Topological transformations of speckles

Deterministic control of coherent random light is highly important for information transmission through complex media. However, only a few simple speckle transformations can be achieved through diffusers without prior characterization. As recently shown, spiral wavefront modulation of the impinging beam allows permuting intensity maxima and intrinsic $\pm 1$-charged optical vortices. Here, we study this cyclic-group algebra when combining spiral phase transforms of charge $n$, with $D_3$- and $D_4$-point-group symmetry star-like amplitude modulations. This combination allows statistical strengthening of permutations and controlling the period to be 3 and 4, respectively. Phase saddle-points are shown to complete the cycle. These results offer new tools to manipulate critical points in speckles.Comment: 14 pages, 10 figures, 4 table

Post cardiac surgery vasoplegia is associated with high preoperative copeptin plasma concentration

International audienceABSTRACT: INTRODUCTION: Post cardiac surgery vasodilatation is possibly related to a vasopressin deficiency that could be related to a chronic stimulation of the adeno-hypophysis. To assess vasopressin system activation, perioperative course of copeptin and vasopressin plasma concentrations have been studied in consecutive patients operated on cardiac surgery. METHODS: 64 consecutive patients scheduled for elective cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass were studied. Haemodynamic, laboratory and clinical data were recorded before and during cardiopulmonary bypass, and at the 8th post-operative hour (H8). At the same time, point's blood was withdrawn to determine plasma concentrations of arginine-vasopressin (AVP, radioimmunoassay) and copeptin (immunoluminometric assay). Post cardiac surgery vasodilation (PCSV) was defined as a mean arterial blood pressure less than 60 mmHg with a cardiac index [equal to or greater than] 2.2 L * min^-1 * m^-2, and was treated with norepinephrine (NE) in order to restore a mean blood pressure > 60 mmHg. Patients with PCSV were compared to the other patients (controls). Student's t, Fisher's exact test, or non parametric tests (Mann Whitney, Wilkoxon) were used when appropriate. A correlation between AVP and copeptin has been evaluated and a receiver-operator characteristic (ROC) analysis was calculated to assess the utility of preoperative copeptin to distinguish between controls and PCSV patients. RESULTS: Patients who experienced a PCSV have significantly higher copeptin plasma concentration before cardiopulmonary bypass (P <0.001) but lower AVP concentrations at H8 (P <0.01) than controls. PCSV patients had preoperative hyponatremia and decreased left ventricle ejection fraction, and experienced more complex surgery (redo). The area under the ROC curve of preoperative copeptin concentration was 0.86[plus/minus]0.04 [95%CI: 0.78-0.94] (P <0.001). The best predictive value for preoperative copeptin plasma concentration was 9.43 pmol/L with a sensitivity of 90% and a specificity of 77%. CONCLUSIONS: High preoperative copeptin plasma concentration is predictive of PSCV and suggests an activation of the AVP system before surgery that may facilitate depletion of endogenous AVP stores and a relative AVP deficit after surgery

Vasopressin and oxytocin receptors (version 2019.4) in the IUPHAR/BPS Guide to Pharmacology Database

Vasopressin (AVP) and oxytocin (OT) receptors (nomenclature as recommended by NC-IUPHAR [92]) are activated by the endogenous cyclic nonapeptides vasopressin and oxytocin. These peptides are derived from precursors which also produce neurophysins (neurophysin I for oxytocin; neurophysin II for vasopressin). Vasopressin and oxytocin differ at only 2 amino acids (positions 3 and 8). There are metabolites of these neuropeptides that may be biologically active [67]

Vasopressin and oxytocin receptors in GtoPdb v.2023.1

Vasopressin (AVP) and oxytocin (OT) receptors (nomenclature as recommended by NC-IUPHAR [94]) are activated by the endogenous cyclic nonapeptides vasopressin and oxytocin. These peptides are derived from precursors which also produce neurophysins (neurophysin I for oxytocin; neurophysin II for vasopressin). Vasopressin and oxytocin differ at only 2 amino acids (positions 3 and 8). There are metabolites of these neuropeptides that may be biologically active [69]

The antimalarial MMV688533 provides potential for single-dose cures with a high barrier to

The emergence and spread of Plasmodium falciparum resistance to first-line antimalarials creates an imperative to identify and develop potent preclinical candidates with distinct modes of action. Here, we report the identification of MMV688533, an acylguanidine that was developed following a whole-cell screen with compounds known to hit high-value targets in human cells. MMV688533 displays fast parasite clearance in vitro and is not cross-resistant with known antimalarials. In a P. falciparum NSG mouse model, MMV688533 displays a long-lasting pharmacokinetic profile and excellent safety. Selection studies reveal a low propensity for resistance, with modest loss of potency mediated by point mutations in PfACG1 and PfEHD. These proteins are implicated in intracellular trafficking, lipid utilization, and endocytosis, suggesting interference with these pathways as a potential mode of action. This preclinical candidate may offer the potential for a single low-dose cure for malaria

The antimalarial MMV688533 provides potential for single-dose cures with a high barrier to

The emergence and spread of Plasmodium falciparum resistance to first-line antimalarials creates an imperative to identify and develop potent preclinical candidates with distinct modes of action. Here, we report the identification of MMV688533, an acylguanidine that was developed following a whole-cell screen with compounds known to hit high-value targets in human cells. MMV688533 displays fast parasite clearance in vitro and is not cross-resistant with known antimalarials. In a P. falciparum NSG mouse model, MMV688533 displays a long-lasting pharmacokinetic profile and excellent safety. Selection studies reveal a low propensity for resistance, with modest loss of potency mediated by point mutations in PfACG1 and PfEHD. These proteins are implicated in intracellular trafficking, lipid utilization, and endocytosis, suggesting interference with these pathways as a potential mode of action. This preclinical candidate may offer the potential for a single low-dose cure for malaria

Measurement of the cross-section and charge asymmetry of WW bosons produced in proton-proton collisions at s=8\sqrt{s}=8 TeV with the ATLAS detector

This paper presents measurements of the $W^+ \rightarrow \mu^+\nu$ and $W^- \rightarrow \mu^-\nu$ cross-sections and the associated charge asymmetry as a function of the absolute pseudorapidity of the decay muon. The data were collected in proton--proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 8 TeV with the ATLAS experiment at the LHC and correspond to a total integrated luminosity of 20.2~\mbox{fb^{-1}}. The precision of the cross-section measurements varies between 0.8% to 1.5% as a function of the pseudorapidity, excluding the 1.9% uncertainty on the integrated luminosity. The charge asymmetry is measured with an uncertainty between 0.002 and 0.003. The results are compared with predictions based on next-to-next-to-leading-order calculations with various parton distribution functions and have the sensitivity to discriminate between them.Comment: 38 pages in total, author list starting page 22, 5 figures, 4 tables, submitted to EPJC. All figures including auxiliary figures are available at https://atlas.web.cern.ch/Atlas/GROUPS/PHYSICS/PAPERS/STDM-2017-13

Measurements of fiducial and differential cross sections for Higgs boson production in the diphoton decay channel at s√=8 TeV with ATLAS

Measurements of fiducial and differential cross sections are presented for Higgs boson production in proton-proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of s√=8 TeV. The analysis is performed in the H → γγ decay channel using 20.3 fb−1 of data recorded by the ATLAS experiment at the CERN Large Hadron Collider. The signal is extracted using a fit to the diphoton invariant mass spectrum assuming that the width of the resonance is much smaller than the experimental resolution. The signal yields are corrected for the effects of detector inefficiency and resolution. The pp → H → γγ fiducial cross section is measured to be 43.2 ±9.4(stat.) − 2.9 + 3.2 (syst.) ±1.2(lumi)fb for a Higgs boson of mass 125.4GeV decaying to two isolated photons that have transverse momentum greater than 35% and 25% of the diphoton invariant mass and each with absolute pseudorapidity less than 2.37. Four additional fiducial cross sections and two cross-section limits are presented in phase space regions that test the theoretical modelling of different Higgs boson production mechanisms, or are sensitive to physics beyond the Standard Model. Differential cross sections are also presented, as a function of variables related to the diphoton kinematics and the jet activity produced in the Higgs boson events. The observed spectra are statistically limited but broadly in line with the theoretical expectations

Search for squarks and gluinos in events with isolated leptons, jets and missing transverse momentum at s√=8 TeV with the ATLAS detector

The results of a search for supersymmetry in final states containing at least one isolated lepton (electron or muon), jets and large missing transverse momentum with the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider are reported. The search is based on proton-proton collision data at a centre-of-mass energy s√=8 TeV collected in 2012, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 20 fb−1. No significant excess above the Standard Model expectation is observed. Limits are set on supersymmetric particle masses for various supersymmetric models. Depending on the model, the search excludes gluino masses up to 1.32 TeV and squark masses up to 840 GeV. Limits are also set on the parameters of a minimal universal extra dimension model, excluding a compactification radius of 1/R c = 950 GeV for a cut-off scale times radius (ΛR c) of approximately 30

Evidence for the Higgs-boson Yukawa coupling to tau leptons with the ATLAS detector

Results of a search for H → τ τ decays are presented, based on the full set of proton-proton collision data recorded by the ATLAS experiment at the LHC during 2011 and 2012. The data correspond to integrated luminosities of 4.5 fb−1 and 20.3 fb−1 at centre-of-mass energies of √s = 7 TeV and √s = 8 TeV respectively. All combinations of leptonic (τ → `νν¯ with ` = e, µ) and hadronic (τ → hadrons ν) tau decays are considered. An excess of events over the expected background from other Standard Model processes is found with an observed (expected) significance of 4.5 (3.4) standard deviations. This excess provides evidence for the direct coupling of the recently discovered Higgs boson to fermions. The measured signal strength, normalised to the Standard Model expectation, of µ = 1.43 +0.43 −0.37 is consistent with the predicted Yukawa coupling strength in the Standard Model