Continuous variable entanglement on a chip

Encoding quantum information in continuous variables (CV)---as the quadrature of electromagnetic fields---is a powerful approach to quantum information science and technology. CV entanglement---light beams in Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen (EPR) states---is a key resource for quantum information protocols; and enables hybridisation between CV and single photon discrete variable (DV) qubit systems. However, CV systems are currently limited by their implementation in free-space optical networks: increased complexity, low loss, high-precision alignment and stability, as well as hybridisation, demand an alternative approach. Here we show an integrated photonic implementation of the key capabilities for CV quantum technologies---generation and characterisation of EPR beams in a photonic chip. Combined with integrated squeezing and non-Gaussian operation, these results open the way to universal quantum information processing with light

Rapid Growth of Dermatofibrosarcoma Protuberans Associated with Bilateral Adrenalectomy for Cushing's Syndrome

We describe a 50-year-old Japanese patient with dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans (DFSP) rapidly growing after bilateral adrenalectomy for Cushing's syndrome that reduced the serum level of cortisol from 17.1 to 0.8 mg/dl. It is known that glucocorticoids decrease the transcriptions of the COL1A1 gene and the PDGFB gene, which is under the direct control of the COL1A1 gene in most DFSP. Therefore, the hypersecretion of glucocorticoids in Cushing's syndrome might suppress the development of DFSP. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case of rapid growth of DFSP that may be associated with bilateral adrenalectomy for Cushing's syndrome

Myeloid Sarcoma in a One-Month-Old Infant

Myeloid sarcoma, which sometimes accompanies recurrent systemic leukemia, is a rare manifestation of congenital leukemia. We describe the case of a 1-month-old Japanese girl with myeloid sarcoma, who did not fulfill the criteria of systemic leukemia. The physical examination revealed a bruise-like plaque on the right side of her chest. Histopathologically, there were CD4+ CD56– CD68+ atypical large lymphocytes densely infiltrating the upper dermis and the subcutaneous tissue. Biopsy specimens from bone marrow contained only 3.4% of blast cells, showing an abnormality of the mixed-lineage leukemia gene. The skin lesions disappeared 10 days after chemotherapy, and there was no recurrence for one and a half years

Ultraviolet Radiation-Induced Impairment of Tumor Rejection Is Enhanced in Xeroderma Pigmentosum A Gene-Deficient Mice

Xeroderma pigmentosum (XP)A gene-deficient mice display dermatologic abnormalities similar to human XP, such as enhanced ultraviolet (UV)-induced acute inflammation and high incidence of UVB-induced skin cancer. We have previously reported that UVB-induced immunosuppression of contact hypersensitivity was greatly enhanced in XPA mice. In the present study, we examined the effects of UVB radiation on tumor rejection in XPA mice. Tumor cells established from UVB-induced squamous cell carcinoma in XPA mice were injected subcutaneously. No difference in the development of tumors was observed between the non-irradiated XPA and wild-type mice. Tumors developed, grew in size, and reached the maximum at 7–10 d after the inoculation. Thereafter, all tumors decreased in size and were completely rejected by 4 wk in both strains of mice. When tumor cells were inoculated into the skin that had been irradiated with 50–150 mJ per cm2 of UVB, tumor grew in 60% (12 of 20) of the XPA mice, but only in 4% (one of 23) of wild-type mice. Phenotyping of tumor-infiltrating cells revealed that the migration of natural killer cells and CD8(+) T cells was inhibited in UVB-irradiated XPA mice. These data suggest that enhanced UVB-induced impairment of tumor rejection could be partially involved in the cancer development of XP patients

Spatio-temporal structures in sheared polymer systems

We investigate spatio-temporal structures in sheared polymer systems by solving a time-dependent Ginzburg-Landau model in two dimensions. (i) In polymer solutions above the coexistence curve, crossover from linear to nonlinear regimes occurs with increasing the shear rate. In the nonlinear regime the solution behaves chaotically with large-amplitude composition fluctuations. A characteristic heterogeneity length is calculated in the nonlinear regime. (ii) We also study dynamics of shear-band structures in wormlike micellar solutions under the condition of fixed stress. The average shear rate exhibits large temporal fluctuations with occurrence of large disturbances in the spatial structures.Comment: 16pages, 10figures, to be published in Physica

Muscle Atrophy and Motor Neuron Degeneration in Human NEDL1 Transgenic Mice

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is the most frequent adult-onset motor neuron disease. Approximately 20% cases of familial ALS show the mutation in the superoxide dismutase-1 (SOD1) gene. We previously demonstrated that homologue to E6AP carboxyl terminus- (HECT-) type ubiquitin protein E3 ligase (NEDL1) physically bind to mutated SOD1 protein but not wild-type SOD1 and promote the degradation of mutated SOD1 protein through ubiquitin-mediated proteasome pathway. To further understand the role of NEDL1 involved in the pathogenesis of familial ALS, we generated transgenic mice with human NEDL1 cDNA. The transgenic mice with human NEDL1 expression showed motor dysfunctions in rotarod, hanging wire, and footprint pattern examination. Histological studies indicated degeneration of neurons in the lumbar spinal cord and muscle atrophy. The number of activated microglia in the spinal cord of transgenic mice was significantly higher than that of wild-type mice, suggesting that inflammation might be observed in the spinal cord of transgenic mice. In conclusion, these findings suggest that the human NEDL1 transgenic mice might develop ALS-like symptoms, showing signs of motor abnormalities, accompanied with significant reduction in muscle strength