2,512 research outputs found
Recanalization of the Chronically Occluded Internal Carotid Artery: Review of the Literature.
Introduction: We reviewed the literature on interventions for patients with medically refractory chronically occluded internal carotid artery (COICA) to assess the risks and/or benefits after recanalization via an endovascular technique (ET) or hybrid surgery (HS, i.e., ET plus carotid endarterectomy).
Methods: A systematic search of the electronic databases was performed. Patients with COICA were classified into 4 different categories according to Hasan et al classification.
Results: Eighteen studies satisfied the inclusion criteria. Only 6 studies involved an HS procedure. We identified 389 patients with COICA who underwent ET or HS; 91% were males. The overall perioperative complication rate was 10.1% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 7.4%-13.1%). For types A and B, the successful recanalization rate was 95.4% (95% CI: 86.5%-100%), with a 13.7% (95% CI: 2.3%-27.4%) complication rate. For type C, the success rate for ET was 45.7% (95% CI: 17.8%-70.7%), with a complication rate of 46.0% (95% CI: 20.0%-71.4%) for ET and for the HS technique 87.6% (95% CI: 80.9%-94.4%), with a complication rate of 14.0% (95% CI: 7.0%-21.8%). For type D, the success rate of recanalization was 29.8% (95% CI: 7.8%-52.8%), with a 29.8% (95% CI: 6.1%-56.3%) complication rate. Successful recanalization resulted in a symmetrical perfusion between both cerebral hemispheres, resolution of penumbra, normalization of the mean transit time, and improvement in Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) score (ΔMoCA = 9.80 points; P = 0.004).
Conclusions: Type A and B occlusions benefit from ET, especially in the presence of a large penumbra. Type C occlusions can benefit from HS. Unfortunately, we did not identify an intervention to help patients with type D occlusions. A phase 2b randomized controlled trial is needed to confirm these findings
Linearly independent pure-state decomposition and quantum state discrimination
We put the pure-state decomposition mathematical property of a mixed state to
a physical test. We begin by characterizing all the possible decompositions of
a rank-two mixed state by means of the complex overlap between two involved
states. The physical test proposes a scheme of quantum state recognition of one
of the two linearly independent states which arise from the decomposition. We
find that the two states associated with the balanced pure-state decomposition
have the smaller overlap modulus and therefore the smallest probability of
being discriminated conclusively, while in the nonconclusive scheme they have
the highest probability of having an error. In addition, we design an
experimental scheme which allows to discriminate conclusively and optimally two
nonorthogonal states prepared with different a priori probabilities. Thus, we
propose a physical implementation for this linearly independent pure-state
decomposition and state discrimination test by using twin photons generated in
the process of spontaneous parametric down conversion. The information-state is
encoded in one photon polarization state whereas the second single-photon is
used for heralded detection.Comment: 6 pages, 5 figures, Submitted to Phys. Rev.
Qubits entanglement dynamics modified by an effective atomic environment
We study entanglement dynamics of a couple of two-level atoms resonantly
interacting with a cavity mode and embedded in a dispersive atomic environment.
We show that in the absence of the environment the entanglement reaches its
maximum value when only one exitation is involved. Then, we find that the
atomic environment modifies that entanglement dynamics and induces a typical
collapse-revival structure even for an initial one photon Fock state of the
field.Comment: eight pages, two figure include
Decoherence assisting a measurement-driven quantum evolution process
We study the problem of driving an unknown initial mixed quantum state onto a
known pure state without using unitary transformations. This can be achieved,
in an efficient manner, with the help of sequential measurements on at least
two unbiased bases. However here we found that, when the system is affected by
a decoherence mechanism, only one observable is required in order to achieve
the same goal. In this way the decoherence can assist the process. We show
that, depending on the sort of decoherence, the process can converge faster or
slower than the method implemented by means of two complementary observables.Comment: Four pages, three figures included ([email protected]
Investigation of acceptor levels and hole scattering mechanisms in p-gallium selenide by means of transport measurements under pressure
The effect of pressure on acceptor levels and hole scattering mechanisms in
p-GaSe is investigated through Hall effect and resistivity measurements under
quasi-hydrostatic conditions up to 4 GPa. The pressure dependence of the hole
concentration is interpreted through a carrier statistics equation with a
single (nitrogen) or double (tin) acceptor whose ionization energies decrease
under pressure due to the dielectric constant increase. The pressure effect on
the hole mobility is also accounted for by considering the pressure
dependencies of both the phonon frequencies and the hole-phonon coupling
constants involved in the scattering rates.Comment: 13 pages, Latex, 4 ps figures. to appear in High Pressure Research 69
(1997
Sex Determination by Observation of Barr Body in Teeth Subjected to High Temperatures
Galdames, IS (reprint author), Univ Talca, Ave Lircay S-N Oficina 104, Valparaiso, Chile.Sex determination is one of the keys in the identification process. A useful histological method for sex determination is the observation of Barr chromatin or Barr body. This study determines the effect of high temperatures on the diagnostic performance of the Barr chromatin observation on teeth. Were used 50 healthy teeth from 25 male and 25 female individuals aged between 14 and 44 years. The teeth were divided into 5 groups (each group with 5 female and 5 male teeth) and were exposed to controlled temperatures of 200, 400, 600, 800, and 1000 degrees C for 5 minutes. The coronal pulp was obtained and the tissue was processed and stained with hematoxylin-eosin. Four histological slides of male and 4 of female individuals were randomly selected, for each temperature level, which were observed by conventional microscopy at 100X magnification, each showing 50 cells per plate. The presence of 1 cell with visible sex chromatin was considered positive for females. It was only possible to evaluate the samples from groups subjected to 200 and 400 degrees C. In the groups analyzed, the test showed 100% accuracy. The average number of cells found to be positive Barr chromatin was 15 (SD 3.9) at 200 degrees C and 11 (SD 2.8) at 400 degrees C. Hence, it was possible to detect the sex at these temperatures by observing chromatin of the Barr body in dental pulp
Search for narrow energy-shifted lines in XMM-Newton AGN spectra
The detection of X-ray narrow spectral features in the 5-7 keV band is
becoming increasingly more common in AGN observations, thanks to the
capabilities of current X-ray satellites. Such lines, both in emission and in
absorption, are mostly interpreted as arising from Iron atoms. When observed
with some displacement from their rest frame position, these lines carry the
potential to study the motion of circumnuclear gas in AGN, providing a
diagnostic of the effects of the gravitational field of the central black hole.
These narrow features have been often found with marginal statistical
significance. We are carrying on a systematic search for narrow features using
spectra of bright type 1 AGNs available in the XMM-Newton archive. The aim of
this work is to characterise the occurrence of the narrow features phenomenon
on a large sample of objects and to estimate the significance of the features
through Monte Carlo simulations. The project and preliminary results are
presented.Comment: 6 pages,4 figures, contributed talk presented at the Workshop "The
multicoloured landscape of compact objects and their explosive origin",
Cefalu' (Sicily), 11-24 June 2006, to be published by AI
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