The polarization properties of a tilted polarizer

Polarizers are key components in optical science and technology. Thus, understanding the action of a polarizer beyond oversimplifying approximations is crucial. In this work, we study the interaction of a polarizing interface with an obliquely incident wave experimentally. To this end, a set of Mueller matrices is acquired employing a novel procedure robust against experimental imperfections. We connect our observation to a geometric model, useful to predict the effect of polarizers on complex light fields.Comment: 11 pages, 5 figure

Is an App Better than an Email? Developing Trust in a Mobile Financial Advisory Service - Design and Evaluation of a Prototype

Private banks see great potential in digital technologies for engaging with clients. Both practitioners and researchers believe that digital technologies, such as mobile applications, increase transparency in the advisory process and consequently raise trust, satisfaction and customer loyalty. This study proposes 5 design requirements (DR) for developing trust in a mobile financial advisory service. A first prototype was designed following the proposed DR. In addition, we conduct an experimental evaluation with 34 participants and compare the prototype with email communication. The findings provide mixed results on how a mobile application, designed according to the proposed DR, could increase trust and intention to use. With regard to overall satisfaction, the app was favored over email communication

Survey of benchmarks in metadata quality: Initial findings

Librar

Increased Short-Term Beat-To-Beat Variability of QT Interval in Patients with Acromegaly.

Cardiovascular diseases, including ventricular arrhythmias are responsible for increased mortality in patients with acromegaly. Acromegaly may cause repolarization abnormalities such as QT prolongation and impairment of repolarization reserve enhancing liability to arrhythmia. The aim of this study was to determine the short-term beat-to-beat QT variability in patients with acromegaly. Thirty acromegalic patients (23 women and 7 men, mean age+/-SD: 55.7+/-10.4 years) were compared with age- and sex-matched volunteers (mean age 51.3+/-7.6 years). Cardiac repolarization parameters including frequency corrected QT interval, PQ and QRS intervals, duration of terminal part of T waves (Tpeak-Tend) and short-term variability of QT interval were evaluated. All acromegalic patients and controls underwent transthoracic echocardiographic examination. Autonomic function was assessed by means of five standard cardiovascular reflex tests. Comparison of the two groups revealed no significant differences in the conventional ECG parameters of repolarization (QT: 401.1+/-30.6 ms vs 389.3+/-16.5 ms, corrected QT interval: 430.1+/-18.6 ms vs 425.6+/-17.3 ms, QT dispersion: 38.2+/-13.2 ms vs 36.6+/-10.2 ms; acromegaly vs control, respectively). However, short-term beat-to-beat QT variability was significantly increased in acromegalic patients (4.23+/-1.03 ms vs 3.02+/-0.80, P<0.0001). There were significant differences between the two groups in the echocardiographic dimensions (left ventricular end diastolic diameter: 52.6+/-5.4 mm vs 48.0+/-3.9 mm, left ventricular end systolic diameter: 32.3+/-5.2 mm vs 29.1+/-4.4 mm, interventricular septum: 11.1+/-2.2 mm vs 8.8+/-0.7 mm, posterior wall of left ventricle: 10.8+/-1.4 mm vs 8.9+/-0.7 mm, P<0.05, respectively). Short-term beat-to-beat QT variability was elevated in patients with acromegaly in spite of unchanged conventional parameters of ventricular repolarization. This enhanced temporal QT variability may be an early indicator of increased liability to arrhythmia

Molecularly defined diffuse leptomeningeal glioneuronal tumor (DLGNT) comprises two subgroups with distinct clinical and genetic features

Diffuse leptomeningeal glioneuronal tumors (DLGNT) represent rare CNS neoplasms which have been included in the 2016 update of the WHO classification. The wide spectrum of histopathological and radiological features can make this enigmatic tumor entity difficult to diagnose. In recent years, large-scale genomic and epigenomic analyses have afforded insight into key genetic alterations occurring in multiple types of brain tumors and provide unbiased, complementary tools to improve diagnostic accuracy. Through genome-wide DNA methylation screening of &gt; 25,000 tumors, we discovered a molecularly distinct class comprising 30 tumors, mostly diagnosed histologically as DLGNTs. Copy-number profiles derived from the methylation arrays revealed unifying characteristics, including loss of chromosomal arm 1p in all cases. Furthermore, this molecular DLGNT class can be subdivided into two subgroups [DLGNT methylation class (MC)-1 and DLGNT methylation class (MC)-2], with all DLGNT-MC-2 additionally displaying a gain of chromosomal arm 1q. Co-deletion of 1p/19q, commonly seen in IDH-mutant oligodendroglioma, was frequently observed in DLGNT, especially in DLGNT-MC-1 cases. Both subgroups also had recurrent genetic alterations leading to an aberrant MAPK/ERK pathway, with KIAA1549:BRAF fusion being the most frequent event. Other alterations included fusions of NTRK1/2/3 and TRIM33:RAF1, adding up to an MAPK/ERK pathway activation identified in 80% of cases. In the DLGNT-MC-1 group, age at diagnosis was significantly lower (median 5 vs 14 years, p &lt; 0.01) and clinical course less aggressive (5-year OS 100, vs 43% in DLGNT-MC-2). Our study proposes an additional molecular layer to the current histopathological classification of DLGNT, of particular use for cases without typical morphological or radiological characteristics, such as diffuse growth and radiologic leptomeningeal dissemination. Recurrent 1p deletion and MAPK/ERK pathway activation represent diagnostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets, respectively—laying the foundation for future clinical trials with, e.g., MEK inhibitors that may improve the clinical outcome of patients with DLGNT

Categorizing diffuse parenchymal lung disease in children

Background Aim of this study was to verify a systematic and practical categorization system that allows dynamic classification of pediatric DPLD irrespective of completeness of patient data. Methods The study was based on 2322 children submitted to the kids-lung-register between 1997 and 2012. Of these children 791 were assigned to 12 DPLD categories, more than 2/3 belonged to categories manifesting primarily in infancy. The work-flow of the pediatric DPLD categorization system included (i) the generation of a final working diagnosis, decision on the presence or absence of (ii) DPLD and (iii) a systemic or lung only condition, and (iv) the allocation to a category and subcategory. The validity and inter-observer dependency of this workflow was re-tested using a systematic sample of 100 cases. Results Two blinded raters allocated more than 80 % of the re-categorized cases identically. Non-identical allocation was due to lack of appreciation of all available details, insufficient knowledge of the classification rules by the raters, incomplete patient data, and shortcomings of the classification system itself. Conclusions This study provides a suitable workflow and hand-on rules for the categorization of pediatric DPLD. Potential pitfalls were identified and a foundation was laid for the development of consensus-based, international categorization guidelines

Glucosylsphingosine Is a Highly Sensitive and Specific Biomarker for Primary Diagnostic and Follow-Up Monitoring in Gaucher Disease in a Non-Jewish, Caucasian Cohort of Gaucher Disease Patients

Gaucher disease (GD) is the most common lysosomal storage disorder (LSD). Based on a deficient β-glucocerebrosidase it leads to an accumulation of glucosylceramide. Standard diagnostic procedures include measurement of enzyme activity, genetic testing as well as analysis of chitotriosidase and CCL18/PARC as biomarkers. Even though chitotriosidase is the most well-established biomarker in GD, it is not specific for GD. Furthermore, it may be false negative in a significant percentage of GD patients due to mutation. Additionally, chitotriosidase reflects the changes in the course of the disease belatedly. This further enhances the need for a reliable biomarker, especially for the monitoring of the disease and the impact of potential treatments.Here, we evaluated the sensitivity and specificity of the previously reported biomarker Glucosylsphingosine with regard to different control groups (healthy control vs. GD carriers vs. other LSDs).Only GD patients displayed elevated levels of Glucosylsphingosine higher than 12 ng/ml whereas the comparison controls groups revealed concentrations below the pathological cut-off, verifying the specificity of Glucosylsphingosine as a biomarker for GD. In addition, we evaluated the biomarker before and during enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) in 19 patients, demonstrating a decrease in Glucosylsphingosine over time with the most pronounced reduction within the first 6 months of ERT. Furthermore, our data reveals a correlation between the medical consequence of specific mutations and Glucosylsphingosine.In summary, Glucosylsphingosine is a very promising, reliable and specific biomarker for GD

Effects of diabetes and hypertension on macrophage infiltration and matrix expansion in the rat kidney

BACKGROUND: In experimental models of diabetes mellitus, aggravation of renal injury by concomitant hypertension has been described. Inflammatory mechanisms contribute to renal damage in both diseases. We investigated whether hypertension and diabetes mellitus act synergistically to induce macrophage infiltration and matrix expansion in the kidney. METHODS: Insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus was induced by streptozotocin injections to hypertensive mRen2-transgenic rats (TGR) and normotensive Sprague-Dawley control rats. Quantitative immunohistochemical examination of kidney tissue sections was used to measure macrophage infiltration and matrix expansion. The expression of MCP-1, Osteopontin, RANTES, ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 was evaluated by real-time RT-PCR. The localization of MCP-1 was studied by immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: Macrophage infiltration was present in the kidney of normotensive diabetic rats. Hypertensive rats exhibited a more marked infiltration of macrophages, regardless of whether diabetes was present or not. Gene expression of ICAM-1, VCAM-1 and RANTES was unaltered whereas Osteopontin and MCP-1 were induced by hypertension. Immunoreactive MCP-1 was slightly increased in diabetic rat kidney podocytes, and more markedly increased in hypertensive animals. Glomerular matrix accumulation was induced by diabetes and hypertension to a similar degree, and was highest in hypertensive, diabetic animals. CONCLUSION: Diabetes mellitus caused a mild, and angiotensin-dependent hypertension a more marked infiltration of macrophages in the kidney. Combination of both diseases led to additive effects on matrix expansion but not on inflammation. Hypertension appears to be a much stronger stimulus for inflammation of the kidney than STZ diabetes, at least in mRen2-transgenic rats