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The preparation methods of iron/carbon composites and the types of iron and its compounds are introduced, including nano-iron, ferroferric oxide, ferric oxide, iron hydroxide, iron-manganese oxide, etc. The characteristics of the composites, such as improving iron leaching rate, improving reproducibility and adjusting pH range, were reviewed, and the relationship between them. Meanwhile, the regeneration method and advantages and disadvantages of the composite material based on the Fenton principle are expounded, and the recycling of the composite material can be realized in the future. Finally, the problems and challenges of the composite material were summarized, and several possible topics for material optimization, environmental impact and cost. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The quantum privacy query protocol (QPQ) is faced with low query efficiency, transmission channel noise, and low transmission efficiency problems. The quantum-privacy query protocol proposed by us aims to achieve a better quantum-privacy block query effect and has the function of anti-rotation noise. To solve the collective rotation noise in the transmission channel, we propose a one-way QPQ protocol based on four particles. The four-particle states { ϕ 0 , ϕ 1 , ϕ 0 ′ , ϕ 1 ′ } can be entangled by two Bell states { Φ + , Ψ - } with anti-noise properties. In general, the unidirectional quantum privacy query has more advantages than a bidirectional quantum privacy query. Besides, the post-processing scheme Yang et al. (Quantum Inf Process 15(9):38333840, 2016) can not only protect the parity result of the random key but also guarantee the security of the protocol. In the security analysis, we prove the security of the user and database. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes two quantum privacy query protocols. In the single vector sub-privacy query of protocol 1, it is proposed for the first time to distinguish different measurement results by publishing 2 bits of classic information. In the protocol, the database Bob selects the Z base and the Bell base to measure the particles sent by Alice according to the key value of the encrypted database and publishes 2 bits of classic information based on the measurement results. The user Alice infers the key value of the encrypted database through these two pieces of classic information. In the two-way quantum privacy query of protocol 2, the database Bob measures the particles sent back by Alice, converts the measurement result into a key value of length 3, and prepares a particle that is the same as the measurement result and sends it back to Alice. Alice returns the measurement of particles can infer a set of data encryption keys, and the length of each key is 3 bits. Users in the two protocols proposed in the article can obtain the query key with a probability of 1/4. As the key length increases, the number of query bits in protocol 2 decreases, but the probability of execution failure increases. But protocol 2 has a higher quantum efficiency. Both protocols can guarantee the privacy of users and databases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The insulin receptor (INSR) binds insulin to promote body growth and maintain normal blood glucose levels. While it is known that steroid hormones such as estrogen and 20- hydroxyecdysone counteract insulin function, the molecular mechanisms responsible for this attenuation remain unclear. In the present study, using the agricultural pest lepidopteran Helicoverpa armigera as a model, we proposed that the steroid hormone 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E) induces dephosphorylation of INSR to counteract insulin function. We observed high expression and phosphorylation of INSR during larval feeding stages that decreased during metamorphosis. Insulin upregulated INSR expression and phosphorylation, whereas 20E repressed INSR expression and induced INSR dephosphorylation in vivo. Protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B, encoded by Ptpn1) dephosphorylated INSR in vivo. PTEN (phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome 10) was critical for 20E-induced INSR dephosphorylation by maintaining the transcription factor Forkhead box O (FoxO) in the nucleus, where FoxO promoted Ptpn1 expression and repressed Insr expression. Knockdown of Ptpn1 using RNA interference maintained INSR phosphorylation, increased 20E production, and accelerated pupation. RNA interference of Insr in larvae repressed larval growth, decreased 20E production, delayed pupation, and accumulated hemolymph glucose levels. Taken together, these results suggest that a high 20E titer counteracts the insulin pathway by dephosphorylating INSR to stop larval growth and accumulate glucose in the hemolymph. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The equilibrium geometric structures, relative stabilities, and electronic properties of AunC- and Aun+1- (n = 1-10) clusters are systematically investigated using density functional theory with hyper-generalized gradient approximation. The optimized geometries show that one Au atom capped on Aun-1C- clusters is a dominant growth pattern for AunC- clusters. In contrast to Aun+1- clusters, AunC- clusters are most stable in a quasi-planar or three-dimensional structure because C doping induces the local non-planarity while the rest of the structure continues to grow in a planar mode, resulting in an overall non-2D configuration. The relative stability calculations show that the impurity C atom can significantly enhance the thermodynamic stability of pure gold clusters. Moreover, the effect of C atom on the Aun- host decreases with the increase of cluster size. The HOMO-LUMO gap curves show that the interaction of the C atom with Aun- clusters improves the chemical stability of pure gold clusters, except for Au3- and Au4- clusters. In addition, a natural population analysis shows that the charges in corresponding AunC- clusters transfer from the Aun- host to the C atom. Meanwhile, a natural electronic configuration analysis also shows that the charges mainly transfer between the 2s and 2p orbitals within the C atom. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quantum key agreement (QKA) can generate a shared secret key which is equally negotiated by all the participants in the protocol. In most of the QKA protocols, all the participants require quantum capabilities. But the quantum devices are too expensive for participants. This paper proposes a mutual semi-quantum key agreement protocol which allows two parties (Alice and Bob) to negotiate a shared secret key equally. In the protocol, Alice can perform any quantum operation, but Bob is a classical participant which can only perform reflection, measurement and reorder operation. Even though Bob has fewer quantum resources, Alice and Bob have an equal contribution to the shared final key, no one can determine the shared key alone. In addition, we demonstrate the security of the proposed protocol. The analysis results show that the proposed protocol not only resists against some common attacks but also assures the fairness property. It is significant for communication participant without enough quantum devices to achieve quantum communication. The proposed protocol can be implemented with present quantum technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Trace elements in igneous zircon crystals are variable within single crystals or amongst populations of crystals and are particularly sensitive to changes in melt composition. In this study, we present zircon trace element data from both volcanic and plutonic rocks of the Yandangshan caldera complex from SEChina. The erupted rhyolitic rocks are interpreted to represent the most differentiated magma, whereas the intruded porphyritic quartz syenites are thought to be representative of the residual crystal mush. The zircon crystals of both lithologies are subdivided into two types based on their internal structures: type A with a distinct oscillatory growth zoning and type B crystals are bright in cathodoluminescence (CL-bright). Type B zircon occurs as rims of type A zircon or as individual grains. Compared to type A, type B zircons commonly show lower Hf, U, Th and Y concentrations and higher Ti and Zr/Hf and Eu/Eu* ratios. The zircon trace element compositions of the volcanic samples generally overlap those of the intracaldera porphyritic quartz syenite and mafic microgranular enclaves that contain both type A and type B zircons. Despite a general overlap, zircon grains from the volcanic rocks show relatively higher Hf contents and Y/Dy ratios, lower Ti contents and Th/U ratios and larger negative Eu anomalies than the plutonic samples. We suggest that the inter- and intragrain compositional variability of zircon crystals can be used to track the evolution of magmatic systems. We show that in our case, the volcanic and plutonic rocks crystallized continuously during the magmatic evolution in a common magma system and that the magmas of these rocks may be linked by fractional crystallization. Furthermore, the type B zircon grains are inferred to have crystalized in relatively hot and less evolved magma indicating a magma recharge event. Consequently, the geochemical variability of igneous zircon crystals can be used to infer on the magmatic evolution of single volcanic system which may also be applicable in other geodynamic environments. Highlights • Two types of zircon occurred in the Yandangshan volcanic and plutonic rocks. • The volcanic-plutonic connection was revealed by zircon trace elements. • The zircon from different rock units crystallized continuously. • Magma recharge processes were recorded in the zircon domains and some grains. • The compositional variability of zircon can be used to track the magmatic evolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sixteen flavonoid triazolyl glycosides 4–19 were synthesized in good yields via Cu(I)-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloadditions of terminal alkynes of flavonoids 1–3 with acetylated sugar azides followed by deacetylation with sodium methoxide in anhydrous methanol. The antiproliferative activity of the synthesized compounds against three human cancer cell lines (Hela, HCC1954 and SK-OV-3) in vitro was evaluated. Flavonoids 1, 2 and flavonoid triazolyl glycosides 7, 12, 17 exhibit potent antiproliferative activity against these cancer cell lines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anisotropy correction is necessary during the processing of converted PSwave seismic data to achieve accurate structural imaging, reservoir prediction, and fracture detection. To effectively eliminate the adverse effects of S-wave splitting and to improve PSwave imaging quality, we tested methods for pre-stack migration imaging and anisotropic correction of PS-wave data. We based this on the propagation rules of seismic waves in a horizontal transverse isotropy medium, which is a fractured medium model that reflects likely subsurface conditions in the field. We used the radial (R) and transverse (T) components of PS-wave data to separate the fast and slow S-wave components, after which their propagation moveout was effectively extracted. Meanwhile, corrections for the energies and propagation moveouts of the R and T components were implemented using mathematical rotation. The PS-wave imaging quality was distinctly improved, and we demonstrated the reliability of our methods through numerical simulations. Applying our methods to three-dimensional and three-component seismic field data from the Xinchang-Hexingchang region of the Western Sichuan Depression in China, we obtained high-quality seismic imaging with continuous reflection wave groups, distinct structural features, and specific stratigraphic contact relationships. This study provides an effective and reliable approach for data processing that will improve the exploration of complex, hidden lithologic gas reservoirs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The association of volcanic and shallow plutonic rocks in caldera may provide important clues to the geochemical evolution of silicic magma systems. The Yandangshan caldera is a typical example of late Mesozoic volcanic–plutonic complex in SE China. It is composed of a series of rhyolitic extrusives and subvolcanic intrusions of porphyritic quartz syenites. In this work, we conducted petrological and geochemical studies, as well as zircon dating, on the coexisting volcanic and plutonic rocks from the Yandangshan caldera. The results of SHRIMP and LA-ICP-MS zircon U–Pb dating revealed that the crystallization of the rhyolitic extrusives and subvolcanic intrusions was contemporaneous within analytical errors and in a short period (104–98 Ma). Geochemically, the volcanic rocks are characterized by high Rb/Sr and Rb/Ba ratios and depletion in Ba, Sr, P, Eu and Ti, while the shallow plutons show high K, Ba, Al, Fe and low Rb/Sr and Rb/Ba ratios with insignificant negative Eu anomalies. The volcanic and plutonic rocks have a similar range of zircon Hf isotopic compositions ( ε Hf ( t ) = − 10.0 to + 1.5) and T DM2 model ages of 2.10–1.23 Ga. They also have comparable whole-rock Sr and Nd isotopic compositions (( 87 Sr/ 86 Sr) i = 0.7084–0.7090; ε Nd ( t ) = − 7.8 to − 6.5) and zircon oxygen isotopic compositions ( δ 18 O mainly = 4.5 to 6.0‰). We argue that the volcanic–plutonic complex of the Yandangshan caldera was formed by reworking of Paleoproterozoic lower crusts in the eastern Cathaysia block, and that the complex could be linked by fractional crystallization and crystal accumulation in a shallow magma chamber. The volcanic rocks represent the highly fractionated end-member, whereas the subvolcanic intrusions of porphyritic quartz syenites could be the residual crystal mushes. This case study could have a general implication for the genetic relationship between volcanic and shallow plutonic rocks in calderas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Crystal-rich volcanic rocks are important for understanding the evolution of large silicic magma systems. However, the magmatic evolution and rejuvenation processes that form the eruptible crystal-rich magma remain controversial. In this study, we conducted petrological, whole-rock major and trace element geochemical and zircon U–Pb and Hf–O isotopic analyses on the Banshan crystal-rich tuff from the large Cretaceous volcanic belt of southeast China. Systematic SIMS and LA-ICP-MS zircon U–Pb geochronology indicate that the Banshan tuff was formed at ∼114–112 Ma. Their zircon Hf isotopic compositions [ε Hf (t) = −10.9 − 4.2; T DMC = 2.18–1.68 Ga] indicate that the magma of Banshan tuff was derived from a combination of mantle-derived melts and partial melting of the Paleoproterozoic crust of southeast China. In addition, they have low zircon O isotopic compositions (δ18O VSMOW = 4.39–5.36‰) reflecting that the assimilation of wall-rocks which underwent high-temperature hydrothermally exchange with meteoric waters. Extremely Mn-rich garnets in the Banshan tuff (MnO = 30.48–35.82 wt%) suggest that the magma once reached a high degree of crystallization which was nearing consolidation. The subsequent mush rejuvenation caused by magma recharge is evidenced by partly resorbed alkali feldspar, quartz and garnet, as well as the CL-bright rims of zircon. Crystal-rich volcanic rocks are widely distributed in the lower sequences of Cretaceous volcanic strata from southeast China, but rarely developed in the upper sequences. We suggest this reflects that the magmas of lower sequences have higher volatile contents and were formed in a subduction tectonic setting. • The Banshan tuff has Mn-rich garnets crystallized from highly differentiated magma; • Magma of the Banshan tuff reached a high degree of crystallization (> 90%). • Rejuvenation of silicic mush triggered the eruption of crystal-rich magma; • Crystal-rich tuff magmas are volatile-rich and formed in a subduction setting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The equilibrium geometric structures, relative stabilities, electronic stabilities, and electronic and magnetic properties of the Au n C and Au n +1 ( n = 1–9) clusters are systematically investigated using density functional theory (DFT) with hyper-generalized gradient approximation (GGA). The optimized geometries show that one Au atom added to the Au n −1 C cluster is the dominant growth pattern for the Au n C clusters. In contrast to the pure gold clusters, the Au n C clusters are most stable in a quasi-planar or three-dimensional (3D) structure because the C dopant induces the local non-planarity, with exceptions of the Au 6,8 C clusters who have 2D structures. The analysis of the relative and electronic stabilities reveals that the Au 4 C and Au 6 clusters are the most stable in the series of studied clusters, respectively. In addition, a natural bond orbital (NBO) analysis shows that the charges in the Au n C clusters transfer from the Au n host to the C atom. Moreover, the Au and C atoms interact with each other mostly via covalent bond rather than ionic bond, which can be confirmed through the average ionic character of the Au–C bond. Meanwhile, the charges mainly transfer between 2s and 2p orbitals within the C atom, and among 5d, 6s, and 6p orbitals within the Au atom for the Au n C clusters. As for the magnetic properties of the Au n C clusters, the total magnetic moments are 1 μ B for n = odd clusters, with the total magnetic moments mainly locating on the C atoms for Au 1,3,9 C and on the Au n host for Au 5,7 C clusters. However, the total magnetic moments of the Au n C clusters are zero for n = even clusters. Simultaneously, the magnetic moments mainly locate on the 2p orbital within the C atom and on the 5d, 6s orbitals within the Au atom. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Leprosy has a high rate of cripplehood and lacks available early effective diagnosis methods for prevention and treatment, thus novel effective molecule markers are urgently required. In this study, we conducted bioinformatics analysis with leprosy and normal samples acquired from the GEO database(GSE84893, GSE74481, GSE17763, GSE16844 and GSE443). Through WGCNA analysis, 85 hub genes were screened(GS > 0.7 and MM > 0.8). Through DEG analysis, 82 up-regulated and 3 down-regulated genes were screened(|Log2FC| > 3 and FDR < 0.05). Then 49 intersection genes were considered as crucial and subjected to GO annotation, KEGG pathway and PPI analysis to determine the biological significance in the pathogenesis of leprosy. Finally, we identified a gene-pathway network, suggesting ITK, CD48, IL2RG, CCR5, FGR, JAK3, STAT1, LCK, PTPRC, CXCR4 can be used as biomarkers and these genes are active in 6 immune system pathways, including Chemokine signaling pathway, Th1 and Th2 cell differentiation, Th17 cell differentiation, T cell receptor signaling pathway, Natural killer cell mediated cytotoxicity and Leukocyte transendothelial migration. We identified 10 crucial gene markers and related important pathways that acted as essential components in the etiology of leprosy. Our study provides potential targets for diagnostic biomarkers and therapy of leprosy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two human papillomavirus (HPV) 16 oncogenic proteins, E6 and E7, are co-expressed in the majority of HPV16-induced cervical cancer cells. Thus, the E6 and E7 proteins are good targets for developing therapeutic vaccines for cervical cancer. In the present study, immunization with the mutant non-transforming HPV16 E7 (mE7) protein was demonstrated to inhibit the growth of TC-1 cells in the TC-1 mouse model. The HPV16 mE7 gene was ampli- fied by splicing overlap extension polymerase chain reaction using pET-28a(+)-E7 as a template, and the gene was cloned into pET-28a(+) to form pET-28a(+)-mE7. Compared with the E7 protein, mE7 lacks amino acid residues 94-98, and at residue 24, there is a Cys to Gly substitution. pET-28a(+)-mE7 was then introduced into Escherichia coli Rosetta. The expression of mE7 was induced by isopropyl β-D-1-thiogalactopyranoside. The mE7 protein was purified using Ni-NTA agarose and detected by SDS-PAGE and western blot analysis. In the tumor prevention model, no tumor was detected in the mice vaccinated with the mE7 protein. After 40 days, the tumor-free mice and control mice were challenged with 2x105 TC-1 cells. All control mice developed tumors six days later, but mE7 immunized mice were tumor free until 90 days. In the tumor therapy model, the TC-1 cells were initially injected subcutaneously, and the mice were subsequently vaccinated. Vaccination against the mE7 protein may significantly inhibit TC-1 cell growth compared to the control. These results demonstrated that immunization with the HPV16 mE7 protein elicited a long-term protective immunity against TC-1 tumor growth and generated a significant inhibition of TC-1 growth in a TC-1 mouse model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Despite the use of modern immunochemotherapy regimens, a significant proportion of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) patients will relapse. We proposed absolute lymphocyte count/absolute monocyte count ratio (ALC/AMC ratio) as a new prognostic factor in relapsed or primary refractory DLBCL. Methods We retrospectively analyzed 163 patients who have been diagnosed with relapsed or primary refractory DLBCL. The overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) were measured from the time of first relapse. The Cox proportional hazards model was used to evaluate ALC/AMC ratio as prognostic factors for OS and PFS. Results On univariate and multivariate analysis performed with factors included in the saaIPI, early relapse, prior exposure to rituximab and autologous stem-cell transplantation (ASCT), the ALC/AMC ratio at the time of first relapse remained an independent predictor of PFS and OS (PFS:P < 0.001; OS:P < 0.001). Patients with lower ALC/AMC ratio (<2.0) had lower overall response rate,1-year PFS and 2-year OS rate compared with those with higher ALC/AMC ratio (≥2.0). Moreover, the ALC/AMC ratio can provide additional prognostic information when superimposed on the saaIPI. Conclusions Lower ALC/AMC ratio at the time of first relapse is a adverse prognostic factor for OS and PFS in relapsed or primary refractory DLBCL, and leads to the identification of high-risk patients otherwise classified as low/intermediate risk by the saaIPI alone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Despite the use of modern immunochemotherapy regimens, a significant proportion of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) patients will relapse. We proposed absolute lymphocyte count/absolute monocyte count ratio (ALC/AMC ratio) as a new prognostic factor in relapsed or primary refractory DLBCL. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 163 patients who have been diagnosed with relapsed or primary refractory DLBCL. The overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) were measured from the time of first relapse. The Cox proportional hazards model was used to evaluate ALC/AMC ratio as prognostic factors for OS and PFS. Results: On univariate and multivariate analysis performed with factors included in the saaIPI, early relapse, prior exposure to rituximab and autologous stem-cell transplantation (ASCT), the ALC/AMC ratio at the time of first relapse remained an independent predictor of PFS and OS (PFS: P < 0.001; OS: P < 0.001). Patients with lower ALC/AMC ratio (<2.0) had lower overall response rate, 1-year PFS and 2-year OS rate compared with those with higher ALC/AMC ratio (=2.0). Moreover, the ALC/AMC ratio can provide additional prognostic information when superimposed on the saaIPI. Conclusions: Lower ALC/AMC ratio at the time of first relapse is a adverse prognostic factor for OS and PFS in relapsed or primary refractory DLBCL, and leads to the identification of high-risk patients otherwise classified as low/intermediate risk by the saaIPI alone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As an open economy, China also has a typical dual economy. These two economic characteristics may affect China's inflation in the following three aspects: First, the prices of imported intermediate goods might influence firms' costs. Second, the modes of pricing for food and non-food might be of a great difference as a result of the conduct of most agricultural product prices by government (that is, the market of agricultural products has not been released). Third, the transfer of rural labor force may change the urban labor market balance, and then affect firms' costs. In contrast to previous work, this paper models China's inflation using new Keynesian Phillips curve considering the above three factors and monetary policy shocks. Empirical results show that forward-looking behavior is predominant (accounting for about 2/3 of firms) in non-food sector, and that non-food prices are fixed for about three quarters on average. Real marginal costs including dual economy and open economy elements have a significant impact on inflation dynamics. The transfer of rural labor force also has a significant effect on inflation, but the directly supply-side effect of monetary policy (measured by interest rate) on inflation is insignificant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A specific predictor during routine follow-up to ascertain risk for relapse after standard first-line chemotherapy in non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) has not been identified, although blood counts, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and imaging studies, such as computed tomography (CT) scans or positron emission tomography, have been recommended. Therefore, we studied the absolute lymphocyte count/absolute monocyte count ratio (ALC/AMC ratio) as a marker of poststandard first-line chemotherapy for predicting relapse in patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). 220 consecutive DLBCL patients, originally diagnosed, treated with CHOP or R-CHOP and followed up at two institutions. ALC/AMC ratio was obtained at the time of confirmed relapse or last follow-up. Patients at the time of confirmed relapse (n =163) had a lower ALC/AMC ratio compared with those at last follow-up (n =57) (P <0.001). ALC/AMC ratio at the time of confirmed relapse was a strong predictor for relapse with an area under the curve=0.813 (P <0.001). The sensitivity and specificity for ALC/AMC ratio at the time of confirmed relapse or at last follow-up were 68.1% and 87.7%, respectively, and the relative risk of relapse with an ALC/AMC ratio<2.8 at the time of confirmed relapse or at last follow-up was 1.845 with an odds ratio of 15.247 (95% cumulative incidence: 6.473–35.916) after CHOP or R-CHOP in DLBCL. Patients with an ALC/AMC ratio (<2.8) had a higher cumulative hazard rate of relapse compared with an ALC/AMC ratio (≥2.8) (P <0.001). This study suggests that the lower ALC/AMC ratio can be used as a marker to assess risk of DLBCL relapse during routine follow-up after standard first-line chemotherapy. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Hairpin ribozymes possess the properties of RNA sequence-specific recognition and site-specific cleavage. These properties make them a powerful extension of the antisense approach for the inhibition of gene expression. From a randomized RNA pool of hairpin ribozymes, using the systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment, we have obtained an adenine-dependent hairpin ribozyme, Tpl2/Cot (tumour progression locus 2) ribozyme, which cleaves the Tpl2/Cot kinase mRNA sequence at nucleotides A225↓G226 relative to the start codon of translation. This serine/threonine kinase activates the mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway implicated in cell proliferation in cancer. The selected ‘ Tpl2/Cot-YL ribozyme’ efficiently cleaves its target sequence in cis and in trans; furthermore, the ribozyme efficiently cleaves a longer target sequence of 54 nucleotides in trans, as well as the full-length mRNA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hairpin ribozymes are flexible molecules that catalyse reversible self-cleavage after the docking of two independently folded internal loops, A and B. The activities, self-association and structures in solution of two 85 base adenine-dependent hairpin ribozymes (ADHR1 and ADHR2) were studied by native gel electrophoresis, analytical centrifugation, and small angle neutron scattering. Bi-molecular RNA interactions such as linear–linear, loop–loop, loop–linear or kissing interactions have been found to be important in the control of various biological functions, and hairpin loops present rich potential for establishing both intra- and intermolecular interactions through standard Watson-Crick base pairing or non-canonical interactions. Similar results were obtained for ADHR1 and ADHR2. At room temperature, they indicated end-to-end self-association of the ribozymes in rod-like structures with a cross-section corresponding to two double strands side-by-side. Dimers, which predominate at low concentration (∼0.1 mg/ml), associate into longer rods, with increasing concentration (∼1 mg/ml). Above 65°C, the dimers and rods dissociated into compact monomers, with a radius of gyration similar to that of tRNA (about 70 bases). The dimers were non-active for catalysis, which suggests that dimer formation, probably by preventing the correct docking of loops A and B, could act as an inhibition mechanism for the regulation of hairpin ribozyme catalysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Plagioclases from the porphyritic quartz syenite show relatively high (87Sr/86Sr) i. • Plagioclases from the mafic microgranular enclave show low and variable (87Sr/86Sr) i. • Magma recharge is revealed by inter-grain variation of Sr isotope in plagioclase. • Whole-rock Sr isotope is assemblage of plagioclase with different (87Sr/86Sr) i. In situ Sr-isotope of plagioclase can be used to elucidate the details of magmatic processes. Here we report in situ Sr isotopic compositions of plagioclase from the intra-caldera porphyritic quartz syenite and mafic microgranular enclave of the Yandangshan caldera, SE China. Plagioclase phenocrysts from porphyritic quartz syenite show consistent initial 87Sr/86Sr ratios (0.7088–0.7091). Plagioclases in groundmass of mafic microgranular enclave have low initial 87Sr/86Sr ratios (0.7080–0.7081). In contrast, the plagioclase phenocrysts of mafic microgranular enclave show relatively variable initial 87Sr/86Sr ratios of 0.7081–0.7088, which exhibit distinct inter-grain variation with high values similar to the plagioclase phenocrysts in porphyritic quartz syenite, and low values similar to the plagioclase in groundmass. However, the initial 87Sr/86Sr ratios of individual plagioclases from phenocrysts and groundmass show insignificant intra-grain variation. Furthermore, initial 87Sr/86Sr ratios (0.7080–0.7088) of plagioclase from phenocrysts and groundmass of mafic microgranular enclave are within and lower than the whole-rock initial 87Sr/86Sr ratios (0.7082–0.7088), while the values of plagioclase phenocrysts from the porphyritic quartz syenite are within and higher than the whole-rock initial 87Sr/86Sr ratios (0.7086–0.7089). Therefore, we propose that the inter-grain Sr isotope variation of plagioclase is related to magma recharge events, which induce chemical and physical exchanges between the recharge magma and the host magma and the remobilization of crystal mush in magma reservoir. Furthermore, our study shows that whole-rock Sr isotopic compositions could not represent the end-members and they may be a result of the assemblage of rock-forming minerals such as plagioclase with different initial Sr isotopic ratios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Cretaceous Yunshan caldera complex in SE China consists of an unusual coexisting assemblage of peraluminous and peralkaline rhyolites and a resurgent intra-caldera porphyritic quartz monzonite. In this study, we use zircon trace element data to study the compositional differences of zircons from cogenetic magmas and to track the evolution of the entire magmatic system. Our results indicate that the zircons from the peraluminous and peralkaline rhyolites formed from highly evolved compositions with high Hf concentrations and low Ti contents, and low Th/U and Zr/Hf ratios, which are distinct from those of the intrusive porphyritic quartz monzonite. Zircons from the peraluminous and peralkaline rhyolites display overlapping Zr/Hf and Hf, but the zircons from the peralkaline rhyolites have extremely low Eu/Eu* ratios (<0.1) and Ti contents (2.26–13.3 ppm). The lack of overlapping zircon trace element compositions between the volcanic and intrusive caldera units is interpreted to represent crystal–melt segregation processes. In addition, zircon grains from the porphyritic quartz monzonite and a few zircon grains from the peraluminous rhyolite display distinctly bright rims and whole grains in cathodoluminescence imaging, which have high Ti, Zr/Hf, and Eu/Eu*, and are similar to those of zircons from the mafic microgranular enclave within the porphyritic quartz monzonite. We interpret these signatures to reflect crystallization from a relatively hot and less evolved magma indicating a magma chamber recharge event. We further developed a model in which the magmas of the peraluminous and peralkaline rhyolites were successively extracted from a primitive crystal mush by crystal–melt segregation with a rejuvenation of the crystal mush after the extraction of the peraluminous rhyolitic melt, leaving behind residual mushes solidified as porphyritic quartz monzonite. Our study shows that trace element analyses of zircons can effectively be used to pinpoint multiple crystal–melt segregation and melt extraction events as well as magma recharge processes in silicic magmatic systems. • Volcanic-plutonic link was revealed by zircon trace elements from caldera complex. • Peralkaline rhyolite extracted from rejuvenated mush after peraluminous rhyolite extraction. • Contrasting compositions of volcanic and plutonic zircons imply crystal–melt segregation. • Multistage zircon crystallization reflects magma recharge processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Animal steroid hormones initiate signaling by passive diffusion into cells and binding to their nuclear receptors to regulate gene expression. Animal steroid hormones can initiate signaling via G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs); however, the underlying mechanisms are unclear. Here, we show that a newly discovered ecdysone-responsive GPCR, ErGPCR-3, transmits the steroid hormone 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E) signal by binding 20E and promoting its entry into cells in the lepidopteran insect Helicoverpa armigera. Knockdown of ErGPCR-3 in larvae caused delayed and abnormal pupation, inhibited remodeling of the larval midgut and fat body, and repressed 20E-induced gene expression. Also, 20E induced both the interaction of ErGPCR-3 with G proteins and rapid intracellular increase in calcium, cAMP and protein phosphorylation. ErGPCR-3 was endocytosed by GPCR kinase 2-mediated phosphorylation, and interacted with β-arrestin-1 and clathrin, to terminate 20E signaling under 20E induction. We found that 20E bound to ErGPCR-3 and induced the ErGPCR-3 homodimer to form a homotetramer, which increased 20E entry into cells. Our study revealed that homotetrameric ErGPCR-3 functions as a cell membrane receptor and increases 20E diffusion into cells to transmit the 20E signal and promote metamorphosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report optical gain enhancements in Si nanocrystals (Si-NCs) via hydrogenation and Ce3+ ion doping. Variable stripe length technique was used to obtain gains. At 0.3 W/cm² pumping power density of pulsed laser, net gains were observed together with gain enhancements after hydrogenation and/or Ce3+ ion doping; gains after loss corrections were between 89.52 and 341.95 cm-1; and the photoluminescence (PL) lifetime was found to decrease with the increasing gain enhancement. At 0.04 W/cm² power density, however, no net gain was found and the PL lifetime increased with the increasing PL enhancement. The results were discussed according to stimulated and spontaneous excitation and de-excitation mechanisms of Si-NCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A quantum scheme for cloud data sharing based on proxy re-encryption is proposed. The user Alice stores the cipher-text of her data on cloud data center. When Alice wants to share her data with another user Bob, Alice is called the delegator and Bob is called the delegatee. The cloud service provider (called the proxy) can convert the delegator's cipher-text into the delegatee's cipher-text without decrypting the former, so that the delegatee can get the plain-text of Alice's data with his private key. The proxy cannot obtain the plain-text of the user's data stored on cloud data center. Delegator in the protocol should have the ability of producing Bell states, performing Bell basis and Z-basis measurements, and storing qubits. The quantum requirements for the delegatee are reduced. The delegatee needs to have the ability of reflecting and performing Z-basis measurement. One secret at a time (one-time one-pad) is theoretically implemented, especially when the same data is shared multiple times. The anti-selection plain-text attack security and the anti-selective cipher-text attack security are realized. Fine-granularity secret data sharing is achieved flexibly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Microcontinents with Precambrian basement have played an important role in the accretionary and amalgamation history of the Central Asian Orogenic Belt (CAOB). However, their geological evolution is only poorly constrained due to restricted exposure of the Precambrian rocks, which were extensively overprinted mainly by Paleozoic tectonic, metamorphic and magmatic events. In the present study, in situ zircon U–Pb age and Hf isotopic data of 64 Paleozoic and early Mesozoic (from 499 to 217 Ma) as well as 14 Mesoproterozoic and Neoproterozoic (from 1555 to 871 Ma) granitic samples from four major arc terranes of the Beishan orogen (southernmost CAOB) were compiled in order to assess the nature of their crustal basement as well as the subsequent Paleozoic tectonic evolution. Zircon ε Hf (t) values and calculated Hf model ages are similar for all arc terranes with Hf model age peaks at approximately 1.0–0.8 Ga and 2.0–1.8 Ga. We suggest that all of these Paleozoic arc terranes formed on a single, uniform Precambrian continental terrane. Furthermore, this continental terrane shows typical characteristics of Mesoproterozoic (~1.4 Ga) juvenile crustal growth, which may have been part of an extensive Mesoproterozoic continental terrane, now tectonically fragmented and located over a distance of more than a thousand kilometers in the southern CAOB. Among the cratons bordering the CAOB, Baltica displays most similarities with this continental terrane, while a Mesoproterozoic correlation with the Tarim Craton is rather questionable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Small-molecule compounds that inhibit human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection can be used not only as drug candidates, but also as reagents to dissect the life cycle of the virus. Thus, it is desirable to have an arsenal of such compounds that inhibit HIV-1 infection by various mechanisms. Until now, only a few small-molecule compounds that inhibit nuclear entry of viral DNA have been documented. Results: We identified a novel, small-molecule compound, SJP-L-5, that inhibits HIV-1 infection. SJP-L-5 is a nitrogen-containing, biphenyl compound whose synthesis was based on the dibenzocyclooctadiene lignan gomisin M2, an anti-HIV bioactive compound isolated from Schisandra micrantha A. C. Smith. SJP-L-5 displayed relatively low cytotoxicity (50 % cytoxicity concentrations were greater than 200 μg/ml) and high antiviral activity against a variety of HIV strains (50 % effective concentrations (EC50)) of HIV-1 laboratory-adapted strains ranged from 0.16-0.97 μg/ml; EC50s of primary isolates ranged from 1.96-5.33 μg/ml). Analyses of the viral DNA synthesis indicated that SJP-L-5 specifically blocks the entry of the HIV-1 pre-integration complex (PIC) into the nucleus. Further results implicated that SJP-L-5 inhibits the disassembly of HIV-1 particulate capsid in the cytoplasm of the infected cells. Conclusions: SJP-L-5 is a novel small-molecule compound that inhibits HIV-1 nuclear entry by blocking the disassembly of the viral core. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Octamer-4 (Oct4) is a well known regulator of self-renewal in embryonic stem cells; it has been detected in several human cancers and may play a critical role in carcinogenesis. Aims To assess the expression of Oct4 in epithelial ovarian tumours. Methods Expression of Oct4 was evaluated by immunohistochemistry in 460 cases of various epithelial ovarian lesions as well as 35 cases of normal fallopian tube epithelium. The association between Oct4 expression and various clinical pathological parameters was analysed. Results Oct4 expression was significantly increased from normal epithelium (both ovarian epithelium and fallopian tube epithelium) to benign and borderline cystadenoma to carcinoma in the serous lesion subgroup. Oct4 overexpression was associated with more advanced FIGO stage and higher histological grade in serous adenocarcinoma. Conversely, Oct4 expression did not differ among mucinous lesions or correlate with clinicopathological parameters in patients with mucinous adenocarcinoma. Conclusion Results suggest that Oct4 expression may contribute to the initiation, promotion and progression of serous ovarian carcinoma; it might be a useful biomarker for the diagnosis and outcome prediction of serous ovarian carcinoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A multiparty controlled bidirectional quantum secure direct communication and authentication protocol is pro-posed based on EPR pair and entanglement swapping. The legitimate identities of communicating parties are encoded to Bell states which act as a detection sequence. Secret messages are transmitted by using the classical XOR operation, which serves as a one-time-pad. No photon with secret information transmits in the quantum channel. Compared with the protocols proposed by Wang et al. [Acta Phys. Sin. 56 (2007) 673; Opt. Commun. 266 (2006) 732], the protocol in this study implements bidirectional communication and authentication, which defends most attacks including the 'man-in-the-middle' attack efficiently. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rheum emodi Wall has been reported to possess protective effect in many inflammatory diseases and oxidative stress-related injuries. This study aims to investigate antioxidant power of stilbenoids from R. emodi and then explore the material basis for its antioxidant potential. The most abundant stilbenoid piceatannol-4'-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (PICG) and its aglycon piceatannol (PICE) were isolated from R. emodi rhizome. Using well-accepted antioxidant chemicals as reference, antioxidant activity of these stilbenoids was examined by measuring DPPH and superoxide anion radical scavenging, ferric reducing power, and inhibition of lipid peroxidation in vitro. Both PICG and PICE displayed promising antioxidant activity in all the four assays. Comparisons among the tested compounds indicated that PICE has the most potent antioxidant activity and the presence of 3'-hydroxyl group may enhance antioxidant activity of stilbenoids. The antioxidative effect of PICE at the cellular level was further demonstrated on the model of hydrogen-peroxide-induced H9c2 rat cardiomyoblasts injury. Taking into account the rapid in vivo metabolic transformation of PICG into PICE it can be inferred that the most abundant stilbenoid PICG may be an important constituent responsible for the antioxidant potential of R. emodi and promising to be developed as an antioxidant agent for supplementary or therapeutic use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of externally applied mechanical pre-conditioning, i.e. pre-impact treatment, on the fracture resistance was investigated for polypropylene (PP). Impact strength was obtained via notched and/or unnotched samples. It has been shown that the pre-impact treatment is favorable to the improvement of the fracture resistance. The impact strength increases linearly with the applied pre-impact energy. Both optical and SEM results show that there are at least two possible mechanisms for the improvement of the fracture resistance. One is the crack blunting effect which is introduced to notched sample by pre-impact treatment, reducing the sensitivity of PP to the applied notch. The other is the formation of large amount of microvoids induced by pre-impact treatment, which changes the stress distribution and induces intensive plastic deformation of PP at the second impact measurement, leading to the improvement of the fracture resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aims: The genotypic method could significantly shorten the time needed to obtain antibiotic susceptibility data for Helicobacter pylori. The aim of this study was to explore the profile of H. pylori from gastric biopsies and strains with antibiotic-induced resistance. Methods: A total of 124 gastric biopsies were used to perform gene sequencing and to perform bacterial culture and susceptibility testing. Seven susceptible strains were selected to develop resistance to clarithromycin, levofloxacin, and metronidazole. Four susceptible strains were selected to transfer candidate mutations. The genotype profiles of these groups were analyzed by sequencing analysis. The antibiotic susceptibility of these strains was detected using the E-test method. Results: Phenotypic resistance to clarithromycin, levofloxacin, and metronidazole was observed in 35.5%, 40.0%, and 79.8% strains, respectively. Point mutations in 23 S rRNA, gyrA, and rdxA genes were observed in 39.5%, 38.7%, and 86.3% of gastric biopsies, respectively. The A2143G mutation in the 23S rRNA occurs in most clarithromycin-resistant samples. The A2142C point mutation showed a higher efficacy than A2142G and A2143G for inducing clarithromycin resistance. The D91N and N87K mutations in gyrA occurs in most levofloxacin-resistant samples, and double point mutations showed a higher efficacy than single mutations for inducing levofloxacin resistance. Phenotypic resistance and mutations in rdxA lacked consistency. Conclusion: Genotype-based gastric biopsy analysis was reliable for determining clarithromycin and levofloxacin resistance. A2143G in 23S rRNA and N87K/D91N in the gyrA gene occurred in most resistant strains. Mutations in the rdxA gene were not good indicators of metronidazole resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A novel Dy 4 cluster has been synthesized and structurally characterized. • The Dy 4 cluster contains a tetrahedral Dy 4 core. • The Dy 4 cluster displays SMMs behavior under H dc = 0 Oe. By using a polydentate Schiff base ligand (H 3 L), in this paper, a new Dy(III)-based cluster, namely [Dy 4 (HL) 4 (CH 3 O) 4 ]·4CH 3 OH (1), was successfully obtained and further characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The crystal structure measurement suggests that cluster 1 crystallizes in the monoclinic space group C 2/c and the four center Dy(III) ions of cluster 1 displays a tetrahedral arrangement. The magnetic study reveals that cluster 1 shows remarkable single-molecule magnet (SMM) behavior under zero dc filed (Δ E / k B = 54.6 K, and τ 0 = 6.43 × 10−7 s). A novel tetranuclear Dy(III)-based cluster contains a tetrahedral Dy 4 core and single-molecule magnet (SMM) behavior under zero dc filed. Image, graphical abstract [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aims: The genotypic method could significantly shorten the time needed to obtain antibiotic susceptibility data for Helicobacter pylori. The aim of this study was to explore the profile of H. pylori from gastric biopsies and strains with antibiotic-induced resistance. Methods: A total of 124 gastric biopsies were used to perform gene sequencing and to perform bacterial culture and susceptibility testing. Seven susceptible strains were selected to develop resistance to clarithromycin, levofloxacin, and metronidazole. Four susceptible strains were selected to transfer candidate mutations. The genotype profiles of these groups were analyzed by sequencing analysis. The antibiotic susceptibility of these strains was detected using the E-test method. Results: Phenotypic resistance to clarithromycin, levofloxacin, and metronidazole was observed in 35.5%, 40.0%, and 79.8% strains, respectively. Point mutations in 23 S rRNA, gyrA, and rdxA genes were observed in 39.5%, 38.7%, and 86.3% of gastric biopsies, respectively. The A2143G mutation in the 23S rRNA occurs in most clarithromycin-resistant samples. The A2142C point mutation showed a higher efficacy than A2142G and A2143G for inducing clarithromycin resistance. The D91N and N87K mutations in gyrA occurs in most levofloxacin-resistant samples, and double point mutations showed a higher efficacy than single mutations for inducing levofloxacin resistance. Phenotypic resistance and mutations in rdxA lacked consistency. Conclusion: Genotype-based gastric biopsy analysis was reliable for determining clarithromycin and levofloxacin resistance. A2143G in 23S rRNA and N87K/D91N in the gyrA gene occurred in most resistant strains. Mutations in the rdxA gene were not good indicators of metronidazole resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By means of density functional theory calculations, we successfully predict two stable 2D triangular borophenes, namely B3H and B6O. Our results indicate that B3H is a Dirac material and its cone point is located at the K point of the Brillouin zone (BZ). B6O is identified as having a node-line ring and Dirac cones together. Its node-line ring formed by the intersection of the extended energy band from the two Dirac cones located on K point. This modified 2D borophene has great thermal and dynamic stability due to the electron transfer from the triangular boron lattice to the O atoms. The electronic structure of B6O nanofilm demonstrates novel properties such as two Dirac cones, more than 1.3 eV linear dispersion bands at some points of the BZ, as well as excellent transport properties for the extremely high mobility brought by the combination of the node-line semimetal and Dirac cones. Our study may motivate potential applications of 2D materials in nanoelectronics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quantum privacy query (QPQ) is a cryptographic application that protects the privacy of both users and databases while querying the database secretly. In most existing QPQ protocols, the protection of user privacy can only be cheat-sensitive. Cheat-sensitive means that Bob will be found later with a certain probability if he tries to get the address queried by Alice. On the premise of cheat-sensitive, although Alice can discover Bob's malicious behavior after a query (transaction), the secret information of Alice was leaked in the completed query, which is likely to be a fatal blow to Alice. Or, to prevent Bob's malicious behavior, Alice executes one or more additional queries to test Bob's honesty. However, to bypass Alice's honesty test, Bob can also provide several honest queries before performing dishonest queries. Therefore, cheat-sensitive should not be the ultimate goal of user privacy protection in QPQ. In this paper, we propose a two-way QKD-based QPQ protocol with better user privacy protection than cheat-sensitive based on order rearrangement of qubits. The proposed QPQ protocol can resist the Trojan horse attack even without wavelength filter and photon number splitter equipped with auxiliary monitoring detectors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sarcoidosis is a multisystemic inflammatory disease that commonly affects the lungs and lymphatic system and is characterized by the formation of non-caseating granulomas. Although the association between sarcoidosis and malignant diseases has been well described, it remains controversial whether this association is merely a coincidence or the consequence of a common pathophysiological mechanism. The present study reports a rare case of sarcoidosis that was present in a patient with gastric cancer at the time of diagnosis. A 64-year-old female diagnosed with stage I gastric cancer underwent curative surgery, and the postoperative pathology of the lymph nodes revealed non-caseating granulomas. At the 4-year follow-up, the sarcoidosis remained stable, and no recurrence of cancer was identified. The present case revealed that sarcoidosis and gastric cancer may coexist simultaneously and focused on the potential advantages of histological confirmation in patients with cancer and sarcoidosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Higher channel capacity and security are difficult to reach in a noisy channel. The loss of photons and the distortion of the qubit state are caused by noise. To solve these problems, in our study, a hyperentangled Bell state is used to design faithful deterministic secure quantum communication and authentication protocol over collective-rotation and collective-dephasing noisy channel, which doubles the channel capacity compared with using an ordinary Bell state as a carrier; a logical hyperentangled Bell state immune to collective-rotation and collective-dephasing noise is constructed. The secret message is divided into several parts to transmit, however the identity strings of Alice and Bob are reused. Unitary operations are not used. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Filling of the modern coastal-zone portion of the Qiantang River (QR) in eastern China was initiated by marine inundation during the transgression after the Last Glacial Maximum and has continued during the Holocene sea-level stillstand. The early part of the fi ll is transgressive in character, while the younger part is regressive. This paper deals with the sedimentary facies, surfaces, architecture, and depositional model of the QR incised-valley fi ll based on the detailed analysis of the newly drilled core SE2 and its correlation with more than 800 boreholes. The incised-valley deposits are grouped into fi ve stacked facies: amalgamated channel, floodplain and channel, paleo-estuary, offshore shallow marine, and present-day estuary. A paleo-estuary facies had never been identifi ed before, making these observations novel. This facies is characterized by a sedimentary succession and sediment distribution that are distinct from those of the present-day estuary because of a change in sediment supply from the sea fl oor beyond the estuary mouth. It also contains large numbers of tidal-channel sand bodies that are signifi cant reservoirs for shallow biogenic gas. Since the last glaciation, there have been three stages in the development of the QR incised-valley fi ll sequence: (1) a formation stage associated with sea-level fall, (2) a fi lling stage during the early transgression with rapid sea-level rise, and (3) a burial stage corresponding to the slowing of sea-level rise and the onset of progradation. This fill consists of four longitudinal segments, each of which is distinguished by a distinct stratigraphic succession and different degrees of marine and fluvial influence. The basal erosion surface and sidewalls of the incised valley, the top of stiff clay on the interfl uves, and the top of falling-stage fluvial-terrace deposits compose the sequence boundary. The initial flooding surface and maximum flooding surface are located with in the amalgamated channel and offshore shallow-marine sediments, respectively. These observations indicate that: (1) relative sea-level changes determine the stratal stacking patterns, but local environmental factors, such as physical processes, accommodation, sediment supply, and coastal confi guration control the nature of the facies, surfaces, and sediment-distribution patterns; and (2) the tripartite facies organization and wave ravinement surfaces typifying wavedominated or mixed-energy (wave and tide) incised-valley fi lls are absent in the macrotidal QR succession, and the tidal ravinement and erosion surfaces of the macrotidal QR incised valley are more extensive and numerous than those of the wave-dominated or mixed-energy succession. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By using six-qubit decoherence-free (DF) states as quantum carriers and decoy states, a robust quantum secure direct communication and authentication (QSDCA) protocol against decoherence noise is proposed. Four six-qubit DF states are used in the process of secret transmission, however only the |0′⟩ state is prepared. The other three six-qubit DF states can be obtained by permuting the outputs of the setup for |0′⟩. By using the |0′⟩ state as the decoy state, the detection rate and the qubit error rate reach 81.3%, and they will not change with the noise level. The stability and security are much higher than those of the ping–pong protocol both in an ideal scenario and a decoherence noise scenario. Even if the eavesdropper measures several qubits, exploiting the coherent relationship between these qubits, she can gain one bit of secret information with probability 0.042. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) is a rodent-borne disease caused by Hantaviruses. It is endemic in all 31 provinces, autonomous regions, and metropolitan areas in mainland China where human cases account for 90% of the total global cases. Shandong Province is among the most serious endemic areas. HFRS cases in Shandong Province were first reported in Yutai County in 1968. Since then, the disease has spread across the province, and as of 2005, all 111 counties were reported to have local human infections. However, causes underlying such rapid spread and wide distribution remain less well understood. Methods and Findings: Here we report a spatiotemporal analysis of human HFRS cases in Shandong using data spanning 1973 to 2005. Seasonal incidence maps and velocity vector maps were produced to analyze the spread of HFRS over time in Shandong Province, and a panel data analysis was conducted to explore the association between HFRS incidence and climatic factors. Results show a rapid spread of HFRS from its epicenter in Rizhao, Linyi, Weifang Regions in southern Shandong to north, east, and west parts of the province. Based on seasonal shifts of epidemics, three epidemic phases were identified over the 33-year period. The first phase occurred between 1973 and 1982 during which the foci of HFRS was located in the south Shandong and the epidemic peak occurred in the fall and winter, presenting a seasonal characteristic of Hantaan virus (HTNV) transmission. The second phase between 1983 and 1985 was characterized by northward and westward spread of HFRS foci, and increases in incidence of HFRS in both fall-winter and spring seasons. The human infections in the spring reflected a characteristic pattern of Seoul virus (SEOV) transmission. The third phase between 1986 and 2005 was characterized by the northeast spread of the HFRS foci until it covered all counties, and the HFRS incidence in the fall-winter season decreased while it remained high in the spring. In addition, our findings suggest that precipitation, humidity, and temperature are major environmental variables that are associated with the seasonal variation of HFRS incidence in Shandong Province. Conclusions: The spread of HFRS in Shandong Province may have been accompanied by seasonal shifts of HTNV-dominated transmission to SEOV-dominated transmission over the past three decades. The variations in HFRS incidence were significantly associated with local precipitation, humidity, and temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is accumulating evidence that brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) may be involved in the pathophysiology of patients with schizophrenia. Clinical studies show reductions in BDNF in schizophrenic patients treated with first generation antipsychotics or second generation antipsychotics. However, there have been few systematic studies to examine the relationship between BDNF levels and psychopathology in first-episode and drug-naïve patients with schizophrenia. Serum BDNF levels were determined using enzyme-linked-immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in the serum of 88 never-medicated first-episode and 90 healthy controls subjects matched for age and gender. The schizophrenia symptomatology and the depressive symptoms were assessed by the positive and negative syndrome scale (PANSS) and the Hamilton rating (HAMD) scale for depression. The results showed that BDNF levels were significantly lower in first-episode patients with schizophrenia than in healthy control subjects (9.0 ± 4.2 ng/ml vs 12.1 ± 2.2 ng/ml; F = 37.6; df = 1, 176; p < 0.0001). A significant positive correlation between BDNF levels and PANSS positive subscore was observed ( r = 0.29; df = 88; p = 0.008). Furthermore, higher BDNF levels were observed in patients with paranoid subtype of schizophrenia. However, no significant correlation between BDNF and HAMD total score was found. Low BDNF levels at the onset of psychosis suggest that it may contribute to the pathogenesis of schizophrenia and perhaps, could be a candidate biological marker for positive symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Five new dinuclear Ln(III)-based compounds based on a polydentate Schiff base ligand (H 2 L) have been synthesised. Their structures and magnetic properties have been systematically explored and studied. The Gd 2 compound displays a cryogenic magnetic refrigeration property and the Dy 2 compound exhibits single-molecular magnet (SMM) behavior. • Five dinuclear Ln(III)-based compounds have been structurally and magnetically characterized. • Compound 2 shows a cryogenic magnetic refrigeration property. • Compound 4 exhibits slow magnetic relaxation behavior. In this work, a series of dinuclear Ln(III)-based compounds with the molecular form [Ln 2 (L) 2 (dbm) 2 (H 2 O) 2 ]·nCH 3 OH (Ln(III) = Eu (1), Gd (2), Tb (3), Dy (4) and Ho (5), Hdbm = 1,3-diphenyl-1,3-propanedione and H 2 L = 2-[(1E)-{[(pyridin-2-yl)formamido]imino}methyl]benzoic acid) have been successfully synthesized using a polydentate Schiff base ligand (H 2 L) and reacting it with the β-diketone salts Ln(dbm) 3 ·2H 2 O. The crystal structures and magnetic properties of the five Ln 2 compounds have been completely studied. The crystal structure studies reveal that compounds 1 – 5 are isostructural and show a dinuclear structure with a parallelogram Ln 2 O 2 core. The magnetic research suggests that the Gd 2 compound shows a cryogenic magnetic refrigeration property with magnetic entropy (−Δ S m) = 23.2 J K−1 kg−1 (T = 2.0 K and Δ H = 7.0 T), while the Dy 2 compound exhibits slow magnetic relaxation behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two new dinuclear dysprosium compounds with similar structures have been synthesized. Magnetic studies reveal that they exhibit different single-molecular magnets (SMMs) behaviors. • Two new Dy 2 compounds have been synthesized and structurally and magnetically characterized. • Compounds 1 and 2 are phenoxo-O bridged Dy 2 compound. • Compounds 1 and 2 display different single-molecular magnets (SMMs) behaviors under H dc = 0 Oe. Two new Dy 2 compounds, [Dy(TTA) 2 L] 2 (1) and [Dy(dbm) 2 L] 2 (2) (TTA = 2-thenoyltrifluoroacetone, and HL = 2-[(4-chlorophenyl)imino]methyl]-8-hydroxyquinoline and dbm = dibenzoylmethane), were synthesized via solvent evaporation method, and the structures and magnetic properties of them have been characterized. The X-ray structural analysis show that both 1 and 2 are binuclear dysprosium complexes with similar structure, and the two central Dy atoms are bridged by two phenoxo-O atoms of two 8-hydroxyquinoline Schiff base ligands. The only difference is the coordinate β-diketonate. Magnetic measurements indicated that the two Dy 2 compounds display different single-molecular magnets (SMMs) behaviors with U eff / k B = 29.4 K for 1 and U eff / k B = 43.5 K for 2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a case study of a 43-year-old woman with cough and dyspnoea, difficulty in breathing. Topics mentioned include the polypoid tumour diagnosed to her through chest computed tomography (CT), the tumour cells analysis, and the importance of health management. Also mentioned are the women health management and the effectiveness of cryotherapy to her.

In a recent work [Quantum Inf. Process 12 (2013) 1077], a multi-user protocol of quantum private comparison of equality (QPCE) is presented. Here we point out that if we relax the constraint of a semi-honest third party, the private information of the users will be totally leaked out to the third party. A special attack is demonstrated in detail. Furthermore, a possible improvement is proposed, which makes the protocol secure against this kind of attack. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]