Multi-parameter estimation of high-Q silicon rich nitride resonators using optical frequency domain reflectometry

Many linear and nonlinear optics applications rely on micro-resonators (MRRs) with carefully designed dispersion and coupling rate coefficients. These parameters are however challenging to measure for MRRs based on high-confinement optical waveguides. In this paper, we report on the use of optical frequency domain reflectometry (OFDR) for the measurement of group velocity dispersion (GVD), coupling coefficients and round-Trip loss, in high-Q (Q i ∼ 0.3 7 10 6 ) silicon-rich nitride MRRs. This technique allows for retrieving the GVD coefficients, intrinsic losses and coupling coefficients for each transverse mode in the resonator, thus providing very valuable feed-back information from experiments to the design flow step

Development and field evaluation of liquid inoculants with native Bradyrhizobial strains for peanut production

A critical process in the leguminous crops cycles is biological nitrogen fixation (BNF). Application of inoculants with N fixing bacteria is economically and environmentally favourable. The aim of this work was to select competitive native peanut microsymbionts, evaluate their survival in inoculant support and assess their impact on peanut ( Arachis hypogaea L.) production under field conditions at C\uf3rdoba province in Argentina. The efficient N fixing Bradyrhizobium sp. J-81 and Bradyrhizobium sp. J-237, previously obtained from peanut nodules in the region of Cordoba, Argentina, were evaluated. In microcosm assays, plants inoculated with these isolates demonstrated better symbiotic parameters than those inoculated with reference strains. Different bacterial growth media and inoculant stabiliser solutions were evaluated. Balanced medium and arabic gum stabilising solution had optimal bacterial growth and the highest bacterial concentration and viability, respectively. Inoculation with either inoculants resulted in 44% greater peanut pod yield at Pizarro compared to the non-inoculated plants, although no significant differences were found with respect to commercial inoculants treatments.La fixation biologique de l\u2019Azote (FBA) est un processus important dans le cycle de vie des l\ue9gumineuses. L\u2019application d\u2019inoculum de bact\ue9ries fixatrices d\u2019azote est favorable au double plan \ue9conomique et environnemental. Le but de cette \ue9tude \ue9tait de s\ue9lectionner des bact\ue9ries symbiotiques de l\u2019arachide natives et comp\ue9titives, \ue9valuer leur temps de survie dans support d\u2019inoculum et \ue9valuer leur impact sur la production en plein champ de l\u2019arachide ( Arachis hypogaea L.) dans la province de C\uf3rdoba en Argentine. Les bact\ue9ries fixatrices d\u2019azote Bradyrhizobium sp. J-81 et Bradyrhizobium sp. J-237, extraites de nodules collect\ue9s sur des plants cultiv\ue9s dans la r\ue9gion de Cordoba en Argentina, ont \ue9t\ue9 \ue9valu\ue9es. Dans des essais de microcosme, des plants inocul\ue9s avec ces isolats ont exhib\ue9s de meilleurs param\ue8tres symbiotiques que les plants non inocul\ue9s. Diff\ue9rents m\ue9dia de culture bact\ue9rienne et supports inoculums ont \ue9t\ue9 test\ue9s. Medium mixte et solution stabilis\ue9e \ue0 la gomme arabique ont respectivement exhib\ue9s la croissance optimale des bact\ue9ries et la meilleure conservation et viabilit\ue9 des bact\ue9ries. L\u2019application de n\u2019importe quel inoculum produisit 44% plus de rendement en gousses d\u2019arachides \ue0 Pizarro par rapport aux plantes non-inocul\ue9es, et ceci bien qu\u2019aucune diff\ue9rence significative n\u2019a \ue9t\ue9 observ\ue9e en comparaison avec les traitements \ue0 l\u2019inoculum du commerce

Production of recombinant enzymes of wide use for research

For biotechnological purposes, protein expression refers to the directed synthesis of large amounts of desired proteins. The aim of the present work was to produce reverse transcriptase Moloney murine Leukaemia Virus retro-transcriptase and Taq DNA polymerase, as bioactive products. In the present paper, we report the preparation of recombinant enzymes, expressed in E. coli strains. The enzymes produced exhibited quite good activity, compared with commercial enzymes, allowing us to replace the last ones for several lab applications. We are reporting changes and modifications to standard protocols described. The standard protocols were modified, i.e. for the purification step of Taq, a temperature dependent procedure was designed. The enzymes produced were used in different applications, such as PCR, RT-PCR, PCR Multiplex and RAPDs molecular markers

Production of recombinant enzymes of wide use for research

For biotechnological purposes, protein expression refers to the directed synthesis of large amounts of desired proteins. The aim of the present work was to produce reverse transcriptase Moloney murine Leukaemia Virus retro-transcriptase and Taq DNA polymerase, as bioactive products. In the present paper, we report the preparation of recombinant enzymes, expressed in E. coli strains. The enzymes produced exhibited quite good activity, compared with commercial enzymes, allowing us to replace the last ones for several lab applications. We are reporting changes and modifications to standard protocols described. The standard protocols were modified, i.e. for the purification step of Taq, a temperature dependent procedure was designed. The enzymes produced were used in different applications, such as PCR, RT-PCR, PCR Multiplex and RAPDs molecular markers

Predictors of choice of initial antifungal treatment in intraabdominal candidiasis

Intraabdominal candidiasis (IAC) is the second most frequent form of invasive candidiasis, and is associated with high mortality rates. This study aims to identify current practices in initial antifungal treatment (IAT) in a real-world scenario and to define the predictors of the choice of echinocandins or azoles in IAC episodes. Secondary analysis was performed of a multinational retrospective cohort at 13 teaching hospitals in four countries (Italy, Greece, Spain and Brazil), over a 3-year period (2011\u20132013). IAC was identified in 481 patients, 323 of whom received antifungal therapy (classified as the treatment group). After excluding 13 patients given amphotericin B, the treatment group was further divided into the echinocandin group (209 patients; 64.7%) and the azole group (101 patients; 32.3%). Median APACHE II scores were significantly higher in the echinocandin group (p 0.013), but IAT did not differ significantly with regard to the Candida species involved. Logistic multivariate stepwise regression analysis, adjusted for centre effect, identified septic shock (adjusted OR (aOR) 1.54), APACHE II > 15 (aOR 1.16) and presence in surgical ward at diagnosis (aOR 1.16) as the top three independent variables associated with an empirical echinocandin regimen. No differences in 30-day mortality were observed between groups. Echinocandin regimen was the first choice for IAT in patients with IAC. No statistical differences in mortality were observed between regimens, but echinocandins were administered to patients with more severe disease. Some disagreements were identified between current clinical guidelines and prescription of antifungals for IAC at the bedside, so further educational measures are required to optimize therapies

Suppression of charged particle production at large transverse momentum in central Pb-Pb collisions at sNN=2.76\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}} = 2.76 TeV

Inclusive transverse momentum spectra of primary charged particles in Pb-Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{_{\rm NN}}}$ = 2.76 TeV have been measured by the ALICE Collaboration at the LHC. The data are presented for central and peripheral collisions, corresponding to 0-5% and 70-80% of the hadronic Pb-Pb cross section. The measured charged particle spectra in $|\eta|<0.8$ and $0.3 < p_T < 20$ GeV/$c$ are compared to the expectation in pp collisions at the same $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}}$, scaled by the number of underlying nucleon-nucleon collisions. The comparison is expressed in terms of the nuclear modification factor $R_{\rm AA}$. The result indicates only weak medium effects ($R_{\rm AA} \approx$ 0.7) in peripheral collisions. In central collisions, $R_{\rm AA}$ reaches a minimum of about 0.14 at $p_{\rm T}=6$-7GeV/$c$ and increases significantly at larger $p_{\rm T}$. The measured suppression of high-$p_{\rm T}$ particles is stronger than that observed at lower collision energies, indicating that a very dense medium is formed in central Pb-Pb collisions at the LHC.Comment: 15 pages, 5 captioned figures, 3 tables, authors from page 10, published version, figures at http://aliceinfo.cern.ch/ArtSubmission/node/98

Two-pion Bose-Einstein correlations in central Pb-Pb collisions at sNN\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}} = 2.76 TeV

The first measurement of two-pion Bose-Einstein correlations in central Pb-Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}} = 2.76$ TeV at the Large Hadron Collider is presented. We observe a growing trend with energy now not only for the longitudinal and the outward but also for the sideward pion source radius. The pion homogeneity volume and the decoupling time are significantly larger than those measured at RHIC.Comment: 17 pages, 5 captioned figures, 1 table, authors from page 12, published version, figures at http://aliceinfo.cern.ch/ArtSubmission/node/388

Neurocognition and quality of life after reinitiating antiretroviral therapy in children randomized to planned treatment interruption

Objective: Understanding the effects of antiretroviral treatment (ART) interruption on neurocognition and quality of life (QoL) are important for managing unplanned interruptions and planned interruptions in HIV cure research. Design: Children previously randomized to continuous (continuous ART, n=41) vs. planned treatment interruption (PTI, n=47) in the Pediatric European Network for Treatment of AIDS (PENTA) 11 study were enrolled. At study end, PTI children resumed ART. At 1 and 2 years following study end, children were assessed by the coding, symbol search and digit span subtests of Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (6-16 years old) or Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale ( 6517 years old) and by Pediatrics QoL questionnaires for physical and psychological QoL. Transformed scaled scores for neurocognition and mean standardized scores for QoL were compared between arms by t-test and Mann-Whitney U test, respectively. Scores indicating clinical concern were compared (&lt;7 for neurocognition and &lt;70 for QoL tests). Results: Characteristics were similar between arms with a median age of 12.6 years, CD4 + of 830 cells/\u3bcl and HIV RNA of 1.7 log 10 copies/ml. The median cumulative ART exposure was 9.6 in continuous ART vs. 7.7 years in PTI (P=0.02). PTI children had a median of 12 months off ART and had resumed ART for 25.2 months at time of first assessment. Neurocognitive scores were similar between arms for all tests. Physical and psychological QoL scores were no different. About 40% had low neurocognitive and QoL scores indicating clinical concern. Conclusion: No differences in information processing speed, sustained attention, short-term memory and QoL functioning were observed between children previously randomized to continuous ART vs. PTI in the PENTA 11 trial

Ustekinumab as Induction and Maintenance Therapy for Crohn’s Disease

BACKGROUND Ustekinumab, a monoclonal antibody to the p40 subunit of interleukin-12 and inter-leukin-23, was evaluated as an intravenous induction therapy in two populations with moderately to severely active Crohn’s disease. Ustekinumab was also evaluated as subcutaneous maintenance therapy. METHODS We randomly assigned patients to receive a single intravenous dose of ustekinumab (either 130 mg or approximately 6 mg per kilogram of body weight) or placebo in two induction trials. The UNITI-1 trial included 741 patients who met the criteria for primary or secondary nonresponse to tumor necrosis factor (TNF) antagonists or had unacceptable side effects. The UNITI-2 trial included 628 patients in whom conventional therapy failed or unacceptable side effects occurred. Patients who completed these induction trials then participated in IM-UNITI, in which the 397 patients who had a response to ustekinumab were randomly assigned to receive subcutaneous maintenance injections of 90 mg of ustekinumab (either every 8 weeks or every 12 weeks) or placebo. The primary end point for the induction trials was a clinical response at week 6 (defined as a decrease from baseline in the Crohn’s Disease Activity Index [CDAI] score of ≥100 points or a CDAI score <150). The primary end point for the maintenance trial was remission at week 44 (CDAI score <150). RESULTS The rates of response at week 6 among patients receiving intravenous ustekinumab at a dose of either 130 mg or approximately 6 mg per kilogram were significantly higher than the rates among patients receiving placebo (in UNITI-1, 34.3%, 33.7%, and 21.5%, respectively, with P≤0.003 for both comparisons with placebo; in UNITI-2, 51.7%, 55.5%, and 28.7%, respectively, with P<0.001 for both doses). In the groups receiving maintenance doses of ustekinumab every 8 weeks or every 12 weeks, 53.1% and 48.8%, respectively, were in remission at week 44, as compared with 35.9% of those receiving placebo (P = 0.005 and P = 0.04, respectively). Within each trial, adverse-event rates were similar among treatment groups. CONCLUSIONS Among patients with moderately to severely active Crohn’s disease, those receiving intravenous ustekinumab had a significantly higher rate of response than did those receiving placebo. Subcutaneous ustekinumab maintained remission in patients who had a clinical response to induction therapy. (Funded by Janssen Research and Development; ClinicalTrials.gov numbers, NCT01369329, NCT01369342, and NCT01369355.

Canagliflozin and Renal Outcomes in Type 2 Diabetes and Nephropathy

BACKGROUND Type 2 diabetes mellitus is the leading cause of kidney failure worldwide, but few effective long-term treatments are available. In cardiovascular trials of inhibitors of sodium–glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2), exploratory results have suggested that such drugs may improve renal outcomes in patients with type 2 diabetes. METHODS In this double-blind, randomized trial, we assigned patients with type 2 diabetes and albuminuric chronic kidney disease to receive canagliflozin, an oral SGLT2 inhibitor, at a dose of 100 mg daily or placebo. All the patients had an estimated glomerular filtration rate (GFR) of 30 to 300 to 5000) and were treated with renin–angiotensin system blockade. The primary outcome was a composite of end-stage kidney disease (dialysis, transplantation, or a sustained estimated GFR of <15 ml per minute per 1.73 m 2), a doubling of the serum creatinine level, or death from renal or cardiovascular causes. Prespecified secondary outcomes were tested hierarchically. RESULTS The trial was stopped early after a planned interim analysis on the recommendation of the data and safety monitoring committee. At that time, 4401 patients had undergone randomization, with a median follow-up of 2.62 years. The relative risk of the primary outcome was 30% lower in the canagliflozin group than in the placebo group, with event rates of 43.2 and 61.2 per 1000 patient-years, respectively (hazard ratio, 0.70; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.59 to 0.82; P=0.00001). The relative risk of the renal-specific composite of end-stage kidney disease, a doubling of the creatinine level, or death from renal causes was lower by 34% (hazard ratio, 0.66; 95% CI, 0.53 to 0.81; P<0.001), and the relative risk of end-stage kidney disease was lower by 32% (hazard ratio, 0.68; 95% CI, 0.54 to 0.86; P=0.002). The canagliflozin group also had a lower risk of cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, or stroke (hazard ratio, 0.80; 95% CI, 0.67 to 0.95; P=0.01) and hospitalization for heart failure (hazard ratio, 0.61; 95% CI, 0.47 to 0.80; P<0.001). There were no significant differences in rates of amputation or fracture. CONCLUSIONS In patients with type 2 diabetes and kidney disease, the risk of kidney failure and cardiovascular events was lower in the canagliflozin group than in the placebo group at a median follow-up of 2.62 years