[en] This paper describes the calibration process and data results for NaI(Tl) scintillation detector radiometer and high pressure ionization chamber respectively using ²²⁶Ra standards of point source and volume source, analyses the difference of calibration factor, and proposes that the calibration of NaI(Tl) scintillation detector radiometer should choose the calibration standard according to source term distribution. (authors)

[en] First-principles calculations have been employed to investigate magnetic and electronic properties of monolayer and multi-layer ZnO nanoislands which are hexagonal BN (h-BN) prototype structures with zigzag edges and a triangular form. Two types of the zigzag edges, that is, O-terminated and Zn-terminated ones are considered. It has been found that monolayer ZnO nanoislands with the O-terminated edges exhibit magnetic properties, regardless of the nanoislands size. However, the nanoislands with Zn-terminated edges are semiconductors, and the magnetic properties are observed just for some specific sizes. Charge transfer according to Bader charge analysis is introduced to elucidate the magnetic properties of the monolayer ZnO nanoislands. Besides, multi-layer ZnO nanoislands exhibit magnetic features when their layers are odd, while those of even layers are nonmagnetic. - Highlights: • Magnetic properties of ZnO nanoislands with zigzag edges and a triangular form are investigated. • Monolayer ZnO nanoislands with O-terminated edges exhibit magnetic properties. • Charge transfer is introduced to elucidate the magnetic properties. • Multi-layer ZnO nanoislands exhibit magnetic features when their layers are odd.

[en] In quantum mechanics, there is no measurement process that could gain some information of an unknown quantum state without causing any disturbance. A tradeoff bound between the amount of information gain $\mathcal{G}$ and the concomitant disturbance $\mathcal{F}$ in the measurement process of a bipartite entangled state is actually ingrained. Such a bound is fundamental and closely connected with the entangled degree b. In this work, the bound for estimation of a partial entangled state with a local strategy is investigated. It is shown that, with local operation with classical communication, a monotonic change in the $\mathcal{F}-<!--\; ???\; -->\mathcal{G}$ picture will be spotted. This is due to the fact that the partial entanglement gradually becomes two individual qubits and, consequently, the optimal operation boils down to local operations. A quantum circuit which achieves the optimal tradeoff is also obtained. (paper)

[en] Quantum illumination, that is, quantum target detection, is to detect the potential target with two-mode quantum entangled state. For a given transmitted energy, the quantum illumination can achieve a target-detection probability of error much lower than the illumination scheme without entanglement. We investigate the usefulness of noiseless linear amplification (NLA) for quantum illumination. Our result shows that NLA can help to substantially reduce the number of quantum entangled states collected for joint measurement of multi-copy quantum state. Our analysis on the NLA-assisted scheme could help to develop more efficient schemes for quantum illumination. (paper)

[en] Although perfect quantum network coding has been proved to be achievable, it is still puzzling whether it is feasible whenever one or more of the channels are replaced by the hidden ones emerging from quantum entanglement. The question is answered in this paper. First, we propose a quantum network coding protocol over a butterfly network with two hidden channels. Second, we investigate a more general situation, where d-level quantum letters are transmitted through the network containing arbitrarily distributed hidden channels, and prove that quantum network coding on such networks is still achievable. (general)

[en] Highlights: • Original QWASI model modified by changing constant parameters to variable • Climate and environmental conditions considered to increase predictive accuracy • Modeling zinc and lead exchange intensity between water and sediment in shallow lakes • Modified QWASI offers more accurate prediction of Zn and Pb contamination. • Model results within acceptable margin of error (0.3–30.6%) -- Abstract: Heavy metal pollution in lakes is becoming increasingly of interest to researchers. Because heavy metals have high mobility and do not degrade, they migrate easily between different environmental mediums through processes such as suspended solids deposition, sediment resuspension, and diffusion, among others. These processes are particularly pronounced in shallow lakes since the hydrodynamism is higher in bodies of water with minimal depth. Lake Ulansuhai—a typical shallow lake in the Hetao irrigation district in Inner Mongolia—also experiences intense sandstorm activity, which compounds the suspended solids exchange intensity between water and sediment, strengthening the migration of heavy metals in the lake system. This study examines the fate and transport of two heavy metals—Zn and Pb—within this lake, using a field experiment to determine the flux of sediment re-suspension and deposition and a laboratory experiment to modify the QWASI model for shallow bodies of water. The aquivalence and mass balance approaches were used to develop this modified QWASI model. The margins of error between the modeled and the measured average concentrations of Zn and Pb in water were 5.0%–30.6% and 5.8%–29.5%, respectively, and in sediment were 0.3%–4.9% and 0.9–5.5%, respectively. These results suggest that the modified QWASI model developed here could indeed be used to more accurately represent the fate and transport of Zn and Pb during the icefree period of a shallow lake.

[en] Lipoproteins are protein-lipid macromolecular assemblies which are used to transport lipids in circulation and are key targets in cardiovascular disease (CVD). The highly dynamic lipoprotein molecules are capable of adopting an array of conformations that is crucial to lipid transport along the cholesterol transport pathway, among which high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) are major players in plasma cholesterol metabolism. For a more detailed illustration of cholesterol transport process, as well as the development of therapies to prevent CVD, here we review the functional mechanism and structural basis of lipoproteins in cholesterol transport, as well as their structural dynamics in the plasma lipoprotein (HDL and LDL) elevations, in order to obtain better quantitative understandings on structure–function relationship of lipoproteins. Finally, we also provide an approach for further research on the lipoprotein in cholesterol transport. (topical review — soft matter and biological physics)

[en] We present a method for derivation of the density matrix of an arbitrary multi-mode continuous variable Gaussian entangled state from its phase space representation. An explicit computer algorithm is given to reconstruct the density matrix from Gaussian covariance matrix and quadrature average values. As an example, we apply our method to the derivation of three-mode symmetric continuous variable entangled state. Our method can be used to analyze the entanglement and correlation in continuous variable quantum network with multi-mode quantum entanglement states. (paper)

[en] Neuraminidase (NA), a major surface glycoprotein of influenza virus with well-defined active sites, is an ideal platform for the development of antiviral drugs. However, a growing number of NA mutations have drug resistance to today’s inhibitors. Numerous efforts are made to explore the resistance mechanisms through understanding the structural changes in mutated NA proteins and the associated different binding profiles of inhibitors, via x-ray, nuclear magnetic resonance, electron microscopy, and molecular dynamics methods. This review presents the architectural features of mutated NA proteins, as well as the respective inhibitor sensitivities arising from these spatial differences. Finally, we summarize the resistance mechanisms of today’s neuraminidase inhibitors and the outlook for the development of novel inhibitors. (topical review — soft matter and biological physics)

[en] Objective: To evaluate the effect of a protein kinase CK2 inhibitor on intracellular levels of reactive oxygen species and DNA double-stand break in human non-small cell lung cancer H460 cells. Methods: H460 cells were exposed to 0, 12.5, 25.0, and 50.0 μmol/L quinalizarin, a specific inhibitor of protein kinase CK2, for 24 hours. The changes in protein and mRNA levels of CK2 subunits were measured. Flow, cytometry was used to measure changes in the intracellular levels of reactive oxygen species in H460 cells after 4 or 24 hours of quinalizarin treatment. Immunofluorescence assays were performed to determine the effect of the CK2 inhibitor on γ-H₂AX expression and the average fluorescent number of γ-H₂AX foci in H460 cells. Comparison was made by analysis of variance and t test. Results: There were no significant differences in protein or mRNA levels of CK2 subunits in H460 cells after quinalizarin treatment (CK2α, 0 μmol vs. 12.5 μmol/L, P = 0.966; 0 μmol/L vs. 25 μmol/L, P = 0.355; 0 μmol/L vs. 50 μmol/L, P = 0.864, CK2α', 0 μmol/L vs. 12.5 μmol/L, P = 0.409; 0 μmol/L vs. 25 μmol/L, P = 0.833; 0 μmol/L vs. 50 μmol/L, P = 0.0.746, CK2β, 0 μmol/L vs. 12.5 μmol/L, P = 0.532; 0 μmol/L vs. 25 μmol/L, P = 0.830; 0 μmol/L vs. 50 μmol/L, P = 0.061). The intracellular level of reactive oxygen species were substantially elevated in H460 cells with the increase in quinalizarin concentration and treatment time. Different concentrations of quinalizarin resulted in dose-and time-dependent increases in the numbers of γ-H₂AX foci after 4 and 24 hours of treatment (treated by Quinalizarin for 4 or 24 h, 0 μmol/L vs. 12.5 μmol/L, 12.5 μmol/L vs. 25 μmol/L, 25 μmol/L vs. 50 μmol/L, all P = 0.000, concentration is 12.5 μmol/L, 25 μmol/L or 50 μmol/L, 4 h vs. 24 h, all all P = 0.000). Conclusions: Quinalizarin can increase the intracellular Levels of reactive oxygen species and DNA double-stand break in H460 cells by inhibition of protein kinase CK2 activity. This study provides a theoretical basis for using quinalizarin as a potential radiosensitizer for lung cancer. (authors)