Universal linear Bogoliubov transformations through one-way quantum computation

We show explicitly how to realize an arbitrary linear unitary Bogoliubov transformation (LUBO) on a multi-mode quantum state through homodyne-based one-way quantum computation. Any LUBO can be approximated by means of a fixed, finite-sized, sufficiently squeezed Gaussian cluster state that allows for the implementation of beam splitters (in form of three-mode connection gates) and general one-mode LUBOs. In particular, we demonstrate that a linear four-mode cluster state is a sufficient resource for an arbitrary one-mode LUBO. Arbitrary input quantum states including non-Gaussian states could be efficiently attached to the cluster through quantum teleportation.Comment: 10 pages, 6 figure

Demonstration of unconditional one-way quantum computations for continuous variables

Quantum computing promises to exploit the laws of quantum mechanics for processing information in ways fundamentally different from today's classical computers, leading to unprecedented efficiency. One-way quantum computation, sometimes referred to as the cluster model of quantum computation, is a very promising approach to fulfil the capabilities of quantum information processing. The cluster model is realizable through measurements on a highly entangled cluster state with no need for controlled unitary evolutions. Here we demonstrate unconditional one-way quantum computation experiments for continuous variables using a linear cluster state of four entangled optical modes. We implement an important set of quantum operations, linear transformations, in the optical phase space through one-way computation. Though not sufficient, these are necessary for universal quantum computation over continuous variables, and in our scheme, in principle, any such linear transformation can be unconditionally and deterministically applied to arbitrary single-mode quantum states.Comment: 9 pages, 3 figure

Clinicopathological Features and Surgical Outcomes of Small Bowel Metastasis from Renal Cell Carcinoma

Small bowel metastasis from renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is rare, and its clinicopathological characteristics are unclear; thus, we revisited the concept of this tumor and reviewed its diagnostic and treatment modalities. We filtered MEDLINE searches of articles published in English between 1950 and 2019, and identified 100 patients who had undergone treatment, including 1 patient from our clinic. We extracted patient characteristics, treatment, and prognostic data, resulting in clinicopathological data on 100 patients (83 men, 17 women). Mean age was 63 years (range, 16-86 years). Tumor sites were duodenum, jejunum, ileum, and multiple sites in 30, 37, 25, and 7 patients, respectively. The 1-, 3-, and 5-year overall survival rates after diagnosis were 53.0%, 36.0%, and 36.0%. Curative resection patients showed 62.1% 5-year survival after surgery, vs. 27.5% in noncurative surgical management cases. Good prognoses can be expected if these tumors are identified early for complete removal. Surgery is the only curative option. To determine the best management strategy and improve prognostic accuracy, we continue to collect and analyze epidemiological and pathological data. Although this condition is rare, surgery should be considered if curative resection is expected. Prognosis after curative resection is not poor, but recurrence is not unlikely

Mechanism of Voriconazole-Induced Transient Visual Disturbance: Reversible Dysfunction of Retinal ON-Bipolar Cells in Monkeys

PURPOSE. To investigate the mechanism of voriconazole-induced transient visual disturbance in humans. METHODS. Standard full-field electroretinograms (ERGs) were recorded from monkeys treated intravenously with voriconazole. In addition, photopic ERGs elicited by long-duration stimuli (ON-OFF response) were also recorded from monkeys receiving intravenous voriconazole or intravitreal 2-amino-4-phosphonobutyric acid (APB). RESULTS. Characteristic changes were observed in the waveform of the standard full-field ERGs obtained immediately after dosing of voriconazole as follows: electronegative combined rod-cone response (markedly attenuated b-wave and oscillatory potentials), undetectable rod response (eliminated b-wave); slightly abnormal single-flash cone response (flattened appearance in the bottom of the a-wave, mildly attenuated b-wave); and slightly abnormal 30 Hz flicker (mildly attenuated b-wave). The above changes fully recovered to baseline 24 hours after each dosing, along with a decrease in plasma voriconazole concentration. In addition, the change in the waveform of the ON-OFF response recorded in voriconazole-treated monkeys was quite similar to that recorded in APB-treated monkeys as follows: the b-wave was eliminated or prominently attenuated; and the a-and d-waves were not apparently attenuated. V oriconazole is a triazole antifungal agent with potent activity against a broad spectrum of clinically significant pathogens. 1-3 Voriconazole has been generally well tolerated in clinical trials 4 and postmarketing surveillances 5-7 with frequently reported adverse events of transient visual disturbances, which are described as enhanced/altered light perception, photopsia, photophobia, blurred vision, or color vision changes without any abnormality in the fundus oculi. Very few studies have focused on the detailed effect of voriconazole on retinal function, although the retina is generally considered to be the site of the visual disturbances because reversible decreases in the amplitude of the electroretinogram (ERG) were noted in voriconazole-treated humans. METHODS Animals A total of ten cynomolgus monkeys (Macaca fascicularis) between three and eight years of age were used in this study. The animals were housed individually in stainless steel cages in an animal study room where the environmental condition was set as follows: room temperature, 24°C; relative humidity, 60%; illumination, 12-hour lighting (7:00 to 19:00) at 150 to 300 luces. The animals were fed 100 g per animal per day of pellet food for monkeys (PS; Oriental Yeast Co., Ltd., Tokyo, Japan). Tap water from a feed-water nozzle was supplied ad libitum to the animals. All experimental procedures adhered to the ARVO Statement for the Use of Animals in Ophthalmic and Vision Research, and were approved by the Institutional Animal Care Committee of DaiichiSankyo Co. Ltd. Drug Administration Voriconazole (VFEND for Intravenous Use; Pfizer Inc., New York, NY) was dissolved in physiologic saline. The dose formulation was administered intravenously at a rate of 0.2 mL/kg per minute for ten minutes to six animals with increasing doses of 0, 3, 6 and 12 mg/kg at intervals of one week or more, and the standard full-field ERGs were recorded as described below. Several months after the 12 mg/kg dosing, voriconazole was administered to three animals at 0 mg/kg and to another three animals at 6 mg/kg in the same manner, and the photopic ERG elicited by a long-duration stimulus (the ON-OFF response) was recorded as described below. Intravitreal injection of 2-amino-4-phosphonobutyric acid (APB) (Sigma-Aldrich; St. Louis, MO) was also conducted in two animals several weeks after the last dosing of voriconazole mentioned above. The techniques for intravitreal injection have been described in detail elsewhere

Immunohistochemistry or Molecular Analysis : Which Method Is Better for Subtyping Craniopharyngioma?

Craniopharyngioma (CP) is mainly classified into two pathological subtypes: adamantinomatous (ACP) and papillary (PCP). CTNNB1 (β-catenin) mutations are detected in ACPs, and the BRAF V600E mutation is detected in PCPs. However, genetic analysis is not always possible in general medical practice. In this study, we investigated whether immunohistochemistry could replace genetic analysis as an aid in subtype diagnosis. Here, 38 CP patients who had undergone their first tumor resection were included. Among the 38 cases, 22 were morphologically diagnosed as ACP, 10 cases were diagnosed as PCP, and six cases were diagnosed as undetermined CP that were morphologically difficult to classify as either ACP or PCP. Results of immunohistochemistry and genetic analysis and clinical features were compared. Based on the immunohistochemistry, 26 (22 ACPs and four undetermined CPs) showed nuclear β-catenin expression, 11 (nine PCPs and two undetermined CPs) exhibited positive BRAF V600E immunostaining and one PCP showed membranous β-catenin expression and negative for BRAF V600E immunostaining. Among the 26 nuclear β-catenin expression cases, 11 had CTNNB1 mutations; however, 15 cases had mutations of neither CTNNB1 nor BRAF V600E. All 11 BRAF V600E immunopositive cases had BRAF V600E mutations. When comparing clinical features between, pediatric patients and those with tumor calcification and less solid components on MRI more commonly had nuclear β-catenin expression tumors than BRAF V600E immunopositive tumors, reflecting the differences in clinical features between ACP and PCP. Accordingly, immunohistochemistry can replace genetic analysis as an aid to determine the subtype diagnosis of CP in general medical practice

The AMPK/mTOR pathway is involved in D-dopachrome tautomerase gene transcription in adipocytes differentiated from SGBS cells, a human preadipocyte cell line

In adipose tissue, D-dopachrome tautomerase (DDT), a cytokine with structural similarity to macrophage migration inhibitory factor, is mainly expressed in adipocytes rather than preadipocytes and acts as an anti-obesity adipokine in an autocrine manner. However, its transcriptional regulation is largely unknown. In order to explore molecules affecting DDT transcription, a chemical library screening using HEK293 cells stably expressing a DDT promoter-reporter construct was performed. Several derivatives of 5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide-1-β-D-ribofuranoside (AICAR), an AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) activator, were identified as transcriptional activators of the DDT gene. Furthermore, DDT mRNA levels were reduced in SGBS adipocytes treated with compound C, an AMPK inhibitor, suggesting involvement of AMPK in DDT transcription. Overexpression of the FOXO1 constitutive active form reduced transcriptional activity of the DDT gene in SGBS cells, but increased it in HEK293 cells. Cell-type specific effects were also observed in the DDT gene expression of cells treated with AS1842856, a FOXO1 inhibitor. Finally, involvement of the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling in DDT transcription in SGBS adipocytes was investigated. Rapamycin, an inhibitor of mTOR, increased DDT mRNA levels and attenuated the inhibitory effects of compound C on DDT mRNA levels in SGBS adipocytes. In conclusion, DDT transcription may be regulated in a cell-dependent manner, and were enhanced by AMPK activation in SGBS adipocytes through inhibiting the mTOR signaling

Growth hormone-producing pituitary adenomas in childhood and young adulthood : clinical features and outcomes

Purpose Growth hormone (GH)-producing pituitary adenomas (PAs) in childhood or young adulthood are rare, and the details surrounding these tumors remain enigmatic. We present the clinical, pathological and genetic features of this disease. Methods We identified 25 patients aged 20 years or younger with GH-producing PAs who underwent surgery between 2003 and 2016 at Toranomon Hospital in Tokyo. We retrospectively reviewed the clinical data, treatment outcomes and pathological features of these patients to shed light on childhood acromegaly. Results The cohort comprised 14 male and 11 female patients whose average age at the time of surgery was 17.3 years. Germline AIP mutations were present in 5 of 13 patients examined, and Carney complex was identified in 2 of 25 patients. The mean maximum tumor diameter was 26.7 mm, and total resection assessed during surgery was achieved in 17 patients. Based on their respective pathological findings, patients were divided into the following 4 groups: sparsely granulated adenomas (5), densely granulated (DG) adenomas (6), plurihormonal adenomas (9), and silent subtype 3 (SS3) adenomas (5). During the mean follow-up period of 50.3 months, complete endocrinological remission was achieved in 14 of 25 patients (56%) by surgery alone and in 19 patients (76%) after postoperative adjuvant therapy. Conclusions GH-producing PAs in young patients are intriguing and difficult to treat due to their distinct tumor characteristics, including a lower incidence of the DG subtype and a higher incidence of SS3 adenomas and genetic abnormalities. Therefore, multi-modal therapies are essential to achieve optimal clinical outcomes

Magnetized Fast Isochoric Laser Heating for Efficient Creation of Ultra-High-Energy-Density States

The quest for the inertial confinement fusion (ICF) ignition is a grand challenge, as exemplified by extraordinary large laser facilities. Fast isochoric heating of a pre-compressed plasma core with a high-intensity short-pulse laser is an attractive and alternative approach to create ultra-high-energy-density states like those found in ICF ignition sparks. This avoids the ignition quench caused by the hot spark mixing with the surrounding cold fuel, which is the crucial problem of the currently pursued ignition scheme. High-intensity lasers efficiently produce relativistic electron beams (REB). A part of the REB kinetic energy is deposited in the core, and then the heated region becomes the hot spark to trigger the ignition. However, only a small portion of the REB collides with the core because of its large divergence. Here we have demonstrated enhanced laser-to-core energy coupling with the magnetized fast isochoric heating. The method employs a kilo-tesla-level magnetic field that is applied to the transport region from the REB generation point to the core which results in guiding the REB along the magnetic field lines to the core. 7.7 $\pm$ 1.3 % of the maximum coupling was achieved even with a relatively small radial area density core ($\rho R$ $\sim$ 0.1 g/cm$^2$). The guided REB transport was clearly visualized in a pre-compressed core by using Cu-$K_\alpha$ imaging technique. A simplified model coupled with the comprehensive diagnostics yields 6.2\% of the coupling that agrees fairly with the measured coupling. This model also reveals that an ignition-scale areal density core ($\rho R$ $\sim$ 0.4 g/cm$^2$) leads to much higher laser-to-core coupling ($>$ 15%), this is much higher than that achieved by the current scheme