Pressure shift of the superconducting T_c of LiFeAs

The effect of hydrostatic pressure on the superconductivity in LiFeAs is investigated up to 1.8 GPa. The superconducting transition temperature, T_c, decreases linearly with pressure at a rate of 1.5 K/GPa. The negative pressure coefficient of T_c and the high ambient pressure T_c indicate that LiFeAs is the high-pressure analogue of the isoelectronic SrFe_2As_2 and BaFe_2As_2.Comment: 3 pages, 2 figure

A limit on nonlocality in any world in which communication complexity is not trivial

Bell proved that quantum entanglement enables two space-like separated parties to exhibit classically impossible correlations. Even though these correlations are stronger than anything classically achievable, they cannot be harnessed to make instantaneous (faster than light) communication possible. Yet, Popescu and Rohrlich have shown that even stronger correlations can be defined, under which instantaneous communication remains impossible. This raises the question: Why are the correlations achievable by quantum mechanics not maximal among those that preserve causality? We give a partial answer to this question by showing that slightly stronger correlations would result in a world in which communication complexity becomes trivial.Comment: 13 pages, no figure

Optimality of private quantum channels

We addressed the question of optimality of private quantum channels. We have shown that the Shannon entropy of the classical key necessary to securely transfer the quantum information is lower bounded by the entropy exchange of the private quantum channel $\cal E$ and von Neumann entropy of the ciphertext state $\varrho^{(0)}$. Based on these bounds we have shown that decomposition of private quantum channels into orthogonal unitaries (if exists) is optimizing the entropy. For non-ancillary single qubit PQC we have derived the optimal entropy for arbitrary set of plaintexts. In particular, we have shown that except when the (closure of the) set of plaintexts contains all states, one bit key is sufficient. We characterized and analyzed all the possible single qubit private quantum channels for arbitrary set of plaintexts. For the set of plaintexts consisting of all qubit states we have characterized all possible approximate private quantum channels and we have derived the relation between the security parameter and the corresponding minimal entropy.Comment: no commen

First-Principles Study for the Anisotropy of Iron-based Superconductors toward Power and Device Applications

Performing the first-principles calculations, we investigate the anisotropy in the superconducting state of iron-based superconductors to gain an insight into their potential applications. The anisotropy ratio $\gamma_\lambda$ of the c-axis penetration depth to the ab-plane one is relatively small in BaFe2As2 and LiFeAs, i.e., $\gamma_\lambda \sim 3$, indicating that the transport applications are promising in these superconductors. On the other hand, in those having perovskite type blocking layers such as Sr2ScFePO3 we find a very large value, $\gamma_\lambda \sim 200$, comparable to that in strongly anisotropic high-Tc cuprate Bi2Sr2CaCu2O{8-\delta}. Thus, the intrinsic Josephson junction stacks are expected to be formed along the c-axis, and novel Josephson effects due to the multi-gap nature are also suggested in these superconductors.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figure

A New Iron Pnictide Oxide (Fe2As2)(Ca5(Mg,Ti)4Oy) and a New Phase in Fe-As-Ca-Mg-Ti-O system

A new layered iron arsenide oxide (Fe2As2)(Ca5(Mg,Ti)4Oy) and its structural derivative were found in the Fe-As-Ca-Mg-Ti-O system. The crystal structure of (Fe2As2)(Ca5(Mg,Ti)4Oy) is identical to that of (Fe2As2)(Ca5(Sc,Ti)4Oy), which was reported in our previous study. The lattice constants of this compound are a = 3.86(4) A and c = 41.05(2) A. In addition, another phase with a thicker blocking layer was found. The structure of the compound and its derivative was tentatively assigned through STEM observation as (Fe2As2)(Ca8(Mg,Ti)6Oy) with sextuple perovskite-type sheets divided by a rock salt layer. The interlayer Fe-Fe distance of this compound is ~30 A. The compound and its derivative exhibited bulk superconductivity, as found from magnetization and resistivity measurements.Comment: 9 pages, 7 figure

Structural study on hole-doped superconductors Pr1-xSrxFeAsO

The structural details in Pr1-xSrxFeAsO (1111) superconducting system are analyzed using data obtained from synchrotron X-ray diffraction and the structural parameters are carefully studied as the system is moving from non-superconducting to hole-doped superconducting with the Sr concentration. Superconductivity emerges when the Sr doping amount reaches 0.221. The linear increase of the lattice constants proves that Sr is successfully introduced into the system and its concentration can accurately be determined by the electron density analyses. The evolution of structural parameters with Sr concentration in Pr1-xSrxFeAsO and their comparison to other similar structural parameters of the related Fe-based superconductors suggest that the interlayer space between the conducting As-Fe-As layer and the insulating Pr-O-Pr layer is important for improving Tc in the hole-doped (1111) superconductors, which seems to be different from electron-doped systems.Comment: 17 pages, 7 figures, 1 tabl

Nutritional factors and gender influence age-related DNA methylation in the human rectal mucosa

Aberrant methylation of CpG islands (CGI) occurs in many genes expressed in colonic epithelial cells, and may contribute to the dysregulation of signalling pathways associated with carcinogenesis. This cross-sectional study assessed the relative importance of age, nutritional exposures and other environmental factors in the development of CGI methylation. Rectal biopsies were obtained from 185 individuals (84 male, 101 female) shown to be free of colorectal disease, and for whom measurements of age, body size, nutritional status and blood cell counts were available. We used quantitative DNA methylation analysis combined with multivariate modelling to investigate the relationships between nutritional, anthropometric and metabolic factors and the CGI methylation of 11 genes, together with LINE-1 as an index of global DNA methylation. Age was a consistent predictor of CGI methylation for 9/11 genes but significant positive associations with folate status and negative associations with vitamin D and selenium status were also identified for several genes. There was evidence for positive associations with blood monocyte levels and anthropometric factors for some genes. In general, CGI methylation was higher in males than in females and differential effects of age and other factors on methylation in males and females were identified. In conclusion, levels of age-related CGI methylation in the healthy human rectal mucosa are influenced by gender, the availability of folate, vitamin D and selenium, and perhaps by factors related to systemic inflammatio

Tuberculosis in Dr Granville's mummy: a molecular re-examination of the earliest known Egyptian mummy to be scientifically examined and given a medical diagnosis

‘Dr Granville's mummy’ was described to the Royal Society of London in 1825 and was the first ancient Egyptian mummy to be subjected to a scientific autopsy. The remains are those of a woman, Irtyersenu, aged about 50, from the necropolis of Thebes and dated to about 600 BC. Augustus Bozzi Granville (1783–1872), an eminent physician and obstetrician, described many organs still in situ and attributed the cause of death to a tumour of the ovary. However, subsequent histological investigations indicate that the tumour is a benign cystadenoma. Histology of the lungs demonstrated a potentially fatal pulmonary exudate and earlier studies attempted to associate this with particular disease conditions. Palaeopathology and ancient DNA analyses show that tuberculosis was widespread in ancient Egypt, so a systematic search for tuberculosis was made, using specific DNA and lipid biomarker analyses. Clear evidence for Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex DNA was obtained in lung tissue and gall bladder samples, based on nested PCR of the IS6110 locus. Lung and femurs were positive for specific M. tuberculosis complex cell-wall mycolic acids, demonstrated by high-performance liquid chromatography of pyrenebutyric acid–pentafluorobenzyl mycolates. Therefore, tuberculosis is likely to have been the major cause of death of Irtyersenu