Quantum circuits with many photons on a programmable nanophotonic chip.

Growing interest in quantum computing for practical applications has led to a surge in the availability of programmable machines for executing quantum algorithms1,2. Present-day photonic quantum computers3-7 have been limited either to non-deterministic operation, low photon numbers and rates, or fixed random gate sequences. Here we introduce a full-stack hardware-software system for executing many-photon quantum circuit operations using integrated nanophotonics: a programmable chip, operating at room temperature and interfaced with a fully automated control system. The system enables remote users to execute quantum algorithms that require up to eight modes of strongly squeezed vacuum initialized as two-mode squeezed states in single temporal modes, a fully general and programmable four-mode interferometer, and photon number-resolving readout on all outputs. Detection of multi-photon events with photon numbers and rates exceeding any previous programmable quantum optical demonstration is made possible by strong squeezing and high sampling rates. We verify the non-classicality of the device output, and use the platform to carry out proof-of-principle demonstrations of three quantum algorithms: Gaussian boson sampling, molecular vibronic spectra and graph similarity8. These demonstrations validate the platform as a launchpad for scaling photonic technologies for quantum information processing.

Failure to treat alopecia areata with photodynamic therapy.

We treated six patients with static alopecia areata (AA) with photodynamic therapy (PDT). All patients had received other treatment before starting PDT, but with no benefit. All previous treatments were stopped at least 3 months before beginning PDT, and no other treatment was given during the study period. PDT was used on only one of the affected areas, or if there was only one affected area, to only part of that area; untreated areas served as controls. For all patients methylaminolaevulinic acid was applied under occulsion 3 h after irradiation with red light at 630 nm (37 J/cm(2), 7.5 min). One session was carried out each month. Clinical and fluorescence photographs were taken with a digital camera connected to ultraviolet flashes, both before and after each treatment. None of the patients with AA of the scalp achieved complete hair regrowth, either in the treated or the untreated areas. Two of the patients showed growth of some thin hair over < 10 of the treated area. The remaining patients had no change. However, the patient with AA of the beard experienced complete regrowth after four sessions. To our knowledge, this is the first case of AA treated with PDT in this location. It may be that AA of beard hair responds better to PDT, but further studies are necessary.

Therapeutic response of rosacea to dobesilate.

Despite an incomplete understanding of the pathogenesis of rosacea, therapeutic modalities continue to expand. The principal subtype of rosacea includes erythematotelangiestatic rosacea, which is characterized by uncontrolled angiogenesis. Angiogenic growth factors such as fibroblast growth factors (FGF) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) are currently targets of intense effort to inhibit deregulated blood vessel formation in diseases such as cancer. Here we report a 33-years-old woman with erythematotelangestatic rosacea who responds to a daily treatment of topically applied dobesilate, an inhibitor of FGF, with an improvement in erythema and telangectasia after two weeks. Thus, dobesilate might be useful in the treatment of rosacea and other diseases that depend on pathologic angiogenesis.

Topical treatment of basal cell carcinoma with neomycin.

Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most common skin cancer, occurring more frequently than malignancies of any other tissue or organ, either individually or in total. Medical treatment modalities of BCC offer cost reduction and clinical advantages in selected cases. Neomycin has been reported to have an important role on proliferation of endothelial cells and neoplastic cells. This finding may lead to new strategies for the therapeutic use of agents which block FGF activities in disease states associated with enhanced keratinocyte proliferation. We report here a case of BCC treated with neomycin 5% cream that induced a regression of BCC.

Unilateral localized failure of beard growth.

Hair may be classified by type as vellus or terminal. The transformation of vellus follicles into terminal follicles is induced by androgens in androgen-dependent areas by promoting the genetic program existing within individual follicles. Patients with normal androgen plasma levels and absent hair growth in certain areas under androgenic control have been described. One explanation of this condition may be abnormal target tissue sensitivity. We report a 17-year-old man whose only complaint was inability to grow a beard on the left side of his face.

Self-healing cutaneous mucinosis.

Self-healing juvenile cutaneous mucinosis is a new entity distinct from previously described forms of cutaneous mucinosis. We present a new case in a 26-year-old female patient who began abruptly with a papular eruption, involving the scalp, face, neck and trunk, accompanied by periarticular papules on the hands and arthralgias. No associated disease could be detected and the lesions resolved spontaneously within a few months. This is the first case described in an adult patient.

CO2, argon, and pulsed dye laser treatment of angiofibromas.

BACKGROUND: Tuberous sclerosis is a complex disorder of hamartoma formation in many organs, particularly the skin, brain, eye, kidney, and heart. The characteristic skin lesions are angiofibromas (AF), the shagreen patch, periungual fibromas, and "ash-leaf" white macules. Treatment for AF has previously included electrocoagulation, electrodesiccation and curettage, dermabrasion, excision, cryosurgery, and oral 13-cis retinoic acid. Both argon and CO2 lasers have been used in isolated cases to treat AF. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this work is the study of the application of three different lasers in the treatment of facial AF. METHODS: Ten patients with facial AF were treated with CO2, argon, and pulsed dye lasers. Patients' AF were graded with regard to the size and color of the lesions. A 2-3-cm2 test was assayed on the face of all patients with each laser before performing a complete treatment and in order to choose the best laser. RESULTS: Results were considered excellent in seven patients and good in three patients, with decrease of erythema and flattening of the AF. Minimal scarring was noted in two patients. Transient erythema was observed in patients treated with the CO2 laser. All patients or their parents considered the treatment cosmetically satisfactory. CONCLUSION: We found the CO2 laser to be a better therapeutic tool than the argon laser to treat AF, especially in those patients with multiple and protuberant AF. The argon laser would be more useful in those patients with very red AF and light complexion, and the pulsed dye laser in those with very red and flat AF.

[Facial angioma and the Sturge-Weber syndrome: a study of 121 cases]. / Angioma plano facial y síndrome de Sturge-Weber: estudio de 121 casos.

BACKGROUND: We show a study in 121 patients with port-wine stain (PWS) over the areas of trigeminal nerve sensory innervation, and we analyzed the relations between this distribution, sex and the neuro-ocular disease. METHODS: The population included 68 women between 12 months and 73 years (mean, 23 years; standard deviation, 13.7 years) and 53 men between 12 months and 50 years (mean, 18 years; standard deviation, 12 years). Chi-square test and Fisher test were performed in order to assess statistical significance of our results. RESULTS: Facial port-wine stains (PWS) were predominantly distributed over the area of innervation of the maxillary branch (V2) of the trigeminal nerve (88% of patients), either isolated or simultaneously involving ophthalmic (V1) and/or mandibular branch (V3). Of the unilateral PWS (86%), 10% were also extrafacially distributed. However, bilateral PWS (14%) extended extrafacially in 53% of the patients. Moreover, the number of patients with extrafacial PWS was increased among those with PWS over V3 (50%). Glaucoma and epilepsy were present in 23 (17%) and 17 (14%) patients, respectively. In all of them PWS affected V1. Among the 19 patients with bilateral PWS, nine of them developed glaucoma and five, epilepsy. Epilepsy was more frequent in men (26%) than in women (4%). CONCLUSIONS: Statistical analysis showed: 1) the PWS is preferentially distributed over the maxillary branch of the trigeminal nerve, 2) bilateral PWS significantly increases the frequency of cutaneous extrafacial PWS, 3) the presence of PWS over the mandibular branch of trigeminal nerve carries a higher risk of cutaneous extrafacial presence of the angioma, 4) only those patients with PWS over the ophthalmic branch may develop glaucoma and/or epilepsy, 5) extrafacial PWS is associated with a higher frequency of glaucoma, 6) men have a higher risk of developing epilepsy than women.

Neutrophilic eccrine hidradenitis in two neutropenic patients.

Neutrophilic eccrine hidradenitis is an uncommon, self-limited dermatosis with a variable clinical presentation. It seems to be due to chemotherapeutic drugs in most cases. Necrosis of the eccrine gland associated with a neutrophilic infiltrate is the histologic hallmark of this disease. We report two additional cases in neutropenic patients with acute myelogenous leukemia in which there was a striking lack of neutrophil infiltration. A new term, drug-associated eccrine hidradenitis, is suggested.

Treatment of alopecia areata with topical nitrogen mustard.

Eleven patients with severe alopecia areata (localized and totalis types) were treated with topically applied nitrogen mustard. Nine patients had terminal hair regrowth; in 7 of the 11 patients, it was cosmetically acceptable. Hair regrowth began approximately 1-2 months after the initiation of therapy. Two patients had an allergic contact dermatitis reaction to the mechloretamine solution; no systemic side effects were seen. During a follow-up period of 12 months, only two patients had a recurrence. These preliminary results indicate that topically applied nitrogen mustard has a significant effect in alopecia areata.

Peroxidase activity in human cutaneous mast cells: an ultrastructural demonstration.

An intense and reproducible peroxidase staining in the cutaneous mast cells of two patients with systemic mast cell disease and urticaria pigmentosa is demonstrated at the ultrastructural level. This enzyme activity was demonstrated by use of a cytochemical technique employing 3,3'- diaminobenzicine (DAB) as an oxidizable substrate, after fixation by a tannic acid-aldehyde mixture. Enzyme activity was localized in the perinuclear cisterna and strands of endoplasmic reticulum. Granules appeared unreactive. This peroxidase activity appears sensitive to fixation by aldehydes; it is inhibited by 3-amino-1,2,4-triazole (AMT) and by lack of H2O2 or DAB in the incubation medium. These characteristics are fundamentally different from the peroxidase activity of basophils, and the demonstration of this enzyme is therefore not a further argument for a common ontogenetic origin of both cells. On the other hand, the cytochemical characteristics of this enzyme are very similar to those of platelet peroxidase (P-PO), which has been connected to the synthesis by platelets of prostaglandins. Since the mast cell is known to generate prostaglandins, the relationship between the enzyme described and prostaglandin synthesis by mast cells is discussed.