Intercomparison of soil pore water extraction methods for stable isotope analysis

Funded by NSERC Discovery Grant U.S. Forest Service U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Bioenergy Technologies OfficePeer reviewedPostprin

Geometric Phase and Modulo Relations for Probability Amplitudes as Functions on Complex Parameter Spaces

We investigate general differential relations connecting the respective behavior s of the phase and modulo of probability amplitudes of the form \amp{\psi_f}{\psi}, where $\ket{\psi_f}$ is a fixed state in Hilbert space and $\ket{\psi}$ is a section of a holomorphic line bundle over some complex parameter space. Amplitude functions on such bundles, while not strictly holomorphic, nevertheless satisfy generalized Cauchy-Riemann conditions involving the U(1) Berry-Simon connection on the parameter space. These conditions entail invertible relations between the gradients of the phase and modulo, therefore allowing for the reconstruction of the phase from the modulo (or vice-versa) and other conditions on the behavior of either polar component of the amplitude. As a special case, we consider amplitude functions valued on the space of pure states, the ray space ${\cal R} = {\mathbb C}P^n$, where transition probabilities have a geometric interpretation in terms of geodesic distances as measured with the Fubini-Study metric. In conjunction with the generalized Cauchy-Riemann conditions, this geodesic interpretation leads to additional relations, in particular a novel connection between the modulus of the amplitude and the phase gradient, somewhat reminiscent of the WKB formula. Finally, a connection with geometric phases is established.Comment: 11 pages, 1 figure, revtex

Safety of guselkumab in hepatitis B virus infection

Reactivation of hepatitis B virus (HBV) following the use of TNF antagonists has been reported and is a contraindication to use of these medications. Although the risk of reactivation of HBV during use of ustekinumab and secukinumab is low in patients with only HBV core antibody positivity, the risk is substantial in patients with chronic HBV infection. Less information is available regarding the use of pure IL-23 antagonists. Herein we discuss the successful treatment with guselkumab of a patient with HBV core antibody positivity, without evidence of HBV reactivation or other liver complications

Role of combination bortezomib and pegylated liposomal doxorubicin in the management of relapsed and/or refractory multiple myeloma

The first in class proteasome inhibitor bortezomib (B) received its initial regulatory approval for therapy of patients with multiple myeloma (MM) in the relapsed/refractory setting. Modulation of proteasome function, however, is also a rational strategy for chemosensitization, and a variety of agents have shown synergistic activity with bortezomib pre-clinically, including anthracyclines. This formed the basis for evaluation of a regimen of bortezomib with pegylated liposomal doxorubicin (PLD). PLD+B, in a phase I study, induced a predictable and manageable toxicity profile, and showed encouraging anti-MM activity. In a recent international, randomized phase III trial, PLD+B demonstrated a superior overall response rate and response quality compared to bortezomib alone, as well as a longer time to progression, duration of response, progression-free survival, and overall survival. Sub-analyses revealed benefits in almost all clinically relevant subgroups, including several which would be considered to have high-risk disease. These findings have led to the establishment of the PLD+B regimen as one of the standards of care for patients with relapsed and/or refractory myeloma. Efforts are now underway to build on this combination further by adding other active anti-myeloma agents. In this review, we will discuss the role of PLD+B as an important addition to our therapeutic armamentarium for patients with MM

The role of the ubiquitination-proteasome pathway in breast cancer: Applying drugs that affect the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway to the therapy of breast cancer

The ubiquitin-proteasome pathway is responsible for most eukaryotic intracellular protein degradation. This pathway has been validated as a target for antineoplastic therapy using both in vitro and preclinical models of human malignancies, and is influenced as part of the mechanism of action of certain chemotherapeutic agents. Drugs whose primary action involves modulation of ubiquitin-proteasome activity, most notably the proteasome inhibitor PS-341, are currently being evaluated in clinical trials, and have already been found to have significant antitumor efficacy. On the basis of the known mechanisms by which these agents work, and the available clinical data, they would seem to be well suited for the treatment of breast neoplasms. Such drugs, alone and especially in combination with current chemotherapeutics, may well represent important advances in the therapy of patients with breast cancer

How to determine a quantum state by measurements: The Pauli problem for a particle with arbitrary potential

The problem of reconstructing a pure quantum state ¿¿> from measurable quantities is considered for a particle moving in a one-dimensional potential V(x). Suppose that the position probability distribution ¿¿(x,t)¿2 has been measured at time t, and let it have M nodes. It is shown that after measuring the time evolved distribution at a short-time interval ¿t later, ¿¿(x,t+¿t)¿2, the set of wave functions compatible with these distributions is given by a smooth manifold M in Hilbert space. The manifold M is isomorphic to an M-dimensional torus, TM. Finally, M additional expectation values of appropriately chosen nonlocal operators fix the quantum state uniquely. The method used here is the analog of an approach that has been applied successfully to the corresponding problem for a spin system