Signatures of Interactions in the Andreev Spectrum of Nanowire Josephson Junctions.

We performed microwave spectroscopy of an InAs nanowire between superconducting contacts implementing a finite-length, multichannel Josephson weak link. Certain features in the spectra, such as the splitting by spin-orbit interactions of the transition lines among Andreev states, have been already understood in terms of noninteracting models. However, we identify here additional transitions, which evidence the presence of Coulomb interactions. By combining experimental measurements and model calculations, we reach a qualitative understanding of these very rich Andreev spectra.

From Adiabatic to Dispersive Readout of Quantum Circuits.

Spectral properties of a quantum circuit are efficiently read out by monitoring the resonance frequency shift it induces in a microwave resonator coupled to it. When the two systems are strongly detuned, theory attributes the shift to an effective resonator capacitance or inductance that depends on the quantum circuit state. At small detuning, the shift arises from the exchange of virtual photons, as described by the Jaynes-Cummings model. Here we present a theory bridging these two limits and illustrate, with several examples, its necessity for a general description of quantum circuits readout.

Stabilization of betalains by encapsulation-a review.

Betalains are pigments that have properties that benefit health, such as antioxidant, anticancer, and antimicrobial activity, and they also possess a high ability to provide color. However, these pigments, although used as colorants in certain foods, have not been able to be potentialized to diverse areas such as pharmacology, due to their instability to physicochemical factors such as high temperature, pH changes and high water activity. For this reason, different stabilization methods have been reported. The method that has presented best results for diversifying the use of betalains has been encapsulation. Encapsulation is a method of entrapment where the objective is to protect a compound utilizing more stable matrices from encapsulation technologies. This method has been employed to provide greater stability to betalains, using different matrices and encapsulation technologies. However, a review does not exist, to our knowledge, which analyzes the effect of matrices and encapsulation technologies on betalains stabilization. Therefore, the objective of this review article was to evaluate the different matrices and encapsulation techniques that have been employed to stabilize betalains, in order to arrive at specific conclusions concerning the effect of encapsulation on their stabilization and to propose new techniques and matrices that could promote their stabilization.

Exciting Andreev pairs in a superconducting atomic contact.

The Josephson effect describes the flow of supercurrent in a weak link-such as a tunnel junction, nanowire or molecule-between two superconductors. It is the basis for a variety of circuits and devices, with applications ranging from medicine to quantum information. Experiments using Josephson circuits that behave like artificial atoms are now revolutionizing the way we probe and exploit the laws of quantum physics. Microscopically, the supercurrent is carried by Andreev pair states, which are localized at the weak link. These states come in doublets and have energies inside the superconducting gap. Existing Josephson circuits are based on properties of just the ground state of each doublet, and so far the excited states have not been directly detected. Here we establish their existence through spectroscopic measurements of superconducting atomic contacts. The spectra, which depend on the atomic configuration and on the phase difference between the superconductors, are in complete agreement with theory. Andreev doublets could be exploited to encode information in novel types of superconducting qubits.

[Ischemic cardiomyopathy as a presentation of pheocromocytoma]. / Cardiopatía isquémica como forma de presentación de feocromocitoma.

Pheochromocytoma is a rare cause of ischaemic heart disease. We present the case of a patient in whom pheochromocytoma was diagnosed following ischaemic heart disease with absence of coronary lesions, demonstrating the importance of taking it into account in the differential diagnosis in these cases, especially considering that curative treatment is available.

An analytical framework on the leaching potential of veterinary pharmaceuticals: A case study for the Netherlands.

Veterinary pharmaceuticals (VPs) residues may end up on the soil via manure, and from there can be transported to groundwater due to leaching. In this study an analytical framework to estimate the leaching potential of VPs at the national scale is presented. This approach takes soil-applied VPs concentrations, soil-hydraulic and soil-chemical properties, groundwater levels, sorption and degradation of VPs into account. For six commonly soil-applied VPs in the Netherlands, we assess quantities leached to groundwater and their spatial distribution, as well as the relative importance of processes that drive leaching. Our results for VPs Oxytetracycline, Doxycycline, and Ivermectin indicate that maximum quantities that may leach to groundwater are very low, i.e. ≪1 µg/ha, hence spatial differences are not investigated. For VPs Sulfadiazine and Flubendazole we identify a few regions that are potentially prone to leaching, with leached quantities higher than 1 µg/ha. Leaching patterns of these two VPs are dominated by soil properties and groundwater levels rather than soil-applied quantities. For Dexamethasone, even though applied on the soil in much lower concentrations compared to other investigated VPs, spatially widespread leaching to groundwater is found, with leached quantities higher than 1 µg/ha. Due to the leaching affinity of Dexamethasone, variations in the soil-applied amounts have significant influence on the quantities leached to groundwater. Dexamethasone is highlighted as important for the future environmental risk assessment efforts. This study has shown that the leaching potential of VPs is not determined by one single parameter, but by a combination of parameters. This combination also depends on the compound investigated.

Evidence for long-lived quasiparticles trapped in superconducting point contacts.

We have observed that the supercurrent across phase-biased, highly transmitting atomic size contacts is strongly reduced within a broad phase interval around π. We attribute this effect to quasiparticle trapping in one of the discrete subgap Andreev bound states formed at the contact. Trapping occurs essentially when the Andreev energy is smaller than half the superconducting gap Δ, a situation in which the lifetime of trapped quasiparticles is found to exceed 100 µs. The origin of this sharp energy threshold is presently not understood.

Coherent manipulation of Andreev states in superconducting atomic contacts.

Coherent control of quantum states has been demonstrated in a variety of superconducting devices. In all of these devices, the variables that are manipulated are collective electromagnetic degrees of freedom: charge, superconducting phase, or flux. Here we demonstrate the coherent manipulation of a quantum system based on Andreev bound states, which are microscopic quasi-particle states inherent to superconducting weak links. Using a circuit quantum electrodynamics setup, we performed single-shot readout of this Andreev qubit. We determined its excited-state lifetime and coherence time to be in the microsecond range. Quantum jumps and parity switchings were observed in continuous measurements. In addition to having possible quantum information applications, such Andreev qubits are a test-bed for the physics of single elementary excitations in superconductors.

Intra-articular administration of an antibody against CSF-1 receptor reduces pain-related behaviors and inflammation in CFA-induced knee arthritis.

Several studies have shown that blockade of colony stimulating factor-1 (CSF-1) or its receptor (CSF-1R) inhibits disease progression in rodent models of rheumatoid arthritis (RA); however, the role of the CSF-1/CSF-1R pathway in RA-induced pain and functional deficits has not been studied. Thus, we examined the effect of chronic intra-articular administration of a monoclonal anti-CSF-1R antibody (AFS98) on spontaneous pain, knee edema and functional disabilities in mice with arthritis. Unilateral arthritis was produced by multiple injections of complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA) into the right knee joint of adult male ICR mice. CFA-injected mice were then treated twice weekly from day 10 until day 25 with anti-CSF-1R antibody (3 and 10 µg/5 µL per joint), isotype control (rat IgG 10 µg/5 µL per joint) or PBS (5 µl/joint). Knee edema, spontaneous flinching, vertical rearing and horizontal exploratory activity were assessed at different days. Additionally, counts of peripheral leukocytes and body weight were measured to evaluate general health status. Intra-articular treatment with anti-CSF-1R antibody significantly increased horizontal exploratory activity and vertical rearing as well as reduced spontaneous flinching behavior and knee edema as compared to CFA-induced arthritis mice treated with PBS. Treatment with this antibody neither significantly affect mouse body weight nor the number of peripheral leukocytes. These results suggest that blockade of CSF-1R at the initial injury site (joint) could represent a therapeutic alternative for improving the functional disabilities and attenuating pain and inflammation in patients with RA.

Breast cancer survival among New Mexico Hispanic, American Indian, and non-Hispanic white women (1973-1992).

A study of breast cancer survival was conducted among New Mexico Hispanic and non-Hispanic white women and New Mexico and Arizona American Indian women diagnosed between 1973 and 1992. The goals were to determine whether, after adjusting for first treatment and the extent of disease at diagnosis, American Indian and Hispanic women had poorer survival than non-Hispanic whites and, if survival had improved over time, whether comparable improvements had been made for the three racial/ethnic groups. Five-year relative survival rates were calculated, and a Cox proportional hazards model was constructed to compare survival between races/ethnicities, adjusting for first treatment and the extent of disease at diagnosis. Findings indicate that during 1983-1992, breast cancer was more commonly detected at a local stage for all three groups compared to 1973-1982. Five-year relative survival improved for non-Hispanic white and American Indian women with local or regional disease, but the improvement was statistically significant only for non-Hispanic white women and for American Indian women with local disease. Despite earlier stages at diagnosis, Hispanic females showed less improvement in overall or stage-specific survival than non-Hispanic whites. The Cox model indicated that American Indian women experienced poorer survival than non-Hispanic whites during both time periods. Survival of Hispanic women with breast cancer was comparable to non-Hispanic whites during 1973-1982 but was significantly worse during 1983-1992. The significance of this lower survival is amplified by increasing breast cancer incidence among New Mexico Hispanics and American Indians.

Synthesis and study of the potential antiallergic activity of some pyrazole derivatives.

The synthesis and study of the oral antiallergic activity of a series of monopyrazole derivatives (2-14) considered as analogues of active bispyrazole 1 are described. None of the compounds showed significant inhibition of the rat passive cutaneous anaphylaxis (PCA), with the exception of the already known 5-aminoindazole (2). The activity of this compound, is however, lower than that of compound 1.

Supercurrent in atomic point contacts and andreev states

We have measured the supercurrent in aluminum atomic point contacts containing a small number of well characterized conduction channels. For most contacts, the measured supercurrent is adequately described by the opposite contributions of two thermally populated Andreev bound states per conduction channel. However, for contacts containing an almost perfectly transmitted channel 0.9

Fostering the health of communities: a unifying mission for the University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center.

Fostering the health of communities can serve as a unifying mission of the academic health center (AHC), which can set the AHC apart from other health providers in the community. To achieve this mission, the University of New Mexico's AHC is increasingly focusing education, research, and service upon the identified health and service needs of communities in its state. Since major health problems in our society have social, behavioral, and economic roots, New Mexico's AHC has tapped into the broad expertise of its different components as well as that of its state and community partners to adequately address health problems in the community. Its hospitals offer financing and management resources, its colleges offer innovative approaches to community-based education, and the state department of health offers expertise in health policy development. To adequately respond to the complexity of community health needs, the different colleges and departments at New Mexico's AHC are increasingly merging into integrated governance units. Measures of community outreach success include evidence of strengthened community development, increased health care access, and improved indices of community health. New Mexico's AHC formed an interdisciplinary rural outreach task force, which has demonstrated its ability to form partnerships with state and local agencies and to mobilize institutional resources in education, research, and service from the AHC's different departments, colleges, and hospitals to respond promptly to unique community health needs. Evidence shows that such an integrated, coordinated AHC intervention can generate strong and lasting AHC-community alliances, improve the quality and economic viability of community health systems, and enhance the financial resources of the AHC.

Interdisciplinary ambulatory education and service in primary care at the University of New Mexico.

To compete and survive in a managed care market, academic health centers must develop integrated delivery systems in general and an integrated primary care system in particular. However, the departmental-based structure at most academic health centers is ill-suited to this purpose. Service and education are usually segregated by department, and the professional activities of primary care faculty in different departments are fragmented, leaving them weakened as a political force within the institution. The University of New Mexico established a model of integrated primary care education and service by creating three interdisciplinary primary care clinics staffed by primary care residents and faculty. The clinics attracted a substantial portion of each department's faculty and residents. The clinics united primary care providers from different departments as a stronger, more unified voice in negotiating with the hospital and in fostering needed changes for primary care in the institution. Interdisciplinary teams require considerable time and labor both in planning (because of joint decision making) and in operation. Better staff structures and staff development must be learned through trial and error because there are not established benchmarks for interdisciplinary teams. Governance presents problems, primarily because loyalties to departments may supersede those to the clinic practice, and sometimes the departments' teaching priorities are challenged by clinic directors' need to ensure filling their interdisciplinary staff needs. These obstacles to collaboration can be addressed creatively, and ultimately the comprehensiveness and quality of care convinces providers and the institution.

Economic comparison of nutritional management strategies for Venezuelan dual-purpose cattle systems.

Objectives of this study were to compare three nutritional management strategies for dual-purpose herds in Venezuela in 1987 using a deterministic, multiperiod linear programming model of a representative farm. The model maximized discounted net margin (total revenues minus variable costs) from the herd for a 3-yr cow replacement cycle partitioned into six periods. The periods accounted for seasonal variation in forage availability and quality, and the model provided information about optimal animal inventories, animal sales, land in forage, and feed supplements. We compared current nutritional management practices and alternatives allowing optimal supplementation with commercial concentrate, molasses, cassava root, and urea. Iteration between the programming model and results from the Cornell Net Carbohydrate and Protein System assured technical coefficients consistent with predicted animal performance. Compared with management practices relying on commercial concentrate, optimal use of molasses and urea permitted increases in the stocking rate. Productivity and profit were restricted primarily by energy intake, which was constrained by intakes of NDF and DM. Alternative management strategies changed the relative importance of nutrient requirements and feed intake constraints. Thus, optimal interventions to alleviate nutritional constraints will vary with current management. Mobilizing adipose and protein tissues during lactation was optimal for most strategies. Supplementing with molasses and urea instead of commercial concentrate was the most profitable strategy, increasing herd net margin by 16% compared to the predominant feeding strategy in the late 1980s.

Psychological responses in aphasia: theoretical considerations and nursing implications.

Patients experiencing aphasia from brain damage due to cerebrovascular accident or craniocerebral trauma manifest psychological and behavioral changes resulting from communication deficits. Although literature is controversial regarding the etiology of the psychological responses, the major determinant of these responses depends upon the premorbid personality. Specific nursing diagnoses focusing on communication, knowledge deficits and grieving are presented with suggested interventions.

Superconducting atomic contacts inductively coupled to a microwave resonator.

We describe and characterize a microwave setup to probe the Andreev levels of a superconducting atomic contact. The contact is part of a superconducting loop inductively coupled to a superconducting coplanar resonator. By monitoring the resonator reflection coefficient close to its resonance frequency as a function of both flux through the loop and frequency of a second tone we perform spectroscopy of the transition between two Andreev levels of highly transmitting channels of the contact. The results indicate how to perform coherent manipulation of these states.

Cardiopatía isquémica como forma de presentación de feocromocitoma / Ischemic cardiomyopathy as a presentation of pheocromocytoma

El feocromocitoma es una causa poco frecuente de cardiopatía isquémica. Presentamos el caso de una paciente en la que se diagnostica de un feocromocitoma a raíz de una cardiopatía isquémica con ausencia de lesiones coronarias, demostrando la importancia de tenerlo en cuenta en el diagnóstico diferencial en estos casos, sobre todo teniendo en cuenta que disponemos de un tratamiento curativo. (AU)

Pheochromocytoma is a rare cause of ischaemic heart disease. We present the case of a patient in whom pheochromocytoma was diagnosed following ischaemic heart disease with absence of coronary lesions, demonstrating the importance of taking it into account in the differential diagnosis in these cases, especially considering that curative treatment is available. (AU)

Respuesta inflamatoria postoperatoria en pacientes con cáncer gástrico resecado / Postoperative inflammatory response in patients with gastric cancer submitted to total and partial distal gastrectomy

Introduction: The removal of the stomach causes an acute inflammatory response. In some cases this response is exaggerated due to complications. The main purpose of this study was to describe the expected inflammatory response to gastrectomy. Methods: This is a prospective analysis of consecutive patients submitted to gastrectomy for gastric cancer. For analytical purposes, the cohort was divided in complicated and uncomplicated patients. Uncomplicated patients were further divided in total gastrectomy and partial gastrectomy. The main outcome measure was to compare the inflammatory response of uncomplicated and complicated patients. The secondary outcome measure was to compare the inflammatory response of uncomplicated patients submitted to total and partial gastrectomy along the timeline. Results: Preoperative values were similar between groups. At 24 h after gastrectomy, complicated patients showed significantly higher values for D-dimer, CRP and WBC. Further analysis comparing uncomplicated patients showed normal preoperative values and a mild elevation of inflammatory parameters which was similar in both groups of patients. Conclusions: The expected systemic inflammatory response to partial or total gastrectomy was mild. Elevations of inflammatory values were shown early by complicated patients, constituting reliable parameters to identify postoperative inflammatory complications.

Introducción: La extirpación del estómago produce una respuesta inflamatoria aguda. En algunos casos esta respuesta es exagerada debido al desarrollo de complicaciones. El objetivo general del presente estudio es el de describir la respuesta inflamatoria esperable en pacientes sometidos a gastrectomía. Métodos: Análisis prospectivo de pacientes consecutivos sometidos a gastrectomía por cáncer gástrico. La cohorte se analizó dividida en pacientes sin complicaciones y pacientes que sufrieron complicaciones. Los pacientes sin complicaciones fueron además divididos en pacientes sometidos a gastrectomía total y parcial. El objetivo principal fue comparar la respuesta inflamatoria de pacientes complicados con pacientes sin complicaciones. El objetivo secundario fue comparar la respuesta inflamatoria de los pacientes no complicados sometidos a gastrectomía total con los pacientes sometidos a gastrectomía parcial. Resultados: Los valores de los exámenes preoperatorios fueron similares entre todos los grupos. A las 24 h después de la gastrectomía, los pacientes complicados mostraron valores significativamente mayores de la proteína C reactiva, leucocitos y dímero-D. El análisis comparativo de los pacientes sin complicaciones, sometidos a gastrectomía total y parcial, mostró una moderada elevación de los parámetros inflamatorios, la cual fue similar en ambos grupos. Conclusiones: La respuesta inflamatoria esperable a la gastrectomía total o parcial es moderada. Los pacientes que sufrieron complicaciones mostraron precozmente una importante elevación de sus parámetros inflamatorios lo que permite sospechar el desarrollo de complicaciones postoperatorias.

Tumor fibroso solitario del lóbulo caudado del hígado / Solitary fibrous tumor of the liver caudate lobe

Introduction: Solitary fibrous tumor of the liver (SFTL) constitutes such a rare finding that it has been published only as case reports and to the present date there are only 45 cases published in English medical literature. This article describes the case of a patient treated at our institution with SFTL. Case report: A male 59-years-old patient was diagnosed with a SFTL incidentally found in a computed abdominal tomography taken by another causes, tumor was originating from the caudate lobe. The patient was asymptomatic. At surgery, the tumor was observed originating directly from the caudate lobe through a pedicle measuring approximately 3 cm. The tumor was resected sectioning its implantation pedicle and ligating all arterial, venous and biliary vessels. The SFTL was well encapsulated, measured 15 x 9 x 6 cm and weighted 794 g. The histological diagnosis was a SFTL and was confirmed by immunohistochemistry with monoclonal antibodies that reacted positively to CD34 and vimentin and negatively to CD117, S100, smooth-muscle α-actin and desmin. Conclusions: SFTL is an uncommon tumor. The present case is the first reported in Chilean medical literature and presented all the habitually described radiologic, surgical and pathological characteristics.

Introducción: El tumor fibroso solitario del hígado (TFSH) constituye un hallazgo tan raro que se ha publicado únicamente como reportes de caso y hasta el presente se encontraron sólo 45 casos publicados en la literatura inglesa. El presente artículo describe el caso de un paciente que fue tratado en nuestra institución por un TFSH. Reporte de caso: Paciente masculino de 59 años de edad al que, en una tomografía abdominal computarizada que se tomó por otras causas, se encontró en forma incidental un gran tumor hepático localizado en el lóbulo caudado del hígado. El paciente no refería síntomas relacionados con el tumor. En la cirugía se observó que el tumor se originaba directamente del lóbulo caudado al cual lo unía un pedículo de aproximadamente 3 cm de diámetro transverso. Se seccionó el tumor desde su base de implantación en el hígado ligándose los vasos arteriales y venosos así como los conductos biliares que se encontraron. Este medía 15 x 9 x 6 cm y pesaba 794 g, se encontraba bien encapsulado. El diagnóstico histológico fue el de un TFSH, el cual se confirmó mediante inmunohistoquímica con anticuerpos monoclonales que resultaron positivos para CD34 y vimentina en las células tumorales y negativos para CD117, S100, α-actina de músculo liso y desmina. Conclusiones: El TFSH es un tumor raro. El presente caso de un TFSH es el primero reportado en la literatura médica chilena y presentó las características radiológicas, quirúrgicas y patológicas habitualmente descritas en estos casos.