Broadband noise decoherence in solid-state complex architectures

Broadband noise represents a severe limitation towards the implementation of a solid-state quantum information processor. Considering common spectral forms, we propose a classification of noise sources based on the effects produced instead of on their microscopic origin. We illustrate a multi-stage approach to broadband noise which systematically includes only the relevant information on the environment, out of the huge parametrization needed for a microscopic description. We apply this technique to a solid-state two-qubit gate in a fixed coupling implementation scheme.Comment: Proceedings of Nobel Symposium 141: Qubits for Future Quantum Informatio

Heavy metal contamination in retailed food in Bangladesh: a dietary public health risk assessment

IntroductionContamination with heavy and toxic metals along the food value chain is a public health concern in Bangladesh. MethodsIn this study, 608 fish and chicken samples from traditional and modern retail outlets in urban, peri-urban, and rural areas were collected and analyzed for chromium (Cr), cadmium (Cd), and lead (Pb) contamination, using atomic absorption spectrometry method. The daily intake, target hazard quotient and the target carcinogenic risk (for lead only) as a result of fish and chicken consumption was calculated based on mean results, and by Monte Carlo simulation in @Risk with 100,000 iterations (quantitative risk assessment). ResultsCr and Cd were detected in 80-86% of both chicken meat and fish samples, while Pb positivity found in chicken meat and fish was 54.9 and 23.3%, respectively. The mean concentration (+/- SD) of Cr, Cd, and Pb in chicken meat were 0.66 +/- 0.93, 0.02 +/- 0.03, and 0.09 +/- 0.10 mg/kg, respectively; and in fish were 0.49 +/- 0.62, 0.02 +/- 0.03, and 0.06 +/- 0.09 mg/kg, respectively. The estimated daily intakes of Cr, Cd, and Pb from chicken and fish were lower than the maximum tolerable daily intake in all studied areas. In addition, the target carcinogenic risk for Pb in chicken was lower than the negligible range, which indicated the risk of cancer due to exposure to Pb through chicken meat and fish consumption was very low. DiscussionThe present study concludes that consumption of chicken meat and fish in Bangladesh, currently at very low levels, is unlikely to constitute a major health risk for humans in respect to these metals. However, continuous market surveillance for heavy metals in food stuff is recommended, especially since consumers may increase their meat intake

Microbial Contamination and Antibiotic Resistance in Marketed Food in Bangladesh: Current Situation and Possible Improvements

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a public health problem worldwide. Bangladesh, like its neighboring countries, faces many public health challenges, including access to safe food, inadequate food surveillance, as well as increasing AMR. This study investigated bacterial contamination and the AMR profile of pathogens in marketed food in Bangladesh and explored barriers to reducing AMR in the country. We collected 366 tomatoes, 359 chicken and 249 fish samples from 732 vendors in traditional markets in urban, peri-urban and rural areas in Bangladesh, as well as from 121 modern retails in Dhaka capital to analyse Vibrio cholerae and Escherichia coli in fish, Salmonella in chicken, and Salmonella and E. coli in tomatoes. Antibiotic susceptibility against 11 antibiotics was tested using a disc diffusion test and interpreted by an automated zone inhibition reader. In addition, a qualitative study using key informant interviews was conducted to explore antimicrobial use and AMR reduction potential in Bangladesh. We found E. coli in 14.21% of tomatoes and 26.91% of fish samples, while 7.38% of tomatoes and 17.27% of chicken were positive for Salmonella, and 44.98% of fish were positive for Vibrio cholerae. In total 231/319 (72.4%) of all pathogens isolated were multidrug-resistant (MDR) (resistant to three or more antibiotic groups). Qualitative interviews revealed an inadequate surveillance system for antibiotic use and AMR in Bangladesh, especially in the agriculture sector. To be able to fully understand the human health risks from bacterial hazards in the food and the AMR situation in Bangladesh, a nationwide study with a one health approach should be conducted, within all sectors, including AMR testing as well as assessment of the antimicrobial use and its drivers

Multidrug-resistant non-typhoidal Salmonella of public health significance recovered from migratory birds in Bangladesh

Non-typhoidal Salmonella provides an exemplar for the One Health approach as it encompasses public and animal health, food safety, and environmental considerations. The contribution of environmental aspects is currently less well-defined. The purpose of this study was to determine the carriage occurrence of non-typhoidal Salmonella in migratory birds in Bangladesh and assess the potential significance to public and animal health. Cloacal swabs (N = 453) were collected in the years 2018-2020 from Tanguar and Hakaluki Haors, important wetland ecosystems in Northeastern Bangladesh. The prevalence of Salmonella was 13.5% (61 positive swabs). Classical serotyping identified six serovars: Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovars Perth, Kentucky, Albany, Infantis, Weltevreden, and Brancaster. Resistance towards 14 antimicrobials was assessed by broth microdilution minimum inhibitory concentration determination and the antimicrobial resistance (AMR) genotype established by whole-genome sequencing. S. Perth and S. Weltevreden isolates were susceptible and harbored no acquired AMR genes. Isolates from the remaining serovars were multidrug resistant, commonly possessing resistance to tetracycline, ampicillin, chloramphenicol, sulfamethoxazole, trimethoprim, and ciprofloxacin. Salmonella resistant to ciprofloxacin meets WHO criteria for priority pathogens. There was excellent concordance between resistance phenotype and the presence of corresponding AMR genes, many of which reside on Salmonella Genomic Islands. High-level ciprofloxacin resistance correlated with the presence of mutations in the chromosomal gyrB and/or parC genes. The S. Kentucky isolates were ST198, a widely distributed multidrug-resistant lineage reported in humans and animals, and constituting an ongoing risk to public health worldwide. We have demonstrated that multidrug-resistant non-typhoidal Salmonella of public health significance can be recovered from migratory birds. A potential for risk can manifest through direct interaction, transmission to food-producing livestock on farms, and dissemination via the long range migratory movements of birds. Risks can be mitigated by measures including continued surveillance and implementation of good farm biosecurity practices

От первого сосудистого шва к реконструктивно-восстановительной хирургии при патологии сосудов почек

The purpose of this article is to acquaint readers with the methods of plastic kidney vessel replacement.Renal artery stenosis in patients with hypertension (3-10%) as well as traumatic injuries (35%) are the most common among the diseases of the renal arteries, as surgery is required. The main methods of plastic kidney vessel replacement are the use of synthetic grafts (polytetrafluoroethylene or polyester filaments with different coatings), autoveins (great saphenous Vienna), autografts from the pericardium, peritoneum, fascia, as well as different methods of renal artery resection followed by anastomosis. Despite the diversity of the methods of main vessel plastics, the search for new methods and materials, which would satisfy the necessary requirements, is needed. These requirements include: sufficient size for the plasticity of defects; resistance to infection; guaranteed absence of immunological reaction; mobility, and sufficient elasticity and durability during prolonged functioning as prosthesis of the vessel.Цель настоящей статьи – познакомить читателей с методами заместительной пластики сосудов почек. Среди заболеваний почечных артерий, требующих оперативного вмешательства, наиболее распространены стеноз почечной артерии (у больных артериальной гипертензией составляет 3–10%), а также травматические повреждения (летальность при повреждениях почечных артерий достигает 35%). Основными методами заместительной пластики сосудов почек являются использование синтетических протезов (из политетрафторэтилена или полиэфирных нитей с различными покрытиями), аутовен (большая подкожная вена), аутотрансплантатов из перикарда, брюшины, фасции, а также различные способы резекции почечной артерии с последующим наложением анастомозов.Несмотря на многообразие перечисленных методов пластики магистральных сосудов, необходим поиск новых способов и материалов, которые удовлетворяли бы следующим требованиям: достаточные размеры для пластики дефектов; стойкость к инфекции; гарантированное отсутствие иммунологической реакции; мобильность, достаточная эластичность и прочность при длительном функционировании в качестве протеза сосуда

Amplitude Spectroscopy of a Solid-State Artificial Atom

The energy-level structure of a quantum system plays a fundamental role in determining its behavior and manifests itself in a discrete absorption and emission spectrum. Conventionally, spectra are probed via frequency spectroscopy whereby the frequency \nu of a harmonic driving field is varied to fulfill the conditions \Delta E = h \nu, where the driving field is resonant with the level separation \Delta E (h is Planck's constant). Although this technique has been successfully employed in a variety of physical systems, including natural and artificial atoms and molecules, its application is not universally straightforward, and becomes extremely challenging for frequencies in the range of 10's and 100's of gigahertz. Here we demonstrate an alternative approach, whereby a harmonic driving field sweeps the atom through its energy-level avoided crossings at a fixed frequency, surmounting many of the limitations of the conventional approach. Spectroscopic information is obtained from the amplitude dependence of the system response. The resulting ``spectroscopy diamonds'' contain interference patterns and population inversion that serve as a fingerprint of the atom's spectrum. By analyzing these features, we determine the energy spectrum of a manifold of states with energies from 0.01 to 120 GHz \times h in a superconducting artificial atom, using a driving frequency near 0.1 GHz. This approach provides a means to manipulate and characterize systems over a broad bandwidth, using only a single driving frequency that may be orders of magnitude smaller than the energy scales being probed.Comment: 12 pages, 13 figure

Investigation of Pulp Pressure Dynamics by Modeling the Topical Application of 50% Lidocaine HCl in the Human Premolar

The purpose of this research is to perform a time study on local anesthetics in dental surgery to provide insight on the inner workings pulp pressure dynamics. The dynamics of the pulp pressure when the dentin surface is exposed to atmospheric conditions are currently not understood. Verifying the ability of a high drug concentration to overpower the tooth’s pressure gradient will provide evidence of a unique phenomenon in which diffusion overcomes fluid flow and uncover the physics of drug transport in the tooth. Quantifying this physics is the goal of this paper. The time for a tooth to lose and regain sensitivity was measured with finite element modeling in COMSOL Multiphysics ® version 5.3. This model was built based on a clinical study which shows that the high concentration of lidocaine used (50% w/v or 500 mg/mL) was strong enough to overcome the natural pressure gradient from the pulp to the outside air. The clinical study reported that patients lost tooth sensitivity between 20 and 30 minutes and regained tooth sensitivity between 50 and 60 minutes. Within the tooth, there are three distinct layers: enamel, dentin, and pulp. Inside of the pulp, there are blood vessels which cause degradation of the lidocaine and nerve endings which lose sensation upon binding to lidocaine. In the clinical study, a 3 mm diameter hole was drilled 3 mm deep through the enamel exposing the dentin layer (modeled at the center to retain axisymmetric geometry). The model used the mass transport and Darcy’s Law equations to model the physical situation. Drug application was modeled with 10 minutes of drug exposure in the hole followed by hydrated gauze. Pressure was modeled with an exponential pressure decay with varying time constants. The time constant was optimized to find which physical pressure situation produced results closest to the results of the clinical study. This was accomplished using an objective function which assigned penalties to each time constant based on whether the tooth was numb and sensitive at the appropriate times found during the clinical study. This gave a value for a time constant. Sensitivity analysis was run on parameters approximated from the literature. After sensitivity analysis, sensitive parameters were varied and new optimizations were run to produce a range of values for the time constant. This report found that tooth pulp pressure can be modeled with first order decay upon dentin exposure to atmospheric conditions. The decay was found to be governed by a time constant of 7 minutes and 5 seconds. After sensitivity analysis and variation of sensitive parameters, the time constant was found to fall in a range of 5 minutes and 15 seconds to 9 minutes and 25 seconds. The pressure dynamics were found to be particularly sensitive to hydraulic conductivity of pulpal fluid in dentin, and diffusivity of lidocaine in dentin. This paper offers a glimpse into the poorly understood pressure dynamics in a tooth during dental surgery. It is reported that bulk fluid movement from pressure in human dentin produces solvent drag or the effect of slowing inward diffusive flux of exogenous solutes. The quantitative description of these pressure effects is important for future medical applications and understanding this evolutionary phenomenon. Future research directions include first finding exactly accurate parameters by experimentation to fine tune the model. Also, using a 3D geometry with different drilled hole placements could produce a more accurate description of the process

From the first vascular suture to reconstructive and restorative surgery of vascular kidneys pathology

The purpose of this article is to acquaint readers with the methods of plastic kidney vessel replacement.Renal artery stenosis in patients with hypertension (3-10%) as well as traumatic injuries (35%) are the most common among the diseases of the renal arteries, as surgery is required. The main methods of plastic kidney vessel replacement are the use of synthetic grafts (polytetrafluoroethylene or polyester filaments with different coatings), autoveins (great saphenous Vienna), autografts from the pericardium, peritoneum, fascia, as well as different methods of renal artery resection followed by anastomosis. Despite the diversity of the methods of main vessel plastics, the search for new methods and materials, which would satisfy the necessary requirements, is needed. These requirements include: sufficient size for the plasticity of defects; resistance to infection; guaranteed absence of immunological reaction; mobility, and sufficient elasticity and durability during prolonged functioning as prosthesis of the vessel

Experimental investigation of the mechanical behavior of aluminum honeycombs under quasi-static and dynamic indentation

The present paper details the first extensive study of the dynamic out-of-plane indentation of aluminum honeycombs at a range of different loading velocities. Dynamic and quasi-static mechanical properties of honeycombs were comparatively analyzed to investigate the strain rate effect on both mean plateau stress and energy absorption. Indentation and compression tests of three types of HEXCELL® 5052-H39 aluminum hexagonal honeycombs were tested using MTS and high speed INSTRON machines at strain rates from 10-3 to 102 s-1 respectively. The tearing energy was calculated as the difference in energy dissipated in indentation and compression of the same type of honeycomb. It was found that tearing energy was affected by strain rate and nominal density of honeycomb. Empirical formulae were proposed for tearing energy in terms of strain rate

Analysis of mechanical response of aluminium honeycomb subjected to indentation

Aluminium honeycombs is a lightweight cellular material and a good energy absorber. In different engineering applications, it is usually used as structural components. Comprehensive study has been conducted to analyse the compressive behaviour of aluminium honeycombs. However, research related to mechanical response of aluminium honeycombs material subjected to different type of loadings, such as indentation, is still limited. In this paper, experimental and numerical studies were conducted to investigate the deformation mechanism and energy dissipation of a HEXCELL® aluminium honeycomb subjected to dynamic indentation. A high speed INSTRON machine was used to conduct dynamic tests at velocities of 0.5 m/s and 5 m/s. Numerical analysis was conducted using ANSYS LS-DYNA at velocities of 5 m/s, 15 m/s and 25 m/s. The simulation results were in good agreement with the experimental results in terms of stress-strain curve profile and deformation mode. In the experiment, it was found that with the increase of velocity (strain rate) the average plateau stress of indentation also increases which was validated in the numerical analysis. The deformation of aluminium honeycombs under indentation showed that the compression of hexagonal honeycomb cells under the indenter and also tearing of honeycomb cell walls along the four edges of the indenter. The dissipation of energy in compression and tearing was calculated and discussed. The effect of loading velocity on the plateau stress and energy absorption was also analyzed