Evolution of Quantum Discord and its Stability in Two-Qubit NMR Systems

We investigate evolution of quantum correlations in ensembles of two-qubit nuclear spin systems via nuclear magnetic resonance techniques. We use discord as a measure of quantum correlations and the Werner state as an explicit example. We first introduce different ways of measuring discord and geometric discord in two-qubit systems and then describe the following experimental studies: (a) We quantitatively measure discord for Werner-like states prepared using an entangling pulse sequence. An initial thermal state with zero discord is gradually and periodically transformed into a mixed state with maximum discord. The experimental and simulated behavior of rise and fall of discord agree fairly well. (b) We examine the efficiency of dynamical decoupling sequences in preserving quantum correlations. In our experimental setup, the dynamical decoupling sequences preserved the traceless parts of the density matrices at high fidelity. But they could not maintain the purity of the quantum states and so were unable to keep the discord from decaying. (c) We observe the evolution of discord for a singlet-triplet mixed state during a radio-frequency spin-lock. A simple relaxation model describes the evolution of discord, and the accompanying evolution of fidelity of the long-lived singlet state, reasonably well.Comment: 9 pages, 7 figures, Phys. Rev. A (in press

Application of Case Studies to Practice in Foundation Engineering in India

India has massive developments, urbanization, housing, communication in last decade. The optimization of cost and saving construction time to complete, are now new aspects which geotechnical engineers are facing. Till today the typical design of shallow foundations of structure-buildings, fly over and dams on non-plastic silty fine sand subsoils found in alluvial deposits of state like Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Gujarat, Bengal and long coastal belt, were designed by age old practice based on soil mechanics of 1948. Such proven practice became BIS codes for design and construction of structural foundations in 1976-81. The common sense and observational approach of Terzaghi (1959) did not confirm such interpretation of Standard Penetration (SP) test. SP test on non – plastic silty sand at 2 to 3 m below ground surface, being loose (Rd \u3c 15%), had permissible bearing capacity for 25 mm settlement (qa25) less than 100 kPa. This required almost double concrete in footings. Vast country with fast growth had more than million structures built/year, saving of RCC would be around 900 million cubic meter/year. The time reduced will be added advantage. Even up to 10m depth, at number of sites N recorded as 5 to 10 blows/30cm, was considered as “loose” to “medium” by the code indicating prima-facie high liquefaction potential under low seismic activity. This phobia did not spare proposed, under construction over years and existing structures from a long process of reinvestigations, consultants opinions and cost. High rise housing at Chennai, Delhi, Surat, monumental structures at Delhi, Agra, Ahmedabad, Kollkata, Panipat, Rajasthan suffered setback and perpetual suspense due to lack of proper interpretation. Some dams under construction like Ukai, Tenughat, barrages in West Bengal, Delhi, unique projects like Akshardham (Delhi) had to be stopped or delayed by suspected liquefaction. Long chain of opinions and additional tests like evaluation of Rd by alternative methods, rechecking of SPT values, blasting test as well as cross bore holes shear wave velocity tests had to be planned to remove notional interpretation. Study proposes to eliminate such decays & cost escalation by providing alternatives. Typical case studies, showing methodology are also illustrated. Authors with professionals (30 numbers) in geotechnical engineering practicing in India formed a TC-16 technical group (Year 2000-2005) to prepare a report on ground characterization by in-situ testing. The final recommendations for interpretation of SP test (N) and DCP test (NC) for non-plastic alluvial deposit, investigated as per IS code are presented in the form of a chart. It gives for observed N or NC at P0’ (effective overburden pressure) the relative density (Rd), ∅’ (angle of shear resistance), E (deformation modulus) and permissible bearing capacity for 40 mm permissible settlement. The chart also indicate likely liquefaction potential at depth for a = 0.1g for preliminary analysis. Typical case studies have been illustrated. The authors advocated bore holes to be supplemented by uncased DCPT adequate in number, to provide recommendation for an area (not point). If results are not satisfying commonsense, check by in-situ tests for Rd, plate load, even prototype test shall be used before resorting to rejection of site or adopting ground improvement. Any recommendation, for probable liquefaction for existing or under construction project, must be checked by proper reinvestigations and interpretation

Učinci konjske rotkvice (Moringa oleifera) kao dodatka prehrani na antioksidacijski status junica križanki različitih pasmina

The experiment was conducted to evaluate the anti-oxidant effect of Moringa oleifera meal-supplementation in the total mixed ration, replacing the compounded concentrate mixture for crossbred heifer calves. A total of twenty-one crossbred heifer calves were selected and grouped into three treatments based on body weight and age. The leaves (84%) and soft twigs (16%) of Moringa oleifera were mixed to prepare the Moringa oleifera meal. Compounded concentrate mixture, ground nut straw, hybrid napier grass, mineral mixture and common salt were used at 50, 23, 25, 1 and 1%, respectively to formulate the control total mixed ration (T1). The compounded concentrate mixture was replaced with the Moringa oleifera meal at 5.0 and 7.5 % to formulate total mixed rations T2 and T3. The whole blood was collected from each calves in the morning before feeding and watering at the beginning (0 day), middle (at 60 day) and end (at 126 day) of the experiment. The total leukocyte counts, total erythrocyte counts, haematocrit and platelet count of crossbred heifer calves differed non-significantly (P>0.05) between the treatment groups, and were within normal physiological range. The serum albumin, glucose, creatinine, urea, alkaline phosphatase, alanine amino transaminase, calcium and phosphorus differed non-significantly between the treatment groups. However, feeding with Moringa oleifera resulted in higher (P0.05) higher after feeding with the 5.0 and 7.5% Moringa oleifera meals. Feeding with 5.0 and 7.5% Moringa oleifera meal in the total mixed ration, replacing the high protein compounded concentrate mixture, to growing crossbred heifer calves had no adverse effect on haematological and biochemical constituents, and resulted in a non-significant (P>0.05) higher antioxidant capacity in the crossbred heifer calves.Ovo je istraživanje provedeno kako bi se procijenio antioksidacijski učinak konjske rotkvice (Moringa oleifera) kao zamjene za mješavinu koncentrata u hranidbi junica križanki različitih pasmina. Na temelju tjelesne mase i dobi, junice (n=21) su razvrstane u tri pokusne skupine. Lišće (84%) i mekše grančice (16%) konjske rotkvice izmiješane su kako bi se pripremio obrok za istraživane životinje. U formulaciji mješavine (T1) upotrijebljena je mješavina koncentrata u količini od 50%, mljeveni orašasti plodovi 23%, Hybrid Napier 25%, mineralna mješavina 1 % i obična sol 1 %. Pripreljena smjesa koncentrata zamijenjena je obrokom s konjskom rotkvicom u omjeru 5,0% i 7,5% za skupine T2 i T3. Od svake je junice uzet uzorak pune krvi ujutro prije hranjenja i pojenja na početku (0. dan), sredinom (60. dan) i na kraju pokusa (126. dan). Nije bilo statistički znakovite razlike (P>0,05) u ukupnom broju leukocita i eritrocita, hematokritu te broju trombocita među pokusnim skupinama i vrijednosti su bile unutar fiziološkog raspona. Ni u vrijednostima serumskog albumina, glukoze, kreatinina, ureje, alkalne fosfataze, alanin-aminotransaminaze, kalcija i fosfora nije bilo statistički znakovite razlike među pokusnim skupinama. Dodatak prehrani konjske rotkvice međutim rezultirao je porastom proteina u serumu (P0,05) pri hranjenju obrocima s dodatkom konjske rotkvice. Prehrana s 5,0 i 7,5% dodatka konjske rotkvice koja je zamijenila visokoproteinsku koncntriranu mješavinu u obrocima junica nije utjecala na njihove hematološke i biokemnijske pokazatelja kao ni na njihov antioksidacijski kapacitet čije neznatno povećanje nije bilo statistički znakovito (P>0,05)

Some Bianchi Type III String Cosmological Models with Bulk Viscosity

We investigate the integrability of cosmic strings in Bianchi III space-time in presence of a bulk viscous fluid by applying a new technique. The behaviour of the model is reduced to the solution of a single second order nonlinear differential equation. We show that this equation admits an infinite family of solutions. Some physical consequences from these results are also discussed.Comment: 12 pages, no figure. To appear in Int. J. Theor. Phy

Gastrointestinal stromal tumour in Meckel's diverticulum

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Meckel's Diverticulum is the most commonly encountered congenital anomaly of the small intestine, occurring in approximately 2% of the population. Occasionally Meckel's diverticulum harbors neoplasms.</p> <p>Case presentation</p> <p>A 65 year old gentleman, presented with a pelvic mass. On exploratory laparotomy, it turned out to be gastrointestinal stromal tumour (GIST) arising from Meckel's diverticulum. Short history and review of literature are discussed.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Neoplasms occurring from Meckel's diverticulum, even though rare, should be considered as differential diagnosis of pelvic masses arising from bowel, wherever imaging modalities fail to give a definitive diagnosis.</p

Global, regional, and national comparative risk assessment of 79 behavioural, environmental and occupational, and metabolic risks or clusters of risks, 1990-2015: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2015

SummaryBackground The Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study 2015 provides an up-to-date synthesis of the evidence for risk factor exposure and the attributable burden of disease. By providing national and subnational assessments spanning the past 25 years, this study can inform debates on the importance of addressing risks in context. Methods We used the comparative risk assessment framework developed for previous iterations of the Global Burden of Disease Study to estimate attributable deaths, disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs), and trends in exposure by age group, sex, year, and geography for 79 behavioural, environmental and occupational, and metabolic risks or clusters of risks from 1990 to 2015. This study included 388 risk-outcome pairs that met World Cancer Research Fund-defined criteria for convincing or probable evidence. We extracted relative risk and exposure estimates from randomised controlled trials, cohorts, pooled cohorts, household surveys, census data, satellite data, and other sources. We used statistical models to pool data, adjust for bias, and incorporate covariates. We developed a metric that allows comparisons of exposure across risk factors—the summary exposure value. Using the counterfactual scenario of theoretical minimum risk level, we estimated the portion of deaths and DALYs that could be attributed to a given risk. We decomposed trends in attributable burden into contributions from population growth, population age structure, risk exposure, and risk-deleted cause-specific DALY rates. We characterised risk exposure in relation to a Socio-demographic Index (SDI). Findings Between 1990 and 2015, global exposure to unsafe sanitation, household air pollution, childhood underweight, childhood stunting, and smoking each decreased by more than 25%. Global exposure for several occupational risks, high body-mass index (BMI), and drug use increased by more than 25% over the same period. All risks jointly evaluated in 2015 accounted for 57·8% (95% CI 56·6–58·8) of global deaths and 41·2% (39·8–42·8) of DALYs. In 2015, the ten largest contributors to global DALYs among Level 3 risks were high systolic blood pressure (211·8 million [192·7 million to 231·1 million] global DALYs), smoking (148·6 million [134·2 million to 163·1 million]), high fasting plasma glucose (143·1 million [125·1 million to 163·5 million]), high BMI (120·1 million [83·8 million to 158·4 million]), childhood undernutrition (113·3 million [103·9 million to 123·4 million]), ambient particulate matter (103·1 million [90·8 million to 115·1 million]), high total cholesterol (88·7 million [74·6 million to 105·7 million]), household air pollution (85·6 million [66·7 million to 106·1 million]), alcohol use (85·0 million [77·2 million to 93·0 million]), and diets high in sodium (83·0 million [49·3 million to 127·5 million]). From 1990 to 2015, attributable DALYs declined for micronutrient deficiencies, childhood undernutrition, unsafe sanitation and water, and household air pollution; reductions in risk-deleted DALY rates rather than reductions in exposure drove these declines. Rising exposure contributed to notable increases in attributable DALYs from high BMI, high fasting plasma glucose, occupational carcinogens, and drug use. Environmental risks and childhood undernutrition declined steadily with SDI; low physical activity, high BMI, and high fasting plasma glucose increased with SDI. In 119 countries, metabolic risks, such as high BMI and fasting plasma glucose, contributed the most attributable DALYs in 2015. Regionally, smoking still ranked among the leading five risk factors for attributable DALYs in 109 countries; childhood underweight and unsafe sex remained primary drivers of early death and disability in much of sub-Saharan Africa. Interpretation Declines in some key environmental risks have contributed to declines in critical infectious diseases. Some risks appear to be invariant to SDI. Increasing risks, including high BMI, high fasting plasma glucose, drug use, and some occupational exposures, contribute to rising burden from some conditions, but also provide opportunities for intervention. Some highly preventable risks, such as smoking, remain major causes of attributable DALYs, even as exposure is declining. Public policy makers need to pay attention to the risks that are increasingly major contributors to global burden. Funding Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

Targeted Killing of Virally Infected Cells by Radiolabeled Antibodies to Viral Proteins

BACKGROUND: The HIV epidemic is a major threat to health in the developing and western worlds. A modality that targets and kills HIV-1-infected cells could have a major impact on the treatment of acute exposure and the elimination of persistent reservoirs of infected cells. The aim of this proof-of-principle study was to demonstrate the efficacy of a therapeutic strategy of targeting and eliminating HIV-1-infected cells with radiolabeled antibodies specific to viral proteins in vitro and in vivo. METHODS AND FINDINGS: Antibodies to HIV-1 envelope glycoproteins gp120 and gp41 labeled with radioisotopes bismuth 213 ((213)Bi) and rhenium 188 ((188)Re) selectively killed chronically HIV-1-infected human T cells and acutely HIV-1-infected human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (hPBMCs) in vitro. Treatment of severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) mice harboring HIV-1-infected hPBMCs in their spleens with a (213)Bi- or (188)Re-labeled monoclonal antibody (mAb) to gp41 resulted in a 57% injected dose per gram uptake of radiolabeled mAb in the infected spleens and in a greater than 99% elimination of HIV-1-infected cells in a dose-dependent manner. The number of HIV-1-infected thymocytes decreased 2.5-fold in the human thymic implant grafts of SCID mice treated with the (188)Re-labeled antibody to gp41 compared with those treated with the (188)Re-control mAb. The treatment did not cause acute hematologic toxicity in the treated mice. CONCLUSIONS: The current study demonstrates the effectiveness of HIV-targeted radioimmunotherapy and may provide a novel treatment option in combination with highly active antiretroviral therapy for the eradication of HIV

Burden of cancer in the Eastern Mediterranean Region, 2005–2015: findings from the Global Burden of Disease 2015 Study

Objectives: To estimate incidence, mortality, and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) caused by cancer in the Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR) between 2005 and 2015. Methods: Vital registration system and cancer registry data from the EMR region were analyzed for 29 cancer groups in 22 EMR countries using the Global Burden of Disease Study 2015 methodology. Results: In 2015, cancer was responsible for 9.4% of all deaths and 5.1% of all DALYs. It accounted for 722,646 new cases, 379,093 deaths, and 11.7 million DALYs. Between 2005 and 2015, incident cases increased by 46%, deaths by 33%, and DALYs by 31%. The increase in cancer incidence was largely driven by population growth and population aging. Breast cancer, lung cancer, and leukemia were the most common cancers, while lung, breast, and stomach cancers caused most cancer deaths. Conclusions: Cancer is responsible for a substantial disease burden in the EMR, which is increasing. There is an urgent need to expand cancer prevention, screening, and awareness programs in EMR countries as well as to improve diagnosis, treatment, and palliative care services.The funding source played no role in the design of thestudy, the analysis and interpretation of data, and the writing of thepaper. GBD 2015 is funded by Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

Global, regional, and national comparative risk assessment of 79 behavioural, environmental and occupational, and metabolic risks or clusters of risks, 1990–2015: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2015

Background The Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study 2015 provides an up-to-date synthesis of the evidence for risk factor exposure and the attributable burden of disease. By providing national and subnational assessments spanning the past 25 years, this study can inform debates on the importance of addressing risks in context. Methods We used the comparative risk assessment framework developed for previous iterations of the Global Burden of Disease Study to estimate attributable deaths, disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs), and trends in exposure by age group, sex, year, and geography for 79 behavioural, environmental and occupational, and metabolic risks or clusters of risks from 1990 to 2015. This study included 388 risk-outcome pairs that met World Cancer Research Fund-defined criteria for convincing or probable evidence. We extracted relative risk and exposure estimates from randomised controlled trials, cohorts, pooled cohorts, household surveys, census data, satellite data, and other sources. We used statistical models to pool data, adjust for bias, and incorporate covariates. We developed a metric that allows comparisons of exposure across risk factors—the summary exposure value. Using the counterfactual scenario of theoretical minimum risk level, we estimated the portion of deaths and DALYs that could be attributed to a given risk. We decomposed trends in attributable burden into contributions from population growth, population age structure, risk exposure, and risk-deleted cause-specific DALY rates. We characterised risk exposure in relation to a Socio-demographic Index (SDI). Findings Between 1990 and 2015, global exposure to unsafe sanitation, household air pollution, childhood underweight, childhood stunting, and smoking each decreased by more than 25%. Global exposure for several occupational risks, high body-mass index (BMI), and drug use increased by more than 25% over the same period. All risks jointly evaluated in 2015 accounted for 57·8% (95% CI 56·6–58·8) of global deaths and 41·2% (39·8–42·8) of DALYs. In 2015, the ten largest contributors to global DALYs among Level 3 risks were high systolic blood pressure (211·8 million [192·7 million to 231·1 million] global DALYs), smoking (148·6 million [134·2 million to 163·1 million]), high fasting plasma glucose (143·1 million [125·1 million to 163·5 million]), high BMI (120·1 million [83·8 million to 158·4 million]), childhood undernutrition (113·3 million [103·9 million to 123·4 million]), ambient particulate matter (103·1 million [90·8 million to 115·1 million]), high total cholesterol (88·7 million [74·6 million to 105·7 million]), household air pollution (85·6 million [66·7 million to 106·1 million]), alcohol use (85·0 million [77·2 million to 93·0 million]), and diets high in sodium (83·0 million [49·3 million to 127·5 million]). From 1990 to 2015, attributable DALYs declined for micronutrient deficiencies, childhood undernutrition, unsafe sanitation and water, and household air pollution; reductions in risk-deleted DALY rates rather than reductions in exposure drove these declines. Rising exposure contributed to notable increases in attributable DALYs from high BMI, high fasting plasma glucose, occupational carcinogens, and drug use. Environmental risks and childhood undernutrition declined steadily with SDI; low physical activity, high BMI, and high fasting plasma glucose increased with SDI. In 119 countries, metabolic risks, such as high BMI and fasting plasma glucose, contributed the most attributable DALYs in 2015. Regionally, smoking still ranked among the leading five risk factors for attributable DALYs in 109 countries; childhood underweight and unsafe sex remained primary drivers of early death and disability in much of sub-Saharan Africa. Interpretation Declines in some key environmental risks have contributed to declines in critical infectious diseases. Some risks appear to be invariant to SDI. Increasing risks, including high BMI, high fasting plasma glucose, drug use, and some occupational exposures, contribute to rising burden from some conditions, but also provide opportunities for intervention. Some highly preventable risks, such as smoking, remain major causes of attributable DALYs, even as exposure is declining. Public policy makers need to pay attention to the risks that are increasingly major contributors to global burden. Funding Bill &amp; Melinda Gates Foundation