Data Rate vs. Maximum Reach in a Data Center Interconnect Scenario Exploiting Wideband InP Mach-Zehnder Modulators

A new Mach-Zehnder DP-IQ ultra-wideband indium phosphide modulator with integrated optical semiconductor amplifiers has been characterized for time domain simulations to investigate data rate versus maximum range in a DCI scenario

Machine Learning Aided Control of Ultra-Wideband Indium Phosphide IQ Mach-Zehnder Modulators

A digital model of a dual-polarization IQ ultra-wideband indium phosphide Mach-Zehnder modulator is obtained through machine learning techniques. The model is used to test optimization algorithms that automatically set the modulator control voltages under different operative conditions finding the optimum bias point

Effect of Optical Filtering on 20-Gbit/s RZ-DQPSK Transmission over 2000 km in a 64-Channel DWDM System

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The proliferation marker Chromatin Assembly Factor-1 is of clinical value in predicting the biological behaviour of salivary gland tumours.

Salivary gland tumours (SGT) constitute a diagnostically challenging group of neoplasms with frequently unpredictable clinical outcome. The proliferation rate facilitates the identification of aggressive SGT. The Chromatin Assembly Factor-1 (CAF-1) is a major epigenetic regulator of nuclear chromatin organization during DNA replication. It plays a critical function in human tumourigenesis and has been proposed as a new proliferation and prognostic marker for some malignancies. This study focused on the role of CAF-1/p60 protein as a marker of clinical value for SGT. The expression of CAF-1/p60 was evaluated by immunohistochemistry on a retrospective series of 362 surgically excised benign and malignant SGT with different histogenesis and, when available, on fine-needle pre-surgical cytological biopsies. The resulting data were compared with traditional prognostic parameters, including the expression of the routine proliferation marker ki67/MIB1. CAF-1/p60 was detectable in all SGT, with highest degree of expression in metastasizing malignant tumours. Moreover, the cases of benign tumours which progressed to carcinoma during the follow-up, showed significantly higher CAF-1/p60 expression than non-progressing benign SGT, both on histological sections and cytological smears of the primary tumour. Cox's multiple regression analysis selected CAF-1/p60 expression as the best independent predictor of cancer development for benign SGT (p<0.0001), and the best independent predictor of metastasis onset for malignant tumours (p<0.0004). Overexpression of CAF-1/p60, on histological and/or cytological samples, characterizes malignant SGT with aggressive behaviour, irrespective of their specific histotype, and allows the early diagnosis of progression toward malignancy of morphologically benign tumours

Simulative Analysis of InP-based Dual Polarization IQ Mach-Zehnder Modulators

A realistic model of an Indium-Phosphide DP-IQ Mach-Zehnder modulator supported by experimental measurements is introduced within an accurate time-domain simulator. BER vs OSNR results show the effect of model’s non-linearities increasing the modulation format complexity at different symbol rates. The intrinsic modulator SNR is estimated

Combined Amplitude-Phase Shift code tolerance to phase modulation profile

The influence of phase modulation characteristics on Combined Amplitude-Phase Shift code performance is investigated both experimentally and by simulation. The interferometric push–pull Mach–Zehnder modulator and the linear Phase Modulator are evaluated when the optimal optical Gaussian filter is exploited. Non-optimal optical filter shape and bandwidth are considered as well. The figure of merit is the maximum distance bridged without optical dispersion compensation on a Standard Single Mode Fiber (SSMF) link. The steepness of phase transitions is critical in determining the performance of the generated CAPS

Polarization stabilizer for polarization-division multiplexed optical systems

An endless polarization stabilization method is applied to a 40-Gbit/s RZ-DQPSK polarization-division multiplexed optical system. The effectiveness of the polarization stabilizer in allowing the polarization demultiplexing of the two orthogonally polarized channels is experimentally verified

Atypically Protracted Course of Liver Involvement in Kawasaki Disease. Case Report and Literature Review

Hypertransaminasemia in patients with Kawasaki disease (KD) is reported to be transient. Here, we describe a child with an atypically protracted course of liver tests abnormalities and review the inherent literature. The patient was hospitalized at age 7-months for isolated hypertransaminasemia detected during a classical KD diagnosed 3 months before, and persistent since then. KD clinical evolution had been favorable, with rapid response to acetylsalicylic acid and intravenous immunoglobulins. Liver enzymes however remained persistently elevated with a fluctuating pattern (ALT &gt; AST levels; peak of AST 186 IU/L and ALT 240 IU/L). During follow-up, the main causes of liver dysfunction had to be excluded through appropriate and extensive laboratory investigations. Transaminases values become steadily normal only 7 months after the acute presentation of KD. Conclusions: Our report shows that an atypically protracted courses of KD-related hypertransaminasemia above the previously reported temporal limits should be taken into account during the stepwise diagnostic approach to the patient’s liver dysfunction. Insidious acetylsalycilic acid-hepatotoxicity warrants consideration in the differential diagnosis