Deterministic Dense Coding and Faithful Teleportation with Multipartite Graph States

We proposed novel schemes to perform the deterministic dense coding and faithful teleportation with multipartite graph states. We also find the sufficient and necessary condition of a viable graph state for the proposed scheme. That is, for the associated graph, the reduced adjacency matrix of the Tanner-type subgraph between senders and receivers should be invertible.Comment: 10 pages, 1 figure;v2. discussions improve

Multipartite Entanglement Measures and Quantum Criticality from Matrix and Tensor Product States

We compute the multipartite entanglement measures such as the global entanglement of various one- and two-dimensional quantum systems to probe the quantum criticality based on the matrix and tensor product states (MPSs/TPSs). We use infinite time-evolving block decimation (iTEBD) method to find the ground states numerically in the form of MPSs/TPSs, and then evaluate their entanglement measures by the method of tensor renormalization group (TRG). We find these entanglement measures can characterize the quantum phase transitions by their derivative discontinuity right at the critical points in all models considered here. We also comment on the scaling behaviors of the entanglement measures by the ideas of quantum state renormalization group transformations.Comment: 22 pages, 11 figure

Multipotent vascular stem cells contribute to neurovascular regeneration of peripheral nerve.

BackgroundNeurovascular unit restoration is crucial for nerve regeneration, especially in critical gaps of injured peripheral nerve. Multipotent vascular stem cells (MVSCs) harvested from an adult blood vessel are involved in vascular remodeling; however, the therapeutic benefit for nerve regeneration is not clear.MethodsMVSCs were isolated from rats expressing green fluorescence protein (GFP), expanded, mixed with Matrigel matrix, and loaded into the nerve conduits. A nerve autograft or a nerve conduit (with acellular matrigel or MVSCs in matrigel) was used to bridge a transected sciatic nerve (10-mm critical gap) in rats. The functional motor recovery and cell fate in the regenerated nerve were investigated to understand the therapeutic benefit.ResultsMVSCs expressed markers such as Sox 17 and Sox10 and could differentiate into neural cells in vitro. One month following MVSC transplantation, the compound muscle action potential (CMAP) significantly increased as compared to the acellular group. MVSCs facilitated the recruitment of Schwann cell to regenerated axons. The transplanted cells, traced by GFP, differentiated into perineurial cells around the bundles of regenerated myelinated axons. In addition, MVSCs enhanced tight junction formation as a part of the blood-nerve barrier (BNB). Furthermore, MVSCs differentiated into perivascular cells and enhanced microvessel formation within regenerated neurovascular bundles.ConclusionsIn rats with peripheral nerve injuries, the transplantation of MVSCs into the nerve conduits improved the recovery of neuromuscular function; MVSCs differentiated into perineural cells and perivascular cells and enhanced the formation of tight junctions in perineural BNB. This study demonstrates the in vivo therapeutic benefit of adult MVSCs for peripheral nerve regeneration and provides insight into the role of MVSCs in BNB regeneration

Substance P scavenger enhances antioxidant defenses and prevents prothrombotic effects on the rat lung after acute exposure to oil smoke

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Airborne particulate matter, from cooking oil, smoking, engine exhaust and other sources, is associated with the development of atherosclerosis and myocardial infarction. In order to explore the cellular and molecular events following exposure of rats to lard oil smoke, we measured the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), substance P, cellular adhesion molecules, and thrombosis in relation to inhibitors of substance P, the NK-1 receptor, and antioxidants.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Rats were exposed to oil smoke for 120 min with or without 20 min pretreatment with lovastatin (substance P scavenger), L733060 (NK-1 receptor antagonist), vitamin E (antioxidant) or catechins (antioxidant). The levels of substance P and ROS were measured. Histological studies observed ROS damage in the form of HEL adducts. The prothrombotic effects of oil smoke exposure were measured by experimental induction of thrombosis in vivo.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Oil smoke exposure significantly increased substance P levels, ROS levels, ROS damage (HEL adduct levels), and the size of experimentally induced thrombi. The pretreatments reduced all of these effects of oil smoke exposure; at many time points the reductions were statistically significant.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>We established a connection between oil smoke exposure and thrombosis which involves substance P and its receptor, the NK-1 receptor, and ROS. This study helps establish a mechanistic explanation of how airborne particulate matter can increase the risk of cardiovascular illness.</p

Explore the Functional Connectivity between Brain Regions during a Chemistry Working Memory Task.

Previous studies have rarely examined how temporal dynamic patterns, event-related coherence, and phase-locking are related to each other. This study assessed reaction-time-sorted spectral perturbation and event-related spectral perturbation in order to examine the temporal dynamic patterns in the frontal midline (F), central parietal (CP), and occipital (O) regions during a chemistry working memory task at theta, alpha, and beta frequencies. Furthermore, the functional connectivity between F-CP, CP-O, and F-O were assessed by component event-related coherence (ERCoh) and component phase-locking (PL) at different frequency bands. In addition, this study examined whether the temporal dynamic patterns are consistent with the functional connectivity patterns across different frequencies and time courses. Component ERCoh/PL measured the interactions between different independent components decomposed from the scalp EEG, mixtures of time courses of activities arising from different brain, and artifactual sources. The results indicate that the O and CP regions' temporal dynamic patterns are similar to each other. Furthermore, pronounced component ERCoh/PL patterns were found to exist between the O and CP regions across each stimulus and probe presentation, in both theta and alpha frequencies. The consistent theta component ERCoh/PL between the F and O regions was found at the first stimulus and after probe presentation. These findings demonstrate that temporal dynamic patterns at different regions are in accordance with the functional connectivity patterns. Such coordinated and robust EEG temporal dynamics and component ERCoh/PL patterns suggest that these brain regions' neurons work together both to induce similar event-related spectral perturbation and to synchronize or desynchronize simultaneously in order to swiftly accomplish a particular goal. The possible mechanisms for such distinct component phase-locking and coherence patterns were also further discussed

Symmetry Protected Quantum State Renormalization

Symmetry protected topological (SPT) phases with gapless edge excitations have been shown to exist in principle in strongly interacting bosonic/fermionic systems and it is highly desirable to find practical systems to realize such phases through numerical calculation. A central question to be addressed is how to determine the SPT order in the system given the numerical simulation result while no local order parameter can be measured to distinguish the phases from a trivial one. In the tensor network approach to simulate strongly interacting systems, the quantum state renormalization algorithm has been demonstrated to be effective in identifying the intrinsic topological orders. Here we show that a modified algorithm can identify SPT orders by extracting the fixed point entanglement pattern in the ground state wave function which is essential for the existence of SPT order. The key to this approach is to add symmetry protection to the quantum state renormalization process and we demonstrate the effectiveness of this algorithm with the example of AKLT states in both 1D and 2D

The efficacy of stereotactic body radiation therapy on huge hepatocellular carcinoma unsuitable for other local modalities

BACKGROUND AND AIM: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of Cyberknife stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) and its effect on survival in patients with unresectable huge hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) unsuitable of other standard treatment option. METHODS: Between 2009 and 2011, 22 patients with unresectable huge HCC (≧10 cm) were treated with SBRT. dose ranged from 26 Gy to 40 Gy in five fractions. Overall survival (OS) and disease-progression free survival (DPFS) were determined by Kaplan-Meier analysis. Tumor response and toxicities were also assessed. RESULTS: After a median follow-up of 11.5 month (range 2–46 months). The objective response rate was achieved in 86.3% (complete response (CR): 22.7% and partial response (PR): 63.6%). The 1-yr. local control rate was 55.56%. The 1-year OS was 50% and median survival was 11 months (range 2–46 months). In univariate analysis, Child-Pugh stage (p = 0.0056) and SBRT dose (p = 0.0017) were significant factors for survival. However, in multivariate analysis, SBRT dose (p = 0.0072) was the most significant factor, while Child-Pugh stage of borderline significance. (p = 0.0514). Acute toxicities were mild and well tolerated. CONCLUSION: This study showed that SBRT can be delivered safely to huge HCC and achieved a substantial tumor regression and survival. The results suggest this technique should be considered a salvage treatment. However, local and regional recurrence remain the major cause of failure. Further studies of combination of SBRT and other treatment modalities may be reasonable

Baicalein-Induced Apoptosis via Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress Through Elevations of Reactive Oxygen Species and Mitochondria Dependent Pathway in Mouse-Rat Hybrid Retina Ganglion Cells (N18)

[[abstract]]Studies were designed to investigate the effects of baicalein on mouse-rat hybrid retina ganglion cells (N18) to better understand its effect on apoptosis and apoptosis-related genes in vitro. Cell viability, reactive oxygen species (ROS), cytoplasmic Ca2+, mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), apoptosis induction, and caspases-3 activity were examined by flow cytometric assay. Apoptosis-associated proteins such as p53, Bax, Bcl-2, cytochrome c, and caspase-3 were examined by Western blot. We demonstrated the increase in the levels of p53, Bax, and cytochrome c and decrease in the level of Bcl-2, which are associated with the induction of apoptotic cell death after 24 h treatment with baicalein in N18 cells. Baicalein induced an increase in the cytoplasmic levels of ROS and Ca2+ in 1 h and reached their peak at 3 h, and thereafter a loss of MMP by flow cytometry. We also demonstrated a release of the cytochrome c from mitochondria into cytosol and an activation of caspase-3, which led to the occurrence of apoptosis in N18 cells treated with baicalein by Western blot. Pretreatment was conducted with BAPTA (intracellular calcium chelator) in baicalein-treated cells, the decline of MMP was recovered, and the increase in the level of cytoplasmic Ca2+ was suppressed, and the proportion of apoptosis was also markedly diminished. In conclusion, our data suggests that oxidative stress and cellular Ca2+ modulates the baicalein-induced cell death via a Ca2+-dependent mitochondrial death pathway in N18 cells