Positivity violations of the density operator in the Caldeira-Leggett master equation

The Caldeira-Leggett master equation as an example of Markovian master equation without Lindblad form is investigated for mathematical consistency. We explore situations both analytically and numerically where the positivity violations of the density operator occur. We reinforce some known knowledge about this problem but also find new surprising cases. Our analytical results are based on the full solution of the Caldeira-Leggett master equation obtained via the method of characteristics. The preservation of positivity is mainly investigated with the help of the density operator's purity and we give also some numerical results about the violation of the Robertson-Schr\"odinger uncertainty relation.Comment: 13 pages, 12 figure

Isolation and characterization of the herpes simplex virus 1 terminase complex

During herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) infection, empty procapsids are assembled and subsequently filled with the viral genome by means of a protein complex called the terminase, which is comprised of the HSV-1 UL15, UL28, and UL33 proteins. Biochemical studies of the terminase proteins have been hampered by the inability to purify the intact terminase complex. In this study, terminase complexes were isolated by tandem-affinity purification (TAP) using recombinant viruses expressing either a full-length NTAP-UL28 fusion protein (vFH476) or a C-terminally truncated NTAP-UL28 fusion protein (vFH499). TAP of the UL28 protein from vFH476-infected cells, followed by silver staining, Western blotting, and mass spectrometry, identified the UL15, UL28, and UL33 subunits, while TAP of vFH499-infected cells confirmed previous findings that the C terminus of UL28 is required for UL28 interaction with UL33 and UL15. Analysis of the oligomeric state of the purified complexes by sucrose density gradient ultracentrifugation revealed that the three proteins formed a complex with a molecular mass that is consistent with the formation of a UL15-UL28-UL33 heterotrimer. In order to assess the importance of conserved regions of the UL15 and UL28 proteins, recombinant NTAP-UL28 viruses with mutations of the putative UL28 metal-binding domain or within the UL15 nuclease domain were generated. TAP of UL28 complexes from cells infected with each domain mutant demonstrated that the conserved cysteine residues of the putative UL28 metal-binding domain and conserved amino acids within the UL15 nuclease domain are required for the cleavage and packaging functions of the viral terminase, but not for terminase complex assembly

Wettability and reactivity of ZrB2 substrates with liquid Al

Wetting characteristics of the Al/ZrB2 system were experimentally determined by the sessile drop method with application of separate heating of the ZrB2 and Al samples and combined with in situ cleaning of Al drop from native oxide film directly in vacuum chamber. The tests were performed in ultrahigh vacuum of 10−6 mbar at temperatures 710, 800, and 900 °C as well as in flowing inert gas (Ar) atmosphere at 1400 °C. The results evidenced that liquid Al does not wet ZrB2 substrate at 710 and 800 °C, forming high contact angles (θ) of 128° and 120°, respectively. At 900 °C, wetting phenomenon (θ < 90°) occurs in 29th minute and the contact angle decreases monotonically to the final value of 80°. At 1400 °C, wetting takes place immediately after drop deposition with a fast decrease in the contact angle to 76°. The solidified Al/ZrB2 couples were studied by scanning and transmission electron microscopy coupled with x-ray energy diffraction spectroscopy. Structural characterization revealed that only in the Al/ZrB2 couple produced at the highest temperature of 1400 °C new phases (Al3Zr, AlB2 and α-Al2O3) were formed

The Direct Medical Costs of Undiagnosed Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

AbstractObjectiveTo estimate the costs of undiagnosed chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) by describing inpatient, outpatient, and pharmacy utilization in the years before and after the diagnosis.MethodsA total of 6864 patients who were enrolled in the Lovelace Health Plan for at least 12 months during the study period (January 1, 1999 through December 31, 2004) were identified. The first date that utilization was attributed to COPD was considered the first date of diagnosis. Each COPD case was matched to up to three age- and sex-matched controls. All utilization and direct medical costs during the study period were compiled monthly and compared based on the time before and after the initial diagnosis.ResultsTotal costs were higher by an average of $1182 per patient in the 2 years before the initial COPD diagnosis, and$2489 in the 12 months just before the initial diagnosis, compared to matched controls. Most of the higher cost for undiagnosed COPD was attributable to hospitalizations. Inpatient costs did not increase after the diagnosis was made, but approximately one-third of admissions after the diagnosis were attributed to respiratory disease. Outpatient and pharmacy costs did not differ substantially between cases and matched controls until just a few months before the initial diagnosis, but remained 50% to 100% higher than for controls in the 2 years after diagnosis.ConclusionsUndiagnosed COPD has a substantial impact on health-care costs and utilization in this integrated managed care system, particularly for hospitalizations

The efficacy and safety of ketamine for depression in patients with cancer: A systematic review

Management of depression in the oncology population includes supportive psychotherapeutic interventions with or without psychotropic medication, which take time to demonstrate effectiveness. Fast-acting interventions, like ketamine, can provide a rapid antidepressant effect; however, there has been limited research on effects of ketamine among cancer patients. The objective of this review is to provide an overview of research on the efficacy and safety of ketamine on depression in patients with cancer. We reviewed the published literature in MEDLINE® (via PubMed®), EMBASE, and Scopus from 1 January 1982 to 20 October 2022. We screened the retrieved abstracts against inclusion criteria and conducted a full-text review of eligible studies. Following extraction of data from included studies, we used a framework analysis approach to summarize the evidence on using ketamine in patients with cancer. All 5 included studies were randomized clinical trials conducted in inpatient settings in China. In all included studies ketamine was administered intravenously. Three studies used only racemic ketamine, and two studies used both S-ketamine and racemic ketamine. All included studies reported ketamine a tolerable and effective drug to control depression symptoms. Included studies showed administration of sub-anesthesia ketamine significantly improves postoperative depression among patients with cancer. [Abstract copyright: © 2023 The Author(s).

Performance of turbulence and cavitation models in prediction of incipient and developed cavitation

The aim of this article is to assess the impact of turbulence and cavitation models on the prediction of diesel injector nozzle flow. Two nozzles are examined, an enlarged one, operating at incipient cavitation, and an industrial injector tip, operating at developed cavitation. The turbulence model employed includes the re-normalization group k–ε, realizable k–ε and k–ω shear stress transport Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes models; linear pressure–strain Reynolds stress model and the wall adapting local eddy viscosity large eddy simulation model. The results indicate that all Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes and the Reynolds stress turbulence models have failed to predict cavitation inception due to their limitation to resolve adequately the low pressure existing inside vortex cores, which is responsible for cavitation development in this particular flow configuration. Moreover, Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes models failed to predict unsteady cavitation phenomena in the industrial injector. However, the wall adapting local eddy viscosity large eddy simulation model was able to predict incipient and developed cavitation, while also capturing the shear layer instability, vortex shedding and cavitating vortex formation. Furthermore, the performance of two cavitation methodologies is discussed within the large eddy simulation framework. In particular, a barotropic model and a mixture model based on the asymptotic Rayleigh–Plesset equation of bubble dynamics have been tested. The results indicate that although the solved equations and phase change formulation are different in these models, the predicted cavitation and flow field were very similar at incipient cavitation conditions. At developed cavitation conditions, standard cavitation models may predict unrealistically high liquid tension, so modifications may be essential. It is also concluded that accurate turbulence representation is crucial for cavitation in nozzle flows

Ocular inflammatory disease and ocular tuberculosis in a cohort of patients co-infected with HIV and multidrug-resistant tuberculosis in Mumbai, India: a cross-sectional study.

The prevalence and the patterns of ocular inflammatory disease and ocular tuberculosis (TB) are largely undocumented among Multidrug Resistant TB (MDR-TB) patients co-infected with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and on antituberculosis and antiretroviral therapy (ART)

Recurrent Scedosporium apiospermum mycetoma successfully treated by surgical excision and terbinafine treatment: a case report and review of the literature

Background: Scedosporium apiospermum is an emerging opportunistic filamentous fungus, which is notorious for its high levels of antifungal ‑resistance. It is able to cause localized cutaneous or subcutaneous infections in both immu‑ nocompromised and immunocompetent persons, pulmonary infections in patients with predisposing pulmonary diseases and invasive mycoses in immunocompromised patients. Subcutaneous infections caused by this fungus frequently show chronic mycetomatous manifestation. Case report: We report the case of a 70 ‑year ‑old immunocompromised man, who developed a fungal mycetoma‑ tous infection on his right leg. There was no history of trauma; the aetiological agent was identified by microscopic examination and ITS sequencing. This is the second reported case of S. apiospermum subcutaneous infections in Hungary, which was successfully treated by surgical excision and terbinafine treatment. After 7 months, the patient remained asymptomatic. Considering the antifungal susceptibility and increasing incidence of the fungus, Sce - dosporium related subcutaneous infections reported in the past quarter of century in European countries were also reviewed. Conclusions: Corticosteroid treatment represents a serious risk factor of S. apiospermum infections, especially if the patient get in touch with manure ‑enriched or polluted soil or water. Such infections have emerged several times in European countries in the past decades. The presented data suggest that besides the commonly applied voricona‑ zole, terbinafine may be an alternative for the therapy of mycetomatous Scedosporium infections