Proton pump inhibitors increase the severity of hepatic encephalopathy in cirrhotic patients.

Background: Liver cirrhosis is the late stage of hepatic fibrosis and is characterized by portal hypertension that can clinically lead to decompensation in the form of ascites, esophageal/gastric varices or encephalopathy. The most common sequelae associated with liver cirrhosis are neurologic and neuropsychiatric impairments labeled as hepatic encephalopathy (HE). Well established triggers for HE include infection, gastrointestinal bleeding, constipation, and medications.

Protection of centre spin coherence by dynamic nuclear spin polarization in diamond.

We experimentally investigate the protection of electron spin coherence of a nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centre in diamond by dynamic nuclear spin polarization (DNP). The electron spin decoherence of an NV centre is caused by the magnetic field fluctuation of the (13)C nuclear spin bath, which contributes large thermal fluctuation to the centre electron spin when it is in an equilibrium state at room temperature. To address this issue, we continuously transfer the angular momentum from electron spin to nuclear spins, and pump the nuclear spin bath to a polarized state under the Hartmann-Hahn condition.

Room-temperature quantum cloning machine with full coherent phase control in nanodiamond.

In contrast to the classical world, an unknown quantum state cannot be cloned ideally, as stated by the no-cloning theorem. However, it is expected that approximate or probabilistic quantum cloning will be necessary for different applications, and thus various quantum cloning machines have been designed. Phase quantum cloning is of particular interest because it can be used to attack the Bennett-Brassard 1984 (BB84) states used in quantum key distribution for secure communications.

Photocatalytic pretreatment of oily wastewater from the restaurant by a vacuum ultraviolet/TiO2 system.

The present study aims at investigating the performance of a vacuum ultraviolet (VUV, 185 nm) and TiO(2) oxidation system for the pretreatment of oily wastewater from restaurant. The influence of irradiation time, pH, dissolved oxygen (DO), the dosage of TiO(2) and the initial chemical oxygen demand (COD) concentration on COD removal efficiency was ascertained and optimum process conditions for stable and effective operation were determined. Under the optimum conditions of irradiation 10 min, initial COD 3981 mg/L, TiO(2) 150 mg/L, pH 7.

[Degradation characteristics of bromoamine acid by Sphingomonas sp. FL].

A bacterial strain that could degrade bromoamine acid (BAA) as the sole carbon source was isolated. It was identified as Sphingomonas sp. based on 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis and physio-biochemical characteristics.

[Isolation, identification and degradation characteristics of a quinoline-degrading bacterium Rhodococcus sp QL2].

A quinoline-degrading bacterium QL2, which utilizes quinoline as sole source of carbon, nitrogen and energy, was isolated from activated sludge in a coke-plant wastewater biological treatment system. According to the morphological characteristics, physiological and biochemical characteristics, and sequence analysis of 16S rRNA, the strain was identified as Rhodococcus sp..

Degradation of quinoline by Rhodococcus sp. QL2 isolated from activated sludge.

A novel aerobic gram-positive bacterial strain capable of utilizing quinoline as sole source of carbon, nitrogen and energy was isolated from activated sludge of a coke plant wastewater treatment process. The isolate was identified as Rhodococcus sp. QL2 based on its morphology, physiochemical properties in addition to the results from 16S rDNA sequence analysis.