An NMR Analog of the Quantum Disentanglement Eraser

We report the implementation of a three-spin quantum disentanglement eraser on a liquid-state NMR quantum information processor. A key feature of this experiment was its use of pulsed magnetic field gradients to mimic projective measurements. This ability is an important step towards the development of an experimentally controllable system which can simulate any quantum dynamics, both coherent and decoherent.Comment: Four pages, one figure (RevTeX 2.1), to appear in Physics Review Letter

Design of Strongly Modulating Pulses to Implement Precise Effective Hamiltonians for Quantum Information Processing

We describe a method for improving coherent control through the use of detailed knowledge of the system's Hamiltonian. Precise unitary transformations were obtained by strongly modulating the system's dynamics to average out unwanted evolution. With the aid of numerical search methods, pulsed irradiation schemes are obtained that perform accurate, arbitrary, selective gates on multi-qubit systems. Compared to low power selective pulses, which cannot average out all unwanted evolution, these pulses are substantially shorter in time, thereby reducing the effects of relaxation. Liquid-state NMR techniques on homonuclear spin systems are used to demonstrate the accuracy of these gates both in simulation and experiment. Simulations of the coherent evolution of a 3-qubit system show that the control sequences faithfully implement the unitary operations, typically yielding gate fidelities on the order of 0.999 and, for some sequences, up to 0.9997. The experimentally determined density matrices resulting from the application of different control sequences on a 3-spin system have overlaps of up to 0.99 with the expected states, confirming the quality of the experimental implementation.Comment: RevTeX3, 11 pages including 2 tables and 5 figures; Journal of Chemical Physics, in pres

Resource-oriented toilet: a sustainable sanitation option adopted in Arba Minch, Ethiopia

The ROSA project (ResourceOriented Sanitation concepts for periurban areas in Africa) proposes resourcesoriented sanitation concepts as a route to sustainable sanitation and to meet the UN Millennium Development Goals. These concepts are applied in ROSA's four pilot cities in Eastern Africa: Arba Minch in Ethiopia, Nakuru in Kenya, Arusha in Tanzania, and Kitgum in Uganda. With in the framework of the ROSA project several pilot units have been constructed for the treatment and safe use of human excreta, grey water and solid waste. Researches were also carried out targeting the gaps for the implementation of these resourceoriented sanitation solutions. In this paper the methods followed for the construction of toilet units constructed in Arba Minh town which include UDDT (urine diversion Dry Toilets), Fossa Alterna & Arborloo are described. In addition the implementation of the resource oriented concepts are addressed to share the knowledge acquired while implementing these toilet units

Isolation and Characterization of Chi-like \u3ci\u3eSalmonella\u3c/i\u3e Bacteriophages Infecting Two \u3ci\u3eSalmonella enterica\u3c/i\u3e Serovars, Typhimurium and Enteritidis

Salmonella enterica Serovar Typhimurium and Salmonella enterica Serovar Enteritidis are well-known pathogens that cause foodborne diseases in humans. The emergence of antibiotic-resistant Salmonella serovars has caused serious public health problems worldwide. In this study, two lysogenic phages, STP11 and SEP13, were isolated from a wastewater treatment plant in Jeddah, KSA. Transmission electron microscopic images revealed that both phages are new members of the genus “Chivirus” within the family Siphoviridae. Both STP11 and SEP13 had a lysis time of 90 min with burst sizes of 176 and 170 PFU/cell, respectively. The two phages were thermostable (0 ◦C ≤ temperature \u3c 70 ◦C) and pH tolerant at 3 ≤ pH \u3c 11. STP11 showed lytic activity for approximately 42.8% (n = 6), while SEP13 showed against 35.7% (n = 5) of the tested bacterial strains. STP11 and STP13 have linear dsDNA genomes consisting of 58,890 bp and 58,893 bp nucleotide sequences with G + C contents of 57% and 56.5%, respectively. Bioinformatics analysis revealed that the genomes of phages STP11 and SEP13 contained 70 and 71 ORFs, respectively. No gene encoding tRNA was detected in their genome. Of the 70 putative ORFs of phage STP11, 27 (38.6%) were assigned to functional genes and 43 (61.4%) were annotated as hypothetical proteins. Similarly, 29 (40.8%) of the 71 putative ORFs of phage SEP13 were annotated as functional genes, whereas the remaining 42 (59.2%) were assigned as nonfunctional proteins. Phylogenetic analysis of the whole genome sequence demonstrated that the isolated phages are closely related to Chi-like Salmonella viruses

A micromechanical muscle model for determining the impact of motor unit fiber clustering on force transmission in aging skeletal muscle

© 2019, The Author(s). This study used a micromechanical finite element muscle model to investigate the effects of the redistribution of spatial activation patterns in young and old muscle. The geometry consisted of a bundle of 19 active muscle fibers encased in endomysium sheets, surrounded by passive tissue to model a fascicle. Force was induced by activating combinations of the 19 active muscle fibers. The spacial clustering of muscle fibers modeled in this study showed unbalanced strains suggesting tissue damage at higher strain levels may occur during higher levels of activation and/or during dynamic conditions. These patterns of motor unit remodeling are one of the consequences of motor unit loss and reinnervation associated with aging. The results did not reveal evident quantitative changes in force transmission between old and young adults, but the patterns of stress and strain distribution were affected, suggesting an uneven distribution of the forces may occur within the fascicle that could provide a mechanism for muscle injury in older muscle

The “Big Six”: Hidden Emerging Foodborne Bacterial Pathogens

Non-O157 Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) are emerging serogroups that often result in diseases ranging from diarrhea to severe hemorrhagic colitis in humans. The most common non-O157 STEC are O26, O45, O103, O111, O121, and O145. These serogroups are known by the name “big six” because they cause severe illness and death in humans and the United States Department of Agriculture declared these serogroups as food contaminants. The lack of fast and efficient diagnostic methods exacerbates the public impact of the disease caused by these serogroups. Numerous outbreaks have been reported globally and most of these outbreaks were caused by ingestion of contaminated food or water as well as direct contact with reservoirs. Livestock harbor a variety of non-O157 STEC serovars that can contaminate meat and dairy products, or water sources when used for irrigation. Hence, effective control and prevention approaches are required to safeguard the public from infections. This review addresses the disease characteristics, reservoirs, the source of infections, the transmission of the disease, and major outbreaks associated with the six serogroups (“big six”) of non-O157 STEC encountered all over the glob

Influence of nano additives on performance and emissions characteristics of a diesel engine fueled with watermelon methyl ester

Significant population and automobile expansion have resulted in a rapid rise in energy demand. Because of the high demand for energy and the rapid depletion of fossil fuels, experts are concentrating their efforts on developing a suitable alternative fuel for diesel. The performance and emission characteristics of biodiesel made from watermelon methyl ester were investigated using a lanthanum oxide (La2O3) nanoparticle addition. Through the transesterification meth od, biodiesel was produced from non-edible watermelon seed oil. Compared to B20, addition of 100 parts per million (ppm) of La2O3 nanoparticles to biodiesel emulsion fuel reduces CO and HC emissions by 4.75% and 6.67%, respectively. Compared to B20 at full load circumstances, the inclusion of La2O3 nanoparticles at 100 ppm enhances the brake thermal efficiency (BTE) and brake specific fuel consumption (BSFC) by 2% and 8.8%, respectivel

Biometric assessment and reproductive biology of common carp (Cyprinus carpio var. communis) in Lake Arekit, Ethiopia: fish management implication

Biometric measurement provide crucial information on fish growth and aquatic habitat well-being. This study offers the first comprehensive elucidation on biometric indices and reproductive biology of Cyprinus carpio var. communis in Lake Arekit (Ethiopia). A total of 209 fish were collected (ranging between 8.8 and 51.3 cm in total length (TL), while 16.99–2,498.3 g total weight (TW)) using gillnets during June 2022 to May 2023. The overall sex ratio (male, M; female, F) was 1:0.66 and significantly varied from the hypothetical sex ratio (1:1) (χ2 = 8.85, p < 0.05). The length-weight relationship of C. carpio var. communis was TW = 0.0392 × TL2.792 with a ‘b’ value of 2.792, which indicated a negative allometric growth pattern with r2 values of 0.99. The condition factor of C. carpio showed significant variations between sex and months, with a mean value of 4.01 ± 0.49 (p < 0.05) while the Fulton condition factor showed no significant difference between sexes and months. Fecundity variation was better correlated with length (AF = 152.06 × TL1.879, r2 = 0.795; p < 0.05) than with weight (AF = 1541.2 × TW0.651, r2 = 0.6523; p < 0.05). The fecundity ranged between 46,214 and 210,271 eggs/fish, with a mean of 127,516.6 ± 53,447.1 eggs/fish. Breeding activity peaks in March and June, coinciding with a rise in water temperature. The size at first maturity (Lm50) was found to be 32.28 cm and 28.83 cm of total length for females and males, respectively. Our findings would be very beneficial in planning the sustainable management of C. carpio in Lake Arekit and nearby ecosystems

A Finite Element Model Simulation of Surface EMG Signals Based on Muscle Tissue Dielectric Properties and Electrodes Configuration

A three layer Finite Element Model of skin, fat and skeletal muscle tissue is implemented. The model aims to study the influence of the dielectric properties of the muscle on electromyography signals. The paper focuses on the electrode configuration and its effect on the muscle myoelectric activity detected at the surface. Unlike previous models, the source signal is be generated from recorded intramuscular myoelectric measurements. The finite element model is compared to experimental data and shows a strong correlation in the frequency spectra (r=0.7276) for monopolar recordings but deviates from experimental observations for a bipolar arrangement. Modelling inaccuracies from the input data and experimental noise related to the bipolar modelling are explored

Wear Behavioral Study of Hexagonal Boron Nitride and Cubic Boron Nitride-Reinforced Aluminum MMC with Sample Analysis

During the stir casting process, different percent weights of hexagonal boron nitride (HBN) and cubic boron nitride (CBN) were mixed with aluminum alloy 6061. The test specimens are then machined from the cast aluminum metal matrix composites. The tests are carried out utilizing an ASTM G99-compliant pin-on-plate tribometer on a pivoting EN32 circle. Minitab 16 is used to plan the dry sliding wear trials, which are set up in an orthogonal array. The input parameters are percent HBN addition and CBN addition, sliding speed, and load, and the wear rate was considered to be the output parameter. The actual density of the cast specimens was found to be greater than 90% of their theoretical density. The accumulation of HBN and CBN greatly enhances the wear resistance of aluminum metal matrix composites, according to research. The technique of regression analysis is utilized to establish genuine links between the wear rate and input parameters. The morphology of the worn out surfaces was examined using a scanning electron microscope (SEM). After numerous iterations, the simulation source of DEFORM 3D forecasts the stress and velocity component of the frictional surface contact area