Supersymmetric Distributions, Hilbert Spaces of Supersymmetric Functions and Quantum Fields

The recently investigated Hilbert-Krein and other positivity structures of the superspace are considered in the framework of superdistributions. These tools are applied to problems raised by the rigorous supersymmetric quantum field theory.Comment: 24 page

Van der Waerden calculus with commuting spinor variables and the Hilbert-Krein structure of the superspace

Working with anticommuting Weyl(or Mayorana) spinors in the framework of the van der Waerden calculus is standard in supersymmetry. The natural frame for rigorous supersymmetric quantum field theory makes use of operator-valued superdistributions defined on supersymmetric test functions. In turn this makes necessary a van der Waerden calculus in which the Grassmann variables anticommute but the fermionic components are commutative instead of being anticommutative. We work out such a calculus in view of applications to the rigorous conceptual problems of the N=1 supersymmetric quantum field theory.Comment: 14 page

Education and Research in the SEENET-MTP Regional Framework for Higher Education in Physics

Southeastern European countries undergo significant changes in the demand/supply ratio on the labour market and in the structure of professional competences that are necessary for undertaking a professional activity. In addition, brain-drain process and decrease of interest for a career in basic sciences put many challenges for our community. Consequently, based on the activity of the Southeastern European Network in Mathematical and Theoretical Physics (SEENET MTP Network) in connecting groups and persons working in mathematics and theoretical physics, we investigate specific qualifications recognized in these fields in all the countries from the region, and the related competences necessary for practicing the respective occupations. A list of new possible occupations will be promoted for inclusion in the National Qualifications Register for Higher Education. Finally, we analyze the vision existing in this region on the higher education qualifications against the European vision and experience, in particular in training of Master students, PhD students, and senior teaching and research staff through the Network, i.e. multilateral and bilateral programs.Comment: 6 pages, Talk given at 7th International Conference of the Balkan Physical Union, Alexandruoplos, Greece, 9-13 September 2009. To be published in AIP Conf.Pro

Statistical atlases for electroanatomical mapping of cardiac arrhythmias

Electroanatomical mapping is a mandatory time-consuming planning step in cardiac catheter ablation. In practice, interventional cardiologists target specific endocardial areas for mapping based on personal experience, general electrophysiology principles, and preoperative anatomical scans. Effective fusion of all available information towards a useful mapping strategy has not been standardised and achieving the optimal map within time and space constraints is challenging. In this paper, a novel framework for computing optimal endocardial mapping locations in patients with congenital heart disease (CHD) is proposed. The method is based on a statistical electroanatomical model (SEAM) which is instantiated from preoperative anatomy in order to achieve an initial prediction of the electrical map. Simultaneously, the anatomical areas with the highest frequency of mapping among the similar cases in the dataset are detected and a classifier is trained to filter these points based on the electroanatomical data. The framework was tested in an iterative process of adding mapping points to the SEAM and computing the instantiation error, with retrospective clinical data of 66 CHD cases available

Role of oral teriflunomide in the management of multiple sclerosis

The landscape of the treatment of relapsing–remitting multiple sclerosis is changing fast. Several oral treatments have shown benefit and generate much interest because of the convenience of their administration. Two oral compounds, fingolimod and teriflunomide, have been approved in relapsing–remitting multiple sclerosis, while others have completed Phase III trials and are awaiting review for registration. Teriflunomide is a pyrimidine synthesis inhibitor with selective immunomodulatory and immunosuppressive properties that have shown consistent efficacy in clinical trials, and a good safety profile. This paper provides an overview of the mechanisms of action and efficacy and safety results from clinical trials with this drug. The role of teriflunomide in the treatment of relapsing–remitting multiple sclerosis is discussed

Maintenance Intravenous Immunoglobulin Treatment for Multiple Sclerosis Coexisting with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome and Muir-Torre Syndrome: A Case Study

The therapeutic options for disease modification in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) have expanded remarkably in the last 15 years. Although intravenous immunoglobulins (IVIg) have shown some therapeutic effects in multiple sclerosis, reducing global supplies, restriction of treatment to essential indications and availability of effective alternative treatments for MS currently exclude IVIg from being an accepted therapy for MS, other than for some exceptional considerations. We report the case of a female patient with RRMS who was diagnosed with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS) and Muir-Torre syndrome (MTS) soon after the diagnosis of active RRMS was made. The coexisting conditions precluded the use of available disease-modifying treatments. She benefited from monthly and then bi-monthly IVIg, with a single mild relapse over 10 years. Discontinuation of IVIg due to reduced availability with a brief aborted course of subcutaneous PEGylated interferon-beta was followed by significant relapses. Five months after the first ocrelizumab infusion, she developed caecal cancer requiring colectomy. Reinstitution of IVIg is contemplated

Body Contouring Surgery Following Bariatric Surgery and Dietetically Induced Massive Weight Reduction: A Risk Analysis

Background: This study analyzed the impact of weight reduction method, preoperative, and intraoperative variables on the outcome of reconstructive body contouring surgery following massive weight reduction. Methods: All patients presenting with a maximal BMI ≥35kg/m2 before weight reduction who underwent body contouring surgery of the trunk following massive weight loss (excess body mass index loss (EBMIL) ≥ 30%) between January 2002 and June 2007 were retrospectively analyzed. Incomplete records or follow-up led to exclusion. Statistical analysis focused on weight reduction method and pre-, intra-, and postoperative risk factors. The outcome was compared to current literature results. Results: A total of 104 patients were included (87 female and 17 male; mean age 47.9years). Massive weight reduction was achieved through bariatric surgery in 62 patients (59.6%) and dietetically in 42 patients (40.4%). Dietetically achieved excess body mass index loss (EBMIL) was 94.20% and in this cohort higher than surgically induced reduction EBMIL 80.80% (p < 0.01). Bariatric surgery did not present increased risks for complications for the secondary body contouring procedures. The observed complications (26.9%) were analyzed for risk factors. Total tissue resection weight was a significant risk factor (p < 0.05). Preoperative BMI had an impact on infections (p < 0.05). No impact on the postoperative outcome was detected in EBMIL, maximal BMI, smoking, hemoglobin, blood loss, body contouring technique or operation time. Corrective procedures were performed in 11 patients (10.6%). The results were compared to recent data. Conclusion: Bariatric surgery does not increase risks for complications in subsequent body contouring procedures when compared to massive dietetic weight reductio

Constrained Statistical Modelling of Knee Flexion from Multi-Pose Magnetic Resonance Imaging

© 1982-2012 IEEE.Reconstruction of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) through arthroscopy is one of the most common procedures in orthopaedics. It requires accurate alignment and drilling of the tibial and femoral tunnels through which the ligament graft is attached. Although commercial computer-Assisted navigation systems exist to guide the placement of these tunnels, most of them are limited to a fixed pose without due consideration of dynamic factors involved in different knee flexion angles. This paper presents a new model for intraoperative guidance of arthroscopic ACL reconstruction with reduced error particularly in the ligament attachment area. The method uses 3D preoperative data at different flexion angles to build a subject-specific statistical model of knee pose. To circumvent the problem of limited training samples and ensure physically meaningful pose instantiation, homogeneous transformations between different poses and local-deformation finite element modelling are used to enlarge the training set. Subsequently, an anatomical geodesic flexion analysis is performed to extract the subject-specific flexion characteristics. The advantages of the method were also tested by detailed comparison to standard Principal Component Analysis (PCA), nonlinear PCA without training set enlargement, and other state-of-The-Art articulated joint modelling methods. The method yielded sub-millimetre accuracy, demonstrating its potential clinical value

Large eddy simulation of the velocity-intermittency structure for flow over a field of symmetric dunes

Owing to their frequent occurrence in the natural environment, there has been significant interest in refining our understanding of flow over dunes and other bedforms. Recent work in this area has focused, in particular, on their shear-layer characteristics and the manner by which flow structures are generated. However, field-based studies, are reliant on single-, or multi-point measurements, rather than delimiting flow structures from the velocity gradient tensor, as is possible in numerical work. Here, we extract pointwise time series from a well-resolved large eddy simulation as a means to connect these two approaches. The at-a-point analysis technique is termed the velocity-intermittency quadrant method and relates the fluctuating, longitudinal velocity, u 1 ′ (t) , to its fluctuating pointwise Hölder regularity, . Despite the difference in boundary conditions, our results agree very well with previous experiments that show the importance, in the region above the dunes, of a quadrant 3 (u 1 ′ 0) dominant near the wall and quadrant 2 dominant close to the lower part of the separated shear layer. These results are consistent with a near-wall advection of vorticity into a region downstream of a temporarily foreshortened reattachment region, and the entrainment of slow moving and quiescent fluid into a faster, more turbulent shear layer. A comparison of instantaneous vorticity fields to the velocity-intermittency analysis shows how the pointwise results reflect larger-scale organisation of the flow. We illustrate this using results from two instantaneous datasets. In the former, extreme velocity-intermittency events corresponding to a foreshortened recirculation region (and high pressures on the stoss slope of the dune immediately downstream) arise, and the development of intense flow structures occurs as a consequence. In the other case, development of a 'skimming flow' with relatively little exchange between the inner and outer regions results in exceedances because of the coherence associated with this high velocity, high turbulence outer region. Thus, our results shed further light on the characteristics of dune flow in the near-wall region and, importantly for field-based research, show that useful information on flow structure can be obtained from single-point single velocity component measurements