Improvements on "Multi-Party Quantum Summation without a Third Party based on dd-Dimensional Bell States"

In 2021, Wu et al. presented a multi-party quantum summation scheme exploiting the entanglement properties of d-dimensional Bell states (Wu et al. in Quantum Inf Process 20:200, 2021). In particular, the authors proposed a three-party quantum summation protocol and then extended their work to a multi-party case. It is claimed that their protocol is secure against outside and participants' attacks. However, this work points out that Wu's protocol has a loophole, i.e., two or more dishonest participants who meet a specific location relationship can conspire to obtain the private inputs of some honest participants without being detected. Accordingly, improvements are proposed to address these issues

Finite-Time Chaos Control of a Complex Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motor System

This paper investigates the finite-time chaos control of a permanent magnet synchronous motor system with complex variables. Based on the finite-time stability theory, two control strategies are proposed to realize stabilization of the complex permanent magnet synchronous motor system in a finite time. Two numerical simulations have been conducted to demonstrate the validity and feasibility of the theoretical analysis

Hopf Bifurcation Analysis for the van der Pol Equation with Discrete and Distributed Delays

We consider the van der Pol equation with discrete and distributed delays. Linear stability of this equation is investigated by analyzing the transcendental characteristic equation of its linearized equation. It is found that this equation undergoes a sequence of Hopf bifurcations by choosing the discrete time delay as a bifurcation parameter. In addition, the properties of Hopf bifurcation were analyzed in detail by applying the center manifold theorem and the normal form theory. Finally, some numerical simulations are performed to illustrate and verify the theoretical analysis

FACILE AND EFFECTIVE PHONONIC STRUCTURES FOR ULTRASOUND FOCUSING APPLICATION

ABSTRACT Ultrasound therapy is a highly popular non-invasive method to treat diseases. It is desired to increase the resolution of ultrasound therapy, providing more efficient therapeutic effect. In this study, a simple but effective phononic structure was designed to achieve higher resolution close to wavelength resolution of ultrasound focusing. The objective of this study is to design a unique phononic structure to focus acoustic wave into human body more deeply and precisely. It is known that overheating by high frequency ultrasound will cause a series of side effects including bone burns, soft tissue burns, swelling and bleeding problems. In addition, due to the limited propagation of recovered evanescent wave, the penetration depth of acoustic energy being focused by the acoustic metamaterials is often hindered. In this study, we will design a multilayer acoustic metamaterial which shows sub-wavelength focusing ability at relatively low frequencies. More importantly, our design will also extend the ability of penetration depth by manipulating the focusing length through optimization of the phononic structure

Risk factors for hypoxaemia following hip fracture surgery in elderly patients who recovered from COVID-19: a multicentre retrospective study

ObjectivesTo explore the risk factors associated with postoperative hypoxaemia in elderly patients who have recovered from coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and underwent hip fracture surgery in the short term.DesignMulticentre retrospective study.SettingThe study was performed in three first 3A-grade hospitals in China.ParticipantsA sequential sampling method was applied to select study participants. Medical records of 392 patients aged ≥65 years who had recovered from COVID-19 and underwent hip fracture surgery at three hospitals in China between 1 November, 2022, and 15 February, 2023, were reviewed.InterventionsPatients were assigned to hypoxaemia or non-hypoxaemia groups, according to whether hypoxaemia occurred after surgery. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to identify independent risk factors for postoperative hypoxaemia.ResultsThe incidence of postoperative hypoxaemia was 38.01%. Statistically significant differences were found between the two groups in terms of age, body mass index (BMI), American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) classification, presence of expectoration symptoms, preoperative hypoxaemia, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, pulmonary inflammation, time between recovery from COVID-19 and surgery, anaesthetic mode, surgical procedure, intraoperative blood loss, intraoperative infusion, duration of surgery, and length of hospital stay (p < 0.05). Furthermore, patients with BMI ≥28.0 kg/m2, expectoration symptoms, presence of preoperative hypoxaemia, ASA classification III, time between recovery from COVID-19 and surgery ≤2 weeks, and general anaesthesia were potential risk factors for postoperative hypoxaemia.ConclusionObesity, expectoration symptoms, preoperative hypoxaemia, ASA classification III, time between recovery from COVID-19 and surgery ≤2 weeks, and general anaesthesia were potential risk factors for postoperative hypoxaemia in elderly patients who recovered from COVID-19 and underwent hip fracture surgery in the short term

Extracellular Matrix Elasticity Regulates Osteocyte Gap Junction Elongation: Involvement of Paxillin in Intracellular Signal Transduction

Background/Aims: Osteocytes can sense and respond to extracellular stimuli, including biochemical factors throughout the cell body, dendritic processes, and cilia bending. However, further exploration is required of osteocyte function in response to substrate stiffness, an important passive mechanical cue at the interface between osteocytes and the extracellular matrix, and the deep bio-mechanism in osteocytes involving mechanosensing of cell behavior. Methods: We fabricated silicon-based elastomer polydimethylsiloxane substrates with different stiffnesses but with the same surface topologies. We then seeded osteocytes onto the substrates to examine their responses. Methodologies used included scanning electron microscopy (SEM) for cell morphology, confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) for protein distribution, western blot for protein levels, co-immunoprecipitation for protein interactions, and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction for gene expression. Results: SEM images revealed that substrate stiffness induced a change in osteocyte morphology, and CLSM of F-actin staining revealed that substrate stiffness can alter the cytoskeleton. These results were accompanied by changes in focal adhesion capacity in osteocytes, determined via characterization of vinculin expression and distribution. Furthermore, on the exterior of the cell membrane, fibronectin was altered by substrate stiffness. The fibronectin then induced a change in paxillin on the inner membrane of the cell via protein–protein interaction through transmembrane processing. Paxillin led to changes in connexin 43 via protein–protein binding, thereby influencing osteocyte gap junction elongation. Conclusion: This process -from mechanosensing and mechanotransduction to cell function - not only indicates that the effects of mechanical factors on osteocytes can be directly sensed from the cell body, but also indicates the involvement of paxillin transduction

Controlling Reversible Expansion of Li2O2 Formation and Decomposition by Modifying Electrolyte in Li-O2 Batteries

锂空电池分别使用空气中的氧气和金属锂作为正负极活性材料，具有极高的能量密度。但是，这一体系尚不能实现商业化的应用，其中一些关键问题未能解决。由于其正极活性材料是气体，使得电化学反应涉及气-液-固三相界面，电极过程十分复杂。与其它二次电池相比，空气电极需要考虑结构因素和催化因素。不仅要改善氧气电化学反应的动力学迟缓问题，还要考虑放电产物的驻留空间问题。董全峰教授课题组在前期开展了基于空气电极固相表面电催化研究，并结合电极结构方面的问题，构筑了有利于氧气发生反应的仿生开放式结构电极。 该研究工作主要由化学化工学院2015级iChEM直博生林晓东（第一作者）在董全峰教授、郑明森副教授和龚磊副教授的共同指导下完成，理论计算由袁汝明助理教授（共同第一作者）完成，曹勇、丁晓兵、蔡森荣、韩博闻等学生参与了部分工作。周志有教授和洪宇浩博士生在电化学微分质谱方面给予大力的帮助与支持。【Abstract】The aprotic lithium-oxygen (Li-O2) battery has attracted worldwide attention because of its ultrahigh theoretical energy density. However, its practical application is critically hindered by cathode passivation, large polarization, and severe parasitic reactions. Here, we demonstrate an originally designed Ru(Ⅱ) polypyridyl complex (RuPC) though which the reversible expansion of Li2O2 formation and decomposition can be achieved in Li-O2 batteries. Experimental and theoretical results revealed that the RuPC can not only expand the formation of Li2O2 in electrolyte but also suppress the reactivity of LiO2 intermediate during discharge, thus alleviating the cathode passivation and parasitic reactions significantly. In addition, an initial delithiation pathway can be achieved when charging in turn; thus, the Li2O2 products can be decomposed reversibly with a low overpotential. Consequently, the RuPC-catalyzed Li-O2 batteries exhibited a high discharge capacity, a low charge overpotential, and an ultralong cycle life. This work provides an alternative way of designing the soluble organic catalysts for metal-O2 batteries.This work was supported by the National 973 Program (2015CB251102), the Key Project of National Natural Science Foundation of China (21673196, 21621091, 21703186, 21773192),and the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (20720150042,20720150043). The authors thank Prof. Eric Meggers at Philipps-Univeristaet Marburg for his discussion about the synthesis of RuPC complex; Prof. Gang Fu at Xiamen University for his instructive discussions in DFT calculations; Lajia Yu and Dandan Tao at Xiamen University for their assistance in EPR experiments and UV-Vis spectroscopy experiments, respectively; and Yu Gu and Tao Wang at Xiamen University for their discussions in XPS results and CV data,respectively. 该工作得到科技部重大基础研究计划（项目批准号：2015CB251102）、国家自然科学基金（项目批准号：21673196、21621091、21703186、21773192）和中央高校基本科研业务费专项资金（项目批准号：20720150042、20720150043）的资助。 此外，感谢傅钢教授在理论计算方面的讨论和建议，Eric Meggers教授在配合物合成上的讨论，泉州师范学院吴启辉教授和化学化工学院谷宇博士生在X射线光电子能谱方面的帮助，于腊佳老师在电子顺磁共振实验上的帮助，陶丹丹博士生在紫外可见光谱测试上的帮助以及王韬博士生在循环伏安方面的讨论