Sending femtosecond pulses in circles: highly non-paraxial accelerating beams

We use caustic beam shaping on 100 fs pulses to experimentally generate non-paraxial accelerating beams along a 60 degree circular arc, moving laterally by 14 \mum over a 28 \mum propagation length. This is the highest degree of transverse acceleration reported to our knowledge. Using diffraction integral theory and numerical beam propagation simulations, we show that circular acceleration trajectories represent a unique class of non-paraxial diffraction-free beam profile which also preserves the femtosecond temporal structure in the vicinity of the caustic

Nurses\u27 Alumnae Association Bulletin - Volume 2 Number 2

Coming Events Come On, \u2732 Ballot for Officers Hospital News Legislation Scholarship Fund Notes Refresher Course Correspondence Use of Heparin in Modern Treatment The Jefferson Medical College Library Nursing School Education Action - Camera - Seniors Degrees Received Engagements Weddings Births Deaths Attention Alumnae Bulletin Progress Of Special Interest Army Assignments Organized Staff Meeting

Intrathecal B-cell activation in LGI1 antibody encephalitis.

ObjectiveTo study intrathecal B-cell activity in leucine-rich, glioma-inactivated 1 (LGI1) antibody encephalitis. In patients with LGI1 antibodies, the lack of CSF lymphocytosis or oligoclonal bands and serum-predominant LGI1 antibodies suggests a peripherally initiated immune response. However, it is unknown whether B cells within the CNS contribute to the ongoing pathogenesis of LGI1 antibody encephalitis.MethodsPaired CSF and peripheral blood (PB) mononuclear cells were collected from 6 patients with LGI1 antibody encephalitis and 2 patients with other neurologic diseases. Deep B-cell immune repertoire sequencing was performed on immunoglobulin heavy chain transcripts from CSF B cells and sorted PB B-cell subsets. In addition, LGI1 antibody levels were determined in CSF and PB.ResultsSerum LGI1 antibody titers were on average 127-fold higher than CSF LGI1 antibody titers. Yet, deep B-cell repertoire analysis demonstrated a restricted CSF repertoire with frequent extensive clusters of clonally related B cells connected to mature PB B cells. These clusters showed intensive mutational activity of CSF B cells, providing strong evidence for an independent CNS-based antigen-driven response in patients with LGI1 antibody encephalitis but not in controls.ConclusionsOur results demonstrate that intrathecal immunoglobulin repertoire expansion is a feature of LGI1 antibody encephalitis and suggests a need for CNS-penetrant therapies

Management of amiodarone-induced thyrotoxicosis at a cardiac transplantation centre

Background: Amiodarone-induced thyrotoxicosis (AIT) is associated with significant morbidity and mortality, particularly in patients with cardiac failure. The aim of the study was to evaluate the management of AIT at a tertiary hospital specialising in cardiac failure and transplantation. Methods: Retrospective audit of 66 patients treated for AIT by Endocrinology (2007–2016), classified as type 1 (T1) or type 2 (T2) based on radiological criteria. Main outcome measurements were response rate to initial treatment, time to euthyroidism, and frequency/safety of thyroidectomy. Results: Mean age was 60 ± 2 years; 80% were male. Sixty-four patients commenced medical treatment: thionamides (THIO) in 23, glucocorticoids (GC) in 17 and combination (COMB) in 24. Median thyroxine (fT4) was 35.1 (31.2–46.7) in THIO, 43.1 (30.4 –60.7) in GC, and 60.0 (39.0 –\u3e99.9) pmol/L in COMB (p = 0.01). Initial therapy induced euthyroidism in 52%: 70% THIO, 53% GC, and 33% COMB (p = 0.045) by 100 (49–167), 47 (35–61), and 53 (45–99) days, respectively (p = 0.02). A further 11% became euthyroid after transitioning from monotherapy to COMB. Thyroidectomy was undertaken in 33%. Patients who underwent thyroidectomy were younger (54 ± 3 vs. 63 ± 2 years; p = 0.03), with higher prevalence of severely impaired left ventricular function prior to diagnosis of AIT (38 vs. 18%; p = 0.08). Despite median American Society of Anaesthesiologists classification 4, no thyroidectomy patient experienced cardiorespiratory complications/death. Conclusions: Patients with AIT had limited response to medical treatment. The poorest response was observed in COMB group, likely related to greater hyperthyroidism severity. Thyroidectomy is safe in patients with severe cardiac failure if performed in a centre with cardiac anaesthetic expertise. There should be low threshold for proceeding to thyroidectomy in patients with severe AIT and/or cardiac failure

“Bull's-eye” sign on gadolinium-enhanced magnetic resonance venography determines thrombus presence and age: A preliminary study

AbstractPurpose: Venous thrombosis is associated with a significant inflammatory response, which can be visualized by gadolinium magnetic resonance venography (MRV). Gadolinium extravasates into tissue during inflammation, producing perithrombus enhancement on magnetic resonance scanning. This study determines (1) whether gadolinium enhancement occurs during deep venous thrombosis (DVT); and (2) whether this enhancement changes with time and can therefore establish the age of thrombus.Methods: Patients with a diagnosis of iliofemoral DVT by duplex ultrasound who were referred for MRV to document central thrombus extent were studied. T1 weighted images were obtained before and after gadolinium injection (0.1 mmol/kg); repeat scans were obtained up to 3 months thereafter. At the level of maximum thrombus, measurements of signal intensity were made at the periphery (rim), and the center of the thrombosed vein, as well as the contralateral normal vein, on images after gadolinium enhancement. Rim-center vein signal intensity ratios were then calculated and followed.Results: A total of 39 scans were obtained in 14 patients (eight men, six women). The thrombosed veins were enlarged, with a peripheral rim of enhancement (“bull's-eye” sign). The rim-center ratio for thrombosed veins (2.16 ± 0.18) was different from that of normal veins (0.66 ± 0.10; n = 39; p < 0.001). For all acute studies (≤14 days) the rim-center ratio was 2.38 ± 0.17 (n = 31), whereas for all chronic studies (>14 days) the rim-center ratio was 1.29 ± 0.44 (n = 8; p = 0.001). Among patients who underwent both early and late studies, the rim-center ratio dropped significantly, from 2.33 ± 0.20 acutely to 1.29 ± 0.44 in chronic studies (n = 8; p = 0.03). One patient with active malignancy had a paradoxic increase in rim-center ratio over time and a clinical recurrence of symptoms, suggesting active thrombosis.Conclusions: We conclude that (1) a pattern of peripheral gadolinium enhancement (bull's-eye sign) is seen around acutely thrombosed veins on gadolinium-enhanced MRV, facilitating DVT diagnosis; and (2) the ratio of signal intensity at the rim versus the center of the thrombosed vein may be a good discriminator of acute compared with chronic DVT, which may help direct therapy. (J Vasc Surg 1997;26:809-16.

Microwave and Millimeter Wave Techniques

Contains reports on two research projects.Joint Services Electronics Program (Contract DAAG29-78-C-0020)National Science Foundation (Grant AST77-26896

Linearization of Cohomology-free Vector Fields

We study the cohomological equation for a smooth vector field on a compact manifold. We show that if the vector field is cohomology free, then it can be embedded continuously in a linear flow on an Abelian group