Self-Excitation and Feedback Cooling of an Isolated Proton

The first one-proton self-excited oscillator (SEO) and one-proton feedback cooling are demonstrated. In a Penning trap with a large magnetic gradient, the SEO frequency is resolved to the high precision needed to detect a one-proton spin flip. This is after undamped magnetron motion is sideband-cooled to a 14 mK theoretical limit, and despite random frequency shifts (larger than those from a spin flip) that take place every time sideband cooling is applied in the gradient. The observations open a possible path towards a million-fold improved comparison of the antiproton and proton magnetic moments

Penning traps with unitary architecture for storage of highly charged ions

Penning traps are made extremely compact by embedding rare-earth permanent magnets in the electrode structure. Axially-oriented NdFeB magnets are used in unitary architectures that couple the electric and magnetic components into an integrated structure. We have constructed a two- magnet Penning trap with radial access to enable the use of laser or atomic beams, as well as the collection of light. An experimental apparatus equipped with ion optics is installed at the NIST electron beam ion trap (EBIT) facility, constrained to fit within 1 meter at the end of a horizontal beamline for transporting highly charged ions. Highly charged ions of neon and argon, extracted with initial energies up to 4000 eV per unit charge, are captured and stored to study the confinement properties of a one-magnet trap and a two-magnet trap. Design considerations and some test results are discussed

Skeletal muscle Ca2+ mishandling: another effect of bone-to-muscle signaling

Our appreciation of crosstalk between muscle and bone has recently expanded beyond mechanical force-driven events to encompass a variety of signaling factors originating in one tissue and communicating to the other. While the recent identification of new ‘myokines’ has shifted some focus to the role of muscle in this partnership, bone-derived factors and their effects on skeletal muscle should not be overlooked. This review summarizes some previously known mediators of bone-to-muscle signaling and also recent work identifying a new role for bone-derived TGF-β as a cause of skeletal muscle weakness in the setting of cancer-induced bone destruction. Oxidation of the ryanodine receptor/calcium release channel (RyR1) in skeletal muscle occurs via a TGF-β-Nox4-RyR1 axis and leads to calcium mishandling and decreased muscle function. Multiple points of potential therapeutic intervention were identified, from preventing the bone destruction to stabilizing the RYR1 calcium channel. This new data reinforces the concept that bone can be an important source of signaling factors in pathphysiological settings

The Role of TGFβ in Bone-Muscle Crosstalk

Purpose of Review The role of bone-derived factors in regulation of skeletal muscle function is an important emerging aspect of research into bone-muscle crosstalk. Implications for this area of research are far reaching and include understanding skeletal muscle weakness in cancer, osteoporosis, cachexia, rare diseases of bone, and aging. Recent Findings Recent research shows that bone-derived factors can lead to changes in the skeletal muscle. These changes can either be anabolic or catabolic, and we focus this review on the role of TGFβ in driving oxidative stress and skeletal muscle weakness in the setting of osteolytic cancer in the bone. Summary The bone is a preferred site for breast cancer metastasis and leads to pathological bone loss. Osteolytic cancer in the bone leads to release of TGFβ from the bone via osteoclast-mediated bone destruction. Our appreciation of crosstalk between the muscle and bone has recently expanded beyond mechanical force-driven events to encompass a variety of signaling factors originating in one tissue and communicating to the other. This review summarizes some previously known mediators of bone-to-muscle signaling and also recent work identifying a new role for bone-derived TGFβ as a cause of skeletal muscle weakness in the setting of osteolytic cancer in the bone. Multiple points of potential therapeutic intervention are discussed

BIOMECHANICAL STUDY ON CADAVER KNEE FOR THE EVALUATION OF CRUCIATE KNEE LIGAMENT RECONSTRUCTIONS

INTRODUCTION: Ruptures of the anterior and posterior cruciate knee ligament (ACL and PCL), alone or combined, are some of the most frequent joint injuries, especially in sports. The long-term unsatisfactory results and lack of systematic evaluation of surgical reconstructions have led us to undergo an evaluation on cadaver knees. MATERIAL AND METHOD: A preliminary study was performed on one cadaver knee. The femur was fixed on a holder and magnetic sensors “BirdsTM” were attached to the tibia and the femur, which tracked the knee’s movement. A threedimensional knee analyzer GENI(1) was used to calculate kinematic parameters (tibial internal and external rotation and ab/adduction), as well as ligament combined deformation (elongation / bending / torsion) during knee flexion. This experiment was performed on an intact knee and a knee where the PCL has been cut and reconstructed using a synthetic Trevia ligament. Finally the knee was dissected to produce a combined postero-lateral instability and reconstructed with and without postero-lateral corner reconstruction. The effect of different reconstruction methods on kinematics and ligament deformation were compared. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: Kinematic parameters changed significantly when PCl and postero-lateral corner were dissected. The reconstruction of the PCL alone, using an “Over-the-Bottom” method described by Krudwig(2), shifted the curves back to the initial situation and decreased the variability of the movement. Ligament deformation was 3 mm elongation, 50o femoral flexion and 90o torsion. These values are in accordance with material properties and should lead to good long-term biofunctionnality. CONCLUSION: This study proposes an in vitro protocol for a better understanding of the clinical success or failure of different procedures. Preliminary results showed that the system and the protocol setup are sensitive to changes in kinematics following posterior cruciate ligament dissection and reconstruction. Experiments are performed at this time on several cadaver knees, in order to compare different reconstruction methods. REFERENCES: Sati, M. et al. (1997). Computer Assisted Knee Surgery: Diagnostics and Planning of Knee Surgery. Computer Aided Surgery 2, 108-123. Krudwig, W. (1997). In L'H. Yahia (Ed.), Ligaments and Ligamentoplasties. Heidelberg: Springer Verlag

Quasideuteron states with deformed core

The M1 transitions between low-lying T=1 and T=0 states in deformed odd-odd N=Z nuclei are analyzed in the frames of the rotor-plus-particle model. Using the representation of an explicit coupling of angular momenta we show that strong coupling of the quasideuteron configurations to the axially deformed core results in a distribution of the total 0+ --> 1+ strength among a few low-lying 1+ states. Simple analytical formulae for B(M1) values are derived. The realization of the M1 sum rule for the low-lying 1+,T=0 states is indicated. The calculated B(M1) values are found to be in good agreement with experimental data and reveal specific features of collectivity in odd-odd N=Z nuclei.Comment: 11 pages, 1 figure, LaTe

Formation and Thermal Stability of sub-10 nm Carbon Templates on Si(100)

We report a lithographic process for creating high-resolution (<10 nm) carbon templates on Si(100). A scanning electron microscope, operating under low vacuum (10E-6 mbar), produces a carbon-containing deposit ("contamination resist") on the silicon surface via electron-stimulated dissociation of ambient hydrocarbons, water and other adsorbed molecules. Subsequent annealing at temperatures up to 1320 K in ultra-high vacuum removes SiO2 and other contaminants, with no observable change in dot shape. The annealed structures are compatible with subsequent growth of semiconductors and complex oxides. Carbon dots with diameter as low as 3.5 nm are obtained with a 200 us electron-beam exposure time.Comment: 13 pages, 4 figure

Fungal and Bacterial Loads: Noninvasive Inflammatory Bowel Disease Biomarkers for the Clinical Setting

Malaltia inflamatòria intestinal; Càrrega microbiana; PrediccióEnfermedad inflamatoria intestinal; Carga microbiana; PredicciónInflammatory bowel disease; Microbial load; PredictionMicrobiome sequence data have been used to characterize Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC). Based on these data, we have previously identified microbiomarkers at the genus level to predict CD and CD relapse. However, microbial load was underexplored as a potential biomarker in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Here, we sought to study the use of fungal and bacterial loads as biomarkers to detect both CD and UC and CD and UC relapse. We analyzed the fecal fungal and bacterial loads of 294 stool samples obtained from 206 participants using real-time PCR amplification of the ITS2 region and the 16S rRNA gene, respectively. We combined the microbial data with demographic and standard laboratory data to diagnose ileal or ileocolonic CD and UC and predict disease relapse using the random forest algorithm. Fungal and bacterial loads were significantly different between healthy relatives of IBD patients and nonrelated healthy controls, between CD and UC patients in endoscopic remission, and between UC patients in relapse and non-UC individuals. Microbial load data combined with demographic and standard laboratory data improved the performance of the random forest models by 18%, reaching an average area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of 0.842 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.65 to 0.98), for IBD diagnosis and enhanced CD and UC discrimination and CD and UC relapse prediction. Our findings show that fecal fungal and bacterial loads could provide physicians with a noninvasive tool to discriminate disease subtypes or to predict disease flare in the clinical setting. IMPORTANCE Next-generation sequence data analysis has allowed a better understanding of the pathophysiology of IBD, relating microbiome composition and functions to the disease. Microbiome composition profiling may provide efficient diagnosis and prognosis tools in IBD. However, the bacterial and fungal loads of the fecal microbiota are underexplored as potential biomarkers of IBD. Ulcerative colitis (UC) patients have higher fecal fungal and bacterial loads than patients with ileal or ileocolonic CD. CD patients who relapsed harbor more-unstable fungal and bacterial loads than those of relapsed UC patients. Fecal fungal and bacterial load data improved prediction performance by 18% for IBD diagnosis based solely on clinical data and enhanced CD and UC discrimination and prediction of CD and UC relapse. Combined with existing laboratory biomarkers such as fecal calprotectin and C-reactive protein (CRP), microbial loads may improve the diagnostic accuracy of IBD and of ileal CD and UC disease activity and prediction of UC and ileal CD clinical relapse.This work was funded by Instituto de Salud Carlos III, grant PI17/00614, cofinanced by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and by the PERIS (SLT002/16). F. Casellas has received research funding from AbbVie, Ferring, MSD, Shire, and Zambon and speaker fees from AbbVie, Chiesi, Ferring, Gebro, MSD, Shire, Takeda, and Zambon. S. Vermeire has received grant support from AbbVie, MSD, Pfizer, J&J, and Takeda; received speaker fees from AbbVie, MSD, Takeda, Ferring, Dr. Falk Pharma, Hospira, Pfizer Inc., and Tillots; and served as a consultant for AbbVie, MSD, Takeda, Ferring, Genentech/Roche, Robarts clinical trials, Gilead, Celgene, Prometheus, Avaxia, Prodigest, Shire, Pfizer Inc, Galapagos, Mundipharma, Hospira, Celgene, Second Genome, and Janssen. C. Manichanh has received financial support for research from Danone

Exchange Gate on the Qudit Space and Fock Space

We construct the exchange gate with small elementary gates on the space of qudits, which consist of three controlled shift gates and three "reverse" gates. This is a natural extension of the qubit case. We also consider a similar subject on the Fock space, but in this case we meet with some different situation. However we can construct the exchange gate by making use of generalized coherent operator based on the Lie algebra su(2) which is a well--known method in Quantum Optics. We moreover make a brief comment on "imperfect clone".Comment: Latex File, 12 pages. I could solve the problems in Sec. 3 in the preceding manuscript, so many corrections including the title were mad