Generation of Entanglement Outside of the Light Cone

The Feynman propagator has nonzero values outside of the forward light cone. That does not allow messages to be transmitted faster than the speed of light, but it is shown here that it does allow entanglement and mutual information to be generated at space-like separated points. These effects can be interpreted as being due to the propagation of virtual photons outside of the light cone or as a transfer of pre-existing entanglement from the quantum vacuum. The differences between these two interpretations are discussed.Comment: 25 pages, 7 figures. Additional references and figur

A Homological Approach to Belief Propagation and Bethe Approximations

We introduce a differential complex of local observables given a decomposition of a global set of random variables into subsets. Its boundary operator allows us to define a transport equation equivalent to Belief Propagation. This definition reveals a set of conserved quantities under Belief Propagation and gives new insight on the relationship of its equilibria with the critical points of Bethe free energy.Comment: 14 pages, submitted for the 2019 Geometric Science of Information colloquiu

Prevalence and genotypes of α- and β-thalassemia carriers in Hong Kong - Implications for population screening

Background: The thalassemias are common in southern China. We determined the prevalence of heterozygous carriers of these genetic disorders in Hong Kong and assessed the feasibility of a community-based screening program. Methods: An educational and screening program for the thalassemias was carried out in three high schools with a total of 2420 students. Seventy- five percent of the students agreed to undergo screening, which consisted of blood counts, hemoglobin electrophoresis, serum ferritin measurements, and DNA analyses. Results: Of the 1800 blood samples tested, 150 (8.3 percent) had microcytosis (mean corpuscular volume, <80 μm3). Ninety students (5.0 percent) were carriers of α-thalassemia, of whom 81 (4.5 percent) were carriers of the Southeast Asian type of deletion, in which both α-globin genes on the same chromosome 16 are deleted. Sixty-one students (3.4 percent) were carriers of either β-thalassemia or the mutation coding for hemoglobin E. Six students were carriers of both α- and β-thalassemias. On the basis of these figures, the estimated numbers of pregnancies in Hong Kong in which the fetus is at risk for homozygous α-thalassemia and β-thalassemia major or intermedia are 145 and 80 per year, respectively. In Hong Kong the actual numbers of women referred for prenatal diagnoses of these disorders are approximately 95 and 40 per year, respectively. Conclusions: Despite the availability of hospital-based screening and prenatal diagnosis for many years in Hong Kong, many women carrying fetuses at risk for thalassemia are not referred for genetic counseling. A community-based program of education, screening, and counseling is needed in Hong Kong and southern China.published_or_final_versio

A double-blind, randomised, controlled trial of protein supplementation to enhance exercise capacity in COPD during pulmonary rehabilitation: a pilot study

Background: Pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) is a cost-effective management strategy in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) which improves exercise performance and health-related quality of life. Nutritional supplementation may counter malnutrition and enhance PR outcomes but rigorous evidence is absent. We aimed to investigate the effect of high protein-supplementation (Fortisip Compact Protein, FCP) during PR on exercise capacity. Methods: A double-blind randomised controlled trial comparing FCP with preOp (a carbohydrate control supplement) in COPD patients participating in a PR programme. Participants consumed the supplement twice a day during PR and attended twice-weekly PR sessions, with pre- and post-PR measurements including the incremental shuttle walk test (ISWT) at 6-weeks as the primary outcome. Participants’ experience using supplements was assessed. Results: Sixty-eight patients were recruited; (FCP: 36 and control: 32). The trial was stopped early due to COVID-19. Although statistical significance was not reached, there was the suggestion of a clinically meaningful difference in ISWT at 6 weeks favouring the intervention group (intervention: 342 m±149; n=22 versus control: 305 m±148; n=22, p=0.1). Individuals who achieved an improvement in ISWT had larger mid-thigh circumference at baseline (responder: 62 cm±4 versus non-responder: 55 cm±6; p=0.006). 79% were satisfied with the taste and 43% would continue taking the FCP. Conclusion: Although the data did not demonstrate a statistically significant difference in ISWT, high protein supplementation in COPD during PR may result in a clinically meaningful improvement in exercise capacity and was acceptable to patients. Large, adequately powered studies are justified

Statistical variability study of random dopant fluctuation on gate-all-around inversion-mode silicon nanowire field-effect transistors

Random dopant fluctuation effects of gate-all-around inversion-mode silicon nanowire field-effect transistors (FETs) with different diameters and extension lengths are investigated. The nanowire FETs with smaller diameter and longer extension length reduce average values and variations of subthreshold swing and drain-induced barrier lowering, thus improving short channel immunity. Relative variations of the drain currents increase as the diameter decreases because of decreased current drivability from narrower channel cross-sections. Absolute variations of the drain currents decrease critically as the extension length increases due to decreasing the number of arsenic dopants penetrating into the channel region. To understand variability origins of the drain currents, variations of source/drain series resistance and low-field mobility are investigated. All these two parameters affect the variations of the drain currents concurrently. The nanowire FETs having extension lengths sufficient to prevent dopant penetration into the channel regions and maintaining relatively large cross-sections are suggested to achieve suitable short channel immunity and small variations of the drain currents. (C) 2015 AIP Publishing LLC.open111415sciescopu

Objective, computerized video-based rating of blepharospasm severity

OBJECTIVE: To compare clinical rating scales of blepharospasm severity with involuntary eye closures measured automatically from patient videos with contemporary facial expression software. METHODS: We evaluated video recordings of a standardized clinical examination from 50 patients with blepharospasm in the Dystonia Coalition's Natural History and Biorepository study. Eye closures were measured on a frame-by-frame basis with software known as the Computer Expression Recognition Toolbox (CERT). The proportion of eye closure time was compared with 3 commonly used clinical rating scales: the Burke-Fahn-Marsden Dystonia Rating Scale, Global Dystonia Rating Scale, and Jankovic Rating Scale. RESULTS: CERT was reliably able to find the face, and its eye closure measure was correlated with all of the clinical severity ratings (Spearman ρ = 0.56, 0.52, and 0.56 for the Burke-Fahn-Marsden Dystonia Rating Scale, Global Dystonia Rating Scale, and Jankovic Rating Scale, respectively, all p < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: The results demonstrate that CERT has convergent validity with conventional clinical rating scales and can be used with video recordings to measure blepharospasm symptom severity automatically and objectively. Unlike EMG and kinematics, CERT requires only conventional video recordings and can therefore be more easily adopted for use in the clinic

Does special relativity theory tell us anything new about space and time?

It will be shown that, in comparison with the pre-relativistic Galileo-invariant conceptions, special relativity tells us nothing new about the geometry of spacetime. It simply calls something else "spacetime", and this something else has different properties. All statements of special relativity about those features of reality that correspond to the original meaning of the terms "space" and "time" are identical with the corresponding traditional pre-relativistic statements. It will be also argued that special relativity and Lorentz theory are completely identical in both senses, as theories about spacetime and as theories about the behavior of moving physical objects.Comment: 26 pages, LaTeX, new passages adde

Experimental evaluation of anti-inflammatory, antinociceptive and antipyretic activities of clove oil inmice

Background: Clove oil of Eugenia caryophyllata (Myrtaceae) is a light yellowish fluid obtained from dried flower buds. Clove oil is used traditionally to relieve toothache.Aim: The aim of the present work was to study the anti-inflammatory, antinociceptive and antipyretic potential of clove oil in mice.Methods: Analgesic activity was examined using acetic-acid-induced abdominal constrictions and the hot plate test. Carrageenan-induced paw edema and brewer’s-yeast-induced pyrexia were used to investigate the anti-inflammatory activity and the antipyretic effects, respectively. The oil was administered intraperitoneally (i.p.) at a dose of 33 mg/kg body weight and the effects were compared with reference drugs.Results: In the antinociceptive test, mice treated with clove oil exhibited significantly decreased acetic-acidinducedwrithing movements by a maximum of 87.7% (p&lt;0.01) compared with a decrease of 77.7% (p&lt;0.01) in response to aspirin injection (100 mg/kg, intraperitoneal, i.p.). Similarly, in the hot plate test, clove oil significantly increased the reaction latency to pain after 60 min by 82.3% (p&lt;0.05) compared with morphine value of 91.7% (p&lt;0.01). In addition, clove oil and indomethacin produced anti-inflammatory effects, as demonstrated by respectively 50.6% (p&lt;0.05) and 70.4% (p&lt;0.01) inhibition of mouse paw edema induced by carrageenan. Furthermore, clove oil significantly attenuated the hyperthermia induced by yeast at ΔT-max by 2.7oC (p&lt;0.001), and time of peak effects was 30-180 min compared with a paracetamol value ΔT-max of 3.2oC (p&lt;0.001). The estimated i.p. LD50 of clove oil was 161.9 mg/kg. Phytochemical screening of the oil showed the presence of eugenol.Conclusion: The present findings demonstrate the potential pharmacological properties of clove oil and provide further a support for its reported use in folk medicine.Keywords: Eugenia caryophyllata; clove oil; eugenol; antinociceptive; anti-inflammatory; antipyretic; mic

Post-Stenotic Recirculating Flow May Cause Hemodynamic Perforator Infarction

Background and Purpose The primary mechanism underlying paramedian pontine infarction (PPI) is atheroma obliterating the perforators. Here, we encountered a patient with PPI in the post-stenotic area of basilar artery (BA) without a plaque, shown, by high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging (HR-MRI). We performed an experiment using a 3D-printed BA model and a particle image velocimetry (PIV) to explore the hemodynamic property of the post-stenotic area and the mechanism of PPI. Methods 3D-model of a BA stenosis was reconstructed with silicone compound using a 3D printer based on the source image of HR-MRI. Working fluid seeded with fluorescence particles was used and the velocity of those particles was measured horizontally and vertically. Furthermore, microtubules were inserted into the posterior aspect of the model to measure the flow rates of perforators (pre- and post-stenotic areas). The flow rates were compared between the microtubules. Results A recirculating flow was observed from the post-stenotic area in both directions forming a spiral shape. The velocity of the flow in these regions of recirculation was about one-tenth that of the flow in other regions. The location of recirculating flow well corresponded with the area with low-signal intensity at the time-of-flight magnetic resonance angiography and the location of PPI. Finally, the flow rate through the microtubule inserted into the post-stenotic area was significantly decreased comparing to others (P<0.001). Conclusions Perforator infarction may be caused by a hemodynamic mechanism altered by stenosis that induces a recirculation flow. 3D-printed modeling and PIV are helpful understanding the hemodynamics of intracranial stenosis.114Ysciescopu

Observation of contemporaneous optical radiation from a gamma-ray burst

The origin of gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) has been enigmatic since their discovery. The situation improved dramatically in 1997, when the rapid availability of precise coordinates for the bursts allowed the detection of faint optical and radio afterglows - optical spectra thus obtained have demonstrated conclusively that the bursts occur at cosmological distances. But, despite efforts by several groups, optical detection has not hitherto been achieved during the brief duration of a burst. Here we report the detection of bright optical emission from GRB990123 while the burst was still in progress. Our observations begin 22 seconds after the onset of the burst and show an increase in brightness by a factor of 14 during the first 25 seconds; the brightness then declines by a factor of 100, at which point (700 seconds after the burst onset) it falls below our detection threshold. The redshift of this burst, approximately 1.6, implies a peak optical luminosity of 5 times 10^{49} erg per second. Optical emission from gamma-ray bursts has been generally thought to take place at the shock fronts generated by interaction of the primary energy source with the surrounding medium, where the gamma-rays might also be produced. The lack of a significant change in the gamma-ray light curve when the optical emission develops suggests that the gamma-rays are not produced at the shock front, but closer to the site of the original explosion.Comment: 10 pages, 2 figures. Accepted for publication in Nature. For additional information see http://www.umich.edu/~rotse