Experimental Quantum Fingerprinting

Quantum communication holds the promise of creating disruptive technologies that will play an essential role in future communication networks. For example, the study of quantum communication complexity has shown that quantum communication allows exponential reductions in the information that must be transmitted to solve distributed computational tasks. Recently, protocols that realize this advantage using optical implementations have been proposed. Here we report a proof of concept experimental demonstration of a quantum fingerprinting system that is capable of transmitting less information than the best known classical protocol. Our implementation is based on a modified version of a commercial quantum key distribution system using off-the-shelf optical components over telecom wavelengths, and is practical for messages as large as 100 Mbits, even in the presence of experimental imperfections. Our results provide a first step in the development of experimental quantum communication complexity.Comment: 11 pages, 6 Figure

OR-004 Changes in serum indexes of obese adolescents induced by closed weight loss summer camp

Objective A series of experiments were conducted to explore the changes of some serum indexes in obese adolescents induced by closed weight loss summer camp. Methods The 12 to 18 year old obese adolescents (BMI ≥ 28), who volunteered to participate in the Haoqian summer camp, were selected for 4 weeks of closed summer camp. The main activities of the summer camp included compound exercise (aerobic exercise + resistance exercise, 3 times / day, 6 days / week), Dietary intervention, fun activities and health knowledge lectures. In order to explore the changes of serum indexes of obese adolescents, glycolipid metabolism index, fatty acid components, inflammatory factors and oxidative stress markers were analyzed before and after 4 weeks. Results (1) The 4 week weight loss summer camp had no significant effect on blood sugar, but it can obviously reduce the level of serum total cholesterol, triglyceride and low density lipoprotein cholesterol, and significantly improve the abnormal lipid metabolism. (2) The level of serum total saturated fatty acid (P < 0.05), total monounsaturated fatty acid (P < 0.01) and total polyunsaturated fatty acid (P < 0.05) in obese adolescents were decreased significantly in the 4 week weight loss summer camp. (3) The 4 week weight loss summer camp significantly reduced serum inflammatory factors IL-6 and TN F- alpha in obese adolescents, increased the level of adiponectin per body fat mass (P < 0.05), and relieved the inflammatory state of the body. (4) After 4 weeks weight loss summer camp, the serum total antioxidant capacity T-AOC, antioxidant enzyme catalase CAT, superoxide dismutase SOD and glutathione peroxidase GPx activity in obese adolescents were significantly enhanced (P < 0.05); oxidative damage markers 8-iso-PGF2α, 8-OHdG, and MDA levels were not significantly changed (P > 0.05), while protein oxidation product protein carbohydrate PC content decreased significantly (P < 0.05). Conclusions 4 weeks weight loss summer camp can significantly alleviate the body's lipid metabolism abnormalities, change the serum fatty acid components, reduce the body's inflammatory state, enhance the body's antioxidant capacity, and reduce the body's oxidative damage

Loss of COPZ1 induces NCOA4 mediated autophagy and ferroptosis in glioblastoma cell lines

Dysregulated iron metabolism is a hallmark of many cancers, including glioblastoma (GBM). However, its role in tumor progression remains unclear. Herein, we identified coatomer protein complex subunit zeta 1 (COPZ1) as a therapeutic target candidate which significantly dysregulated iron metabolism in GBM cells. Overexpression of COPZ1 was associated with increasing tumor grade and poor prognosis in glioma patients based on analysis of expression data from the publicly available database The Cancer Genome Atlas (P < 0.001). Protein levels of COPZ1 were significantly increased in GBM compared to non-neoplastic brain tissue samples in immunohistochemistry and western blot analysis. SiRNA knockdown of COPZ1 suppressed proliferation of U87MG, U251 and P3#GBM in vitro. Stable expression of a COPZ1 shRNA construct in U87MG inhibited tumor growth in vivo by ~60% relative to controls at day 21 after implantation (P < 0.001). Kaplan–Meier analysis of the survival data demonstrated that the overall survival of tumor bearing animals increased from 20.8 days (control) to 27.8 days (knockdown, P < 0.05). COPZ1 knockdown also led to the increase in nuclear receptor coactivator 4 (NCOA4), resulting in the degradation of ferritin, and a subsequent increase in the intracellular levels of ferrous iron and ultimately ferroptosis. These data demonstrate that COPZ1 is a critical mediator in iron metabolism. The COPZ1/NCOA4/FTH1 axis is therefore a novel therapeutic target for the treatment of human GBM.publishedVersio

A Short-Term Decision Model for Electricity Retailers: Electricity Procurement and Time-of-Use Pricing

This paper establishes a short-term decision model, based on robust optimization, for an electricity retailer to determine the electricity procurement and electricity retail prices. The electricity procurement process includes purchasing electricity from generation companies and from the spot market. The selling prices of electricity for the customers are based on time-of-use (TOU) pricing which is widely employed in modern electricity market as a demand response program. The objective of the model is to maximize the expected profit of the retailer through optimizing the electricity procurement strategy and electricity pricing scheme. A price elasticity matrix (PEM) is adopted to model the demand response. Also, uncertainty in spot prices is modeled using a robust optimization approach, in which price bounds are considered instead of predicted values. Using a robust optimization approach, the retailer can adjust the level of robustness of its decisions through a robust control parameter. A case study is presented to illustrate the performance of the model. The simulation results demonstrate that the developed model is effective in increasing the expected profit of the retailer and flattening the load profiles of customers

Fabrication and Testing of All-solid-state Nanoscale Lithium Batteries Using LiPON for Electrolytes

The amorphous LiPON thin film was obtained by using the crystalline Li3PO4 target and the RF magnetron sputtering method at a N2 working pressure of 1 Pa. and then the morphology and composition of LiPON thin films are analysed by SEM and EDS. SEM shows that the film was compact and smooth, while EDS shows that the content of N in LiPON thin film was about 17.47%. The electrochemical properties of Pt/LiPON/Pt were analysed by EIS, and the ionic conductivity of LiPON thin films was 3.8×10-7 S/cm. By using the hard mask in the magnetron sputtering process, the all-solid-state thin film battery with Si/Ti/Pt/LiCoO2/LiPON/Li4Ti5O12/Pt structure was prepared, and its electrical properties were studied. As for this thin film battery, the open circuit voltage was 1.9 V and the first discharge specific capacity was 34.7 μAh/cm2·μm at a current density of 5 μA/cm-2, indicating that is promising in all-solidstate thin film batteries

Fabrication and Testing of All-solid-state Nanoscale Lithium Batteries Using LiPON for Electrolytes

The amorphous LiPON thin film was obtained by using the crystalline Li3PO4 target and the RF magnetron sputtering method at a N2 working pressure of 1 Pa. and then the morphology and composition of LiPON thin films are analysed by SEM and EDS. SEM shows that the film was compact and smooth, while EDS shows that the content of N in LiPON thin film was about 17.47%. The electrochemical properties of Pt/LiPON/Pt were analysed by EIS, and the ionic conductivity of LiPON thin films was 3.8×10-7 S/cm. By using the hard mask in the magnetron sputtering process, the all-solid-state thin film battery with Si/Ti/Pt/LiCoO2/LiPON/Li4Ti5O12/Pt structure was prepared, and its electrical properties were studied. As for this thin film battery, the open circuit voltage was 1.9 V and the first discharge specific capacity was 34.7 μAh/cm2·μm at a current density of 5 μA/cm-2, indicating that is promising in all-solidstate thin film batteries

Introducing Ligand-Based Hydrogen Bond Donors to a Receptor: Both Selectivity and Binding Affinity for Anion Recognition in Water Can Be Improved

Introducing hydrogen bond donors to a receptor was found to be an effective approach to improve both its selectivity and binding affinity for pyrophosphate in water. The crystal structure of <b>Zn3</b>–ADP complex showed the improvements come from the combination of H-bonding and metal coordination in a manner similar to many metalloenzymes

Effect of N-fertilizer Application on Yield, Grain Quality and N-fertilizer Use Efficiency of the Rapeseed Cultivars with Normal and High Oil Content

In this study, seed yield, quality and N-fertilizer use efficiency in rape (Brassica napus L.) were researched in normal oil content cultivar (Yangyou 6) and two high oil content cultivars (Zhongshuang 11 and Zheyou 50). Results showed that the average oil content of all treatments in Yangyou 6, Zhongshuang 11 and Zheyou 50 was 42.87%, 47.37% and 48.28%, respectively. The average protein content of all treatments in Yangyou 6, Zhongshuang 11 and Zheyou 50 was 24.15%, 22.71% and 21.84%, respectively. The increased ratio of total nitrogen accumulation amount in Yangyou 6 was higher than that in Zhongshuang 11 and Zheyou 50. Among three cultivars, the total protein accumulation amount in Yangyou 6 was highest, and the total oil accumulation amount was highest in Zheyou 50. With increasing nitrogen fertilization, the value of different parameters of N-fertilizer use efficiency decreased. The average N use efficiency in Yangyou 6 was 68.70%, which was higher than that in Zhongshuang 11 and Zheyou 50 (65.06% and 60.30%, respectively). The average N-fertilizer agronomic use efficiency in Yangyou 6 was also highest among three cultivars, which was 8.97 kg seed/kg N. On the contrary, the average N-fertilizer physiological use efficiency in Zhongshuang 11 and Zheyou 50 was 13.03 kg seed/kg N and 13.84 kg seed/kg N, respectively, which was higher than that in Yangyou 6 (12.91 kg seed/kg N). Differences in partial factor productivity of N-fertilizer were slight among three cultivars

Introducing Ligand-Based Hydrogen Bond Donors to a Receptor: Both Selectivity and Binding Affinity for Anion Recognition in Water Can Be Improved

Introducing hydrogen bond donors to a receptor was found to be an effective approach to improve both its selectivity and binding affinity for pyrophosphate in water. The crystal structure of <b>Zn3</b>–ADP complex showed the improvements come from the combination of H-bonding and metal coordination in a manner similar to many metalloenzymes

Near-Infrared Fluorescent Probe for Detection of Thiophenols in Water Samples and Living Cells

The development of probes for rapid, selective, and sensitive detection of the highly toxic thiophenols is of great importance in both environmental and biological science. Despite the appealing advantages of near-infrared (NIR) fluorescent detection, no NIR fluorescent probes have been reported for thiophenols to date. Using the chemical properties of thiophenols that are able to cleave sulfonamide selectively and efficiently under mild conditions, we herein report a dicyanomethylene-benzopyran (DCMB)-based NIR fluorescent probe for thiophenols. This probe features remarkable large Stokes shift and shows a rapid, highly selective, and sensitive detection process for thiophenols with significant NIR fluorescent turn-on responses. The potential applications of this new NIR fluorescent probe were demonstrated by the quantitative detection of thiophenol in real water samples and by fluorescent imaging of thiophenol in living cells