Quantum entanglement in plasmonic waveguides with near-zero mode indices

We investigate the quantum entanglement between two quantum dots in a plasmonic waveguide with near-zero mode index, considering the dependence of concurrence on interdot distance, quantum dot-waveguide frequency detuning and coupling strength ratio. High concurrence is achieved for a wide range of interdot distance due to the near-zero mode index, which largely relaxes the strict requirement of interdot distance in conventional dielectric waveguides or metal nanowires. The proposed quantum dot-waveguide system with near-zero phase variation along the waveguide near the mode cutoff frequency shows very promising potential in quantum optics and quantum information processing

Spray Impingement Cooling: The State of the Art

The cooling of a surface can be achieved by the impingement of spray, which is a free surface flow of droplets ejected from a spray nozzle. Spray cooling can provide uniform cooling and handle high heat fluxes in both single phase and two phases. In this chapter, spray cooling is reviewed from two aspects: the entire spray (spray level) and droplets (droplet level). The discussion on the spray level is focused on the spray cooling performance as a function of fluid properties, flow conditions, surface conditions, and nozzle positioning. The advantages and barriers of using spray cooling for engineering applications are summarized. The discussion on the droplet level is focused on the impact of droplet flow on film flow, which is the key flow mechanism in spray cooling. Droplet flow involves single droplet, droplet train (continuously droplets broke up from jet flow), and droplet burst (droplet groups affecting at a constant frequency), and local cooling enhancement due to droplet flow is discussed in details. Future work and unresolved issues in spray cooling are proposed

Methological quality of systematic reviews and meta-analyses on acupuncture for stroke: a review of review

Objective: To assess the methodological quality of systematic reviews and meta-analyses regarding acupuncture intervention for stroke and the primary studies within them. Methods: Two researchers searched PubMed, Cumulative index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Embase, ISI Web of Knowledge, Cochrane, Allied and Complementary Medicine, Ovid Medline, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang and Traditional Chinese Medical Database to identify systematic reviews and meta-analyses about acupuncture for stroke published from the inception to December 2016. Review characteristics and the criteria for assessing the primary studies within reviews were extracted. The methodological quality of the reviews was assessed using adapted Oxman and Guyatt Scale. The methodological quality of primary studies was also assessed. Results: Thirty-two eligible reviews were identified, 15 in English and 17 in Chinese. The English reviews were scored higher than the Chinese reviews (P=0.025), especially in criteria for avoiding bias and the scope of search. All reviews used the quality criteria to evaluate the methodological quality of primary studies, but some criteria were not comprehensive. The primary studies, in particular the Chinese reviews, had problems with randomization, allocation concealment, blinding, dropouts and withdrawals, intent-to-treat analysis and adverse events. Conclusions: Important methodological flaws were found in Chinese systematic reviews and primary studies. It was necessary to improve the methodological quality and reporting quality of both the systematic reviews published in China and primary studies on acupuncture for stroke

A randomized clinical trial of the immunogenicity of 7-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine compared to 23-valent polysaccharide vaccine in frail, hospitalized elderly

Background: Elderly people do not mount strong immune responses to vaccines. We compared 23-valent capsular polysaccharide (23vPPV) alone versus 7-valent conjugate (PCV7) vaccine followed by 23vPPV 6 months later in hospitalized elderly. Methods: Participants were randomized to receive 23vPPV or PCV7-23vPPV. Antibodies against serotypes 3, 4, 6A, 6B, 9V, 14, 18C, 19A, 19F, 23F were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent (ELISA) and opsonophagocytic (OPA) assays at baseline, 6 months and 12 months. Results: Of 312 recruited, between 40% and 72% of subjects had undetectable OPA titres at baseline. After one dose, PCV7 recipients had significantly higher responses to serotypes 9V (both assays) and 23F (OPA only), and 23vPPV recipients had significantly higher responses to serotype 3 (ELISA), 19F and 19A (OPA only). In subjects with undetectable OPA titres at baseline, a proportionately greater rise in OPA titre (P<0.01) was seen for all serotypes after both vaccines. The GMT ratio of OPA was significantly higher at 12 months in the PCV7-23vPPV group for serotypes 6A, 9V, 18C and 23F. OPA titre levels for these serotypes increased moderately after 6 months, whereas immunity waned in the 23vPPV only arm. Conclusion: We did not show overwhelming benefit of one vaccine over the other. Low baseline immunity does not preclude a robust immune response, reiterating the importance of vaccinating the frail elderly. A schedule of PCV7-23vPPV prevents waning of antibody, suggesting that both vaccines could be useful in the elderly. Follow up studies are needed to determine persistence of immunity. Trial Registration: The Australian Clinical Trials Registry ACTRN12607000387426 © 2014 MacIntyre et al

Four new jacaranone analogs from the fruits of a Beibu Gulf mangrove Avicennia marina

Four new jacaranone analogs, marinoids F–I (1–4), were isolated from the fruits of a Beibu Gulf mangrove Avicennia marina. The structures were elucidated based on analysis of spectroscopic data. Marinoids F and G are shown to be diastereoisomers of chlorocornoside, a new halogen containing marine secondary metabolite. The antioxidant activity of the isolates was evaluated using a cellular antioxidant assay, and 4 showed good antioxidant activity (EC50 = 26 μM)

Association between living environmental quality and risk of arthritis in middle-aged and older adults: a national study in China

BackgroundThe association between combined environmental factors and the risk of arthritis is still scarcely studied. The present study performed cross-sectional and cohort studies to explore the association between risk score of living environment quality and the risk of arthritis in middle-aged and older adults in China.MethodsThe study was based on China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS), and it recruited 17,218 participants in the cross-sectional study and 11,242 participants in the seven-year follow-up study. The living environment quality was measured by household fuel types, household water sources, room temperature, residence types, and ambient concentration of PM2.5. Logistic regression and Cox proportional hazard regression models were utilized to examine the association between the living environment quality and the risk of arthritis. Competing risk models and stratified analyses were applied to further verify our results.ResultsCompared with individuals in the suitable environment group, people who lived in moderate (OR:1.28, 95%CI: 1.14–1.43) and unfavorable environments (OR:1.49, 95%CI:1.31–1.70) showed higher risks of arthritis when considering the multiple living environmental factors (P for trend &lt;0.001) in the cross-sectional analysis. In the follow-up study, similar results (P for trend = 0.021), moderate environment group (HR:1.26, 95%CI:1.01–1.56) and unfavorable environment group (HR: 1.36, 95%CI: 1.07–1.74), were founded.ConclusionInferior living environment might promote the development of arthritis. It is necessary for the public, especially old people, to improve the living environment, which may be the key to the primary prevention of arthritis

Performance optimization of LSCF/Gd:CeO2_2 composite cathodes via single-step inkjet printing infltration

The effect of solid oxide fuel cell cathode microstructure modification on its electrochemical activity is investigated. Inkjet printing infiltration was used to develop a nano-decoration pattern on the composite cathode scaffolds. Two types of composite La$_{0.6}$Sr$_{0.4}$Co$_{0.2}$Fe$_{0.8}$O$_{3−δ}$:Ce$_{0.9}$Gd$_{0.1}$O$_{1.9}$ cathodes with different volume ratios (60:40 and 40:60 vol%) were fabricated using inkjet printing of suspension inks. The electrodes were altered by single-step inkjet printing infiltration of ethanol-based Ce$_{0.9}$Gd$_{0.1}$O$_{1.9}$ ink. After heat treatments in air at 550 °C the cathodes’ surfaces were shown to be nano-decorated with Ce$_{0.9}$Gd$_{0.1}$O$_{1.9}$ particles (~20–120 nm in size) dispersed uniformly onto the electrode scaffold. The nano-engineered microstructure enhanced the active triple phase boundary of the electrode and promoted the surface exchange reaction of oxygen. Electrochemical impedance tests conducted on symmetrical cells showed a reduction in the polarization resistance of between 1.3 and 2.9 times. The effect was found to be more pronounced in the 60:40 vol% composite cathodes. Ageing of infiltrated electrodes up to 60 h in air revealed enhanced stability of gadolinium doped ceria nanoparticles decorated electrodes ascribed to the suppression of SrO surface segregation. This work demonstrated that single-step inkjet printing infiltration can produce reproducible performance enhancements and thus offers a cost-effective route for commercial solid oxide fuel cell infiltration processing.The authors wish to acknowledge EPSRC Grant—“Tailoring of microstructural evolution in impregnated SOFC electrodes” —for the financial support

Improve the catalytic property of La0.6_{0.6}Sr0.4_{0.4}Co0.2_{0.2}Fe0.8_{0.8}O3_{3}/Ce0.9_{0.9}Gd0.1_{0.1}O2_{2} (LSCF/CGO) cathodes with CuO nanoparticles infiltration

LSCF/CGO composite cathodes decorated with small amount (less than 1 wt%) of nano CuO particles has been synthesized by infiltration technique. The area specific resistance (ASR) of the LSCF/CGO at 500 °C has been significantly reduced by the CuO infiltration from 15.5 Ω cm 2 and 0.62 Ω cm 2 to 3.9 Ω cm 2 and 0.32 Ω cm 2 at 500 °C and 650 °C respectively. The redox reaction of Cu 2+ /Cu 1+ at the interface of CuO and LSCF/CGO has been assigned as the main reason for the improvement. Lattice parameter change of LSCF at 500 °C has been detected by High Temperature XRD, indicating partial diffusion of Cu 2+ into the lattice of LSCF, and formation of a new Cu containing compound. The performance stability of the infiltrated samples has been investigated by aging at 500 °C and 650 °C for 150 hours in stagnant air. A slight degradation of the catalytic property was observed during the aging process. The degradation may be attributed to three factors: (i) the coarsening of CuO nanoparticles, (ii) segregation of the SrO due the lattice change and (iii) instability of the new Cu 2+ contained compounds.The authors wish to acknowledge EPSRC grant “Tailoring of microstructural evolution in impregnated SOFC electrodes” for the financial support

Prognostic markers of ferroptosis-related long non-coding RNA in lung adenocarcinomas

Ferroptosis is a recently established type of iron-dependent programmed cell death. Growing studies have focused on the function of ferroptosis in cancers, including lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD). However, the factors involved in the regulation of ferroptosis-related genes are not fully understood. In this study, we collected data from lung adenocarcinoma datasets of the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA-LUAD). The expression profiles of 60 ferroptosis-related genes were screened, and two differentially expressed ferroptosis subtypes were identified. We found the two ferroptosis subtypes can predict clinical outcomes and therapeutic responses in LUAD patients. Furthermore, key long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) were screened by single factor Cox and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) based on which co-expressed with the 60 ferroptosis-related genes. We then established a risk score model which included 13 LUAD ferroptosis-related lncRNAs with a multi-factor Cox regression. The risk score model showed a good performance in evaluating the outcome of LUAD. What’s more, we divided TCGA-LUAD tumor samples into two groups with high- and low-risk scores and further explored the differences in clinical characteristics, tumor mutation burden, and tumor immune cell infiltration among different LUAD tumor risk score groups and evaluate the predictive ability of risk score for immunotherapy benefit. Our findings provide good support for immunotherapy in LUAD in the future