard to existing and novel treatment trends for APS, which is the focus of this Task Force report. The report addresses current treatments and developments since the last report, on the use of direct oral anticoagulants in patients with APS, antiplatelet agents, adjunctive therapies (hydroxychloroquine, statins and vitamin D), targeted treatment including rituximab, belimumab, and anti-TNF agents, complement inhibition and drugs based on peptides of beta-2-glycoprotein I. In addition, the report summarises potential new players, including coenzyme Q10, adenosine receptor agonists and adenosine potentiation. In each case, the report provides recommendations for clinicians, based on the current state of the art, and suggests a clinical research agenda. The initiation and development of appropriate clinical studies requires a focus on devising suitable outcome measures, including a disease activity index, an optimal damage index, and a specific quality of life index

Transcriptomic and connectomic correlates of differential spatial patterning among gliomas.

Unravelling the complex events driving grade-specific spatial distribution of brain tumour occurrence requires rich datasets from both healthy individuals and patients. Here, we combined open-access data from The Cancer Genome Atlas, the UKBiobank and the Allen Brain Human Atlas to disentangle how the different spatial occurrences of Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM) and Low-Grade Gliomas (LGG) are linked to brain network features and the normative transcriptional profiles of brain regions. From MRI of brain tumour patients we first constructed a grade-related frequency map of the regional occurrence of LGG and the more aggressive GBM. Using associated mRNA transcription data, we derived a set of differential gene expressions from GBM and LGG tissues of the same patients. By combining the resulting values with normative gene expressions from postmortem brain tissue, we constructed a grade-related expression map indicating which brain regions express genes dysregulated in aggressive gliomas. Additionally, we derived an expression map of genes previously associated with tumour subtypes in a GWAS study (tumour-related genes). There were significant associations between grade-related frequency, grade-related expression, and tumour-related expression maps, as well as functional brain network features (specifically, nodal strength and participation coefficient) that are implicated in neurological and psychiatric disorders. These findings identify brain network dynamics and transcriptomic signatures as key factors in regional vulnerability for GBM and LGG occurrence, placing primary brain tumours within a well-established framework of neurological and psychiatric cortical alterations