Distillation of Quantum Steering.

We show-both theoretically and experimentally-that Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen steering can be distilled. We present a distillation protocol that outputs a perfectly correlated system-the singlet assemblage-in the asymptotic infinite-copy limit, even for inputs that are arbitrarily close to being unsteerable. As figures of merit for the protocol's performance, we introduce the assemblage fidelity and the singlet-assemblage fraction. These are potentially interesting quantities on their own beyond the current scope. Remarkably, the protocol works well also in the nonasymptotic regime of few copies, in the sense of increasing the singlet-assemblage fraction. We demonstrate the efficacy of the protocol using a hyperentangled photon pair encoding two copies of a two-qubit state. This represents to our knowledge the first observation of deterministic steering concentration. Our findings are not only fundamentally important but may also be useful for semi-device-independent protocols in noisy quantum networks.

Quantum Steering Beyond Instrumental Causal Networks.

We theoretically predict, and experimentally verify with entangled photons, that outcome communication is not enough for hidden-state models to reproduce quantum steering. Hidden-state models with outcome communication correspond, in turn, to the well-known instrumental processes of causal inference but in the one-sided device-independent scenario of one black-box measurement device and one well-characterized quantum apparatus. We introduce one-sided device-independent instrumental inequalities to test against these models, with the appealing feature of detecting entanglement even when communication of the black box's measurement outcome is allowed. We find that, remarkably, these inequalities can also be violated solely with steering, i.e., without outcome communication. In fact, an efficiently computable formal quantifier-the robustness of noninstrumentality-naturally arises, and we prove that steering alone is enough to maximize it. Our findings imply that quantum theory admits a stronger form of steering than known until now, with fundamental as well as practical potential implications.

Effects of rapid maxillary expansion and mandibular advancement on upper airways in Marfan's syndrome children: a home sleep study and cephalometric evaluation.

PURPOSE: Evaluation of the effects of rapid maxillary expansion and mandibular advancement using Propulsor Universal Light appliance on the upper airways in Marfan's syndrome children through home sleep studies, Epworth Sleepiness Scale questionnaire, and cephalometric analysis of the upper airways on lateral radiographs. METHODS: The study sample consisted of 30 children with Marfan's syndrome, and the control group consisted of 30 untreated and matched children. For Marfan subjects, data were taken at different time points compared to treatment: at T0 (before treatment), T1 (after rapid maxillary expansion), and T2 (after mandibular advancement). For control subjects, data were taken at similar intervals, at three follow-up visits: at T0 (as a starting screening tool), T1 (after approximately 2 years), and T2 (in proximity of the peak skeletal growth). RESULTS: Apnea-hypopnea and oxygen desaturations were significantly higher in the study group at T0 and T1 compared with control children. At T2, the values were not significant (p value 0.442 for both apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) and oxygen desaturation index (ODI)). Horizontal airway dimensions were significantly reduced, and vertical airway values were significantly increased in Marfan's syndrome at T0 and T1 but not at T2 (p values at T2: 0.071 for Phw1-Psp, 0.106 for Phw1-Psp', 0.101 for Phw2-Tb, 0.559 for UAL in male and 0.560 for UAL in female). CONCLUSIONS: Early rapid maxillary expansion and mandibular advancement using Propulsor Universal Light appliance significantly improved airway patency of Marfan's syndrome children and are strongly encouraged as a routine treatment for both correction of class II malocclusions and prevention of obstructive sleep apnea.

Quantum speed limit for physical processes.

The evaluation of the minimal evolution time between two distinguishable states of a system is important for assessing the maximal speed of quantum computers and communication channels. Lower bounds for this minimal time have been proposed for unitary dynamics. Here we show that it is possible to extend this concept to nonunitary processes, using an attainable lower bound that is connected to the quantum Fisher information for time estimation. This result is used to delimit the minimal evolution time for typical noisy channels.

Anoikis: an emerging hallmark in health and diseases.

Anoikis is a programmed cell death occurring upon cell detachment from the correct extracellular matrix, thus disrupting integrin ligation. It is a critical mechanism in preventing dysplastic cell growth or attachment to an inappropriate matrix. Anoikis prevents detached epithelial cells from colonizing elsewhere and is thus essential for tissue homeostasis and development. As anchorage-independent growth and epithelial-mesenchymal transition, two features associated with anoikis resistance, are crucial steps during tumour progression and metastatic spreading of cancer cells, anoikis deregulation has now evoked particular attention from the scientific community. The aim of this review is to analyse the molecular mechanisms governing both anoikis and anoikis resistance, focusing on their regulation in physiological processes, as well as in several diseases, including metastatic cancers, cardiovascular diseases and diabetes.

Redox regulation of anoikis: reactive oxygen species as essential mediators of cell survival.

Proper attachment to the extracellular matrix (ECM) is essential for cell survival. The loss of integrin-mediated cell-ECM contact results in an apoptotic process termed anoikis. However, mechanisms involved in regulation of cell survival are poorly understood and mediators responsible for anoikis have not been well characterized. Here, we demonstrate that reactive oxygen species (ROS) produced through the involvement of the small GTPase Rac-1 upon integrin engagement exert a mandatory role in transducing a pro-survival signal that ensures that cells escape from anoikis. In particular, we show that ROS are responsible for the redox-mediated activation of Src that trans-phosphorylates epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) in a ligand-independent manner. The redox-dependent phosphorylation of EGFR activates both extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase and Akt downstream signalling pathways, culminating in degradation of the pro-apoptotic protein Bim. Hence, our results shed new light on the mechanism granting the adhesion-dependent antiapoptotic effect, highlighting a fundamental role of ROS-mediated Src regulation in ensuring anoikis protection.

Insulin inhibits platelet-derived growth factor-induced cell proliferation.

Cellular behavior can be considered to be the result of a very complex spatial and temporal integration of intracellular and extracellular signals. These signals arise from serum-soluble factors as well as from cell-substrate or cell-cell interactions. The current approach in mitogenesis studies is generally to analyze the effect of a single growth factor on serum-starved cells. In this context, a metabolic hormone such as insulin is found to be a mitogenic agent in many cellular types. In the present study, we have considered the effect of insulin stimulation in platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)-activated NIH-3T3 and C2C12 cells. Our results show that insulin is able to inhibit strongly both NIH-3T3 and C2C12 cell growth induced by PDGF, one of the most powerful mitotic agents for these cell types. This inhibitory effect of insulin is due primarily to a premature down-regulation of the PDGF receptor. Thus, when NIH-3T3 or C2C12 cells are stimulated with both PDGF and insulin, we observe a decrease in PDGF receptor phosphorylation with respect to cells treated with PDGF alone. In particular, we find that costimulation with insulin leads to a reduced production of H2O2 with respect to cell stimulation with PDGF alone. The relative low concentration of H2O2 in PDGF/insulin-costimulated cell leads to a limited down-regulation of protein tyrosine phosphatases, and, consequently, to a reduced PDGF receptor phosphorylation efficiency. The latter is very likely to be responsible for the insulin-dependent inhibition of PDGF-receptor mitogenic signaling.

A three-dimensional view of structural changes caused by deactivation of fluid catalytic cracking catalysts.

Since its commercial introduction three-quarters of a century ago, fluid catalytic cracking has been one of the most important conversion processes in the petroleum industry. In this process, porous composites composed of zeolite and clay crack the heavy fractions in crude oil into transportation fuel and petrochemical feedstocks. Yet, over time the catalytic activity of these composite particles decreases. Here, we report on ptychographic tomography, diffraction, and fluorescence tomography, as well as electron microscopy measurements, which elucidate the structural changes that lead to catalyst deactivation. In combination, these measurements reveal zeolite amorphization and distinct structural changes on the particle exterior as the driving forces behind catalyst deactivation. Amorphization of zeolites, in particular, close to the particle exterior, results in a reduction of catalytic capacity. A concretion of the outermost particle layer into a dense amorphous silica-alumina shell further reduces the mass transport to the active sites within the composite.Catalyst deactivation in fluid catalytic cracking processes is unavoidably associated with structural changes. Here, the authors visualize the deactivation of zeolite catalysts by ptychography and other imaging techniques, showing pronounced amorphization of the outer layer of the catalyst particles.

Solid-phase synthesis of beta-lactams via the Miller hydroxamate approach.

[figure: see text] beta-Lactams were prepared on solid phase starting from serine, threonine, or other beta-hydroxyacids derived from naturally occurring amino acids and a resin bound hydroxylamine. The ring closure was carried out under Mitsunobu conditions. The amino group present on the beta-lactam was used to assemble a short peptide. After a reductive cleavage with Sml2, beta-lactam-containing peptides were obtained.

First stereocontrolled synthesis of (S)-cleonin and related cyclopropyl-substituted amino acids.

[reaction: see text]. Enantiomerically pure (S)-cleonin, a key component of the antitumor antibiotic cleomycin, was prepared starting from (R)-serine. The Kulinkovich cyclopropanation of the methyl ester of N-Cbz serine acetonide gave the hydroxycyclopropyl moiety. The amino alcohol region was further oxidized to amino acid. The Kulinkovich cyclopropanation allowed also the preparation of other non-natural substituted cyclopropylglycines.

A new supported reagent for the photochemical generation of radicals in solution.

A new polymer-supported radical source was developed by loading an N-hydroxy thiazole 2(3)-thione on a Wang resin. This new supported reagent can be employed for a solid-phase version of the Hunsdiecker reaction or to liberate free alkoxy radicals, in a variant of the "catch and release" technique, under very mild conditions (irradiation with a discharge lamp) and simplifying the purification procedure.

Idiopathic haemochromatosis and HLA antigens in Italy: is A3 Bw35 HLA haplotype a marker for idiopathic haemochromatosis gene in north east regions?

Thirty two unrelated Italian subjects with idiopathic haemochromatosis were studied. HLA-A3 was present in 26 of them (81% v 22% in controls; p less than 0.001) and HLA B7 in eight (28% v 9%; p less than 0.01). There was no important association between idiopathic haemochromatosis and HLA B14. Subdividing the patients on the basis of their regional origin a noticeably higher prevalence of HLA Bw35 in patients with idiopathic haemochromatosis from north eastern Italy was found than in those from Lombardy, or in the controls; there were no differences in the incidence of HLA A3 and B7 between patients with idiopathic haemochromatosis from different areas. A high prevalence of A3, Bw35, and A3, B7 haplotypes was found in our patients with idiopathic haemochromatosis. A3, Bw35 could be the haplotype most commonly linked to the idiopathic haemochromatosis gene in north eastern Italy.

Impact of Cu(II) and Ni(II) on a structure of chiral peptide nucleic acids having four, six and eight thymines in a peptide side chain.

The studies on binding ability of longer chiral peptide nucleic acids (having four, six and eight thymines in a peptide side chain) have shown that the interactions between the nucleic base rings within a ligand molecule have a critical impact on the complex stability. Thymines inserted in the peptide side chain interact with each other as well as with peptide back-bone increasing the structural organization of the cPNA molecule. The metal ion coordination to cPNA, on the other hand, induces a very specific ligand structure, which may have a basic impact on the cPNA self-recognition processes.

Synthesis of oligopeptides containing an oxirane ring in the place of a peptidic bond.

Oligopeptides containing an oxirane ring have recently been identified as inhibitors of a variety of proteases (1-3). These peptidomimetics have the potential to coordinate with metal present in the active site and, after nucleophilic ring opening, irreversibly blocking the enzyme. For this reason, oxirane containing peptidomimetics are good candidates to became transition states analogs or suicide inhibitors with long term efficacy in vivo (3). Synthetic routes to a variety of terminal (4-8) and internal epoxide peptidomimetics (9-11) have been reported but there are no examples of incorporation of such epoxides into oligopeptides. The focus of this chapter will be on the preparation of oligopeptides (up to a three-peptide) containing an epoxide in the place of the peptide bond. The structures prepared here can be identified, using the notation suggested by Spatola (12) as AAxψ[traws-epoxy]-AAy. The general synthetic approach described in this chapter is based on the aldol type reaction of a silylketene thioacetal and a ß-amino α-selenyl aldehyde derived from an oligopeptide. This reaction stereoselectively generates a vicinal hydroxy selenide which can be further oxidized to epoxide (Fig. 1). Fig. 1. Retrosynthetic analysis of oxirane peptidomimetrics.

Influence of diabetic treatment regimens on vitamin D metabolism in elderly patients.

The influence of diabetic treatment regimens on vitamin D metabolism and on bone mineral content has been explored in 41 elderly patients with normal renal and hepatic functions. The data obtained suggest that oral treatment with hypoglycemic compounds exerts a negative influence on vitamin D metabolism. It is possible that the reduction of 25-OH-hydroxy-vitamin D levels depends on a high conversion rate to the active 1,25-dihydroxy-vitamin D, as a consequence of parathormone-stimulated increase of 1-alpha-hydroxylase activity. On the other hand, no differences in bone mineral densities were observed in correlation with the diabetic treatment regimens. Therefore, oral treatment with hypoglycemic compounds can only be associated with an accelerated vitamin D metabolism.

[Features and evolution of postoperative pain in patients undergoing thoracotomy]. / Caratteristiche ed evoluzione del dolore postoperatorio in pazienti sottoposti a toracotomia.

We examined in this perspective study 30 patients (15 males and 15 females) who undergone classic thoracotomy for lung or mediastinal diseases, without postoperative complications. Intensity and different qualitative components of postoperative pain have been evaluated in the 1st, 3rd, 5th, the day after last pleural drainage removal and 2 months after the operation. All patients answered a schedule adherent to Questionario Italiano del Dolore (QUID). Pain became less intense chiefly with drainage removal with the same time trend for both sex (parallel curves). Pain is probably stronger in women. From a qualitative point of view, the sensorial component is the same in both sexes. Affective and evaluative component is greater in women: in other words, women realize more than men the painful stimulus and are more troubled. A computerized analysis of answers to a questionnaire like QUID or, better, its evolution, may be helpful for a more effective pharmacological choice between pure analgesics, sedative analgesics and ataractic drugs.

Determination of 63Ni and 59Ni in spent ion-exchange resin and activated charcoal from the IEA-R1 nuclear research reactor.

A radiochemical method has been adapted to determine (59)Ni and (63)Ni in samples of radioactive wastes from the water cleanup system of the IEA-R1 nuclear research reactor. The process includes extraction chromatographic resin with dimethylglyoxime (DMG) as a functional group. Activity concentrations of (59)Ni and (63)Ni were measured, respectively, by X-ray spectrometry and liquid scintillation counting, whereas the chemical yield was determined by ICP-OES. The average ratio of measured activity concentrations of (63)Ni and (59)Ni agree well with theory.

Accreditation and training on internal dosimetry in a laboratory network in Brazil: an increasing demand.

In recent years, Brazilian Nuclear Programme has been reviewed and updated by government authorities in face of the demand for energy supply and its associated environmental constraints. The immediate impact of new national programmes and projects in nuclear field is the increase in the number of exposed personnel and the consequent need for reliable dosimetry services in the country. Several Technical Documents related to internal dosimetry have been released by the International Atomic Energy Agency and International Commission on Radiological Protection. However, standard bioassay procedures and methodologies for bioassay data interpretation are still under discussion and, in some cases, both in routine and emergency internal monitoring, procedures can vary from one laboratory to another and responses may differ markedly among Dosimetry Laboratories. Thus, it may be difficult to interpret and use bioassay data generated from different laboratories of a network. The main goal of this work is to implement a National Network of Laboratories aimed to provide reliable internal monitoring services in Brazil. The establishment of harmonised in vivo and in vitro radioanalytical techniques, dose assessment methods and the implementation of the ISO/IEC 17025 requirements will result in the recognition of technical competence of the network.