Capacity of a simultaneous quantum secure direct communication scheme between the central party and other M parties

We analyze the capacity of a simultaneous quantum secure direct communication scheme between the central party and other $M$ parties via $M+1$-particle GHZ states and swapping quantum entanglement. It is shown that the encoding scheme should be secret if other $M$ parties wants to transmit $M+1$ bit classical messages to the center party secretly. However when the encoding scheme is announced publicly, we prove that the capacity of the scheme in transmitting the secret messages is 2 bits, no matter how big $M$ is.Comment: 3 page

Argon laser treatment of central serous chorioretinopathy

AIM: To observe the efficacy of the argon laser photocoagulation treatment of central serous chorioretinopathy(CSC). METHODS: The treatment groups: 18 patients(18 eyes), argon laser photocoagulation and oral jolethin, vitamin B1, inosine and venoruton tablets. Control group: 18 patients(18 eyes), oral lecithin complex iodine, vitamin B1, inosine, venoruton tablets. Foveal thickness and neuroepithelial layer detachment range were measured by optical coherence tomography(OCT)before treatment, after 1 month and 3 months post-operation to compare the decline in value of foveal thickness and neuroepithelial layer detachment range of the two groups. RESULTS: After 1 month of treatment, the decline in value of the center foveal thickness: the value of treatment group was 256±72μm; the value of the control group was 82±57μm, and the difference of the two groups, P <0.05; the decline in value of neuroepithelial layer detachment range: the value of the treatment group was 3 548±168μm, the value of the control group was 1 520±143μm, And the difference of the two groups, P<0.05. After three months of treatment, the decline in value of the center foveal thickness: the value of treatment group was 383±75μm, the value of the control group was 312±67 μm, and the difference of the two groups, P<0.05; decline in value of neuroepithelial layer detachment range: the value of the treatment group was 4 908±172μm, the value of the control group was 4 211±153μm, and the difference of the two groups, P <0.05. The differences were statistically significant between the treatment and the control groups(two independent samples t-test). CONCLUSION:Argon laser photocoagulation treatment of CSC is an effective treatment method and can significantly shorten the course

Adiabatic light propagation in nonlinear waveguide couplers with longitudinally varying detunings via resonance-locked inverse engineering

We investigate the adiabatic evolution of light in nonlinear waveguide couplers via resonance-locked inverse engineering based on stimulated Raman adiabatic passage (STIRAP). The longitudinal varying detunings of the propagation coefficients are designed to eliminate dynamically the nonlinear effect, which induce the non-adiabatic oscillations. We show that different light evolutions such as complete light transfer, light split and light return can be realized adiabatically with appropriate choices of the detunings even in the nonlinear regime. The features open new opportunities for the realization of all-optical nonlinear devices with high fidelity in integrated optics.Comment: 8 pages,6 figure

Benzoxime inhibits matrix metalloproteinase-13 activation and cartilage damage in osteoarthritis rats via inhibition of NF-κB pathway

Purpose: To investigate the effect of benzoxime on degradation of  articular cartilage in a rat model of osteoarthritis (OA), and the mechanism involved.Methods: The OA rat model was prepared by injecting monosodium  iodoacetate (MIA) intra-articularly to Wistar rats. Rats in the treatment group were given benzoxime (5 mg/kg) daily for 21 days through the intra-articular route. The animals were then examined for behavioral changes by assessment of asymmetry in bearing weight and paw  withdrawal threshold of the hind limb. Western blot assay was used for the analysis of inflammatory cytokine expressions.Results: The expression of P2X purinoceptor 7 receptor (P2X7R) mRNA was significantly elevated in the OA rats (p &lt; 0.02). However, benzoxime treatment caused a marked decrease in the level of P2X1-8R mRNA. Benzoxime treatment also prevented asymmetry in bearing weight, decreased paw withdrawal threshold, and inhibited the expressions of interleukin-1β, interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor-α in plasma and cartilage. Moreover, benzoxime exhibited significant inhibitory effects on the expressions of P2X7R, matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-13 and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) in cartilage tissue. It also significantly  suppressed OA-induced increases in the levels of inhibitor of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) kinase (IKK)α, IKKβ, IκBα and NF-κB p65, and blocked OA-induced increases in the expressions of P2X7R, MMP-13 and PGE2.Conclusion: These results demonstrate that benzoxime prevents cartilage degradation in OA rats by targeting NF-κB signaling pathway. Thus, benzoxime possesses clinical and therapeutic potentials for the prevention of cartilage degradation in OA.Keywords: Interleukin-1β, Purinoceptor-7, Benzoxime, Osteoarthritis, Prostaglandin, Matrix metalloproteinase

Analysis of an age-structured dengue model with multiple strains and cross immunity

Dengue fever is a typical mosquito-borne infectious disease, and four strains of it are currently found. Clinical medical research has shown that the infected person can provide life-long immunity against the strain after recovering from infection with one strain, but only provide partial and temporary immunity against other strains. On the basis of the complexity of transmission and the diversity of pathogens, in this paper, a multi-strain dengue transmission model with latency age and cross immunity age is proposed. We discuss the well-posedness of this model and give the terms of the basic reproduction number R0 = max{R1, R2} , where Ri is the basic reproduction number of strain i (i = 1, 2). Particularly, we obtain that the model always has a unique diseasefree equilibrium P0 which is locally stable for R0 1, the strain-i dominant equilibrium Pi is locally stable for Rj < R∗ i (i, j = 1, 2, i 6= j). Additionally, the threshold criteria on the uniformly persistence, the existence and global asymptotically stability of coexistence equilibrium are also obtained. Finally, these theoretical results and interesting conclusions are illustrated with some numerical simulations

Role of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 signaling underlying cardiac hypertrophy

Cardiac hypertrophy is the result of increased myocardial cell size responding to an increased workload and developmental signals. These extrinsic and intrinsic stimuli as key drivers of cardiac hypertrophy have spurred efforts to target their associated signaling pathways. The extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1/2 (ERK1/2), as an essential member of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs), has been widely recognized for promoting cardiac growth. Several modified transgenic mouse models have been generated through either affecting the upstream kinase to change ERK1/2 activity, manipulating the direct role of ERK1/2 in the heart, or targeting phosphatases or MAPK scaffold proteins to alter total ERK1/2 activity in response to an increased workload. Using these models, both regulation of the upstream events and modulation of each isoform and indirect effector could provide important insights into how ERK1/2 modulates cardiomyocyte biology. Furthermore, a plethora of compounds, inhibitors, and regulators have emerged in consideration of ERK, or its MAPK kinases, are possible therapeutic targets against cardiac hypertrophic diseases. Herein, is a review of the available evidence regarding the exact role of ERK1/2 in regulating cardiac hypertrophy and a discussion of pharmacological strategy for treatment of cardiac hypertrophy