Quantum receiver beyond the standard quantum limit of coherent optical communication

The most efficient modern optical communication is known as coherent communication and its standard quantum limit (SQL) is almost reachable with current technology. Though it has been predicted for a long time that this SQL could be overcome via quantum mechanically optimized receivers, such a performance has not been experimentally realized so far. Here we demonstrate the first unconditional evidence surpassing the SQL of coherent optical communication. We implement a quantum receiver with a simple linear optics configuration and achieve more than 90% of the total detection efficiency of the system. Such an efficient quantum receiver will provide a new way of extending the distance of amplification-free channels, as well as of realizing quantum information protocols based on coherent states and the loophole-free test of quantum mechanics.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figure

Allopregnanolone suppresses mechanical allodynia and internalization of neurokinin-1 receptors at the spinal dorsal horn in a rat postoperative pain model

BackgroundTo identify a new strategy for postoperative pain management, we investigated the analgesic effects of allopregnanolone (Allo) in an incisional pain model, and also assessed its effects on the activities of the primary afferent fibers at the dorsal horn.MethodsIn experiment 1, 45 rats were assigned to Control, Allo small-dose (0.16 mg/kg), and Allo large-dose (1.6 mg/kg) groups (n = 15 in each). The weight bearing and mechanical withdrawal thresholds of the hind limb were measured before and at 2, 24, 48, and 168 h after Brennan\u27s surgery. In experiment 2, 16 rats were assigned to Control and Allo (0.16 mg/kg) groups (n = 8 in each). The degree of spontaneous pain was measured using the grimace scale after the surgery. Activities of the primary afferent fibers in the spinal cord (L6) were evaluated using immunohistochemical staining.ResultsIn experiment 1, the withdrawal threshold of the Allo small-dose group was significantly higher than that of the Control group at 2 h after surgery. Intergroup differences in weight bearing were not significant. In experiment 2, intergroup differences in the grimace scale scores were not significant. Substance P release in the Allo (0.16 mg/kg) group was significantly lower than that in the Control group.ConclusionsSystemic administration of Allo inhibited mechanical allodynia and activities of the primary afferent fibers at the dorsal horn in a rat postoperative pain model. Allo was proposed as a candidate for postoperative pain management

Nuclear translocation of the cytoplasmic domain of HB-EGF induces gastric cancer invasion

BACKGROUND: Membrane-anchored heparin-binding epidermal growth factor-like growth factor (proHB-EGF) yields soluble HB-EGF, which is an epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) ligand, and a carboxy-terminal fragment of HB-EGF (HB-EGF-CTF) after ectodomain shedding. We previously reported that HB-EGF-CTF and unshed proHB-EGF which has the cytoplasmic domain of proHB-EGF (HB-EGF-C), translocate from the plasma membrane to the nucleus and regulate cell cycle after shedding stimuli. However, the significance of nuclear exported HB-EGF-C in human gastric cancer is unclear. METHODS: We investigated the relationship between intracellular localization of HB-EGF-C and clinical outcome in 96 gastric cancer patients treated with gastrectomy. Moreover, we established stable gastric cancer cell lines overexpressing wild-type HB-EGF (wt-HB-EGF) and mutated HB-EGF (HB-EGF-mC), which prevented HB-EGF-C nuclear translocation after shedding. Cell motility between these 2 gastric cancer cell lines was investigated using a transwell invasion assay and a wound healing assay. RESULTS: Of the 96 gastric cancer cases, HB-EGF-C immunoreactivity was detected in both the nucleus and cytoplasm in 19 cases (19.8 %) and in the cytoplasm only in 25 cases (26.0 %). The nuclear immunoreactivity of HB-EGF-C was significantly increased in stage pT3/4 tumors compared with pT1/2 tumors (T1/2 vs. T3/4: 11.1 % vs. 36.4 %, P < 0.01). The growth of wt-HB-EGF- and HB-EGF-mC-expressing cells significantly increased compared with control cells, but the growth of HB-EGF-mC-expressing cells was significantly decreased compared with wt-HB-EGF-expressing cells. Gastric cancer cell invasion obviously increased in wt-HB-EGF-expressing cells, but invasion in HB-EGF-mC-expressing cells showed a slight increase compared with control cells. Moreover, wt-HB-EGF overexpression increased the effectiveness of wound healing, but had no significant effect in HB-EGF-mC-expressing cells. CONCLUSIONS: Both the function of HB-EGF as an EGFR ligand and a novel signal for HB-EGF-C nuclear translocation induce gastric cancer growth, whereas HB-EGF-C nuclear translocation independently plays a critical role in gastric cancer invasion. The present study demonstrated that HB-EGF-C nuclear translocation might be crucial in gastric cancer invasion. HB-EGF-C nuclear translocation may offer a prognostic marker and a new molecular target for gastric cancer therapy

Clinical Findings on Fibroblast Activation Protein in Patients with Gastric Cancer

Human fibroblast activation protein (FAP) is a 97-kDa surface glycoprotein expressed in tumor-associated fibroblasts. In this study, we immunohistochemically examined FAP levels in surgically resected gastric carcinomas and explored their association with clini-copathological findings and prognosis. Sections of paraffin-embedded specimens were obtained from 100 patients with advanced gastric cancer between 1989 and 2001 at our institution, and they were stained with an anti-FAP antibody. Expression of FAP was detected in 64 patients (64%). Lymphatic vessel invasion was observed in 90% of FAP-positive patients (P = 0.015). Blood vessel invasion was observed in 98% of FAP-positive patients (P < 0.001). The disease-specific 5-year survival rate of in the 64 patients with FAP-positive tumors (22%) was significantly lower than in the 36 patients with FAP-negative tumors (34%, P = 0.036). This indicates that vessel invasion is connected with the expression of FAP and that a positive finding of FAP confer a worse prognosis in the patients with gastric cancer

Retardagraphy: a technique for optical recording of the retardance pattern of an optical anisotropic object on a polarization-sensitive film using a single beam

A technique that employs a single laser beam is proposed for recording the retardance of an optical anisotropic object. The retardance pattern is converted into a polarization pattern using a quarter-wave plate and recorded on a polarization-sensitive medium. The recording medium is illuminated by homogeneous polarized light, and the light transmitted by the recording medium is analyzed to reconstruct the recorded retardance pattern

GDNF-inducible zinc finger protein 1 is a sequence-specific transcriptional repressor that binds to the HOXA10 gene regulatory region

The RET tyrosine kinase receptor and its ligand, glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) are critical regulators of renal and neural development. It has been demonstrated that RET activates a variety of downstream signaling cascades, including the RAS/mitogen-activated protein kinase and phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase(PI3-K)/AKT pathways. However, nuclear targets specific to RET-triggered signaling still remain elusive. We have previously identified a novel zinc finger protein, GZF1, whose expression is induced during GDNF/RET signaling and may play a role in renal branching morphogenesis. Here, we report the DNA binding property of GZF1 and its potential target gene. Using the cyclic amplification and selection of targets technique, the consensus DNA sequence to which GZF1 binds was determined. This sequence was found in the 5′ regulatory region of the HOXA10 gene. Electrophoretic mobility shift assay revealed that GZF1 specifically binds to the determined consensus sequence and suppresses transcription of the luciferase gene from the HOXA10 gene regulatory element. These findings thus suggest that GZF1 may regulate the spatial and temporal expression of the HOXA10 gene which plays a role in morphogenesis

Laparoscopy-Assisted Pylorus-Preserving Gastrectomy for Treating Early Gastric Cancer

Laparoscopy-assisted pylorus-preserving gastrectomy (LAPPG) with lymphadenectomy has been used for treating early gastric cancer located in the middle-third of the stomach. However, firm evidence supporting its safety and usefulness is scant. This study examined 24 and 10 gastric adenocarcinoma patients who had undergone conventional pylorus-preserving gastrectomy (CPPG) and LAPPG, respectively, at our institution. Operation time for LAPPG (362.8 ± 49.6 min) was significantly longer than that for CPPG (221.9 ± 50.0 min; P = 0.04). Estimated blood loss with LAPPG (127.5 ± 91.2 mL) was not significantly different from that with CPPG (167.9 ± 149.9 mL; P = 0.44). Total number of resected lymph nodes was 26.3 ± 9.5 and 21.3 ± 10.8 with LAPPG and CPPG, respectively, with no statistically significant difference. C-reactive protein in serum on postoperative day 1 was significantly lower in the LAPPG than in the CPPG group (5.3 ± 1.7 mg/dL versus 7.8 ± 3.6 mg/dL; P = 0.049). The requirement for analgesia after surgery was more frequent in the CPPG than in the LAPPG group (3.7 ± 2.0 versus 2.2 ± 1.7; P = 0.04). Time to first flatus was shorter in the LAPPG than in the CPPG group (1.9 ± 0.9 days versus 3.1 ± 0.9 days; P = 0.0006). Postoperative hospital stay was significantly shorter in the LAPPG than in the CPPG group (12.0 ± 4.0 days versus 23.0 ± 10.7days; P = 0.0036). With regard to postoperative complications, stasis was observed more frequently in the CPPG (33.3%) than in the LAPPG (10%) group. In conclusion, patients treated by LAPPG showed a comparable quality of surgical operation compared with those treated by CPPG

Scirrhous Gastric Cancer: Therapeutic Strategy

The prognosis of patients with scirrhous gastric cancer is extremely poor. The management protocol for this type of cancer has not well been documented. In this paper, recent therapeutic outcomes of this type of gastric cancer are reviewed, and we introduce a new treatment protocol for scirrhous gastric cancer