Entanglement of nanophotonic quantum memory nodes in a telecom network.

A key challenge in realizing practical quantum networks for long-distance quantum communication involves robust entanglement between quantum memory nodes connected by fibre optical infrastructure1-3. Here we demonstrate a two-node quantum network composed of multi-qubit registers based on silicon-vacancy (SiV) centres in nanophotonic diamond cavities integrated with a telecommunication fibre network. Remote entanglement is generated by the cavity-enhanced interactions between the electron spin qubits of the SiVs and optical photons. Serial, heralded spin-photon entangling gate operations with time-bin qubits are used for robust entanglement of separated nodes. Long-lived nuclear spin qubits are used to provide second-long entanglement storage and integrated error detection. By integrating efficient bidirectional quantum frequency conversion of photonic communication qubits to telecommunication frequencies (1,350 nm), we demonstrate the entanglement of two nuclear spin memories through 40 km spools of low-loss fibre and a 35-km long fibre loop deployed in the Boston area urban environment, representing an enabling step towards practical quantum repeaters and large-scale quantum networks.

Clinical Utility of Pro-inflammatory Oligomeric Glycoprotein Tenascin-C in the Diagnosis of Seropositive and Seronegative Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Owing to limited usefulness of Rheumatoid Factor and anti-CCP in rheumatoid arthritis, there is a need to identify a more sensitive and specific biomarker to detect rheumatoid arthritis (RA), particularly seronegative RA cases. Tenascin-C is an extracellular matrix glycoprotein, which has been implicated in the pathophysiology of RA. The objective of our study was to evaluate the diagnostic utility of serum Tenascin-C in seropositive and seronegative rheumatoid arthritis patients. We conducted a cross-sectional case control study. Sixty patients who fulfilled the ACR 2010 criteria for rheumatoid arthritis were included in the study. Thirty patients were found to be positive for RF and/or anti-CCP and 30 were negative for both RF and anti-CCP. Thirty age and gender-matched healthy subjects were taken as controls. Serum Tenascin-C was measured by quantitative sandwich enzyme immunoassay technique. The mean serum concentration of Tenascin-C in controls, seronegative and seropositive cases was 0.66 ng/ml, 20.54 ng/ml and 23.42 ng/ml, respectively. Tenascin-C levels were significantly higher in RA cases compared to controls (p < 0.0001). There was no significant difference in Tenascin-C between seropositive and seronegative cases (p = 0.603). ROC curve analysis showed a sensitivity of 96.6% and specificity of 100% with AUC of 0.98 at 2.21 ng/ml as cut-off value for diagnosing RA. Tenascin-C is elevated in both seronegative and seropositive RA, which indicates that it can be used as a sensitive marker for RA. The addition of Tenascin-C to the existing RF and anti-CCP may help in identifying a large number of patients with RA, particularly seronegative rheumatoid arthritis cases.

A rare and fatal case of tubo-ovarian abscess due to Burkholderia pseudomallei presenting as puerperal sepsis.

Introduction: Melioidosis is an emerging life-threatening infectious disease caused by the Gram-negative Burkholderia pseudomallei found in contaminated soil and surface ground water. It often presents with varied clinical manifestations and has a high mortality if left untreated due to lack of clinical suspicion. Here we report a rare and fatal case of tubo-ovarian abscess presenting as puerperal sepsis due to B. pseudomallei in a young woman. Case report: A 25-year-old female presented for medical consultation at day 43 postpartum complaining of fever on and off for the past 40 days associated with vomiting. On per speculum examination, greenish discharge from the cervix was seen and a right adnexal mass was felt which was cystic in consistency, non-tender and pushing the cervix to the left side. An exploratory laparotomy was carried out and pus was drained from below the rectus sheath, and from the right tubo-ovarian mass. Peripheral blood and the pus samples collected intraoperatively grew B. pseudomallei . The patient died on the fifth post-operative day due to septic shock with disseminated intravascular coagulation secondary to puerperal sepsis. Conclusion: Melioidosis is a fatal but treatable disease when it is promptly diagnosed. In countries such as India, where tuberculosis is highly endemic, underdiagnosis of melioidosis can be common. Clinicians and microbiologists should have a high index of suspicion of melioidosis especially in individuals with underlying illness.

Feasibility of Enhanced Recovery after Surgery in Pediatric Colostomy Reversal.

Aim: Enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) are multimodal perioperative pathways that have shown improved outcomes. ERAS after colostomy reversal has shown promising results in adults and few pediatric studies. We report our experience using ERAS for a colostomy reversal. Materials and Methods: A retrospective analysis of children in whom ERAS was used during colostomy reversal between May 2016 and 2019 was carried out. ERAS protocol in our study included avoiding mechanical bowel preparation (MBP), oral liquid diet upto 3 h preoperatively, usage of regional anesthesia, minimal handling of bowel intraoperatively, using nonopioid analgesics for pain relief, early initiation of feeding on the first postoperative day, early discharge once full feeds are established. Outcomes analyzed are the duration of hospital stay and complications, including readmissions. Requirement for opioids and anti-emetics are noted. The outcomes are compared with traditional care pathways (TCP), which use MBP, overnight fasting, opioid analgesia, and delayed feeding. A total of 48 are included in the study, with 13 cases using ERAS and TCP in 35 cases. Statistical Analysis Used: Nonparametric Mann-Whitney U-test was used. Results: In the ERAS group, the mean length of hospital stay (LOS) postoperatively was 3.7 days (2-5 days) as opposed to 7.2 days (5-11 days) in TCP. There was only one child with complications in the ERAS group, while 9 cases in TCP had complications, though none of them required operative intervention. There was the requirement of anti-emetic in only one child in the ERAS group. Conclusion: ERAS for colostomy reversal is feasible in the pediatric population. For successful implementation, all personnel involved in the care of the child need to be educated about the protocol. It reduces LOS and complications.

Robust multi-qubit quantum network node with integrated error detection.

Long-distance quantum communication and networking require quantum memory nodes with efficient optical interfaces and long memory times. We report the realization of an integrated two-qubit network node based on silicon-vacancy centers (SiVs) in diamond nanophotonic cavities. Our qubit register consists of the SiV electron spin acting as a communication qubit and the strongly coupled silicon-29 nuclear spin acting as a memory qubit with a quantum memory time exceeding 2 seconds. By using a highly strained SiV, we realize electron-photon entangling gates at temperatures up to 1.5 kelvin and nucleus-photon entangling gates up to 4.3 kelvin. We also demonstrate efficient error detection in nuclear spin-photon gates by using the electron spin as a flag qubit, making this platform a promising candidate for scalable quantum repeaters.

Efficient Source of Shaped Single Photons Based on an Integrated Diamond Nanophotonic System.

An efficient, scalable source of shaped single photons that can be directly integrated with optical fiber networks and quantum memories is at the heart of many protocols in quantum information science. We demonstrate a deterministic source of arbitrarily temporally shaped single-photon pulses with high efficiency [detection efficiency=14.9%] and purity [g^{(2)}(0)=0.0168] and streams of up to 11 consecutively detected single photons using a silicon-vacancy center in a highly directional fiber-integrated diamond nanophotonic cavity. Combined with previously demonstrated spin-photon entangling gates, this system enables on-demand generation of streams of correlated photons such as cluster states and could be used as a resource for robust transmission and processing of quantum information.

Optical Entanglement of Distinguishable Quantum Emitters.

Solid-state quantum emitters are promising candidates for the realization of quantum networks, owing to their long-lived spin memories, high-fidelity local operations, and optical connectivity for long-range entanglement. However, due to differences in local environment, solid-state emitters typically feature a range of distinct transition frequencies, which makes it challenging to create optically mediated entanglement between arbitrary emitter pairs. We propose and demonstrate an efficient method for entangling emitters with optical transitions separated by many linewidths. In our approach, electro-optic modulators enable a single photon to herald a parity measurement on a pair of spin qubits. We experimentally demonstrate the protocol using two silicon-vacancy centers in a diamond nanophotonic cavity, with optical transitions separated by 7.4 GHz. Working with distinguishable emitters allows for individual qubit addressing and readout, enabling parallel control and entanglement of both colocated and spatially separated emitters, a key step toward scaling up quantum information processing systems.

Efficacy and Safety of Topical Solution of Diperoxochloric Acid for Neuropathic Diabetic Foot Ulcer: Results from a Phase 3, Multicentre, Randomized, Active-controlled, Parallel-group Study.

Diabetic foot ulcer (DFU), if untreated, accounts for lower-limb amputations affecting patients' quality-of-life. Diperoxochloric acid (DPOCL) is known to heal DFU by its antibacterial and fibroblast stimulating activity. This was a phase 3, multicentre, randomized, double-blind, active-controlled, parallel-group study conducted to evaluate the efficacy and safety of topic solution of DPOCL compared with isotonic sodium chloride solution (ISCL). Adult patients with type 1 or 2 diabetes with random blood glucose levels of <250 mg/dL, with ≤ than three full-thickness foot ulcers were enrolled. Primary efficacy endpoint was complete wound closure and secondary was wound surface area. Adverse events were analyzed as safety endpoint. Of 311 enrolled patients, 289 were randomized 1:1 to DPOCL (139) and ISCL (150) treatment (10-weeks [8-Visits]). Percentage of patients with complete wound closure at visit-8, were significantly higher (P = .0156) in DPOCL arm (76% [105/139]) compared to ISCL (62% [93/150]) arm. At end-of-study, mean wound surface area in DPOCL arm (0.639 cm2) was significantly lower (P = .0209) compared to ISCL (0.818 cm2) arm. One death was reported in control arm which was not considered as treatment-related. No important safety finding were observed. Results indicate that, DPOCL can be considered as effective and safe treatment option for DFU compared to ISCL, although future confirmatory studies are warranted.

Controlled drug release for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

Controlled drug release in formulation is an important area of research. Formulations using crospovidone as super-disintegrants to achieve immediate release once it reaches the ileo- cecal region is relevant. The Eudragit L30D pH dependent polymer that allows drug release after a lag time of 4-5 hrs to achieve desired drug release from the drug delivery system is critical. Hence, pre-formulation to study drug-polymer interaction is essential. The linear correlation between the predicted and actual values for all the batches of optimization is shown with high correlation coefficient (r-value). Therefore, the designed formulation is promising for ileo-cecal targeted pulsatile drug delivery system in the management of Crohn's disease.

Evaluation of Galectin-3 as a Novel Diagnostic Biomarker in Patients with Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction.

Background Heart failure is a complex cardiovascular disease with a variety of etiologies and heterogeneity. The N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) value has limited usefulness in diagnosing heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). Aim The aim of the present study is to evaluate serum Galectin-3 as a diagnostic biomarker in patients with HFpEF and to compare Galectin-3 with NT-proBNP levels. Materials and Methods A cross-sectional case-control study including 63 cases of heart failure with ejection fraction ≥50% confirmed by echocardiography. NT-proBNP levels in serum were measured by electrochemiluminescence immunoassay and Galectin-3 levels in serum were measured by using an enzyme-linked-immunosorbent serologic assay kit. Results The median levels of serum Galectin-3 and NT-proBNP in patients were significantly higher than those of controls (26.59 vs. 5.27 and 927 vs. 49.3, p < 0.0001). A positive correlation was observed between serum levels of Galection-3 and NT-ProBNP ( r : 0.21, p = 0.048). At cut-off values of 10.1 ng/mL and 160 pg/mL, serum Galectin-3 has 77.78% sensitivity, 95% specificity with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.93, and serum NT-proBNP has 71.43% sensitivity, 100% specificity with an AUC of 0.87, respectively, for diagnosing HFpEF. The comparison of receiver operating characteristics curves showed that Galectin-3 has better AUC compared with NT-proBNP in diagnosing HFpEF. Serum Galectin-3 showed a positive correlation with NT-proBNP and lipid parameters. Conclusion Galectin-3 with higher sensitivity and AUC can be used as a valuable biomarker for the diagnosis of HFpEF. Simultaneous testing of both Galectin-3 and NT-proBNP can further improve the detection of patients with HFpEF.

Experimental demonstration of memory-enhanced quantum communication.

The ability to communicate quantum information over long distances is of central importance in quantum science and engineering1. Although some applications of quantum communication such as secure quantum key distribution2,3 are already being successfully deployed4-7, their range is currently limited by photon losses and cannot be extended using straightforward measure-and-repeat strategies without compromising unconditional security8. Alternatively, quantum repeaters9, which utilize intermediate quantum memory nodes and error correction techniques, can extend the range of quantum channels. However, their implementation remains an outstanding challenge10-16, requiring a combination of efficient and high-fidelity quantum memories, gate operations, and measurements. Here we use a single solid-state spin memory integrated in a nanophotonic diamond resonator17-19 to implement asynchronous photonic Bell-state measurements, which are a key component of quantum repeaters. In a proof-of-principle experiment, we demonstrate high-fidelity operation that effectively enables quantum communication at a rate that surpasses the ideal loss-equivalent direct-transmission method while operating at megahertz clock speeds. These results represent a crucial step towards practical quantum repeaters and large-scale quantum networks20,21.

Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy Inference System-Based Exploration of the Interrelationships of 25-Hydroxyvitamin D, Calcium, Phosphorus with Parathyroid Hormone Production.

The rationale of the current study was to assess the prevalence of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25-OHD) deficiency and hyperparathyroidism in South Indian population and to explore interrelationships of 25-OHD, Ca, P towards parathyroid hormone (PTH) production using adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS). A total of 407 subjects (228 men 179 women) with the mean age 56.8 ± 14.1 were tested for these parameters. In view of the skewed distribution of biochemical variables, data segregation was performed in tertiles and this data was trained to generate fuzzy interference system based on subclusters. The optimized model had 358 nodes and followed 44 fuzzy rules for prediction. This ANFIS model demonstrates that the deficiency of 25-OHD and Calcium triggers PTH production. PTH elevation is significant when Phosphorus is in the highest tertile. The associations observed by this model were consistent with the Kendall-Tau correlation matrix, which revealed inverse associations of Ca with P; and Ca with PTH and positive associations of P with PTH, and Ca with 25-OHD. Furthermore, the association statistics of the machine learning algorithm were also consistent, which suggested that depletion of Ca below 8.245 mg/dl was shown to elevate PTH levels greater than 167 pg/ml when P > 4.66. Subnormal depletion in 25-OHD (9.3-16.2 ng/ml) is associated with subnormal elevation in PTH (47-73.6 pg/ml). To conclude, ANFIS and machine learning algorithm are in agreement with each other in stating that 25-OHD deficiency triggers lower calcium levels, lower calcium and higher phosphorus trigger PTH production.

Quantum Network Nodes Based on Diamond Qubits with an Efficient Nanophotonic Interface.

Quantum networks require functional nodes consisting of stationary registers with the capability of high-fidelity quantum processing and storage, which efficiently interface with photons propagating in an optical fiber. We report a significant step towards realization of such nodes using a diamond nanocavity with an embedded silicon-vacancy (SiV) color center and a proximal nuclear spin. Specifically, we show that efficient SiV-cavity coupling (with cooperativity C>30) provides a nearly deterministic interface between photons and the electron spin memory, featuring coherence times exceeding 1 ms. Employing coherent microwave control, we demonstrate heralded single photon storage in the long-lived spin memory as well as a universal control over a cavity-coupled two-qubit register consisting of a SiV and a proximal ^{13}C nuclear spin with nearly second-long coherence time, laying the groundwork for implementing quantum repeaters.

Eugenia jambolana extract reduces the systemic exposure of Sitagliptin and improves conditions associated with diabetes: A pharmacokinetic and a pharmacodynamic herb-drug interaction study.

Eugenia jambolana (EJ) is an Indian traditional herb widely used for the treatment of diabetes mellitus. This herb is globally marketed as single or multi herb formulations. Many diabetes patients consume EJ extract oral hypoglycemic drugs together. This calls for a need to assess risks versus benefit of this co-administration. In present investigation, pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic interactions of aqueous extract of EJ seeds at the dose of 400 mg/kg are studied with 10 mg/kg of oral hypoglycaemic drug sitagliptin (SITA) by co-administrating them for 28 days in streptozotocin (STZ) induced diabetic rats. The pharmacokinetic parameters of SITA were determined using HPLC-ESI-MS/MS and it was found that the combination treatment reduces the systemic exposure of SITA by showing 38.70% reduction in concentration maximum (Cmax) and 22.40% reduction in area under curve (AUC). Despite low levels of SITA, the combination demonstrated a significant reduction in blood glucose level when compared with individual drug and individual extract administered groups during pharmacodynamic study. In addition, the liver function, the kidney function and the lipid parameters were found to be significantly improved and beneficial effects were found with respect to food intake and water intake and urine output in case of combination treatment groups when compared with individual treatment groups. Histopathological examination of pancreatic tissue suggests its significant recovery of having normal acinus with better cell protection in combination treatment. In conclusion, the combination treatment demonstrated reduced systemic exposure of SITA without compromising on its antihyperglycemic activity and improvement in conditions associated with diabetes.

Photon-mediated interactions between quantum emitters in a diamond nanocavity.

Photon-mediated interactions between quantum systems are essential for realizing quantum networks and scalable quantum information processing. We demonstrate such interactions between pairs of silicon-vacancy (SiV) color centers coupled to a diamond nanophotonic cavity. When the optical transitions of the two color centers are tuned into resonance, the coupling to the common cavity mode results in a coherent interaction between them, leading to spectrally resolved superradiant and subradiant states. We use the electronic spin degrees of freedom of the SiV centers to control these optically mediated interactions. Such controlled interactions will be crucial in developing cavity-mediated quantum gates between spin qubits and for realizing scalable quantum network nodes.

Esterification of phenyl acetic acid with p-cresol using metal cation exchanged montmorillonite nanoclay catalysts.

The liquid phase esterification of phenyl acetic acid with p-cresol over different metal cation exchanged montmorillonite nanoclays yields p-cresyl phenyl acetate. Different metal cation exchanged montmorillonite nanoclays (M n+ = Al3+, Zn2+, Mn2+, Fe3+, Cu2+) were prepared and the catalytic activity was studied. The esterification reaction was conducted by varying molar ratio of the reactants, reaction time and catalyst amount on the yield of the ester. Among the different metal cation exchanged catalysts used, Al3+-montmorillonite nanoclay was found to be more active. The characterization of the material used was studied under different techniques, namely X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and thermogravimetric analysis. The product obtained, p-cresyl phenyl acetate, was identified by thin-layer chromotography and confirmed by Fourier transform infrared, 1H NMR and 13C NMR. The regeneration activity of used catalyst was also investigated up to fourth generation.

Association of Oral Lichen Planus and Electrocardiographic P-Wave Dispersion - An Original Research.

Lichen planus (LP) is considered to be a T-cell-mediated inflammatory disorder. Inflammation is considered to produce disturbances of lipid metabolism which may affect the myocardium. Increased P-Wave Dispersion (PWD) is demonstrated as an independent risk factor for developing atrial fibrillation (AF). Hence the present study has been conducted to explore the possible relationship of oral lichen planus (OLP) with AF by the evaluation of PWD. Twelve-lead electrocardiographs (ECG) were obtained from 45 OLP patients and 45 age and gender-matched healthy controls. The P-wave durations (Pmax and Pmin) were calculated in all 12 leads. The difference between Pmax and Pmin was defined as P-Wave Dispersion (PWD). After the PWD was recorded, the results were statistically analyzed. The study showed that PWD increased on surface ECG measurements in OLP patients who were otherwise asymptomatic in relation to cardiac conditions. The p value obtained was <0.001 which was highly significant. The present study suggests a highly statistically significant association of OLP with increased P-wave dispersion. Hence the patients with OLP should undergo cardiac evaluation and follow up for early detection of atrial fibrillation.

Silicon-Vacancy Spin Qubit in Diamond: A Quantum Memory Exceeding 10 ms with Single-Shot State Readout.

The negatively charged silicon-vacancy (SiV^{-}) color center in diamond has recently emerged as a promising system for quantum photonics. Its symmetry-protected optical transitions enable the creation of indistinguishable emitter arrays and deterministic coupling to nanophotonic devices. Despite this, the longest coherence time associated with its electronic spin achieved to date (∼250 ns) has been limited by coupling to acoustic phonons. We demonstrate coherent control and suppression of phonon-induced dephasing of the SiV^{-} electronic spin coherence by 5 orders of magnitude by operating at temperatures below 500 mK. By aligning the magnetic field along the SiV^{-} symmetry axis, we demonstrate spin-conserving optical transitions and single-shot readout of the SiV^{-} spin with 89% fidelity. Coherent control of the SiV^{-} spin with microwave fields is used to demonstrate a spin coherence time T_{2} of 13 ms and a spin relaxation time T_{1} exceeding 1 s at 100 mK. These results establish the SiV^{-} as a promising solid-state candidate for the realization of quantum networks.

Association of Oral Lichen Planus and Electrocardiographic P-Wave Dispersion - An Original Research

Abstract Lichen planus (LP) is considered to be a T-cell-mediated inflammatory disorder. Inflammation is considered to produce disturbances of lipid metabolism which may affect the myocardium. Increased P-Wave Dispersion (PWD) is demonstrated as an independent risk factor for developing atrial fibrillation (AF). Hence the present study has been conducted to explore the possible relationship of oral lichen planus (OLP) with AF by the evaluation of PWD. Twelve-lead electrocardiographs (ECG) were obtained from 45 OLP patients and 45 age and gender-matched healthy controls. The P-wave durations (Pmax and Pmin) were calculated in all 12 leads. The difference between Pmax and Pmin was defined as P-Wave Dispersion (PWD). After the PWD was recorded, the results were statistically analyzed. The study showed that PWD increased on surface ECG measurements in OLP patients who were otherwise asymptomatic in relation to cardiac conditions. The p value obtained was <0.001 which was highly significant. The present study suggests a highly statistically significant association of OLP with increased P-wave dispersion. Hence the patients with OLP should undergo cardiac evaluation and follow up for early detection of atrial fibrillation.

Resumo O líquen plano oral (LPO) é considerado um distúrbio inflamatório mediado por células T. Acredita-se que a inflamação produza distúrbios do metabolismo lipídico que podem afetar o miocárdio. Uma dispersão de onda-P (DOP) aumentada é demonstrada como um fator de risco independente para o desenvolvimento de fibrilação atrial. Assim, o presente estudo foi conduzido para explorar a possível relação de LPO com fibrilação atrial pela avaliação por meio de DOP. Eletrocardiogramas (ECG) de 12 derivações foram obtidos de 45 pacientes com LPO e 45 controles saudáveis com idade e sexo equiparados. As durações das ondas P (Pmax e Pmin) foram calculadas em todas as 12 derivações. A diferença entre Pmax e Pmin foi definida como DOP e os valores analisados estatisticamente. O estudo mostrou que DOP aumentada nos ECG de superfície dos pacientes com OLP que eram assintomáticos em relação a condições cardíacas. O valor p obtido foi <0,001, altamente significativo. O presente estudo sugere uma associação altamente significativa estatisticamente entre OLP a DOP aumentada. Assim, os pacientes com OLP devem ser submetidos a avaliação cardíaca e acompanhamento para detecção precoce da fibrilação atrial.