Phytochemical and biological properties of ajuga decumbens (labiatae): A review

Ajuga decumbens Thunb is a member of Labiatae family and widespread in China, Korea and Japan. This plant possesses diverse pharmacological activities, such as anti-inflammatory, antitumor, antibacterial, antiviral, cytotoxic, as well as insecticidal activities. Several compounds have been isolated from A. decumbens, which display a wide spectrum of biological and pharmacological activities. Hence, it would be useful to review current literature for available pharmacological activities of the plant as well as its active ingredients

Differences in Health-Related Quality of Life and Its Associated Factors Among Older Adults in Urban and Rural Areas

Jiachi Zhang,1 Shujuan Xiao,1,2 Lei Shi,1 Yaqing Xue,1,2 Xiao Zheng,1,2 Fang Dong,1 Benli Xue,1 Chichen Zhang1,3,4 1School of Health Management, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China; 2School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Health Management, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China; 4Institute of Health Management, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Chichen Zhang, School of Health Management, Southern Medical University, No. 1023 Shatai South Road, Baiyun District, Guangzhou, 510515, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86-20-61648756, Email [email protected]: Urban-rural health disparity is one of the most prominent challenges in China today. The goal of this study is to find differences in health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and its associated factors among older people in urban and rural areas.Methods: A multi-stage stratified sampling method was conducted in Shanxi Province, with a total of 3250 older adults participated in this cross-sectional survey. HRQoL was assessed using the Chinese version of the EQ-5D-5L. Tobit regression models were employed to identify associated factors for HRQoL.Results: The mean EQ-5D utility score of the total sample was 0.87± 0.23, with a statistically significant difference observed between urban (0.89 ± 0.22) and rural areas (0.86 ± 0.23). Obesity (Coe=− 0.10, p=0.021) and nutrition awareness (Coe=− 0.14, p=0.009) were two unique associated factors to rural older adults’ HRQoL. While, age (Urban: Coe=0.13, p=0.001; Rural: Coe=− 0.019, p< 0.001), socioeconomic status (Urban: Coe=0.13, p< 0.001; Rural: Coe=0.14, p< 0.001), number of chronic non-communicable diseases (Urban: Coe=− 0.20, p< 0.001; Rural: Coe=− 0.15, p< 0.001), sleep quality (Urban: Coe=− 0.22, p< 0.001; Rural: Coe=0.15, p< 0.001) and daytime sleepiness (Urban: Coe=− 0.13, p< 0.001; Rural: Coe=− 0.13, p< 0.001) were found to be associated with HRQoL regardless of the residential area.Conclusion: This study suggested that rural older adults are facing HRQoL disadvantages compared to those in urban area. Accordingly, more attention should be devoted to rural older adults’ HRQoL, particularly to the unique factors like body weight and nutrition awareness. Targeted policies and interventions should be implemented to improve HRQoL and bridge the urban-rural HRQoL gap.Keywords: health-related quality of life, HRQoL, older adults, urban and rural, health managemen

Hybrid nature of 0846+51W1: a BL Lac object with a narrow line Seyfert 1 nucleus

We have found a NLS1 nucleus in the extensively studied eruptive BL Lac, 0846+51W1, out of a large sample of NLS1 compiled from the spectroscopic dataset of SDSS DR1. Its optical spectrum can be well decomposed into three components, a power law component from the relativistic jet, a stellar component from the host galaxy, and a component from a typical NLS1 nucleus. The emission line properties of 0846+51W1, FWHM(Hbeta) ~ 1710 km s^-1 and [OIII]5007/Hbeta ~ 0.32 when it was in faint state, fulfil the conventional definition of NLS1. Strong FeII emission is detected in the SDSS spectrum, which is also typical of NLS1s. We try to estimate its central black hole mass using various techniques and find that 0846+51W1 is very likely emitting at a few times 10% L_Edd. We speculate that Seyfert-like nuclei, including NLS1s, might be concealed in a significant fraction of BL Lacs but have not been sufficiently explored due to the fact that, by definition, the optical-UV continuum of such kind of objects are often overwhelmed by the synchrotron emission.Comment: ChJAA accepte

Quantum controlled phase gate and cluster states generation via two superconducting quantum interference devices in a cavity

A scheme for implementing 2-qubit quantum controlled phase gate (QCPG) is proposed with two superconducting quantum interference devices (SQUIDs) in a cavity. The gate operations are realized within the two lower flux states of the SQUIDs by using a quantized cavity field and classical microwave pulses. Our scheme is achieved without any type of measurement, does not use the cavity mode as the data bus and only requires a very short resonant interaction of the SQUID-cavity system. As an application of the QCPG operation, we also propose a scheme for generating the cluster states of many SQUIDs.Comment: 4 pages, resumitte

Explosive spontaneous emulsification

Spontaneous emulsification, resulting from the assembly and accumulation of surfactants at liquid-liquid interfaces, is an interfacial instability where microdroplets are generated and diffusively spread from the interface until complete emulsification. Here, we show that an external magnetic field can modulate the assembly of paramagnetic nanoparticle surfactants (NPSs) at liquid-liquid interfaces and trigger an oversaturation in the areal density of the NPSs at the interface, as evidenced by the reduction in the interfacial tension, γ, and corroborated with a magnetostatic continuum theory. Despite the significant reduction in γ, the presence of the magnetic field does not cause stable interfaces to become unstable. Upon rapid removal of the field, however, the stored free energy is released through an explosive ejection of a plume of microdroplets, a dynamical interfacial instability which we term explosive spontaneous emulsification. This explosive event rapidly reduces the areal density of the NPSs to its pre-field level, stabilizing the interface. The ability to externally trigger or suppress spontaneous emulsification, through this efficient untapped energy storage and release process, has potential applications for micro-propulsion systems and remotely controlled soft microrobots