Quantum-Enhanced Metrology with Network States.

Armed with quantum correlations, quantum sensors in a network have shown the potential to outclass their classical counterparts in distributed sensing tasks such as clock synchronization and reference frame alignment. On the other hand, this analysis was done for simple and idealized networks, whereas the correlation shared within a practical quantum network, captured by the notion of network states, is much more complex. Here, we prove a general bound that limits the performance of using quantum network states to estimate a global parameter, establishing the necessity of genuine multipartite entanglement for achieving a quantum advantage. The bound can also serve as an entanglement witness in networks and can be generalized to states generated by shallow circuits. Moreover, while our bound prohibits local network states from achieving the Heisenberg limit, we design a probabilistic protocol that, once successful, attains this ultimate limit of quantum metrology and preserves the privacy of involved parties. Our work establishes both the limitation and the possibility of quantum metrology within quantum networks.

Certifying Sets of Quantum Observables with Any Full-Rank State.

We show that some sets of quantum observables are unique up to an isometry and have a contextuality witness that attains the same value for any initial state. We prove that these two properties make it possible to certify any of these sets by looking at the statistics of experiments with sequential measurements and using any initial state of full rank, including thermal and maximally mixed states. We prove that this "certification with any full-rank state" (CFR) is possible for any quantum system of finite dimension d≥3 and is robust and experimentally useful in dimensions 3 and 4. In addition, we prove that complete Kochen-Specker sets can be Bell self-tested if and only if they enable CFR. This establishes a fundamental connection between these two methods of certification, shows that both methods can be combined in the same experiment, and opens new possibilities for certifying quantum devices.

Bounding the Amount of Entanglement from Witness Operators.

We present an approach to estimate the operational distinguishability between an entangled state and any separable state directly from measuring an entanglement witness. We show that this estimation also implies bounds on a variety of other well-known entanglement quantifiers. This approach for entanglement estimation is then extended to both the measurement-device-independent scenario and the fully device-independent scenario, where we obtain nontrivial but suboptimal bounds. The procedure requires no numerical optimization and is easy to compute. It offers ways for experimenters to not only detect, but also quantify, entanglement from the standard entanglement witness procedure.

Quantum Contextuality Provides Communication Complexity Advantage.

Despite the conceptual importance of contextuality in quantum mechanics, there is a hitherto limited number of applications requiring contextuality but not entanglement. Here, we show that for any quantum state and observables of sufficiently small dimensions producing contextuality, there exists a communication task with quantum advantage. Conversely, any quantum advantage in this task admits a proof of contextuality whenever an additional condition holds. We further show that given any set of observables allowing for quantum state-independent contextuality, there exists a class of communication tasks wherein the difference between classical and quantum communication complexities increases as the number of inputs grows. Finally, we show how to convert each of these communication tasks into a semi-device-independent protocol for quantum key distribution.

Experimental Test of High-Dimensional Quantum Contextuality Based on Contextuality Concentration.

Contextuality is a distinctive feature of quantum theory and a fundamental resource for quantum computation. However, existing examples of contextuality in high-dimensional systems lack the necessary robustness required in experiments. Here, we address this problem by identifying a family of noncontextuality inequalities whose maximum quantum violation grows with the dimension of the system. At first glance, this contextuality is the single-system version of multipartite Bell nonlocality taken to an extreme form. What is interesting is that the single-system version achieves the same degree of contextuality but uses a Hilbert space of lower dimension. That is, contextuality "concentrates" as the degree of contextuality per dimension increases. We show the practicality of this result by presenting an experimental test of contextuality in a seven-dimensional system. By simulating sequences of quantum ideal measurements with destructive measurements and repreparation in an all-optical setup, we report a violation of 68.7 standard deviations of the simplest case of the noncontextuality inequalities identified. Our results advance the investigation of high-dimensional contextuality, its connection to the Clifford algebra, and its role in quantum computation.

Ecdysteroids from the Aerial Parts of Paris verticillata.

Two new ecdysteroids 14-epi-polypodine B (1) and 22-oxo-hydroxyecdysterone (2), along with nine known compounds, polypodine B (3), viticosterone E (4), 20-hdroxyecdysone-2-acetate (5), 22-oxo-20-hydroxyecdysone (6), 5-hydroxyecdysone (7), pinnatasterone (8), 3-epi-20-hydroxyecdysone (9), ecdysterone (10) and stachysterone B (11), were isolated from the aerial parts of Paris verticillata. The structures of all compounds were elucidated by extensive spectroscopic analysis, quantum chemical calculations and ANN-PRA/DP4+ probability analysis. Among them, the absolute configuration of compound 1 and 2 was unambiguous determined by ECD. Also, the isolated compounds were assessed for their cytotoxic activities. Compounds 2, 3 and 7 exhibited significant cytotoxic activities against PC12, LN299 and SMCC7721 cells.

Proof of the Peres Conjecture for Contextuality.

A central result in the foundations of quantum mechanics is the Kochen-Specker theorem. In short, it states that quantum mechanics cannot be reconciled with classical models that are noncontextual for ideal measurements. The first explicit derivation by Kochen and Specker was rather complex, but considerable simplifications have been achieved thereafter. We propose a systematic approach to find minimal Hardy-type and Greenberger-Horne-Zeilinger-type (GHZ-type) proofs of the Kochen-Specker theorem, these are characterized by the fact that the predictions of classical models are opposite to the predictions of quantum mechanics. Based on our results, we show that the Kochen-Specker set with 18 vectors from Cabello et al. [Phys. Lett. A 212, 183 (1996)PYLAAG0375-960110.1016/0375-9601(96)00134-X] is the minimal set for any dimension, verifying a longstanding conjecture by Peres. Our results allow to identify minimal contextuality scenarios and to study their usefulness for information processing.

Lignans and Terpenoids from the Leaves of Schisandra chinensis.

Fifteen constituents, including one new lignan (schisandroside E) and one new terpenoid (schisandenoid A) as well as nine known lignans and four known terpenoids, were isolated from Schisandra chinensis leaves. The structures of schisandroside E and schisandenoid A were established by entirely meticulous spectroscopic analysis (NMR, MS, CD, IR and UV). All compounds were tested for cytotoxicity against MGC-803, Caco-2 and Ishikawa cell lines. Some compounds showed strong cytotoxicity against these three cancer cell lines with IC50 <1 µm.

Experimental observation of quantum state-independent contextuality under no-signaling conditions.

Contextuality, the impossibility of assigning context-independent measurement outcomes, is a critical resource for quantum computation and communication. No-signaling between successive measurements is an essential requirement that should be accomplished in any test of quantum contextuality and that is difficult to achieve in practice. Here, we introduce an optimal quantum state-independent contextuality inequality in which the deviation from the classical bound is maximal. We then experimentally test it using single photons generated from a defect in a bulk silicon carbide, while satisfying the requirement of no-signaling within the experimental error. Our results shed new light on the study of quantum contextuality under no-signaling conditions.

Optimal Classical Simulation of State-Independent Quantum Contextuality.

Simulating quantum contextuality with classical systems requires memory. A fundamental yet open question is what is the minimum memory needed and, therefore, the precise sense in which quantum systems outperform classical ones. Here, we make rigorous the notion of classically simulating quantum state-independent contextuality (QSIC) in the case of a single quantum system submitted to an infinite sequence of measurements randomly chosen from a finite QSIC set. We obtain the minimum memory needed to simulate arbitrary QSIC sets via classical systems under the assumption that the simulation should not contain any oracular information. In particular, we show that, while classically simulating two qubits tested with the Peres-Mermin set requires log_{2}24≈4.585 bits, simulating a single qutrit tested with the Yu-Oh set requires, at least, 5.740 bits.

Generalized Hardy's Paradox.

Here, we present the most general framework for n-particle Hardy's paradoxes, which include Hardy's original one and Cereceda's extension as special cases. Remarkably, for any n≥3, we demonstrate that there always exist generalized paradoxes (with the success probability as high as 1/2^{n-1}) that are stronger than the previous ones in showing the conflict of quantum mechanics with local realism. An experimental proposal to observe the stronger paradox is also presented for the case of three qubits. Furthermore, from these paradoxes we can construct the most general Hardy's inequalities, which enable us to detect Bell's nonlocality for more quantum states.

New Glycosides from the Fruits of Nicandra physaloides.

Three new glycosides (1-3) and 15 known ones (4-18) were isolated and identified from the fruits of Nicandra physaloides. The structures of these compounds were established by 1D and 2D NMR spectra and HR-ESI-MS. The compounds (4-18) were the first time isolated from the Nicandra genus and they (except 8, 10, 14) exhibited inhibitions on the NO release of LPS-induced RAW 264.7 cells with IC50 values from 26.9 to 47.5 µM.

Gegen Qinlian decoction inhibited M1 macrophage polarization and ulcerative colitis progression through regulating histone lactylation.

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a persistent inflammatory condition affecting the bowels. Gegen Qinlian decoction (GQD) has been widely used in the therapy of gastrointestinal diseases. We investigated the protective impacts and mechanism of GQD against UC. To establish the UC model, dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) was utilized. The disease activity index (DAI), colon length and colonic pathology were assessed to examine the impacts of GQD on UC. The level of pan-lysine lactylation (Pan kla) and specific sites were detected using western blot. Then, the inflammatory factors and the oxidative stress parameters were measured via the corresponding kits, respectively. Our findings demonstrated that GQD suppressed the lactate generation and LDH activity. The western blot revealed that GQD inhibited the expression of Pan kla and specific sites of H3K18la, H3K23la, H4K8la, and H4K12la. Furthermore, the suppressive effects on inflammation and oxidative stress caused by GQD were counteracted upon the exogenous lactate. GQD suppressed the phenotypic differentiation of M1 macrophages by reducing the expression of M1 markers, which was also reversed by exogenous lactate. In conclusion, GQD effectively suppressed UC progression through histone lactylation. Our results broadened the theoretical basis for the clinical use of GQD.

Physalis Calyx seu Fructus inhibited pulmonary fibrosis through regulating Wnt/ß-catenin signaling pathway.

BACKGROUND: Pulmonary fibrosis is a chronic and advancing interstitial lung disease, and there is an urgent need for novel agents for its therapy. Physalis Calyx seu Fructus (PCF) has been utilized in traditional Chinese medicine to treat respiratory disorders with a long history, however, the therapeutic effect and mechanism of PCF against pulmonary fibrosis are still unclear. PURPOSE: To assess therapeutic efficacy and underlying mechanism of 75 % ethanol extract of PCF (PCF-EtOH) against pulmonary fibrosis, as well as to discover active constituents in PCF. METHODS: A bleomycin-stimulated mice model was established to assess potential therapy of PCF-EtOH against pulmonary fibrosis in vivo. A lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammatory model in RAW 264.7 cells and a transforming growth factor ß1-induced fibrosis model in MRC-5 cells were established to assess potential therapy and mechanisms of purified constituents in PCF-EtOH. UPLC-MS/MS analysis was adopted to ascertain the constituents of PCF-EtOH. Network pharmacology was employed to forecast targets of PCF against pulmonary fibrosis. RESULTS: PCF-EtOH ameliorated bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis through repressing inflammatory response and extracellular matrix deposition. Meanwhile, PCF-EtOH inhibited Wnt/ß-catenin pathway through decreasing ß-catenin nuclear accumulation and promoting phosphorylation. Furthermore, withanolides and flavonoids were presumed to be main active compounds of PCF against pulmonary fibrosis based on the network pharmacology. Importantly, we found an extensive presence of withanolides in PCF-EtOH. Physapubescin, a typical withanolide in PCF-EtOH, inhibited the inflammatory response, extracellular matrix deposition, and Wnt/ß-catenin pathway. Notably, physapubescin demonstrated a more potent antifibrotic effect than pirfenidone, a clinically approved antifibrotic drug, in the tested model. CONCLUSION: Withanolides and flavonoids are responsible for the inhibitory effect of PCF-EtOH against pulmonary fibrosis. Withanolides may represent a class of promising therapeutic agents against pulmonary fibrosis, and an in-depth exploration is warranted to validate this proposition.

Integrated network pharmacology and pharmacological investigations to explore the potential mechanism of Ding-Chuan-Tang against chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Ding-Chuan-Tang (Abbreviated as DCT) is frequently prescribed for treatment of respiratory diseases, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which is characterized by coughing, wheezing, and chest tightness in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). However, the potential mechanism of DCT has not been investigated. AIM OF STUDY: The aim of the study is to explore the efficiency of DCT in the treatment of COPD in vivo and in vitro, and to illustrate the possible mechanism against COPD. METHODS: COPD model was induced by exposure of mice to cigarette smoke (CS) for 16 weeks. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), immunofluorescence assay, Western blot, etc., were used to explore the efficiency and mechanisms of DCT. Network pharmacology analysis, including Gene Ontology (GO), Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis, etc., was performed to explore the potential targets in the treatment of DCT on COPD. RESULTS: DCT significantly alleviated pulmonary pathological changes in mouse COPD model, and inhibited inflammatory response induced by CS and LPS in vivo and in vitro. Network pharmacology analysis suggested that DCT alleviated COPD via inhibiting inflammation by regulating PI3K-AKT pathway. In cell-based models, DCT suppressed the phosphorylation of PI3K and AKT, which further regulated its downstream targets Nrf2 and NF-κB, and inhibited inflammatory response. CONCLUSIONS: DCT effectively attenuated COPD in the mouse model induced by CS. The therapeutic mechanism of DCT against COPD was closely associated with the regulation of PI3K-AKT pathway and its downstream transcription factors, Nrf2 and NF-κB.

Phenolic components from the fruits of Solanum xanthocarpum with anti-inflammatory activity.

Two new compounds (1 and 2), along with thirty-one known compounds (3-33) were isolated from the fruits of Solanum xanthocarpum. The structure of isolates was elucidated by analysis of spectroscopic data and the physicochemical methods. Meanwhile, the anti-inflammatory activity of isolates was determined using LPS-induced RAW 264.7 cells. The results of anti-inflammatory assays indicated that most isolated compounds (3, 4, 6, 8-14, 17-20, and 30) possessed significant nitric oxide (NO) production inhibition in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced RAW 264.7 cells with IC50 values ranging from 14.33 to 48.55 µM.

Three new compounds from the fruits of Solanum virginianum L. and their anti-inflammatory activities.

Three new compounds 1-glyceryl 9(ß), 10(α), 11(ß)-trihydroxy-12(Z)-octadecenoate, 2'S-20-O-p-hydroxyphenylpropionyloxy-20-hyd-roxyarachidic acid glycerol ester (2), 3-O-α-l-arabinopyranosyl-(1→6)-ß-d-glucopyranoside of ethyl (3S)-hydroxybutanoate (3), as well as a new natural product (4) were isolated from the fruits of Solanum virginianum L. The structures of 26 compounds were determined by comprehensive spectroscopic analyses, NMR calculation, chemical methods, and comparisons of spectroscopic data. Compounds 2 and 16 exhibited good anti-inflammatory activity in the LPS-induced RAW 264.7 inflammatory model with IC50 values of 16.75 ± 1.54 and 22.43 ± 2.01 µM, respectively.

Five new sesquiterpenoids isolated from Dictamnus dasycarpus Turcz.

Five new sesquiterpenoids, dictamtrinorguaianols E and F (1-2), and dictameudesmnosides F, G, and H (3-5), along with seven known sesquiterpenoids (6-12) were isolated from Dictamnus dasycarpus Turcz. The structures of all new compounds were characterized by spectroscopic methods, including UV, IR, HR-ESI-MS, and 1D and 2D NMR. The In-vitro anti-proliferative activities of all the compounds against two human cancer cell lines (SW982 and A549) were evaluated by CCK-8 assay. Compounds 1 and 4 showed medium anti-proliferative activity against SW982 cells, with IC50 values of 3.49 ± 0.10 and 6.42 ± 1.23 µM, respectively. Additionally, compounds 2, 7, and 8 exhibited medium anti-proliferative activity against A549 cells, with IC50 values ranging from 0.80 ± 0.05 to 6.60 ± 0.46 µM.

Systematic investigation of the material basis, effectiveness and safety of Thesium chinense Turcz. and its preparation Bairui Granules against lung inflammation.

BACKGROUND: Thesium chinense Turcz. (Named as Bai Rui Cao in Chinese) and its preparations (e.g., Bairui Granules) have been used to treat inflammatory diseases, such as acute mastitis, lobar pneumonia, tonsillitis, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), and upper respiratory tract infection. However, the material basis, pharmacological efficiency, and safety have not been illustrated. METHODS: Anti-inflammatory activity-guided isolation of constituents has been performed using multiple column chromatography, and their structures were elucidated by NMR spectroscopy and ECD calculations. The inhibitory effects on lung inflammation and safety of the crude ethanol extract (CE), Bairui Granules (BG), and the purified active constituents were evaluated using lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated acute lung inflammation (ALI) mice model or normal mice. RESULTS: Seven new compounds (1-7) and fifty-six known compounds (8-63) were isolated from T. chinense, and fifty-four were reported from this plant for the first time. The new flavonoid glycosides 1-2, new fatty acids 4-5, new alkaloid 7 as well as the known constituents including flavonoid aglycones 8-11, lignans 46-54, alkaloids 34 and 45, coumarins 57, phenylpropionic acids 27, and simple aromatic compounds 39, 44 and 58 exhibited anti-inflammatory activity. Network pharmacology analysis indicated that anti-inflammation of T. chinense was attributed to flavonoids and alkaloids by regulating inflammation-related proteins (e.g., TNF, NF-κB, TGF-ß). Furthermore, constituents of T. chinense including kaempferol-3-O-glucorhamnoside (KN, also named as Bairuisu I, 19), astragalin (AG, Bairuisu II, 12), and kaempferol (KF, Bairuisu III, 8), as well as CE and BG could alleviate lung inflammation caused by LPS in mice by preventing neutrophils infiltration and the expression of the genes for pro-inflammatory cytokines NLRP3, caspase-1, IL-1ß, and COX-2. After a 28-day subacute toxicity test, BG at doses of 4.875 g/kg and 9.750 g/kg (equivalent to onefold and twofold the clinically recommended dose) and CE at a dose of 11.138 g/kg (equivalent to fourfold the clinical dose of BG) were found to be safe and non-toxic. CONCLUSIONS: The discovery of sixty-three constituents comprehensively illustrated the material basis of T. chinense. T. chinense and Bairui Granules could alleviate lung inflammation by regulating inflammation-related proteins and no toxicity was observed under the twofold of clinically used doses.

Investigating the role of Zibai ointment on apoptosis-related factors Bcl-2 and Bax in wound healing after anal fistula surgery.

OBJECTIVE: In this study, we investigated the impact of Zibai ointment on wound healing by analyzing the expression levels of two key apoptosis-related factors-B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2) and Bcl-2-associated X protein (Bax), in patients following surgery for anal fistula. METHODS: We included 90 patients with anal fistulas who were treated in the People's Hospital Affiliated to Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Patients were randomly assigned to receive treatment with Zibai ointment (n = 45) or petroleum jelly (n = 45). The levels of apoptosis-related factors Bcl-2 and Bax were evaluated using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), while cell apoptosis was assessed using Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT) dUTP Nick-End Labeling (TUNEL) assay. RESULTS: The results of ELISA showed that on Day 21 after the surgery, the levels of Bcl-2 and Bax in the Zibai ointment group were significantly different compared to the petroleum jelly group, with values of (60.11 ± 1.31) ng/mL and (7.05 ± 0.01) versus (83.79 ± 1.74) ng/mL and (6.00 ± 0.05) ng/mL, respectively (p < .05). Furthermore, light microscopy revealed a large number of apoptotic cells within the field of vision 14 days postsurgery in the Zibai ointment group, and the healing time in the Zibai ointment group was significantly different from that in the petroleum jelly group (p < .05). CONCLUSION: We found that Zibai ointment effectively promoted wound healing in patients following anal fistula surgery, possibly by regulating Bcl-2 and Bax apoptosis-related factors.