REVEALS-a longitudinal cohort study of multifaceted respiratory assessment in ALS.

Objective: To systematically assess decline in respiratory measures in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and to examine the impact of sex, disease onset type and baseline morbidity on progression.

Methods: The REVEALS study (Registry of Endpoints and Validated Experiences in ALS) was conducted between April 2018 and February 2021 in six European ALS centers. Slow and forced vital capacity (S/FVC), sniff nasal inspiratory pressure (SNIP), peak cough flow, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis functional rating scale-revised (ALSFRS-R), and respiratory morbidity were collected.

Correlations between measures of ALS respiratory function: is there an alternative to FVC?

An ongoing longitudinal study in six European sites includes a 3-monthly assessment of forced vital capacity (FVC), slow vital capacity (SVC), peak cough flow (PCF), and Sniff nasal inspiratory pressure (SNIP). The aim of this interim analysis was to assess the potential for SNIP to be a surrogate for aerosol generating procedures given COVID-19 related restrictions. : This was a prospective observational study.

Few-cycle mid-infrared pulses from BaGaGeSe.

(BGGSe) is a newly developed nonlinear material that is attractive for ultrabroad frequency mixing and ultrashort pulse generation due to its comparably low dispersion and high damage threshold. A numerical study shows the material's capacity for octave-spanning mid-infrared pulse generation up to 18 µm. In a first experiment, we show that a long crystal length of 2.

Table-top high-energy 7 μm OPCPA and 260 mJ Ho:YLF pump laser.

We present a state-of-the-art compact high-energy mid-infrared (mid-IR) laser system for TW-level eight-cycle pulses at 7 μm. This system consists of an Er:Tm:Ho:fiber MOPA which serves as the seeder for a ZGP-based optical parametric chirped pulse amplification (OPCPA) chain, in addition to a Ho:YLF amplifier which is Tm:fiber pumped. Featuring all-optical synchronization, the system delivers 260 mJ pump energy at 2052 nm and 16 ps duration at 100 Hz with a stability of 0.

White powder identification using broadband coherent light in the molecular fingerprint region.

We show that a variety of white powder samples, including painkillers, amino acids, stimulants and sugars are readily discriminated by diffuse reflectance infrared spectroscopy involving no preparation of the sample and no physical contact with it. Eleven powders were investigated by illuminating each sample with broadband coherent light in the 8-9-µm band from an OPGaP femtosecond optical parametric oscillator. The spectra of the scattered light were obtained using Fourier-transform spectroscopy.

Systematic spectral shifts in the mid-infrared spectroscopy of aerosols.

Infrared spectroscopy in the spectral fingerprint region from 6.5 to 20 µm has been applied for decades to identify vapor- and condensed-phase chemicals with high confidence. By employing a unique broadband laser operating from 7.

Advancing antimicrobial stewardship: Summary of the 2015 CIDSC Report.

Background: Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is recognized as an important global public health concern that has a cross-cutting impact on human health, animal health, food and agriculture and the environment. The Communicable and Infectious Disease Steering Committee (CIDSC) of the Pan-Canadian Public Health Network (PHN) created a Task Group on Antimicrobial Stewardship to look at this issue from a Canadian perspective.

Objective: To summarize the key findings of the Task Group Report that identified core components of antimicrobial stewardship programs, best practices, key challenges, gaps and recommendations to advance stewardship across jurisdictions.

Stand-off identification of aerosols using mid-infrared backscattering Fourier-transform spectroscopy.

We show that it is possible to identify the chemical composition of an aerosol by using Fourier-transform spectroscopy of backscattered mid-infrared light at a range of 0.2 m. An ultrafast mid-infrared optical parametric oscillator provides the illumination source for the measurement across a wavelength range from 3.

Early observations on the health of Syrian refugees in Canada.

Between November 4, 2015 and February 29, 2016, a total of 26,166 refugees came to Canada. Of those, only two (0.01%) were found to have signs of a notifiable disease in the Immigration Medical Examination and these individuals were referred to public health for follow-up.