Effects of depolarizing quantum channels on BB84 and SARG04 quantum cryptography protocols

We report experimental studies on the effect of the depolarizing quantum channel on weak-pulse BB84 and SARG04 quantum cryptography. The experimental results show that, in real world conditions in which channel depolarization cannot be ignored, BB84 should perform better than SARG04.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure

Učinci gama-zračenja na folikule jajnika

In order to observe the morphological and endocrinological changes of the rat and mouse ovarian follicles by gamma-radiation, rats were whole-body irradiated with doses of 3.2 Gy and 8.0 Gy and mice with 2.9 Gy and 7.2 Gy. Sections of ovaria were examined by light microscopy. Concentrations of progesterone, testosterone, and estradiol in ovarian homogenate were determined by radioimmunoassay techniques. Gamma-radiation resulted in the increased percentage of atretic follicles in the groups killed on day 0, day 4, and day 8 after irradiation. The decrease in granulosa cell viability was found in animals killed on day 4 after irradiation. The finding of the high ratio of testosterone to estradiol compared to that of progesterone to testosterone suggests that aromatase activity — steroid biosynthesis from testosterone to estradiol — in granulosa cell could be affected by gamma-radiation.U radu su procjenjivane strukture i endokrinološke promjene u folikulima jajnika štakorica i mišica izazvane gama-zračenjem. Štakorice su bile izložene zračenju od 3,2 Gy ili 8,0 Gy, a mišice od 2,9 Gy ili 7,2 Gy. Životinje su usmrćene dana 0, dana 4, odnosno dana 8 nakon ozračenja. Rezovi debljine 7 µm pripremljeni su za mikroskopiranje. Koncentracije progesterona, testosterona i estradiola u homogenatu jajnika određene su specifičnim radioimunoesejem. Gama-zračenje uzrokovalo je povećanje broja atretičnih folikula u obje skupine životinja usmrćenih 4 odnosno 8 dana nakon ozračivanja. Gama-zračenje također je smanjilo životni vijek granuloza stanica u skupinama usmrćenim 4. dan nakon ozračivanja. Utvrđeno povećanje omjera testosterona prema estradiolu u usporedbi s omjerom progesterona prema testosteronu upućuje na to da gama-zračenje utječe na aktivnost aromataze u steroidnoj biosintezi testosterona u estradiol u granuloza stanicama

Endoscopic Thyroidectomy via an Axillo-Breast Approach without Gas Insufflation for Benign Thyroid Nodules and Micropapillary Carcinomas: Preliminary Results

PURPOSE: To examine the feasibility of endoscopic thyroidectomy (ET) via an axillo- breast approach without gas insufflation for large thyroid tumors and micropapillary carcinomas. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The patients in the benign group were separated into groups 1 (n=95, <4 cm in tumor diameter) and 2 (n=37, ≥4 cm in tumor diameter). Also, 57 patients in the micropapillary carcinoma group underwent an endoscopic hemithyroidectomy (HT) (group 3) and were compared with 60 patients who received conventional open HT (group 4). Postoperative functional outcome, local complications, surgical outcomes, and pathological outcomes were compared between the groups. RESULTS: In the benign group, there was no significant difference in mean operating time, hospital stay, or overall perioperative complications between the two groups. In the micropapillary carcinoma group, mean operating time and hospital stay in group 3 were significantly longer than in group 4 (p=0.015 and p≤0.001). The overall perioperative complications did not differ significantly between the groups. The postoperative cosmetic result was better in groups 1-3 (endo group) than in group 4 (open group). CONCLUSION: ET via a gasless axillo-breast approach seems to be a safe procedure even for benign thyroid lesions ≥4 cm and micropapillary carcinomas. Although it has the advantage of better cosmetic results over open thyroidectomy, there is room for improvement in terms of lessening its invasiveness and shortening the operative time.ope

Evaluation of the brain activation induced by functional electrical stimulation and voluntary contraction using functional magnetic resonance imaging

BACKGROUND: To observe brain activation induced by functional electrical stimulation, voluntary contraction, and the combination of both using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). METHODS: Nineteen healthy young men were enrolled in the study. We employed a typical block design that consisted of three sessions: voluntary contraction only, functional electrical stimulation (FES)-induced wrist extension, and finally simultaneous voluntary and FES-induced movement. MRI acquisition was performed on a 3.0 T MR system. To investigate activation in each session, one-sample t-tests were performed after correcting for false discovery rate (FDR; p < 0.05). To compare FES-induced movement and combined contraction, a two-sample t-test was performed using a contrast map (p < 0.01). RESULTS: In the voluntary contraction alone condition, brain activation was observed in the contralateral primary motor cortex (MI), thalamus, bilateral supplementary motor area (SMA), primary sensory cortex (SI), secondary somatosensory motor cortex (SII), caudate, and cerebellum (mainly ipsilateral). During FES-induced wrist movement, brain activation was observed in the contralateral MI, SI, SMA, thalamus, ipsilateral SII, and cerebellum. During FES-induced movement combined with voluntary contraction, brain activation was found in the contralateral MI, anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), SMA, ipsilateral cerebellum, bilateral SII, and SI. The activated brain regions (number of voxels) of the MI, SI, cerebellum, and SMA were largest during voluntary contraction alone and smallest during FES alone. SII-activated brain regions were largest during voluntary contraction combined with FES and smallest during FES contraction alone. The brain activation extent (maximum t score) of the MI, SI, and SII was largest during voluntary contraction alone and smallest during FES alone. The brain activation extent of the cerebellum and SMA during voluntary contraction alone was similar during FES combined with voluntary contraction; however, cerebellum and SMA activation during FES movement alone was smaller than that of voluntary contraction alone or voluntary contraction combined with FES. Between FES movement alone and combined contraction, activated regions and extent due to combined contraction was significantly higher than that of FES movement alone in the ipsilateral cerebellum and the contralateral MI and SI. CONCLUSIONS: Voluntary contraction combined with FES may be more effective for brain activation than FES-only movements for rehabilitation therapy. In addition, voluntary effort is the most important factor in the therapeutic process