High intrinsic energy resolution photon number resolving detectors

Transition Edge Sensors (TESs) are characterized by the intrinsic figure of merit to resolve both the energy and the statistical distribution of the incident photons. These properties lead TES devices to become the best single photon detector for quantum technology experiments. For a TES based on titanium and gold has been reached, at telecommunication wavelength, an unprecedented intrinsic energy resolution (0.113 eV). The uncertainties analysis of both energy resolution and photon state assignment has been discussed. The thermal properties of the superconductive device have been studied by fitting the bias curve to evaluate theoretical limit of the energy resolution

Single-photon light detection with transition-edge sensors

Transition-Edge Sensors (TESs) are microcalorimeters that measure the energy of incident single photons by the resistance increase of a superconducting film biased within the superconducting-to-normal transition. TES are able to detect single photons from IR to X-ray with an intrinsic energy resolution and photon-number discrimination capability. Metrology, astronomy and quantum communication are the fields where these properties can be particularly useful. In this work, we report about characterization of different TESs based on Ti films. Single photons have been detected from 200nm to 800 nm working at transition temperature Tc ∼ 100 mK. Using a pulsed laser at 690nm we have demonstrated the capability to resolve up to five photons

Self consistent, absolute calibration technique for photon number resolving detectors

Well characterized photon number resolving detectors are a requirement for many applications ranging from quantum information and quantum metrology to the foundations of quantum mechanics. This prompts the necessity for reliable calibration techniques at the single photon level. In this paper we propose an innovative absolute calibration technique for photon number resolving detectors, using a pulsed heralded photon source based on parametric down conversion. The technique, being absolute, does not require reference standards and is independent upon the performances of the heralding detector. The method provides the results of quantum efficiency for the heralded detector as a function of detected photon numbers. Furthermore, we prove its validity by performing the calibration of a Transition Edge Sensor based detector, a real photon number resolving detector that has recently demonstrated its effectiveness in various quantum information protocols.Comment: 9 pages, 2 figure

O papel profissional no laboratório de pesquisa industrial

O trabalho apresenta a formulate de um modelo de Análise do Papel Profissional, que tem sido exercitado em área de Pesquisa Aplicada de um CPqD industrial. Partindo de uma necessária diferenciação dos conceitos de cargo, função e papel, e desenvolvida uma matriz de informação que permite a caracterização objetiva do papel e do seu significado em relação ao meio. O conceito é então aprofundado através de uma visão transclássica que poderia se chamar de Dialetica do Papel. Por fim, e apresentado um estudo de caso, em que a análise do papel profissional, conforme enunciada, foi aplicada com resultados, ainda que parciais, encorajadores

The prognostic value of 18f-fdg pet imaging at staging in patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma: A literature review

Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is an aggressive malignancy, frequently diagnosed at locally-advanced/metastatic stages. Due to a very poor prognosis and limited treatment options, the need to identify new prognostic markers represents a great clinical challenge. The prognostic role of metabolic information derived from Positron Emission Tomography (PET) with 18F-Fluoro-deoxy-glucose (18F-FDG) has been investigated in different MPM settings, however with no definitive consensus. In this comprehensive review, the prognostic value of FDG-PET imaging exclusively performed at staging in MPM patients was evaluated, conducting a literature search on PubMed/MEDLINE from 2010 to 2020. From the 19 selected studies, despite heterogeneity in several aspects, staging FDG-PET imaging emerges as a valuable prognostic biomarker, with higher tumor uptake predictive of worse prognosis, and with volumetric metabolic parameters like Metabolic Tumor Volume, (MTV) and Total Lesion Glycolisis (TLG) performing better than SUVmax. However, PET uptake parameters were not always confirmed as independent prognostic factors, especially in patients previously treated with pleurodesis and with a non-epithelioid histotype. Future prospective studies in larger and clinically homogeneous populations, and using more standardized methods of PET images analysis, are needed to further validate the value of staging FDG-PET in the prognostic MPM stratification, with a potential impact on better patient-tailored treatment planning, in the perspective of personalized medicine

A Bio-Imaging Signature as a Predictor of Clinical Outcomes in Locally Advanced Pancreatic Cancer

Purpose: To evaluate the predictive value of 18F-FDG PET/CT semiquantitative parameters of the primary tumour and CA 19-9 levels assessed before treatment in patients with locally advanced pancreatic cancer (LAPC). Methods: Among one-hundred twenty patients with LAPC treated at our institution with initial chemotherapy followed by curative chemoradiotherapy (CRT) from July 2013 to January 2019, a secondary analysis with baseline 18F-FDG PET/CT was conducted in fifty-eight patients. Pre-treatment CA 19-9 level and the maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax), metabolic tumour volume (MTV) and total lesion glycolysis (TLG) of primary tumour were measured. The receiving operating characteristics (ROC) analysis was performed to define the cut-off point of SUVmax, MTV, TLG and CA 19-9 values to use in prediction of early progression (EP), local progression (LP) and overall survival (OS). Areas under the curve (AUCs) were assessed for all variables. Post-test probability was calculated to evaluate the advantage for parameters combination. Results: For EP, CA 19-9 level > 698 U/mL resulted the best marker to identify patient at higher risk with OR of 5.96 (95% CI, 1.66–19.47; p = 0.005) and a Positive Predictive Value (PPV) of 61%. For LP, the most significant parameter was TLG (OR 9.75, 95% CI, 1.64–57.87, p = 0.012), with PPV of 83%. For OS, the most significant parameter was MTV (OR 3.12, 95% CI, 0.9–10.83, p = 0.07) with PPV of 88%. Adding consecutively each of the other parameters, PPV to identify patients at risk resulted further increased (>90%). Conclusions: Pre-treatment CA 19-9 level, as well as MTV and TLG values of primary tumour at baseline 18F-FDG PET/CT and their combination, may represent significant predictors of EP, LP and OS in LAPC patients

A bio-imaging signature as a predictor of clinical outcomes in locally advanced pancreatic cancer

Purpose: To evaluate the predictive value of18F-FDG PET/CT semiquantitative parameters of the primary tumour and CA 19-9 levels assessed before treatment in patients with locally advanced pancreatic cancer (LAPC). Methods: Among one-hundred twenty patients with LAPC treated at our institution with initial chemotherapy followed by curative chemoradiotherapy (CRT) from July 2013 to January 2019, a secondary analysis with baseline18F-FDG PET/CT was conducted in fifty-eight patients. Pre-treatment CA 19-9 level and the maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax), metabolic tumour volume (MTV) and total lesion glycolysis (TLG) of primary tumour were measured. The receiving operating characteristics (ROC) analysis was performed to define the cut-off point of SUVmax, MTV, TLG and CA 19-9 values to use in prediction of early progression (EP), local progression (LP) and overall survival (OS). Areas under the curve (AUCs) were assessed for all variables. Post-test probability was calculated to evaluate the advantage for parameters combination. Results: For EP, CA 19-9 level > 698 U/mL resulted the best marker to identify patient at higher risk with OR of 5.96 (95% CI, 1.66\u201319.47; p = 0.005) and a Positive Predictive Value (PPV) of 61%. For LP, the most significant parameter was TLG (OR 9.75, 95% CI, 1.64\u201357.87, p = 0.012), with PPV of 83%. For OS, the most significant parameter was MTV (OR 3.12, 95% CI, 0.9\u201310.83, p = 0.07) with PPV of 88%. Adding consecutively each of the other parameters, PPV to identify patients at risk resulted further increased (>90%). Conclusions: Pre-treatment CA 19-9 level, as well as MTV and TLG values of primary tumour at baseline18F-FDG PET/CT and their combination, may represent significant predictors of EP, LP and OS in LAPC patients

Composite-Based Path Modeling for Conditional Quantiles Prediction. An Application to Assess Health Differences at Local Level in a Well-Being Perspective

Quantile composite-based path modeling is a recent extension to the conventional partial least squares path modeling. It estimates the effects that predictors exert on the whole conditional distributions of the outcomes involved in path models and provides a comprehensive view on the structure of the relationships among the variables. This method can also be used in a predictive way as it estimates model parameters for each quantile of interest and provides conditional quantile predictions for the manifest variables of the outcome blocks. Quantile composite-based path modeling is shown in action on real data concerning well-being indicators. Health outcomes are assessed taking into account the effects of Economic well-being and Education. In fact, to support an accurate evaluation of the regional performances, the conditions within the outcomes arise should be properly considered. Assessing health inequalities in this multidimensional perspective can highlight the unobserved heterogeneity and contribute to advances in knowledge about the dynamics producing the well-being outcomes at local level