Low-Impedance 3D PEDOT:PSS Ultramicroelectrodes

The technology for producing microelectrode arrays (MEAs) has been developing since the 1970s and extracellular electrophysiological recordings have become well established in neuroscience, drug screening and cardiology. MEAs allow monitoring of long-term spiking activity of large ensembles of excitable cells noninvasively with high temporal resolution and mapping its spatial features. However, their inability to register subthreshold potentials, such as intrinsic membrane oscillations and synaptic potentials, has inspired a number of laboratories to search for alternatives to bypass the restrictions and/or increase the sensitivity of microelectrodes. In this study, we present the fabrication and in vitro experimental validation of arrays of PEDOT:PSS-coated 3D ultramicroelectrodes, with the best-reported combination of small size and low electrochemical impedance. We observed that this type of microelectrode does not alter neuronal network biological properties, improves the signal quality of extracellular recordings and exhibits higher selectivity toward single unit recordings. With fabrication processes simpler than those reported in the literature for similar electrodes, our technology is a promising tool for study of neuronal networks. \ua9 Copyright \ua9 2020 Jones, Moskalyuk, Barthold, Gut\uf6hrlein, Heusel, Schr\uf6ppel, Samba and Giugliano

Target mass number dependence of subthreshold antiproton production in proton-, deuteron- and alpha-particle-induced reactions

Data from KEK on subthreshold \bar{\mrm{p}} as well as on $\pi^\pm$ and \mrm{K}^\pm production in proton-, deuteron- and $\alpha$-induced reactions at energies between 2.0 and 12.0 A GeV for C, Cu and Pb targets are described within a unified approach. We use a model which considers a nuclear reaction as an incoherent sum over collisions of varying numbers of projectile and target nucleons. It samples complete events and thus allows for the simultaneous consideration of all final particles including the decay products of the nuclear residues. The enormous enhancement of the \bar{\mrm{p}} cross section, as well as the moderate increase of meson production in deuteron and $\alpha$ induced compared to proton-induced reactions, is well reproduced for all target nuclei. In our approach, the observed enhancement near the production threshold is mainly due to the contributions from the interactions of few-nucleon clusters by simultaneously considering fragmentation processes of the nuclear residues. The ability of the model to reproduce the target mass dependence may be considered as a further proof of the validity of the cluster concept.Comment: 9 pages, 4 figure

Real-world experience with a Paclitaxel-Coated Balloon for the treatment of atherosclerotic infrainguinal arteries: 12-month interim results of the BIOLUX P-III registry first year of enrolment = Experiência real com balão revestido com paclitaxel para o tratamento de artérias infrainguinais ateroscleróticas: resultados após 12 meses do primeiro ano de seleção de pacientes para o registro BIOLUX P-III

Background: Endovascular management of atherosclerotic infrainguinal arteries recently shifted towards drug eluting devices, designed to locally prevent the restenosis process. Numerous clinical studies report an advantage of drug coated balloons over uncoated balloon angioplasty in treating lower extremity peripheral artery disease. However, as coating and balloon platforms are different, each device requires dedicated clinical evaluations. Objective: The aim of the study is to further investigate the safety and effectiveness of a Paclitaxel-Coated Balloon for the treatment of atherosclerotic infrainguinal arteries in a real-world setting. Methods: 203 patients out of a final sample of 882 were enrolled in this prospective multicenter, observational, all-comers registry during the first 12 months. The primary endpoints were major adverse events (defined as procedure or device related death within 30 days post index procedure, clinically-driven target lesion revascularization or major target limb amputation) at 6 months and freedom from clinically-driven target lesion revascularization at 12 months. Both endpoints were adjudicated by a Clinical Events Committee. Results: Mean patient age was 70.2\ub110.4 years (60.1% male). 47.3% of the patients were diabetic and 67.5% had a history of smoking. Severe claudication was reported in 37.4% and 40% had critical limb ischemia. 257 lesions, including 13.2% in the infrapopliteal territory, were treated with Passeo-18 Lux (mean lesion length 75.1 mm\ub169.4, 20% occlusions, 76.3% calcified). At 6 months, the rate of major adverse events was 5.5% (95%CI 3.1-9.7). Freedom from clinically-driven target lesion revascularization at 12 months was 93.2% (95%CI 89.1-95.8). All causes mortality was 6.5% (95%CI 3.8-11.0) and overall amputation rate was 4.2% (95%CI 2.1-8.3) at 12 months. Conclusion: In a real-world environment, the BIOLUX P-III registry preliminary results confirm the safety and efficacy of the Paclitaxel-Coated Passeo-18 Lux balloon as a stand-alone treatment option for atherosclerotic infrainguinal arteries.Contexto: O manejo endovascular de art\ue9rias infrainguinais ateroscler\uf3ticas recentemente tem mudado para dispositivos farmacol\uf3gicos, desenhados para impedir localmente o processo de reestenose. Numerosos estudos cl\uednicos descrevem uma vantagem da angioplastia com uso de bal\uf5es farmacol\uf3gicos sobre os bal\uf5es convencionais no tratamento de doen\ue7a arterial perif\ue9rica dos membros inferiores. No entanto, considerando que as plataformas do revestimento farmacol\uf3gico e dos bal\uf5es s\ue3o diferentes, cada dispositivo requer avalia\ue7\uf5es cl\uednicas espec\uedficas. Objetivo: Fazer investiga\ue7\ue3o adicional sobre a seguran\ue7a e efic\ue1cia de um bal\ue3o revestido com paclitaxel para o tratamento de art\ue9rias infrainguinais ateroscler\uf3ticas em um cen\ue1rio de mundo real. M\ue9todos: 203 pacientes de uma amostra final de 882 pacientes foram inclu\ueddos neste registro prospectivo observacional multic\ueantrico de inclus\ue3o sequencial, durante os primeiros 12 meses. Os desfechos prim\ue1rios foram eventos adversos maiores (definidos como morte relacionada ao procedimento ou ao dispositivo em at\ue9 30 dias ap\uf3s o procedimento-\uedndice, necessidade de revasculariza\ue7\ue3o da les\ue3o-alvo ou amputa\ue7\ue3o significativa do membro-alvo) em 6 meses e aus\ueancia de de revasculariza\ue7\ue3o da les\ue3o-alvo em 12 meses. Ambos os desfechos foram adjudicados por um comit\uea de eventos cl\uednicos. Resultados: A idade m\ue9dia foi 70,2\ub110,4 anos (60,1% sexo masculino). 47,3% dos pacientes eram diab\ue9ticos, e 67,5% tinham hist\uf3ria de tabagismo. Claudica\ue7\ue3o severa foi relatada em 37,4%, e 40% apresentava isquemia cr\uedtica de membro. 257 les\uf5es, incluindo 13,2% em territ\uf3rio infrapopl\uedteo, foram tratadas com o bal\ue3o Passeo-18 Lux (comprimento m\ue9dio das les\uf5es 75,1 mm\ub169,4, 20% oclus\uf5es, 76,3% calcificadas). Aos 6 meses, a taxa de eventos adversos maiores foi de 5,5% (95%CI 3,1-9,7). A aus\ueancia de revasculariza\ue7\ue3o da les\ue3o-alvo aos 12 meses foi de 93,2% (95%CI 89,1-95,8). Mortalidade por todas as causas foi de 6,5% (95%CI 3,8-11,0) e a taxa geral de amputa\ue7\ue3o foi de 4,2% (95%CI 2,1-8,3) aos 12 meses. Conclus\ue3o: Em um cen\ue1rio de mundo real, os resultados preliminares do registro BIOLUX P-III confirmam a seguran\ue7a e efic\ue1cia do bal\ue3o revestido com paclitaxel Passeo-18 Lux como op\ue7\ue3o de tratamento \ufanico para art\ue9rias infrainguinais ateroscler\uf3ticas

Quantum Theory and Time Asymmetry

The relation between quantum measurement and thermodynamically irreversible processes is investigated. The reduction of the state vector is fundamentally asymmetric in time and shows an observer-relatedness which may explain the double interpretation of the state vector as a representation of physical states as well as of information about them. The concept of relevance being used in all statistical theories of irreversible thermodynamics is shown to be based on the same observer-relatedness. Quantum theories of irreversible processes implicitly use an objectivized process of state vector reduction. The conditions for the reduction are discussed, and I speculate that the final (subjective) observer system might even be carried by a spacetime point.Comment: Latex version of a paper published in 1979 (with minor revisions), 18 page

Quantifying decoherence in continuous variable systems

We present a detailed report on the decoherence of quantum states of continuous variable systems under the action of a quantum optical master equation resulting from the interaction with general Gaussian uncorrelated environments. The rate of decoherence is quantified by relating it to the decay rates of various, complementary measures of the quantum nature of a state, such as the purity, some nonclassicality indicators in phase space and, for two-mode states, entanglement measures and total correlations between the modes. Different sets of physically relevant initial configurations are considered, including one- and two-mode Gaussian states, number states, and coherent superpositions. Our analysis shows that, generally, the use of initially squeezed configurations does not help to preserve the coherence of Gaussian states, whereas it can be effective in protecting coherent superpositions of both number states and Gaussian wave packets.Comment: Review article; 36 pages, 19 figures; typos corrected, references adde

Measurement of CP Asymmetries and Branching Fractions in Charmless Two-Body B-Meson Decays to Pions and Kaons

We present improved measurements of CP-violation parameters in the decays $B^0 \to \pi^+ \pi^-$, $B^0 \to K^+ \pi^-$, and $B^0 \to \pi^0 \pi^0$, and of the branching fractions for $B^0 \to \pi^0 \pi^0$ and $B^0 \to K^0 \pi^0$. The results are obtained with the full data set collected at the $\Upsilon(4S)$ resonance by the BABAR experiment at the PEP-II asymmetric-energy $B$ factory at the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, corresponding to $467 \pm 5$ million $B\bar B$ pairs. We find the CP-violation parameter values and branching fractions $S_{\pi^+\pi^-} = -0.68 \pm 0.10 \pm 0.03, C_{\pi^+\pi^-} = -0.25 \pm 0.08 \pm 0.02, A_{K^-\pi^+} = -0.107 \pm 0.016 ^{+0.006}_{-0.004}, C_{\pi^0\pi^0} = -0.43 \pm 0.26 \pm 0.05, Br(B^0 \to \pi^0 \pi^0) = (1.83 \pm 0.21 \pm 0.13) \times 10^{-6}, Br(B^0 \to K^0 \pi^0) = (10.1 \pm 0.6 \pm 0.4) \times 10^{-6},$ where in each case, the first uncertainties are statistical and the second are systematic. We observe CP violation with a significance of 6.7 standard deviations for $B^0 \to\pi^+\pi^-$ and 6.1 standard deviations for $B^0 \to K^+ \pi^-$, including systematic uncertainties. Constraints on the Unitarity Triangle angle $\alpha$ are determined from the isospin relations among the $B \to \pi\pi$ rates and asymmetries. Considering only the solution preferred by the Standard Model, we find $\alpha$ to be in the range $[71^\circ,109^\circ]$ at the 68% confidence level.Comment: 18 pages, 11 postscript figures, submitted to Phys. Rev.