Non-Hermitian control between absorption and transparency in perfect zero-reflection magnonics.

Recent works in metamaterials and transformation optics have demonstrated exotic properties in a number of open systems, including perfect absorption/transmission, electromagnetically induced transparency, cloaking or invisibility, etc. Meanwhile, non-Hermitian physics framework has been developed to describe the properties of open systems, however, most works related to this focus on the eigenstate properties with less attention paid to the reflection characteristics in complex frequency plane, despite the usefulness of zero-reflection (ZR) for applications. Here we demonstrate that the indirectly coupled two-magnon system not only exhibits non-Hermitian eigenmode hybridization, but also ZR states in complex frequency plane. The observed perfect-ZR (PZR) state, i.e., ZR with pure real frequency, is manifested as infinitely narrow reflection dips (~67 dB) with infinite group delay discontinuity. This reflection singularity of PZR distinguishes from the resonant eigenstates but can be adjusted on or off resonance with the eigenstates. Accordingly, the absorption and transmission can be flexibly tuned from nearly full absorption (NFA) to nearly full transmission (NFT) regions.

Transcriptome analysis reveals corresponding genes and key pathways involved in heat stress in Hu sheep.

Heat stress (HS) seriously affects animal performance. In view of global warming, it is essential to understand the regulatory mechanisms by which animals adapt to heat stress. In this study, our aim was to explore the genes and pathways involved in heat stress in sheep. To this end, we used transcriptome analysis to understand the molecular responses to heat stress and thereby identify means to protect sheep from heat shock. To obtain an overview of the effects of heat stress on sheep, we used the hypothalamus for transcriptome sequencing and identified differentially expressed genes (DEGs; false discovery rate (FDR) < 0.01; fold change > 2) during heat stress. A total of 1423 DEGs (1122 upregulated and 301 downregulated) were identified and classified into Gene Ontology (GO) categories and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways. Heat stress triggered dramatic and complex alterations in gene expression in the hypothalamus. We hypothesized that heat stress induced apoptosis and dysfunction in cells and vital organs and affected growth, development, reproduction, and circadian entrainment via the calcium signaling pathway, which influences ribosome assembly and function. Real-time PCR was used to evaluate the expression of the genes regulating important biological functions or whose expression profiles were significantly changed after acute heat stress (FDR < 0.01; fold change > 4), and the results showed that the expression patterns of these genes were consistent with the results of transcriptome sequencing, indicating that the credibility of the sequencing results. Our data indicated that heat stress induced calcium dyshomeostasis, blocked biogenesis, caused ROS accumulation, impaired the antioxidant system and innate defense, and induced apoptosis through the P53 signaling pathway activated by PEG3, decreased growth and development, and enhanced organ damage. These data is very important and helpful to elucidate the molecular mechanism of heat stress and finally to find ways to deal with heat stress damage in sheep.

Molecular characterization, expression, polymorphism of NR5A2 and its relationship with litter size in Hu sheep.

NR5A2 has been implicated in processes as diverse as steroidogenesis, cellular proliferation, ovarian follicular development, ovulation, and fertility in mammals. However, data about the relationship between NR5A2 and prolificacy in mammals are lacking. In the present study, we identified and characterized NR5A2 of Hu sheep, and investigated the correlation between NR5A2 and reproductive performance. The full-length coding region was 1488 bp, and the gene was conserved in mammals. We found a positive correlation between NR5A2 mRNA levels in the ovary and the ovulation rate and litter size of Hu sheep. We detected two single nucleotide polymorphisms (T40C and T1419C) in the coding sequence of NR5A2. At the third and average parity, litter size of Hu ewes with CC genotype at T40C locus was larger than those of ewes with TT or TC genotypes; at the T1419C locus, Hu ewes with TT genotype was greater than those of ewes with CC genotype at the third parity. Our findings demonstrated that NR5A2 was associated with reproductive performance in Hu sheep, a high prolificacy breed.

Pelvic angiography and the diagnosis of carcinoma of the uterine cervix.

The hospital records and pelvic arteriograms of 31 patients with suspected, persistent or recurrent carcinoma of the uterine cervix were reviewed. The method used was found to be highly accurate in diagnosing and localizing tumors and was considered most helpful in suspected pelvic wall recurrences. Tumor encasement of the vessels can be mimicked by perivascular, postoperative and post radiation fibrosis. Tumor vessels and tumor stain are the better angiographic indicators of the presence of recurrent or persistent disease.

Transitional cell tumors of the kidney: how diagnostic is the angiogram?

Angiograms of 51 tests cases including 34 transitional cell carcinomas, eight inflammatory lesions, four hypernephromas, and five miscellaneous disorders were shown to six radiologists for analysis of the angiographic features and specific diagnosis. Overall accuracy was 60% with a false positive rate of 44%. The most common false positive diagnosis occurred with inflammatory lesions (seven of eight). False negative cases were variously called normal, hypernephromas, inflammatory, or other. Vessel encasement (26%), neovascularity (56%), and tumor blush (15%) were recognized far less frequently in the transitional cell tumors of this series than in previous reports in the literature. Further, when hydronephorsis was present, the angiogram was not helpful in determining the etiology. It is concluded that the "classic" angiographic findings associated with this tumor are only moderately reliable since they can be mimicked by other conditions.

Minilaparotomy as an aid to diagnosing liver disease.

A series of 168 patients who underwent minilaparotomy was analyzed. Twenty of these patients underwent omentoportography only and 148, open transhepatic cholangiogram. Diagnosis was obtained in 92 per cent of those undergoing evaluation of jaundice, and cholangiography was successful in 99 per cent of those with dilated ducts and in 91 per cent of the over-all group. tthe complications of the procedure have been infrequent and have included sepsis, wound infection and renal failure and, early in the series, bile leak and bleeding. The relative merits of this procedure compared with those percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography and endoscopic retrograde cholangiography were evaluated.

Testicular venography in the nonpalpable testis.

Localization and identification of a nonpalpable testis can be done accurately by testicular venography. The identification of the pampiniform plexus is essential to the localization of the testis by this method. We evaluated 15 patients 3-39 years of age with 21 nonpalpable testes. Fourteen successful testicular venograms were performed showing four retroperitoneal testes, four testes within the inguinal canal, and two testes located in the superficial inguinal pouch. Three nonpalpable testes were thought to be due to true agenesis, and one venogram was performed after prior surgical removal of the testis. Catheterization of the left testicular vein was accomplished with greater ease and accuracy (79%) to the right side (42%).

Epinephrine in the angiographic evaluation of experimental kidney trauma.

Selective nephroangiography was performed in the dog following percutaneous needle biopsy to evaluate epinephrine response. Traumatized vessels respond normally to epinephrine, often with increased extravasation as the vessel recovers from epinephrine. A selective inability of the traumatized vessel to constrict was not noted.