Quantum optical coherence can survive photon losses: a continuous-variable quantum erasure correcting code

A fundamental requirement for enabling fault-tolerant quantum information processing is an efficient quantum error-correcting code (QECC) that robustly protects the involved fragile quantum states from their environment. Just as classical error-correcting codes are indispensible in today's information technologies, it is believed that QECC will play a similarly crucial role in tomorrow's quantum information systems. Here, we report on the first experimental demonstration of a quantum erasure-correcting code that overcomes the devastating effect of photon losses. Whereas {\it errors} translate, in an information theoretic language, the noise affecting a transmission line, {\it erasures} correspond to the in-line probabilistic loss of photons. Our quantum code protects a four-mode entangled mesoscopic state of light against erasures, and its associated encoding and decoding operations only require linear optics and Gaussian resources. Since in-line attenuation is generally the strongest limitation to quantum communication, much more than noise, such an erasure-correcting code provides a new tool for establishing quantum optical coherence over longer distances. We investigate two approaches for circumventing in-line losses using this code, and demonstrate that both approaches exhibit transmission fidelities beyond what is possible by classical means.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figure

Shade and Drought Stress-Induced Changes in Phenolic Content of Wild Oat (Avena fatua L.) Seeds

Plants develop under a wide range of maternal environments, depending on the time of emergence, prevailing competition from other plants, and presence or absence of other biotic or abiotic stress factors. Stress factors, such as light limitation and drought, during plant development typically reduces the reproductive allocation to seeds, resulting in fewer and often smaller seeds. Such stress factors may also influence seed quality traits associated with persistence in the soil, such as seed dormancy and chemical defense. For this research, we hypothesized that light limitation and drought during wild oat (Avena fatua L.) seed development would result in reduced allocation to seed phenolics and other aliphatic organic acids previously identified in the seeds of this species. Wild oat isolines (M73 and SH430) were grown in the greenhouse under cyclic drought conditions (2005 only) or two levels of shade (50 and 70%; 2005 and 2006) achieved with standard black shade cloth. The soluble and cellular bound chemical constituents were identified and quantified using gas chromatography - mass spectrometry. The shade and drought stress treatments often significantly affected the mass of the caryopsis and hull seed fractions, as well as the phenolic content of these seed fractions, depending upon isoline, seed fraction, phenolic fraction, and specific phenolics analyzed. Phenolic content of the hull was reduced by the stress environments by up to 48%, whereas there was some evidence of an increase in the soluble phenolic content of the caryopsis in response to the stress environments. Ferulic and p-coumaric acids were the most abundant phenolic acids in both soluble and bound fractions, and bound phenolics comprised generally 95% or more of total phenolics. There was no discernable evidence that the aliphatic organic content was affected by the stress environments. Our results indicate that plant stress during seed development can reduce both the physical and chemical defense in seeds, which may result in seeds that are less persistent in the soil seed bank and potentially less of a weed management concern

Investing in Rural Mental Health: An Approach to Increasing Access to Mental Health Professionals and Services

Farmers and rural residents in greater Minnesota are often overlooked relating to mental health services. Minnesota needs to focus on an approach to increase accessible mental health services in rural communities. The model for delivering mental health services has often been a one-size-fits-all approach without understanding the unique barriers, cultures, and strengths rural communities offer

Where’s the etiquette? Telehealth etiquette in health professions education and practice: A scoping review

Background: Past research on in-office provider professionalism has shown an association between patient-provider relationship, patient satisfaction, and healthcare outcomes. Less research has been conducted on the topic of professionalism and communication in telehealth. Telehealth etiquette, or the skills that combine professionalism and communication used during a virtual healthcare visit, has recently emerged in the literature. Purpose: The purpose of this study is to map the evidence of telehealth etiquette within health professions education and practice. Method: A full search using keywords and synonyms of “webside manner” and “telehealth” was conducted in PubMed, CINAHL, and PsycInfo. Search results initially identified 263 publications; 52 duplicates were removed, and 211 were screened for inclusion. Full-text review and data analysis resulted in a total of 49 publications. Publications related to telehealth etiquette use, training, guidelines, perspectives, and research in health professions written in English from across the globe over the past ten years were included. Results: Telehealth etiquette was published in medicine, nursing, and allied health professions, primarily within the United States since 2020, including articles on both professionals and trainees. Telehealth etiquette recommendations were largely based on authors’ opinions and personal experience. The association between telehealth etiquette, patient satisfaction, and healthcare outcomes was established in this study. Sources suggested additional training in telehealth etiquette is needed. Conclusions: Recommendations serve as guidance to promote positive patient-provider relationships and patient satisfaction in telehealth. Future studies are recommended to identify best practice guidelines for both healthcare professionals and patients themselves that will have a positive impact on healthcare outcomes

The Feasibility of Small Farms Growing Hops and Specialty Grains Profitably in Howard County

Final project for BUS758Q: MBA Consulting Practicum (Spring 2016). Robert H. Smith School of Business, University of Maryland, College Park.This project assessed the potential profitability of growing hops and grains for alcohol production on the fewer than 200 farms of 520 acres in Howard County, MD. Currently, few of Howard’s farms are able to make a profit on an annual basis and none of the farms made more than $10,000 in annual sales in 2012. This is due to high operating costs and thin margins on agricultural products. The County’s farmers have a mix of farming experience, ranging from lifelong farmers to those who have acquired farms in the last few years. This report provides background on the basics of growing hops and grain crops, assesses the market for these agricultural products in the Baltimore/DC region, and makes recommendations for farmers to profitably grow these crops. To develop this report, the team conducted site visits and interviews with farmers, farm bureau representatives, University of Maryland agricultural faculty and extension school subject matter experts, and the owners and staff of local breweries, distilleries and homebrew shops. The team also reviewed data from the Howard County Farm Bureau and the USDA Census and conducted academic and industry research on hops and specialty grain farming in the Northeast.Howard Count

Detoxification of pesticide-containing wastewater with FeIII, activated carbon and Fenton reagent and its control using three standardized bacterial inhibition tests

Discharge of toxic industrial wastewaters into biological wastewater treatment plants may result in inhibition of activated sludge bacteria (ASB). In order to find an appropriate method of detoxification, the wastewater of a pesticide-processing plant in Vietnam was treated with three different methods (FeIII, powdered activated carbon (PAC), Fenton (FeII/H2O2)) analyzing the detoxification effect with the nitrification inhibition test (NIT), respiration inhibition test (RIT) and luminescent bacteria test (LBT). The heterotrophic ASB were much more resistant to the wastewater than the autotrophic nitrificants. The NIT turned out to be more suitable than the RIT since the NIT was less time-consuming and more reliable. In addition, the marine Aliivibrio fischeri were more sensitive than the nitrificants indicating that a lack of inhibition in the very practical and time-efficient LBT correlates with a lack of nitrification inhibition. With 95%, the Fenton method showed the highest efficiency regarding the chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal. Although similar COD removal (60–65%) was found for both the FeIII and the PAC method, the inhibitory effect of the wastewater was reduced much more strongly with PAC. Both the NIT and the LBT showed that the PAC and Fenton methods led to a similar reduction in the inhibitory effect

SBF1 mutations associated with autosomal recessive axonal neuropathy with cranial nerve involvement

Biallelic mutations in the SBF1 gene have been identified in one family with demyelinating Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT4B3) and two families with axonal neuropathy and additional neurological and skeletal features. Here we describe novel sequence variants in SBF1 (c.1168C>G and c.2209_2210del) as the potential causative mutations in two siblings with severe axonal neuropathy, hearing loss, facial weakness and bulbar features. Pathogenicity of these variants is supported by co-segregation and in silico analyses and evolutionary conservation. Our findings suggest that SBF1 mutations may cause a syndromic form of autosomal recessive axonal neuropathy (AR-CMT2) in addition to CMT4B3

Opportunities and challenges in sustainable treatment and resource reuse of sewage sludge: A review

Sludge or waste activated sludge (WAS) generated from wastewater treatment plants may be considered a nuisance. It is a key source for secondary environmental contamination on account of the presence of diverse pollutants (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, dioxins, furans, heavy metals, etc.). Innovative and cost-effective sludge treatment pathways are a prerequisite for the safe and environment-friendly disposal of WAS. This article delivers an assessment of the leading disposal (volume reduction) and energy recovery routes such as anaerobic digestion, incineration, pyrolysis, gasification and enhanced digestion using microbial fuel cell along with their comparative evaluation, to measure their suitability for different sludge compositions and resources availability. Furthermore, the authors shed light on the bio-refinery and resource recovery approaches to extract value added products and nutrients from WAS, and control options for metal elements and micro-pollutants in sewage sludge. Recovery of enzymes, bio-plastics, bio-pesticides, proteins and phosphorus are discussed as a means to visualize sludge as a potential opportunity instead of a nuisance

Isolation and Characterisation of a Human-Like Antibody Fragment (scFv) That Inactivates VEEV In Vitro and In Vivo

Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus (VEEV) belongs to the Alphavirus genus and several species of this family are pathogenic to humans. The viruses are classified as potential agents of biological warfare and terrorism and sensitive detection as well as effective prophylaxis and antiviral therapies are required