Simulation of vertical dispersion and pollution impact of artificial light at night in urban environment.

The use of artificial light at night (ALAN) enables social and commercial activities for urban living. However, the excessive usage of lighting causes nuisance and waste of energy. Light is provided to illuminate target areas on the street level where activities take place, yet light can also cause trespass to residents at the floors above. While regulations are beginning to cover light design, simulation tools for the outdoor environment have also become more popular for assessing the design condition. Simulation tools allow visualisation of the impact of the selected light sources on those who are affected. However, this cause-and-effect relationship is not easy to determine in the complex urban environment. The current work offers a simple methodology that takes site survey results and correlates them with the simulation model to determine lighting impact on the investigated area in 3D. Four buildings in two mixed commercial and residential streets in Hong Kong were studied. Data collection from each residential building requires lengthy work and permission from each household. Therefore, a valid lighting simulation model could help determine the light pollution impact in the area. A light model using DIALux is developed and calibrated by correlating the simulated data with the actual measured data. The correlation value R2 achieved ranged from 0.95 to 0.99, verifying the accuracy of this model and matched from 340 lx to 46 lx for the lower to higher floors of one building and 10 lx to 4 lx for floors of another building. This model can also be applied to human health research, by providing light-level data on residential windows in an area or determining the environmental impact of a development project.

Ultra-low-vibration closed-cycle cryogenic surface-electrode ion trap apparatus.

We describe the design, commissioning, and operation of an ultra-low-vibration closed-cycle cryogenic ion trap apparatus. One hundred lines for low-frequency signals and eight microwave/radio frequency coaxial feed-lines offer the possibility of implementing a small-scale ion-trap quantum processor or simulator. With all supply cables attached, more than 1.3 W of cooling power at 5 K is still available for absorbing energy from electrical pulses introduced to control ions. The trap itself is isolated from vibrations induced by the cold head using a helium exchange gas interface. The performance of the vibration isolation system has been characterized using a Michelson interferometer, finding residual vibration amplitudes on the order of 10 nm rms. Trapping of 9Be+ ions has been demonstrated using a combination of laser ablation and photoionization.

Acute effect of inhaled iloprost on exercise dynamic hyperinflation in COPD patients: A randomized crossover study.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: We tested whether the prostacyclin analog inhaled iloprost modulates dead space, dynamic hyperinflation (DH), and systemic inflammation/oxidative stress during maximal exercise in subjects with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) who were not selected based on pulmonary hypertension (PH). METHODS: Twenty-four COPD patients with moderate-severe obstruction (age 59 ± 7 years, FEV1 53 ± 13% predicted) participated in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover trial. Each subject received a single nebulized dose of 5.0 µg iloprost or placebo on non-consecutive days followed by maximal cardiopulmonary exercise tests. The primary outcome was DH quantified by end-expiratory lung volume/total lung capacity ratio (EELV/TLC) at metabolic isotime. RESULTS: Inhaled iloprost was well-tolerated and reduced submaximal alveolar dead-space fraction but did not significantly reduce DH (0.70 ± 0.09 vs 0.69 ± 0.07 following placebo and iloprost, respectively, p = 0.38). Maximal exercise time (9.1 ± 2.3 vs 9.3 ± 2.2 min, p = 0.31) and peak oxygen uptake (17.4 ± 6.3 vs 17.9 ± 6.9 mL/kg/min, p = 0.30) were not significantly different following placebo versus iloprost. CONCLUSIONS: A single dose of inhaled iloprost was safe and reduced alveolar dead space fraction; however, it was not efficacious in modulating DH or improving exercise capacity in COPD patients who were not selected for the presence of PH.

Tumor regression grading after neoadjuvant treatment of esophageal and gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma: results of an international Delphi consensus survey.

Complete histopathologic tumor regression after neoadjuvant treatment is a well-known prognostic factor for survival among patients with adenocarcinomas of the esophagus and gastroesophageal junction. The aim of this international Delphi survey was to reach a consensus regarding the most useful tumor regression grading (TRG) system that could represent an international standard for histopathologic TRG grading of gastroesophageal carcinomas. Fifteen pathologists with special interest in esophageal and gastric pathology participated in the online survey. The initial questionnaire contained of 43 statements that addressed the following topics: (1) specimen processing, (2) gross examination, (3) cross sectioning, (4) staining, (5) Barrett's esophagus, (6) TRG systems, and (7) TRG in lymph node (LN). Participants rated the items using a 5-point Likert style scale and were encouraged to write comments for each statement. The expert panel recommended a 4-tiered TRG system for assessing the primary tumor: grade 1: No residual tumor (complete histopathologic tumor regression), grade 2: less than 10% residual tumor (near-complete regression), grade 3: 10%-50% residual tumor (partial regression), grade 4: greater than 50% residual tumor (minimal/no regression), combined with a 3-tiered system for grading therapeutic response in metastatic LNs: grade a: no residual tumor (complete histopathologic TRG), grade b: partial regression (tumor cells and regression), grade c: no regression (no sign of tumor response). This TRG grading system can be recommended as an international standard for histopathologic TRG grading in esophageal and gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma.

Deformation-Induced Chemical Inhomogeneity and Short-Circuit Diffusion in Shear Bands of a Bulk Metallic Glass.

The compositional changes in shear bands of a Cu_{50}Zr_{50} metallic glass after plastic deformation at room temperature have been monitored by atom probe tomography. Across the width of the shear bands an asymmetry of the enriched and depleted zones of the constituent elements is observed, while no change of the composition within the surrounding matrix occurs. The diffusion coefficients determined from the concentration profiles are orders of magnitude larger than the values of bulk diffusion at room temperature. The asymmetric concentration profiles of the constituent elements (Cu and Zr) remain stable during annealing at a temperature of 543 K, even though fast and preferential diffusion of a Ni tracer has been found along the shear band at the same temperature. The results indicate that the atomic structure and stress distribution within the shear bands is altered from that of the surrounding amorphous matrix. The fact that the shear band structure is unaltered at elevated temperatures and that fast diffusion occurs preferentially within the shear bands leads to the conclusion that they are structurally stable.

[Artificial intelligence : What do urologists need to know?] / Künstliche Intelligenz : Was müssen Urolog*innen wissen?

In the past 10 years, the methods of artificial intelligence (AI) have experienced breakthroughs that have opened up a multitude of new fields of application for information technology. AI is particularly strong in those areas where patterns have to be recognized and conclusions and forecasts based on large, multiparametric data sets have to be drawn. Computers are superior to us in terms of precision and speed in these problems. These advances in information technology reach us at a time when innovations in diagnostics and sensor technology enable more precise patient stratification and confront medical personnel with an increasing quantity and quality of patient data. Urology is symbolic of this new complexity of medicine, in which multi-layered diagnostic cascades require a high degree of interdisciplinarity and, especially in uro-oncology, therapeutic strategies are becoming more differentiated and require the interpretation of multiple clinical and diagnostic data. Here, methods of Artificial Intelligence will in future support medical personnel in diagnostics and therapy decisions and thus come closer to the goal of precision medicine. A prerequisite for the success of AI-based support tools will be the transparent development and validation of the software, as well as the population-based visualization of decision parameters.

Versatile Control of

We demonstrate quantum control of ^{9}Be^{+} ions directly implemented by an optical frequency comb. Based on numerical simulations of the relevant processes in ^{9}Be^{+} for different magnetic field regimes, we demonstrate a wide applicability when controlling the comb's spectral properties. We introduce a novel technique for the selective and efficient generation of a spectrally tailored narrow-bandwidth optical frequency comb near 313 nm. We experimentally demonstrate internal state control and internal-motional state coupling of ^{9}Be^{+} ions implemented by stimulated-Raman manipulation using a spectrally optimized optical frequency comb. Our pulsed laser approach is a key enabling step for the implementation of quantum logic and quantum information experiments in Penning traps.

Modifying the transition temperature, 120 K ≤ Tc ≤ 1150 K, of amorphous Fe90-xCoxSc10 with simultaneous alteration of fluctuation of exchange integral up to zero.

Amorphous (a-) Fe90-xCoxSc10 alloys have been produced by rapid quenching from the melt. The Curie temperature, TC, was determined using both mean field theory and Landau's theory of second-order phase transitions in zero and non-zero external fields. The dependence of TC on the atomic spacing can be explained by the empirical Bethe-Slater curve. The value of TC of a- Fe5Co85Sc10, determined by the above theoretical approaches is 1150 K, which is the highest TC ever measured for amorphous alloys. The flattening of the measured normalized magnetization, M(T)/M(0), as a function of the reduced temperature, T/TC, is explained within the framework of the Handrich- Kobe model. According to this model the fluctuation of the exchange integral is the main reason for the flattening of M(T)/M(0). In the case of a-Fe90Sc10 without Co, however, the fluctuation of the exchange integral is dominant only at zero external field, Bex = 0. At Bex = 9 T, however, the fluctuation of the exchange integral has no conspicuous effect on the reduction of the magnetization. It is shown that at Bex = 9 T the frozen magnetic clusters control the behaviour of the reduced magnetization as function of T/TC. In contrast to other ferromagnetic alloys, where the flattening of M(T)/M(0) is characteristic for an amorphous structure, the a- Fe5Co85Sc10 does not exhibit any trace of the fluctuation of the exchange integral.

Robust and Resource-Efficient Microwave Near-Field Entangling

Microwave trapped-ion quantum logic gates avoid spontaneous emission as a fundamental source of decoherence. However, microwave two-qubit gates are still slower than laser-induced gates and hence more sensitive to fluctuations and noise of the motional mode frequency. We propose and implement amplitude-shaped gate drives to obtain resilience to such frequency changes without increasing the pulse energy per gate operation. We demonstrate the resilience by noise injection during a two-qubit entangling gate with ^{9}Be^{+} ion qubits. In the absence of injected noise, amplitude modulation gives an operation infidelity in the 10^{-3} range.

Electrical resistivity and wave character of free electrons in amorphous and nanoglass Sc75Fe25.

The residual electrical resistivity of metallic amorphous alloys, ρ 0, is typically in the range 50 µΩ cm < ρ 0 < 310 µΩ cm corresponding to a mean free path of conduction electrons of order a few interatomic distances. In crystalline metals with low defect levels such as Cu however, the residual electrical resistivity is about ρ 0 ≈ 1.54 × 10-2 µΩ cm, leading to extensive progression of free electrons through the crystalline material, of typically up to 4 × 106 nm. The relatively 'high' values for the electrical resistivity of distorted Sc75Fe25 alloys are discussed here within the framework of the wave character of electrons. The present investigation of amorphous and nanoglass Sc75Fe25 over the temperature range 1.9-320 K, focuses on clarification of the temperature dependence of the resistivity, ρ(T). These alloys systems, which show a range of behaviours for temperature dependent resistivity-including temperature independent residual resistivity, as well as positive and negative polarities for the slope dρ(T)/dT-are examined in detail.

Ligand-dependent Hedgehog pathway activation in Rhabdomyosarcoma: the oncogenic role of the ligands.

BACKGROUND: Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) is the most common type of soft tissue sarcoma in children. The Hedgehog (HH) pathway is known to develop an oncogenic role in RMS. However, the molecular mechanism that drives activation of the pathway in RMS is not well understood. METHODS: The expression of HH ligands was studied by qPCR, western blot and immunohistochemistry. Functional and animal model studies were carried out with cells transduced with shRNAs against HH ligands or treated with HH-specific inhibitors (Vismodegib and MEDI-5304). Finally, the molecular characterisation of an off-target effect of Vismodegib was also made. RESULTS: The results showed a prominent expression of HH ligands supporting an autocrine ligand-dependent activation of the pathway. A comparison of pharmacologic Smoothened inhibition (Vismodegib) and HH ligand blocking (MEDI-5304) is also provided. Interestingly, a first description of pernicious off-target effect of Vismodegib is also reported. CONCLUSIONS: The clarification of the HH pathway activation mechanism in RMS opens a door for targeted therapies against HH ligands as a possible alternative in the future development of better treatment protocols. Moreover, the description of a pernicious off-target effect of Vismodegib, via unfolded protein response activation, may mechanistically explain its previously reported inefficiency in several ligand-dependent cancers.

Cervical cord and ventricle affection in neuromyelitis optica.

OBJECTIVES: Cervical cord involvement is common in neuromyelitis optica (NMO) and multiple sclerosis (MS), but its impact on disability in NMO has rarely been studied. Recent publications on NMO examined the periventricular system, areas of high aquaporin-4 expression, but not yet by using ventricle volumetry. PURPOSE: To compare cervical cord atrophy, ventricular widening, and supra- and infratentorial brain measures between NMO and MS, and study their impact on clinical disability. METHODS: Magnet resonance imaging-based volumetry of upper cervical cord, third and fourth lateral ventricles, grey matter, white matter, brainstem, cerebellum and clinical status of 18 NMO and 20 MS patients, was compared between the groups and with 26 healthy controls. Patterns of ventricular widening relative to healthy controls were inspected by voxel-based morphometry of the cerebrospinal fluid. RESULTS: Cervical cord atrophy was similar in NMO and MS (75.2 ± 10.0 mm2 , respectively, 76.5 ± 9.5 mm2 vs 84.1 ± 8.6 mm2 in controls).Third ventricle increase in both groups, and specific fourth ventricle widening in MS were detected. Patient groups differed in third to fourth ventricle ratio (P = 0.002). In NMO, white matter correlated inversely with the affected cord segments (P = 0.001) and with cervical cord area (P = 0.043). The disability status was explained by cervical cord area and third ventricle volume (R2 =0.524) in NMO, and by grey matter and fourth ventricle volume (R2 =0.565) in MS. CONCLUSION: Cervical cord atrophy and third ventricular enlargement are both clinically relevant in NMO. Third and fourth ventricle volumetry shows differences between NMO and MS regarding the involvement of periventricular structures.

The truth about the 1st cycle Coulombic efficiency of LiNi1/3Co1/3Mn1/3O2 (NCM) cathodes.

The 1st cycle Coulombic efficiency (CE) of LiNi1/3Co1/3Mn1/3O2 (NCM) at 4.6 V vs. Li/Li(+) has been extensively investigated in NCM/Li half cells. It could be proven that the major part of the observed overall specific capacity loss (in total 36.3 mA h g(-1)) is reversible and induced by kinetic limitations, namely an impeded lithiation reaction during discharge. A measure facilitating the lithiation reaction, i.e. a constant potential (CP) step at the discharge cut-off potential, results in an increase in specific discharge capacity of 22.1 mA h g(-1). This capacity increase during the CP step could be proven as a relithiation process by Li(+) content determination in NCM via an ICP-OES measurement. In addition, a specific capacity loss of approx. 4.2 mA h g(-1) could be determined as an intrinsic reaction to the NCM cathode material at room temperature (RT). In total, less than 10.0 mA h g(-1) (=28% of the overall capacity loss) can be attributed to irreversible reactions, mainly to irreversible structural changes of NCM. Thus, the impact of parasitic reactions, such as oxidative electrolyte decomposition, on the irreversible capacity is negligible and could also be proven by on-line MS. As a consequence, the determination of the amount of extracted Li(+) ("Li(+) extraction ratio") so far has been incorrect and must be calculated by the charge capacity (=delithiation amount) divided by the theoretical capacity. In a NCM/graphite full cell the relithiation amount during the constant voltage (CV) step is smaller than in the half cell, due to irreversible Li(+) loss at graphite.

Hedgehog/Patched-associated rhabdomyosarcoma formation from delta1-expressing mesodermal cells.

Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) is the most common pediatric soft tissue sarcoma. In children, the 2 major RMS subtypes are alveolar and embryonal RMS. Aberrant Hedgehog/Patched1 (Hh/Ptch) signaling is a hallmark of embryonal RMS. We demonstrate that mice carrying a Ptch mutation in mesodermal Delta1-expressing cells develop embryonal-like RMS at a similar rate as mice harboring a Ptch mutation in the germline or the brachury-expressing mesoderm. The tumor incidence decreases dramatically when Ptch is mutated in Myf5- or Pax3-expressing cells. No RMS develop from Myogenin/Mef2c-expressing cells. This suggests that Hh/Ptch-associated RMS are derived from Delta1-positive, Myf5-negative, Myogenin-negative and Pax3-negative mesodermal progenitors that can undergo myogenic differentiation but lack stable lineage commitment. Additional preliminary genetic data and data on mesodermal progenitors further imply an interplay of Hh/Ptch and Delta/Notch signaling activity during RMS initiation. In contrast, Wnt signals supposedly suppress RMS formation because RMS multiplicity decreases after inactivation of the Wnt-inhibitor Wif1. Finally, our results strongly suggest that the tumor-initiating event determines the lineage of RMS origin.

Multicenter Validation of Mean Upper Cervical Cord Area Measurements from Head 3D T1-Weighted MR Imaging in Patients with Multiple Sclerosis.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Spinal cord atrophy is a common and clinically relevant characteristic in multiple sclerosis. We aimed to perform a multicenter validation study of mean upper cervical cord area measurements in patients with multiple sclerosis and healthy controls from head MR images and to explore the effect of gadolinium administration on mean upper cervical cord area measurements. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We recruited 97 subjects from 3 centers, including 60 patients with multiple sclerosis of different disease types and 37 healthy controls. Both cervical cord and head 3D T1-weighted images were acquired. In 11 additional patients from 1 center, head images before and after gadolinium administration and cervical cord images after gadolinium administration were acquired. The mean upper cervical cord area was compared between cervical cord and head images by using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) for both consistency (ICCconsist) and absolute (ICCabs) agreement. RESULTS: There was excellent agreement of mean upper cervical cord area measurements from head and cervical cord images in the entire group (ICCabs = 0.987) and across centers and disease subtypes. The mean absolute difference between the mean upper cervical cord area measured from head and cervical cord images was 2 mm(2) (2.3%). Additionally, excellent agreement was found between the mean upper cervical cord area measured from head images with and without gadolinium administration (ICCabs = 0.991) and between the cervical cord and head images with gadolinium administration (ICCabs = 0.992). CONCLUSIONS: Excellent agreement between mean upper cervical cord area measurements on head and cervical cord images was observed in this multicenter study, implying that upper cervical cord atrophy can be reliably measured from head images. Postgadolinium head or cervical cord images may also be suitable for measuring mean upper cervical cord area.

A versatile apparatus for the fine-tuned synthesis of cluster-based materials.

In this paper, a custom-designed experimental setup for the fine-tuned synthesis of various cluster-based materials is presented. Providing custom-designed deposition stages and special sample holders it offers a high degree of control over the sample characteristics such as the cluster size, cluster amounts, and sample homogeneity in combination with high sample purity. The system is capable of producing thin films of pure clusters and various cluster-matrix combinations with cluster sizes ranging from single atoms up to aggregates of several thousand atoms. Two custom-designed deposition stages are available, one utilizes the full cluster beam, yielding micrograms of pure clusters within a few hours and the second one uses mass-separated clusters (mass-resolution between 2% and 10%), yielding nanograms of pure clusters in the same timescale. Furthermore, at the second deposition stage, a variety of matrix materials can be co-deposited at a controlled sample temperature between 153 K and 673 K. In order to prove the capabilities of the apparatus, a series of experiments with Fe clusters embedded in Ag matrices with different volume fractions of clusters were carried out. Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy measurements revealed that the amount of deposited clusters as well as the sample homogeneity can be controlled with an outstanding accuracy of 10%. Additional measurements of the magnetic properties indicated the presence of separated clusters for volume fractions of clusters around 2 volume percent (vol. %), while above this concentration (10 vol. %) a partial aggregation of the clusters was observed. It was also shown that the resulting thin films are nearly oxygen free, which ascertains that oxygen sensitive materials can be safely handled in this newly developed apparatus.

Controlling spin polarized band-structure by variation of vacancy intensity in nanostructures.

In this study, the magnetic properties of FeAl alloys with different grain sizes produced by high-pressure torsion were probed by means of magnetic Compton scattering. The measurements were performed at 300 and 10 K. Magnetic Compton profiles of nanocrystalline (35 nm) and ultrafine-grained (160 nm) FeAl alloys were analyzed in terms of the integral area, the width, and the distinctive dip intensity at low momenta. The changes in total magnetic moment and the strength of spin-polarization of itinerant electrons are assumed to be caused by vacancies induced during the preparation of the samples. Despite local disordering due to interfacial regions and deviations in perfect stoichiometry for B2 structure, the effect of vacancies is considered as the major magnetic state contributor.

Normal values for transbulbar sonography and magnetic resonance imaging of the optic nerve sheath diameter (ONSD) in children and adolescents.

PURPOSE: To establish normal values of the optic nerve sheath diameter (ONSD) in children and adolescents for transbulbar sonography and magnetic resonance imaging. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In 99 children and adolescents (age: 5.6 - 18.6 years, mean: 12 years) without neurologic or ophthalmologic disease, measurements of the ONSD with transbulbar sonography were performed. For comparison 59 children and adolescents (age: 5.1 - 17.4 years, mean 12.3 years) with a normal MR examination of the brain had measurements of the ONSD on a T2-weighted thin section sequence of the orbit. Besides establishing modality-related normal values, age dependency, accuracy and reproducibility of measurements were assessed. RESULTS: Overall the mean ONSD was 5.75 ± 0.52 mm for transbulbar sonography and 5.69 ± 0.31 mm for MRI. There was no statistical significance between the 95 % percentiles and age for both transbulbar sonography (p = 0.332) and MRI (p = 0.336). As a parameter for the reproducibility of measurements, the repeatability coefficient (RC) was between 0.34 mm and 0.46 mm. The concordance correlation coefficient (CCC) values revealed a high agreement between readers both for transbulbar sonography (0.868) and MRI (0.796). CONCLUSION: Normal values for ONSD in children and adolescents found in this study are significantly higher than assumed. The values found for transbulbar sonography are confirmed by comparable results for MR measurements. A precise sonographic measurement technique and the consideration of normal values found hereby are essential for correct interpretation of ONSD measurements in children and adolescents.

The mechanically induced structural disorder in barium hexaferrite, BaFe12O19, and its impact on magnetism.

The response of the structure of the M-type barium hexaferrite (BaFe12O19) to mechanical action through high-energy milling and its impact on the magnetic behaviour of the ferrite are investigated. Due to the ability of the (57)Fe Mössbauer spectroscopic technique to probe the environment of the Fe nuclei, a valuable insight on a local atomic scale into the mechanically induced changes in the hexagonal structure of the material is obtained. It is revealed that the milling of BaFe12O19 results in the deformation of its constituent polyhedra (FeO6 octahedra, FeO4 tetrahedra and FeO5 triangular bi-pyramids) as well as in the mechanically triggered transition of the Fe(3+) cations from the regular 12k octahedral sites into the interstitial positions provided by the magnetoplumbite structure. The response of the hexaferrite to the mechanical treatment is found to be accompanied by the formation of a non-uniform nanostructure consisting of an ordered crystallite surrounded/separated by a structurally disordered surface shell/interface region. The distorted polyhedra and the non-equilibrium cation distribution are found to be confined to the amorphous near-surface layers of the ferrite nanoparticles with the thickness extending up to about 2 nm. The information on the mechanically induced short-range structural disorder in BaFe12O19 is complemented by an investigation of its magnetic behaviour on a macroscopic scale. It is demonstrated that the milled ferrite nanoparticles exhibit a pure superparamagnetism at room temperature. As a consequence of the far-from-equilibrium structural disorder in the surface shell of the nanoparticles, the mechanically treated BaFe12O19 exhibits a reduced magnetization and an enhanced coercivity.

Impact of model-based risk analysis for liver surgery planning.

PURPOSE: A model-based risk analysis for oncologic liver surgery was described in previous work (Preim et al. in Proceedings of international symposium on computer assisted radiology and surgery (CARS), Elsevier, Amsterdam, pp. 353­358, 2002; Hansen et al. Int I Comput Assist Radiol Surg 4(5):469­474, 2009). In this paper, we present an evaluation of this method. METHODS: To prove whether and how the risk analysis facilitates the process of liver surgery planning, an explorative user study with 10 liver experts was conducted. The purpose was to compare and analyze their decision-making. RESULTS: The results of the study show that model-based risk analysis enhances the awareness of surgical risk in the planning stage. Participants preferred smaller resection volumes and agreed more on the safety margins' width in case the risk analysis was available. In addition, time to complete the planning task and confidence of participants were not increased when using the risk analysis. CONCLUSION: This work shows that the applied model-based risk analysis may influence important planning decisions in liver surgery. It lays a basis for further clinical evaluations and points out important fields for future research.