Passive Continuous Variable Measurement-Device-Independent Quantum Key Distribution Predictable with Machine Learning in Oceanic Turbulence.

Building an underwater quantum network is necessary for various applications such as ocean exploration, environmental monitoring, and national defense. Motivated by characteristics of the oceanic turbulence channel, we suggest a machine learning approach to predicting the channel characteristics of continuous variable (CV) quantum key distribution (QKD) in challenging seawater environments. We consider the passive continuous variable (CV) measurement-device-independent (MDI) QKD in oceanic scenarios, since the passive-state preparation scheme offers simpler linear elements for preparation, resulting in reduced interaction with the practical environment. To provide a practical reference for underwater quantum communications, we suggest a prediction of transmittance for the ocean quantum links with a given neural network as an example of machine learning algorithms. The results have a good consistency with the real data within the allowable error range; this makes the passive CVQKD more promising for commercialization and implementation.

Propofol combined with alfentanil for general anesthesia in vocal cord polypectomy under suspension laryngoscopy.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinical effect of propofol combined with alfentanil in vocal cord polypectomy under suspension laryngoscopy. METHODS: A total of 308 patients undergoing vocal cord polypectomy under suspension laryngoscopy in the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University were included in this prospective study, and the patients were randomly divided into an observation group and a control group. Patients in the observation group received alfentanil combined with propofol, while those in the control group were anesthetized with sufentanil combined with propofol. The heart rate (HR), mean arterial pressure (MAP), real portfolio project (RPP), and Steward postanesthetic recovery scores were compared between the two groups before anesthesia induction (T0), at intubation (T1), 5 min after intubation (T2), at the time of placing suspension laryngoscopy (T3), 1 min after placing the suspension laryngoscopy (T4), 1 min after extraction of support laryngoscope (T5), and 1 min after extubation (T6). In addition, the propofol dosage and peripheral plasma levels of epinephrine (E) and norepinephrine (NE) were also compared between the groups. RESULTS: The MAP, HR, and RPP of the patients in the observation group were higher than those in the control group at T1-T5 (all P<0.05), while there was no statistical difference at T0 and T6 (all P>0.05). The Steward postanesthetic recovery scores and the propofol dosage in the observation group were lower than those in the control group. In addition, there was a statistically significant difference in the E and NE levels between the two groups after surgery (P<0.001). There was also an interaction effect between the groups and among the time points (both P<0.001). CONCLUSION: Alfentanil can reduce the fluctuation of hemodynamics during vocal cord polypectomy under suspension laryngoscopy, and therefore improve anesthesia effect. Simultaneously, the usage of propofol was reduced, as well as the stress levels. CLINICAL TRIAL NUMBER: ChiCTR2100054186.

First Report of Round Spot Disease of Zanthoxylum armatum DC Caused by Fusarium fujikuroi in China.

Zanthoxylum armatum DC, a deciduous tree in Rutaceae, has significant economic value as an important food condiment, spice, and medicine (Cao et al. 2019). Recently, an unknown round leaf spot disease has been found on Z. armatum in Meishan and surroundings areas of Sichuan province. The disease mainly affected the leaves, mostly on seedlings, with incidence of approximately 50%. Isolate HJYB-4 was isolated from typical diseased leaves and purified on potato dextrose agar (PDA). The isolate produced floccose white, magenta, or grey aerial mycelium. On the reverse side of the culture, the colony had the pigment of pale gray or magenta, with concentric rings of dark red and pale brown in the center. Morphological characteristics were recorded using a pure culture grown on PDA and Synthetic low nutrient agar (SNA). The hyphae of the isolate were colorless and septate. There were two types of conidia on SNA, microconidia, and macroconidia. Macroconidia were long and slender with parallel dorso-ventral sides, usually 3 to 5 septate, 21.89 to 47.21 × 3.33 to 4.73 µm. Microconidia were oval, melon-shaped, ovate, 0-1 septate, mostly no septate, 5.35 to 11.22 × 2.24 to 3.79 µm. A few pyriform microconidia and chlamydospores were observed. DNA of the isolate was extracted using the Column Fungal DNAout 2.0 (Tiandz Inc., Irvine, Beijing, China). PCR was performed using the following primers, ITS1/ITS4, TEF1/TEF2, TUBT1/TUBT2, fRPB2-5f2/fRPB2-7cr, LR0R/LR5, and NL1/NL4 to amplify the loci of the representative isolate in the ribosomal internal transcribed spacers (ITS), translation elongation factor EF-1α (TEF1), ß-tubulin 2 (TUB2), RNA polymerase II largest-subunit (RPB2), the Large subunit (LSU) region of rDNA, 26S rDNA D1/D2 domain. The products were sequenced and Blasted. Blast analysisf the ITS, TFE, TUB2, RPB2, LSU, and NL amplicon revealed more than 99% of sequence identify with Fusarium fujikuroi. These sequences were submitted to GenBank and the GenBank accession numbers were as follows MT864359 (ITS), MT864358 (LSU), MT877222 (NL), MT902141 (RPB2), MT902140 (TEF), and MT902139 (TUB2). The phylogenetic tree was inferred from the combined datasets (TEF, TUB, and PRB2) from members of the F. fujikuroi species complex analyzed in this study (Jayawardena et al. 2019). The Phylogenetic tree revealed isolate HJYB-4 matched F. fujikuroi with a clade credibility value of 100%. According to the morphological characteristics and multi-gene phylogenetic analysis, the isolate was identified as F. fujikuroi. To complete pathogenicity tests, healthy leaves were needle-wound inoculated with mycelial plugs. The leaves that were inoculated with PDA-only plugs served as the control. After 3 days incubation at 26±2°C and 100% relative humidity, brown lesions that developed from inoculated leaves were similar to those in the field. No symptoms developed in the controlled leaves. Typical fungal cultures consistently isolated from symptomatic leaves, indicating that the fungus was responsible for the development of the disease. F. fujikuroi has been reported to cause root rot on Reineckia carnea (Sun et al. 2018), black rot on Macleaya cordata (Yu et al. 2019), and a wilt disease on sugarcane (Bao et al. 2020). This is the first report of F. fujikuroi attacking leaf of Z. armatum in China. The identification of this disease could provide the basis for the prevention and control of the disease at the seedling stage of Z. armatum.

Remimazolam benzenesulfonate anesthesia effectiveness in cardiac surgery patients under general anesthesia.

BACKGROUND: Sedation with propofol injections is associated with a risk of addiction, but remimazolam benzenesulfonate is a comparable anesthetic with a short elimination half-life and independence from cell P450 enzyme metabolism. Compared to remimazolam, remimazolam benzenesulfonate has a faster effect, is more quickly metabolized, produces inactive metabolites and has weak drug interactions. Thus, remimazolam benzenesulfonate has good effectiveness and safety for diagnostic and operational sedation. AIM: To investigate the clinical value of remimazolam benzenesulfonate in cardiac surgery patients under general anesthesia. METHODS: A total of 80 patients who underwent surgery in the Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery from August 2020 to April 2021 were included in the study. Using a random number table, patients were divided into two anesthesia induction groups of 40 patients each: remimazolam (0.3 mg/kg remimazolam benzenesulfonate) and propofol (1.5 mg/kg propofol). Hemodynamic parameters, inflammatory stress response indices, respiratory function indices, perioperative indices and adverse reactions in the two groups were monitored over time for comparison. RESULTS: At pre-anesthesia induction, the remimazolam and propofol groups did not differ regarding heart rate, mean arterial pressure, cardiac index or volume per wave index. After endotracheal intubation and when the sternum was cut off, mean arterial pressure and volume per wave index were significantly higher in the remimazolam group than in the propofol group (P < 0.05). After endotracheal intubation, the oxygenation index and the respiratory index did not differ between the groups. After endotracheal intubation and when the sternum was cut off, the oxygenation index values were significantly higher in the remimazolam group than in the propofol group (P < 0.05). Serum interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor-α levels 12 h after surgery were significantly higher than before surgery in both groups (P < 0.05). The observation indices were re-examined 2 h after surgery, and the epinephrine, cortisol and blood glucose levels were significantly higher in the remimazolam group than in the propofol group (P < 0.05). The recovery and extubation times were significantly lower in the remimazolam group than in the propofol group (P < 0.05); there were significantly fewer adverse reactions in the remimazolam group (10.00%) than in the propofol group (30.00%; P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Compared with propofol, remimazolam benzenesulfonate benefited cardiac surgery patients under general anesthesia by reducing hemodynamic fluctuations. Remimazolam benzenesulfonate influenced the surgical stress response and respiratory function, thereby reducing anesthesia-related adverse reactions.

A smart bottom-up strategy for fabrication of complex hydrogel constructs with 3D controllable geometric shapes through dynamic interfacial adhesion.

A novel and facile dynamic interfacial adhesion (DIA) strategy has been successfully applied in the reversible fabrication of complex 3D hydrogel constructs based on dynamic covalent bonds (DCBs). By tailoring the geometry of gel building blocks (GBBs) and incorporating stimuli-responsive units, various shapes could be easily achieved.

[Effect of ditching for drain on control of Oncomelania hupensis snail in beaches of Dongting Lake].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of ditching for drain on the control of the breed of Oncomelania hupensis snails in beaches of Dongting Lake. METHODS: From November, 2009 to November, 2012, an 0. hupensis snail infested beach of the Yueyang jail and an O. hupensis snail infested beach of Junshan District were selected as research fields in the eastern Dongting Lake area, and the former, as the intervention field, was performed with the ditching for drain by excavators and the latter, as the control field, was not. RESULTS: Before the project implemented, the average soil moisture contents on the beaches in dry seasons of the two fields were both about 35.56%. After the project implemented, in the intervention field, the average soil moisture content was 26.53% which was significantly lower than that (35.56%) in the control field (F = 6.53, P < 0.05). The underground water levels in different heights in the intervention field were lower than those in the control field (χ2 = 33.33, P < 0.05). Before the project implemented, the natural death rates of the snails were 0.98% and 0.89% in the two research fields respectively (P > 0.05), and after the project implemented (in 2012), no adult and young snails were found in the interventional field, but in the control field, the average densities of living snails and young snails were 29.37 snails/0.1 m2 and 213 ± 108.45 snails/0.1 m2 respectively. CONCLUSION: The intervention of ditching for drain can decrease the soil moisture contents quickly and change the ecological condition, therefore, can control the breed of O. hupensis snails in the beaches of Dongting Lake.

Biphasic recognition chiral extraction: A novel method for separation of mandelic acid enantiomers.

This article reports a new chiral separation method-biphasic recognition chiral extraction for the separation of mandelic acid enantiomers. Distribution behavior of mandelic acid enantiomers was studied in the extraction system with O,O'-di-benzoyl-(2S,3S)-4-toluoyl-tartaric acid (D-(+)-DTTA) in organic phase and beta-CD derivatives in aqueous phase, and the influence of the types and concentrations of extractants and pH on extraction efficiency was investigated. Hydroxypropyl-beta-cyclodextrin (HP-beta-CD), hydroxyethyl-beta-cyclodextrin (HE-beta-CD), and methyl-beta-cyclodextrin (Me-beta-CD) have stronger recognition abilities for S-mandelic acid than those for R-mandelic acid, among which HP-beta-CD has the strongest ability. D-(+)-DTTA preferentially recognizes R-mandelic acid. pH and the concentrations of extractants have great effects on chiral separation ability. A high enantioseparation efficiency with a maximum enantioselectivity of 1.527 is obtained at pH of 2.7 and the ratio of 2:1 of [D-(+)-DTTA] to [HP-beta-CD]. The obtained results indicate that the biphasic recognition chiral extraction is of stronger chiral separation ability than the monophasic recognition chiral extraction. It may be very helpful to optimize the extraction systems and realize the large-scale production of pure enantiomers.