Noise assisted quantum coherence protection in hierarchical environment

In this paper, we investigate coherence protection of a quantum system coupled to a hierarchical environment by utilizing noise. As an example, we solve the Jaynes-Cummings (J-C) model in presence of both a classical and a quantized noise. The master equation is derived beyond the Markov approximation, where the influence of memory effects from both noises is taken into account. More importantly, we find that the performance of the coherence protection sensitively depends on the non-Markovian properties of both noises. By analyzing the mathematical mechanism of the coherence protection, we show the decoherence caused by a non-Markovian noise with longer memory time can be suppressed by another Markovian noise with shorter memory time. Last but not least, as an outlook, we try to analyze the connection between the atom-cavity entanglement and the atomic coherence, then discuss the possible clue to search for the required noise. The results presented in this paper show the possibility of protecting coherence by utilizing noise and may open a new path to design noise-assisted coherence protection schemes.Comment: 17 pages, 9 figure

Neutrophil: A New Player in Metastatic Cancers

The interaction between cancer cells and immune cells is important for the cancer development. However, much attention has been given to T cells and macrophages. Being the most abundant leukocytes in the blood, the functions of neutrophils in cancer have been underdetermined. They have long been considered an “audience” in the development of cancer. However, emerging evidence indicate that neutrophils are a heterogeneous population with plasticity, and subpopulation of neutrophils (such as low density neutrophils, polymorphonuclear-myeloid-derived suppressor cells) are actively involved in cancer growth and metastasis. Here, we review the current understanding of the role of neutrophils in cancer development, with a specific focus on their pro-metastatic functions. We also discuss the potential and challenges of neutrophils as therapeutic targets. A better understanding the role of neutrophils in cancer will discover new mechanisms of metastasis and develop new immunotherapies by targeting neutrophils

Transversus abdominis plane block reduces remifentanil and propofol consumption, evaluated by closed-loop titration guided by bispectral index.

The present prospective, randomized, double-blind study aimed to determine the impact of transversus abdominis plane (TAP) block on propofol and remifentanil consumption, when administered by closed-loop titration guided by processed electroencephalography, i.e., bispectral index (BIS) values. Following institutional review board approval, 60 patients were scheduled for laparoscopic colectomy under general anesthesia. Patients were randomly assigned to receive bilateral TAP block with 20 ml 0.375% ropivacaine (TAP group) or 20 ml 0.9% saline [control (CON) group]. General anesthesia was maintained with propofol and remifentanil administration using closed-loop titration guided by BIS values. The primary outcome was perioperative propofol and remifentanil consumption. The secondary outcomes were hypertensive or hypotensive events requiring treatment, recovery time in PACU and time to first rescue analgesia following surgery. A total of 58 patients participated in the present study. At similar depths of anesthesia, as measured by BIS during the maintenance phase (45-55), patients who received TAP blocks required less propofol (4.2±1.3 vs. 5.5±1.6 mg/kg/h; P<0.001) and remifentanil (0.16±0.05 vs. 0.21±0.05 µg/kg/min; P<0.001). Time to extubation was significantly shorter in the TAP group (9.8±3.2 min) than in the CON group (14.2±4.9 min) (P<0.05). The requirement to treat hemodynamic change was also significantly lower (P<0.05). Pain score at 2 h after surgery was also significantly reduced in the TAP group compared with the CON group (P<0.05), whereas the time to first rescue analgesia was delayed in patients who received TAP block (P<0.05). Postoperative nausea and vomiting occurred at comparable rates in each group (P>0.05). In conclusion, TAP block combined with general anesthesia reduced propofol and remifentanil consumption, shortened time to tracheal extubation and promoted hemodynamic stability in laparoscopic colectomy

Study on Complex Products Job-shop Scheduling System Based on MES

Various random disturbances that happen in the process of complex products (ship) production cannot feedback timely, and the plans of job-shop operation are too rough to instruct job-shop production. The purpose of this study is to solve the problems above, help the course of complex products (ship) job-shop production runs orderly and efficiently, and improve the job-shop on-site management level. In this paper, we proposed complex products job-shop scheduling system based on MES. The system adopts six-level, refined plan and scheduling mechanism. Its key part is the job-shop scheduling model with man-machine coordinated mechanism. What’s more, an improved Genetic Algorithm based on TOC is proposed to make the optimized algorithm module of the system more scientific and effective. Key words: Complex Products; MES; Job-shop Scheduling System; Man-machine Coordinated Mechanism; Genetic Algorithm Résumé: Diverses perturbations qui se produisent au hasard dans le processus de production des produits complexes (navire) ne peuvent pas être apperçues en temps opportun, et les plans de l'opération des ateliers sont trop approximatifs pour guider la production. Le but de cette étude consiste à résoudre les problèmes ci-dessus, rendre le cours de la production des produits complexes (ship) dans les ateliers ordonné et efficace et améliorer le niveau de gestion sur place. Dans cet article, nous avons proposé le système de planning des ateliers de produits complexes basé sur MES. Le système contient six niveaux de programmation raffinée et de mécanismes de planning. Son élément essentiel est le modèle de programmation avec les mécanismes de coordination homme-machine. De plus, un algorithme génétique amélioré basé sur TOC est également proposé de rendre le module de l'algorithme du système optimisé plus scientifique et efficace. Mots-clés: produits complexes; MES; système de planning des ateliers; mécanismes de coordination homme-machine; algorithme génétique 摘要：針對目前複雜產品（船舶）生產過程中所出現的各種隨機擾動不能得到及時回饋，以及車間作業計畫粗略難以直接指導車間生產的現狀，本文提出基於 MES的複雜產品車間作業調度系統。該系統採用逐層細化的五級計畫與調度機制，以人機協同的車間作業調度模型為核心，通過改進基於 TOC的遺傳演算法，使系統的演算法模組優化性能更具有科學性和操作性。該系統有助於實現複雜產品（船舶）車間生產過程的有序運作，從而提高生產車間的現場管理水準。 關鍵字：複雜產品； MES；車間作業調度；人機協同；遺傳演算

Effects of traditional trabeculectomy, mitomycin C trabeculectomy and sclera pool trabeculectomy on post-surgical life quality in glaucoma patients

AIM: To explore and compare the effects of trabeculectomy, mitomycin C(MMC)trabeculectomy and sclera pool trabeculectomy on life quality of patients with glaucoma. <p>METHODS: Totally, 60 patients(60 eyes)with glaucoma were divided into group A, B and C equally and randomly. Twenty patients(20 eyes)in group A received treatment of traditional trabeculectomy; Twenty patients(20 eyes)in group B received MMC trabeculectomy; while twenty patients(20 eyes)in group C received sclera pool trabeculectomy. One-year follow study was proposed, Chinese version low vision quality of life questionnaire(CLVQOL)and self- assessment score were used to evaluate effects of surgeries on life quality of patients. <p>RESULTS: Compared with group A, scoring of CLVQOL increased significantly in group B and C, and more significantly in group C(distant vision, movement, sensitization and fine work)when compared with group B(<i>P</i><0.05). Compared with group A, scoring of self assessment increased significantly in group B and C, more significantly in group C(vision self scoring and subjective brightness scoring)when compared with group B(<i>P</i><0.05). <p>CONCLUSION: The improvement effect of sclera pool trabeculectomy on life quality of patient with glaucoma is better than traditional and MMC trabeculectomy

Entanglement control in one-dimensional s=1/2s=1/2 random XY spin chain

The entanglement in one-dimensional random XY spin systems where the impurities of exchange couplings and the external magnetic fields are considered as random variables is investigated by solving the different spin-spin correlation functions and the average magnetization per spin. The entanglement dynamics near particular locations of the system is also studied when the exchange couplings (or the external magnetic fields) satisfy three different distributions(the Gaussian distribution, double-Gaussian distribution, and bimodal distribution). We find that the entanglement can be controlled by varying the strength of external magnetic field and the different distributions of impurities. Moreover, the entanglement of some nearest-neighboring qubits can be increased for certain parameter values of the three different distributions.Comment: 13 pages, 4 figure

Relationship and prognostic significance of SPARC and VEGF protein expression in colon cancer

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>SPARC (secreted protein, acidic and rich in cysteine) is closely related with the progress, invasion and metastasis of malignant tumor and angiogenesis.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Using human colon adenocarcinoma tissues (hereinafter referred to as colon cancer) and their corresponding non-diseased colon from 114 patients' biopsies, the expression of SPARC and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) were investigated by immunohistochemistry staining to assessment the relationship between SPARC and VEGF, as well as their prognostic significance in patients. Evaluation of VEGF expression level with the same tissues was used to establish the antigenic profiles, and the marker of CD34 staining was used as an indicator of microvessel density (MVD).</p> <p>Results</p> <p>SPARC expression was mainly in the stromal cells surrounding the colon cancer, and was significant difference in those tissues with the lymph node metastasis and differentiation degree of tumor. Expression of SPARC was significantly correlated with the expression of VEGF and MVD in colon cancer tissues. Patients with low or absence expressing SPARC had significantly worse overall survival and disease-free survival in a Single Factor Analysis; Cox Regression Analysis, SPARC emerged as an overall survival and disease-free survival independent prognostic factor for colon cancer.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The low expression or absence of stromal SPARC was an independent prognostic factor for poor prognosis of colon cancer. SPARC maybe involved in the regulation of anti-angiogenesis by which it may serve as a novel target for colon cancer treatment as well as a novel distinctive marker.</p

Constraining dynamical dark energy with a divergence-free parametrization in the presence of spatial curvature and massive neutrinos

In this paper, we report the results of constraining the dynamical dark energy with a divergence-free parameterization, $w(z) = w_{0} + w_{a}(\frac{\ln(2+z)}{1+z}-\ln2)$, in the presence of spatial curvature and massive neutrinos, with the 7-yr WMAP temperature and polarization data, the power spectrum of LRGs derived from SDSS DR7, the Type Ia supernova data from Union2 sample, and the new measurements of $H_0$ from HST, by using a MCMC global fit method. Our focus is on the determinations of the spatial curvature, $\Omega_k$, and the total mass of neutrinos, $\sum m_{\nu}$, in such a dynamical dark energy scenario, and the influence of these factors to the constraints on the dark energy parameters, $w_0$ and $w_a$. We show that $\Omega_k$ and $\sum m_{\nu}$ can be well constrained in this model; the 95% CL limits are: $-0.0153<\Omega_k<0.0167$ and $\sum m_{\nu}<0.56$ eV. Comparing to the case in a flat universe, we find that the error in $w_0$ is amplified by 25.51%, and the error in $w_a$ is amplified by 0.14%; comparing to the case with a zero neutrino mass, we find that the error in $w_0$ is amplified by 12.24%, and the error in $w_a$ is amplified by 1.63%.Comment: 5 pages, 2 figures; discussions added; accepted for publication in Physics Letters