Coherent Dynamics in Quantum Emitters under Dichromatic Excitation.

We characterize the coherent dynamics of a two-level quantum emitter driven by a pair of symmetrically detuned phase-locked pulses. The promise of dichromatic excitation is to spectrally isolate the excitation laser from the quantum emission, enabling background-free photon extraction from the emitter. While excitation is not possible without spectral overlap between the exciting pulse and the quantum emitter transition for ideal two-level systems due to cancellation of the accumulated pulse area, we find that any additional interactions that interfere with cancellation of the accumulated pulse area may lead to a finite stationary population inversion. Our spectroscopic results of a solid-state two-level system show that, while coupling to lattice vibrations helps to improve the inversion efficiency up to 50% under symmetric driving, coherent population control and a larger amount of inversion are possible using asymmetric dichromatic excitation, which we achieve by adjusting the ratio of the intensities between the red- and blue-detuned pulses. Our measured results, supported by simulations using a real-time path-integral method, offer a new perspective toward realizing efficient, background-free photon generation and extraction.

First Report of 'Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus' Associated with Huanglongbing on Citrus latifolia in Martinique and Guadeloupe, French West Indies.

Huanglongbing is an unculturable vascular citrus pathogen transmitted from infected to healthy plants through grafting or by citrus psyllids, Diaphorina citri mainly in Asia and America and Trioza erytreae in Africa. This phloem limited gram-negative bacterium causes dramatic yield losses and is classified into three species based on 16S rDNA sequence analysis (2): (i) 'Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus' (Las), the most epidemiologically active, widespread and heat tolerant species; (ii) 'Ca. L. africanus' (Laf), only found in Africa; and (iii) the newly described 'Ca. L. americanus' (Lam), which appeared in 2005 in Brazil (5). Considered as a quarantine organism in America and Europe, Las is actively affecting North America and Asia, and research is leading toward psyllid management and resistance breeding. Despite the fact that Reunion Island has successfully controlled Las by introducing a psyllid parasitoid, Tamarixia radiata (1), this strategy was less effective or reproducible within other territories. D. citri was first detected in Guadeloupe in 1998, where the control of the the psyllid population has been effective with T. radiata (3); and was first detected in Martinique in 2012. Following the outbreak in the United States and the Caribbean, and also supported by reports of symptoms in citrus orchards, local National Plant Protection Organizations (NPPO) organized a detection survey across both islands to verify the occurrence of Huanglongbing. Since 2012, 450 sites were prospected each year in Martinique and Guadeloupe, where 20 leaves from 10 to 30 trees were analyzed. DNA extraction was performed (DNeasy Plant Mini Kit, Qiagen) on fresh or dried leaf midribs, along with negative control midribs (Citrus paradisi 'Star Rubis') and PCR amplification was done with the species-specific primers A2/J5 (4) and GB1/GB3 (5). Only Las-specific 703-bp amplicons were obtained (n = 43) and 20 were sequenced (Beckman Coulter Genomics, United Kingdom; sequences available through GenBank Accession Nos. KF699074 to KF699093) and blasted against the National Center for Biotechnology Information non-redondant database (NCBI-nr). BLAST analysis revealed 100% identity with the 50S ribosomal protein subunit L1 (rplA) and L10 (rplJ) of 'Ca. L. asiaticus' (all strains), and no significant homology to other organisms. Additionally, sequence assembly on a reference genome (NC_012985) showed 100% homology. Huanglongbing was detected in Guadeloupe on March 2012 at Le Moule (East coast) in a Tahiti lime orchard (C. latifolia) and crossed the island in 6 months. Las was detected in Martinique on May 2013 on Tahiti lime (C. latifolia) at Bellefontaine (Northwest) in a private garden and at Le Lorrain (Northeast) in an orchard. Other species from the Rutaceae family were affected by HLB (C. reticulat and C. sinensis) on both islands; however, few of the positive samples showed HLB symptoms (blotchy mottle patterns and green islands on leaves), but presented symptoms similar to nutrient deficiencies. Despite the former presence of T. radiata in Guadeloupe and its detection in Martinique a few weeks after the detection of D. citri, where it had a mean parasitism rate of 70%, an outbreak of HLB spread across both islands. These analyses confirm the presence of HLB in Martinique and Guadeloupe and to our knowledge represent the first report of Las in the French West Indies. Introduction events remain unclear, but this report raises the importance of plant certification, psyllid population control, and surveillance of territories close to the French West Indies, with regards to the risk that HLB presents to citrus production worldwide. References: (1) B. Aubert et al. Fruits. 38, 1983. (2) J. M. Bové. J. Plant Pathol. 88:1, 2006. (3) J. Etienne et al. Fruits. 56:05, 2001. (4) A. Hocquellet et al. Mol. Cell. Probes 13:5, 1999. (5) D. C. Teixeira et al. Mol. Cell. Probes 19:3, 2005.

Guidance to 2018 good practice: ARIA digitally-enabled, integrated, person-centred care for rhinitis and asthma.

AIMS: Mobile Airways Sentinel NetworK (MASK) belongs to the Fondation Partenariale MACVIA-LR of Montpellier, France and aims to provide an active and healthy life to rhinitis sufferers and to those with asthma multimorbidity across the life cycle, whatever their gender or socio-economic status, in order to reduce health and social inequities incurred by the disease and to improve the digital transformation of health and care. The ultimate goal is to change the management strategy in chronic diseases. METHODS: MASK implements ICT technologies for individualized and predictive medicine to develop novel care pathways by a multi-disciplinary group centred around the patients. STAKEHOLDERS: Include patients, health care professionals (pharmacists and physicians), authorities, patient's associations, private and public sectors. RESULTS: MASK is deployed in 23 countries and 17 languages. 26,000 users have registered. EU GRANTS 2018: MASK is participating in EU projects (POLLAR: impact of air POLLution in Asthma and Rhinitis, EIT Health, DigitalHealthEurope, Euriphi and Vigour). LESSONS LEARNT: (i) Adherence to treatment is the major problem of allergic disease, (ii) Self-management strategies should be considerably expanded (behavioural), (iii) Change management is essential in allergic diseases, (iv) Education strategies should be reconsidered using a patient-centred approach and (v) Lessons learnt for allergic diseases can be expanded to chronic diseases.

MASK 2017: ARIA digitally-enabled, integrated, person-centred care for rhinitis and asthma multimorbidity using real-world-evidence.

mHealth, such as apps running on consumer smart devices is becoming increasingly popular and has the potential to profoundly affect healthcare and health outcomes. However, it may be disruptive and results achieved are not always reaching the goals. Allergic Rhinitis and its Impact on Asthma (ARIA) has evolved from a guideline using the best evidence-based approach to care pathways suited to real-life using mobile technology in allergic rhinitis (AR) and asthma multimorbidity. Patients largely use over-the-counter medications dispensed in pharmacies. Shared decision making centered around the patient and based on self-management should be the norm. Mobile Airways Sentinel networK (MASK), the Phase 3 ARIA initiative, is based on the freely available MASK app (the Allergy Diary, Android and iOS platforms). MASK is available in 16 languages and deployed in 23 countries. The present paper provides an overview of the methods used in MASK and the key results obtained to date. These include a novel phenotypic characterization of the patients, confirmation of the impact of allergic rhinitis on work productivity and treatment patterns in real life. Most patients appear to self-medicate, are often non-adherent and do not follow guidelines. Moreover, the Allergy Diary is able to distinguish between AR medications. The potential usefulness of MASK will be further explored by POLLAR (Impact of Air Pollution on Asthma and Rhinitis), a new Horizon 2020 project using the Allergy Diary.

Real-time mobile detection of drug use with wearable biosensors: a pilot study.

While reliable detection of illicit drug use is paramount to the field of addiction, current methods involving self-report and urine drug screens have substantial limitations that hinder their utility. Wearable biosensors may fill a void by providing valuable objective data regarding the timing and contexts of drug use. This is a preliminary observational study of four emergency department patients receiving parenteral opioids and one individual using cocaine in a natural environment. A portable biosensor was placed on the inner wrist of each subject, to continuously measure electrodermal activity (EDA), skin temperature, and acceleration. Data were continuously recorded for at least 5 min prior to drug administration, during administration, and for at least 30 min afterward. Overall trends in biophysiometric parameters were assessed. Injection of opioids and cocaine use were associated with rises in EDA. Cocaine injection was also associated with a decrease in skin temperature. Opioid tolerance appeared to be associated with a blunted physiologic response as measured by the biosensor. Laterality may be an important factor, as magnitude of response varied between dominant and nondominant wrists in a single patient with bilateral wrist measurements. Changes in EDA and skin temperature are temporally associated with intravenous administration of opioids and cocaine; the intensity of response, however, may vary depending on history and extent of prior use.

Implantable artificial lung. Preliminary report.

The ultimate treatment of chronic respiratory insufficiency is pulmonary replacement by an artificial organ, homologous lung transplantation, or chronic paracorporeal respiratory supplementation. The woven capillary membrane oxygenator appears to be a major development toward implantable artificial organs. The four units tested are made up of screens 3.5 by 4.0 cm. of capillary tubing 0.3 mm. I.D. by 0.64 mm. O.D. assembled into rectangular blocks. Units made up by five, ten, twenty, and forty screens have been assembled and tested according to the protocol suggested by Galletti. The maximum oxygen transfer rate with blood was 48 ml. per minute per square meter. Water carbon dioxide transfer rate was 23.1 ml. per minute per square meter. The pressure drops in the liquid phase were 8.5, 15.3, 13.8, 17.6 mm. Hg at 1 L. per minute flow. These results indicate that the woven capillary membrane lung is an acceptably efficient oxygenator. The characteristics of design and performance suggest that this oxygenator can be made to be implanted into the chest or used as a paracorporeal respiratory assistance device.

Coupling between agonist and chloride ionophore sites of the GABA(A) receptor: agonist/antagonist efficacy of 4-PIOL.

Eight gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) mimetics were tested on their ability to differentiate native GABA(A) receptor subtypes present in various rat brain regions. In rat brain cryostat sections, little regional variations by the agonistic actions of muscimol, thiomuscimol, 4,5,6,7-tetrahydroisoazolo(5,4-c)pyridin-3-ol, piperidine-4-sulphonic acid, taurine and beta-alanine on [35S]t-butylbicyclophosphorothionate ([35S]TBPS) binding to GABA(A) receptor channels were found. They were very similar to those found for GABA itself and indicated no direct correlation with single subunit distributions for any of these compounds. Only the low-efficacy GABA mimetic 5-(4-piperidyl)isoxazol-3-ol (4-PIOL) acted like a weak partial agonist or antagonist depending on the brain area. As the cerebellar granule cell layer was relatively insensitive to both modes of action, we tested 4-PIOL in recombinant alpha1beta2gamma2 (widespread major subtype) and alpha6beta2gamma2 (cerebellar granule cell restricted) receptors where it had different effects on GABA-modulated [35S]TBPS binding and on electrophysiological responses. 4-PIOL may thus serve as a potential lead for receptor subtype selective compounds.

Twinning in southern Israel; secular trends, ethnic variation and effects of maternal age and parity.

Twin births in southern Israel between 1970 and 1986 were examined in the Jewish and Bedouin populations. An increase in dizygotic twinning in the whole population, largely due to an increase of rate in the Bedouin population was found. The dizygotic twinning rate in the Bedouin population rose until it reached the level found in the Jewish population. No change with time was found in the monozygotic twinning rates in either population. This suggests that while dizygotic twinning rates are influenced by environmental factors, the monozygotic twinning rates are not. The effects of maternal age and parity on dizygotic and monozygotic twinning rates differed in the two ethnic groups examined. In the Jewish population the dizygotic twinning rate was related to maternal age and parity, while in the Bedouins only maternal age affects the rate. The monozygotic twinning rate has an inverted U shape with maternal age in the Jewish population and is linearly related to maternal age in Bedouin women. No effect of parity on the Jewish monozygotic twinning rate is found but this rate is directly affected by parity in Bedouin women. The effects of maternal age and parity together were examined in both populations. Both maternal age and parity affected the twinning rates; however, the effects are not additive and no interaction between maternal age and parity was found.

M-lattice: from morphogenesis to image processing.

The paper is based on reaction-diffusion, a nonlinear mechanism first proposed by Turing in 1952 to account for morphogenesis, the formation of shape and pattern in nature. One of the key limitations of reaction-diffusion systems is that they are generally unbounded, making them awkward for digital image processing. In this paper we introduce the "M-lattice", a system that preserves the pattern-formation properties of reaction-diffusion and is bounded. On the theoretical front, we establish how the M-lattice is closely related to the analog Hopfield network and the cellular neural network, but has more flexibility in how its variables interact. Like many "neurally inspired" systems, the bounded M-lattice also enables computer or analog VLSI implementations to simulate a variety of partial and ordinary differential equations. On the practical front, we demonstrate two novel applications of reaction-diffusion formulated as the new M-lattice. These are adaptive filtering, applied to the restoration and enhancement of fingerprint images, and nonlinear programming, applied to image halftoning in both "faithful" and "special effects" styles.

Cluster-based probability model and its application to image and texture processing.

We develop, analyze, and apply a specific form of mixture modeling for density estimation within the context of image and texture processing. The technique captures much of the higher order, nonlinear statistical relationships present among vector elements by combining aspects of kernel estimation and cluster analysis. Experimental results are presented in the following applications: image restoration, image and texture compression, and texture classification.

Video orbits of the projective group a simple approach to featureless estimation of parameters.

We present direct featureless methods for estimating the eight parameters of an "exact" projective (homographic) coordinate transformation to register pairs of images, together with the application of seamlessly combining a plurality of images of the same scene, resulting in a single image (or new image sequence) of greater resolution or spatial extent. The approach is "exact" for two cases of static scenes: (1) images taken from the same location of an arbitrary three-dimensional (3-D) scene, with a camera that is free to pan, tilt, rotate about its optical axis, and zoom, or (2) images of a flat scene taken from arbitrary locations. The featureless projective approach generalizes interframe camera motion estimation methods that have previously used a camera model (which lacks the degrees of freedom to "exactly" characterize such phenomena as camera pan and tilt) and/or which have relied upon finding points of correspondence between the image frames. The featureless projective approach, which operates directly on the image pixels, is shown to be superior in accuracy and the ability to enhance the resolution. The proposed methods work well on image data collected from both good-quality and poor-quality video under a wide variety of conditions (sunny, cloudy, day, night). These new fully automatic methods are also shown to be robust to deviations from the assumptions of static scene and no parallax.

On the efficiency of the orthogonal least squares training method for radial basis function networks.

The efficiency of the orthogonal least squares (OLS) method for training approximation networks is examined using the criterion of energy compaction. We show that the selection of basis vectors produced by the procedure is not the most compact when the approximation is performed using a nonorthogonal basis. Hence, the algorithm does not produce the smallest possible networks for a given approximation error. Specific examples are given using the Gaussian radial basis functions type of approximation networks.

Uterine rupture complicating midtrimester abortion. A report of two cases.

Uterine rupture occurring during a midtrimester abortion is rare. This complication may lead to profound shock and death as well as to interference with the patient's future fertility. Two patients sustained a uterine rupture during midtrimester abortion. This complication seems to be preventable. The risk of uterine rupture due to overstimulation is higher when amnioinfusion with prostaglandin or hypertonic saline is combined with the use of other oxytocic drugs. Grand multiparas undergoing amnioinfusion should not be given oxytocin; in the rare cases in which oxytocin is needed, it should be administered cautiously and monitored continuously. When a supplemental agent, such as an oxytocic, is needed, it should not be started until several hours after the amnioinfusion.

Birth weight discordance, intrauterine growth retardation and perinatal outcomes in twins.

In a population-based study, the association between twin perinatal outcome, birth weight discordance and intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) was investigated. Mortality was examined in 1,145 twin pairs, and neonatal morbidity was studied in 315 live-born pairs. In this study, birth weight discordance was defined as > or = 25% of the weight of the heavier twin, and IUGR was defined as < 10th percentile of gender- and gestational age-specific singleton birth weight. In univariate analyses IUGR and discordance were associated with mortality but not with morbidity. When twins were categorized by discordance and IUGR simultaneously, stillbirths were associated with IUGR, while discordant twins had elevated risks of early neonatal death. In multiple logistic regression analyses, which also included gestational age, mode of delivery, birth order, birth weight discordance and IUGR, low birth weight was the single consistent factor associated with elevated risks of mortality and morbidity. For every 250-g increase in birth weight, the risks for each condition examined fell by about 40%. Discordance was an independent risk factor only for hypoglycemia, while IUGR was not associated with any neonatal outcome. Birth weight itself seems to be the most important factor associated with perinatal outcome in twin births. Therefore, the weight of the individual fetus should be the focus of concern of the medical profession in the effort to reduce adverse outcomes in twin pregnancies.

Twinning in southern Israel. Seasonal variation and effects of ethnicity, maternal age and parity.

Seasonality of births in southern Israel was examined in two populations, Jews and Bedouins, with distinctly different life-styles. The study included 1,444 twin births that occurred between the years 1970 and 1986. The peak month for the birth of monozygotic twins was September in both populations, while the maximum number of deliveries occurred in January for the Bedouins and August for the Jews. Of Jewish dizygotic twin births, higher rates were found from July to December. In addition, the peak months of singleton births in women aged 35 years and older and in women of high parity did not coincide with the peak months of multiple births. Maternal age and parity have been shown to greatly influence twin birth rates. The autumnal peak we found, which was independent of ethnic origin and its associated cultural and sociologic differences, was also independent of maternal age and parity and was consistent with findings in other populations in the northern hemisphere. That finding suggests that a seasonal factor, as yet undefined, affects the rates of multiple births.

Effect of interfacial tension on propagating polymerization fronts.

This paper is devoted to the investigation of polymerization fronts converting a liquid monomer into a liquid polymer. We assume that the monomer and the polymer are immiscible and study the influence of the interfacial tension on the front stability. The mathematical model consists of the reaction-diffusion equations coupled with the Navier-Stokes equations through the convection terms. The jump conditions at the interface take into account the interfacial tension. Simple physical arguments show that the same temperature distribution could not lead to Marangoni instability for a nonreacting system. We fulfill a linear stability analysis and show that interaction of the chemical reaction and of the interfacial tension can lead to an instability that has another mechanism: the heat produced by the reaction decreases the interfacial tension and initiates the liquid motion. It brings more monomer to the reaction zone and increases even more the heat production. This feedback mechanism can lead to the instability if the frontal Marangoni number exceeds a critical value. (c) 2000 American Institute of Physics.

[Congenital mitral and tricuspid double stenosis]. / Double sténose tricuspide et mitrale congénitale.

The authors report the case of a child followed up from the age of 4 months to the age of 15 for asymptomatic congenital heart disease. Initial clinical examination showed the presence of a systolic murmur and a diastolic rumble in the xiphoid area with signs of right atrial dilatation-hypertrophy. During follow-up, an apical diastolic rumble was detected with left atrial dilatation from the age of 3. Doppler echocardiography carried out recently showed double mitral and tricuspid valve stenosis with two-dimensional appearances of doming of both valves and moderate transvalvular pressure gradients with slight elevation of pulmonary artery pressures on the Doppler study. The very early detection of the malformation and the continuous follow-up of this patient indicate the congenital and not rheumatic origin of this double valve stenosis.

[Measurement by isotope study of the cardiac output in the elderly]. / Mesure par étude isotopique du débit cardiaque chez le vieillard.

Cardiac output and haemodynamic volumetric values (stroke volume, stroke index, left ventricular end-diastolic volume, blood volume, mean corpuscular volume and packed red cell volume) were measured in a population of 69 very old subjects (80 to 102 years) whose heart was regarded as normal on the basis of criteria determined, by radiocardiography and radionuclide ventriculography. These harmless and non-invasive techniques provided reference values in subjects of a seldom explored age group. Altogether, these values were lower than those of younger adults, and they decreased with age. Their reliability is due to the fact that they were obtained by true measurement and not by extrapolation of results observed in adults.

[Pericarditis and pulmonary embolism. A difficult differential diagnosis and a confusing association]. / Péricardite et embolie pulmonaire. Un diagnostic différentiel difficile, une association déroutante.

The association of pericarditis and pulmonary embolism may be the source of diagnostic error and delay in the administration of anticoagulant therapy. Two cases are reported. Pericarditis occurred late in patients with severe, chronic pulmonary embolism with electrocardiographic changes of acute cor pulmonale. Two physiopathological mechanisms for this association have been proposed. The first, haemodynamic, suggests friction between the pericardium and distended right ventricle and pulmonary artery. The second, an immunological hypothesis, compares the association of pericarditis and pulmonary embolism to that of the Dressler syndrome after myocardial infarction. This assimilation would imply the constitution of an anatomical pulmonary infarction. It is not justifiable to accept this pathogenesis on the evidence of transient pulmonary opacities resulting from intra-alveolar haemorrhage or of linear opacities of pulmonary atelectasis secondary to hypocapnic pneumoconstriction which are radiological signs of anatomo-physiological stages of pre-infarction.

[Incomplete spontaneous rupture of the supravalvular aorta complicated by pericarditis and aortic insufficiency]. / Rupture spontanée incomplète de l'aorte sus-sigmoïdienne compliquée de péricardite et d'insuffisance aortique.

The natural history of an incomplete spontaneous rupture of the ascending aorta over a 4-year period is reported. The initial presentation was subacute pericarditis which regressed spontaneously. Aortic regurgitation developed on the 100th day of the disease and was perfectly well tolerated haemodynamically for 4 years. This favourable course was interrupted by type I aortic dissection. The post-mortem examination provided an explanation for the peculiar development and course of the aortic regurgitation: it was due not to the usual prolapse of the cups but to displacement of the left posterior commissure by the retractile fibrosis arising from the lower lip of the spontaneous rupture.