Scalable quantum information processing with atomic ensembles and flying photons

We present a scheme for scalable quantum information processing (QIP) with atomic ensembles and flying photons. Using the Rydberg blockade, we encode the qubits in the collective atomic states, which could be manipulated fast and easily due to the enhanced interaction, in comparison to the single-atom case. We demonstrate that our proposed gating could be applied to generation of two-dimensional cluster states for measurement-based quantum computation. Moreover, the atomic ensembles also function as quantum repeaters useful for long distance quantum state transfer. We show the possibility of our scheme to work in bad cavity or in weak coupling regime, which could much relax the experimental requirement. The efficient coherent operations on the ensemble qubits enable our scheme to be switchable between quantum computation and quantum communication using atomic ensembles.Comment: 8 pages, 7 figure

Activation of extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase 5 is essential for cystitis- and nerve growth factor-induced calcitonin gene-related peptide expression in sensory neurons

Background Cystitis causes considerable neuronal plasticity in the primary afferent pathways. The molecular mechanism and signal transduction underlying cross talk between the inflamed urinary bladder and sensory sensitization has not been investigated. Results In a rat cystitis model induced by cyclophosphamide (CYP) for 48 h, the mRNA and protein levels of the excitatory neurotransmitter calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) are increased in the L6 dorsal root ganglia (DRG) in response to bladder inflammation. Cystitis-induced CGRP expression in L6 DRG is triggered by endogenous nerve growth factor (NGF) because neutralization of NGF with a specific NGF antibody reverses CGRP up-regulation during cystitis. CGRP expression in the L6 DRG neurons is also enhanced by retrograde NGF signaling when NGF is applied to the nerve terminals of the ganglion-nerve two-compartmented preparation. Characterization of the signaling pathways in cystitis- or NGF-induced CGRP expression reveals that the activation (phosphorylation) of extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase (ERK)5 but not Akt is involved. In L6 DRG during cystitis, CGRP is co-localized with phospho-ERK5 but not phospho-Akt. NGF-evoked CGRP up-regulation is also blocked by inhibition of the MEK/ERK pathway with specific MEK inhibitors U0126 and PD98059, but not by inhibition of the PI3K/Akt pathway with inhibitor LY294002. Further examination shows that cystitis-induced cAMP-responsive element binding protein (CREB) activity is expressed in CGRP bladder afferent neurons and is co-localized with phospho-ERK5 but not phospho-Akt. Blockade of NGF action in vivo reduces the number of DRG neurons co-expressing CGRP and phospho-CREB, and reverses cystitis-induced increases in micturition frequency. Conclusions A specific pathway involving NGF-ERK5-CREB axis plays an essential role in cystitis-induced sensory activation

Di-μ-aqua-bis­{diaqua­[μ-4-({4-[bis­(2-hy­droxy­eth­yl)amino]-6-chloro-1,3,5-triazin-2-yl}amino)­benzene­sulfonato]­sodium(I)}

In the dinuclear title compound, [Na2(C13H15ClN5O5S)2(H2O)6]n, two Na+ cations, disposed about a centre of inversion, are linked by two bridging water mol­ecules. The coordination geometry is based on an O5 donor set defined by four water mol­ecules and a 4-amino­benzene­sulfonate O atom in a distorted trigonal–bipyramidal geometry. In the crystal, significant O—H⋯O, O—H⋯N and N—H⋯O hydrogen bonds lead to the formation of a three-dimensional architecture

3,3,3′,3′-Tetra­methyl-6,6′-bis­[(pyridin-4-yl)meth­oxy]-1,1′-spiro­biindane ­monohydrate

The asymmetric unit in the title compound, C33H34N2O2·H2O, consists of a V-shaped mol­ecule and a water mol­ecule to which it is hydrogen bonded. The angle between the mean planes of the two spiro-connected indane groups is 77.06 (5)°. The two five-membered rings of the indane groups have envelope conformations with the methyl­ene atoms adjacent to the spiro C atom forming the flaps. They have deviations from the mean plane of the other four atoms in the rings of 0.374 (4) and 0.362 (4) Å. In the crystal, molecules are linked to form inversion dimers via O—H⋯N hydrogen bonds involving the pyridine N atoms and the solvent water mol­ecule. The dimers are linked into a chain along the b axis by π–π stacking inter­actions between a pyridine ring and its centrosymmetrically related ring in an adjacent dimer. The centroid–centroid distance between the planes is 3.7756 (17) Å, the perpendicular distance is 3.4478 (11) Å and the offset is 1.539 Å

Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels and the risk of idiopathic central precocious puberty in girls

Introduction: Prior studies have found inconsistent results regarding the relationship between vitamin D status and Idiopathic Central Precocious Puberty (ICPP). Objective: To assess the role of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25 [OH]D) levels in ICPP development. Method: The authors retrospectively collected data from 221 girls with ICPP and 144 healthy girls between January 2017 and December 2019. The participants’ serum 25(OH)D levels were measured using an automatic chemiluminescence method, and the association between serum 25(OH)D levels and the risk of ICPP was assessed using multivariate logistic regression analysis. Odds Ratios (OR) with 95% Confidence Intervals (95% CI) were calculated as effect estimates. Results: Serum 25(OH)D levels in the ICPP group were significantly lower than those in healthy controls (p < 0.001). Multivariate analysis indicated that girls with insufficient vitamin D levels (OR = 0.201; 95% CI 0.094–0.428; p < 0.001) and sufficient vitamin D levels (OR = 0.141; 95% CI 0.053–0.375; p < 0.001) both had a lower risk of ICPP than girls with vitamin D deficiency. Moreover, the authors found that the height (p = 0.014), weight (p = 0.014), breast stage (p = 0.010), mother's height (p < 0.001), and luteinizing hormone/follicle-stimulating hormone ratio (p = 0.010) in girls with ICPP could be associated with levels of vitamin D. Conclusion: This study found that a low serum 25(OH)D level is an independent risk factor for ICPP, and several characteristics of girls with ICPP could be affected by their vitamin D status.

Tris(2-ethyl-1H-imidazole-κN 3)(terephthalato-κO)zinc(II)

The title compound, [Zn(C8H4O4)(C5H8N2)3], has a neutral monomeric structure in which one terephthalate dianion and three 2-ethyl-1H-imidazole ligands coordinate to the ZnII ion in a distorted tetra­hedral geometry. The methyl group of one of the ethyl groups is disordered over two positions with occupancies of 0.66 (2) and 0.34 (2). In the crystal structure, mol­ecules are linked into a three-dimensional hydrogen-bonded network by inter­molecular N—H⋯O interactions involving the uncoordinated carboxyl­ate O atoms