Two-mode Gaussian product states in a lossy interferometer

The quantum Fisher information for a two-mode, Gaussian product state in an interferometer subject to photon loss is studied. We obtain the quantum Cramer–Rao bound on the achievable precision in phase estimation using such states. The scaling of the measurement precision with the mean photon number is compared to the shot noise-limited scaling for dual squeezed vacuum states and dual squeezed, displaced vacuum states.     

Adverse drug reactions in pediatrics with a study of in-hospital intensive surveillance

A two-part prospective study of adverse drug reactions (ADRs) in Indian children was carried out at a teaching general hospital. Using an in-hospital intensive surveillance scheme (IISS) for the detection of ADRs, indoor patients of one of the two units in the pediatric ward were monitored daily for 6 months, with the other unit serving as a control group. A total of 347 patients were monitored, 2781 daily orders written and 24,474 doses of 96 different drugs given. Six patients suffered from ADRs (1.73%), and 1 reaction proved fatal (0.29%), while the control group reported only 1 ADR in the same time period. The frequency of ADRs (p < 0.001) and their resultant mortality in Indian children was less than that in a western prototype study. Though IISS showed a marked increase in ADR reporting, it was too cumbersome for routine use in our country. In the second part of the study, 40 cases of ADRs seen over 2 years were analyzed. Antimicrobials, especially sulphonamides, accounted for a high percentage of cases mostly as skin rashes and fairly severe reactions were common. Patients on anti-tuberculous and anti-convulsant drugs required prolonged supervision for late onset reactions.     

Synthesis and characterization of anthracene derivative for organic field-effect transistor fabrication

Here we report on the synthesis and characterization of anthracene derivative for solution processable organic field-effect transistors. The transistor devices with bottom-contact geometry provided a maximum field-effect mobility of 3.74 x 10(-4) cm2 V(-1) s(-1) as well as current on/off ratio of 5.05 x 10(4) and low threshold voltage. Structural information in the solid state is obtained by thermal analysis and two-dimensional wide angle X-ray scattering (2D-WAXS). From the 2D-WAXS, it is clear that the planes of anthracene rings and benzene ring of the molecule are different in solid state. We assume similar arrangement in the thin-film which limit the effective hopping and thus charge mobility.     

Photoactive Lanthanide-Based Upconverting Nanoclusters for Antimicrobial Applications

Developing photoactive nanosystems against microbial infection and its therapeutic application is compromised by the lack of suitable materials or molecular dyes activatable at biofriendly NIR light. In this direction, the upconverting nanoparticles based on core–shell lanthanide-doped nanoclusters are developed synthetically to achieve a broad range of NIR-active phototherapeutic antimicrobial agents. This review illustrates antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (aPDT) and multimodal therapy by NIR photoirradiation, generated by lanthanum doped upconverting nanoparticles (UCNPs). The objective herein is to discuss the insights in developing the UCNPs for designing efficient aPDTs and their efficacies against emerging antibiotic-resistant bacterial colonies and their biofilms, drug-resistant fungi, and viruses. The biosafety and biocompatibility of UCNPs at both in vitro and in vivo level are also presented in detail. Finally, our perspectives on the ways of future material engineering needed for the effective translation into their real-world applications are also commented.     

Hydrothermal fluorination of carbon nanotubes and its composite with metal ion-doped ceria for a non-gassing flow-in-a-cell application

A facile single step preparation method of fluorinated MWCNTs and metal ion co-doped gadolinium-doped ceria composite is reported. The fluorination was carried out by hydrothermal method using NaF as a fluorinating agent. Fluorination was confirmed by XPS and powder XRD with representative example F-MWCNT-CeO_2?x-Ag. The presence of 21.53 wt% or 18.72 at.% of fluoride was confirmed by EDX mapping along with 12.9 wt% or 1.52 at.% of ceria. Its utilisation in non-gassing electroosmotic pump is reported along with other material like F-MWCNT-CeO_2, F-MWCNT-CeO_2?x-Pt; F-MWCNT-CeO_2?x-Mn and F-MWCNT-CeO₂-H₂O₂. The pump with silver doping showed best performance with 36 μL min^?1 cm^?2 electroosmotic flux of water. The evaluation of electroosmotic flux in different electrolyte solutions of same concentration follow the trend of hydrated size of ions H⁺?>?Li⁺?>?Na⁺?>?K⁺. The stability of the pump was evaluated by continuous operation of the pump. The pump was stable till 90% coulombic capacity consumed. To assess the practical utility like use in insulin pump; the assembled electroosmotic pump was operated for five minutes three times a day to mimic the insulin delivery associated with meals. The pump was stable for 200 h within 10% of error suggesting its efficient practical utility.

Graphic abstract

     

The nephrotic syndrome (a follow up study of 32 cases)

Groups of children with different IQ levels were trained to discriminate between stimulus cards containing two or more pictures. In subsequent testing the pictures were presented singly in order to determine how many pictures the child had responded to during discrimination training. The data showed that the lower the IQ, the fewer pictures the child responded to. We speculated that intellectually retarded functioning may be related to problems in overselective attention; the lower a person's IQ level, the less of the environment becomes functional in controlling his behavior.     

Diethynylbenzene-based liquid crystalline semiconductor for solution-processable organic thin-film transistors

We report here the synthesis and characterization of novel diethynylbenzene-based liquid crystalline semiconductor (P1) for organic thin-film transistors (OTFTs). Compound P1 was synthesized by the Sonogashira coupling reaction between 2-bromo-5-(4-hexylthiophen-2-yl)thieno[3,2-b]thiophene and 1,4-bis(dodecyloxy)-2,5-diethynylbenzene. Top contact OTFTs were fabricated by spin casting with 2 wt% solution of P1 in chloroform and their best performance, which exhibited a hole mobility of 4.5 x 10(-5) cm2/Vs, was showed after annealing of the films at liquid crystalline temperature. Time-of-flight (TOF) mobility measured at liquid crystalline phase was observed to be 1.5 x 10(-6) cm2/Vs for both positive and negative carriers. These results indicate that the liquid crystallinity helps to improve the molecular packing and enhance charge mobility for P1. These advantages can be applicable to design and construct solution-processable OTFT materials for electronic applications.