Spatial resolution of drug crystallisation in the skin by X-ray micro-computed tomography

Drug crystallisation in the skin is recognised as a significant problem in topical and transdermal drug delivery. Our recent investigations provided new evidence of drug crystallisation in the skin, however, confirming the precise location of crystals remains challenging. Of note, most approaches used have required disruption of the membrane by tape stripping, with crystal detection limited to the superficial skin layers. Hence, a non-destructive method for complete spatial resolution of crystallised drug in skin is still lacking. In this communication, we report the application of X-ray micro-computed tomography (microCT) to examine drug crystallisation in mammalian skin ex vivo. Permeation studies of a saturated solution of diclofenac sodium were conducted in porcine skin; subsequently, tissue samples were scanned using microCT to generate 2D and 3D maps. A layer of drug crystals was observed on the skin surface; microCT maps also confirmed the distribution of drug crystals up to a skin depth of 0.2 – 0.3 mm. MicroCT also allowed the identification of drug crystallisation as a distinct and confirmed event in the skin and as an extension from drug crystals formed on the skin. These preliminary results confirm the potential of microCT to study this important phenomenon in topical and transdermal drug delivery

Magnetization reversal and local switching fields of ferromagnetic Co/Pd microtubes with radial magnetization

Three-dimensional nanomagnetism is a rapidly growing field of research covering both noncollinear spin textures and curved magnetic geometries including microtubular structures. We spatially resolve the field-induced magnetization reversal of free-standing ferromagnetic microtubes utilizing multifrequency magnetic force microscopy (MFM). The microtubes are composed of Co/Pd multilayer films with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy that translates to an anisotropy with radial easy axis upon rolling-up. Simultaneously mapping the topography and the perpendicular magnetostatic force derivative, the relation between surface angle and local magnetization configuration is evaluated for a large number of locations with slopes exceeding 45 degrees. The angle-dependence of the switching field is concurrent with the Kondorsky model, i.e., the rolled-up nanomembrane behaves like a planar magnetic film with perpendicular anisotropy and a pinning dominated magnetization reversal. Additionally, we discuss methodological challenges when detecting magnetostatic force derivatives near steep surfaces

Project-Based Methodology to Lecture on Web Frameworks Applied to the Management of Health-Related Data

The management and processing of the data generated by healthcare systems is getting more and more attention because of the digitalization of a traditionally analogical sector such as healthcare. Various data management frameworks and solutions have emerged to face some of the multiple challenges present in this environment, includ ing: (a) Data privacy and security; (b) Inter-operability between het erogeneous systems; and (c) Usability and readability of health-related sensitive information. In this paper, the authors share their experience on lecturing on how to address such issues by developing web-based software from several points of views: (a) Healthcare professional needs and requirements in terms of usability, accessibility and easiness; (b) Technical requirements and knowledge required to develop all the layers of a fully functional example of a micro health information system; and (c) Technical require ments to share and distribute the data required by several agents of the healthcare environment, focusing on the adoption of international stan dards such as HL7; (d) Perform of all operations in a secure, available and reliable way. It is concluded that the application of Flipped Teaching among with Project-based Learning may have a very positive impact on both in grades and drop rates for late-years (junior and senior) courses within the Health Engineering bachelor’s degrees

A model for orientation effects in electron‐transfer reactions

A method for solving the single‐particle Schrödinger equation with an oblate spheroidal potential of finite depth is presented. The wave functions are then used to calculate the matrix element T_BA which appears in theories of nonadiabatic electron transfer. The results illustrate the effects of mutual orientation and separation of the two centers on TBA. Trends in these results are discussed in terms of geometrical and nodal structure effects. Analytical expressions related to T_BA for states of spherical wells are presented and used to analyze the nodal structure effects for T_BA for the spheroidal wells

Game theory of mind

This paper introduces a model of ‘theory of mind’, namely, how we represent the intentions and goals of others to optimise our mutual interactions. We draw on ideas from optimum control and game theory to provide a ‘game theory of mind’. First, we consider the representations of goals in terms of value functions that are prescribed by utility or rewards. Critically, the joint value functions and ensuing behaviour are optimised recursively, under the assumption that I represent your value function, your representation of mine, your representation of my representation of yours, and so on ad infinitum. However, if we assume that the degree of recursion is bounded, then players need to estimate the opponent's degree of recursion (i.e., sophistication) to respond optimally. This induces a problem of inferring the opponent's sophistication, given behavioural exchanges. We show it is possible to deduce whether players make inferences about each other and quantify their sophistication on the basis of choices in sequential games. This rests on comparing generative models of choices with, and without, inference. Model comparison is demonstrated using simulated and real data from a ‘stag-hunt’. Finally, we note that exactly the same sophisticated behaviour can be achieved by optimising the utility function itself (through prosocial utility), producing unsophisticated but apparently altruistic agents. This may be relevant ethologically in hierarchal game theory and coevolution

Next-to-leading order QCD predictions for W+W+jj production at the LHC

Because the LHC is a proton-proton collider, sizable production of two positively charged W-bosons in association with two jets is possible. This process leads to a distinct signature of same sign high-pt leptons, missing energy and jets. We compute the NLO QCD corrections to the QCD-mediated part of pp -> W+W+jj. These corrections reduce the dependence of the production cross-section on the renormalization and factorization scale to about +- 10 percent. We find that a large number of W+W+jj events contain a relatively hard third jet. The presence of this jet should help to either pick up the W+W+jj signal or to reject it as an unwanted background.Comment: 15 pages, 5 (lovely) figures, v3 accepted for publication in JHEP, corrects tables in appendi

Realisation of a programmable two-qubit quantum processor

The universal quantum computer is a device capable of simulating any physical system and represents a major goal for the field of quantum information science. Algorithms performed on such a device are predicted to offer significant gains for some important computational tasks. In the context of quantum information, "universal" refers to the ability to perform arbitrary unitary transformations in the system's computational space. The combination of arbitrary single-quantum-bit (qubit) gates with an entangling two-qubit gate is a gate set capable of achieving universal control of any number of qubits, provided that these gates can be performed repeatedly and between arbitrary pairs of qubits. Although gate sets have been demonstrated in several technologies, they have as yet been tailored toward specific tasks, forming a small subset of all unitary operators. Here we demonstrate a programmable quantum processor that realises arbitrary unitary transformations on two qubits, which are stored in trapped atomic ions. Using quantum state and process tomography, we characterise the fidelity of our implementation for 160 randomly chosen operations. This universal control is equivalent to simulating any pairwise interaction between spin-1/2 systems. A programmable multi-qubit register could form a core component of a large-scale quantum processor, and the methods used here are suitable for such a device.Comment: 7 pages, 4 figure

Entangled Mechanical Oscillators

Hallmarks of quantum mechanics include superposition and entanglement. In the context of large complex systems, these features should lead to situations like Schrodinger's cat, which exists in a superposition of alive and dead states entangled with a radioactive nucleus. Such situations are not observed in nature. This may simply be due to our inability to sufficiently isolate the system of interest from the surrounding environment -- a technical limitation. Another possibility is some as-of-yet undiscovered mechanism that prevents the formation of macroscopic entangled states. Such a limitation might depend on the number of elementary constituents in the system or on the types of degrees of freedom that are entangled. One system ubiquitous to nature where entanglement has not been previously demonstrated is distinct mechanical oscillators. Here we demonstrate deterministic entanglement of separated mechanical oscillators, consisting of the vibrational states of two pairs of atomic ions held in different locations. We also demonstrate entanglement of the internal states of an atomic ion with a distant mechanical oscillator.Comment: 7 pages, 2 figure

Potentiality in Biology

We take the potentialities that are studied in the biological sciences (e.g., totipotency) to be an important subtype of biological dispositions. The goal of this paper is twofold: first, we want to provide a detailed understanding of what biological dispositions are. We claim that two features are essential for dispositions in biology: the importance of the manifestation process and the diversity of conditions that need to be satisfied for the disposition to be manifest. Second, we demonstrate that the concept of a disposition (or potentiality) is a very useful tool for the analysis of the explanatory practice in the biological sciences. On the one hand it allows an in-depth analysis of the nature and diversity of the conditions under which biological systems display specific behaviors. On the other hand the concept of a disposition may serve a unificatory role in the philosophy of the natural sciences since it captures not only the explanatory practice of biology, but of all natural sciences. Towards the end we will briefly come back to the notion of a potentiality in biology