Realization of fractional quantum Hall state with interacting photons.

Fractional quantum Hall (FQH) states are known for their robust topological order and possess properties that are appealing for applications in fault-tolerant quantum computing. An engineered quantum platform would provide opportunities to operate FQH states without an external magnetic field and enhance local and coherent manipulation of these exotic states. We demonstrate a lattice version of photon FQH states using a programmable on-chip platform based on photon blockade and engineering gauge fields on a two-dimensional circuit quantum electrodynamics system. We observe the effective photon Lorentz force and butterfly spectrum in the artificial gauge field, a prerequisite for FQH states. After adiabatic assembly of Laughlin FQH wave function of 1/2 filling factor from localized photons, we observe strong density correlation and chiral topological flow among the FQH photons. We then verify the unique features of FQH states in response to external fields, including the incompressibility of generating quasiparticles and the smoking-gun signature of fractional quantum Hall conductivity. Our work illustrates a route to the creation and manipulation of novel strongly correlated topological quantum matter composed of photons and opens up possibilities for fault-tolerant quantum information devices.

Logical Magic State Preparation with Fidelity beyond the Distillation Threshold on a Superconducting Quantum Processor.

Fault-tolerant quantum computing based on surface code has emerged as an attractive candidate for practical large-scale quantum computers to achieve robust noise resistance. To achieve universality, magic states preparation is a commonly approach for introducing non-Clifford gates. Here, we present a hardware-efficient and scalable protocol for arbitrary logical state preparation for the rotated surface code, and further experimentally implement it on the Zuchongzhi 2.1 superconducting quantum processor. An average of 0.8983±0.0002 logical fidelity at different logical states with distance three is achieved, taking into account both state preparation and measurement errors. In particular, the logical magic states |A^{π/4}⟩_{L}, |H⟩_{L}, and |T⟩_{L} are prepared nondestructively with logical fidelities of 0.8771±0.0009, 0.9090±0.0009, and 0.8890±0.0010, respectively, which are higher than the state distillation protocol threshold, 0.859 (for H-type magic state) and 0.827 (for T-type magic state). Our work provides a viable and efficient avenue for generating high-fidelity raw logical magic states, which is essential for realizing non-Clifford logical gates in the surface code.

Bacterioferritin nanocage structures uncover the biomineralization process in ferritins.

Iron is an essential element involved in various metabolic processes. The ferritin family of proteins forms nanocage assembly and is involved in iron oxidation, storage, and mineralization. Although several structures of human ferritins and bacterioferritins have been solved, there is still no complete structure that shows both the trapped Fe-biomineral cluster and the nanocage. Furthermore, whereas the mechanism of iron trafficking has been explained using various approaches, structural details on the biomineralization process (i.e. the formation of the mineral itself) are generally lacking. Here, we report the cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) structures of apoform and biomineral bound form (holoforms) of the Streptomyces coelicolor bacterioferritin (ScBfr) nanocage and the subunit crystal structure. The holoforms show different stages of Fe-biomineral accumulation inside the nanocage, in which the connections exist in two of the fourfold channels of the nanocage between the C-terminal of the ScBfr monomers and the Fe-biomineral cluster. The mutation and truncation of the bacterioferritin residues involved in these connections significantly reduced the iron and phosphate binding in comparison with those of the wild type and together explain the underlying mechanism. Collectively, our results represent a prototype for the bacterioferritin nanocage, which reveals insight into its biomineralization and the potential channel for bacterioferritin-associated iron trafficking.

Quantum computer-aided design for advanced superconducting qubit: Plasmonium.

Complex quantum electronic circuits can be used to design noise-protected qubits, but their complexity may exceed the capabilities of classical simulation. In such cases, quantum computers are necessary for efficient simulation. In this work, we demonstrate the use of variational quantum computing on a transmon-based quantum processor to simulate a superconducting quantum electronic circuit and design a new type of qubit called "Plasmonium", which operates in the plasmon-transition regime. The fabricated Plasmonium qubits show a high two-qubit gate fidelity of 99.58(3)%, as well as a smaller physical size and larger anharmonicity compared to transmon qubits. These properties make Plasmonium a promising candidate for scaling up multi-qubit devices. Our results demonstrate the potential of using quantum computers to aid in the design of advanced quantum processors.

Generation of genuine entanglement up to 51 superconducting qubits.

Scalable generation of genuine multipartite entanglement with an increasing number of qubits is important for both fundamental interest and practical use in quantum-information technologies1,2. On the one hand, multipartite entanglement shows a strong contradiction between the prediction of quantum mechanics and local realization and can be used for the study of quantum-to-classical transition3,4. On the other hand, realizing large-scale entanglement is a benchmark for the quality and controllability of the quantum system and is essential for realizing universal quantum computing5-8. However, scalable generation of genuine multipartite entanglement on a state-of-the-art quantum device can be challenging, requiring accurate quantum gates and efficient verification protocols. Here we show a scalable approach for preparing and verifying intermediate-scale genuine entanglement on a 66-qubit superconducting quantum processor. We used high-fidelity parallel quantum gates and optimized the fidelitites of parallel single- and two-qubit gates to be 99.91% and 99.05%, respectively. With efficient randomized fidelity estimation9, we realized 51-qubit one-dimensional and 30-qubit two-dimensional cluster states and achieved fidelities of 0.637 ± 0.030 and 0.671 ± 0.006, respectively. On the basis of high-fidelity cluster states, we further show a proof-of-principle realization of measurement-based variational quantum eigensolver10 for perturbed planar codes. Our work provides a feasible approach for preparing and verifying entanglement with a few hundred qubits, enabling medium-scale quantum computing with superconducting quantum systems.

Quantum neuronal sensing of quantum many-body states on a 61-qubit programmable superconducting processor.

Classifying many-body quantum states with distinct properties and phases of matter is one of the most fundamental tasks in quantum many-body physics. However, due to the exponential complexity that emerges from the enormous numbers of interacting particles, classifying large-scale quantum states has been extremely challenging for classical approaches. Here, we propose a new approach called quantum neuronal sensing. Utilizing a 61-qubit superconducting quantum processor, we show that our scheme can efficiently classify two different types of many-body phenomena: namely the ergodic and localized phases of matter. Our quantum neuronal sensing process allows us to extract the necessary information coming from the statistical characteristics of the eigenspectrum to distinguish these phases of matter by measuring only one qubit and offers better phase resolution than conventional methods, such as measuring the imbalance. Our work demonstrates the feasibility and scalability of quantum neuronal sensing for near-term quantum processors and opens new avenues for exploring quantum many-body phenomena in larger-scale systems.

Experimental Simulation of Larger Quantum Circuits with Fewer Superconducting Qubits.

Although near-term quantum computing devices are still limited by the quantity and quality of qubits in the so-called NISQ era, quantum computational advantage has been experimentally demonstrated. Moreover, hybrid architectures of quantum and classical computing have become the main paradigm for exhibiting NISQ applications, where low-depth quantum circuits are repeatedly applied. In order to further scale up the problem size solvable by the NISQ devices, it is also possible to reduce the number of physical qubits by "cutting" the quantum circuit into different pieces. In this work, we experimentally demonstrated a circuit-cutting method for simulating quantum circuits involving many logical qubits, using only a few physical superconducting qubits. By exploiting the symmetry of linear-cluster states, we can estimate the effectiveness of circuit-cutting for simulating up to 33-qubit linear-cluster states, using at most 4 physical qubits for each subcircuit. Specifically, for the 12-qubit linear-cluster state, we found that the experimental fidelity bound can reach as much as 0.734, which is about 19% higher than a direct implementation on the same 12-qubit superconducting processor. Our results indicate that circuit-cutting represents a feasible approach of simulating quantum circuits using much fewer qubits, while achieving a much higher circuit fidelity.

Development of a Novel Retrospective Instrument to Gauge the General Well-Being Index and Lumbar-Specific Disability Index Post-intervention in Lumbar Degenerative Disease

Methods@#Questionnaire items were created based on a literature review, followed by a process of content validation by experts and modification based on expert opinions to achieve an acceptable content validity index (CVI, 0.70–1.00). To calculate factor loadings for each question, a pilot test was subsequently conducted from a pool of patients who underwent lumbar spine surgeries for degenerative spine diseases. @*Results@#All items achieved a CVI of >0.85 for both relevancy and clarity and were successfully validated after appropriate corrections were made before the second validation phase. Except for Q9 and Q10, which showed low-loading factors in the pooled sample, the remainder of the items had acceptable loading factors across different subgroups, indicating that the passage of time did not affect the results of the exploratory factor analysis. @*Conclusions@#The retrospective questionnaire that encompasses the general well-being and lumbar-specific symptoms is a valid and reliable instrument to provide an impression of the outcome after intervention in a patient with a degenerative lumbar spinal disease. A summative score will indicate the overall outcome.

Application research and design strategy on smart responsive mesoporous silica anti-tumor nanodelivery systems / 药学学报

Malignant tumors are major diseases that endanger human health. Due to their complex and variable microenvironment, most anti-tumor drugs cannot precisely reach the focal tissue and be released in a controlled manner. Intelligent responsive nano carriers have become a hot spot in the field of anti-tumor drug delivery systems. As an excellent nano material, mesoporous silica has the advantages of non-toxic, stable, adjustable pore volume and pore diameter, and easy functional modification on the surface. By virtue of its perceptive response to the tumor microenvironment or physiological changes, it can achieve the targeted drug release or controlled drug release of the drug delivery system in the tissue, making it an ideal carrier for intelligent response drug delivery system. In this paper, we review the design strategies and current research status of smart responsive anti-tumor drug delivery systems based on mesoporous silica, in order to provide a reference for the development of anti-tumor drug nanoformulations.

Application progress on anti-skin aging effect of traditional Chinese medicine / 药学学报

With the aging of population intensifies and the level of population health have improved, thus much attention has been directed to how to delaying or preventing skin aging. Skin aging is associated with age, ultraviolet and lifestyle, mainly characterized as skin sagging, wrinkles, pigmentation, so it is urgent to seek traditional Chinese medicine and related cosmetics to solve the problem of skin aging. Traditional Chinese medicine has the functions of anti-oxidation, enhancing human immunity, promoting body metabolism and regulating endocrine, therefore, it has become a research focus in anti-skin aging. This article reviews the skin aging mechanism and the research advances of traditional Chinese medicine anti-skin aging, in order to provide a reference for future research and development of anti-aging traditional Chinese medicine.

Quantum computational advantage via 60-qubit 24-cycle random circuit sampling.

To ensure a long-term quantum computational advantage, the quantum hardware should be upgraded to withstand the competition of continuously improved classical algorithms and hardwares. Here, we demonstrate a superconducting quantum computing systems Zuchongzhi 2.1, which has 66 qubits in a two-dimensional array in a tunable coupler architecture. The readout fidelity of Zuchongzhi 2.1 is considerably improved to an average of 97.74%. The more powerful quantum processor enables us to achieve larger-scale random quantum circuit sampling, with a system scale of up to 60 qubits and 24 cycles, and fidelity of FXEB=(3.66±0.345)×10-4. The achieved sampling task is about 6 orders of magnitude more difficult than that of Sycamore [Nature 574, 505 (2019)] in the classic simulation, and 3 orders of magnitude more difficult than the sampling task on Zuchongzhi 2.0 [arXiv:2106.14734 (2021)]. The time consumption of classically simulating random circuit sampling experiment using state-of-the-art classical algorithm and supercomputer is extended to tens of thousands of years (about 4.8×104 years), while Zuchongzhi 2.1 only takes about 4.2 h, thereby significantly enhancing the quantum computational advantage.

Realization of an Error-Correcting Surface Code with Superconducting Qubits.

Quantum error correction is a critical technique for transitioning from noisy intermediate-scale quantum devices to fully fledged quantum computers. The surface code, which has a high threshold error rate, is the leading quantum error correction code for two-dimensional grid architecture. So far, the repeated error correction capability of the surface code has not been realized experimentally. Here, we experimentally implement an error-correcting surface code, the distance-three surface code which consists of 17 qubits, on the Zuchongzhi 2.1 superconducting quantum processor. By executing several consecutive error correction cycles, the logical error can be significantly reduced after applying corrections, achieving the repeated error correction of surface code for the first time. This experiment represents a fully functional instance of an error-correcting surface code, providing a key step on the path towards scalable fault-tolerant quantum computing.

Ruling Out Real-Valued Standard Formalism of Quantum Theory.

Standard quantum theory was formulated with complex-valued Schrödinger equations, wave functions, operators, and Hilbert spaces. Previous work attempted to simulate quantum systems using only real numbers by exploiting an enlarged Hilbert space. A fundamental question arises: are the complex numbers really necessary in the standard formalism of quantum theory? To answer this question, a quantum game has been developed to distinguish standard quantum theory from its real-number analog, by revealing a contradiction between a high-fidelity multiqubit quantum experiment and players using only real-number quantum theory. Here, using superconducting qubits, we faithfully realize the quantum game based on deterministic entanglement swapping with a state-of-the-art fidelity of 0.952. Our experimental results violate the real-number bound of 7.66 by 43 standard deviations. Our results disprove the real-number formulation and establish the indispensable role of complex numbers in the standard quantum theory.

Strong Quantum Computational Advantage Using a Superconducting Quantum Processor.

Scaling up to a large number of qubits with high-precision control is essential in the demonstrations of quantum computational advantage to exponentially outpace the classical hardware and algorithmic improvements. Here, we develop a two-dimensional programmable superconducting quantum processor, Zuchongzhi, which is composed of 66 functional qubits in a tunable coupling architecture. To characterize the performance of the whole system, we perform random quantum circuits sampling for benchmarking, up to a system size of 56 qubits and 20 cycles. The computational cost of the classical simulation of this task is estimated to be 2-3 orders of magnitude higher than the previous work on 53-qubit Sycamore processor [Nature 574, 505 (2019)NATUAS0028-083610.1038/s41586-019-1666-5. We estimate that the sampling task finished by Zuchongzhi in about 1.2 h will take the most powerful supercomputer at least 8 yr. Our work establishes an unambiguous quantum computational advantage that is infeasible for classical computation in a reasonable amount of time. The high-precision and programmable quantum computing platform opens a new door to explore novel many-body phenomena and implement complex quantum algorithms.

Comparison of neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by surgery vs. surgery alone for locally advanced gastric cancer: a meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: The neoadjuvant chemotherapy is increasingly used in advanced gastric cancer, but the effects on safety and survival are still controversial. The objective of this meta-analysis was to compare the overall survival and short-term surgical outcomes between neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by surgery (NACS) and surgery alone (SA) for locally advanced gastric cancer. METHODS: Databases (PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar) were explored for relative studies from January 2000 to January 2021. The quality of randomized controlled trials and cohort studies was evaluated using the modified Jadad scoring system and the Newcastle-Ottawa scale, respectively. The Review Manager software (version 5.3) was used to perform this meta-analysis. The overall survival was evaluated as the primary outcome, while perioperative indicators and post-operative complications were evaluated as the secondary outcomes. RESULTS: Twenty studies, including 1420 NACS cases and 1942 SA cases, were enrolled. The results showed that there were no significant differences in overall survival (P = 0.240), harvested lymph nodes (P = 0.200), total complications (P = 0.080), and 30-day post-operative mortality (P = 0.490) between the NACS and SA groups. However, the NACS group was associated with a longer operation time (P < 0.0001), a higher R0 resection rate (P = 0.003), less reoperation (P = 0.030), and less anastomotic leakage (P = 0.007) compared with SA group. CONCLUSIONS: Compared with SA, NACS was considered safe and feasible for improved R0 resection rate as well as decreased reoperation and anastomotic leakage. While unbenefited overall survival indicated a less important effect of NACS on long-term oncological outcomes.

Quantum walks on a programmable two-dimensional 62-qubit superconducting processor.

Quantum walks are the quantum mechanical analog of classical random walks and an extremely powerful tool in quantum simulations, quantum search algorithms, and even for universal quantum computing. In our work, we have designed and fabricated an 8-by-8 two-dimensional square superconducting qubit array composed of 62 functional qubits. We used this device to demonstrate high-fidelity single- and two-particle quantum walks. Furthermore, with the high programmability of the quantum processor, we implemented a Mach-Zehnder interferometer where the quantum walker coherently traverses in two paths before interfering and exiting. By tuning the disorders on the evolution paths, we observed interference fringes with single and double walkers. Our work is a milestone in the field, bringing future larger-scale quantum applications closer to realization for noisy intermediate-scale quantum processors.

The Autocatalytic Cleavage Domain Is Not Required for the Activity of ScpC, a Virulence Protease from Streptococcus pyogenes: A Structural Insight.

Group A Streptococcus (GAS, or Streptococcus pyogenes) is a leading human bacterial pathogen with diverse clinical manifestations, ranging from mild to life-threatening and to severe immune sequela. These diseases, combined, account for more than half a million deaths per year, globally. To accomplish its vast pathogenic potential, GAS expresses a multitude of virulent proteins, including the pivotal virulence factor ScpC. ScpC is a narrow-range surface-exposed subtilisin-like serine protease that cleaves the last 14 C-terminal amino acids of interleukin 8 (IL-8 or CXCL8) and impairs essential IL-8 signaling processes. As a result, neutrophil migration, bacterial killing, and the formation of neutrophil extracellular traps are strongly impaired. Also, ScpC has been identified as a potential vaccine candidate. ScpC undergoes an autocatalytic cleavage between Gln244 and Ser245, resulting in two polypeptide chains that assemble together forming the active protease. Previously, we reported that the region harboring the autocatalytic cleavage site, stretching from Gln213 to Asp272, is completely disordered. Here, we show that a deletion mutant (ScpCΔ60) of this region forms a single polypeptide chain, whose crystal structure we determined at 2.9 Å resolution. Moreover, we show that ScpCΔ60 is an active protease capable of cleaving its substrate IL-8 in a manner comparable to that of the wild type. These studies improve our understanding of the proteolytic activity of ScpC.

Cytotoxicity and proliferation evaluation on fibroblast after combining calcium hydroxide and ellagic acid.

Calcium hydroxide induces chronic inflammation and pulp tissue necrosis due to its high pH value. Ellagic acid is an anti-inflammatory and antioxidant flavonoid. Therefore, the effect of combining calcium hydroxide and ellagic acid must be researched to reduce cell damage due to the application of calcium hydroxide. The objective of the study was to determine the cytotoxicity and proliferation of fibroblasts after combining calcium hydroxide and ellagic acid with ratios of 99:1, 98:2, 97:3, 96:4, and 95:5. Calcium hydroxide and ellagic acid with different ratios were mixed with water and stirred. Rat gingival fibroblasts were prepared and incubated in two 96-well microplates. The control group and treatment groups (16 samples) were placed in the microplate and incubated for 1 and 3 days. An MTT assay test was performed, and the absorbance was observed using the ELISA reader with a wavelength of 540 nm. Following that, the cell viability was calculated. The results were tabulated and analyzed using a one-way ANOVA. For all treatment groups, the fibroblast cells showed a viability of higher than 50%. There was a significant increase (P < 0.05) in the fibroblast cell proliferation after combining calcium hydroxide and ellagic acid with ratios of 99:1 and 97:3. The combination of calcium hydroxide and ellagic acid is nontoxic. The treatment groups with ratios of 99:1 and 97:3 showed increased fibroblast cell proliferation.

Research progress and thinking on improving physicochemical properties and efficacy of the active ingredients in traditional Chinese medicine based on crystal structure / 药学学报

The active ingredients in traditional Chinese medicine have been reported to possess significant pharmacological activity and played an important role in clinical treatments. However, lots of the active ingredients in traditional Chinese medicine suffer from disadvantages such as low solubility, high melting point and low stability that results in low bioavailability and limit its clinical application. Crystal structure plays an important role in improving physicochemical properties and efficacy of the active ingredients in traditional Chinese medicine. This review concludes the research advances of several crystal forms used in the active ingredients in traditional Chinese medicine in terms of polymorph, cocrystal, amorphous/coamorphous and nanocrystal. And the effects of crystal forms on the physicochemical properties and efficacy of the active ingredients in traditional Chinese medicine were reviewed. This research may be useful for the formulation preparation and development of the active ingredients in traditional Chinese medicine.

Comparison of neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by surgery vs. surgery alone for locally advanced gastric cancer: a meta-analysis / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

BACKGROUND@#The neoadjuvant chemotherapy is increasingly used in advanced gastric cancer, but the effects on safety and survival are still controversial. The objective of this meta-analysis was to compare the overall survival and short-term surgical outcomes between neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by surgery (NACS) and surgery alone (SA) for locally advanced gastric cancer.@*METHODS@#Databases (PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar) were explored for relative studies from January 2000 to January 2021. The quality of randomized controlled trials and cohort studies was evaluated using the modified Jadad scoring system and the Newcastle-Ottawa scale, respectively. The Review Manager software (version 5.3) was used to perform this meta-analysis. The overall survival was evaluated as the primary outcome, while perioperative indicators and post-operative complications were evaluated as the secondary outcomes.@*RESULTS@#Twenty studies, including 1420 NACS cases and 1942 SA cases, were enrolled. The results showed that there were no significant differences in overall survival (P = 0.240), harvested lymph nodes (P = 0.200), total complications (P = 0.080), and 30-day post-operative mortality (P = 0.490) between the NACS and SA groups. However, the NACS group was associated with a longer operation time (P < 0.0001), a higher R0 resection rate (P = 0.003), less reoperation (P = 0.030), and less anastomotic leakage (P = 0.007) compared with SA group.@*CONCLUSIONS@#Compared with SA, NACS was considered safe and feasible for improved R0 resection rate as well as decreased reoperation and anastomotic leakage. While unbenefited overall survival indicated a less important effect of NACS on long-term oncological outcomes.