Randomisation of Pulse Phases for Unambiguous and Robust Quantum Sensing

We develop theoretically and demonstrate experimentally a universal dynamical decoupling method for robust quantum sensing with unambiguous signal identification. Our method uses randomisation of control pulses to suppress simultaneously two types of errors in the measured spectra that would otherwise lead to false signal identification. These are spurious responses due to finite-width $\pi$ pulses, as well as signal distortion caused by $\pi$ pulse imperfections. For the cases of nanoscale nuclear spin sensing and AC magnetometry, we benchmark the performance of the protocol with a single nitrogen vacancy centre in diamond against widely used non-randomised pulse sequences. Our method is general and can be combined with existing multipulse quantum sensing sequences to enhance their performance

Deep crustal anatexis, magma mixing, and the generation of epizonal plutons in the Southern Rocky Mountains, Colorado

The Never Summer Mountains in north-central Colorado, USA, are cored by two Oligocene, epizonal granitic plutons originally emplaced in the shallow levels of a short-lived (~1 m.y.), small-volume continental magmatic system. The younger Mt. Cumulus stock (28.015 ± 0.012 Ma) is a syenogranite equivalent compositionally to topaz rhyolites. A comparison to the chemical and isotopic composition of crustal xenoliths entrained in nearby Devonian kimberlites demonstrates that the silicic melts parental to the stock were likely derived from anatexis of local Paleoproterozoic, garnet-absent, mafic lower continental crust. In contrast, the older Mt. Richthofen stock is compositionally heterogeneous and ranges from monzodiorite to monzogranite. Major and trace element abundances and Sr, Nd and Pb isotopic ratios in this stock vary regularly with increasing whole rock wt% SiO2. These data suggest that the Mt. Richthofen stock was constructed from mixed mafic and felsic magmas, the former corresponding to lithosphere-derived basaltic magmas similar isotopically to mafic enclaves entrained in the eastern portions of the stock and the latter corresponding to less differentiated versions of the silicic melts parental to the Mt. Cumulus stock. Zircon U–Pb geochronology further reveals that the Mt. Richthofen stock was incrementally emplaced over a time interval from at least 28.975 ± 0.020 to 28.742 ± 0.053 Ma. Magma mixing could have occurred either in situ in the upper crust during basaltic underplating and remelting of an antecedent, incrementally emplaced, silicic intrusive body, or at depth in the lower crust prior to periodic magma ascent and emplacement in the shallow crust. Overall, the two stocks demonstrate that magmatism associated with the Never Summer igneous complex was fundamentally bimodal in composition. Highly silicic anatectic melts of the mafic lower crust and basaltic, mantle-derived magmas were the primary melts in the magma system, with mixing of the two producing intermediate composition magmas such as those from which Mt. Richthofen stock was constructed.National Science Foundation (U.S.) (Grant EAR-0931839

Stable and chaotic solutions of the complex Ginzburg-Landau equation with periodic boundary conditions

We study, analytically and numerically, the dynamical behavior of the solutions of the complex Ginzburg-Landau equation with diffraction but without diffusion, which governs the spatial evolution of the field in an active nonlinear laser cavity. Accordingly, the solutions are subject to periodic boundary conditions. The analysis reveals regions of stable stationary solutions in the model’s parameter space, and a wide range of oscillatory and chaotic behaviors. Close to the first bifurcation destabilizing the spatially uniform solution, a stationary single-humped solution is found in an asymptotic analytical form, which turns out to be in very good agreement with the numerical results. Simulations reveal a series of stable stationary multi-humped solutionsComment: 9 pages, 15 figure

On the behaviour of Brauer pp-dimensions under finitely-generated field extensions

The present paper shows that if $q \in \mathbb P$ or $q = 0$, where $\mathbb P$ is the set of prime numbers, then there exist characteristic $q$ fields $E _{q,k}\colon \ k \in \mathbb N$, of Brauer dimension Brd$(E _{q,k}) = k$ and infinite absolute Brauer $p$-dimensions abrd$_{p}(E _{q,k})$, for all $p \in \mathbb P$ not dividing $q ^{2} - q$. This ensures that Brd$_{p}(F _{q,k}) = \infty$, $p \dagger q ^{2} - q$, for every finitely-generated transcendental extension $F _{q,k}/E _{q,k}$. We also prove that each sequence $a _{p}, b _{p}$, $p \in \mathbb P$, satisfying the conditions $a _{2} = b _{2}$ and $0 \le b _{p} \le a _{p} \le \infty$, equals the sequence abrd$_{p}(E), {\rm Brd}_{p}(E)$, $p \in \mathbb P$, for a field $E$ of characteristic zero.Comment: LaTeX, 14 pages: published in Journal of Algebra {\bf 428} (2015), 190-204; the abstract in the Metadata updated to fit the one of the pape

Allopurinol treatment adversely impacts left ventricular mass regression in patients with well-controlled hypertension

Objectives: Previous studies have demonstrated that high dose allopurinol is able to regress Left Ventricular (LV) mass in cohorts with established cardiovascular disease. The aim of this study was to assess whether treatment with high dose allopurinol would regress LV mass in a cohort with essential hypertension, LV hypertrophy and well- controlled blood pressure but without established cardiovascular disease.Methods: We conducted a mechanistic proof-of-concept randomised, placebo controlled, double-blind trial of allopurinol (600mg/day) versus placebo on LV mass regression. Duration of treatment was 12 months. LV mass regression was assessed by Cardiac Magnetic Resonance. Secondary outcomes were changes in endothelial function (flow mediated dilatation), arterial stiffness (pulse wave velocity) and biomarkers of oxidative stress. Results: 72 patients were randomised into the trial. Mean baseline urate was 362.2 ± 96.7umol/L. Despite good blood pressure control, LV mass regression was significantly reduced in the allopurinol cohort compared to placebo (LV mass -0.37 ± 6.08 g vs -3.75 ± 3.89 g; p=0.012). Oxidative stress markers (Thiobarbituric acid reactive substances) were significantly higher in the allopurinol group vs placebo (0.26 ± 0.85uM vs -0.34 ± 0.83uM; p=0.007). Other markers of vascular function were not significantly different between the two groups.Conclusions: Treatment with high dose allopurinol in normo-uricemic controlled hypertensive patients and LV hypertrophy is detrimental. It results in reduced LV mass regression and increased oxidative stress over a 12-month period. This may be due to an adverse impact on redox balance. Cohort selection for future cardiovascular trials with allopurinol is crucial.<br/

The Use of Deep Learning and Transfer Learning in Complex Problems

Deep neural networks and transfer learning show potential in addressing complex problems such as the Tower of Hanoi and knapsack problems. The primary aim is to examine how the use of deep neural networks and transfer learning can enhance the ability of artificial learning systems to generalize. Transfer learning plays a crucial role in machine learning, particularly in the domain of artificial neural networks, as it helps overcome the challenges associated with limited data, computational efficiency, and generalization. The methodology used in this research involves the creation of data sets for the Tower of Hanoi and knapsack problems. To predict solution sequences and optimize problem solving strategies, a combination of convolutional neural networks (CNNs) and long-short-term memory (LSTM) models is used. The findings demonstrate that the CNN model effectively identifies recursive patterns in the Tower of Hanoi problem. Furthermore, a hybrid CNN-LSTM model shows promise in solving the knapsack problem, although it encounters difficulties in learning capacity constraints. Consequently, a post-processing step is necessary to ensure compliance with these constraints

Encephalopsin (Opn3) is transiently expressed in Opn5+ retinal ganglion cells and regulates retinal clock dynamics

By Reena Jacob, Biological Sciences Advisor: Richard Lang Abstract: The retina is a light-sensitive tissue located in the back of the eye, and aside from its role as input for image-forming vision, retinal signaling is a major input into the circadian clock system. In mammals, the master clock (suprachiasmatic nucleus; SCN) receives input from the retina, and relays time-of-day information to peripheral tissues, thus aligning local tissue clocks (skin, gut, etc.) with the light-dark cycle. However, it has become increasingly clear that peripheral tissues can synchronize their clocks with the light-dark cycle autonomously through expression of atypical opsins. One such tissue is the retina, whose clock-phase is dependent on Opn5. Curiously, in identifying the essential entrainment photopigment protein, we identified Opn3 as a putative regulator of clock dynamics in the retina. While loss of Opn3 does not alter the phase of the retinal clock, it appears to severely reduce the clock\u27s amplitude. This led us to hypothesize that Opn3 and Opn5 reside in the same cell type, and modulate differential parameters - clock amplitude and phase, respectively. Here, we test this hypothesis and show that Opn3 is expressed in retinal ganglion cells as early as E17.5 in the mouse, but the overlap between Opn3 and Opn5 is transient. Deletion of Opn3 failed to elicit developmental alterations in cell types associated with the retinal clock, suggesting that the clock amplitude reduction is not a consequence of fewer oscillating cells. These data warrant further exploration of the means by which local clock rhythms are generated and maintai

AVNP2 protects against cognitive impairments induced by C6 glioma by suppressing tumour associated inflammation in rats

© 2020 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/BY-NC-ND/4.0/).Glioblastoma is a kind of malignant tumour and originates from the central nervous system. In the last century, some researchers and clinician have noticed that the psychosocial and neurocognitive functioning of patients with malignant gliomas can be impaired. Many clinical studies have demonstrated that part of patients, adults or children, diagnosed with glioblastoma will suffer from cognitive deficiency during their clinical course, especially in long-term survivors. Many nanoparticles (NPs) can inhibit the biological functions of tumours by modulating tumour-associated inflammation, which provokes angiogenesis and tumour growth. As one of the best antiviral nanoparticles (AVNPs), AVNP2 is the 2nd generation of AVNP2 that have been conjugated to graphite-graphene for improving physiochemical performance and reducing toxicity. AVNP2 inactivates viruses, such as the H1N1 and H5N1influenza viruses and even the SARS coronavirus, while it inhibits bacteria, such as MRSA and E. coli. As antimicrobials, nanoparticles are considered to be one of the vectors for the administration of therapeutic compounds. Yet, little is known about their potential functionalities and toxicities to the neurotoxic effects of cancer. Herein, we explored the functionality of AVNP2 on inhibiting C6 in glioma-bearing rats. The novel object-recognition test and open-field test showed that AVNP2 significantly improved the neuro-behaviour affected by C6 glioma. AVNP2 also alleviated the decline of long-term potentiation (LTP) and the decreased density of dendritic spines in the CA1 region induced by C6. Western blot assay and immunofluorescence staining showed that the expressions of synaptic-related proteins (PSD-95 and SYP) were increased, and these findings were in accordance with the results mentioned above. It revealed that the sizes of tumours in C6 glioma-bearing rats were smaller after treatment with AVNP2. The decreased expression of inflammatory factors (IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α) by Western blotting assay and ELISA, angiogenesis protein (VEGF) by Western blotting assay and other related proteins (BDNF, NF-ĸB, iNOS and COX-2) by Western blotting assay in peri-tumour tissue indicated that AVNP2 could control tumour-associated inflammation, thus efficiently ameliorating the local inflammatory condition and, to some extent, inhibiting angiogenesis in C6-bearing rats. In conclusion, our results suggested that AVNP2 could have an effect on the peri-tumor environment, obviously restraining the growth progress of gliomas, and eventually improving cognitive levels in C6-bearing rats.Peer reviewedProo

Generic cardiology drug prices: the potential benefits of the Marc Cuban cost plus drug company model

Introduction: Generic pharmaceuticals account for the majority of the $359 billion US pharmaceutical market, including for cardiology drugs. Amidst a lack of price transparency and administrative inefficiencies, generic drug prices are high, causing an undue burden on patients. Methods: We identified the 50 most used generic cardiology drugs by volume per the 2020 Medicare Part D spending data. We extracted cost per dose of each drug from the Marc Cuban Cost Plus Drug Company (MCCPDC) website and estimated the aggregate cost savings if MCCPDC were employed on a national scale by calculating the difference between this cost and Medicare spending. Results: Medicare spent$7.7 billion on the 50 most used generic cardiology drugs by volume in 2020 according to Medicare Part D data. Pharmacy and shipping costs accounted for a substantial portion of expenditures. Per our most conservative estimate, $1.3 billion (17$2.9 billion (38%) savings for 35 of 50 drugs. Discussion: There is enormous potential for cost savings in the US market for generic cardiology drugs. By encouraging increased competition, decreasing administrative costs, and advocating for our patients to compare prices between the MCCPDC and other generic pharmaceutical dispensers, we have the potential to improve access to care and corresponding outcomes for cardiology patients

Examining the predictability of the Stratospheric Sudden Warming of January 2013 using multiple NWP systems

The first multi-model study to estimate the predictability of a boreal Sudden Stratospheric Warming (SSW) is performed using five NWP systems. During the 2012-2013 boreal winter, anomalous upward propagating planetary wave activity was observed towards the end of December, which followed by a rapid deceleration of the westerly circulation around 2 January 2013, and on 7 January 2013 the zonal mean zonal wind at 60°N and 10 hPa reversed to easterly. This stratospheric dynamical activity was followed by an equatorward shift of the tropospheric jet stream and by a high pressure anomaly over the North Atlantic, which resulted in severe cold conditions in the UK and Northern Europe. In most of the five models, the SSW event was predicted 10 days in advance. However, only some ensemble members in most of the models predicted weakening of westerly wind when the models were initialized 15 days in advance of the SSW. Further dynamical analysis of the SSW shows that this event was characterized by the anomalous planetary wave-1 amplification followed by the anomalous wave-2 amplification in the stratosphere, which resulted in a split vortex occurring between 6 January 2013 and 8 January 2013. The models have some success in reproducing wave-1 activity when initialized 15 days in advance, they but generally failed to produce the wave-2 activity during the final days of the event. Detailed analysis shows that models have reasonably good skill in forecasting tropospheric blocking features that stimulate wave-2 amplification in the troposphere, but they have limited skill in reproducing wave-2 amplification in the stratosphere