U(2,2) gravity on noncommutative space with symplectic structure

The classical Einstein's gravity can be reformulated from the constrained U(2,2) gauge theory on the ordinary (commutative) four-dimensional spacetime. Here we consider a noncommutative manifold with a symplectic structure and construct a U(2,2) gauge theory on such a manifold by using the covariant coordinate method. Then we use the Seiberg-Witten map to express noncommutative quantities in terms of their commutative counterparts up to the first-order in noncommutative parameters. After imposing constraints we obtain a noncommutative gravity theory described by the Lagrangian with up to nonvanishing first order corrections in noncommutative parameters. This result coincides with our previous one obtained for the noncommutative SL(2,C) gravity.Comment: 13 pages, no figures; v2: 14 pages, clarifications and references added; v3: 16 pages, title changed, clarifications and references added; v4: 17 pages, clarifications added, this final version accepted by Physical Review

Multistaged discharge constructing heterostructure with enhanced solid-solution behavior for long-life lithium-oxygen batteries.

Inferior charge transport in insulating and bulk discharge products is one of the main factors resulting in poor cycling stability of lithium-oxygen batteries with high overpotential and large capacity decay. Here we report a two-step oxygen reduction approach by pre-depositing a potassium carbonate layer on the cathode surface in a potassium-oxygen battery to direct the growth of defective film-like discharge products in the successive cycling of lithium-oxygen batteries. The formation of defective film with improved charge transport and large contact area with a catalyst plays a critical role in the facile decomposition of discharge products and the sustained stability of the battery. Multistaged discharge constructing lithium peroxide-based heterostructure with band discontinuities and a relatively low lithium diffusion barrier may be responsible for the growth of defective film-like discharge products. This strategy offers a promising route for future development of cathode catalysts that can be used to extend the cycling life of lithium-oxygen batteries

Partial exfoliation of layered double hydroxides in DMSO : a route to transparent polymer nanocomposites

Layered double hydroxides (LDHs), either having nitrate counter anions or intercalated with organic molecules, have been for the first time partially exfoliated in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) to form a transparent suspension. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) images showed that both the lateral size and the thickness of the LDH nanoplatelets were decreased after the exfoliation. The organic-LDHs maintained their intercalation characteristics, i.e. the thermal stability improvement of the incorporated organic anions, after the exfoliation in DMSO. Transparent ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer (EVOH) nanocomposite films containing partially exfoliated LDHs intercalated with UV absorbers were prepared using DMSO as the processing solvent. As the first reported example of a highly transparent LDH/polymer composite, the obtained composite film had a visible light transmittance of 90% (comparable to that of the pure matrix), was flexible and exhibited an excellent UV-shielding capability and thermal stability. <br /

Personalized Estimate of Chemotherapy-Induced Nausea and Vomiting: Development and External Validation of a Nomogram in Cancer Patients Receiving Highly/Moderately Emetogenic Chemotherapy.

Chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) is presented in over 30% of cancer patients receiving highly/moderately emetogenic chemotherapy (HEC/MEC). The currently recommended antiemetic therapy is merely based on the emetogenic level of chemotherapy, regardless of patient's individual risk factors. It is, therefore, critical to develop an approach for personalized management of CINV in the era of precision medicine.A number of variables were involved in the development of CINV. In the present study, we pooled the data from 2 multi-institutional investigations of CINV due to HEC/MEC treatment in Asian countries. Demographic and clinical variables of 881 patients were prospectively collected as defined previously, and 862 of them had full documentation of variables of interest. The data of 548 patients from Chinese institutions were used to identify variables associated with CINV using multivariate logistic regression model, and then construct a personalized prediction model of nomogram; while the remaining 314 patients out of China (Singapore, South Korea, and Taiwan) entered the external validation set. C-index was used to measure the discrimination ability of the model.The predictors in the final model included sex, age, alcohol consumption, history of vomiting pregnancy, history of motion sickness, body surface area, emetogenicity of chemotherapy, and antiemetic regimens. The C-index was 0.67 (95% CI, 0.62-0.72) for the training set and 0.65 (95% CI, 0.58-0.72) for the validation set. The C-index was higher than that of any single predictor, including the emetogenic level of chemotherapy according to current antiemetic guidelines. Calibration curves showed good agreement between prediction and actual occurrence of CINV.This easy-to-use prediction model was based on chemotherapeutic regimens as well as patient's individual risk factors. The prediction accuracy of CINV occurrence in this nomogram was well validated by an independent data set. It could facilitate the assessment of individual risk, and thus improve the personalized management of CINV

Massive charged particle's tunneling from spherical charged black hole

We generalize the Parikh-Wilczek scheme to the tunneling of a massive charged particle from a general spherical charged black hole. We obtain that the tunneling probability depends on the energy, the mass and the charge of the particle. In particular, the modified Hawking temperature is related to the charge. Only at the leading order approximation can the standard Hawking temperature be reproduced. We take the Reissner-Nordstr\"{o}m black hole as an example to clarify our points of view, and find that the accumulation of Hawking radiation makes it approach an extreme black hole.Comment: 10 pages, no figures; v2: a minor typo corrected; v3: 11 pages, clarification and reference added, final version to be published in EPL; v4: minor modifications to match the published versio