50 research outputs found
Applications of Persistent Homology in Nuclear Collisions
We introduce a novel set of observables associated to the rapidly developing
field of persistent homology for the quantitative characterization of nuclear
collisions and their evolution. Persistent homology allows for the
identification of topological and homological characteristics of distributions
in multi-dimensional spaces. We demonstrate here how to apply the toolset of
persistent homology to the extraction of novel clustering signatures and the
identification of long-range flow correlations in the particle production
process of nuclear collisions
15x15
In 1968 Andy Warhol stated that; ‘In the future, everyone will be world-famous for 15 minutes’. Considering the mass popularity of reality TV shows such as Big Brother & The X Factor, and the ability to publish your own video content via media sharing sites such as YouTube; Warhol’s statement seems more pertinent today than ever.
Using Warhol’s statement as a premise, 15x15 advances the statement into the 21st century: Utilising new media technologies; the web and mobile cameraphones, 15x15 offers the opportunity for anyone, anywhere, to be world famous……. for 15 seconds.
Anyone can contribute to the piece using a standard mobile camera phone that can capture video, and can send video clips directly from the camera phone using MMS (Multimedia Messaging Service), via email or upload to the online database. The clips can be portraits, experiential, vignettes, experimental, anything within reason, from the banal to the downright bizarre!
The viewable artwork is an interface consisting of 15 individual rectangular screens, each individual screen displays a random video clip stored within the database for a 15 second duration: 15x15.
In the 21st century art is being fundamentally realigned for anyone and everyone. 15x15 is a homage to Warhol, a realisation of the artistic utilisation of new media technology and the democratisation of art in the age of digital production
Assessment of HBV flare in a randomized clinical trial in HIV/HBV coinfected subjects initiating HBV-active antiretroviral therapy in Thailand
BACKGROUND: Hepatic Flare (HF) after initiation of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) in HIV-HBV coinfected individuals is well recognized but prospective data on predictors and subsequent outcome are limited. METHODS: The Tenofovir in HIV-HBV coinfection study was a randomized clinical trial of HBV-active HAART including lamivudine and/or tenofovir in antiretroviral naïve HIV-HBV individuals in Thailand. RESULTS: Early HF (EHF) was defined as ALT > 5 × ULN during the first 12 weeks. EHF was observed in 8 (22%) of individuals at a median of 56 days. 6/8 EHF cases were asymptomatic and resolved with HAART continuation, however one subject with underlying cirrhosis died following rapid hepatic decompensation. EHF was significantly associated with higher baseline ALT (79 IU/L vs 36 IU/L non-EHF, p = 0.008) and HBV DNA (9.9 log10 c/ml vs 8.4 log10 c/ml non EHF, p = 0.009), and subsequent serological change. HBeAg loss occurred in 75% of EHF cases versus 22% in non-EHF (p = 0.04), and HBsAg loss in 25% of EHF cases versus 4% of non-EHF (p = 0.053). CONCLUSION: EHF after HBV active HAART initiation was frequently observed in this population. Timing of EHF, association with elevated ALT and HBV DNA and high rate of seroconversion are all consistent with immune restoration as the likely underlying process. CLINICAL TRIAL NUMBER: NCT00192595
Sofosbuvir/velpatasvir for 12 vs. 6 weeks for the treatment of recently acquired hepatitis C infection.
BACKGROUND AND AIMS
Shortened duration therapy for acute and recent hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection has been shown to be highly effective in several small non-randomised studies with direct-acting antiviral regimens, however large randomised studies are lacking.
METHODS
REACT was an NIH-funded multicentre international, open-label, randomised, phase 4 non-inferiority trial examining the efficacy of short course (6 weeks) versus standard course (12 weeks) therapy with sofosbuvir-velpatasvir for recent HCV infection (estimated duration of infection <= 12 months). Randomisation occurred at week 6. The primary endpoint was SVR12 in the intention-to treat (ITT) population. A total of 250 participants were planned for enrolment. On advice of the data safety and monitoring board the study was halted early.
RESULTS
Primary analysis population consisted of 188 randomised participants at termination of study enrolment; short arm (n=93), standard arm (n=95). Ninety seven percent were male and 69% HIV positive. ITT SVR12 was 76/93, 81.7% (95% CI 72.4-89.0) in the short arm and 86/95, 90.5% (95% CI 82.7-95.6) in the standard arm. The difference between the arms was -8.8 (95% CI: -18.6, 1.0). By modified ITT analysis in which non-virological reasons for failure were excluded (death, reinfection, lost to follow-up) SVR12 was 76/85, 89.4% (95% CI 80.8-95.0) in the short arm and 86/88, 97.7% in the standard arm (95% CI 92.0-99.7; difference -8.3%, p=0.025).
CONCLUSIONS
In this randomised study in recent HCV infection, 6 weeks sofosbuvir-velpatasvir did not meet the criteria for non-inferiority to standard 12 weeks duration.
LAY SUMMARY
In this randomised trial one hundred and eighty people with recently acquired hepatitis C infection were randomly assigned to treatment using either a short 6-week course (93 people) or standard 12-week course (95 people) of the hepatitis C treatment sofosbuvir/velpatasvir. There were nine cases of relapse after treatment in the short course and two using the standard course. A shortened course of 6 weeks therapy for hepatitis C infection was considered not as effective as a standard twelve week course in people with recently acquired hepatitis C infection.
TRIAL REGISTRATION
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT02625909
Strong gravitational lensing probes of the particle nature of dark matter
There is a vast menagerie of plausible candidates for the constituents of
dark matter, both within and beyond extensions of the Standard Model of
particle physics. Each of these candidates may have scattering (and other)
cross section properties that are consistent with the dark matter abundance,
BBN, and the most scales in the matter power spectrum; but which may have
vastly different behavior at sub-galactic "cutoff" scales, below which dark
matter density fluctuations are smoothed out. The only way to quantitatively
measure the power spectrum behavior at sub-galactic scales at distances beyond
the local universe, and indeed over cosmic time, is through probes available in
multiply imaged strong gravitational lenses. Gravitational potential
perturbations by dark matter substructure encode information in the observed
relative magnifications, positions, and time delays in a strong lens. Each of
these is sensitive to a different moment of the substructure mass function and
to different effective mass ranges of the substructure. The time delay
perturbations, in particular, are proving to be largely immune to the
degeneracies and systematic uncertainties that have impacted exploitation of
strong lenses for such studies. There is great potential for a coordinated
theoretical and observational effort to enable a sophisticated exploitation of
strong gravitational lenses as direct probes of dark matter properties. This
opportunity motivates this white paper, and drives the need for: a) strong
support of the theoretical work necessary to understand all astrophysical
consequences for different dark matter candidates; and b) tailored
observational campaigns, and even a fully dedicated mission, to obtain the
requisite data.Comment: Science white paper submitted to the Astro2010 Decadal Cosmology &
Fundamental Physics Science Frontier Pane
Australia\u27s health 2002 : the eighth biennial report of the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare
Australia\u27s Health 2002 is the eighth biennial health report of the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. It is the nation\u27s authoritative source of information on patterns of health and illness, determinants of health, the supply and use of health services, and health service costs and performance. Australia\u27s Health 2002 is an essential reference and information resource for all Australians with an interest in health
The Prevalence of Sexually Transmitted Infections in Papua New Guinea: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Patellofemoral osteoarthritis (PF OA) is more prevalent than previously thought and contributes to patient's suffering from knee OA. Synthesis of prevalence data can provide estimates of the burden of PF OA
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