Vortex-state-mediated Josephson effect

The Josephson effect is a kind of macroscopic quantum phenomenon that supercurrent flows through a Josephson junction without any voltage applied. We predict a novel vortex-state-mediated Josephson effect in an SNS Josephson junction supporting vortices. The vortex-state-mediated supercurrent is enhanced or reduced significantly in magnitude depending on the junction length, and exhibits several steps with the number of effective propagating channels in current-phase evolution at zero temperature. At finite temperatures, these supercurrent steps persist in the short junction limit, and develop into sawtooth oscillations if the junction length becomes comparable to the coherence length $\xi=\hbar v_F/\Delta$ of the superconductor, and in later case a supercurrent reversal can be observed. These findings may provide a smoking-gun signature of vortex bound states in superconductors and promise possible applications in future Josephson devices.Comment: 8 pages, 4 figure

Conformal Radiotherapy for Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Gallbladder: A Case Report

Background. Squamous cell carcinoma of the gallbladder is a rare disease with symptoms developing late in its course, so that it often presents as an aggressive tumor with a poor prognosis. Case report. We describe a 58-year-old male with a 5-week history of hypodynamia. He was found to have squamous cell carcinoma of the gallbladder with liver invasion and lymph node metastases. He underwent treatment with 3-dimensional conformal radiation therapy (CRT). A follow-up computer tomography (CT) scan showed complete tumor remission 2 months after the completion of CRT. The patient survived for 14 months after the end of treatment and died of multiple liver metastases. Conclusion. The efficacy of radiotherapy in this case is encouraging and suggests a potential role for such therapy in similar cases. The benefit in terms of survival warrants further study

A pyrene-functionalized triazole-linked hexahomotrioxacalix[3]arene as a fluorescent chemosensor for Zn²⁺ ions

A new pyrenyl appended hexahomotrioxacalix[3]arene L featuring 1,2,3-triazole linkers was synthesized as a fluorescent chemosensor for Zn²⁺ in mixed aqueous media. It exhibited high affinity toward Zn²⁺, and the monomer and excimer emission of the pyrene moieties could be adjusted. The binding stoichiometry of the L·Zn²⁺ complex was determined to be 1:1, and the association constant (Ka) was found to be 7.05 × 10⁴ M⁻¹. The binding behavior with Zn²⁺ has been confirmed by ¹H NMR spectroscopic analysis

Impact of Aerosol Vertical Distribution on Aerosol Optical Depth Retrieval from Passive Satellite Sensors

When retrieving Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD) from passive satellite sensors, the vertical distribution of aerosols usually needs to be assumed, potentially causing uncertainties in the retrievals. In this study, we use the Moderate Resolution Spectroradiometer (MODIS) and Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) sensors as examples to investigate the impact of aerosol vertical distribution on AOD retrievals. A series of sensitivity experiments was conducted using radiative transfer models with different aerosol profiles and surface conditions. Assuming a 0.2 AOD, we found that the AOD retrieval error is the most sensitive to the vertical distribution of absorbing aerosols; a −1 km error in aerosol scale height can lead to a ~30% AOD retrieval error. Moreover, for this aerosol type, ignoring the existence of the boundary layer can further result in a ~10% AOD retrieval error. The differences in the vertical distribution of scattering and absorbing aerosols within the same column may also cause −15% (scattering aerosols above absorbing aerosols) to 15% (scattering aerosols below absorbing aerosols) errors. Surface reflectance also plays an important role in affecting the AOD retrieval error, with higher errors over brighter surfaces in general. The physical mechanism associated with the AOD retrieval errors is also discussed. Finally, by replacing the default exponential profile with the observed aerosol vertical profile by a micro-pulse lidar at the Beijing-PKU site in the VIIRS retrieval algorithm, the retrieved AOD shows a much better agreement with surface observations, with the correlation coefficient increased from 0.63 to 0.83 and bias decreased from 0.15 to 0.03. Our study highlights the importance of aerosol vertical profile assumption in satellite AOD retrievals, and indicates that considering more realistic profiles can help reduce the uncertainties

Prediction of the Lymph Node Status in Patients with Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma: Analysis of 320 Surgical Cases

Purpose: This study was conducted to identify factors involved in lymph node metastasis (LNM) and evaluate their role in predicting LNM in clinically lymph node negative (clinical stage I–III) intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC). Materials and Methods: We selected 320 patients who were diagnosed with ICC with no apparent clinical LNM (T1–3N0M0). Age, gender, tumor boundary, histological differentiation, tumor size, and carbohydrate antigen 19-9 value were the studied factors. Univariate and multivariate logistic analysis were conducted. Receiver operating characteristics curve analysis was used to test the predicting value of each factor and a test which combined the associated factors was used to predict LNM. Results: LNM was observed in 76 cases (76/320, 23.8%). Univariate and multivariate analysis showed that histological differentiation as well as tumor boundary and tumor size significantly correlated with LNM. The sensitivity and negative predictive value for LNM for the three factors when combined was 96.1 and 95% respectively. This means that 5% of the patients who did not have the risk factors mentioned above developed LNM. Conclusion: This model used the combination of three factors (low-graded histological differentiation, distinct tumor boundary, small tumor size) and they proved to be useful in predicting LNM in ICC with clinically lymph node negative cases. In patients with these criteria, lymph node dissection or lymph node irradiation may be omitted and such cases may also be good candidates for stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT)

Synthesis and evaluation of a novel fluorescent sensor based on hexahomotrioxacalix[3]arene for Zn²+ and Cd²+

A novel type of selective and sensitive fluorescent sensor having triazole rings as the binding sites on the lower rim of a hexahomotrioxacalix[3]arene scaffold in a cone conformation is reported. This sensor has desirable properties for practical applications, including selectivity for detecting Zn²⁺ and Cd²⁺ in the presence of excess competing metal ions at low ion concentration or as a fluorescence enhancement type chemosensor due to the cavity of calixarene changing from a ‘flattened-cone’ to a more-upright form and inhibition of PET. In contrast, the results suggested that receptor 1 is highly sensitive and selective for Cu²⁺ and Fe³⁺ as a fluorescence quenching type chemosensor due to the photoinduced electron transfer (PET) or heavy atom effect

Phenanthrothiophene-Triazine Star-Shaped Discotic Liquid Crystals: Synthesis, Self-Assembly, and Stimuli-Responsive Fluorescence Properties

Lipophilic biphenylthiophene- and phenanthrothiophene-triazine compounds, BPTTn and CPTTn, respectively, were prepared by a tandem procedure involving successive Suzuki-Miyaura coupling and Scholl cyclodehydrogenation reactions. These compounds display photoluminescence in solution and in thin film state, solvatochromism with increasing solvent's polarity, as well as acidochromism and metal ion recognition stimuli-responsive fluorescence. Protonation of BPTT10 and CPTT10 by trifluoroacetic acid results in fluorescence quenching, which is reversibly restored once treated with triethylamine (ON-OFF switch). DFT computational studies show that intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) phenomena occurs for both molecules, and reveal that protonation enhances the electron-withdrawing ability of the triazine core and reduces the band gap. This acidochromic behavior was applied to a prototype fluorescent anti-counterfeiting device. They also specifically recognize Fe3+ through coordination, and the recognition mechanism is closely related to the photoinduced electron transfer between Fe3+ and BPTT10/CPTT10. CPTTn self-assemble into columnar rectangular (Colrec) mesophase, which can be modulated by oleic acid via the formation of a hydrogen-bonded supramolecular liquid crystal hexagonal Colhex mesophase. Finally, CPTTn also form organic gels in alkanes at low critical gel concentration (3.0 mg/mL). Therefore, these star-shaped triazine molecules possess many interesting features and thus hold great promises for information processing, liquid crystal semiconductors and organogelators

A novel fluorescence “on–off–on” chemosensor for Hg²⁺ via a water-assistant blocking heavy atom effect

Upper rim pyrene-functionalized hexahomotrioxacalix[3]arene L was synthesized via Click chemistry, and its fluorescence behaviors toward several common metal cations were investigated. L exhibited a significant fluorescence quenching response to Hg²⁺ in CH₃CN solution, which was unaffected by the coexistence of other competitive metal cations. Thus, L can be utilized as a highly selective and sensitive fluorescent chemosensor for Hg²⁺ with a detection limit in the nM level. Interestingly, the quenched fluorescence emission can be successfully revived upon the addition of water. In this process, the heavy atom effect of Hg²⁺ can be blocked by further coordination of a water molecule and resulted in the revival of the fluorescence emission of L/Hg²⁺ complex. Particularly, other polar solvents such as CH₃OH and CH₃CH₂OH also have the ability to revive the fluorescence emission of the L/Hg²⁺ complex, but on a much smaller scale than observed for H₂O. The heavy atom effect and blocking thereof were demonstrated within the same system by the use of a C₃-symmetric homooxacalix[3]arene scaffold. The present studies provided further evidence for the blocking heavy atom effect

Click-modified hexahomotrioxacalix[3]arenes as fluorometric and colorimetric dual-modal chemosensors for 2,4,6-trinitrophenol

A new type of chemosensor-based approach to the detection of 2,4,6-trinitrophenol (TNP) is described in this paper. Two hexahomotrioxacalix[3]arene-based chemosensors 1 and 2 were synthesized through click chemistry, which exhibited high binding affinity and selectivity toward TNP as evidenced by UV–vis and fluorescence spectroscopy studies. ¹H NMR titration analysis verified that CH⋯O hydrogen bonding is demonstrated as the mode of interaction, which possibly facilitates effective charge-transfer