78 research outputs found
Pulsed force sequences for fast phase-insensitive quantum gates in trapped ions
We show how to create quantum gates of arbitrary speed between trapped ions,
using a laser walking wave, with complete insensitivity to drift of the optical
phase, and requiring cooling only to the Lamb-Dicke regime. We present pulse
sequences that satisfy the requirements and are easy to produce in the
laboratory.Comment: 11 pages, 3 figure
Long-lived mesoscopic entanglement outside the Lamb-Dicke regime
We create entangled states of the spin and motion of a single Ca
ion in a linear ion trap. The motional part consists of coherent states of
large separation and long coherence time. The states are created by driving the
motion using counterpropagating laser beams. We theoretically study and
experimentally observe the behaviour outside the Lamb-Dicke regime, where the
trajectory in phase space is modified and the coherent states become squeezed.
We directly observe the modification of the return time of the trajectory, and
infer the squeezing. The mesoscopic entanglement is observed up to with coherence time 170 microseconds and mean phonon excitation
\nbar = 16.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figures. Revised version after editor comment
Deterministic entanglement and tomography of ion spin qubits
We have implemented a universal quantum logic gate between qubits stored in
the spin state of a pair of trapped calcium 40 ions. An initial product state
was driven to a maximally entangled state deterministically, with 83% fidelity.
We present a general approach to quantum state tomography which achieves good
robustness to experimental noise and drift, and use it to measure the spin
state of the ions. We find the entanglement of formation is 0.54.Comment: 3 figures, 4 pages, footnotes fixe
Epitope-dependent Selection of Highly Restricted or Diverse T Cell Receptor Repertoires in Response to Persistent Infection by Epstein-Barr Virus
The T cell receptor (TCR) repertoires of cytotoxic responses to the immunodominant and subdominant HLA A11ārestricted epitopes in the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) nuclear antigen-4 were investigated in four healthy virus carriers. The response to the subdominant epitope (EBNA4 399-408, designated AVF) was highly restricted with conserved VĪ² usage and identical length and amino acid motifs in the third complementarity-determining regions (CDR3), while a broad repertoire using different combinations of TCR-Ī±/Ī² V and J segments and CDR3 regions was selected by the immunodominant epitope (EBNA4 416-424, designated IVT). Distinct patterns of interaction with the A11āpeptide complex were revealed for each AVF- or IVT-specific TCR clonotype by alanine scanning mutagenesis analysis. Blocking of cytotoxic function by antibodies specific for the CD8 coreceptor indicated that, while AVF-specific TCRs are of high affinity, the oligoclonal response to the IVT epitope includes both low- and high-affinity TCRs. Thus, comparison of the memory response to two epitopes derived from the same viral antigen and presented through the same MHC class I allele suggests that immunodominance may correlate with the capacity to maintain a broad TCR repertoire
Keeping a Single Qubit Alive by Experimental Dynamic Decoupling
We demonstrate the use of dynamic decoupling techniques to extend the
coherence time of a single memory qubit by nearly two orders of magnitude. By
extending the Hahn spin-echo technique to correct for unknown, arbitrary
polynomial variations in the qubit precession frequency, we show analytically
that the required sequence of pi-pulses is identical to the Uhrig dynamic
decoupling (UDD) sequence. We compare UDD and CPMG sequences applied to a
single Ca-43 trapped-ion qubit and find that they afford comparable protection
in our ambient noise environment.Comment: 5 pages, 5 figure
Time-separated entangled light pulses from a single-atom emitter
The controlled interaction between a single, trapped, laser-driven atom and
the mode of a high-finesse optical cavity allows for the generation of
temporally separated, entangled light pulses. Entanglement between the
photon-number fluctuations of the pulses is created and mediated via the atomic
center-of-mass motion, which is interfaced with light through the mechanical
effect of atom-photon interaction. By means of a quantum noise analysis we
determine the correlation matrix which characterizes the entanglement, as a
function of the system parameters. The scheme is feasible in experimentally
accessible parameter regimes. It may be easily extended to the generation of
entangled pulses at different frequencies, even at vastly different
wavelengths.Comment: 17 pages, 5 figures. Modified version, to appear in the New Journal
of Physic
Fabrication and heating rate study of microscopic surface electrode ion traps
We report heating rate measurements in a microfabricated gold-on-sapphire
surface electrode ion trap with trapping height of approximately 240 micron.
Using the Doppler recooling method, we characterize the trap heating rates over
an extended region of the trap. The noise spectral density of the trap falls in
the range of noise spectra reported in ion traps at room temperature. We find
that during the first months of operation the heating rates increase by
approximately one order of magnitude. The increase in heating rates is largest
in the ion loading region of the trap, providing a strong hint that surface
contamination plays a major role for excessive heating rates. We discuss data
found in the literature and possible relation of anomalous heating to sources
of noise and dissipation in other systems, namely impurity atoms adsorbed on
metal surfaces and amorphous dielectrics.Comment: 17 pages, 5 figure
Towards nationally curated data archives for clinical radiology image analysis at scale: Learnings from national data collection in response to a pandemic
The prevalence of the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 disease has resulted in the unprecedented collection of health data to support research. Historically, coordinating the collation of such datasets on a national scale has been challenging to execute for several reasons, including issues with data privacy, the lack of data reporting standards, interoperable technologies, and distribution methods. The coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 disease pandemic has highlighted the importance of collaboration between government bodies, healthcare institutions, academic researchers and commercial companies in overcoming these issues during times of urgency. The National COVID-19 Chest Imaging Database, led by NHSX, British Society of Thoracic Imaging, Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust and Faculty, is an example of such a national initiative. Here, we summarise the experiences and challenges of setting up the National COVID-19 Chest Imaging Database, and the implications for future ambitions of national data curation in medical imaging to advance the safe adoption of artificial intelligence in healthcare
Prolonged mitotic arrest induces a caspase-dependent DNA damage response at telomeres that determines cell survival
A delay in the completion of metaphase induces a stress response that inhibits further cell proliferation or induces apoptosis. This response is thought to protect against genomic instability and is important for the effects of anti-mitotic cancer drugs. Here, we show that mitotic arrest induces a caspase-dependent DNA damage response (DDR) at telomeres in non-apoptotic cells. This pathway is under the control of Mcl-1 and other Bcl-2 family proteins and requires caspase-9, caspase-3/7 and the endonuclease CAD/DFF40. The gradual caspase-dependent loss of the shelterin complex protein TRF2 from telomeres promotes a DDR that involves DNA-dependent protein kinase (DNA-PK). Suppression of mitotic telomere damage by enhanced expression of TRF2, or the inhibition of either caspase-3/7 or DNA-PK during mitotic arrest, promotes subsequent cell survival. Thus, we demonstrate that mitotic stress is characterised by the sub-apoptotic activation of a classical caspase pathway, which promotes telomere deprotection, activates DNA damage signalling, and determines cell fate in response to a prolonged delay in mitosis
Pre-M Phase-promoting Factor Associates with Annulate Lamellae in Xenopus Oocytes and Egg Extracts
We have used complementary biochemical and in vivo approaches to study the compartmentalization of M phase-promoting factor (MPF) in prophase Xenopus eggs and oocytes. We first examined the distribution of MPF (Cdc2/CyclinB2) and membranous organelles in high-speed extracts of Xenopus eggs made during mitotic prophase. These extracts were found to lack mitochondria, Golgi membranes, and most endoplasmic reticulum (ER) but to contain the bulk of the pre-MPF pool. This pre-MPF could be pelleted by further centrifugation along with components necessary to activate it. On activation, Cdc2/CyclinB2 moved into the soluble fraction. Electron microscopy and Western blot analysis showed that the pre-MPF pellet contained a specific ER subdomain comprising "annulate lamellae" (AL): stacked ER membranes highly enriched in nuclear pores. Colocalization of pre-MPF with AL was demonstrated by anti-CyclinB2 immunofluorescence in prophase oocytes, in which AL are positioned close to the vegetal surface. Green fluorescent protein-CyclinB2 expressed in oocytes also localized at AL. These data suggest that inactive MPF associates with nuclear envelope components just before activation. This association may explain why nuclei and centrosomes stimulate MPF activation and provide a mechanism for targeting of MPF to some of its key substrates
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