Spurious harmonic response of multipulse quantum sensing sequences

Multipulse sequences based on Carr-Purcell decoupling are frequently used for narrow-band signal detection in single spin magnetometry. We have analyzed the behavior of multipulse sensing sequences under real-world conditions, including finite pulse durations and the presence of detunings. We find that these non-idealities introduce harmonics to the filter function, allowing additional frequencies to pass the filter. In particular, we find that the XY family of sequences can generate signals at the 2fac, 4fac and 8fac harmonics and their odd subharmonics, where fac is the ac signal frequency. Consideration of the harmonic response is especially important for diamond-based nuclear spin sensing where the NMR frequency is used to identify the nuclear spin species, as it leads to ambiguities when several isotopes are present.Comment: 6 pages, 7 figure

Controllable Non-Markovianity for a Spin Qubit in Diamond

We present a flexible scheme to realize non-artificial non-Markovian dynamics of an electronic spin qubit, using a nitrogen-vacancy center in diamond where the inherent nitrogen spin serves as a regulator of the dynamics. By changing the population of the nitrogen spin, we show that we can smoothly tune the non-Markovianity of the electron spin's dynamic. Furthermore, we examine the decoherence dynamics induced by the spin bath to exclude other sources of non-Markovianity. The amount of collected measurement data is kept at a minimum by employing Bayesian data analysis. This allows for a precise quantification of the parameters involved in the description of the dynamics and a prediction of so far unobserved data points.Comment: 12 pages, 9 figure, including supplemental materia

Prognostic value of clinical and MRI features in the screening of lipomatous lesions

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Differentiation of lipomatous tumors mostly requires diagnostic biopsy but is essential to decide for the most adequate therapy. This study aims to investigate the prognostic value of available clinical and radiological features with regard to malignancy of the lesion, recurrence and survival. METHODS: In this retrospective cohort study, 104 patients with a biopsy-proven lipomatous tumor between 2010 and 2015 and a minimum clinical follow-up of two years were enrolled. Next to clinical features (age, gender, location of the lesion, histopathologic diagnosis, stage of disease, time to recurrence and death), MRI parameters were recorded retrospectively and blinded to the histological diagnosis. RESULTS: Malignant lipomatous tumors were associated with location in the lower extremities and MRI features like thick septation (>2 mm), presence of a non-adipose mass, foci of high T2/STIR signal and contrast agent enhancement. A non-adipose mass was a predictor for recurrence and inferior overall survival, while lesions with high T2/STIR signal showed higher risk of recurrence only. In combination, clinical and radiological features (lower extremities, septation > 2 mm, existence of non-adipose mass, contrast enhancement, and foci of high T2/STIR signal) predicted a malignant lipomatous tumor with an accuracy of 0.941 (95% CI of 0.899-0.983; 87% sensitivity, 86% specificity). CONCLUSION: Localization and characteristic MR features predict malignancy in most lipomatous lesions. Non-adipose masses are a poor prognostic factor, being associated with tumor recurrence and disease-related death

Articular degeneration after subchondral cementation for giant cell tumors at the knee

PURPOSE To quantify joint degeneration and the clinical outcome after curettage and cementation in subchondral giant cell tumors of the bone (GCTB) at the knee. METHODS We conducted a retrospective analysis of 14 consecutive patients (seven female, seven male) with a mean age of 34 years (range 19-51) who underwent curettage and subchondral cementation for a biopsy-confirmed GCTB at the distal femur or the proximal tibia between August 2001 and August 2017, with a mean follow-up period of 54.6 months (range 16.1-156 months). The Whole-Organ Magnetic Resonance Imaging Score (WORMS), Kellgren-Lawrence (KL) classification, and Musculo-Skeletal Tumor Society (MSTS) score were assessed. RESULTS Radiological degeneration progressed from preoperative to the latest follow-up, with a median WORMS from 2.0 to 4.0 (p = 0.006); meanwhile, the median KL score remained at 0 (p = 0.102). Progressive degeneration (WORMS) tended to be associated with the proximity of the tumor to the articular cartilage (mean 1.57 mm; range 0-12 mm) (p = 0.085). The most common degenerative findings were cartilage lesions (n = 11), synovitis (n = 5), and osteophytes (n = 4). Mean MSTS score increased from 23.1 (preoperatively) to 28.3 at the latest follow-up (p < 0.01). Seven patients (50%) were treated for a local recurrence, with six revision surgeries performed. Removal of the cement spacer and filling of the cavity with a cancellous autograft was performed in seven patients. Conversion to a total knee arthroplasty was performed in one patient for local tumor control. CONCLUSIONS Cementation following the curettage of GCTB around the knee is associated with slight degeneration at medium-term follow-up and leads to a significant reduction in pain. Removal of the cement and reconstruction with an autograft may be beneficial in the long term

Quad 14Gbps L-Band VCSEL-based System for WDM Migration of 4-lanes 56 Gbps Optical Data Links

We report on migrating multiple-lane link into an L-band VCSEL-based WDM system. Experimental validation achieves successful transmission over 10 km of SMF at 4x14Gbps. Inter-channel crosstalk penalty is observed to be less than 0.5 dB and a transmission penalty around 1 dB. The power budget margin ranges within 6 dB and 7 dB

Verifizierung der Parametrisierung von organischen und mineralischen Horizonten mittels Hauptkomponentenanalyse

Für die Erstellung von flächenhaften thematischen Auswertungskarten für organische und mineralische Böden sind Informationen zu dem Ausgangssubstrat an ausgewählten Punkten, sowie die dort auftretenden Pedogenesen wesentlich. Basis sind dabei die bodenchemischen und bodenphysikalischen Analysedaten zu den Horizonten. Die Schnittstelle bilden hierbei die Horizont-Substrat-Kombinationen (HSK) für die Flächenbodenformen. Diese Klassifizierung geht mit der Ausprägung von ganz spezifischen Bodeneigenschaften einher. Die Erhebung von Analysedaten ist zeit- und kostenaufwendig. Um diese Aufwendungen zu optimieren ist das Ziel dieser Untersuchung, mit Hilfe einer Hauptkomponentenanalyse (Principal Component Analysis – PCA) zu prüfen, inwieweit dieser methodische Ansatz statistisch begründbar ist. Dabei warenim Besonderen folgende Fragestellungen zu beachten: (i) welche physikalischen und/oder chemischen Variablen für die HSK merkmalsbestimmend sind, (ii) welche Variablen weniger relevant sind für die Einteilung und Abgrenzung der HSK und damit ggf. prioritär nicht analysiert werden müssen und (iii) welche alternativen Merkmalsgruppierungen sich ggf. ergeben würde. Da sich die Eigenschaften von organischen und mineralischen Böden fundamental voneinander unterscheiden wurden sie jeweils gesondert analysiert. Für die organischen Horizonte wurde in Ergänzung zu den HSK-Gruppierungen der Zersetzungsgrad der organischen Substrate berücksichtigt, da aufgrund bisheriger eigener als auch internationaler Forschungen auf Moorböden zu erwarten war, dass dieser im Gelände bestimmbarer Parameter einen zusätzlichen merkmalsbestimmenden Einfluss haben wird. Der Vortrag beinhaltet die Auswertungsergebnisse und gibt Empfehlungen für künftige Kartier- und Untersuchungsziele vergleichbarer Böden

Clasificación visual de madera estructural de pino laricio (Pinus nigra Arn.): comparación de resultados usando las normas UNE 56.544 y DIN 4074

On a 776 boards sample of Pinus nigra 150 X 50 X 3.000 mm size, coming from felled trees in Jaen (Spain) a comparison of results is made using two different standards of visual strength grading, the German DIN 4074, usually employed within Europe, and the recent Spanish UNE 56544. Graded the same batch of timber by means of both standards, the yields and the physico-mechanical properties of every grade are calculated. The physico-mechanical properties of timber (density, bending strength and modulus of elasticity) are studied by testing according to the methodology included in the European standard EN 408, calculating the results according to the standard EN 384 and assigning the strength classes according to EN 338. The results lead to the conclusion that the use of the Spanish standard produces almost the same results than the use of the German standard, not only as far as the yields are concerned but also regarding the physico-mechanical properties of timber. In this way a second conclusion is reached, the Spanish standard follows criteria and produces results commonly accepted by the market.Sobre una muestra de 776 tablones de Pinus nigra Arn. de dimensiones 150 X 50 X 3.000 mm, procedentes todos ellos de &aacute;rboles cortados en Ja&eacute;n (Espa&ntilde;a), se efect&uacute;a una comparaci&oacute;n de resultados empleando dos normas de clasificaci&oacute;n visual de la madera aserrada con destino estructural, la norma alemana DIN 4074, habitualmente empleada en el seno de Europa y la norma espa&ntilde;ola, de muy reciente introducci&oacute;n, la UNE 56.544. Clasificado el mismo lote de madera por ambas normas, se determinan los rendimientos clasificatorios y las caracter&iacute;sticas f&iacute;sico-mec&aacute;nicas de la madera agrupada en cada clase de calidad La determinaci&oacute;n de las propiedades f&iacute;sico-mec&aacute;nicas de la madera (densidad, Resistencia a la flexi&oacute;n y M&oacute;dulo de elasticidad) se efect&uacute;a haciendo uso de la metodolog&iacute;a contenida en la norma europea EN 408, calculando los valores de resistencia seg&uacute;n la norma EN 384 y asignando las clases de resistencia seg&uacute;n lo establecido en la norma EN 338. Los resultados habidos reflejan que el uso de la norma espa&ntilde;ola lleva a resultados similares a los de la norma alemana, tanto en rendimientos como en resistencia, motivo por lo cual se considera que la susodicha norma espa&ntilde;ola sigue unos criterios aceptados y muy arraigados en el mercado

Dynamics of the peptidoglycan biosynthetic machinery in the stalked budding bacterium Hyphomonas neptunium

Most commonly studied bacteria grow symmetrically and divide by binary fission, generating two siblings of equal morphology. An exception to this rule are budding bacteria, in which new offspring emerges de novo from a morphologically invariant mother cell. Although this mode of proliferation is widespread in diverse bacterial lineages, the underlying mechanisms are still incompletely understood. Here, we perform the first molecular-level analysis of growth and morphogenesis in the stalked budding alphaproteobacterium Hyphomonas neptunium. Peptidoglycan labeling shows that, in this species, buds originate from a stalk-like extension of the mother cell whose terminal segment is gradually remodeled into a new cell compartment. As a first step toward identifying the machinery mediating the budding process, we performed comprehensive mutational and localization studies of predicted peptidoglycan biosynthetic proteins in H. neptunium. These analyses identify factors that localize to distinct zones of dispersed and zonal growth, and they suggest a critical role of the MreB-controlled elongasome in cell morphogenesis. Collectively, our work shows that the mechanism of growth in H. neptunium is distinct from that in related, polarly growing members of the order Rhizobiales, setting the stage for in-depth analyses of the molecular principles regulating the fascinating developmental cycle of this species