Dynamical Casimir effect entangles artificial atoms

We show that the physics underlying the dynamical Casimir effect may generate multipartite quantum correlations. To achieve it, we propose a circuit quantum electrodynamics scenario involving superconducting quantum interference devices, cavities, and superconducting qubits, also called artificial atoms. Our results predict the generation of highly entangled states for two and three superconducting qubits in different geometric configurations with realistic parameters. This proposal paves the way for a scalable method of multipartite entanglement generation in cavity networks through dynamical Casimir physics.

Short communication: effects of milk removal on teat tissue and recovery in Murciano-Granadina goats

The aim of this work was to study how machine milking (MM) carried out in appropriate conditions affects teat wall thickness and canal length and their return after milking to premilking conditions compared with other milk removal methods considered biological referents: kid suckling (KS), catheter removal (CATH), and hand milking (HM). Three Latin square experiments were designed, each divided into 2 periods. In the first period, the left glands of each animal were machine milked and the KS, CATH, and HM treatments were applied to the right glands in experiments 1, 2, and 3, respectively. Subsequently, in the second period, the removal methods were interchanged. Teat wall thickness, teat wall area, teat end wall area, and teat canal length were measured from the ultrasound images. Milk removal using the reference methods (KS, CATH, and HM) and by MM caused increases in teat wall thickness and teat canal length, which were greater with MM. The time needed for the teat walls and canal to return to their physiological conditions before milk removal was greater than 10h in the reference methods and following machine milking.

[Gastric cancer risk estimate in patients with chronic gastritis associated with Helicobacter pylori infection in a clinical setting]

BACKGROUND/AIM

Severity of chronic gastritis associated with Helicobacter pylori infection (CGAHpI) could play a role in evaluating the potential risk to develop gastric cancer. Our aim was to estimate the risk for gastric cancer in a clinical setting, according to histopathologic criteria, by applying the gastric cancer risk index (GCRI) METHODS: Histopathologic study of the gastric biopsies (corpus-antrum) from consecutive adult patients that underwent gastroesophageal duodenoscopy was carried out, and the GCRI was applied in patients presenting with CGAHpI.

RESULTS

One hundred eleven patients (77% female) with a mean age of 38.6±13.1 years were included. Active Helicobacter pylori infection (aHpi) was diagnosed in 77 cases (69.40%). In 45% of the cases with aHpi, pangastritis (23%) or corpus-predominant gastritis (22%) was diagnosed. Nine cases were diagnosed with intestinal metaplasia (8%), 7 of which (77.70%) were in the aHpi group. Twenty one percent of the patients with aHpi had a GCRI of 2 (18.10%) or 3 (2.50%) points (high risk index), while 79.10% accumulated a GCRI of 0 or 1 points (low risk index). Of the patients with no aHpi, none of them had 3 points (p=0.001). Of the 18 patients that accumulated 2 or 3 points, 6 (33.30%) presented with intestinal metaplasia (all with pangastritis and corpus-predominant gastritis), of which 4 cases (66.60%) had aHpi.

CONCLUSIONS

The estimated gastric cancer risk in patients with CGAHpI in the clinical setting studied was relatively low and 5% of the patients had a histopathologic phenotype associated with an elevated risk for developing gastric cancer.

18 PREGNANCY RATES IN LACTATING DAIRY COWS TREATED WITH GONADOTROPIN-RELEASING HORMONE-BASED SYNCHRONIZATION PROGRAMS AND INSEMINATED AT A FIXED TIME

An experiment was designed to compare pregnancy rates in lactating dairy cows synchronized with a 7-day CIDR-Synch or a 5-day CIDR-Synch program and to determine if the addition of a second prostaglandin F2α (PGF) injection to the 7-day CIDR-Synch program would improve pregnancy rates following fixed-time AI (FTAI). The experiments were performed on 2 dairy farms in Argentina, with year-round calving and a mixed feeding system (35% grazing plus 65% corn silage and grain). Cows (n = 621) were 39.3 ± 6.5 days in milk (DIM, mean ± SD) when they were enrolled in the program, had 2.4 ± 1.5 lactations and a body condition score (BCS) of 3.1 ± 0.2 (range: 2.7 to 4.0). All cows received a pre-synchronization treatment with 2 doses of prostaglandin (PGF, 25 mg of dinoprost, Lutalyse, Pfizer Animal Health, Argentina) 14 days apart, and 11 days after the second PGF (Day 0) received 10 µg of Buserelin (GnRH, Receptal, MSD-Intervet, Argentina) and a CIDR device (1.9 g of progesterone, Pfizer Animal Health). Cows were randomly allocated to 1 of 3 groups. The CIDR devices were removed and PGF was administered to cows in Groups 1 and 2 on Day 7. A second GnRH was given 56 h later and cows experienced FTAI 16 h after gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) injection (i.e. 72 h after CIDR removal). Cows in Group 2 also received a second PGF injection on the afternoon of Day 7. Cows in Group 3 had the CIDR removed and received 2 PGF injections 12 h apart on Day 5. A second dose of GnRH was given and FTAI was performed at the same time, on Day 8 (i.e. 72 h after CIDR removal). All cows were examined by ultrasonography (Aloka 500V, Aloka, Tokyo, Japan) on the day of the first PGF injection and at CIDR removal to determine the presence and number of corpora lutea (CL), and 30 days after FTAI to determine pregnancy status. Data were analyzed by logistic regression to determine the effects of treatment, parity, days postpartum, milk production, BCS, presence of a CL at enrollment, and number of CL at the time of CIDR removal on pregnancy rates. Overall pregnancy rates did not differ among groups: 32.9% (68/207), 38.2% (78/204), and 38.3% (80/209) for Groups 1, 2, and 3, respectively (P = 0.2). Although the number of CL present at CIDR removal did not significantly affect pregnancy rates (P = 0.4), pregnancy rates in cows with 1 CL in Groups 1 and 2 tended to differ [29.0% (11/38) v. 48.9% (21/43); P < 0.07], but neither differed from that in Group 3 [37.2% (16/43)]. No differences were detected among groups in cows without a CL at CIDR removal [overall pregnancy rate: 29.4% (5/17)] and those with ≥2 CL [overall pregnancy rate: 36.1% (173/479)]. Among the other variables evaluated, first-parity cows had 1.96 (1.38–2.78) times more chance of getting pregnant than second-or-more-parity cows (P = 0.002) and cows with BCS >3 had 1.63 (1.16–2.28) times more chance of getting pregnant than those with BCS <3 (P = 0.003). Finally, herd, days postpartum, milk production, and presence of a CL at enrollment did not significantly affect pregnancy rates. We concluded that the 3 treatments resulted in similar pregnancy rates for lactating dairy cows and that the benefit of adding a second PGF injection to the 7-day protocol was only marginal in cows with 1 CL at CIDR removal.

163 EFFECT OF PUERPERAL METRITIS ON REPRODUCTIVE AND PRODUCTIVE PERFORMANCE IN DAIRY COWS IN ARGENTINA

The objectives of this study were to evaluate the reproductive and productive performance of dairy cows with and without puerperal metritis and to evaluate the effectiveness of using a long-acting antibiotic (200 mg mL–1 ceftiofur, Excede, Pfizer Animal Health, New York, NY, USA). Dairy cows in one dairy farm calving from July 2009 to January 2010 were examined between 3 and 14 days postpartum and classified based on vaginal discharge into 3 groups: cows with normal discharge (control); cows with purulent or red-brown vaginal discharge without foul smell, and cows with purulent or red-brown vaginal discharge with foul smell (Sheldon et al. 2006 Theriogenology 65, 1516–1530). Cows in the first 2 groups were not treated, whereas those in the third group were randomly allocated to receive 1 mL/30 kg of body weight of Excede subcutaneously behind the ear or remain untreated. From the 640 cows examined, 372 (58.2%) had normal discharge, 86 (13.4%) had a discharge without foul smell and 182 (28.4%) had a discharge with foul smell. Kaplan-Meier survival curves were obtained to compare pregnancy rates across days postpartum, and differences between curves were tested with the log rank statistic. Proportional hazards regression with PROC PHREG Cox of SAS were done to estimate the risk of pregnancy in terms of treatment, parity (first parity or ≥2 parities), type of delivery (normal or assisted), and milk production. Finally, lactation curves were modeled using SAS PROC NLMIXED to estimate the cumulative milk production at 305 days. Survival curves differed between cows in the control group and those with foul-smell discharge that were not treated (P < 0.01) and between untreated versus treated cows (P < 0.01) in the latter group. Survival curves of cows with discharge but without foul smell were intermediate and did not differ from those in the control group (P = 0.2) and those with foul smell discharge and treated (P = 0.1), but tended to be different from those with foul smell discharge and not treated (P = 0.056). The postpartum interval to achieve a 25% pregnancy rate was 72 days for cows in the control group, 73 days for cows with foul smell and treated, 83 days for cows with discharge without foul smell, and 95 days for those with foul smell and not treated. The chance of pregnancy in cows in the control group was 1.98 times higher (95% CI = 1.33, 3.08) and in cows with foul smell and treated was 2.16 times higher (95% CI = 1.37, 3.50) than those with foul smell and not treated. Finally, the chance of pregnancy in cows with discharge but without a foul smell tended to be higher (P = 0.08) than those with foul smell that were not treated, but did not differ with the other 2 groups. Parity, type of delivery, and production level did not affect pregnancy rates. Cumulative 305-day milk production was higher (P < 0.01) in control cows than those with vaginal discharge, regardless of smell and regardless of treatment. It is concluded that puerperal metritis affects the reproductive and productive performance of dairy cows, and the treatment with Excede was effective in reducing the adverse effects on reproductive performance.

Effect of intramammary infection on milk electrical conductivity in Murciano-Granadina goats

Measurements of electrical conductivity (EC) of milk are used in mastitis detection in cows due to the low cost, possibility of automation, and rapid diagnosis, but the literature about EC measurement in goats is scarce. In this study, we studied the effect of the establishment of intramammary infection (IMI) on EC of goat milk by gland using daily measurements. Additionally, the effects on milk yield, somatic cell count (SCC), and mineral content were analyzed. Eight primiparous and 10 multiparous Murciano-Granadina goats free from IMI were included in the study. Health conditions of the participating animals were monitored for 16 d and then various unfavorable health situations that may arise on commercial farms were simulated to increase the chances of IMI. Once the IMI was confirmed, the experiment continued for another 16 d. Statistical analysis was conducted using a linear mixed model considering several periods regarding the establishment of the infection and whether it affected one or both glands in the animal. The establishment of IMI caused a significant increase of EC, SCC, and chlorides in the infected glands, whereas the sodium:potassium ratio and the ratio of EC between collateral glands showed significant increases only in bilaterally infected animals. The microorganisms that caused greater increases of EC were Staphylococcus aureus and a gram-negative bacterium. Changes due to other isolated microorganisms (coagulase-negative staphylococci and streptococci) were small. No significant differences in milk yield were determined. The significant effect of infection on EC in the affected glands suggests that the use of a system based on daily readings of EC could be useful in IMI detection of goats.

Lipid/Polyelectrolyte coatings to control carbon nanotubes intracellular distribution

Carbon Nanotubes have been functionalized with a layer of poly (sulfopropyl methacrylate) synthesized from silane initiators attached to the walls of the Carbon nanotubes. On top of the poly sulfo propyl methacrylate, lipid vesicles composed of 75% 1,2-Dioleoyl-sn-Glycero-3-Phosphocholine and 25% 1,2-Dioleoyl-sn-Glycero-3-[Phospho-L-Serine] were assembled. The surface modification of the Carbon Nanotubes and lipid assembly were followed by TEM. Confocal Raman Microscopy was used to study the uptake and localization of the surface modified Carbon Nanotubes in the HepG2 cell line. The localization of the Carbon Nanotubes in the cells was affected by the surface coating. It was found that poly (sulfopropyl methacrylate) and lipid modified Carbon Nanotubes were present in the region of the lipid bodies in the cytoplasm.

Ultrafast quantum gates in circuit QED

We present a method to implement ultrafast two-qubit gates valid for the ultrastrong coupling and deep strong coupling regimes of light-matter interaction, considering state-of-the-art circuit quantum electrodynamics technology. Our proposal includes a suitable qubit architecture and is based on a four-step sequential displacement of the intracavity field, operating at a time proportional to the inverse of the resonator frequency. Through ab initio calculations, we show that these quantum gates can be performed at subnanosecond time scales while keeping a fidelity above 99%.

Analysis of the influence of variation factors on electrical conductivity of milk in Murciano-Granadina goats

The aim of this study was to obtain further knowledge on electrical conductivity (EC) of milk as a tool for detecting mastitis in goats. The effect of farm, parity, stage of lactation, and health status of the glands on EC, and the somatic cell count (SCC) of milk was analyzed. Additionally, relationships between EC and chemical composition and SCC were studied. Finally, characteristics of EC and SCC (sensitivity and specificity) as diagnostic tests used to detect mastitis were studied. One hundred and five Murciano-Granadina goats were enrolled in the study. Milk samples (by gland) were collected monthly for 7 mo on 3 farms in the southeastern Spain. To establish the health status, milk samples were aseptically collected before milking by gland. Foremilk (by gland) was collected to analyze EC, SCC, and chemical composition. Glands were classified according to the health status as free of mastitis, bacterial mastitis, or unspecific mastitis. The effects of farm, parity, and stage of lactation, as well as the interactions between health status and parity, parity and stage of lactation, and health status and stage of lactation were associated with EC. Changes in the milk's chemical composition (particularly of chloride ions) explained most of the variance in EC (R(2)=0.91). The strongest association between EC and SCC was found at SCC >2×10(6) cells/mL (r=0.42). The use of a single EC threshold for all animals and farms for detecting mastitis led to limited results for mastitis detection, which, in any case, favors negative predictive values over positive predictive values. This study revealed that factors, other than the health status, affecting EC hamper the use of an EC threshold for mastitis detection with sufficient specificity on all animals. Any detection system based on EC of milk should consider these factors, as well as specific variations for each of the animals.

Deep strong coupling regime of the Jaynes-Cummings model

We study the quantum dynamics of a two-level system interacting with a quantized harmonic oscillator in the deep strong coupling regime (DSC) of the Jaynes-Cummings model, that is, when the coupling strength g is comparable or larger than the oscillator frequency ω (g/ω≳1). In this case, the rotating-wave approximation cannot be applied or treated perturbatively in general. We propose an intuitive and predictive physical frame to describe the DSC regime where photon number wave packets bounce back and forth along parity chains of the Hilbert space, while producing collapse and revivals of the initial population. We exemplify our physical frame with numerical and analytical considerations in the qubit population, photon statistics, and Wigner phase space.

Pilot study: Gelafundin (polygeline) 4% plus antibiotics in the treatment of high-risk cirrhotic patients with spontaneous bacterial peritonitis

BACKGROUND

Cirrhotic patients with spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP) have elevated rates of renal impairment and mortality. It has been shown that cefotaxime plus albumin infusion decrease renal impairment compared with antibiotic treatment alone, in patients with serum bilirubin >4 mg/dL or creatinine >1 mg/dL.

AIM

To assess clinical outcomes of high-risk cirrhotic patients with SBP who were treated with antibiotics associated with Gelafundin (polygeline) 4%.

METHODS

Twenty nine cirrhotic patients with SBP and serum bilirubin >4 mg/dL or creatinine >1 mg/dL were enrolled. Ceftriaxone was administered in doses of 2 g/day and Gelafundin 4% was given intravenously at 1.5 g/kg of body weight at the time of the diagnosis, followed by 1 g/kg on day 3. Renal impairment was defined as nonreversible deterioration of renal function during hospitalization.

RESULTS

Eight patients (27.5%) had basal renal failure. Infection resolved in 28 (96.6%) patients. Renal impairment occurred in four patients (13.8%), and three patients (10.4%) died during hospitalization. Mortality within 90 days after discharge was 34.5% (10 patients).

CONCLUSION

The rates of renal impairment and mortality in high-risk patients with SBP suggest that Gelafundin 4% administration given with ceftriaxone may be a less expensive therapeutic alternative to albumin.