Adaptive optical phase estimation using time-symmetric quantum smoothing.

Quantum parameter estimation has many applications, from gravitational wave detection to quantum key distribution. The most commonly used technique for this type of estimation is quantum filtering, using only past observations. We present the first experimental demonstration of quantum smoothing, a time-symmetric technique that uses past and future observations, for quantum parameter estimation. We consider both adaptive and nonadaptive quantum smoothing, and show that both are better than their filtered counterparts. For the problem of estimating a stochastically varying phase shift on a coherent beam, our theory predicts that adaptive quantum smoothing (the best scheme) gives an estimate with a mean-square error up to 2sqrt[2] times smaller than nonadaptive filtering (the standard quantum limit). The experimentally measured improvement is 2.24+/-0.14.

Observation of electromagnetically induced transparency for a squeezed vacuum with the time domain method.

A probe light in a squeezed vacuum state was injected into cold 87Rb atoms with an intense control light in a coherent state. A sub-MHz window was created due to electromagnetically induced transparency, and the incident squeezed vacuum could pass through the cold atoms without optical loss, as was successfully monitored using a time-domain homodyne method.

Unambiguous representation of overlapping serial events in the rat hippocampal formation.

The hippocampal formation is suggested to be crucial in unambiguous representation of overlapping temporal sequences in episodic memory. We hypothesized that, if this was true, the hippocampal formation neurons would differentially respond to the same elements even in different temporal sequences. The present study was designed to investigate hippocampal formation CA1 neuronal activity of rats during performance of a conditional delayed stimulus-response association task in which three stimuli were conditionally and serially presented with a delay. In the task, the pairs of the second and third stimuli were overlapped across the trials, but separated by the preceding first stimuli. Conditioned tones coming from one of three possible directions were followed, after a short delay, by one of three pairs of reinforcement series. The pairs consisted of air puff (aversive sensory stimuli) and tube protrusion (which allowed licking sucrose behavior) in the following combinations: air puff-tube protrusion, tube protrusion-tube protrusion and tube protrusion-air puff. The pairs were interposed by a 2 s delay. The three conditioned tone directions were associated with these three pairs in a one-to-one correspondence, and its association was conditional to three possible conditioned tone frequencies (300, 530, and 1,200 Hz). The responses of 107 neurons to the air puff and tube protrusion were analyzed by two-way ANOVA (task condition x reinforcement situation). Of 42 air puff-responsive and 64 tube protrusion-responsive neurons, 36 and 53 displayed significant main effects and/or significant interaction, respectively. Furthermore, neural responses during the delay periods were dependent on the task conditions. The results indicated that the majority of the hippocampal formation neurons showed task condition- and/or reinforcement situation-dependent responses, suggesting a crucial role of the hippocampal formation in representation of overlapping serial events in episodic memory.

Unconditional quantum teleportation

Quantum teleportation of optical coherent states was demonstrated experimentally using squeezed-state entanglement. The quantum nature of the achieved teleportation was verified by the experimentally determined fidelity Fexp = 0.58 +/- 0.02, which describes the match between input and output states. A fidelity greater than 0.5 is not possible for coherent states without the use of entanglement. This is the first realization of unconditional quantum teleportation where every state entering the device is actually teleported.

Abnormal neuropeptide concentration in rectal mucosa of patients with inflammatory bowel disease.

Regulatory neuropeptides are widely distributed in the gastrointestinal tract, where they play an important role in motility, secretion, and immune and inflammatory responses. In this study, the rectal mucosal content of somatostatin (SOM), substance P (SP), beta-endorphin (BE), and thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) was measured by radioimmunoassay in 56 patients with ulcerative colitis (UC), 15 patients with Crohn's disease (CD), 15 patients with acute infectious colitis (AIC), and 11 controls, who showed no inflammation of the rectal mucosa, nor abnormal bowel movements. The content of immunoreactive (ir)-SOM was decreased in UC patients, especially in those with persistent disease activity, while the levels of ir-SP, BE, and TRH were increased in such patients. Some changes of ir-peptide levels were also observed in CD and AIC patients. The changes in neuropeptide levels were analyzed in relation to histological grades of inflammation in UC patients, grades 4-5 showing the most significant changes. The levels of ir-SOM, SP, BE, and TRH showed no significant change in chronic persistent UC when measured 6-12 months after the initial examination. In contrast, in patients with remitting intermittent UC, the levels of SP and BE decreased during remission. Abnormal intestinal neuropeptide content may be implicated in the continued mucosal immune and inflammatory responses that are manifested in patients with inflammatory bowel disease.

Amplitude squeezing of a semiconductor laser with light injection.

2.3 dB of amplitude squeezing has been observed in a semiconductor laser with light injection from a singlemode semiconductor laser to one of the longitudinal modes of the slave laser. The slave laser operates as a semiconductor laser amplifier and oscillates at the injected mode, which differs from the free-running oscillation modes.

Effect of cold-restraint stress on immunoreactive thyrotropin-releasing hormone and immunoreactive somatostatin in the rat stomach.

The effects of cold-restraint stress on immunoreactive thyrotropin-releasing hormone (ir-TRH) and immunoreactive somatostatin (ir-SOM) concentrations in the rat stomach were investigated. Rats immobilized with a spring-loaded metallic plate were placed in a room maintained at 4 degrees C for 1-3 h and then decapitated serially for investigation. Gastric ir-TRH and ir-SOM concentrations were measured by individual radioimmunoassays. Cold-restraint stress induced gastric mucosal lesions as well as a decrease of the ir-TRH concentration in the glandular stomach, an increase of the ir-TRH concentration in the gastric juice, and a decrease in gastric pH. In contrast, this stress caused an increase of ir-SOM in the glandular stomach and a decrease of ir-SOM in the gastric juice. However, cold or restraint stress alone did not induce gastric mucosal lesions or changes in gastric ir-TRH and ir-SOM concentrations or the gastric pH. To clarify the endocrine influence of peripheral TRH, pretreatment with thyroid hormone was performed to inhibit elevation of the serum TRH level during cold-restraint stress. Despite this pretreatment, cold-restraint stress still induced ulcer formation, along with changes in gastric ir-TRH and ir-SOM concentrations and gastric pH. These findings suggest that changes in gastric ir-TRH and ir-SOM concentrations may be closely related to ulcer formation due to cold-restraint, and that TRH may act in a paracrine manner in the stomach.

Effect of plaunotol on hypergastrinemia induced by long-term omeprazole administration in humans.

Omeprazole markedly inhibits basal and stimulated gastric acid secretion and has the ability to produce hypergastrinemia and hyperplasia of enterochromaffin-like cells in humans. On the other hand, plaunotol, an acyclic diterpene alcohol, has been reported to inhibit gastrin release by stimulating endogenous secretion release. We investigated the effect of plaunotol on serum gastrin levels after six to eight weeks of omeprazole (20 mg/day) administration in 22 patients (16 males, 6 females; mean age 52.3, range 36-70 years) with peptic ulcer disease. The patients were randomized to the following two groups: 11 subjects with omerprazole alone (single group) and 11 with omeprazole plus plaunotol (240 mg/day) (combination group) treatment. There were no significant differences between the two groups concerning age, sex, ulcer stage, ulcer history, environmental factors, and Helicobacter pylori (HP) prevalence. After complete drug(s) administration, serum immunoreactive (ir) -gastrin levels increased significantly in the single group (P < 0.001) in contrast to the combination group, and plaunotol significantly inhibited hypergastrinemia induced by omeprazole administration (P < 0.001). Significant increases in serum ir-calcitonin gene-related peptide concentrations were observed in the combination group compared to the single group (P < 0.05). However, there were no significant changes in sereum ir-secretin, somatostatin, and vasoactive intestinal polypeptide levels as well as ulcer healing and HP prevalence between the two groups. These findings suggest that plaunotol may suppress hypergastrinemia induced by long-term omeprazole administration, at least partly, via a certain brain-gut hormone affecting gastrin release.

Expression of adhesion molecules and HLA-DR by macrophages and dendritic cells in aphthoid lesions of Crohn's disease: an immunocytochemical study.

The phenotypes and ultrastructure of macrophages and dendritic cells in aphthoid lesions of the colon were immunocytochemically observed in patients with Crohn's disease. Biopsy specimens were endoscopically obtained from both aphthoid and advanced lesions in Crohn's disease patients. Biopsy specimens obtained from patients with infectious colitis and from normal individuals served as controls. Aphthoid lesions contained densely aggregated CD68+ macrophages, which were surrounded by numerous ID-1+ dendritic cells. In the normal controls and infectious colitis patients, however, a few scattered CD68+ macrophages and ID-1+ dendritic cells were noted beneath the surface epithelium. CD3+ lymphocytes were significantly increased in both aphthoid and advanced lesions of Crohn's disease, but the CD4/CD8 ratio was similar in all groups studied. The double immunoperoxidase staining method revealed that both CD68+ macrophages and ID-1+ dendritic cells in the aphthoid lesions simultaneously expressed ICAM-1 and HLA-DR antigens. Electronmicroscopic observation revealed that CD68+ macrophages had numerous vesicles and lysosomal granules and few projections, and that ID-1+ dendritic cells had appreciable cytoplasmic protrusions with a few vacuoles. These findings suggested that the colonic mucosa in Crohn's disease contained two types of macrophage/dendritic cells in the same lineage that expressed intercellular adhesion molecules and class-II MHC antigens. It also appeared that the aphthoid lesions of Crohn's disease featured an increase in macrophages and dendritic cells consistent with immunological activation.

Distant metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma after successful treatment of the primary lesion.

Recent advances in both diagnosis and treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) have improved the prognosis and changed the clinical significance of the subsequently increasing distant metastases. Of 163 patients with HCC, 76 (47%) were treated successfully. The cumulative recurrence rate in these patients was 65% after 3 years, and 82% after 5 years. Six patients with HCC in whom distant metastases were detected after successful treatment of the primary lesion, are reported. Two patients underwent curative surgical resection, and four cases were treated medically, resulting in a 31.9 to 94.3% reduction in tumor size in the CT scan image. Distant metastases without intrahepatic recurrence were diagnosed 10 to 46 months after the treatment of the primary lesions. The sites of the metastases included bone 3; lung 2; and adrenal gland 1. Distant metastases found after successful treatment of the primary lesions are of great clinical significance for the treatment of HCC.

Immunoreactive-somatostatin concentrations of the human stomach and mood state in patients with functional dyspepsia: a preliminary case-control study.

Immunoreactive-somatostatin (ir-SS) concentrations of the gastric mucosa and mood state in patients with functional dyspepsia were examined. The subjects were 12 patients with upper abdominal discomfort, nausea and/or vomiting (motility disorder group) and 14 patients complaining of upper abdominal pain (ulcer-like disorder group) for more than a month without any organic upper-gastrointestinal tract disease proven by endoscopy. These patients were compared with either an age- and sex-matched group of asymptomatic outpatients without any organic disease (control group: n = 26) or to a group of patients with peptic ulcer (n = 19). Somatostatin concentrations of the stomach were measured by radio-immunoassay, and the mood state of each subject was assessed by Manifest Anxiety Scale (MAS) and Self-rating Depression Scale test. Immunoreactive-somatostatin concentrations of the gastric mucosa were significantly higher in the ulcer-like disorder group than in the peptic ulcer, motility disorder or control group, and gastric juice levels were higher in the ulcer-like disorder group. The psychometric tests showed that the motility disorder group was more depressive than the ulcer-like disorder group, but there were no differences between the motility disorder, ulcer-like disorder and peptic ulcer group in MAS scores or environmental factors. These results indicate that there may be two different subgroups in functional dyspepsia influenced by both ir-SS concentration of the stomach and/or mood state.

Immunoreactive-somatostatin, substance P, and calcitonin gene-related peptide concentrations of the human gastric mucosa in patients with nonulcer dyspepsia and peptic ulcer disease.

Changes in immunoreactive (ir)-somatostatin, substance P, and calcitonin gene-related peptide concentrations of the human gastric mucosa were examined in subjects with nonulcer dyspepsia (NUD) and peptic ulcer to clarify the relationship between these peptides and dyspeptic symptoms. Fifty-six patients with NUD were divided into two subject subgroups as follows: 22 patients with upper abdominal discomfort, nausea, and/or vomiting (motility disorder group) and 34 patients complaining of upper abdominal pain [ulcer-like disorder (UD) group]. These patients were compared with either an age- and sex-matched group of asymptomatic outpatients without any organic disease (control group: n = 51), or to a group with peptic ulcer (PU group: n = 30). Ir-somatostatin concentrations of the gastric mucosa were significantly higher in UD group than in PU, motility disorder, or control group, and ir-substance P concentrations in the UD group were higher than in the PU group. No difference in ir-calcitonin gene-related peptide concentrations was observed among the four groups. These results indicate that there may be two distinct subgroups in NUD, and that NUD is not just a stage within the spectrum of peptic ulcer disease from the viewpoint of several gastrointestinal-hormone concentrations of the human gastric mucosa.

The role of thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) in the pathogenesis of water-immersion stress in rats--inhibition of TRH release from the stomach by atropine, ranitidine or omeprazole.

The role of thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) in the development of gastric erosions and ulcers induced by water-immersion stress was studied. Intraperitoneally administered bethanechol induced a decrease in the gastric wall immunoreactive TRH (ir-TRH) concentrations and an increase in gastric juice ir-TRH concentrations in a dose-related manner, while atropine induced an increase in gastric wall ir-TRH concentrations and a decrease in gastric juice ir-TRH concentrations under non-stress condition. Intraperitoneally administered omeprazole did not influence gastric wall ir-TRH concentrations but elevated gastric pH. Water-immersion stress induced a decrease in gastric wall ir-TRH concentrations and an increase in gastric juice ir-TRH concentrations with a decrease in gastric pH prior to ulcer formation. Pretreatment with atropine or ranitidine inhibited the development of stress ulcers, reduced changes in ir-TRH concentrations in the gastric wall and gastric juice, and induced an increase in gastric pH. Omeprazole inhibited stress ulcer formation and changes in gastric wall and gastric juice ir-TRH concentrations. These results suggest that TRH release from the stomach wall into gastric juice is of importance in the pathogenesis of stress ulcer and that its release is mediated by both muscarinergic and histaminergic (H2) systems. Furthermore, omeprazole has an inhibitory effect on TRH release under stress ulcer.

[A case of jejunal vein thrombosis due to medroxyprogesterone acetate].

The patient was a 68-year-old woman with advanced breast cancer which had been treated by modified radical mastectomy two years and nine months earlier. After the surgery, tamoxifen citrate (TAM) was orally administered in addition to various types of chemotherapy. Because the patient complained of nausea and weight loss, medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA) was orally administered instead of TAM. The patient complained of intense abdominal pain on the 35th day of administration. Laparotomy was then performed for her acute abdominal problem. Because necrosis from bleeding due to jejunal vein thrombosis was observed in the jejunum for about 15 cm, resection of the jejunum was carried out. Histological observation demonstrated thrombosis in the vein, and cellular infiltration around the thrombosis. The postoperative prognosis has been favorable and the postoperative course is now being monitored at our clinic (2 months after surgery). The patient has no complications such as diabetes mellitus or hypercholesterolemia. The thrombosis observed in the jejunal vein, which is a rare site for it on the 35th day of MPA administration was induced by MPA. Due attention must be paid to the formation of thrombosis when using MPA.

[Role of gut hormones in irritable bowel syndrome].

In irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), motility disturbances occur from the upper gastrointestinal tract to the distal colon, where regulatory peptides have a wide-spread distribution. Studies on basal and postprandial plasma levels of different gut hormones show that VIP, CCK, and motilin may be closely related to the symptoms including abdominal pain, diarrhea and constipation. In addition, peptide YY and NPY have effects on absorption in the intestine, and some opioid peptides exert actions on colonic motility in IBS patients. Recent studies revealed that gall bladder in IBS has an abnormal sensitivity to CCK-8, indicating that IBS patients has an generalized abnormality of the smooth muscle of the digestive tract. Gut hormones, which act as hormones, neurotransmitters and neuromodulators depending on their releasing site, may therefore play an important role in IBS patients.

[A case of advanced breast cancer effectively treated with tamoxifen].

A 69-year-old female with advanced breast cancer was daily administered 20 mg of tamoxifen. After 4 months, her left breast tumor decreased in size. Left breast tumor and metastatic lymph nodes disappeared completely (CR) 7 months later. CR has been continued for 6 months up to the present, and the patient has been enjoying favorable quality of life.

[Effect of a long-term oral ammonia administration on immunoreactive-somatostatin concentrations of rat stomach].

The effect of a long-term oral ammonia administration on immunoreactive-somatostatin concentrations was investigated in rat stomach. The gastric ir-somatostatin concentrations in the group treated with 0.01% ammonia (pH 9.6) for four weeks were significantly higher than those in both the group treated with 0.1% ammonia (pH 10.4), 0.1 mM-NaOH (pH 9.6), or distilled water (pH 7.0) for four weeks and the group treated with 0.01% ammonia for two weeks. On the contrary, ir-somatostatin levels in the gastric juice and serum tended to decrease with ammonia administration. Further, ammonia administration significantly induced the decrease in mucosal thickness in the pyloric gland area and parietal cell numbers in a dose- and time-dependent manner. From these findings, it was suggested that a long-term oral treatment with 0.01% ammonia, which was clinically estimated as the concentration of the gastric juice in patients with Helicobacter pylori infection, induced not only atrophic changes on gastric mucosa, but the inhibitory effect on somatostatin secretion in rat stomach.

Effect of luminal administration of thyrotropin-releasing hormone or somatostatin on gastric pH and interaction of these peptides in rats.

The effect of intraluminal administration of thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) on gastric pH and release of luminal somatostatin, and a possible interrelationship between TRH and somatostatin in the rat stomach were studied. TRH was administered into the stomach via an intragastric tube at various doses (50 pg/kg-10 micrograms/kg) and gastric pH was measured after 15 min. The intraluminal administration of TRH significantly decreased gastric pH at doses over 1.0 ng/kg. Time-course studies at a dose of 100 ng/kg TRH exhibited a significant decrease in gastric pH at 15, 30 and 60 min. Furthermore, TRH administration caused a significant increase in immunoreactive-somatostatin (ir-somatostatin) concentrations in the gastric wall and a significant decrease in ir-somatostatin concentrations in the gastric juice. On the other hand, intraluminal administration of somatostatin caused a significant increase in ir-TRH concentrations in the gastric wall and a significant decrease in ir-TRH concentrations in the gastric juice, and significantly raised gastric pH at 5 min. These findings suggest that luminal TRH may exert a regulatory effect on gastric acid secretion, and that TRH may have a possible interaction with somatostatin in the modulation of gastric acid secretion.