1,917 research outputs found
Spectral Line-by-Line Pulse Shaping of an On-Chip Microresonator Frequency Comb
We report, for the first time to the best of our knowledge, spectral phase
characterization and line-by-line pulse shaping of an optical frequency comb
generated by nonlinear wave mixing in a microring resonator. Through
programmable pulse shaping the comb is compressed into a train of
near-transform-limited pulses of \approx 300 fs duration (intensity full width
half maximum) at 595 GHz repetition rate. An additional, simple example of
optical arbitrary waveform generation is presented. The ability to characterize
and then stably compress the frequency comb provides new data on the stability
of the spectral phase and suggests that random relative frequency shifts due to
uncorrelated variations of frequency dependent phase are at or below the 100
microHertz level.Comment: 18 pages, 4 figure
Photonics - An atomic dimmer switch
Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/62775/1/396217a0.pd
Oral tolerance to cancer can be abrogated by T regulatory cell inhibition
Oral administration of tumour cells induces an immune hypo-responsiveness known as oral tolerance. We have previously shown that oral tolerance to a cancer is tumour antigen specific, non-cross-reactive and confers a tumour growth advantage. We investigated the utilisation of regulatory T cell (Treg) depletion on oral tolerance to a cancer and its ability to control tumour growth. Balb/C mice were gavage fed homogenised tumour tissue – JBS fibrosarcoma (to induce oral tolerance to a cancer), or PBS as control. Growth of subcutaneous JBS tumours were measured; splenic tissue excised and flow cytometry used to quantify and compare systemic Tregs and T effector (Teff) cell populations. Prior to and/or following tumour feeding, mice were intraperitoneally administered anti-CD25, to inactivate systemic Tregs, or given isotype antibody as a control. Mice which were orally tolerised prior to subcutaneous tumour induction, displayed significantly higher systemic Treg levels (14% vs 6%) and faster tumour growth rates than controls (p<0.05). Complete regression of tumours were only seen after Treg inactivation and occurred in all groups - this was not inhibited by tumour feeding. The cure rates for Treg inactivation were 60% during tolerisation, 75% during tumour growth and 100% during inactivation for both tolerisation and tumour growth. Depletion of Tregs gave rise to an increased number of Teff cells. Treg depletion post-tolerisation and post-tumour induction led to the complete regression of all tumours on tumour bearing mice. Oral administration of tumour tissue, confers a tumour growth advantage and is accompanied by an increase in systemic Treg levels. The administration of anti-CD25 Ab decreased Treg numbers and caused an increase in Teffs. Most notably Treg cell inhibition overcame established oral tolerance with consequent tumor regression, especially relevant to foregut cancers where oral tolerance is likely to be induced by the shedding of tumour tissue into the gut
Noise auto-correlation spectroscopy with coherent Raman scattering
Ultrafast lasers have become one of the most powerful tools in coherent
nonlinear optical spectroscopy. Short pulses enable direct observation of fast
molecular dynamics, whereas broad spectral bandwidth offers ways of controlling
nonlinear optical processes by means of quantum interferences. Special care is
usually taken to preserve the coherence of laser pulses as it determines the
accuracy of a spectroscopic measurement. Here we present a new approach to
coherent Raman spectroscopy based on deliberately introduced noise, which
increases the spectral resolution, robustness and efficiency. We probe laser
induced molecular vibrations using a broadband laser pulse with intentionally
randomized amplitude and phase. The vibrational resonances result in and are
identified through the appearance of intensity correlations in the noisy
spectrum of coherently scattered photons. Spectral resolution is neither
limited by the pulse bandwidth, nor sensitive to the quality of the temporal
and spectral profile of the pulses. This is particularly attractive for the
applications in microscopy, biological imaging and remote sensing, where
dispersion and scattering properties of the medium often undermine the
applicability of ultrafast lasers. The proposed method combines the efficiency
and resolution of a coherent process with the robustness of incoherent light.
As we demonstrate here, it can be implemented by simply destroying the
coherence of a laser pulse, and without any elaborate temporal scanning or
spectral shaping commonly required by the frequency-resolved spectroscopic
methods with ultrashort pulses.Comment: To appear in Nature Physic
A New Statistical Image Analysis Approach and Its Application to Hippocampal Morphometry
In this work, we propose a novel and powerful image analysis framework for hippocampal morphometry in early mild cognitive impairment (EMCI), an early prodromal stage of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). We create a hippocampal surface atlas with subfield information, model each hippocampus using the SPHARM technique, and register it to the atlas to extract surface deformation signals. We propose a new alternative to standard random field theory (RFT) and permutation image analysis methods, Statistical Parametric Mapping (SPM) Distribution Analysis or SPM-DA, to perform statistical shape analysis and compare its performance with that of RFT methods on both simulated and real hippocampal surface data. The major strengths of our framework are twofold: (a) SPM-DA provides potentially more powerful algorithms than standard RFT methods for detecting weak signals, and (b) the framework embraces the important hippocampal subfield information for improved biological interpretation. We demonstrate the effectiveness of our method via an application to an AD cohort, where an SPM-DA method detects meaningful hippocampal shape differences in EMCI that are undetected by standard RFT methods
CKD classification based on estimated GFR over three years and subsequent cardiac and mortality outcomes: a cohort study
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>It is unknown whether defining chronic kidney disease (CKD) based on one versus two estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) assessments changes the prognostic importance of reduced eGFR in a community-based population.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Participants in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study and the Cardiovascular Health Study were classified into 4 groups based on two eGFR assessments separated by 35.3 ± 2.5 months: sustained eGFR < 60 mL/min per 1.73 m<sup>2 </sup>(1 mL/sec per 1.73 m<sup>2</sup>); eGFR increase (change from below to above 60); eGFR decline (change from above to below 60); and eGFR persistently ≥60. Outcomes assessed in stratified multivariable Cox models included cardiac events and a composite of cardiac events, stroke, and mortality.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>There were 891 (4.9%) participants with sustained eGFR < 60, 278 (1.5%) with eGFR increase, 972 (5.4%) with eGFR decline, and 15,925 (88.2%) with sustained eGFR > 60. Participants with eGFR sustained < 60 were at highest risk of cardiac and composite events [HR = 1.38 (1.15, 1.65) and 1.58 (1.41, 1.77)], respectively, followed by eGFR decline [HR = 1.20 (1.00, 1.45) and 1.32 (1.17, 1.49)]. Individuals with eGFR increase trended toward increased cardiac risk [HR = 1.25 (0.88, 1.77)] and did not significantly differ from eGFR decline for any outcome. Results were similar when estimating GFR with the CKD-EPI equation.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Individuals with persistently reduced eGFR are at highest risk of cardiovascular outcomes and mortality, while individuals with an eGFR < 60 mL/min per 1.73 m<sup>2 </sup>at any time are at intermediate risk. Use of even a single measurement of eGFR to classify CKD in a community population appears to have prognostic value.</p
Stellar Disk Truncations: Where do we stand ?
In the light of several recent developments we revisit the phenomenon of
galactic stellar disk truncations. Even 25 years since the first paper on outer
breaks in the radial light profiles of spiral galaxies, their origin is still
unclear. The two most promising explanations are that these 'outer edges'
either trace the maximum angular momentum during the galaxy formation epoch, or
are associated with global star formation thresholds. Depending on their true
physical nature, these outer edges may represent an improved size
characteristic (e.g., as compared to D_25) and might contain fossil evidence
imprinted by the galaxy formation and evolutionary history. We will address
several observational aspects of disk truncations: their existence, not only in
normal HSB galaxies, but also in LSB and even dwarf galaxies; their detailed
shape, not sharp cut-offs as thought before, but in fact demarcating the start
of a region with a steeper exponential distribution of starlight; their
possible association with bars; as well as problems related to the
line-of-sight integration for edge-on galaxies (the main targets for truncation
searches so far). Taken together, these observations currently favour the
star-formation threshold model, but more work is necessary to implement the
truncations as adequate parameters characterising galactic disks.Comment: LaTeX, 10 pages, 6 figures, presented at the "Penetrating Bars
through Masks of Cosmic Dust" conference in South Africa, proceedings
published by Kluwer, and edited by Block, D.L., Freeman, K.C., Puerari, I., &
Groess, R; v3 to match published versio
Workflow to improve patient recruitment for clinical trials within hospital information systems – a case-study
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The identification of suitable patients is a common problem in clinical trials that is especially evident in tertiary care hospitals.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We developed and analysed a workflow, which uses routine data captured during patient care in a hospital information system (HIS), to identify potential trial subjects. Study nurses or physicians are notified automatically by email and verify eligibility.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>As a case study we implemented the system for acute myeloid leukemia (AML) trials in Münster. During a test period of 50 days 41 patients were identified by the system. 13 could be included as new trial patients, 7 were already included during earlier visits. According to review of paper records no AML trial patient was missed by the system. In addition, the hospital information system further allowed to preselect patients for specific trials based on their disease status and individual characteristics.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Routine HIS data can be used to support patient recruitment for clinical trials by means of an automated notification workflow.</p
Acupuncture for chronic neck pain: a pilot for a randomised controlled trial
Background: Acupuncture is increasingly being used for many conditions including chronic neck pain. However the evidence remains inconclusive, indicating the need for further well-designed research. The aim of this study was to conduct a pilot randomised controlled parallel arm trial, to establish key features required for the design and implementation of a large-scale trial on acupuncture for chronic neck pain. Methods: Patients whose GPs had diagnosed neck pain were recruited from one general practice, and randomised to receive usual GP care only, or acupuncture ( up to 10 treatments over 3 months) as an adjunctive treatment to usual GP care. The primary outcome measure was the Northwick Park Neck Pain Questionnaire (NPQ) at 3 months. The primary analysis was to determine the sample size for the full scale study. Results: Of the 227 patients with neck pain identified from the GP database, 28 (12.3%) consenting patients were eligible to participate in the pilot and 24 (10.5%) were recruited to the trial. Ten patients were randomised to acupuncture, receiving an average of eight treatments from one of four acupuncturists, and 14 were randomised to usual GP care alone. The sample size for the full scale trial was calculated from a clinically meaningful difference of 5% on the NPQ and, from this pilot, an adjusted standard deviation of 15.3%. Assuming 90% power at the 5% significance level, a sample size of 229 would be required in each arm in a large-scale trial when allowing for a loss to follow-up rate of 14%. In order to achieve this sample, one would need to identify patients from databases of GP practices with a total population of 230,000 patients, or approximately 15 GP practices roughly equal in size to the one involved in this study (i.e. 15,694 patients). Conclusion: This pilot study has allowed a number of recommendations to be made to facilitate the design of a large-scale trial, which in turn will help to clarify the existing evidence base on acupuncture for neck pain
Allergic rhinitis
Allergic rhinitis is a common disorder that is strongly linked to asthma and conjunctivitis. It is usually a long-standing condition that often goes undetected in the primary-care setting. The classic symptoms of the disorder are nasal congestion, nasal itch, rhinorrhea and sneezing. A thorough history, physical examination and allergen skin testing are important for establishing the diagnosis of allergic rhinitis. Second-generation oral antihistamines and intranasal corticosteroids are the mainstay of treatment. Allergen immunotherapy is an effective immune-modulating treatment that should be recommended if pharmacologic therapy for allergic rhinitis is not effective or is not tolerated. This article provides an overview of the pathophysiology, diagnosis, and appropriate management of this disorder
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