EFSUMB Guidelines on Interventional Ultrasound (INVUS), Part VI - Ultrasound-guided vascular interventions

The sixth part of the Guidelines on Interventional Ultrasound produced under the auspices of the European Federation of Societies for Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology (EFSUMB) assesses the evidence for ultrasound guidance and assistance in vascular interventions. Based on convincing data, real-time sonographic guidance for central venous access is strongly recommended as a key safety measure. Systematic analysis of scientific literature shows that in difficult situations and special circumstances US guidance may also improve the efficacy and safety of peripheral venous and arterial access and endovascular interventions. Moreover, the recommendations of this guideline endorse the use of ultrasound to detect complications of vascular access and US-guided interventional treatment of arterial pseudoaneurysms.publishersversionPeer reviewe

Comparison and synergy of stratospheric ozone measurements by satellite limb sounders and the ground-based microwave radiometer SOMORA

International audienceStratospheric O3 profiles obtained by the satellite limb sounders Aura/MLS, ENVISAT/MIPAS, ENVISAT/GOMOS, SAGE-II, SAGE-III, UARS/HALOE are compared to coincident O3 profiles of the ground-based microwave radiometer SOMORA in Switzerland. Data from the various measurement techniques are within 10% at altitudes below 45 km. At altitudes 45?60 km, the relative O3 differences are within a range of 50% Larger deviations at upper altitudes are attributed to larger relative measurement errors caused by lower O3 concentrations. The spatiotemporal characteristics of the O3 differences (satellite ? ground station) are investigated by analyzing about 5000 coincident profile pairs of Aura/MLS (retrieval version 1.5) and SOMORA. The probability density function of the O3 differences is represented by a Gaussian normal distribution (except for profile pairs around the stratopause at noon). The dependence of the O3 differences on the horizontal distance between the sounding volumes of Aura/MLS and SOMORA is derived. While the mean bias (Aura/MLS ? SOMORA) is constant with increasing horizontal distance (up to 800 km), the standard deviation of the O3 differences increases from around 8 to 12% in the mid-stratosphere. Geographical maps yield azimuthal dependences and horizontal gradients of the O3 difference field around the SOMORA ground station. Coherent oscillations of O3 are present in the time series of Aura/MLS and SOMORA (e.g., due to traveling planetary waves). Ground- and space-based measurements often complement one another. We introduce the double differencing technique which allows both the cross-validation of two satellites by means of a ground station and the cross-validation of distant ground stations by means of one satellite. Temporal atmospheric noise in the geographical ozone map over Payerne is significantly reduced by combination of the data from SOMORA and Aura/MLS. These analyses illustrate the synergy between ground-based and space-based measurements

Beyond the Jaynes-Cummings model: circuit QED in the ultrastrong coupling regime

In cavity quantum electrodynamics (QED), light-matter interaction is probed at its most fundamental level, where individual atoms are coupled to single photons stored in three-dimensional cavities. This unique possibility to experimentally explore the foundations of quantum physics has greatly evolved with the advent of circuit QED, where on-chip superconducting qubits and oscillators play the roles of two-level atoms and cavities, respectively. In the strong coupling limit, atom and cavity can exchange a photon frequently before coherence is lost. This important regime has been reached both in cavity and circuit QED, but the design flexibility and engineering potential of the latter allowed for increasing the ratio between the atom-cavity coupling rate and the cavity transition frequency above the percent level. While these experiments are well described by the renowned Jaynes-Cummings model, novel physics is expected in the ultrastrong coupling limit. Here, we report on the first experimental realization of a superconducting circuit QED system in the ultrastrong coupling limit and present direct evidence for the breakdown of the Jaynes-Cummings model.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figure

Diurnal changes in middle atmospheric H2O and O3: Observations in the Alpine region and climate models

International audienceIn this paper we investigate daily variations in middle atmospheric water vapor and ozone based on data from two ground-based microwave radiometers located in the Alpine region of Europe. Temperature data are obtained from a lidar located near the two stations and from the SABER experiment on the TIMED satellite. This unique set of observations is complemented by three different three-dimensional (3-D) chemistry-climate models (Monitoring of Stratospheric Depletion of the Ozone Layer (MSDOL), Laboratoire de Météorologie Dynamique Reactive Processes Ruling the Ozone Budget in the Stratosphere (LMDz-REPROBUS), and Solar Climate Ozone Links (SOCOL)) and the 2-D atmospheric global-scale wave model (GSWM). The first part of the paper is focused on the first Climate and Weather of the Sun-Earth System (CAWSES) tidal campaign that consisted of a period of intensive measurements during September 2005. Variations in stratospheric water vapor are found to be in the order of 1% depending on altitude. Meridional advection of tidal nature is likely to be the dominant driving factor throughout the whole stratosphere, while vertical advection becomes more important in the mesosphere. Observed ozone variations in the upper stratosphere and lower mesosphere show amplitudes of several percent in accordance with photochemical models. Variations in lower stratospheric ozone are not solely governed by photochemistry but also by dynamics, with the temperature dependence of the photochemistry becoming more important. The second part presents an investigation of the seasonal dependence of daily variations. Models tend to underestimate the H2O diurnal amplitudes, especially during summer in the upper stratosphere. Good agreement between models and observations is found for ozone in the upper stratosphere, which reflects the fact that the O3 daily variations are driven by the photochemistry that is well modeled

Control of microwave signals using circuit nano-electromechanics

Waveguide resonators are crucial elements in sensitive astrophysical detectors [1] and circuit quantum electrodynamics (cQED) [2]. Coupled to artificial atoms in the form of superconducting qubits [3, 4], they now provide a technologically promising and scalable platform for quantum information processing tasks [2, 5-8]. Coupling these circuits, in situ, to other quantum systems, such as molecules [9, 10], spin ensembles [11, 12], quantum dots [13] or mechanical oscillators [14, 15] has been explored to realize hybrid systems with extended functionality. Here, we couple a superconducting coplanar waveguide resonator to a nano-coshmechanical oscillator, and demonstrate all-microwave field controlled slowing, advancing and switching of microwave signals. This is enabled by utilizing electromechanically induced transparency [16-18], an effect analogous to electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) in atomic physics [19]. The exquisite temporal control gained over this phenomenon provides a route towards realizing advanced protocols for storage of both classical and quantum microwave signals [20-22], extending the toolbox of control techniques of the microwave field.Comment: 9 figure

Inter-relations of precipitation, aerosols, and clouds over Andalusia, southern Spain, revealed by the Andalusian Global ObseRvatory of the Atmosphere (AGORA)

The south-central interior of Andalusia experiences intricate precipitation patterns as a result of its semi-arid Mediterranean climate and the impact of Saharan dust and human-made pollutants. The primary aim of this study is to monitor the inter-relations between various factors, such as aerosols, clouds, and meteorological variables, and precipitation systems in Granada using ground-based remote sensing and in situ instruments including a microwave radiometer, ceilometer, cloud radar, nephelometer, and weather station. Over an 11-year period, we detected rain events using a physical retrieval method that employed microwave radiometer measurements. A composite analysis was applied to them to construct a climatology of the temporal evolution of precipitation. It was found that convective rain is the dominant precipitation type in Granada, accounting for 68 % of the rain events. The height of the cloud base is mainly distributed at an altitude of 2 to 7 km. Integrated water vapor (IWV) and integrated cloud liquid water (ILW) increase rapidly before the onset of rain. Aerosol scattering at the surface level and hence the aerosol concentration are reduced during rain, and the predominant mean size distribution of aerosol particles before, during, and after rain is almost the same. A meteorological environment favorable for virga formation is observed in Granada. The surface weather station detected rainfall later than the microwave radiometer, indicating virga according to ceilometer and cloud radar data. We used 889 rain-day events identified by weather station data to determine precipitation intensity classes and found that light rain is the main precipitation intensity class in Granada, accounting for 72 % of the rain-day events. This can be a result of the high tropospheric temperature induced by the Andalusian climate and the reduction of cloud droplet size by the high availability of aerosol particles in the urban atmosphere. This study provides evidence that aerosols, clouds, and meteorological variables have a combined impact on precipitation which can be considered for water resource management and improving rain forecasting accuracy.</p

HIV/AIDS awareness and risk behaviour among pregnant women in Semey, Kazakhstan, 2007

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Central Asia has one of the most rapidly increasing HIV prevalence in the world. The aim of this study was to evaluate current knowledge, risk behaviour and attitudes to voluntary counselling and testing concerning HIV/AIDS among pregnant women in Semey, Kazakhstan.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We collected 226 questionnaires in a consecutive sample from a population on 520 pregnant women. The results were related to ethnicity, age and education level.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Ninety-six percent had heard about HIV.</p> <p>Positive findings were that 89% and 86% of the women were aware of the two main routes of transmission: sexual intercourses without a condom and sharing needles while injecting drugs. The women had first heard about HIV/AIDS through the media with, 52%, and at school with 40%. Only 46% and 68% of the women pointed out breastfeeding and mother-to-child transmission during pregnancy or delivery as routes of transmission. Eighty-three percent were prepared not to breastfeed their baby if they were found to be HIV positive. Slightly more, 86%, accepted the need to take medicine, but fewer women, 68%, were positive to Caesarean section. Negative findings were that only 28% answered that there are ways to protect oneself against sexually transmitted HIV/AIDS and specified that this was condom use.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The pregnant women in Semey have poor knowledge about specific mother-to-child HIV transmission and do not know about the means of reducing mother-to-child HIV infection. The information in the public health program needs to be improved. However, most of the women in Semey were positive to prevention strategies for mother-to-child transmission after hearing about it.</p