3,396 research outputs found
Simultaneous bistability of qubit and resonator in circuit quantum electrodynamics
We explore the joint activated dynamics exhibited by two quantum degrees of
freedom: a cavity mode oscillator which is strongly coupled to a
superconducting qubit in the strongly coherently driven dispersive regime.
Dynamical simulations and complementary measurements show a range of parameters
where both the cavity and the qubit exhibit sudden simultaneous switching
between two metastable states. This manifests in ensemble averaged amplitudes
of both the cavity and qubit exhibiting a partial coherent cancellation.
Transmission measurements of driven microwave cavities coupled to transmon
qubits show detailed features which agree with the theory in the regime of
simultaneous switching
Development and evaluation of a diagnostic cytokine-release assay for Mycobacterium suricattae infection in meerkats (Suricata suricatta)
CITATION: Clarke, C., et al. 2017. Development and evaluation of a diagnostic cytokine-release assay for mycobacterium suricattae infection in meerkats (Suricata suricatta). BMC Veterinary Research, 13:2, doi:10.1186/s12917-016-0927-x.The original publication is available at http://bmcvetres.biomedcentral.comBackground: Sensitive diagnostic tools are necessary for the detection of Mycobacterium suricattae infection in meerkats (Suricata suricatta) in order to more clearly understand the epidemiology of tuberculosis and the
ecological consequences of the disease in this species. We therefore aimed to develop a cytokine release assay to measure antigen-specific cell-mediated immune responses of meerkats.
Results: Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) were evaluated for the detection of interferon-gamma
(IFN-γ) and IFN-γ inducible protein 10 (IP-10) in meerkat plasma. An IP-10 ELISA was selected to measure the release of this cytokine in whole blood in response to Bovigam® PC-HP Stimulating Antigen, a commercial peptide pool of M. bovis antigens. Using this protocol, captive meerkats with no known M. suricattae exposure (n = 10) were tested and results were used to define a diagnostic cut off value (mean plus 2 standard deviations). This IP-10 release
assay (IPRA) was then evaluated in free-living meerkats with known M. suricattae exposure, categorized as having either a low, moderate or high risk of infection with this pathogen. In each category, respectively, 24.7%, 27.3% and 82.4% of animals tested IPRA-positive. The odds of an animal testing positive was 14.0 times greater for animals
with a high risk of M. suricattae infection compared to animals with a low risk.
Conclusion: These results support the use of this assay as a measure of M. suricattae exposure in meerkat
populations. Ongoing longitudinal studies aim to evaluate the value of the IPRA as a diagnostic test of M. suricattae infection in individual animals.http://bmcvetres.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12917-016-0927-xPublisher's versio
Small bowel obstruction complicating colonoscopy: a case report
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Introduction</p> <p>This report describes a rare complication of colonoscopy and reviews the literature with regard to other rare causes of acute abdominal presentations following colonoscopy.</p> <p>Case presentation</p> <p>After a therapeutic colonoscopy a 60-year-old woman developed an acute abdomen. At laparotomy she was discovered to have small bowel obstruction secondary to incarceration through a congenital band adhesion.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Although there is no practical way in which such rare complications can be predicted, this case report emphasises the wide array of pathologies that can result in acute abdominal symptoms following colonoscopy.</p
Why Are Male Social Relationships Complex in the Doubtful Sound Bottlenose Dolphin Population?
Copyright 2008 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.Peer reviewedPublisher PD
Systematic review of communication technologies to promote access and engagement of young people with diabetes into healthcare
Background: Research has investigated whether communication technologies (e.g. mobile telephony, forums,
email) can be used to transfer digital information between healthcare professionals and young people who live
with diabetes. The systematic review evaluates the effectiveness and impact of these technologies on
communication.
Methods: Nine electronic databases were searched. Technologies were described and a narrative synthesis of all
studies was undertaken.
Results: Of 20,925 publications identified, 19 met the inclusion criteria, with 18 technologies assessed. Five
categories of communication technologies were identified: video-and tele-conferencing (n = 2); mobile telephony
(n = 3); telephone support (n = 3); novel electronic communication devices for transferring clinical information (n =
10); and web-based discussion boards (n = 1). Ten studies showed a positive improvement in HbA1c following the
intervention with four studies reporting detrimental increases in HbA1c levels. In fifteen studies communication
technologies increased the frequency of contact between patient and healthcare professional. Findings were
inconsistent of an association between improvements in HbA1c and increased contact. Limited evidence was
available concerning behavioural and care coordination outcomes, although improvement in quality of life, patientcaregiver
interaction, self-care and metabolic transmission were reported for some communication technologies.
Conclusions: The breadth of study design and types of technologies reported make the magnitude of benefit and
their effects on health difficult to determine. While communication technologies may increase the frequency of
contact between patient and health care professional, it remains unclear whether this results in improved
outcomes and is often the basis of the intervention itself. Further research is needed to explore the effectiveness
and cost effectiveness of increasing the use of communication technologies between young people and
healthcare professionals
Astrometry with Hubble Space Telescope: A Parallax of the Fundamental Distance Calibrator RR Lyrae
We present an absolute parallax and relative proper motion for the
fundamental distance scale calibrator, RR Lyr. We obtain these with astrometric
data from FGS 3, a white-light interferometer on HST. We find mas. Spectral classifications and VRIJHKTM and DDO51 photometry of
the astrometric reference frame surrounding RR Lyr indicate that field
extinction is low along this line of sight. We estimate =0.07\pm0.03 for
these reference stars. The extinction suffered by RR Lyr becomes one of the
dominant contributors to the uncertainty in its absolute magnitude. Adopting
the average field absorption, =0.07 \pm 0.03, we obtain M_V^{RR} = 0.61
^{-0.11}_{+0.10}. This provides a distance modulus for the LMC, m-M = 18.38 -
18.53^{-0.11}_{+0.10} with the average extinction-corrected magnitude of RR Lyr
variables in the LMC, , remaining a significant uncertainty. We compare
this result to more than 80 other determinations of the distance modulus of the
LMC.Comment: Several typos corrected. To appear in The Astronomical Journal,
January 200
A systematic review and meta-synthesis of the impact of low back pain on people's lives
Copyright @ 2014 Froud et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative
Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and
reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly credited.Background - Low back pain (LBP) is a common and costly problem that many interpret within a biopsychosocial model. There is renewed concern that core-sets of outcome measures do not capture what is important. To inform debate about the coverage of back pain outcome measure core-sets, and to suggest areas worthy of exploration within healthcare consultations, we have synthesised the qualitative literature on the impact of low back pain on people’s lives.
Methods - Two reviewers searched CINAHL, Embase, PsycINFO, PEDro, and Medline, identifying qualitative studies of people’s experiences of non-specific LBP. Abstracted data were thematic coded and synthesised using a meta-ethnographic, and a meta-narrative approach.
Results - We included 49 papers describing 42 studies. Patients are concerned with engagement in meaningful activities; but they also want to be believed and have their experiences and identity, as someone ‘doing battle’ with pain, validated. Patients seek diagnosis, treatment, and cure, but also reassurance of the absence of pathology. Some struggle to meet social expectations and obligations. When these are achieved, the credibility of their pain/disability claims can be jeopardised. Others withdraw, fearful of disapproval, or unable or unwilling to accommodate social demands. Patients generally seek to regain their pre-pain levels of health, and physical and emotional stability. After time, this can be perceived to become unrealistic and some adjust their expectations accordingly.
Conclusions - The social component of the biopsychosocial model is not well represented in current core-sets of outcome measures. Clinicians should appreciate that the broader impact of low back pain includes social factors; this may be crucial to improving patients’ experiences of health care. Researchers should consider social factors to help develop a portfolio of more relevant outcome measures.Arthritis Research U
Genome sequencing of the extinct Eurasian wild aurochs, Bos primigenius, illuminates the phylogeography and evolution of cattle
Background
Domestication of the now-extinct wild aurochs, Bos primigenius, gave rise to the two major domestic extant cattle taxa, B. taurus and B. indicus. While previous genetic studies have shed some light on the evolutionary relationships between European aurochs and modern cattle, important questions remain unanswered, including the phylogenetic status of aurochs, whether gene flow from aurochs into early domestic populations occurred, and which genomic regions were subject to selection processes during and after domestication. Here, we address these questions using whole-genome sequencing data generated from an approximately 6,750-year-old British aurochs bone and genome sequence data from 81 additional cattle plus genome-wide single nucleotide polymorphism data from a diverse panel of 1,225 modern animals.
Results
Phylogenomic analyses place the aurochs as a distinct outgroup to the domestic B. taurus lineage, supporting the predominant Near Eastern origin of European cattle. Conversely, traditional British and Irish breeds share more genetic variants with this aurochs specimen than other European populations, supporting localized gene flow from aurochs into the ancestors of modern British and Irish cattle, perhaps through purposeful restocking by early herders in Britain. Finally, the functions of genes showing evidence for positive selection in B. taurus are enriched for neurobiology, growth, metabolism and immunobiology, suggesting that these biological processes have been important in the domestication of cattle.
Conclusions
This work provides important new information regarding the origins and functional evolution of modern cattle, revealing that the interface between early European domestic populations and wild aurochs was significantly more complex than previously thought
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