1,445 research outputs found
Higher-order properties and Bell-inequality violation for the three-mode enhanced squeezed state
By extending the usual two-mode squeezing operator to the three-mode squeezing operator , we
obtain the corresponding three-mode squeezed coherent state. The state's
higher-order properties, such as higher-order squeezing and higher-order
sub-Possonian photon statistics, are investigated. It is found that the new
squeezed state not only can be squeezed to all even orders but also exhibits
squeezing enhancement comparing with the usual cases. In addition, we examine
the violation of Bell-inequality for the three-mode squeezed states by using
the formalism of Wigner representation
Group testing with Random Pools: Phase Transitions and Optimal Strategy
The problem of Group Testing is to identify defective items out of a set of
objects by means of pool queries of the form "Does the pool contain at least a
defective?". The aim is of course to perform detection with the fewest possible
queries, a problem which has relevant practical applications in different
fields including molecular biology and computer science. Here we study GT in
the probabilistic setting focusing on the regime of small defective probability
and large number of objects, and . We construct and
analyze one-stage algorithms for which we establish the occurrence of a
non-detection/detection phase transition resulting in a sharp threshold, , for the number of tests. By optimizing the pool design we construct
algorithms whose detection threshold follows the optimal scaling . Then we consider two-stages algorithms and analyze their
performance for different choices of the first stage pools. In particular, via
a proper random choice of the pools, we construct algorithms which attain the
optimal value (previously determined in Ref. [16]) for the mean number of tests
required for complete detection. We finally discuss the optimal pool design in
the case of finite
Synchronization in a System of Globally Coupled Oscillators with Time Delay
We study the synchronization phenomena in a system of globally coupled
oscillators with time delay in the coupling. The self-consistency equations for
the order parameter are derived, which depend explicitly on the amount of
delay. Analysis of these equations reveals that the system in general exhibits
discontinuous transitions in addition to the usual continuous transition,
between the incoherent state and a multitude of coherent states with different
synchronization frequencies. In particular, the phase diagram is obtained on
the plane of the coupling strength and the delay time, and ubiquity of
multistability as well as suppression of the synchronization frequency is
manifested. Numerical simulations are also performed to give consistent
results
Identification and nomenclature of the genus Penicillium
AbstractPenicillium is a diverse genus occurring worldwide and its species play important roles as decomposers of organic materials and cause destructive rots in the food industry where they produce a wide range of mycotoxins. Other species are considered enzyme factories or are common indoor air allergens. Although DNA sequences are essential for robust identification of Penicillium species, there is currently no comprehensive, verified reference database for the genus. To coincide with the move to one fungus one name in the International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi and plants, the generic concept of Penicillium was re-defined to accommodate species from other genera, such as Chromocleista, Eladia, Eupenicillium, Torulomyces and Thysanophora, which together comprise a large monophyletic clade. As a result of this, and the many new species described in recent years, it was necessary to update the list of accepted species in Penicillium. The genus currently contains 354 accepted species, including new combinations for Aspergillus crystallinus, A. malodoratus and A. paradoxus, which belong to Penicillium section Paradoxa. To add to the taxonomic value of the list, we also provide information on each accepted species MycoBank number, living ex-type strains and provide GenBank accession numbers to ITS, β-tubulin, calmodulin and RPB2 sequences, thereby supplying a verified set of sequences for each species of the genus. In addition to the nomenclatural list, we recommend a standard working method for species descriptions and identifications to be adopted by laboratories working on this genus
The multifocal approach to sharing in shared decision making: a critical appraisal of the MAPPIN'SDM
ObjectiveShared decision making integrates health care provider expertise with patient values and preferences. The MAPPIN'SDM is a recently developed measurement instrument that incorporates physician, patient, and observer perspectives during medical consultations. This review sought to critically appraise the development, sensibility, reliability, and validity of the MAPPIN'SDM and to determine in which settings it has been used.MethodsThis critical appraisal was performed through a targeted review of the literature. Articles outlining the development or measurement property assessment of the MAPPIN'SDM or that used the instrument for predictor or outcome purposes were identified.ResultsThirteen studies were included. The MAPPIN'SDM was developed by both adapting and building on previous shared decision making measurement instruments, as well as through creation of novel items. Content validity, face validity, and item quality of the MAPPIN'SDM are adequate. Internal consistency ranged from 0.91 to 0.94 and agreement statistics from 0.41 to 0.92. The MAPPIN'SDM has been evaluated in several populations and settings, ranging from chronic disease to acute oncological settings. Limitations include high reading levels required for self-administered patient questionnaires and the small number of studies that have employed the instrument to date.ConclusionThe MAPPIN'SDM generally shows adequate development, sensibility, reliability, and validity in preliminary testing and holds promise for shared decision making research integrating multiple perspectives. Further research is needed to develop its use in other patient populations and to assess patient understanding of complex item wording.Analysis and support of clinical decision makin
Phase synchronization and noise-induced resonance in systems of coupled oscillators
We study synchronization and noise-induced resonance phenomena in systems of
globally coupled oscillators, each possessing finite inertia. The behavior of
the order parameter, which measures collective synchronization of the system,
is investigated as the noise level and the coupling strength are varied, and
hysteretic behavior is manifested. The power spectrum of the phase velocity is
also examined and the quality factor as well as the response function is
obtained to reveal noise-induced resonance behavior.Comment: to be published in Phys. Rev.
Synchronization and resonance in a driven system of coupled oscillators
We study the noise effects in a driven system of globally coupled
oscillators, with particular attention to the interplay between driving and
noise. The self-consistency equation for the order parameter, which measures
the collective synchronization of the system, is derived; it is found that the
total order parameter decreases monotonically with noise, indicating overall
suppression of synchronization. Still, for large coupling strengths, there
exists an optimal noise level at which the periodic (ac) component of the order
parameter reaches its maximum. The response of the phase velocity is also
examined and found to display resonance behavior.Comment: 17 pages, 3 figure
Characterization of Human Glucocerebrosidase from Different Mutant Alleles
FWN – Publicaties zonder aanstelling Universiteit Leide
Immune-related genetic enrichment in frontotemporal dementia: An analysis of genome-wide association studies
Background
Converging evidence suggests that immune-mediated dysfunction plays an important role
in the pathogenesis of frontotemporal dementia (FTD). Although genetic studies have
shown that immune-associated loci are associated with increased FTD risk, a systematic
investigation of genetic overlap between immune-mediated diseases and the spectrum of
FTD-related disorders has not been performed. Methods and findings
Using large genome-wide association studies (GWASs) (total n = 192,886 cases and controls) and recently developed tools to quantify genetic overlap/pleiotropy, we systematically
identified single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) jointly associated with FTD-related disorders—namely, FTD, corticobasal degeneration (CBD), progressive supranuclear palsy
(PSP), and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)—and 1 or more immune-mediated diseases
including Crohn disease, ulcerative colitis (UC), rheumatoid arthritis (RA), type 1 diabetes
(T1D), celiac disease (CeD), and psoriasis. We found up to 270-fold genetic enrichment
between FTD and RA, up to 160-fold genetic enrichment between FTD and UC, up to 180-
fold genetic enrichment between FTD and T1D, and up to 175-fold genetic enrichment
between FTD and CeD. In contrast, for CBD and PSP, only 1 of the 6 immune-mediated diseases produced genetic enrichment comparable to that seen for FTD, with up to 150-fold
genetic enrichment between CBD and CeD and up to 180-fold enrichment between PSP
and RA. Further, we found minimal enrichment between ALS and the immune-mediated diseases tested, with the highest levels of enrichment between ALS and RA (up to 20-fold). For
FTD, at a conjunction false discovery rate < 0.05 and after excluding SNPs in linkage disequilibrium, we found that 8 of the 15 identified loci mapped to the human leukocyte antigen
(HLA) region on Chromosome (Chr) 6. We also found novel candidate FTD susceptibility
loci within LRRK2 (leucine rich repeat kinase 2), TBKBP1 (TBK1 binding protein 1), and
PGBD5 (piggyBac transposable element derived 5). Functionally, we found that the expression of FTD–immune pleiotropic genes (particularly within the HLA region) is altered in postmortem brain tissue from patients with FTD and is enriched in microglia/macrophages
compared to other central nervous system cell types. The main study limitation is that the
results represent only clinically diagnosed individuals. Also, given the complex interconnectedness of the HLA region, we were not able to define the specific gene or genes on Chr 6
responsible for our pleiotropic signal.
Conclusions
We show immune-mediated genetic enrichment specifically in FTD, particularly within the
HLA region. Our genetic results suggest that for a subset of patients, immune dysfunction
may contribute to FTD risk. These findings have potential implications for clinical trials target
Phylogeny, identification and nomenclature of the genus Aspergillus
AbstractAspergillus comprises a diverse group of species based on morphological, physiological and phylogenetic characters, which significantly impact biotechnology, food production, indoor environments and human health. Aspergillus was traditionally associated with nine teleomorph genera, but phylogenetic data suggest that together with genera such as Polypaecilum, Phialosimplex, Dichotomomyces and Cristaspora, Aspergillus forms a monophyletic clade closely related to Penicillium. Changes in the International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi and plants resulted in the move to one name per species, meaning that a decision had to be made whether to keep Aspergillus as one big genus or to split it into several smaller genera. The International Commission of Penicillium and Aspergillus decided to keep Aspergillus instead of using smaller genera. In this paper, we present the arguments for this decision. We introduce new combinations for accepted species presently lacking an Aspergillus name and provide an updated accepted species list for the genus, now containing 339 species. To add to the scientific value of the list, we include information about living ex-type culture collection numbers and GenBank accession numbers for available representative ITS, calmodulin, β-tubulin and RPB2 sequences. In addition, we recommend a standard working technique for Aspergillus and propose calmodulin as a secondary identification marker
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