Measurement device hacking-free mutual quantum identity authentication over a deployed optical fiber.

Quantum identity authentication serves as a crucial technology for secure quantum communication, but its security often faces challenges due to quantum hacking of measurement devices. This study introduces a measurement-device-independent mutual quantum identity authentication (MDI MQIA) scheme capable of ensuring secure user authentication, despite the use of measurement devices vulnerable to quantum hacking. To realize the MDI MQIA scheme, we proposed and applied a modified Bell state measurement based on linear optics, enabling the probabilistic measurement of all Bell states. Furthermore, the proposed experimental setup adopted a plug-and-play architecture, thus efficiently establishing the indistinguishability of two photons prepared by the communication members. Finally, we successfully performed a proof-of-principle experimental demonstration of the proposed scheme using a field-deployed fiber, achieving quantum bit error rates of less than 3%.

Plug-and-play QKD architecture with a self-optical pulse train generator.

The commercialization of quantum key distribution (QKD), which enables secure communication even in the era of quantum computers, has acquired significant interest. In particular, plug-and-play (PnP) QKD has garnered considerable attention owing to its advantage in system stabilization. However, a PnP QKD system has limitations on miniaturization owing to a bulky storage line (SL) of tens of kilometers. And, the secure key rate is relatively low because Bob transmits the signal pulses only at the dedicated time slots to circumvent backscattering noise. This study proposes a new method that can eliminate the SL by realizing an optical pulse train generator based on an optical cavity structure. Our method allows Alice to generate optical pulse trains herself by duplicating Bob's seed pulse and excludes the need for Bob's strong signal pulses that trigger backscattering noise as much as the conventional PnP QKD. Accordingly, our method can naturally overcome the miniaturization limitation and the slow secure key rate, as the storage line is no longer necessary. We conducted a proof-of-concept experiment using our method and achieved a key generation rate of 1.6×10-3 count/pulse and quantum bit error rate ≤ 5%.

Remifentanil induces autophagy and prevents hydrogen peroxide-induced apoptosis in Cos-7 cells.

BACKGROUND: This study investigated the effect of remifentanil pretreatment on Cos-7 cells exposed to oxidative stress, and the influence of remifentanil on intracellular autophagy and apoptotic cell death. METHODS: Cells were divided into 4 groups: (1) Control: non-pretreated cells were incubated in normoxia (5% CO2, 21% O2, and 74% N2). (2) H2O2: non-pretreated cells were exposed to H2O2 for 24 h. (3) RPC+H2O2: cells pretreated with remifentanil were exposed to H2O2 for 24 h. (4) 3-MA+RPC+H2O2: cells pretreated with 3-Methyladenine (3-MA) and remifentanil were exposed to H2O2 for 24 h. We determined the cell viability of each group using an MTT assay. Hoechst staining and FACS analysis of Cos-7 cells were performed to observe the effect of remifentanil on apoptosis. Autophagy activation was determined by fluorescence microscopy, MDC staining, and AO staining. The expression of autophagy-related proteins was observed using western blotting. RESULTS: Remifentanil pretreatment increased the viability of Cos-7 cells exposed to oxidative stress. Hoechst staining and FACS analysis revealed that oxidative stress-dependent apoptosis was suppressed by the pretreatment. Additionally, fluorescence microscopy showed that remifentanil pretreatment led to autophagy-induction in Cos-7 cells, and the expression of autophagy-related proteins was increased in the RPC+H2O2 group. CONCLUSIONS: The study showed that remifentanil pretreatment stimulated autophagy and increased viability in an oxidative stress model of Cos-7 cells. Therefore, we suggest that apoptosis was activated upon oxidative stress, and remifentanil preconditioning increased the survival rate of the cells by activating autophagy.

Gouleako and Herbert viruses in pigs, Republic of Korea, 2013.

Several viruses in the family Bunyaviridae are pathogenic to animals and cause vector-borne zoonoses. In 2013, investigation of cause of death of 9 pigs on 1 farm in the Republic of Korea found infection with Gouleako and Herbert viruses. Subsequent investigation revealed high prevalence of these viruses among pigs throughout the country.

Reverse freeze casting: a new method for fabricating highly porous titanium scaffolds with aligned large pores.

Highly porous titanium with aligned large pores up to 500 µm in size, which is suitable for scaffold applications, was successfully fabricated using the reverse freeze casting method. In this process we have newly developed, the Ti powders migrated spontaneously along the pre-aligned camphene boundaries at a temperature of 45.5°C and formed a titanium-camphene mixture with an aligned structure; this was followed by freeze drying and sintering. As the casting time increased from 24 to 48 h, the initial columnar structures turned into lamellar structures, with the porosity decreasing from 69 to 51%. This reduction in porosity caused the compressive yield strength to increase from 121 to 302 MPa, with an elastic modulus of the samples being in the range of 2-5 GPa. In addition, it was demonstrated that reverse freeze casting can also be successfully applied to various other raw powders, suggesting that the method developed in this work opens up new avenues for the production of a range of porous metallic and ceramic scaffolds with highly aligned pores.