Slowly synchronizing automata and digraphs

We present several infinite series of synchronizing automata for which the minimum length of reset words is close to the square of the number of states. These automata are closely related to primitive digraphs with large exponent.Comment: 13 pages, 5 figure

XUV digital in-line holography using high-order harmonics

A step towards a successful implementation of timeresolved digital in-line holography with extreme ultraviolet radiation is presented. Ultrashort XUV pulses are produced as high-order harmonics of a femtosecond laser and a Schwarzschild objective is used to focus harmonic radiation at 38 nm and to produce a strongly divergent reference beam for holographic recording. Experimental holograms of thin wires are recorded and the objects reconstructed. Descriptions of the simulation and reconstruction theory and algorithms are also given. Spatial resolution of few hundreds of nm is potentially achievable, and micrometer resolution range is demonstrated.Comment: 8 pages, 8 figure

Search for Tensor, Vector, and Scalar Polarizations in the Stochastic Gravitational-Wave Background

The detection of gravitational waves with Advanced LIGO and Advanced Virgo has enabled novel tests of general relativity, including direct study of the polarization of gravitational waves. While general relativity allows for only two tensor gravitational-wave polarizations, general metric theories can additionally predict two vector and two scalar polarizations. The polarization of gravitational waves is encoded in the spectral shape of the stochastic gravitational-wave background, formed by the superposition of cosmological and individually unresolved astrophysical sources. Using data recorded by Advanced LIGO during its first observing run, we search for a stochastic background of generically polarized gravitational waves. We find no evidence for a background of any polarization, and place the first direct bounds on the contributions of vector and scalar polarizations to the stochastic background. Under log-uniform priors for the energy in each polarization, we limit the energy densities of tensor, vector, and scalar modes at 95% credibility to Ω0T<5.58×10-8, Ω0V<6.35×10-8, and Ω0S<1.08×10-7 at a reference frequency f0=25 Hz. © 2018 American Physical Society

Search for gravitational waves from Scorpius X-1 in the second Advanced LIGO observing run with an improved hidden Markov model

We present results from a semicoherent search for continuous gravitational waves from the low-mass x-ray binary Scorpius X-1, using a hidden Markov model (HMM) to track spin wandering. This search improves on previous HMM-based searches of LIGO data by using an improved frequency domain matched filter, the J-statistic, and by analyzing data from Advanced LIGO's second observing run. In the frequency range searched, from 60 to 650 Hz, we find no evidence of gravitational radiation. At 194.6 Hz, the most sensitive search frequency, we report an upper limit on gravitational wave strain (at 95% confidence) of h095%=3.47×10-25 when marginalizing over source inclination angle. This is the most sensitive search for Scorpius X-1, to date, that is specifically designed to be robust in the presence of spin wandering. © 2019 American Physical Society

All-sky search for long-duration gravitational wave transients with initial LIGO

We present the results of a search for long-duration gravitational wave transients in two sets of data collected by the LIGO Hanford and LIGO Livingston detectors between November 5, 2005 and September 30, 2007, and July 7, 2009 and October 20, 2010, with a total observational time of 283.0 days and 132.9 days, respectively. The search targets gravitational wave transients of duration 10-500 s in a frequency band of 40-1000 Hz, with minimal assumptions about the signal waveform, polarization, source direction, or time of occurrence. All candidate triggers were consistent with the expected background; as a result we set 90% confidence upper limits on the rate of long-duration gravitational wave transients for different types of gravitational wave signals. For signals from black hole accretion disk instabilities, we set upper limits on the source rate density between 3.4×10-5 and 9.4×10-4 Mpc-3 yr-1 at 90% confidence. These are the first results from an all-sky search for unmodeled long-duration transient gravitational waves. © 2016 American Physical Society

All-sky search for long-duration gravitational wave transients with initial LIGO

We present the results of a search for long-duration gravitational wave transients in two sets of data collected by the LIGO Hanford and LIGO Livingston detectors between November 5, 2005 and September 30, 2007, and July 7, 2009 and October 20, 2010, with a total observational time of 283.0 days and 132.9 days, respectively. The search targets gravitational wave transients of duration 10-500 s in a frequency band of 40-1000 Hz, with minimal assumptions about the signal waveform, polarization, source direction, or time of occurrence. All candidate triggers were consistent with the expected background; as a result we set 90% confidence upper limits on the rate of long-duration gravitational wave transients for different types of gravitational wave signals. For signals from black hole accretion disk instabilities, we set upper limits on the source rate density between 3.4×10-5 and 9.4×10-4 Mpc-3 yr-1 at 90% confidence. These are the first results from an all-sky search for unmodeled long-duration transient gravitational waves. © 2016 American Physical Society

Supplementation of a single species probiotic does not affect diversity and composition of the healthy adult gastrointestinal microbiome

Over several years, consumer probiotic consumption has increased substantially. Consequently, the number of over-the-counter probiotic products available to consumers has also increased. Many consumers use probiotics for preventative purposes rather than to treat specific illnesses. The influence of probiotics on the healthy human gut microbiome has not been extensively studied and many questions remain regarding the influence of probiotic supplementation on existing gut flora. In this study, the effect of a commercial probiotic containing Bifidobacterium infantis on the composition and diversity of gut flora in healthy adults was examined. Thirty participants were enrolled in the study and randomly assigned to probiotic (n = 15) or placebo (n = 15) groups. Over the course of the study, three stool samples were collected to facilitate baseline, probiotic/placebo effect, and return to baseline measurements. The probiotic/placebo effect samples were collected after taking a probiotic/placebo tablet daily for 30 days, and the return to baseline sample was collected 30 days after completing the treatment course. V3/V4 16S rRNA sequencing was performed on all samples and data was analyzed using QIIME. No significant difference in gut community diversity or composition between probiotic and placebo groups was observed. This finding suggests that use of a single species probiotic in healthy individuals does not significantly influence microbial gastrointestinal diversity. © 2022 The AuthorsOpen access journalThis item from the UA Faculty Publications collection is made available by the University of Arizona with support from the University of Arizona Libraries. If you have questions, please contact us at [email protected]

Oral treatment with etoposide in small cell lung cancer - dilemmas and solution

Background. Etoposide is a chemotherapeutic agent, widely used for the treatment of various malignancies, including small cell lung cancer (SCLC), an aggressive disease with poor prognosis. Oral etoposide administration exhibits advantages for the quality of life of the patient as well as economic benefits. However, widespread use of oral etoposide is limited by incomplete and variable bioavailability. Variability in bioavailability was observed both within and between patients. This suggests that some patients may experience suboptimal tumor cytotoxicity, whereas other patients may be atrisk for excess toxicity. Conclusions. The article highlights dilemmas as well as solutions regarding oral treatment with etoposide by presenting and analyzing relevant literature data. Numerous studies have shown that bioavailability of etoposide is influenced by genetic, physiological and environmental factors. Several strategies were explored to improve bioavailability and to reduce pharmacokinetic variability of oral etoposide, including desired and undesired drug interactions (e.g. with ketoconazole), development of suitable drug delivery systems, use of more water-soluble prodrug of etoposide, and influence on gastric emptying. In addition to genotype-based dose administration, etoposide is suitable for pharmacokinetically guided dosing, which enables dose adjustments in individual patient. Further, it is established that oral and intravenous schedules of etoposide in SCLC patients do not result in significant differences in treatment outcome, while results of toxicity are inconclusive. To conclude, the main message of the article is that better prediction of the pharmacokinetics of oral etoposide may encourage its wider use in routine clinical practice.Izhodišča. Etopozid je protitumorna učinkovina, ki jo pogosto uporabljamo za zdravljenje različnih rakavih obolenj, vključno z drobnoceličnim pljučnim rakom. Ta je agresivni rak s slabo napovedjo poteka bolezni. Peroralno vnašanje etopozida ima veliko prednosti tako z vidika kakovosti življenja bolnika kakor tudi z vidika obvladovanja stroškov. Uporaba etopozida pa je omejena zaradi nepopolne absorpcije ter velike intra- in inter-individualne spremenljivosti biološke uporabnosti. To lahko pri nekaterih bolnikih privede do zmanjšane učinkovitosti ali povečane toksičnosti. Zaključki. Članek s pregledom in analizo literaturnih podatkov predstavlja dileme in rešitve gledeperoralnega zdravljenja z etopozidom. Rezultati številnih raziskav so pokazali, da na biološko uporabnost etopozida vplivajo genetski, fiziološki in okoljski dejavniki. Poznamo številne pristope za izboljšanje biološke uporabnosti in zmanjšanje farmakokinetične spremenljivosti peroralnega etopozida. To so želene in neželene interakcije (npr. s ketokonazolom), razvojustreznih dostavnih sistemov, uporaba predzdravila, ki je bolj vodotopno od etopozida in vpliv na hitrost praznjenja želodca. Etopozid je primerna zdravilna učinkovina za odmerjanje na osnovi poznavanja farmakokinetike in genotipa, kar omogoča tudi prilagajanje odmerka pri posameznemu bolniku. Ugotovili so, da se učinkovitost peroralnega in intravenskega zdravljenja z etopozidom pri bolnikih z drobnoceličnim pljučnim rakom značilno ne razlikuje, medtem ko so si rezultati primerjav toksičnosti nasprotujoči. Glavno sporočilo članka je, da boljša napovedljivost farmakokinetike peroralnega etopozida omogoča večjo uporabo le-tega v rutinski klinični praksi