Scalable Multipartite Entanglement Created by Spin Exchange in an Optical Lattice.

Ultracold atoms in optical lattices form a competitive candidate for quantum computation owing to the excellent coherence properties, the highly parallel operations over spins, and the ultralow entropy achieved in qubit arrays. For this, a massive number of parallel entangled atom pairs have been realized in superlattices. However, the more formidable challenge is to scale up and detect multipartite entanglement, the basic resource for quantum computation, due to the lack of manipulations over local atomic spins in retroreflected bichromatic superlattices. In this Letter, we realize the functional building blocks in quantum-gate-based architecture by developing a cross-angle spin-dependent optical superlattice for implementing layers of quantum gates over moderately separated atoms incorporated with a quantum gas microscope for single-atom manipulation and detection. Bell states with a fidelity of 95.6(5)% and a lifetime of 2.20±0.13 s are prepared in parallel, and then connected to multipartite entangled states of one-dimensional ten-atom chains and two-dimensional plaquettes of 2×4 atoms. The multipartite entanglement is further verified with full bipartite nonseparability criteria. This offers a new platform toward scalable quantum computation and simulation.

Effect of moxibustion on autophagy and the inflammatory response of synovial cells in rheumatoid arthritis model rat.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of moxibustion on synovitis and the autophagy of synoviocytes in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). METHODS: Forty Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into a normal group, model group, moxibustion group, cigarette moxibustion group, and medicine group, with eight rats included in each group. The RA model was established by subcutaneous injection of complete Freund's adjuvant into the left posterior toe. Rats in the model group were not interfered with. In the moxibustion group, rats were treated by moxibustion, where a 1-cm diameter moxa stick was applied at the left Zusanli (ST 36) point. The distance of the moxa stick to the skin was 2 cm and moxibustion was completed for 20 min daily for 15 d total. In the cigarette moxibustion group, the moxa stick was replaced by a common cigarette. In the medicine group, rats were treated with a tripterygium glycoside suspension (8 mg/kg) once a day for 15 d total. In each group, the left hind limb toe volume was measured with a toe volume meter; the synovial cells were observed by hematoxylin and eosin staining; the interleukin (IL)-4, IL-6, IL-10, IL-1ß, IL-23, IL-17, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α levels in serum were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay; the erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) were detected by Westergren sedimentation rate testing; the C-reactive protein (CRP) and rheumatoid factor (RF) levels in serum were detected by rate nephelometry; the expression levels of ULK1, autophagy-associated protein (Atg)3, Atg5, and Atg12 messenger RNA (mRNA) in synovium were detected by real time-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR); and the protein expression levels of phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K), protein kinase B (Akt), mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), LC3-II, beclin-1, phosphorylated-PI3K (p-PI3K), p-Akt, p-mTOR in synovium were detected by Western blotting. RESULTS: Among the RA model rats, joint swelling, an inflammatory reaction, and the proliferation of synovial tissue were obvious and the signal of the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway was active, while autophagy was inhibited. Moxibustion at Zusanli (ST36) or intragastric administration of Tripterygium wilfordii glycosides could alleviate the inflammatory reaction of RA rats; relieve the swelling of the toes; downregulate the levels of ESR, CRF, RF; lower the levels of IL-6, IL-1ß, TNF-α, and IL-17; and increase the IL-4 and IL-10. At the same time, the mRNA expression levels of ULK1, Atg3, Atg5, and Atg12 and those of LC3-Ⅱ and beclin-1 were increased, while the PI3K, Akt, mTOR, p-PI3K, p-Akt, p-mTOR were decreased. Cigarette moxibustion did not significantly reduce the swelling of the toe joint in RA rats, and was not as good as that of moxibustion or Tripterygium wilfordii polyglycosides in the effects of inflammation relief and the influences of the levels of ESR, CRF, RF. While cigarette moxibustion has a weak effect to affect the expression of corresponding molecules in autophages and the expression level of the autophagy biomaker in synovial tissue. Moxibustion and tripterygium glycosides can significantly reduce the joint swelling, relieve synovitis and synovial hyperplasia, and inhibit the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway to increase autophagy in a manner superior to cigarette moxibustion. CONCLUSION: Moxibustion can limit the proliferation of synoviocytes in RA rats by inhibiting the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway, promoting autophagy, effectively reducing synovitis, and alleviating joint swelling.

Circular RNA HIPK3 downregulation mediates hydrogen peroxide-induced cytotoxicity in human osteoblasts.

Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) induces oxidative injury to human osteoblasts. The expression and potential function of circular RNA HIPK3 (circHIPK3) in H2O2-treated human osteoblasts were tested. We show that H2O2 significantly downregulated circHIPK3 in OB-6 cells and primary human osteoblasts. Furthermore, circHIPK3 levels were decreased in the necrotic femoral head tissues of dexamethasone-treated patients. In OB-6 osteoblastic cells and primary human osteoblasts, forced overexpression of circHIPK3 by a lentiviral construct alleviated H2O2-induced viability reduction, cell death and apoptosis. Contrarily, circHIPK3 silencing by targeted shRNA potentiated H2O2-induced cytotoxicity in OB-6 cells and primary human osteoblasts. Moreover, circHIPK3 downregulation by H2O2 induced miR-124 accumulation in OB-6 cells and primary human osteoblasts. On the contrary, miR-124 inhibition by transfection of the miR-124 inhibitor protected human osteoblasts from H2O2. Importantly, forced overexpression of miR-124 by transfection of the miR-124 mimic induced significant cytotoxicity in OB-6 cells and primary human osteoblasts. H2O2 downregulated miR-124's targets, cyclin dependent kinase 6 and Rho-Associated Protein Kinase 1, in human osteoblasts. In conclusion circHIPK3 downregulation mediates H2O2-induced cytotoxicity in human osteoblasts.