Quantum Random Number Generation with the Superconducting Quantum Computer IBM 20Q Tokyo

Quantum random number generators (QRNGs) produce theoretically unpredictable random numbers. A typical QRNG is implemented in quantum optics [Herrero-Collantes, M., Garcia-Escartin, J. C.: Quantum Random Number Generators. Rev. Mod. Phys. \textbf{89}, 015004 (2017)]. Quantum computers become QRNGs when given certain programs. The simplest example of such a program applies the Hadamard gate on all qubits and performs measurement. As a result of repeatedly running this program on a 20-qubit superconducting quantum computer (IBM 20Q Tokyo), we obtained a sample with a length of 43,560. However, statistical analysis showed that this sample was biased and correlated. One of the post-processed samples passed statistical tests. To show the effectiveness of post-processing, a larger sample size is required. The present study of quantum random number generation and statistical testing may provide a potential candidate for benchmarking tests of actual quantum computing devices

New Application of IEEE 11073 to Home Health Care

We propose a new home health care network for the acquisition and transmission of data from ordinary home health care appliances based on IEEE11073. In this study, we develop a standard protocol for data collection and a simple interface to accommodate different monitoring systems that make use of different data protocols. The system provides for one-way data transmission, thus saving power and conforming to Japanese pharmaceutical law. Our standardized protocol was verified during a 1-year field test involving 20 households in Japan. Data transmission errors between home health care devices and the home gateway were 4.21 per a day with our newly developed standard protocol. Over a 1 year period, we collected and analyzed data from 241,000 separate sources associated with healthy, home-based patients and chronically ill, clinic-based patients, the latter through physician intervention. We evaluate some of the possible applications for collecting daily health care data and introduce some of our findings relating primarily to body weight and blood pressure monitoring for elderly subjects in their own homes

The effect of interleukin-15 on the expression of killer-cell immunoglobulin-like receptors on peripheral natural killer cells in human.

Interleukin (IL)-15 has emerged as a key regulator of both natural killer (NK) cell differentiation and activation. The aim of the present study was to investigate the expansion of the population of cells expressing killer-cell immunoglobulin-like receptors (CD158a and CD158b) in human peripheral lymphocytes by treatment with IL-15. One million peripheral lymphocytes were cultured in RPMI1640 medium alone or in medium containing IL-2 at 100 U/ml or IL-15 at 0.1, 1.0, or 10.0 ng/ml for 48 h. After each incubation, we assessed the natural killing activity and the population of CD16(+)CD158a(+)/b(+) cells and CD8(+)CD158a(+)/b(+) cells. IL-15 increased the NK activity and expanded the populations of CD16(+)CD158a(+)/b(+) cells and CD8(+)CD158a(+)/b(+) cells. These actions were dose dependent, and the effects of IL-15 at 1.0 ng/ml were close to those of IL-2 at 100 U/ml. These findings suggest that IL-15 induces the effector functions of resting NK cells throughout the body, and thereby plays a critical role in the activation of tissue-associated immune responses

Natural killer cytolytic activity is associated with the expression of killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptors on peripheral lymphocytes in human.

Although it has been shown that killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIRs) on peripheral lymphocytes are upregulated by interleukin-2 (IL-2), which activates natural killer (NK) activity, it has not been demonstrated whether the expression of KIRs is related to NK activity. Therefore, we investigated the association between the KIR expression on lymphocytes and NK activity. CD158a/b expression on lymphocytes obtained from 37 subjects was analyzed using flow cytometry. Simultaneously, NK activity was measured each sample using a 51Cr-release assay. Additionally, lymphocytes were cultured in RPMI 1640 medium with or without IL-2 for 48 h, and then their CD158a/b expression and NK activity was analyzed. CD158a/b expression was significantly correlated with NK activity. Especially, the percentage of CD16+CD158a+ and CD8+CD158a/b+ cells in lymphocytes showed a highly significant correlation with NK activity. However, analysis of CD8+ and CD16+ cells revealed that there was only a significant correlation between the percentage of CD8+CD158a+ cells among only CD8+ cells and NK activity. The upregulation of CD16+CD158a+/b+ cells in response to IL-2 tended to be related to the increase of NK activity, but the relationship was not significant. In conclusion, the level of KIR expression was correlated with NK activity, and IL-2 treatment resulted in an increase of NK activity as well as KIR expression, suggesting that upregulation of KIRs enhances the ability to sort target cells, such as virus-infected cells from uninfected cells, according to major histocompatibility complex class I expression

Radiotherapy quality assurance review in a multi-center randomized trial of limited-disease small cell lung cancer: the Japan Clinical Oncology Group (JCOG) trial 0202

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The purpose of this study was to analyze the radiotherapy (RT) quality assurance (QA) assessment in Japan Clinical Oncology Group (JCOG) 0202, which was the first trial that required on-going RT QA review in the JCOG.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>JCOG 0202 was a multi-center phase III trial comparing two types of consolidation chemotherapy after concurrent chemoradiotherapy for limited-disease small cell lung cancer. RT requirements included a total dose of 45 Gy/30 fx (bis in die, BID/twice a day) without heterogeneity correction; elective nodal irradiation (ENI) of 30 Gy; at least 1 cm margin around the clinical target volume (CTV); and interfraction interval of 6 hours or longer. Dose constraints were defined in regards to the spinal cord and the lung. The QA assessment was classed as per protocol (PP), deviation acceptable (DA), violation unacceptable (VU), and incomplete/not evaluable (I/NE).</p> <p>Results</p> <p>A total of 283 cases were accrued, of which 204 were fully evaluable, excluding 79 I/NE cases. There were 18 VU in gross tumor volume (GTV) coverage (8% of 238 evaluated); 4 VU and 23 DA in elective nodal irradiation (ENI) (2% and 9% of 243 evaluated, respectively). Some VU were observed in organs at risk (1 VU in the lung and 5 VU in the spinal cord). Overall RT compliance (PP + DA) was 92% (187 of 204 fully evaluable). Comparison between the former and latter halves of the accrued cases revealed that the number of VU and DA had decreased.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The results of the RT QA assessment in JCOG 0202 seemed to be acceptable, providing reliable results.</p

Immunological analysis into Kl-disorder based on traditional Japanese Oriental diagnostic system

漢方医学での病態を把握し有効方剤を選択するためには,伝統医学的手法を応用することが,現在でも最も客観的な方法であると考えられる。しかしながら,伝統医学的手法は心身・如を助炭とし,きわめて全人的な指標を中心としているが故に,西洋医学的な客観性,すなわち要素還元性に乏しいと指摘されている。この研究では気の異常を臨床免疫学的手法で客観化することを目的とした。22名の関節リウマ患者の気虚,気鬱,気逆の病態と末梢血リンパ球のサブセット(CD3, CD19, CD4,CD8, CD16, CD56, CD158a, CD158b)の関連を検討した。その結果,気虚とCD16+CD158b+cellのpopulationが有意な負の相関を示し,気虚を伴う患者群ではCD16+CD158b+cellのpopulationが少ない傾向にあった。この逆相関の関係は4名の3ヶ月の追跡研究でも観察された。このことから活性化したXK細胞の減少は,気虚の病態を呈した患者の一つの特徴と考えられる。このような検討から気虚など複雑な要素が関与する病態の一部を客観化して同一症例での経過観察などに応用可能と考えられる。ただし複雑性の科学の観点から診断への応用に関しては制限される必要がある。 Although traditional medicine is an all-around medical service, it has been pointed out that traditional medical procedures are not objective, and are independent of reductionism. The aim of this study was to determine the immune status of the patients with Kl-disorder. We assessed the association between Kl-disorder and the population of peripheral lymphocytes (CD3, CD19, CD4, CD8, CD16, CD56, CD158a/b:killer cells immunoglobulin-like receptors) in 22 patients with rheumatoid arthritis. The results showed a negative correlation between the score of Kl-deficiency and the population of the CD16+CD158b+cells, and also showed that patients with Kl-deficiency have a tendency to have a reduced population of CD16+CD158b+cells. The inverse relationship between these was also observed in a 3-month follow-up study. Thus, it is possible, in part, to assess the condition of Kl-deficiency objectively using the population of CD16+CD158b+cells. However, the diagnostic utility of CD158b+expressing cells is expected to be limited from the viewpoints of complexity

Comments for Ishihara’s report: The development of vocational education in Sweden and implications for Japan

departmental bulletin pape