An all fiber source of frequency entangled photon pairs

We present an all fiber source of frequency entangled photon pairs by using four wave mixing in a Sagnac fiber loop. Special care is taken to suppress the impurity of the frequency entanglement by cooling the fiber and by matching the polarization modes of the photon pairs counter-propagating in the fiber loop. Coincidence detection of signal and idler photons, which are created in pair and in different spatial modes of the fiber loop, shows the quantum interference in the form of spatial beating, while the single counts of the individual signal (idler) photons keep constant. When the production rate of photon pairs is about 0.013 pairs/pulse, the envelope of the quantum interference reveals a visibility of $(95\pm 2)$, which is close to the calculated theoretical limit 97.4%Comment: 11 pages, 6 figures, to appear in Phys. Rev.

Degradation of Wood Flour/Poly (Lactic Acid) Composites Reinforced by Coupling Agents and Organo-Montmorillonite in a Compost Test

To investigate the degradation properties of wood flour (WF)/poly (lactic acid) (PLA) composites modified with organo-montmorillonite (OMMT) and two types of coupling agents, namely, maleic anhydride grafted polypropylene (MAPP) and silane (γ-methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane, KH-570), pure PLA, OMMT/PLA, and WF/PLA composites were prepared with the hot-press molding method and tested in a compost test for 6 mo. After compost tests, samples were also characterized with scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectrum, and differential scanning calorimeter for further understanding. The results showed that 1) introducing WF and OMMT accelerated the degradability of PLA (after 5 mo, all composites were completely degraded, whereas the pure PLA control still had 4.78% residue); 2) the two types of coupling agents had opposite effects on degradation of WF/PLA composites (MAPP delayed the degradation process, whereas silane accelerated it); 3) silane and OMMT had a synergic effect on degradability, which was supported by the complete degradation of WF/PLA composites modified with both silane and OMMT in 4 mo; 4) after a 3-mo compost, many cracks or voids occurred on the surface of PLA, and this compost test also resulted in separated WF. Tm values of PLA and OMMT/PLA decreased and their crystallinity degrees increased, suggesting faster degradation of PLA with WF and OMMT loading

Effects of thin Covers on the Release of Coal Gangue Contaminants

AbstractThe effects of the different ecological covers on the release of coal gangue contaminants were evaluated by the batch pot of experiments. The tests were carried for 12 weeks on the coal gangue by different approaches, which were the coverings with 1-2cm artificial matrix that contained acid buffer and plant ameliorant(Tr1:thin matrix cover), 1-2cm slurry of artificial matrix (Tr2: thin coating),and control groups(CK),and planted Lolium perenne, Chenopodium ambrosioides L, and sporopollen of Funaria hygrometrica Hedw on the surface layer, respectively. During the pot experiments, the leachates were collected and analyzed for pH, electrical conductivity (EC), and concentration of Fe, Mn, Cu, Zn, SO42-, F- .The results showed that the coal gangue was uninterruptedly oxidized to form acidic when it was exposed to open air, and 3 or 5 weeks later, dissolution of Fe, Mn, Cu, Zn and SO42-, F− in the coal gangue started and increased significantly, and this is a typical acid mine drainage (AMD) formation process. Compared to the CK, thin matrix cover could retard the allotted time of the production of acidity and release of contaminants, but was easily invalid to long-term. The pH of thin coating was at a high value with time, and the concentration of Fe, Mn, Cu, Zn, SO42− and F- reduced significantly. The data indicated that the thin coating could effectively stop or retard the production of acidity and the release of contaminants generated by coal gangue. It suggests that thin coating covers on the coal gangue could be a suitable method for pollution abatement and controlling on-site

Fiber based source of photon pairs at telecom band with high temporal coherence and brightness for quantum information processing

We experimentally demonstrate a bright pulsed source of correlated photon pairs at 1550 nm telecom band by pumping 300 m dispersion shifted fiber with a 4 ps pulse train. We investigate the coherence property of the source by measuring the second order intensity correlation function $g^{(2)}$ of individual signal (idler) photons. A preliminary Hong-Ou-Mandel type two-photon interference experiment with two such sources confirms the high temporal and spatial coherence of the source. The source is suitable for multi-photon quantum interference of independent sources, required in quantum information processing.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures, submitte

Generalized retarded integral inequalities

We prove some new retarded integral inequalities. The results generalize those in [J. Math. Anal. Appl. 301 (2005), no. 2, 265--275].Comment: Changes suggested by the referee don

Long intergenic non-protein coding RNA 00174 promotes cardiac hypertrophy by targeting miR-150-5p

Purpose: miR-150-5p is associated with several diseases but its relation with cardiac hypertrophy (CH) is yet to be unveiled. However, long intergenic non-protein coding RNA 174 (LINC00174) is implicated in CH. The purpose of this study was to investigate the roles of LINC00174 and miR-150-5p in relation to CH progression.Methods: A mechanical cyclic stretch was applied to create 4 groups of H9 cardiomyocytes: 15 % 7, 15, 24 and 48 hr stretches, as well as unstretched control. Transfection method was used to up-regulate expression levels of LINC00174 and miR-150-5p in H9 cardiomyocytes. RT-qPCR and Western blot were used to determine the effect of LINC00174 on mRNA expression levels of miR-150-5p, proliferation and apoptosis biomarkers. Cell proliferation was determined by CCK-8 assay and the target gene of LINC00174 was detected by luciferase reporter assay. Results: Expression level of LINC00174 was high in H9 stretched cardiomyocytes. When overexpressed, it enhanced the mRNA expression of proliferation biomarkers and down-regulated apoptosis biomarkers. More so, miR-150-5p was down-regulated in H9 stretched cardiomyocytes and it was a direct target of LINC00174. Furthermore, miR-1505p restoration reversed the effects of LINC00174 overexpression on proliferation and apoptosis biomarkers. Conclusion: LINC00174 and miR-150-5p may be novel biomarkers for early diagnosis of CH

Bis[2-(2-pyridylmethyl­eneamino)benzene­sulfonato-κ3 N,N′,O]cadmium(II) dihydrate

The title complex, [Cd(Paba)2]·2H2O or [Cd(C12H9N2O3S)2]·2H2O, was synthesized by the reaction of the potassium salt of 2-(2-pyridylmethyl­eneamino)benzene­sulfonic acid (PabaK) with CdCl2·2.5H2O in methanol. The CdII atom lies on a crystallographic twofold axis and is coordinated by four N atoms and two O atoms from two deprotonated tridentate 2-(2-pyridylmethyl­eneamino)benzene­sulfonate ligands in a slightly distorted octa­hedral environment. There are extensive hydrogen bonds of the type O—H⋯O between the uncoordinated water molecules and the sulfonate O atoms, through which the complex forms a layered structure parallel to (001)