Emergent geometries and nonlinear-wave dynamics in photon fluids.

Nonlinear waves in defocusing media are investigated in the framework of the hydrodynamic description of light as a photon fluid. The observations are interpreted in terms of an emergent curved spacetime generated by the waves themselves, which fully determines their dynamics. The spacetime geometry emerges naturally as a result of the nonlinear interaction between the waves and the self-induced background flow. In particular, as observed in real fluids, different points of the wave profile propagate at different velocities leading to the self-steepening of the wave front and to the formation of a shock. This phenomenon can be associated to a curvature singularity of the emergent metric. Our analysis offers an alternative insight into the problem of shock formation and provides a demonstration of an analogue gravity model that goes beyond the kinematic level.

From coherent shocklets to giant collective incoherent shock waves in nonlocal turbulent flows.

Understanding turbulent flows arising from random dispersive waves that interact strongly through nonlinearities is a challenging issue in physics. Here we report the observation of a characteristic transition: strengthening the nonlocal character of the nonlinear response drives the system from a fully turbulent regime, featuring a sea of coherent small-scale dispersive shock waves (shocklets) towards the unexpected emergence of a giant collective incoherent shock wave. The front of such global incoherent shock carries most of the stochastic fluctuations and is responsible for a peculiar folding of the local spectrum. Nonlinear optics experiments performed in a solution of graphene nano-flakes clearly highlight this remarkable transition. Our observations shed new light on the role of long-range interactions in strongly nonlinear wave systems operating far from thermodynamic equilibrium, which reveals analogies with, for example, gravitational systems, and establishes a new scenario that can be common to many turbulent flows in photonic quantum fluids, hydrodynamics and Bose-Einstein condensates.

Expression and activity of matrix metalloproteinase-2 in calcific aortic stenosis.

Calcific aortic stenosis is the main heart valve disease in the elderly, leading to massive focal calcification and thickening of the valve cusps. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are thought to contribute to this process. Therefore, the study assessed the expression of the gelatinases MMP-2 and MMP-9 and the endogenous tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase (TIMP)-2 as well as the gelatinolytic activity in normal and stenotic valves. Human tricuspid aortic valves with and without calcific aortic stenosis were studied by immunohistochemistry for MMP-2, MMP-9 and TIMP-2. The gelatinolytic activity in native valve sections was assessed by gelatin in situ zymography with or without addition of the MMP activator p-aminophenymercuric acetate (APMA). Staining intensities for MMP-2 and TIMP-2 were elevated in stenotic valves as compared to controls. Minor staining of MMP-9 was present exclusively in stenotic valves. The morphologic distribution of gelatinolytic activity was comparable to the staining pattern of MMP-2, and since MMP-9 immunostaining demonstrated only a low number of positive cells, the observed gelatinolytic activity is likely due to MMP-2. Gelatinolytic activity was low in normal valves but significantly increased by the MMP activator APMA. In contrast, stenotic valves showed a strong basal gelatinolytic activity that could not be significantly enhanced by APMA suggesting that MMP-2 is present as a latent pro-enzyme in normal valves and activated in stenotic valves. Thus, MMP-2 might be involved in the matrix remodeling during calcific aortic stenosis.

Current legal developments in medical staff credentialing disputes.

Credentialing of hospital staff has become an important method by which to ensure and to monitor the quality of clinical practice.