Gathering and managing complementary diagnostic tests

Personal health information is constituted in its greatest part by complementary diagnostic tests which are an important medical aid. This information is generated dispersedly because the patient seeks medical care in many different places over his lifetime. Access to a comprehensive set of a patient’s health information is a challenge. It revolves around the patient so any managing scheme must be patient-centric. We took a pragmatic approach to this problem and developed a software standalone platform for secure personal health information storage, namely complementary diagnostic tests, on a portable device for mobility. Simplicity and ease of use were main objectives. A special attention was given to the security aspects associated with storing this kind of information

Two pairs of proven monozygotic twins discordant for familial amyloid neuropathy (FAP) TTR Met 30.

J Med Genet. 1999 Aug;36(8):629-32. Two pairs of proven monozygotic twins discordant for familial amyloid neuropathy (FAP) TTR Met 30. Munar-Qués M, Pedrosa JL, Coelho T, Gusmão L, Seruca R, Amorim A, Sequeiros J. Grupo de Estudio de la PAF, Palma de Mallorca, Spain. Abstract Twin studies are an important tool in medical genetics for the evaluation of the relative roles of genetic and non-genetic factors in several diseases. Familial amyloidotic polyneuropathy type I (FAP-I), TTR Met 30, was present in two sets of proven monozygotic (MZ) twins, one from Majorca and the other from Portugal. Monozygosity was established by analysis of DNA polymorphisms. Both pairs were discordant for age at onset and some clinical manifestations of FAP-I. We reviewed the differences in age at onset and clinical features in both sets and in two other pairs of presumed MZ twins with FAP-I and compared them with those in MZ twin pairs with other Mendelian disorders, such as neurofibromatosis type 1, Huntington's disease, facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy, and myotonic dystrophy. We conclude that, in addition to the postulated modifying genes, there must be a significant contribution from non-genetic factors to the phenotypic variability of FAP-I (age at onset and clinical expression), either because of environmental differences or stochastic events during (or after) the twinning process. PMID: 10465115 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]PMCID: PMC176297

Unitary relation between a harmonic oscillator of time-dependent frequency and a simple harmonic oscillator with and without an inverse-square potential

The unitary operator which transforms a harmonic oscillator system of time-dependent frequency into that of a simple harmonic oscillator of different time-scale is found, with and without an inverse-square potential. It is shown that for both cases, this operator can be used in finding complete sets of wave functions of a generalized harmonic oscillator system from the well-known sets of the simple harmonic oscillator. Exact invariants of the time-dependent systems can also be obtained from the constant Hamiltonians of unit mass and frequency by making use of this unitary transformation. The geometric phases for the wave functions of a generalized harmonic oscillator with an inverse-square potential are given.Comment: Phys. Rev. A (Brief Report), in pres

Parabolic stable surfaces with constant mean curvature

We prove that if u is a bounded smooth function in the kernel of a nonnegative Schrodinger operator $-L=-(\Delta +q)$ on a parabolic Riemannian manifold M, then u is either identically zero or it has no zeros on M, and the linear space of such functions is 1-dimensional. We obtain consequences for orientable, complete stable surfaces with constant mean curvature $H\in\mathbb{R}$ in homogeneous spaces $\mathbb{E}(\kappa,\tau)$ with four dimensional isometry group. For instance, if M is an orientable, parabolic, complete immersed surface with constant mean curvature H in $\mathbb{H}^2\times\mathbb{R}$, then $|H|\leq 1/2$ and if equality holds, then M is either an entire graph or a vertical horocylinder.Comment: 15 pages, 1 figure. Minor changes have been incorporated (exchange finite capacity by parabolicity, and simplify the proof of Theorem 1)

Recent measurements of the electric potential profile and fluctuations in ECRH and NBI plasmas on TJ-II stellarator

Heavy Ion Beam Probe diagnostics is used in TJ-II stellarator to study directly the plasma electric potential with a good spatial (up to 1cm) and temporal (up to 2 µs ) resolution. Low density (ne = (0.3…0.5)×1019 m –3) ECRH plasma in TJ-II is characterized by positive plasma potential (ϕ(0) = +600…+ 400 V). At higher densities the minor area of the negative electric potential appears at the edge. This area increases with the density, finally makes potential fully negative. This tendency is affected by ECRH power and deposition area. The NBI plasmas are characterized by negative electric potential in the full plasma column from the center to the edge, (ϕ(0) = -300…-600 V). These results show the clear link between plasma potential, temperature, density and particle confinement.безконтактного вимірювання електричного потенціалу плазми з високою просторовою (до 1 см) та часовою (до 2 мкс) здатністю. Плазма з низькою щільністю (ne=(0.3…0.5)×1019м –3) в ЕЦР-режимі нагріву на TJ-II характеризується позитивним потенціалом (ϕ(0) = +600…+400 В). При більшій щільності невелика область з негативним потенціалом виникає на периферії. Ця область зростає із збільшенням щільності і, зрештою, потенціал стає повністю негативним. Така поведінка залежить від потужності ЕЦР-нагріву і області її вивільнення. Плазма під час нагріву нейтральним пучком характеризується негативним потенціалом всього плазмового шнура від центру до периферії (ϕ(0) = -300…-600 В). Ці результати показують чіткий зв'язок між потенціалом плазми, електронною температурою, щільністю та утриманням часток.Диагностика плазмы тяжелым пучком ионов используется на стеллараторе TJ-II для бесконтактного измерения электрического потенциала плазмы с высоким пространственным (до 1 см) и временным (до 2 мкс) разрешением. Плазма с низкой плотностью (ne = (0.3…0.5)×1019 м –3) при ЭЦР- нагреве в TJ-II характеризуется положительным потенциалом (ϕ(0) = +600…+400 В). При больших плотностях небольшая область с отрицательным потенциалом возникает на периферии. Эта область увеличивается с возрастанием плотности и, в конечном итоге, потенциал плазмы становится полностью отрицательным. Такое поведение зависит от мощности ЭЦР-нагрева и области высвобождения мощности. Плазма при нагреве нейтральным пучком характеризуется отрицательным потенциалом всего плазменного шнура от центра к периферии (ϕ(0) = -300…-600 V). Эти результаты показывают четкую связь между потенциалом плазмы, электронной температурой, плотностью и удержанием частиц

Deep Sea Sedimentation

This article offers an overview of the main sedimentary systems defining the geomorphology of deep sea environments from low to high latitudes. Mass-transport deposits, turbidite systems, contourites, volcaniclastic aprons, glacial trough mouth systems, carbonate mounds and other bathyal systems, such as pelagites, hemipelagites, mid-ocean channels and polymetallic mineral deposits, are presented with special attention to their morphology, sediments, processes and controlling factors. The integration of the main systems on the continental margins and adjacent abyssal plains in the North Atlantic and westernmost Mediterranean allows to characterize different sedimentation models.En prens

Investigation of plasma turbulence and local electric field in the T-10 tokamak and TJ-II stellarator by HIBP diagnoatic(review)

TJ-II stellarator by HIBP diagnostics has been performed. The following similar features of potential were found: the scale of several hundred Volts; the negative sign for densities ne>1×10¹⁹ m⁻³ and comparable values in spite of the different heating methods. When ne or tE rises, the potential evolves to negative values. During ECR heating and associated Te rise, tE degrades and the potential evolves to positive direction. Oscillations of potential and density in the range of Geodesic Acoustic Modes in T-10 and Alfvén Eigenmodes in TJ-II were observed.На токамаці Т-10 і стелараторі TJ-II за допомогою пучка важких іонів в порівняних режимах досліджувалася поведінка потенціалу та його флуктуацій. Виявлені спільні властивості потенціалу: масштаб близько сотен вольт;негативний знак при щільності ne>1×10¹⁹ m⁻³ і порівнянні значення, незважаючи на різні методи нагріву. Коли n_е або t_Е зростають, потенціал зростае у негативну область. При ЕЦР-нагріві і відповідному рості Te, t_Е погіршується, і потенціал змінюється у позитивний бік. Спостерігається коливання потенціалу в діапазоні геодезичних акустичних мод у Т-10 та альфвеновських власних мод у TJ-IIНа токамаке Т-10 и стеллараторе TJ-II с помощью пучка тяжелых ионов в сравнимых режимах исследовалось поведение потенциала и его флуктуаций. Обнаружены общие свойства потенциала: масштаб порядка сотен вольт; отрицательный знак при плотностях n_е>1×10¹⁹ m⁻³ и сравнимые значения, несмотря на разные методы нагрева. Когда n_е или t_Е растут, потенциал растет в отрицательную область. При ЭЦР-нагреве и соответствующем росте Te, t_Е ухудшается, и потенциал меняется в положительную сторону. Наблюдались колебания потенциала в диапазоне геодезических акустических мод в Т-10 и альфвеновских собственных мод в TJ-I

Anisotropic flow of charged hadrons, pions and (anti-)protons measured at high transverse momentum in Pb-Pb collisions at sNN=2.76\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}}=2.76 TeV

The elliptic, $v_2$, triangular, $v_3$, and quadrangular, $v_4$, azimuthal anisotropic flow coefficients are measured for unidentified charged particles, pions and (anti-)protons in Pb-Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}} = 2.76$ TeV with the ALICE detector at the Large Hadron Collider. Results obtained with the event plane and four-particle cumulant methods are reported for the pseudo-rapidity range $|\eta|<0.8$ at different collision centralities and as a function of transverse momentum, $p_{\rm T}$, out to $p_{\rm T}=20$ GeV/$c$. The observed non-zero elliptic and triangular flow depends only weakly on transverse momentum for $p_{\rm T}>8$ GeV/$c$. The small $p_{\rm T}$ dependence of the difference between elliptic flow results obtained from the event plane and four-particle cumulant methods suggests a common origin of flow fluctuations up to $p_{\rm T}=8$ GeV/$c$. The magnitude of the (anti-)proton elliptic and triangular flow is larger than that of pions out to at least $p_{\rm T}=8$ GeV/$c$ indicating that the particle type dependence persists out to high $p_{\rm T}$.Comment: 16 pages, 5 captioned figures, authors from page 11, published version, figures at http://aliceinfo.cern.ch/ArtSubmission/node/186

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

The inclusive transverse momentum ($p_{\rm T}$) distributions of primary charged particles are measured in the pseudo-rapidity range $|\eta|<0.8$ as a function of event centrality in Pb-Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\rm{NN}}}=2.76$ TeV with ALICE at the LHC. The data are presented in the $p_{\rm T}$ range $0.15<p_{\rm T}<50$ GeV/$c$ for nine centrality intervals from 70-80% to 0-5%. The Pb-Pb spectra are presented in terms of the nuclear modification factor $R_{\rm{AA}}$ using a pp reference spectrum measured at the same collision energy. We observe that the suppression of high-$p_{\rm T}$ particles strongly depends on event centrality. In central collisions (0-5%) the yield is most suppressed with $R_{\rm{AA}}\approx0.13$ at $p_{\rm T}=6$-7 GeV/$c$. Above $p_{\rm T}=7$ GeV/$c$, there is a significant rise in the nuclear modification factor, which reaches $R_{\rm{AA}} \approx0.4$ for $p_{\rm T}>30$ GeV/$c$. In peripheral collisions (70-80%), the suppression is weaker with $R_{\rm{AA}} \approx 0.7$ almost independently of $p_{\rm T}$. The measured nuclear modification factors are compared to other measurements and model calculations.Comment: 17 pages, 4 captioned figures, 2 tables, authors from page 12, published version, figures at http://aliceinfo.cern.ch/ArtSubmission/node/284

Measurement of charm production at central rapidity in proton-proton collisions at s=2.76\sqrt{s} = 2.76 TeV

The $p_{\rm T}$-differential production cross sections of the prompt (B feed-down subtracted) charmed mesons D$^0$, D$^+$, and D$^{*+}$ in the rapidity range $|y|<0.5$, and for transverse momentum $1< p_{\rm T} <12$ GeV/$c$, were measured in proton-proton collisions at $\sqrt{s} = 2.76$ TeV with the ALICE detector at the Large Hadron Collider. The analysis exploited the hadronic decays D$^0 \rightarrow$K$\pi$, D$^+ \rightarrow$K$\pi\pi$, D$^{*+} \rightarrow$D$^0\pi$, and their charge conjugates, and was performed on a $L_{\rm int} = 1.1$ nb$^{-1}$ event sample collected in 2011 with a minimum-bias trigger. The total charm production cross section at $\sqrt{s} = 2.76$ TeV and at 7 TeV was evaluated by extrapolating to the full phase space the $p_{\rm T}$-differential production cross sections at $\sqrt{s} = 2.76$ TeV and our previous measurements at $\sqrt{s} = 7$ TeV. The results were compared to existing measurements and to perturbative-QCD calculations. The fraction of cdbar D mesons produced in a vector state was also determined.Comment: 20 pages, 5 captioned figures, 4 tables, authors from page 15, published version, figures at http://aliceinfo.cern.ch/ArtSubmission/node/307