Nonclassical Attack on a Quantum Key Distribution System

The article is focused on research of an attack on the quantum key distribution system and proposes a countermeasure method. Particularly noteworthy is that this is not a classic attack on a quantum protocol. We describe an attack on the process of calibration. Results of the research show that quantum key distribution systems have vulnerabilities not only in the protocols, but also in other vital system components. The described type of attack does not affect the cryptographic strength of the received keys and does not point to the vulnerability of the quantum key distribution protocol. We also propose a method for autocompensating optical communication system development, which protects synchronization from unauthorized access. The proposed method is based on the use of sync pulses attenuated to a photon level in the process of detecting a time interval with a signal. The paper presents the results of experimental studies that show the discrepancies between the theoretical and real parameters of the system. The obtained data allow the length of the quantum channel to be calculated with high accuracy.     

New perspectives about molecular arrangement of primary and permanent dentin

The dentin quality of primary and permanent teeth was inspected by Fourier transformed Raman spectroscopy (FT-Raman); scanning electron microscopy/energy-dispersive spectroscopy (SEM/EDS) and hardness test. Middle dentin of crowns were reached by carbide bur abrading providing a uniform smear layer. Phosphoric acid was applied in order to simulate the etching of total etching adhesive systems. The groups were (n = 10): G1 (primary dentin smear layer); G2 (35% phosphoric acid etched primary dentin); G3 (permanent dentin smear layer); G4 (35% phosphoric acid etched permanent dentin). FT-Raman results were subjected to cluster analysis. SEM/EDS were made in order to add the data obtained by FT-Raman. The hardness data were subjected to ANOVA and Tukey test. FT-Raman showed differences among groups, either to organic or inorganic content. For the organic content, primary and permanent dentin became similar after the etching; conversely, the inorganic content showed differences for the two substrates. Hardness test showed no significant differences between primary and permanent dentin, before or after etching, but the etching decreased these values. The mineral content arrangement of primary dentin is different from permanent dentin, independently of the etching. The substrate type did no influence the hardness, but the etching decreased it.     

Schistosomicidal activity of the essential oil of Ageratum conyzoides L. (Asteraceae) against adult Schistosoma mansoni worms

The in vitro schistosomicidal effects of the essential oil of Ageratum conyzoides L. (Ac-EO) against adult worms of Schistosoma mansoni is reported in this paper. Concerning this activity, Ac-EO was considered to be active, but less effective than the positive control (praziquantel, PZQ) in terms of separation of coupled pairs, mortality, decrease in motor activity, and tegumental alterations. However, Ac-EO caused an interesting dose-dependent reduction in the number of eggs of S. mansoni. Precocene I (74.30%) and (E)-caryophyllene (14.23%) were identified as the two major constituents of Ac-EO. These compounds were tested individually and were found to be much less effective than Ac-EO and PZQ. A mixture of the two major compounds in a ratio similar to that found in the Ac-EO was also less effective than Ac-EO, thus revealing that there are no synergistic effects between these components. These results suggest that the essential oil of A. conyzoides is very promising for the development of new schistosomicidal agents.     

Theoretical Study of 2-(Trifluoromethyl)phenothiazine Derivatives with Two Hydroxyl Groups in the Side Chain-DFT and QTAIM Computations

Phenothiazines are known as synthetic antipsychotic drugs that exhibit a wide range of biological effects. Their properties result from the structure and variability of substituents in the heterocyclic system. It is known that different quantum chemical properties have a significant impact on drug behavior in the biological systems. Thus, due to the diversity in the chemical structure of phenothiazines as well as other drugs containing heterocyclic systems, quantum chemical calculations provide valuable methods in predicting their activity. In our study, DFT computations were applied to show some thermochemical parameters (bond dissociation enthalpy—BDE, ionization potential—IP, proton dissociation enthalpy—PDE, proton affinity—PA, and electrontransfer enthalpy—ETE) describing the process of releasing the hydrogen/proton from the hydroxyl group in the side chain of four 2-(trifluoromethyl)phenothiazine (TFMP) derivatives and fluphenazine (FLU). Additional theoretical analysis was carried out based on QTAIM theory. The results allowed theoretical determination of the ability of compounds to scavenge free radicals. In addition, the intramolecular hydrogen bond (H-bond) between the H-atom of the hydroxyl group and the N-atom located in the side chain of the investigated compounds has been identified and characterized.     

Luminescent Detection of ATP in Aqueous Solution Using Positively Charged CdSe–ZnS Quantum Dots

Commercially available CdSe–ZnS Quantum Dots (QDs) have been modified by exchanging the hydrophobic surface ligands with (2-mercaptoethyl)-trimethylammonium chloride. The resulting water soluble conjugate was titrated with solutions of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), adenosine diphosphate, adenosine monophosphate, guanosine triphosphate (GTP), guanosine diphosphate and guanosine monophosphate in 0.01 M 4-(2-hydroxyethyl)-1-piperazineethanesulfonic acid buffer (pH 7.4). A strong fluorescence quench of about 80% was observed for ATP, a quench of 25% was observed for GTP while the others had virtually no effect. The quenching effect of ATP and GTP was attributed to the high negative charge density associated with these substrate’s resulting in a strong attraction to the QD surface enabling them to engage in electron transfer with the excited QD. The lack of fluorescence quenching associated with the other nucleotides was most likely due to their reduced charge density resulting in a lower affinity for the QD surface.     

Correlation of p16(INK4A) expression and HPV copy number with cellular FTIR spectroscopic signatures of cervical cancer cells

Cervical cancer, a potentially preventable disease, has its main aetiology in infection by high risk human papillomavirus (HR-HPV). Approaches to improving cervical cancer screening and diagnostic methodologies include molecular biological analysis, targeting of biomarker proteins, but also exploration and implementation of new techniques such as vibrational spectroscopy. This study correlates the biomarker protein p16(INK4A) expression levels dependent on HPV copy number with the infrared absorption spectral signatures of the cervical cancer cell lines, HPV negative C33A, HPV-16 positive SiHa and CaSki and HPV-18 positive HeLa. Confocal fluorescence microscopy demonstrated that p16(INK4A) is expressed in all investigated cell lines in both nuclear and cytoplasmic regions, although predominantly in the cytoplasm. Flow cytometry was used to quantify the p16(INK4A) expression levels and demonstrated a correlation, albeit nonlinear, between the reported number of integrated HPV copies and p16(INK4A) expression levels. CaSki cells were found to have the highest level of expression, HeLa intermediate levels, and SiHa and C33A the lowest levels. FTIR spectra revealed differences in nucleic acid, lipid and protein signatures between the cell lines with varying HPV copy number. Peak intensities exhibited increasing tendency in nucleic acid levels and decreasing tendency in lipid levels with increasing HPV copy number, and although they were found to be nonlinearly correlated with the HPV copy number, their dependence on p16(INK4A) levels was found to be close to linear. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) of the infrared absorption spectra revealed differences between nuclear and cytoplasmic spectroscopic signatures for all cell lines, and furthermore clearly differentiated the groups of spectra representing each cell line. Finally, Partial Least Squares (PLS) analysis was employed to construct a model which can predict the p16(INK4A) expression level based on a spectral fingerprint of a cell line, demonstrating the diagnostic potential of spectroscopic techniques.     

Comparative Study of Alternating Low-band-Gap Benzothiadiazole Co-oligomers

The benzothiadiazole – arylene alternating conjugated oligomers have been designed and synthesized via Suzuki coupling reaction. The structures and properties of the conjugated oligomers were characterized by ¹HNMR, ¹³CNMR, UV–vis absorption spectroscopy, photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy. The luminescent measurements demonstrate that polybenzothiadiazoles are good chromophores able to form thin films by Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) technique, making them suitable for further applications. Also the electrical properties of obtained films confirm the good potential of these novel aryl-based π-conjugated polymers for the development of various electrical and electrochemical solid-state devices.     

A Chemometry of Aldrovanda vesiculosa L. (Waterwheel,Droseraceae) Populations

The genus Aldrovanda is a Palaeogene element containing a single extant species, Aldrovanda vesiculosa L. This aquatic carnivorous herb has a very wide range of distribution, natively covering four continents; however, it is a critically endangered aquatic plant species worldwide. Previous studies revealed that A. vesiculosa had an extremely low genetic variation. The main aim of the present paper is to explore, using chemometric tools, the diversity of 16 A. vesiculosa populations from various sites from four continents (Eurasia, Africa, Australia). Using chemometric data as markers for genetic diversity, we show the relationships of 16 A. vesiculosa populations from various sites, including four continents. Phytochemical markers allowed the identification of five well-supported (bootstrap > 90%) groups among the 16 populations sampled. The principal component analysis data support the idea that the strongly related African (Botswana) and Australian (Kimberley, NT, NW Australia) populations are the most distant ones, separated from the European and Asian ones. However, considering the five Australian populations sampled, three are nested within the Eurasian group. The chemometric data are correlated positively with the geographical distances between the samples, which suggests a tendency toward isolation for the most distant populations.     

Attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy of a single endothelial cell

Attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) with the use of a slide-on germanium accessory followed by chemometric analysis allowed for providing meaningful information about the biochemical composition of a single endothelial cell. In this work, the methodology of the ATR-FTIR measurements of dried cells and dried cells immersed in water solution is presented. The contact of the cell and Ge crystal was set up manually and monitored through the integration of the amide I band. Additionally, the cell imaging in transreflection mode was tested, but the spectral differences between sub-cellular structures were not prominent in the registered spectra. It has been shown that the ATR-FTIR method gives better results due to the increased spatial resolution and S/R ratio as well as small contribution of the optical artifacts.     

Zwitterionically modified hydroxypropylcellulose for biomedical applications

Novel polyelectrolytes have been synthesized by grafting sulfobetaine side chains onto hydroxypropylcellulose backbone. Polymers with various degrees of grafting have been obtained. The polymers do not interact with model anionic, cationic and zwitterionic surfactants as found in fluorescence studies using pyrene as a molecular probe. Dynamic light scattering (DLS) studies indicated that in the graft polymer solution two types of polymers are present. The films were formed from the grafted polymers. Using atomic force microscopy (AFM) technique it was found that they are resistant to the adhesion of proteins and can be used for the preparation of antiadhesive surfaces which may find biomedical applications.