Assessing an ontology for the representation of clinical protocols in decision support systems

In order to assess the expressiveness of the CompGuide ontology for Clinical Practice Guidelines, a study was conducted with fourteen students of the Integrated Masters in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Minho in Portugal to whom it was proposed the representation of multiple guidelines according to the ontology. They were then asked to evaluate the ontology through a questionnaire and written reports. Although the results seem promising, there is the need for significant improvements mainly in: the representation of medication prescriptions, the tasks used to retrieve information from the patient, the diversity of actions offered by the ontology, the expressiveness of conditions regarding the state of a patient, and temporal constraints.FCT - Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologiainfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Dynamical approach to spectator fragmentation in Au+Au reactions at 35 MeV/A

The characteristics of fragment emission in peripheral $^{197}$Au+$^{197}$Au collisions 35 MeV/A are studied using the two clusterization approaches within framework of \emph{quantum molecular dynamics} model. Our model calculations using \emph{minimum spanning tree} (MST) algorithm and advanced clusterization method namely \emph{simulated annealing clusterization algorithm} (SACA) showed that fragment structure can be realized at an earlier time when spectators contribute significantly toward the fragment production even at such a low incident energy. Comparison of model predictions with experimental data reveals that SACA method can nicely reproduce the fragment charge yields and mean charge of the heaviest fragment. This reflects suitability of SACA method over conventional clusterization techniques to investigate spectator matter fragmentation in low energy domain.Comment: 6 pages, 5 figures, accepte

K-ras Mutation Targeted to Gastric Tissue Progenitor Cells Results in Chronic Inflammation, an Altered Microenvironment, and Progression to Intraepithelial

Chronic infectious diseases, such as Helicobacter pylori infection, can promote cancer in a large part through induction of chronic inflammation. Oncogenic K-ras mutation in epithelial cells activates inflammatory pathways, which could compensate for a lack of infectious stimulus. Gastric histopathology and putative progenitor markers [doublecortin and calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase-like 1 (Dcamkl1) and keratin 19 (K19)] in K19-K-ras-V12 (K19-kras) transgenic mice were assessed at 3, 6, 12, and 18 months of age, in comparison with Helicobacter felis–infected wild-type littermates. Inflammation was evaluated by reverse transcription–PCR of proinflammatory cytokines, and K19-kras mice were transplanted with green fluorescent protein (GFP)–labeled bone marrow. Both H. felis infection and K-ras mutation induced upregulation of proinflammatory cytokines, expansion of Dcamkl1+ cells, and progression to oxyntic atrophy, metaplasia, hyperplasia, and high-grade dysplasia. K19-kras transgenic mice uniquely displayed mucous metaplasia as early as 3 months and progressed to high-grade dysplasia and invasive intramucosal carcinoma by 20 months. In bone marrow–transplanted K19-kras mice that progressed to dysplasia, a large proportion of stromal cells were GFP+ and bone marrow–derived, but only rare GFP+ epithelial cells were observed. GFP+ bone marrow–derived cells included leukocytes and CD45− stromal cells that expressed vimentin or α smooth muscle actin and were often found surrounding clusters of Dcamkl1+ cells at the base of gastric glands. In conclusion, the expression of mutant K-ras in K19+ gastric epithelial cells can induce chronic inflammation and promote the development of dysplasia.National Institutes of Health (U.S.) (Grant NIH 5R01 CA120979-02)National Institutes of Health (U.S.) (Grant R01 DK060694)National Institutes of Health (U.S.) (Grant U01 CA143056)National Institutes of Health (U.S.) (Grant P30 DK050306)Uehara Memorial Foundatio

High-efficiency Bragg grating enhanced on-chip photon-number-resolving detectors

The recent trend towards integration of quantum optics experiments has produced a demand for on-chip single photon detectors with high quantum efficiencies. In previous work we demonstrated integrated photon number resolving detectors for use at telecommunications wavelengths [1], here we outline developments of this design which have enabled improvements in the quantum efficiency, permitting an on-chip detection efficiency of 92% to be obtained in the device of Fig. 1. ..

The Drift Directional Dark Matter Experiments

The current status of the DRIFT (Directional Recoil Identification From Tracks) experiment at Boulby Mine is presented, including the latest limits on the WIMP spin-dependent cross-section from 1.5 kg days of running with a mixture of CS2 and CF4. Planned upgrades to DRIFT IId are detailed, along with ongoing work towards DRIFT III, which aims to be the world's first 10 m3-scale directional Dark Matter detector

Detecting a stochastic gravitational wave background with the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna

The random superposition of many weak sources will produce a stochastic background of gravitational waves that may dominate the response of the LISA (Laser Interferometer Space Antenna) gravitational wave observatory. Unless something can be done to distinguish between a stochastic background and detector noise, the two will combine to form an effective noise floor for the detector. Two methods have been proposed to solve this problem. The first is to cross-correlate the output of two independent interferometers. The second is an ingenious scheme for monitoring the instrument noise by operating LISA as a Sagnac interferometer. Here we derive the optimal orbital alignment for cross-correlating a pair of LISA detectors, and provide the first analytic derivation of the Sagnac sensitivity curve.Comment: 9 pages, 11 figures. Significant changes to the noise estimate

Magnetic Fields, Relativistic Particles, and Shock Waves in Cluster Outskirts

It is only now, with low-frequency radio telescopes, long exposures with high-resolution X-ray satellites and gamma-ray telescopes, that we are beginning to learn about the physics in the periphery of galaxy clusters. In the coming years, Sunyaev-Zeldovich telescopes are going to deliver further great insights into the plasma physics of these special regions in the Universe. The last years have already shown tremendous progress with detections of shocks, estimates of magnetic field strengths and constraints on the particle acceleration efficiency. X-ray observations have revealed shock fronts in cluster outskirts which have allowed inferences about the microphysical structure of shocks fronts in such extreme environments. The best indications for magnetic fields and relativistic particles in cluster outskirts come from observations of so-called radio relics, which are megaparsec-sized regions of radio emission from the edges of galaxy clusters. As these are difficult to detect due to their low surface brightness, only few of these objects are known. But they have provided unprecedented evidence for the acceleration of relativistic particles at shock fronts and the existence of muG strength fields as far out as the virial radius of clusters. In this review we summarise the observational and theoretical state of our knowledge of magnetic fields, relativistic particles and shocks in cluster outskirts.Comment: 34 pages, to be published in Space Science Review

Radon in the DRIFT-II directional dark matter TPC: emanation, detection and mitigation

Radon gas emanating from materials is of interest in environmental science and also a major concern in rare event non-accelerator particle physics experiments such as dark matter and double beta decay searches, where it is a major source of background. Notable for dark matter experiments is the production of radon progeny recoils (RPRs), the low energy (~ 100 keV) recoils of radon daughter isotopes, which can mimic the signal expected from WIMP interactions. Presented here are results of measurements of radon emanation from detector materials in the 1 m3 DRIFT-II directional dark matter gas time projection chamber experiment. Construction and operation of a radon emanation facility for this work is described, along with an analysis to continuously monitor DRIFT data for the presence of internal 222Rn and 218Po. Applying this analysis to historical DRIFT data, we show how systematic substitution of detector materials for alternatives, selected by this device for low radon emanation, has resulted in a factor of ~ 10 reduction in internal radon rates. Levels are found to be consistent with the sum from separate radon emanation measurements of the internal materials and also with direct measurement using an attached alpha spectrometer. The current DRIFT detector, DRIFT-IId, is found to have sensitivity to 222Rn of 2.5 μBql−1 with current analysis efficiency, potentially opening up DRIFT technology as a new tool for sensitive radon assay of materials

Limits on anomalous trilinear gauge boson couplings from WW, WZ and Wgamma production in pp-bar collisions at sqrt{s}=1.96 TeV

We present final searches of the anomalous gammaWW and ZWW trilinear gauge boson couplings from WW and WZ production using lepton plus dijet final states and a combination with results from Wgamma, WW, and WZ production with leptonic final states. The analyzed data correspond to up to 8.6/fb of integrated luminosity collected by the D0 detector in pp-bar collisions at sqrt{s}=1.96 TeV. We set the most stringent limits at a hadron collider to date assuming two different relations between the anomalous coupling parameters Delta\kappa_\gamma, lambda, and Delta g_1^Z for a cutoff energy scale Lambda=2 TeV. The combined 68% C.L. limits are -0.057<Delta\kappa_\gamma<0.154, -0.015<lambda<0.028, and -0.008<Delta g_1^Z<0.054 for the LEP parameterization, and -0.007<Delta\kappa<0.081 and -0.017<lambda<0.028 for the equal couplings parameterization. We also present the most stringent limits of the W boson magnetic dipole and electric quadrupole moments.Comment: 10 pages, 5 figures, submitted to PL