Calibration of quantum sensors by neural networks

Introducing quantum sensors as a solution to real world problems demands reliability and controllability outside of laboratory conditions. Producers and operators ought to be assumed to have limited resources readily available for calibration, and yet, they should be able to trust the devices. Neural networks are almost ubiquitous for similar tasks for classical sensors: here we show the applications of this technique to calibrating a quantum photonic sensor. This is based on a set of training data, collected only relying on the available probe states, hence reducing overhead. We found that covering finely the parameter space is key to achieving uncertainties close to their ultimate level. This technique has the potential to become the standard approach to calibrate quantum sensors

'Immune checkpoint inhibitor-induced inflammatory arthritis persists after immunotherapy cessation' by Braaten et al: another point of view

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The chronic damage in systemic lupus erythematosus is driven by flares, glucocorticoids and antiphospholipid antibodies: Results from a monocentric cohort

OBJECTIVES: Literature data suggest a significantly higher mortality in patients affected by systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) developing chronic damage. Therefore, damage prevention is a major goal in the management of SLE patients. In the present study, we assessed damage by means of the Systemic Lupus International Collaborative Clinics/American College of Rheumatology (SLICC/ACR) damage index (SDI), in a large cohort of SLE patients. Additionally, we aimed at evaluating its association with demographic and clinical features as well as with disease activity and laboratory findings. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We enrolled consecutive patients affected by SLE diagnosed according to the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) 1997 revised criteria. Chronic damage was determined by SDI calculated at the last examination in all patients with at least six months of follow-up. Disease activity was assessed by the Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index 2000 (SLEDAI-2K); flare was defined as an increase of SLEDAI-2K ≥ 4 compared with the previous visit. RESULTS: We evaluated 349 SLE patients (M/F 25/324, mean age ± SD 42.7 ± 12.4 years, mean disease duration ± SD 164.9 ± 105.2 months). Among the enrolled patients, 125 (35.8%) showed a SDI ≥ 1 (mean SDI ± SD 1.7 ± 0.9, range 0-5). The musculo-skeletal was the most frequently involved organ/system in SDI score (41/349 patients, 11.7%), with deforming/erosive arthritis in 21/349 (6.0%). The presence of chronic damage was associated with age (P < 0.001), disease duration (P < 0.001), number of flares (P = 0.02) and with the use of glucocorticoids (P = 0.02). The logistic regression analysis revealed the association between neuropsychiatric damage and antiphospholipid syndrome (P = 0.01, OR = 3.9) and between the presence of cardiovascular damage and anti-β2GPI antibodies (P = 0.01, OR 6.2). CONCLUSIONS: In the present study chronic damage was identified in about one third of SLE patients. The association between SDI and the number of flares claim for a thigh-control of the disease activity in order to prevent the chronic damage. The possible role of antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL) in the development of neuropsychiatric and cardiovascular damage may suggest a more careful assessment of such aPL positive patients

Joint involvement in systemic lupus erythematosus: From pathogenesis to clinical assessment

OBJECTIVE: In the present review, the different phenotypes, clinimetric and imaging tools able to assess joint involvement in patients affected by Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) have been described and summarized. Furthermore, the current knowledge about the pathogenic mechanism and the potential biomarkers of this feature is reported. METHODS: A literature search was done in PubMed, accessed via the National Library of Medicine PubMed interface (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed). Firstly, PubMed was searched using the term "systemic lupus erythematosus" OR "lupus" in combination with (AND) "joint" OR "articular".Secondly, the same PubMed research was combined with other terms, such as "pathogenesis" OR "genetic" OR "antibodies" OR "biomarkers" OR "cytokines" OR "imaging" OR "ultrasonography" OR "magnetic resonance" OR "clinimetry". RESULTS: After a stringent selection, we evaluated in the present review 13 papers concerning clinical phenotypes of SLE joint involvement, 14 concerning clinimetric assessment, 20 concerning imaging, and finally, 28 concerning pathogenesis and biomarkers. Further relevant data were obtained from the reference lists of articles returned using these search terms and from authors own experience and knowledge of the literature. CONCLUSION: Despite the prevalence and severity of SLE joint involvement, more awareness and a deeper evaluation of the clinical heterogeneity of this manifestation are mandatory. Moreover, longitudinal studies are needed to assess the progression of this manifestation and to provide standard definitions and examination/recording protocols

Evaluation of the Patient Acceptable Symptom State (PASS) in Italian Patients Affected by Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: Association with Disease Activity Indices

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the discriminant capability of the patient acceptable symptom state (PASS) according to disease activity, in a cohort of Italian patients affected by systemic Lupus erythematosus (SLE). Methods: Consecutive SLE patients were enrolled. At each visit, the patients underwent a complete physical examination and the clinical/laboratory data were collected in a standardized, computerized, and electronically-filled form. The evaluation of serum complement C3 and C4 levels and determination of autoantibodies was obtained. Disease activity was assessed with the SLEDAI-2K and ECLAM, while chronic damage was measured with the SLICC. Finally, PASS was assessed in all patients by asking to answer yes or no to a single question. Results: One hundred sixty-five patients were enrolled (M/F 12/153; mean age 40.4+/-11.8 years, mean disease duration 109.1+/-96.2 months). No patients refused to answer, suggesting the acceptability of PASS. A total of 80% of patients rated their state as acceptable. The patients with an acceptable status had significantly lower mean SLEDAI-2K and ECLAM scores than the others [1.8+/-2.7 versus 3.4+/-2.3(P=0.004); 0.7+/-0.9 versus 1.4+/-1.1(P=0.0027)]. No significant differences were observed when considering chronic damage, evaluated with SLICC. Conclusions: In the clinical practice, SLE patients assessment performed by using complex disease activity indices such as SLEDAI-2K and ECLAM, could be time consuming. In our study, for the first time, we used PASS, a quick and easily comprehensible tool, to evaluate the patients' status, this single question seems to be able to discriminate patients with different disease activity, especially when this is determined by musculoskeletal involvement

Prediction of chronic damage in systemic lupus erythematosus by using machine-learning models

The increased survival in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) patients implies the development of chronic damage, occurring in up to 50% of cases. Its prevention is a major goal in the SLE management. We aimed at predicting chronic damage in a large monocentric SLE cohort by using neural networks