Steady Bell state generation via magnon-photon coupling

We show that parity-time ($\mathcal{PT}$) symmetry can be spontaneously broken in the recently reported energy level attraction of magnons and cavity photons. In the $\mathcal{PT}$-broken phase, magnon and photon form a high-fidelity Bell state with maximum entanglement. This entanglement is steady and robust against the perturbation of environment, in contrast to the general wisdom that expects instability of the hybridized state when the symmetry is broken. This anomaly is further understood by the compete of non-Hermitian evolution and particle number conservation of the hybridized system. As a comparison, neither $\mathcal{PT}$-symmetry broken nor steady magnon-photon entanglement is observed inside the normal level repulsion case. Our results may open a novel window to utilize magnon-photon entanglement as a resource for quantum technologies.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figure

Effect of microwave treatment on the physicochemical properties of potato starch granules

BACKGROUND: The degree of polymerization of amylose starch in potato was so large that the gel was hardness after gelatinization. Therefore, it is one of the most important ways that the microwave treatment was used to change the physicochemical properties of starch gel to make it suitable for the preparation of instant food. RESULTS: The effect of microwave treatment on the physicochemical properties including morphology, crystalline structure, molecular weight distribution and rheological properties of potato starch granules was evaluated by treating time of varying duration (0, 5, 10, 15, 20 s) at 2450 MHz and 750 W. Scanning electron micrographs (SEM) of potato starch granules showed flaws or fractures on the surface after 5 to 10s of microwaving and collapse after 15 to 20 s. Polarized light microscopy (PLM) indicated that microwave treating damaged the crystalline structure of potato starch, such that the birefringence of starch granules gradually decreased after 5 to 10s and even disappeared after microwaving from 15 to 20 s. The molecular weight (Mw) values of potato starch and the proportion of large M(W) fraction were considerably reduced with increasing the microwave treating time from 0 to 20s. The molecular weight slowly decreased over 5 ~ 15 s microwave treating but decreased abruptly at the time of 20s microwave treating. The apparent viscosity decreased as shear rate increased and presented shear-thinning behavior. The magnitudes of the storage modulus (G’) and loss modulus (G”) obtained at each shear rate increased with duration of microwave treating from 0 to 15 s but decreased from 15 to 20 s. CONCLUSIONS: These results demonstrated that the morphology and crystalline structure was damaged by microwave treatment. The high molecular weight of potato starch above 2 × 10(8) Da was so sensitive to the vibrational motion of the polar molecules due to the application microwave energy and broke easily for longer dextran chains. The fracture of starch granules, molecular chains leached from the starch granules and degradation of dextran chains contributing to the development of rheological properties

Identification of biomarkers co-associated with M1 macrophages, ferroptosis and cuproptosis in alcoholic hepatitis by bioinformatics and experimental verification

BackgroundsAlcoholic hepatitis (AH) is a major health problem worldwide. There is increasing evidence that immune cells, iron metabolism and copper metabolism play important roles in the development of AH. We aimed to explore biomarkers that are co-associated with M1 macrophages, ferroptosis and cuproptosis in AH patients.MethodsGSE28619 and GSE103580 datasets were integrated, CIBERSORT algorithm was used to analyze the infiltration of 22 types of immune cells and GSVA algorithm was used to calculate ferroptosis and cuproptosis scores. Using the “WGCNA” R package, we established a gene co-expression network and analyzed the correlation between M1 macrophages, ferroptosis and cuproptosis scores and module characteristic genes. Subsequently, candidate genes were screened by WGCNA and differential expression gene analysis. The LASSO-SVM analysis was used to identify biomarkers co-associated with M1 macrophages, ferroptosis and cuproptosis. Finally, we validated these potential biomarkers using GEO datasets (GSE155907, GSE142530 and GSE97234) and a mouse model of AH.ResultsThe infiltration level of M1 macrophages was significantly increased in AH patients. Ferroptosis and cuproptosis scores were also increased in AH patients. In addition, M1 macrophages, ferroptosis and cuproptosis were positively correlated with each other. Combining bioinformatics analysis with a mouse model of AH, we found that ALDOA, COL3A1, LUM, THBS2 and TIMP1 may be potential biomarkers co-associated with M1 macrophages, ferroptosis and cuproptosis in AH patients.ConclusionWe identified 5 potential biomarkers that are promising new targets for the treatment and diagnosis of AH patients

Tutorial: Nonlinear magnonics

Nonlinear magnonics studies the nonlinear interaction between magnons and other physical platforms (phonon, photon, qubit, spin texture) to generate novel magnon states for information processing. In this tutorial, we first introduce the nonlinear interactions of magnons in pure magnetic systems and hybrid magnon-phonon and magnon-photon systems. Then we show how these nonlinear interactions can generate exotic magnonic phenomena. In the classical regime, we will cover the parametric excitation of magnons, bistability and multistability, and the magnonic frequency comb. In the quantum regime, we will discuss the single magnon state, Schr\"{o}dinger cat state and the entanglement and quantum steering among magnons, photons and phonons. The applications of the hybrid magnonics systems in quantum transducer and sensing will also be presented. Finally, we outlook the future development direction of nonlinear magnonics.Comment: 50 pages, 26 figure

What Do We Know About Teamwork in Chinese Hospitals?:A Systematic Review

Background and Objective: Improving quality of care is one of the primary goals in current Chinese hospital reforms. Teamwork can play an essential role. Characteristics of teamwork and interventions for improving teamwork in hospitals have been widely studied. However, most of these studies are from a Western context; evidence from China is scarce. Because of the contextual differences between China and Western countries, empirical evidence on teamwork from Western hospitals may have limited validity in China. This systematic review aims to advance the evidence base and understanding of teamwork in Chinese hospitals. Methods: Both English (i.e., Embase, Medline, and Web of Science) and Chinese databases (i.e., CNKI, CQVIP, and Wanfang) were searched for relevant articles until February 6, 2020. We included the studies that empirically researched teamwork in Chinese hospitals. Studies were excluded if they (1) were not conducted in hospitals in Mainland China, (2) did not research teamwork on team interventions, (3) were not empirical, (4) were not written in English or Chinese, (5) were not published in peer-reviewed journals, and (6) were not conducted in teams that provide direct patient care. Both deductive and inductive approaches were used to analyze data. The Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT) was used to assess their methodological quality. Results: A total of 70 articles (i.e., 39 English articles and 31 Chinese articles) were included. The results are presented in two main categories: Teamwork components and Team interventions. The evidence regarding the relationships among inputs, processes, and outcomes is scarce and mostly inconclusive. The only conclusive evidence shows that females perceive better team processes than males. Similar types of training and tools were introduced as can be found in Western literature, all showing positive effects. In line with the Chinese health reforms, many of the intervention studies regard the introduction of multidisciplinary teams (MDTs). The evidence on the implementation of MDTs reveals that they have led to lower complication rates, shorter hospital stays, higher diagnosis accuracy, efficiency improvement, and a variety of better disease-specific clinical outcomes. Evidence on the effect on patient survival is inconclusive. Conclusion: The Chinese studies on teamwork components mainly focus on the input-process relationship. The evidence provided on this relationship is, however, mostly inconclusive. The intervention studies in Chinese hospitals predominantly focus on patient outcomes rather than organizational and employee outcomes. The introduction of training, tools, and MDTs generally shows promising results. The evidence from primary hospitals and rural areas, which are prioritized in the health reforms, is especially scarce. Advancing the evidence base on teamwork, especially in primary hospitals and rural areas, is needed and can inform policy and management to promote the health reform implementation. Systematic Review Registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42020175069, identifier CRD42020175069

Superconductivity at 32K and anisotropy in Tl0.58Rb0.42Fe1.72Se2 crystals

Single crystals of Tl0.58Rb0.42Fe1.72Se2 are successfully grown with the superconducting transition temperatures Tconset=32K and Tczero=31.4K. The Hall coefficient exhibits a multi-band behavior, which is very similar to that of all other Fe-based superconductors. We found that the susceptibility at the normal state decreases with decreasing the temperature, indicating a strong antiferromagnetic (AFM) spin fluctuation at the normal state, which might be related to the superconductivity (SC). We also determined the upper critical fields in ab-plane and along c-axis. The anisotropy of the superconductivity determined by the ratio of Hc2ab and Hc2c is estimated to 5.0, which is larger than that in (Ba,K)Fe2As2 and BaFe2-xCoxAs2, but smaller than that in cuprate superconductors.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure

Prevalence of the GJB2 IVS1+1G >A mutation in Chinese hearing loss patients with monoallelic pathogenic mutation in the coding region of GJB2

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Mutations in the GJB2 gene are the most common cause of nonsyndromic recessive hearing loss in China. In about 6% of Chinese patients with severe to profound sensorineural hearing impairment, only monoallelic <it>GJB2 </it>mutations known to be either recessive or of unclear pathogenicity have been identified. This paper reports the prevalence of the <it>GJB2 </it>IVS1+1G>A mutation in a population of Chinese hearing loss patients with monoallelic pathogenic mutation in the coding region of <it>GJB2</it>.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Two hundred and twelve patients, screened from 7133 cases of nonsyndromic hearing loss in China, with monoallelic mutation (mainly frameshift and nonsense mutation) in the coding region of <it>GJB2 </it>were examined for the <it>GJB2 </it>IVS1+1G>A mutation and mutations in the promoter region of this gene. Two hundred and sixty-two nonsyndromic hearing loss patients without <it>GJB2 </it>mutation and 105 controls with normal hearing were also tested for the <it>GJB2 </it>IVS1+1G>A mutation by sequencing.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Four patients with monoallelic mutation in the coding region of <it>GJB2 </it>were found carrying the <it>GJB2 </it>IVS1+1G>A mutation on the opposite allele. One patient with the <it>GJB2 </it>c.235delC mutation carried one variant, -3175 C>T, in exon 1 of <it>GJB2</it>. Neither <it>GJB2 </it>IVS1+1G>A mutation nor any variant in exon 1 of <it>GJB2 </it>was found in the 262 nonsyndromic hearing loss patients without <it>GJB2 </it>mutation or in the 105 normal hearing controls.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Testing for the <it>GJB2 </it>IVS 1+1 G to A mutation explained deafness in 1.89% of Chinese <it>GJB2 </it>monoallelic patients, and it should be included in routine testing of patients with <it>GJB2 </it>monoallelic pathogenic mutation.</p

Untargeted LC–MS/MS-Based Metabolomic Profiling for the Edible and Medicinal Plant Salvia miltiorrhiza Under Different Levels of Cadmium Stress

Salvia miltiorrhiza, a medicinal and edible plant, has been extensively applied to treat cardiovascular diseases and chronic hepatitis. Cadmium (Cd) affects the quality of S. miltiorrhiza, posing serious threats to human health. To reveal the metabolic mechanisms of S. miltiorrhiza's resistance to Cd stress, metabolite changes in S. miltiorrhiza roots treated with 0 (CK), 25 (T1), 50 (T2) and 100 (T3) mg kg−1 Cd by liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) were investigated. A total of 305 metabolites were identified, and most of them were amino acids, organic acids and fatty acids, which contributed to the discrimination of CK from the Cd-treated groups. Among them, S. miltiorrhiza mainly upregulated o-tyrosine, chorismate and eudesmic acid in resistance to 25 mg kg−1 Cd; DL-tryptophan, L-aspartic acid, L-proline and chorismite in resistance to 50 mg kg−1 Cd; and L-proline, L-serine, L-histidine, eudesmic acid, and rosmarinic acid in resistance to 100 mg kg−1 Cd. It mainly downregulated unsaturated fatty acids (e.g., oleic acid, linoleic acid) in resistance to 25, 50, and 100 mg kg−1 Cd and upregulated saturated fatty acids (especially stearic acid) in resistance to 100 mg kg−1 Cd. Biosynthesis of unsaturated fatty acids, isoquinoline alkaloid, betalain, aminoacyl-tRNA, and tyrosine metabolism were the significantly enriched metabolic pathways and the most important pathways involved in the Cd resistance of S. miltiorrhiza. These data elucidated the crucial metabolic mechanisms involved in S. miltiorrhiza Cd resistance and the crucial metabolites that could be used to improve resistance to Cd stress in medicinal plant breeding

Extremely discrepant mutation spectrum of SLC26A4 between Chinese patients with isolated Mondini deformity and enlarged vestibular aqueduct

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Mutations in <it>SLC26A4 </it>cause Pendred syndrome (hearing loss with goiter) or DFNB4 (non-syndromic hearing loss with inner ear malformation, such as enlarged vestibular aqueduct or Mondini deformity). The relationship between mutations in <it>SLC26A4 </it>and Mondini deformity without enlarged vestibular aqueduct has not been studied in any Chinese deaf population. The purpose of this study was to assess whether mutations in the <it>SLC26A4 </it>gene cause Mondini deformity without an enlarged vestibular aqueduct (isolated Mondini deformity) in a Chinese population.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>In total, 144 patients with sensorineural hearing loss were included and subjected to high-resolution temporal bone CT. Among them, 28 patients with isolated Mondini dysplasia (MD group), 50 patients with enlarged vestibular aqueduct with Mondini dysplasia (EVA with MD group), 50 patients with enlarged vestibular aqueduct without Mondini dysplasia (EVA group), and 16 patients with other types of inner ear malformations (IEM group) were identified. The coding exons of <it>SLC26A4 </it>were analyzed in all subjects.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>DNA sequence analysis of <it>SLC26A4 </it>was performed in all 144 patients. In the different groups, the detection rate of the <it>SLC26A4 </it>mutation differed. In the isolated MD group, only one single allelic mutation in <it>SLC26A4 </it>was found in one patient (1/28, 3.6%). In the EVA with MD group, biallelic and monoallelic <it>SLC26A4 </it>mutations were identified in 46 patients (46/50, 92.0%) and three patients (3/50, 6.0%), respectively. Also, in the EVA group, biallelic and monoallelic <it>SLC26A4 </it>mutations were identified in 46 patients (46/50, 92.0%) and three patients (3/50, 6.0%), respectively. These percentages were identical to those in the EVA plus MD group. Only two patients carried monoallelic mutations of the <it>SLC26A4 </it>gene in the IEM group (2/16, 12.5%). There were significant differences in the frequency of <it>SLC26A4 </it>mutation among the groups (P < 0.001). The detection rate of <it>SLC26A4 </it>mutation in the isolated MD group was significantly lower than in the EVA group (with or without MD; P < 0.001), and there was no significant difference in the detection rate of <it>SLC26A4 </it>between the MD group and IEM group (P > 0.5).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Although mutations in the <it>SLC26A4 </it>gene were frequently found in Chinese EVA patients with and without MD, there was no evidence to show a relationship between isolated MD and the <it>SLC26A4 </it>gene in the Chinese population examined. Hearing impairment in patients with isolated MD may be caused by factors other than mutations in the <it>SLC26A4 </it>gene.</p