Broadband quantum memories hold great promise as multiplexing elements in future photonic quantum information protocols. Alkali-vapor Raman memories combine high-bandwidth storage, on-demand readout, ...and operation at room temperature without collisional fluorescence noise. However, previous implementations have required large control pulse energies and have suffered from four-wave-mixing noise. Here, we present a Raman memory where the storage interaction is enhanced by a low-finesse birefringent cavity tuned into simultaneous resonance with the signal and control fields, dramatically reducing the energy required to drive the memory. By engineering antiresonance for the anti-Stokes field, we also suppress the four-wave-mixing noise and report the lowest unconditional noise floor yet achieved in a Raman-type warm vapor memory, (15±2)×10^{-3} photons per pulse, with a total efficiency of (9.5±0.5)%.
Roadmap on superoscillations Berry, Michael; Zheludev, Nikolay; Aharonov, Yakir ...
Journal of optics,
05/2019, Letnik:
21, Številka:
5
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Odprti dostop
Superoscillations are band-limited functions with the counterintuitive property that they can vary arbitrarily faster than their fastest Fourier component, over arbitrarily long intervals. Modern ...studies originated in quantum theory, but there were anticipations in radar and optics. The mathematical understanding-still being explored-recognises that functions are extremely small where they superoscillate; this has implications for information theory. Applications to optical vortices, sub-wavelength microscopy and related areas of nanoscience are now moving from the theoretical and the demonstrative to the practical. This Roadmap surveys all these areas, providing background, current research, and anticipating future developments.
Abstract
The metabolic syndrome (MetS) has been well linked with coronary heart disease (CHD) in the general population, but studies have rarely explored their association among patients with stroke. ...We examine prevalence of MetS and its association with CHD in patients with first-ever ischemic stroke. This hospital-based study included 1851 patients with first-ever ischemic stroke (mean age 61.2 years, 36.5% women) who were hospitalized into two university hospitals in Shandong, China (January 2016–February 2017). Data were collected through interviews, physical examinations, and laboratory tests. MetS was defined following the National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) criteria, the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) criteria, and the Chinese Diabetes Society (CDS) criteria. CHD was defined following clinical criteria. Data were analyzed using binary logistic regression models. The overall prevalence of MetS was 33.4% by NECP criteria, 47.2% by IDF criteria, and 32.5% by CDS criteria, with the prevalence being decreased with age and higher in women than in men (p < 0.05). High blood pressure, high triglycerides, and low HDL-C were significantly associated with CHD (multi-adjusted odds ratio OR range 1.27–1.38, p < 0.05). The multi-adjusted OR of CHD associated with MetS defined by the NECP criteria, IDF criteria, and CDS criteria (vs. no MetS) was 1.27 (95% confidence interval 1.03–1.57), 1.44 (1.18–1.76), and 1.27 (1.03–1.57), respectively. In addition, having 1–2 abnormal components (vs. none) of MetS was associated with CHD (multi-adjusted OR range 1.66–1.72, p < 0.05). MetS affects over one-third of patients with first-ever ischemic stroke. MetS is associated with an increased likelihood of CHD in stroke patients.
Purpose
To investigate the associations between cardiovascular health (CVH) metrics and health-related quality of life (HRQL) among patients with ischemic stroke in China, and further explore the ...role of physical and cognitive function in their associations.
Methods
This hospital-based study included 1714 patients with first-ever acute ischemic stroke (age ≥ 40 years; 36.7% women) who were admitted to two university hospitals in Shandong, China. We collected information on seven CVH metrics (smoking, body mass index, diet, physical activity, blood pressure, total cholesterol, and fasting blood glucose) through interviews, clinical examinations, and laboratory tests. EQ-5D-3L was used to assess HRQL. Cognitive and physical functioning was assessed by the Montreal Cognitive Assessment test and Barthel index, respectively. Data were analyzed using the general linear regression models.
Results
The average score (SD) was 0.746 (0.23) for HRQL index and 72.7 (15.8) for self-rated health. Optimal levels of four individual CVH metric components (diet, physical activity, blood pressure, and blood glucose) and a higher composite CVH score were significantly associated with a greater HRQL index and better self-rated health (
p
< 0.05 for all). Physical dependence and cognitive impairment were associated with a lower HRQL index and poorer self-rated health status (
p
< 0.001). Furthermore, the relationships between CVH metrics and HRQL index varied by functional status, such that their associations were statistically significant only among people who had physical dependence or cognitive impairment.
Conclusion
Achieving a better cardiovascular health profile is associated with better quality of life among ischemic stroke survivors, primarily in those with physical or cognitive impairment.
The present study examined the prevalence and pattern of comorbidity among Chinese patients with first-ever acute ischemic stroke, and assessed the associations of specific comorbidity patterns with ...physical and cognitive functioning after stroke occurrence. A hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 2,151 patients with first-ever ischemic stroke (age ≥40 years; 64.2% men) who were admitted to two university hospitals in Shandong, China between 2016 and 2017. Data on demographics, lifestyles, chronic health conditions, and use of medications were collected through in-person interviews, clinical examinations, and laboratory tests. Physical functioning was assessed by the Barthel index (BI) and the modified Rankin Scale (mRS) while cognitive functioning was assessed by the Montreal Cognitive Assessment test. The results showed that comorbidity was present in 90.9% of the stroke patients (women vs. men: 95.2 vs. 88.7%,
P
< 0.001). Exploratory factor analysis identified three patterns of comorbidity, i.e., patterns of degenerative-cardiopulmonary, heart-gastrointestinal-psychiatric, and metabolic-kidney diseases. The number of comorbidities was significantly associated with a higher likelihood of moderate-to-severe physical dependence odds ratio (95% CI) = 1.15 (1.06–1.25) for BI and 1.12 (1.04–1.21) for mRS, all
P
< 0.01 and cognitive impairment odds ratio (95% CI) = 1.11 (1.02–1.20),
P
= 0.017, after adjusting for multiple covariates. Almost all the three comorbidity patterns were associated with increased likelihoods of physical dependence (range for odds ratios: 1.26–1.33) and cognitive impairment (range for odds ratios: 1.25–1.34). No significant association was found between degenerative-cardiopulmonary pattern and mRS. These findings suggest that comorbidity is associated with poor physical and cognitive functioning during the acute phase of ischemic stroke. Routine assessments of comorbidity and cognitive and physical function among patients with acute ischemic stroke should be considered in stroke research and clinical practice.
Background:
Frailty is a natural consequence of the aging process. With the increasing aging population in Mainland China, the quality of life and end-of-life care for frail older people need to be ...taken into consideration. Advance Care Planning has also been used worldwide in long-term facilities, hospitals and communities to improve the quality of end-of-life care, increase patient and family satisfaction, and reduce healthcare costs and hospital admissions in Western countries. However, it has not been practiced in China.
Research objective:
This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a modified Advance Care Planning intervention in certainty of end-of-life care, preferences for end-of-life care, quality of life concerns, and healthcare utilization among frail older people.
Research design:
This study used a quasi-experimental design, with a single-blind, control group, pretest and repeated posttest approach.
Participants and research context:
A convenience sample of 74 participates met the eligibility criteria in each nursing home. A total of 148 frail older people were recruited in two nursing homes in Zhejiang Province, China.
Ethical considerations:
The study received ethical approval from the Clinical Research Ethics Committee, the Faculty of Medicine, and The Chinese University of Hong Kong, CREC Ref. No: 2016.059.
Findings:
The results indicated the Advance Care Planning programme was effective at increasing autonomy in decision making on end-of-life care issues, decreasing decision-making conflicts over end-of-life care issues, and increasing their expression about end-of-life care.
Discussion:
This study promoted the participants’ autonomy and broke through the inherent custom of avoiding talking about death in China.
Conclusion:
The modified Advance Care Planning intervention is effective and recommended to support the frail older people in their end-of-life care decision in Chinese society.
The intracavernous (i.c.) injection of stem cells (SCs) has been shown to improve erectile function in various erectile dysfunction (ED) animal models. However, the tissue distribution of the ...injected cells remains unknown. In this study we tracked i.c.-injected adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) in various tissues. Rat paratesticular fat was processed for ADSC isolation and culture. The animals were then subject to cavernous nerve (CN) crush injury or sham operation, followed by i.c. injection of 1 million autologous or allogeneic ADSCs that were labeled with 5-ethynyl-2-deoxyuridine (EdU). Another group of rats received i.c. injection of EdU-labeled allogeneic penile smooth muscle cells (PSMCs). At 2 and 7 days post injection, penises and femoral bone marrow were processed for histological analyses. Whole femoral bone marrows were also analyzed for EdU-positive cells by flow cytometry. The results show that ADSCs exited the penis within days of i.c. injection and migrated preferentially to bone marrow. Allogenicity did not affect the bone marrow appearance of ADSCs at either 2 or 7 days, whereas CN injury reduced the number of ADSCs in bone marrow significantly at 7 but not 2 days. The significance of these results in relation to SC therapy for ED is discussed.
Purpose: The aim of this study is to test the psychometric properties and validity of the World Health Organization Assessment Schedule II Chinese Traditional Version (WHODAS II CT) in Traditional ...Chinese-speaking persons with disabilities and chronic illnesses. Method: The WHODAS II CT has been administrated to a sample of 1020 persons with disabilities and chronic illnesses. The construct validity, internal consistency, concurrent validity and convergent validity were evaluated. Results: WHODAS II CT showed a satisfactory model fit for the second-order confirmatory factor analysis model (χ
2
/df = 3.05, root means square error of approximation = 0.053, comparative fit index = 0.912, standardized root mean square residual = 0.076), high internal consistency (Cronbach's α = 0.98), high correlation with all domains of Dartmouth Primary Care Cooperative Research Network/World Organization of National Colleges, Academies, and Academic Associations of General Practices/Family Physicians (COOP/WONCA) charts (partial correlation coefficient ranged from 0.26 to 0.74) and significance between persons with and without co-morbidity (all regression coefficients >0). Conclusions: WHODAS II CT is a reliable and valid instrument to measure the disability in persons with disabilities and chronic illnesses among Traditional Chinese-speaking population. A further study is required to validate the short version of WHODAS II in order to enhance its applicability in usual and clinical practices.
Implications for Rehabilitation
This is the first study to evaluate the reliability and validity of WHODAS II in persons with disability and chronic illnesses among Traditional Chinese-speaking population.
The WHODAS II CT is a valid instrument in Chinese adults with disabilities and chronic illnesses.
The WHODAS II CT is recommended to be used in population-based survey to investigate the health needs of persons with disabilities and chronic illnesses as well as in the rehabilitation programs as an outcome measure.
Few studies have tested the underlying mechanisms in the association between workaholism and depression. This study aims to investigate the potential mediation effects of work-life balance stress and ...chronic fatigue and depression among Chinese male workers in Hong Kong. Methods. A population-based study among male workers in Hong Kong (n = 1,352) was conducted. The self-reported scales of assessing workaholism, work-life balance stress, chronic fatigue and depressive symptoms were included in the questionnaire. Path analysis was conducted to test the proposed mediation model. Results. Workaholism was directly and indirectly associated with depression through work-life balance stress and chronic fatigue, respectively. The association between work-life balance stress and chronic fatigue was statistically significant in the correlation analysis but not in the path analysis. As high as 30.5% of the participants were classified as having probable chronic fatigue, while 8.4% of the participants were classified as having probable depression. Discussion. Workaholism is a stressor that may induce negative consequences on well-being and health among male workers in Hong Kong. Interventions to help workers with time and stress management and fatigue reduction may be beneficial for their mental health. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.
Monomethoxypoly(ethylene glycol)-b-poly(
dl-lactide) copolymer (PELA) microparticles loading lysozyme were prepared through a modified W/O/W double emulsion-solvent diffusion method using ethyl ...acetate (EA) as organic solvent. The modified process was divided into five steps: (1) primary emulsification (W
1/O), (2) re-emulsification (W
1/O/W
2), (3) pre-solidification, (4) solidification and (5) purification. The pre-solidification step was carried out in the modified process to control the diffusion rate of EA from oil phase into outer aqueous phase, in order to prevent the wall polymer from precipitation, which usually occurred when the diffusion rate was too fast. The adequately rapid solidification of microparticle caused by controlled fast diffusion of EA and the use of amphiphilic copolymer PELA as wall material, facilitated a high protein entrapment (always above 94%) and full preservation of bioactivity of entrapped lysozyme. It was found that the volume of the outer aqueous phase in the re-emulsification step and the shear stress in the pre-solidification step had a significant effect on the diffusion rate of EA from the droplets into outer aqueous solution, and thereby on the characteristics of the resultant microparticles. With the volume or the shear stress increasing, the removal rate of EA increased, resulting in rapid solidification of the microparticles. This result led to a lower burst effect and a slower lysozyme release from the microparticles. This study suggests that the modified W/O/W double emulsion-solvent diffusion method with EA as organic solvent is a prospective technique to prepare biodegradable microparticles containing water-soluble sensitive agents.
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