Multiple packets of neutral molecules revolving for over a mile

The level of control that one has over neutral molecules in beams dictates their possible applications. Here we experimentally demonstrate that state-selected, neutral molecules can be kept together in a few mm long packet for a distance of over one mile. This is accomplished in a circular arrangement of 40 straight electrostatic hexapoles through which the molecules propagate over 1000 times. Up to 19 packets of molecules have simultaneously been stored in this ring structure. This brings the realization of a molecular low-energy collider within reach

Cold SO_2 molecules by Stark deceleration

We produce SO_2 molecules with a centre of mass velocity near zero using a Stark decelerator. Since the initial kinetic energy of the supersonic SO_2 molecular beam is high, and the removed kinetic energy per stage is small, 326 deceleration stages are necessary to bring SO_2 to a complete standstill, significantly more than in other experiments. We show that in such a decelerator possible loss due to coupling between the motional degrees of freedom must be considered. Experimental results are compared with 3D Monte-Carlo simulations and the quantum state selectivity of the Stark decelerator is demonstrated.Comment: 7 pages, 5 figure

Structural Analysis to Determine the Core of Hypoxia Response Network

The advent of sophisticated molecular biology techniques allows to deduce the structure of complex biological networks. However, networks tend to be huge and impose computational challenges on traditional mathematical analysis due to their high dimension and lack of reliable kinetic data. To overcome this problem, complex biological networks are decomposed into modules that are assumed to capture essential aspects of the full network's dynamics. The question that begs for an answer is how to identify the core that is representative of a network's dynamics, its function and robustness. One of the powerful methods to probe into the structure of a network is Petri net analysis. Petri nets support network visualization and execution. They are also equipped with sound mathematical and formal reasoning based on which a network can be decomposed into modules. The structural analysis provides insight into the robustness and facilitates the identification of fragile nodes. The application of these techniques to a previously proposed hypoxia control network reveals three functional modules responsible for degrading the hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF). Interestingly, the structural analysis identifies superfluous network parts and suggests that the reversibility of the reactions are not important for the essential functionality. The core network is determined to be the union of the three reduced individual modules. The structural analysis results are confirmed by numerical integration of the differential equations induced by the individual modules as well as their composition. The structural analysis leads also to a coarse network structure highlighting the structural principles inherent in the three functional modules. Importantly, our analysis identifies the fragile node in this robust network without which the switch-like behavior is shown to be completely absent

Comparative effects of different dietary approaches on blood pressure in hypertensive and pre-hypertensive patients: A systematic review and network meta-analysis

Pairwise meta-analyses have shown beneficial effects of individual dietary approaches on blood pressure but their comparative effects have not been established. Objective: Therefore we performed a systematic review of different dietary intervention trials and estimated the aggregate blood pressure effects through network meta-analysis including hypertensive and pre-hypertensive patients. Design: PubMed, Cochrane CENTRAL, and Google Scholar were searched until June 2017. The inclusion criteria were defined as follows: i) Randomized trial with a dietary approach; ii) hypertensive and pre-hypertensive adult patients; and iii) minimum intervention period of 12 weeks. In order to determine the pooled effect of each intervention relative to each of the other intervention for both diastolic and systolic blood pressure (SBP and DBP), random effects network meta-analysis was performed. Results: A total of 67 trials comparing 13 dietary approaches (DASH, lowfat, moderate-carbohydrate, high-protein, low-carbohydrate, Mediterranean, Palaeolithic, vegetarian, low-GI/GL, low-sodium, Nordic, Tibetan, and control) enrolling 17,230 participants were included. In the network metaanalysis, the DASH, Mediterranean, low-carbohydrate, Palaeolithic, high-protein, low-glycaemic index, lowsodium, and low-fat dietary approaches were significantly more effective in reducing SBP (¡8.73 to ¡2.32 mmHg) and DBP (¡4.85 to ¡1.27 mmHg) compared to a control diet. According to the SUCRAs, the DASH diet was ranked the most effective dietary approach in reducing SBP (90%) and DBP (91%), followed by the Palaeolithic, and the low-carbohydrate diet (ranked 3rd for SBP) or the Mediterranean diet (ranked 3rd for DBP). For most comparisons, the credibility of evidence was rated very low to moderate, with the exception for the DASH vs. the low-fat dietary approach for which the quality of evidence was rated high. Conclusion: The present network meta-analysis suggests that the DASH dietary approach might be the most effective dietary measure toreduce blood pressure among hypertensive and pre-hypertensive patients based on high quality evidence

Unsafe Sex and Increased Incidence of Hepatitis C Virus Infection among HIV-Infected Men Who Have Sex with Men: The Swiss HIV Cohort Study

Background. Data on the incidence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection among human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected persons are sparse. It is controversial whether and how frequently HCV is transmitted by unprotected sexual intercourse. Methods. We assessed the HCV seroprevalence and incidence of HCV infection in the Swiss HIV Cohort Study between 1988 and 2004. We investigated the association of HCV seroconversion with mode of HIV acquisition, sex, injection drug use (IDU), and constancy of condom use. Data on condom use or unsafe sexual behavior were prospectively collected between 2000 and 2004. Results. The overall seroprevalence of HCV infection was 33% among a total of 7899 eligible participants and 90% among persons reporting IDU. We observed 104 HCV seroconversions among 3327 participants during a total follow-up time of 16,305 person-years, corresponding to an incidence of 0.64 cases per 100 person-years. The incidence among participants with a history of IDU was 7.4 cases per 100 person-years, compared with 0.23 cases per 100 person-years in patients without such a history (P < .001). In men who had sex with men (MSM) without a history of IDU who reported unsafe sex, the incidence was 0.7 cases per 100 person-years, compared with 0.2 cases per 100 person-years in those not reporting unsafe sex (P = .02), corresponding to an incidence rate ratio of 3.5 (95% confidence interval, 1.2-10.0). The hazard of acquiring HCV infection was elevated among younger participants who were MSM. Conclusions. HCV infection incidence in the Swiss HIV Cohort Study was mainly associated with IDU. In HIV-infected MSM, HCV infection was associated with unsafe se

Cardiovascular magnetic resonance feature tracking in pigs: a reproducibility and sample size calculation study

Cardiovascular magnetic resonance feature tracking (CMR-FT) is a novel technique for non-invasive assessment of myocardial motion and deformation. Although CMR-FT is standardized in humans, literature on comparative analysis from animal models is scarce. In this study, we measured the reproducibility of global strain under various inotropic states and the sample size needed to test its relative changes in pigs. Ten anesthetized healthy Landrace pigs were investigated. After baseline (BL), two further steps were performed: (I) dobutamine-induced hyper-contractility (Dob) and (II) verapamil-induced hypocontractility (Ver). Global longitudinal (GLS), circumferential (GCS) and radial strain (GRS) were assessed. This study shows a good to excellent inter- and intra-observer reproducibility of CMR-FT in pigs under various inotropic states. The highest inter-observer reproducibility was observed for GLS at both BL (ICC 0.88) and Ver (ICC 0.79). According to the sample size calculation for GLS, a small number of animals could be used for future trials

Towards Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS)-Based Newborn Screening:A Technical Study to Prepare for the Challenges Ahead

Newborn screening (NBS) aims to identify neonates with severe conditions for whom immediate treatment is required. Currently, a biochemistry-first approach is used to identify these disorders, which are predominantly inherited metalbolic disorders (IMD). Next-generation sequencing (NGS) is expected to have some advantages over the current approach, for example the ability to detect IMDs that meet all screening criteria but lack an identifiable biochemical footprint. We have now designed a technical study to explore the use of NGS techniques as a first-tier approach in NBS. Here, we describe the aim and set-up of the NGS-first for the NBS (NGSf4NBS) project, which will proceed in three steps. In Step 1, we will identify IMDs eligible for NGS-first testing, based on treatability. In Step 2, we will investigate the feasibility, limitations and comparability of different technical NGS approaches and analysis workflows for NBS, eventually aiming to develop a rapid NGS-based workflow. Finally, in Step 3, we will prepare for the incorporation of this workflow into the existing Dutch NBS program and propose a protocol for referral of a child after a positive NGS test result. The results of this study will be the basis for an additional analytical route within NBS that will be further studied for its applicability within the NBS program, e.g., regarding the ethical, legal, financial and social implications.</p