Design and Implementation of Quantum Repeaters:Insights on Quantum Entanglement Purification

Quantum communication is a groundbreaking technology that is driving the future of information transmission and communication technologies to a new paradigm.It relies on quantum entanglement to facilitate the transmission of quantum states between parties.Quantum repeaters are crucial for facilitating long-distance quantum communication.These quantum devices act as intermediaries between adjacent communication channel segments within a fragmented quantum network,allowing for entanglement swapping between the channel segments.This entanglement swapping process establishes entanglement links between the endpoints of adjacent segments,gradually creating a continuous entanglement connection over the entire length of the transmission channel.The established quantum link can be utilized for secure and efficient quantum communication between distant sender and receiver nodes.This study focuses on quantum entanglement purification,a protocol aimed at maintaining high fidelity entangled states above the operational threshold of the communication channel.This study investigates the optimal stage for executing the purification protocol and applies optimization schemes to evaluate various purification protocols.We use IBM Qiskit for circuit implementation and simulation.The results offer valuable insights into future approaches to implementing practical quantum repeaters and shed light on existing and anticipated challenges.

Delay and Energy Efficient Design of an On-Chip Bus with Repeaters Using a New Spatial and Temporal Encoding Technique

On-chip global buses in deep sub-micron designs consume significant amounts of energy and have large propagation delays. Thus, minimizing energy dissipation and propagation delay is an important design objective. In this paper, we propose a new spatial and temporal encoding approach for generic on-chip global buses with repeaters that enables higher performance while reducing peak energy and average energy. The proposed encoding approach exploits the benefits of a temporal encoding circuit and spatial bus-invert coding techniques to simultaneously eliminate opposite transitions on adjacent wires and reduce the number of self-transitions and coupling-transitions. In the design process of applying encoding techniques for reduced bus delay and energy, we present a repeater insertion design methodology to determine the repeater size and inter-repeater bus length, which minimizes the total bus energy dissipation while satisfying target delay and slew-rate constraints. This methodology is employed to obtain optimal energy versus delay trade-offs under slew-rate constraints for various encoding techniques.

Wireless Charger Design of Robot Vacuum Cleaners with Power Repeaters for High Compatibility

Curved coils constructed by flexible printed circuit board (PCB) or hand-wound Litz-wire have been steadily becoming popular due to its applicable potential on devices that have a curved body. Inductive Power Transfer (IPT) systems based on curved coils and flexible ferrite sheets may provide more flexible charging solutions for various electronic devices such as rice cookers and robot vacuum cleaners. Power repeaters are also used in IPT systems to extend wireless charging range by guiding magnetic fields to the receiving coil. The interaction of these three topics could be inspiring. In this paper, two adjustable power repeaters are applied to an IPT charging system with various curved receiving coils designed for vacuum cleaners. Two power repeaters share the identical structure as the Tx coil and could be rotated to mirror symmetrically. The input and output power are calculated by analyzing the equivalent circuit model. The self-inductance, mutual inductance, and coupling coefficient of the proposed system are obtained via finite element method simulation with variable rotating angles. Three typical IPT designs have also been simulated in ANSYS Maxwell and compared with the proposed magnetic design. The comparison indicates the enhancing feature of the passive power repeaters on coupling performance and the ability to guide the magnetic flux for better magnetic field coupling. Furthermore, two types of co-simulations defined by the power source via Simplorer are conducted to explore how much power could be transferred. The tuned system is shown to be able to provide about 32 W under 100 kHz operating frequency for charging the battery of a robot vacuum cleaner. The results from theoretical calculation and simulation align well with each other.

Efficient entanglement purification in quantum repeaters

We present an efficient entanglement purification protocol （EPP） with controlled-not （CNOT） gates and linear optics. With the CNOT gates, our EPP can reach a higher fidelity than the conventional one. Moreover, it does not require the fidelity of the initial mixed state to satisfy 1 2. If the initial state is not entangled, it still can be purified. With the linear optics, this protocol can get pure maximally entangled pairs with some probabilities. Meanwhile, it can be used to purify the entanglement between the atomic ensembles in distant locations. This protocol may be useful in long-distance quantum communication.

基于SCAR标记和DNA条形码技术的苍术基原鉴别研究

目的开发出能同时鉴别北苍术和关苍术的分子标记方法,并探究不同种质资源苍术的遗传进化关系。方法对不同地区北苍术Atractylodes chinensis(Bunge)Koidz及关苍术A.japonica Koidz.ex Kitam基因组DNA的差异片段进行测序,结合SRAP、ISSR、DAMD分子标记方法,优化PCR反应体系,筛选并转换成特异性标记,同时,采用条形码方法分析种间序列差异。结果通过SRAP、ISSR、DAMD三种分子标记方法的PCR扩增,共筛选出198对能稳定扩增且重现性好的引物,转换出7对能稳定、快速鉴别北苍术和关苍术的SCAR引物。条形码方法检测出北苍术ITS2序列长度为454 bp,关苍术ITS2序列长度为453 bp,与其他苍术属植物之间遗传距离较远。NJ树结果显示,北苍术、关苍术及其他苍术属植物均各自聚为一支,表现出良好的单系性。依据ITS2二级结构,4种苍术属植物在螺旋区的茎环数目、大小、位置均有明显差异,可以直观地进行区分。结论所开发的特异性SCAR标记为苍术属植物优良品种的筛选提供了新方法,DNA条形码能稳定、准确鉴别北苍术。

Evaluation Test Research of DR Inspection System for Circumferential Welds in Long Distance Pipeline

Digital radiographic(DR)testing equipment has been widely promoted and applied in the inspection of circumferential welds in oil and gas pipelines.In order to establish a comprehensive quality control system for digital radiographic testing and fully evaluate the integrated system inspection ability of equipment,personnel,and processes,a scientific and standardized evaluation method to the system is very necessary.Here investigates the precedents of relevant non-destructive testing evaluation methods at home and abroad,considers the testing characteristics of DR equipment,develops a complete set of DR testing system evaluation procedures.It deeply studies the adaptability methods of program processes from defect production to slicing processing and data statistical calculation for digital radiographic testing evaluation.To check the repeatability and reliability of the detectable system,five process welds with 200 real metallographic defects were fabricated in the laboratory.From the detected results,the DR system has good repeatability in image quality,and the detectable defect size reaches 0.85 mm under achieving 90%detection probability at a confidence level of 95%,the error of detected defect length is±2 mm,and the error of detected defect localization is±5 mm.The qualitative and quantitative detection of defects are accurate and reliable.The test further confirmed the reliable detection ability of the DR detection system,and fully validated the scientific and practical evaluation method designed.The research on the evaluation test method can serve as an important link in the quality control system for the on-site application of digital ray equipment in long-distance pipelines.The designed program,test,and evaluation content can serve as an important basis for the formulation of relevant specifications or standards.

Bone targeted nano-drug and nano-delivery

There are currently no targeted delivery systems to satisfactorily treat bone-related disorders.Many clinical drugs consisting of small organic molecules have a short circulation half-life and do not effectively reach the diseased tissue site.This coupled with repeatedly high dose usage that leads to severe side effects.

Comparative analyses of mitogenomes in the social bees with insights into evolution of long inverted repeats in the Meliponini

The insect mitogenome is typically a compact circular molecule with highly conserved gene contents.Nonetheless,mitogenome structural variations have been reported in specific taxa,and gene rearrangements,usually the tRNAs,occur in different lineages.Because synapomorphies of mitogenome organizations can provide information for phylogenetic inferences,comparative analyses of mitogenomes have been given increasing attention.However,most studies use a very few species to represent the whole genus,tribe,family,or even order,overlooking potential variations at lower taxonomic levels,which might lead to some incorrect inferences.To provide new insights into mitogenome organizations and their implications for phylogenetic inference,this study conducted comparative analyses for mitogenomes of three social bee tribes(Meliponini,Bombini,and Apini)based on the phylogenetic framework with denser taxonomic sampling at the species and population levels.Comparative analyses revealed that mitogenomes of Apini and Bombini are the typical type,while those of Meliponini show diverse variations in mitogenome sizes and organizations.Large inverted repeats(IRs)cause significant gene rearrangements of protein coding genes(PCGs)and rRNAs in Indo-Malay/Australian stingless bee species.Molecular evolution analyses showed that the lineage with IRs have lower dN/dS ratios for PCGs than lineages without IRs,indicating potential effects of IRs on the evolution of mitochondrial genes.The finding of IRs and different patterns of gene rearrangements suggested that Meliponini is a hotspot in mitogenome evolution.Unlike conserved PCGs and rRNAs whose rearrangements were found only in the mentioned lineages within Meliponini,tRNA rearrangements are common across all three tribes of social bees,and are significant even at the species level,indicating that comprehensive sampling is needed to fully understand the patterns of tRNA rearrangements,and their implications for phylogenetic inference.

One bird,multiple stones:The race to find a gene of dominant negative effect in wheat

In the current issue of The Crop Journal,Chen et al.[1]reports map-based cloning of a wheat gene that showed temperaturedependent pleiotropic effects on multiple traits including plant height,leaf shape,spike and grain morphology,and accordingly was named WPA1 for Wheat Plant Architecture 1.The mutant was first observed among EMS-treated plants and repeatedly appeared in multiple occasions.

Analysis of RNA Recognition and Binding Characteristics of OsCPPR1 Protein in Rice

Pentatricopeptide repeat(PPR)proteins represent one of the largest protein families in plants and typically localize to organelles like mitochondria and chloroplasts.By contrast,CYTOPLASMLOCALIZED PPR1(OsCPPR1)is a cytoplasm-localized PPR protein that can degrade OsGOLDENLIKE1(OsGLK1)mRNA in the tapetum of rice anther.However,the mechanism,by which OsCPPR1 recognizes and binds to OsGLK1 transcripts,remains unknown.Through protein structure prediction and macromolecular docking experiments,we observed that distinct PPR motif structures of OsCPPR1 exhibited varying binding efficiencies to OsGLK1 RNA.Moreover,RNA-electrophoretic mobility shift assay experiment demonstrated that the recombinant OsCPPR1 can directly recognize and bind to OsGLK1 mRNA in vitro.This further confirmed that the mutations in the conserved amino acids in each PPR motif resulted in loss of activity,while truncation of OsCPPR1 decreased its binding efficiency.These findings collectively suggest that it may require some co-factors to assist in cleavage,a facet that warrants further exploration in subsequent studies.

Toward understanding the role of genomic repeat elements in neurodegenerative diseases

Neurodegenerative diseases cause great medical and economic burdens for both patients and society;however, the complex molecular mechanisms thereof are not yet well understood. With the development of high-coverage sequencing technology, researchers have started to notice that genomic repeat regions, previously neglected in search of disease culprits, are active contributors to multiple neurodegenerative diseases. In this review, we describe the association between repeat element variants and multiple degenerative diseases through genome-wide association studies and targeted sequencing. We discuss the identification of disease-relevant repeat element variants, further powered by the advancement of long-read sequencing technologies and their related tools, and summarize recent findings in the molecular mechanisms of repeat element variants in brain degeneration, such as those causing transcriptional silencing or RNA-mediated gain of toxic function. Furthermore, we describe how in silico predictions using innovative computational models, such as deep learning language models, could enhance and accelerate our understanding of the functional impact of repeat element variants. Finally, we discuss future directions to advance current findings for a better understanding of neurodegenerative diseases and the clinical applications of genomic repeat elements.

Parent-offspring relationship recognition based on SSR and mtDNA confirmed resource supplement effect of Fenneropenaeus chinensis release

The resource of Fenneropenaeus chinensis has declined sharply due to excessive fishing intensity,ecological changes and diseases.In order to supplement the fishing yield and restore resources of F.chinensis,the relevant authorities have carried out the activities of stock enhancement and releasing.It can increase biomass and recover resources.However,compared with increasing biomass,there were still few reports on its effect on the recovery of resources.Resource recovery is a process related to whether the released individuals can form a reproductive population.Up to now,there has been a lack of evidence whether the released F.chinensis can complete the entire life history,and form reproduction population.In this study,gravid female shrimp after spawning migration were captured from coastal waters of Haiyang,Qingdao,and Yellow Sea.After identifying parentage relationships using simple sequence repeat(SSR)and mtDNA haplotype,it was finally confirmed that there were eight released individuals in the recapture samples.It was confirmed for the first time that at least part of the released F.chinensis can complete overwintering and reproductive migration,and maintain the migration habits as their wild counterparts.Therefore,we infered that the released shrimp can reproduce under natural conditions,these F.chinensis can form reproductive populations theoretically if without human intervention.These results indicated that enhancenment and release activities have a positive effect on resource recovery.

Reduction of epinephrine in the lumbar spinal cord following repetitive blast-induced traumatic brain injury in rats

Traumatic brain inju ry-induced unfavorable outcomes in human patients have independently been associated with dysregulated levels of monoamines,especially epinephrine,although few preclinical studies have examined the epinephrine level in the central nervous system after traumatic brain injury.Epinephrine has been shown to regulate the activities of spinal motoneurons as well as increase the heart rate,blood pressure,and blood flow to the hindlimb muscles.Therefore,the purpose of the present study was to determine the impact of repeated blast-induced traumatic brain injury on the epinephrine levels in seve ral function-s pecific central nervous system regions in rats.Following three repeated blast injuries at 3-day intervals,the hippocampus,motor cortex,locus coeruleus,vestibular nuclei,and lumbar spinal cord were harvested at post-injury day eight and processed for epinephrine assays using a high-sensitive electrochemical detector cou pled with high-performance liquid chromatography.Our results showed that the epinephrine levels were significantly decreased in the lumbar spinal cord tissues of blast-induced traumatic brain injury animals compared to the levels detected in age-and sex-matched sham controls.In other function-specific central nervous system regions,although the epinephrine levels were slightly altered following blast-induced tra u matic brain injury,they were not statistically significant.These results suggest that blast injury-induced significant downregulation of epinephrine in the lumbar spinal cord could negatively impact the motor and cardiovascular function.This is the first repo rt to show altered epinephrine levels in the spinal cord following repetitive mild blast-induced traumatic brain injury.

Study on cumulative effects of biological craniocerebral trauma under repeated blast

Repeated blast impacts on personnel in explosive environments can exacerbate craniocerebral trauma.Most existing studies focus on the injury effects of a single blast,lacking in-depth analysis on the injury effects and cumulative effects of repeated blasts.Therefore,rats were used as the experimental samples to suffer from explosion blasts with different peak air overpressures(167 kPa~482 kPa)and varying number of repeated blasts.The cumulative effect of craniocerebral trauma was most pronounced for moderate repeated blast,showing approximately 95%increase of trauma severity with penta blast,and an approximately 85%increase of trauma severity with penta minor blast.The cumulative effect of craniocerebral trauma from severe,repeated blast has a smaller rate of change compared to the other two conditions.The severity of trauma from penta blast increased by approximately 69%compared to a single blast.Comprehensive physiological,pathological and biochemical analysis show that the degree of neurological trauma caused by repeated blasts is higher than that of single blasts,and the pathological trauma to brain tissue is more extensive and severe.The trauma degree remains unchanged after double blast,increases by one grade after triple or quadruple blast,and increases by two grades after penta blast.

Repeatability,interocular correlation and agreement of optic nerve head vessel density in healthy eyes:a sweptsource optical coherence tomographic angiography study

AIM:To assess the repeatability,interocular correlation,and agreement of quantitative swept-source optical coherence tomography angiography(OCTA)optic nerve head(ONH)parameters in healthy subjects.METHODS:Thir ty-three healthy subjects were enrolled.The ONH of both eyes were imaged four times by a swept-source-OCTA using a 3 mm×3 mm scanning protocol.Images of the radial peripapillary capillary were analyzed by a customized Matlab program,and the vessel density,fractal dimension,and vessel diameter index were measured.The repeatability of the four scans was determined by the intraclass correlation coefficient(ICC).The most well-centered optic disc from the four repeated scans was then selected for the interocular correlation and agreement analysis using the Pearson correlation coefficient,ICC and Bland-Altman plots.RESULTS:All swept-source-OCTA ONH parameters exhibited certain repeatability,with ICC>0.760 and coefficient of variation(CoV)≤7.301%.The obvious interocular correlation was observed for papillary vessel density(ICC=0.857),vessel diameter index(ICC=0.857)and fractal dimension(ICC=0.906),while circumpapillary vessel density exhibited moderate interocular correlation(ICC=0.687).Bland-Altman plots revealed an agreement range of-5.26%to 6.21%for circumpapillary vessel density.CONCLUSION:OCTA ONH parameters demonstrate good repeatability in healthy subjects.The interocular correlations of papillary vessel density,fractal dimension and vessel diameter index are high,but the correlation for circumpapillary vessel density is moderate.

Ignition processes and characteristics of charring conductive polymers with a cavity geometry in precombustion chamber for applications in micro/nano satellite hybrid rocket motors

The arc ignition system based on charring polymers has advantages of simple structure,low ignition power consumption and multiple ignitions,which bringing it broadly application prospect in hybrid propulsion system of micro/nano satellite.However,charring polymers alone need a relatively high input voltage to achieve pyrolysis and ignition,which increases the burden and cost of the power system of micro/nano satellite in practical application.Adding conductive substance into charring polymers can effectively decrease the conducting voltage which can realize low voltage and low power consumption repeated ignition of arc ignition system.In this paper,a charring conductive polymer ignition grain with a cavity geometry in precombustion chamber,which is composed of PLA and multiwall carbon nanotubes(MWCNT)was proposed.The detailed ignition processes were analyzed and two different ignition mechanisms in the cavity of charring conductive polymers were revealed.The ignition characteristics of charring conductive polymers were also investigated at different input voltages,ignition grain structures,ignition locations and injection schemes in a visual ignition combustor.The results demonstrated that the ignition delay and external energy required for ignition were inversely correlated with the voltages applied to ignition grain.Moreover,the incremental depth of cavity shortened the ignition delay and external energy required for ignition while accelerated the propagation of flame.As the depth of cavity increased from 2 to 6 mm(at 50 V),the time of flame propagating out of ignition grain changed from 235.6 to 108 ms,and values of mean ignition delay time and mean external energy required for ignition decreased from 462.8 to 320 ms and 16.2 to 10.75 J,respectively.The rear side of the cavity was the ideal ignition position which had a shorter ignition delay and a faster flame propagation speed in comparison to other ignition positions.Compared to direct injection scheme,swirling injection provided a more favorable flow field environment in the cavity,which was beneficial to ignition and initial flame propagation,but the ignition position needed to be away from the outlet of swirling injector.At last,the repeated ignition characteristic of charring conductive polymers was also investigated.The ignition delay time and external energy required for ignition decreased with repeated ignition times but the variation was decreasing gradually.

Changes in macrophage infiltration and podocyte injury in lupus nephritis patients with repeated renal biopsy: Report of three cases

BACKGROUND In this study,we retrospectively analysed macrophage infiltration and podocyte injury in three patients with diffuse proliferative lupus nephritis(LN)who un-derwent repeated renal biopsy.CASE SUMMARY Clinical data of three diffuse proliferative LN patients with different pathological characteristics(case 1 was LN IV-G(A),case 2 was LN IV-G(A)+V,and case 3 was LN IV-G(A)+thrombotic microangiopathy)were reviewed.All patients underwent repeated renal biopsies 6 mo later,and renal biopsy specimens were studied.Macrophage infiltration was assessed by CD68 expression detected by immunohistochemical staining,and an immunofluorescence assay was used to detect podocin expression to assess podocyte damage.After treatment,Case 1 changed to LN III-(A),Case 2 remained as type V LN lesions,and Case 3,which changed to LN IV-S(A),had the worst prognosis.We observed reduced macro-phage infiltration after therapy.However,two of the patients with active lesions after treatment still showed macrophage infiltration in the renal interstitium.Before treatment,the three patients showed discontinuous expression of podocin.Notably,the integrity of podocin was restored after treatment in Case 1.CONCLUSION It may be possible to reverse podocyte damage and decrease the infiltrating ma-crophages in LN patients through effective treatment.

The Applications of CRISPR Screening in Aging Research

The advancement of Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats(CRISPR)gene editing technology has revolutionized the comprehension of human genome,propelling molecular and cellular biology research into unexplored realms and accelerating progress in life sciences and medicine.CRISPR-based gene screening,recognized for its efficiency and practicality,is widely utilized across diverse biological fields.Aging is a multifaceted process governed by a myriad of genetic and epigenetic factors.Unraveling the genes regulating aging holds promise for understanding this intricate phenomenon and devising strategies for its assessment and intervention.This review provides a comprehensive overview of the progress in CRISPR screening and its applications in aging research,while also offering insights into future directions.CRISPR-based genetic-manipulation tools are positioned as indispensable instruments for mitigating aging and managing age-related diseases.

Effect of perioperative chemotherapy on resection of isolated pulmonary metastases from colorectal cancer:A single center experience

BACKGROUND Numerous studies have assessed surgical resection as a standard treatment option for patients with colorectal cancer(CRC)and resectable pulmonary metastases(PM).However,the role of perioperative chemotherapy after complete resection of isolated PM from patients with CRC patients remains controversial.We hypothesize that perioperative chemotherapy does not provide significant survival benefits for patients undergoing resection of PM from CRC.AIM To determine whether perioperative chemotherapy affects survival after radical resection of isolated PM from CRC.METHODS We retrospectively collected demographic,clinical,and pathologic data on patients who underwent radical surgery for isolated PM from CRC.Cancerspecific survival(CSS)and disease-free survival were calculated using Kaplan-Meier analysis.Inter-group differences were compared using the log-rank test.For multivariate analysis,Cox regression was utilized when indicated.RESULTS This study included 120 patients with a median age of 61.6 years.The 5-year CSS rate was 78.2%,with 36.7% experiencing recurrence.Surgical resection for isolated PM resulted in a 5-year CSS rate of 50.0% for second metastases.Perioperative chemotherapy(P=0.079)did not enhance survival post-resection.Factors associated with improved survival included fewer metastatic lesions[hazard ratio(HR):2.51,P=0.045],longer disease-free intervals(HR:0.35,P=0.016),and wedge lung resections(HR:0.42,P=0.035).Multiple PM predicted higher recurrence risk(HR:2.22,P=0.022).The log-rank test showed no significant difference in CSS between single and repeated metastasectomy(P=0.92).CONCLUSION Perioperative chemotherapy shows no survival benefit post-PM resection in CRC.Disease-free intervals and fewer metastatic lesions predict better survival.Repeated metastasectomy is warranted for eligible patients.

GATA binding protein 2 mediated ankyrin repeat domain containing 26 high expression in myeloid-derived cell lines

BACKGROUND Thrombocytopenia 2,an autosomal dominant inherited disease characterized by moderate thrombocytopenia,predisposition to myeloid malignancies and normal platelet size and function,can be caused by 5’-untranslated region(UTR)point mutations in ankyrin repeat domain containing 26(ANKRD26).Runt related transcription factor 1(RUNX1)and friend leukemia integration 1(FLI1)have been identified as negative regulators of ANKRD26.However,the positive regulators of ANKRD26 are still unknown.AIM To prove the positive regulatory effect of GATA binding protein 2(GATA2)on ANKRD26 transcription.METHODS Human induced pluripotent stem cells derived from bone marrow(hiPSC-BM)INTRODUCTION Ankyrin repeat domain containing protein 26(ANKRD26)acts as a regulator of adipogenesis and is involved in the regulation of feeding behavior[1-3].The ANKRD26 gene is located on chromosome 10 and shares regions of homology with the primate-specific gene family POTE.According to the Human Protein Atlas database,the ANKRD26 protein is localized to the Golgi apparatus and vesicles,and its expression can be detected in nearly all human tissues[4].Moreover,UniProt annotation revealed that ANKRD26 is localized in the centrosome and contains coiled-coil domains formed by spectrin helices and ankyrin repeats[5,6].The most common disease related to ANKRD26 is thrombocytopenia 2(THC2),which is a rare autosomal dominant inherited disease characterized by lifelong mild-to-moderate thrombocytopenia and mild bleeding[7-9].Caused by the variants in the 5’-untranslated region(UTR)of ANKRD26,THC2 is defined by a decrease in the number of platelets in circulating blood and results in increased bleeding and decreased clotting ability[8,10].Due to the point mutations that occur in the 5’-UTR of ANKRD26,its negative transcription factors(TFs),Runt related transcription factor 1(RUNX1)and friend leukemia integration 1(FLI1),lose their repression effect[11].The persistent expression of ANKRD26 increases the activity of the mitogen activated protein kinase and extracellular signal regulated kinase 1/2 signaling pathways,which are potentially involved in the regulation of thrombopoietin-dependent signaling and further impair proplatelet formation by megakaryocytes(MKs)[11].However,the positive regulators of ANKRD26,which might be associated with THC2 pathology,are still unknown.