Simplest fidelity-estimation method for graph states with depolarizing noise

Graph states are entangled states useful for several quantum information processing tasks such as measurement-based quantum computation and quantum metrology. As the size of graph states realized in experiments increases, it becomes more essential to devise efficient methods estimating the fidelity between the ideal graph state and an experimentally-realized actual state. Any efficient fidelity-estimation method, in general, must use multiple experimental settings, i.e., needs to switch between at least two measurements. Recently, it has been shown that a single measurement is sufficient if the noise can be modeled as the phase-flip error. Since the bit-flip error should also occur in several experiments, it is desired to extend this simplest method to noise models that include phase and bit-flip errors. However, it seems to be nontrivial because their result strongly depends on properties of the phase-flip error. In this paper, by analyzing effects of the bit-flip error on stabilizer operators of graph states, we achieve the extension to the depolarizing noise, which is a major noise model including phase and bit-flip errors. We also numerically evaluate our simplest method for noise models interpolating between the phase-flip and depolarizing noises.Comment: 10 pages, 6 figure

GATA transcription factors, SOX17 and TFAP2C, drive the human germ-cell specification program

ヒト生殖細胞の運命決定機序を解明 --転写因子のみによる生殖細胞の誘導. 京都大学プレスリリース. 2021-03-01.Master regulator for human germ cell specification. 京都大学プレスリリース. 2021-03-01.The in vitro reconstitution of human germ-cell development provides a robust framework for clarifying key underlying mechanisms. Here, we explored transcription factors (TFs) that engender the germ-cell fate in their pluripotent precursors. Unexpectedly, SOX17, TFAP2C, and BLIMP1, which act under the BMP signaling and are indispensable for human primordial germ-cell-like cell (hPGCLC) specification, failed to induce hPGCLCs. In contrast, GATA3 or GATA2, immediate BMP effectors, combined with SOX17 and TFAP2C, generated hPGCLCs. GATA3/GATA2 knockouts dose-dependently impaired BMP-induced hPGCLC specification, whereas GATA3/GATA2 expression remained unaffected in SOX17, TFAP2C, or BLIMP1 knockouts. In cynomolgus monkeys, a key model for human development, GATA3, SOX17, and TFAP2C were co-expressed exclusively in early PGCs. Crucially, the TF-induced hPGCLCs acquired a hallmark of bona fide hPGCs to undergo epigenetic reprogramming and mature into oogonia/gonocytes in xenogeneic reconstituted ovaries. By uncovering a TF circuitry driving the germ line program, our study provides a paradigm for TF-based human gametogenesis

Short-term clinicopathological outcome of neoadjuvant chemohormonal therapy comprising complete androgen blockade, followed by treatment with docetaxel and estramustine phosphate before radical prostatectomy in Japanese patients with high-risk localized prostate cancer

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>To assess the outcome of neoadjuvant chemohormonal therapy comprising complete androgen blockade followed by treatment with docetaxel and estramustine phosphate before radical prostatectomy in Japanese patients with a high risk of localized prostate cancer (PCa).</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Complete androgen blockade followed by 6 cycles of docetaxel (30 mg/m²) with estramustine phosphate (560 mg) were given to 18 PCa patients before radical prostatectomy. Subsequently, the clinical and pathological outcomes were analyzed.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>No patients had severe adverse events during chemohormonal therapy, and hence they were treated with radical prostatectomy. Two patients (11.1%) achieved pathological complete response. Surgical margins were negative in all patients. At a median follow-up of 18 months, 14 patients (77.8%) were disease-free without PSA recurrence. All 4 patients with PSA recurrence had pathologic T3b or T4 disease and 3 of these 4 patients had pathologic N1 disease.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>We found that neoadjuvant chemohormonal therapy with complete androgen blockade followed by treatment with docetaxel and estramustine phosphate before radical prostatectomy was safe, feasible, and associated with favorable pathological outcomes in patients with a high risk of localized PCa.</p

Post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder involving the ovary as an initial manifestation: a case report

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Introduction</p> <p>Because the normal ovary is assumed to be devoid of lymphoid tissue, it is unusual for it to be an initial manifestation of malignant lymphoma. This case is the first report, to our knowledge, of post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder involving the ovary as an initial manifestation.</p> <p>Case presentation</p> <p>Twenty-nine weeks after a living renal transplantation, a 38-year-old Japanese female, whose ethnic origin was Asian, presented with abdominal pain and a chronic high fever. Computed tomography revealed a right ovarian tumor and liver metastases. The patient underwent oophrectomy based on the clinical diagnosis of liver metastasis from the primary ovarian tumor. The pathological diagnosis was Epstein-Barr Virus-associated post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder. While ovarian malignant lymphoma has a poor prognosis, complete remission of liver involvement in this case was achieved only with a reduction of immunosuppressants.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Clinicians should remember that malignant lymphoma could initially involve the ovary, especially if the patient is immunosuppressed after transplantation therapy.</p

Breakdown of lung framework and an increase in pores of Kohn as initial events of emphysema and a cause of reduction in diffusing capacity

Purpose: Pulmonary emphysema is the pathological prototype of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and is also associated with other lung diseases. We considered that observation with different approaches may provide new insights for the pathogenesis of emphysema. Patients and methods: We reviewed tissue blocks of the lungs of 25 cases with/without emphysema and applied a three-dimensional observation method to the blocks. Based on the three-dimensional characteristics of the alveolar structure, we considered one face of the alveolar polyhedron as a structural unit of alveoli and called it a framework unit (FU). We categorized FUs based on their morphological characteristics and counted their number to evaluate the destructive changes in alveoli. We also evaluated the number and the area of pores of Kohn in FUs. We performed linear regression analysis to estimate the effect of these data on pulmonary function tests. Results: In multivariable regression analysis, a decrease in the number of FUs without an alveolar wall led to a significant decrease in the diffusing capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide (DLCO) and DLCO per unit alveolar volume, and an increase in the area of pores of Kohn had a significant effect on an increase in residual capacity. Conclusion: A breakdown in the lung framework and an increase in pores of Kohn are associated with a decrease in DLCO and DLCO per unit alveolar volume with/without emphysema

Ex vivo reconstitution of fetal oocyte development in humans and cynomolgus monkeys

ヒト・サルの胎児卵巣から原始卵胞を体外で作出することに成功. 京都大学プレスリリース. 2022-08-01.New egg recipe to boost fertility research. 京都大学プレスリリース. 2022-08-14.In vitro oogenesis is key to elucidating the mechanism of human female germ-cell development and its anomalies. Accordingly, pluripotent stem cells have been induced into primordial germ cell-like cells and into oogonia with epigenetic reprogramming, yet further reconstitutions remain a challenge. Here, we demonstrate ex vivo reconstitution of fetal oocyte development in both humans and cynomolgus monkeys (Macaca fascicularis). With an optimized culture of fetal ovary reaggregates over three months, human and monkey oogonia enter and complete the first meiotic prophase to differentiate into diplotene oocytes that form primordial follicles, the source for oogenesis in adults. The cytological and transcriptomic progressions of fetal oocyte development in vitro closely recapitulate those in vivo. A comparison of single-cell transcriptomes among humans, monkeys, and mice unravels primate-specific and conserved programs driving fetal oocyte development, the former including a distinct transcriptomic transformation upon oogonia-to-oocyte transition and the latter including two active X chromosomes with little X-chromosome upregulation. Our study provides a critical step forward for realizing human in vitro oogenesis and uncovers salient characteristics of fetal oocyte development in primates

Ciliated muconodular papillary tumors of the lung with KRAS/BRAF/AKT1 mutation

Background: Ciliated muconodular papillary tumors (CMPTs) are newly recognized rare peripheral lung nodules that are histologically characterized by ciliated columnar, goblet, and basal cells. Although recent studies have shown that CMPTs constitute a neoplastic disease, the complete histogenesis of CMPTs is not fully understood and molecular data are limited. Methods: We reviewed four cases of CMPT and performed immunohistochemical and genomic analyses to establish CMPT profiles. Results: All cases were positive for hepatocyte nuclear factor-4α and mucin 5B and negative for programmed death ligand 1 expression, as determined by immunohistochemistry. The genetic analysis revealed three pathogenic mutations (BRAF V600E, AKT1 E17K, and KRAS G12D), with the KRAS mutation reported here for the first time. Conclusion: Histological and genetic profiles indicate that CMPTs are likely neoplastic and exhibit features similar to mucinous adenocarcinoma. This suggests that some CMPTs may be a precursor lesion of mucinous adenocarcinoma

Prognostic value of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 in biomarker exploration using multiplex immunoassay in patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma treated with axitinib

Background and AimsVascular endothelial growth factor-directed therapies play a significant role in patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC). Biomarkers for predicting treatment efficacy and resistance are required to develop personalized medicine. We evaluated multiple serum cytokine levels in patients with mRCC treated with axitinib to explore predictive biomarkers. MethodsFrom September 2012 to October 2015, serum samples were collected from 44 patients with mRCC before treatment and 4weeks after axitinib initiation. Bio-Plex Pro Human Cancer Biomarker Panels 1 and 2 were used to measure levels of 34 serum biomarkers related to angiogenesis and cell proliferation. ResultsPatients with partial response or stable disease had significantly decreased serum plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) level from pre-treatment to 4weeks after axitinib initiation compared with those with progressive disease (P = .022). The median progression-free survival (PFS) and median overall survival (OS) in patients with increased serum PAI-1 level from pre-treatment to 4weeks after axitinib initiation were significantly shorter than those with decreased serum PAI-1 level (P = .027 and P = .026, respectively). Increased serum PAI-1 level from pre-treatment to 4weeks after axitinib initiation was an independent prognostic marker for shorter PFS and OS in multivariate analyses (P = .015 and P = .032, respectively). The immunohistochemical staining intensity of PAI-1 in tumor specimens was significantly associated with Fuhrman grade and presence of distant metastasis (P = .026 and P = .010, respectively). ConclusionsThe initial change in serum PAI-1 level in the early stage of axitinib treatment could be a useful prognostic biomarker in patients with mRCC

The impact of obesity and adiponectin signaling in patients with renal cell carcinoma: A potential mechanism for the obesity paradox

Although obesity increases the risk of renal cell carcinoma (RCC), obese patients with RCC experience longer survival than non-obese patients. However, the mechanism of this obesity paradox is unknown. We examined the impact of preoperative BMI, serum total adiponectin (sAd) level, total adiponectin secretion from perinephric adipose tissue, and intratumoral expression of adiponectin receptors on RCC aggressiveness and survival. We also investigated the mechanism underlying enhanced cancer aggressiveness in RCC cells stimulated with exogenous adiponectin. Overweight and obese patients had significantly lower grade cancers than normal patients in all patients and in those without metastasis (p = 0.003 and p = 0.027, respectively). Cancer-specific survival was significantly longer in overweight and obese patients than in normal patients in all patients (p = 0.035). There was a weak inverse correlation between sAd level and BMI in RCC patients (r = -0.344, p = 0.002). Tumor size was slightly correlated with sAd level, and high sAd was significantly associated with poor overall survival rates in patients with non-metastatic RCC (p = 0.035). Adiponectin levels in perinephric adipose tissue and intratumoral AdipoRl/R2 expression were not correlated with RCC aggressiveness or survival. Proliferation significantly increased in 786-0 and Caki-2 cells exposed to exogenous adiponectin, whereas cell invasion and migration were unaffected. In addition, exogenous adiponectin significantly inhibited starvation-and metformin-induced apoptosis, and up-regulated p-AMPK and Bcl-xL levels. In summary, low BMI and high adiponectin levels are associated with aggressive cell behaviors and poor survival in surgically-treated RCC patients. The effects of adiponectin on proliferation and apoptosis might underlie the obesity paradox of RCC