Probabilistic cloning with supplementary information

We consider probabilistic cloning of a state chosen from a mutually nonorthogonal set of pure states, with the help of a party holding supplementary information in the form of pure states. When the number of states is 2, we show that the best efficiency of producing m copies is always achieved by a two-step protocol in which the helping party first attempts to produce m-1 copies from the supplementary state, and if it fails, then the original state is used to produce m copies. On the other hand, when the number of states exceeds two, the best efficiency is not always achieved by such a protocol. We give examples in which the best efficiency is not achieved even if we allow any amount of one-way classical communication from the helping party.Comment: 6 pages, no figure

Entangled states that cannot reproduce original classical games in their quantum version

A model of a quantum version of classical games should reproduce the original classical games in order to be able to make a comparative analysis of quantum and classical effects. We analyze a class of symmetric multipartite entangled states and their effect on the reproducibility of the classical games. We present the necessary and sufficient condition for the reproducibility of the original classical games. Satisfying this condition means that complete orthogonal bases can be constructed from a given multipartite entangled state provided that each party is restricted to two local unitary operators. We prove that most of the states belonging to the class of symmetric states with respect to permutations, including the N-qubit W state, do not satisfy this condition.Comment: 4 page

Minor contribution of cytotoxic T lymphocyte antigen 4 and programmed cell death 1 ligand 1 in immune tolerance against mouse thyrotropin receptor in mice

We have previously shown that wild type (wt) mice exhibit susceptibility to immunization with human (h) thyrotropin receptor (TSHR), but resistance to mouse (m) TSHR, while TSHR knockout (KO) mice are susceptible to mTSHR, indicating the existence of robust immune tolerance against the mTSHR in wt mice. This tolerance may be mediated by either centrally or peripherally. We here explored the contribution of a peripheral arm of immune tolerance against the mTSHR by using antibodies to deplete regulatory T cells (Tregs), to antagonize co-inhibitory molecules and/or to stimulate co-stimulatory molecules. Antagonistic anti-co-inhibitory molecules, cytotoxic T lymphocyte antigen 4 (CTLA4) and programmed cell death 1 ligand 1 (PDL1), induced only low levels of anti-TSHR antibodies without induction of hyperthyroidism in a mouse Graves\u27model. In this experimental setting, antibody levels were significantly higher in THSR+/- mice than wt mice. However, agonistic anti-co-stimulatory molecules, CD40 and CD137, and Treg-depleting anti-CD25 antibodies showed no effect. All these data suggest that peripheral immune tolerance against the mTSHR may play a minor role, and imply the importance of central tolerance, in immune tolerance against mTSHR in mice. Additional studies on central tolerance to the mTSHR will be necessary for completely delineating the mechanisms for immune tolerance against mTSHR in mice

Chloroplast acquisition without the gene transfer in kleptoplastic sea slugs, Plakobranchus ocellatus

Some sea slugs sequester chloroplasts from algal food in their intestinal cells and photosynthesize for months. This phenomenon, kleptoplasty, poses a question of how the chloroplast retains its activity without the algal nucleus. There have been debates on the horizontal transfer of algal genes to the animal nucleus. To settle the arguments, this study reported the genome of a kleptoplastic sea slug, Plakobranchus ocellatus, and found no evidence of photosynthetic genes encoded on the nucleus. Nevertheless, it was confirmed that light illumination prolongs the life of mollusk under starvation. These data presented a paradigm that a complex adaptive trait, as typified by photosynthesis, can be transferred between eukaryotic kingdoms by a unique organelle transmission without nuclear gene transfer. Our phylogenomic analysis showed that genes for proteolysis and immunity undergo gene expansion and are up-regulated in chloroplast-enriched tissue, suggesting that these molluskan genes are involved in the phenotype acquisition without horizontal gene transfer

A plastidial sodium-dependent pyruvate transporter (vol 476, pg 472, 2011)

Furumoto T, Yamaguchi T, Ohshima-Ichie Y, et al. A plastidial sodium-dependent pyruvate transporter (vol 476, pg 472, 2011). Nature. 2011;478(7368):274