Entanglement of nanophotonic quantum memory nodes in a telecom network

A key challenge in realizing practical quantum networks for long-distance quantum communication involves robust entanglement between quantum memory nodes connected by fibre optical infrastructure1-3. Here we demonstrate a two-node quantum network composed of multi-qubit registers based on silicon-vacancy (SiV) centres in nanophotonic diamond cavities integrated with a telecommunication fibre network. Remote entanglement is generated by the cavity-enhanced interactions between the electron spin qubits of the SiVs and optical photons. Serial, heralded spin-photon entangling gate operations with time-bin qubits are used for robust entanglement of separated nodes. Long-lived nuclear spin qubits are used to provide second-long entanglement storage and integrated error detection. By integrating efficient bidirectional quantum frequency conversion of photonic communication qubits to telecommunication frequencies (1,350 nm), we demonstrate the entanglement of two nuclear spin memories through 40 km spools of low-loss fibre and a 35-km long fibre loop deployed in the Boston area urban environment, representing an enabling step towards practical quantum repeaters and large-scale quantum networks.

Abstract OT2-17-01: Phase 1 trial of anthracycline chemotherapy in combination with CD40 agonist and Flt3 ligand in metastatic triple-negative breast cancer

Background: Only a subset of patients with metastatic triple-negative breast cancers (TNBC) demonstrate response to FDA approved PD-1 immune checkpoint blockade (ICB), and few have durable responses. Data suggests that breast cancers have defects in antigen presentation and that antigen presenting cells especially the DC1 subtype of dendritic cells (DCs) are required for response to ICB. CD40 agonists activate antigen presenting cells including DCs and B cells and also repolarize macrophages to an anti-tumor phenotype. Flt3 ligand is a growth factor that increases differentiation and expansion of DCs. We recently demonstrated in pre-clinical TNBC models that the combination of liposomal-doxorubicin chemotherapy, a CD40 agonist, and a Flt3 ligand improves outcomes compared to alternate combinations. Methods: This is a single arm phase I pilot study of liposomal-doxorubicin, CDX-1140 (CD40 agonist), and CDX-301 (Flt3 ligand) combination therapy in patients with metastatic or unresectable locally advanced metastatic TNBC. Patients will be randomized to 3 lead-in arms (triplet therapy, doublet immunotherapy only, or liposomal-doxorubicin only) for 1 cycle prior to receiving triplet therapy with fresh tissue biopsies before and after the lead-in treatment. CDX-301 will be discontinued after 2 cycles; liposomal-doxorubicin and CDX-1140 will be continued until disease progression or clinically limiting toxicities. Primary endpoint is determination of a recommended phase 2 dose based on treatment-related adverse events including dose-limiting toxicities. Secondary endpoints include anti-tumor immune response after triplet therapy, after immunotherapy alone, and after liposomal-doxorubicin alone; median progression-free survival, overall response rate, duration of response, and clinical benefit rate. Key eligibility criteria are unresectable stage III or stage IV TNBC (ER ≤10%, PR ≤10%, HER2/neu negative), 1st to 3rd line metastatic treatment setting (1st line patients need to be PD-L1 negative by 22C3 assay), measurable disease by RECIST 1.1 criteria, consent for pre-treatment and on-treatment biopsies of amenable soft tissue tumor lesions, no prior treatment with an anti-CD40 antibody or a Flt3 ligand, no anthracycline treatment in the metastatic setting, no prior progression while on anthracycline-based therapy or within 6 months of completing neoadjuvant chemotherapy, and no history of non-infectious pneumonitis or current pneumonitis. This trial will enroll up to 45 patients across multiple sites (NCT05029999).

Citation Format: Sangeetha Reddy, Meredith Carter, Isaac Chan, Nisha Unni, Namrata Peswani, Dawn Klemow, Samira Syed, Shahbano Shakeel, Farjana Fattah, Chul Ahn, Yisheng Fang, Heather McArthur, Nicole Sinclair, Michael Yellin, Denise Yardley, Nan Chen, Joyce O’Shaughnessy, Rita Nanda, Suzanne D. Conzen, Carlos Arteaga. Phase 1 trial of anthracycline chemotherapy in combination with CD40 agonist and Flt3 ligand in metastatic triple-negative breast cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2022 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2022 Dec 6-10; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2023;83(5 Suppl):Abstract nr OT2-17-01.

Phase 1 pilot study with dose expansion of chemotherapy in combination with CD40 agonist and Flt3 ligand in metastatic triple-negative breast cancer

TPS1126

Background: Only a subset of patients with metastatic triple-negative breast cancer demonstrate response to currently approved PD-1 immune checkpoint blockade, and few have durable responses. Antigen presentation defects may be a reason for this low response because deficiency of antigen-presenting DC1 dendritic cells is associated with poor anti-tumor immunity. CD40 agonists are a class of agents that activate antigen presenting cells including dendritic cells and B cells and also repolarize macrophages. Flt3 ligand is a growth factor that increases dendritic cells. In line with this, we recently demonstrated in pre-clinical models that the combination of liposomal-doxorubicin chemotherapy, a CD40 agonist, and a Flt3 ligand improves outcomes of breast cancer compared to alternate combinations. Methods: This is a single arm phase I pilot study of liposomal-doxorubicin, CDX-1140 (CD40 agonist), and CDX-301 (Flt3 ligand) combination therapy in patients with metastatic or unresectable locally advanced metastatic triple-negative breast cancer. Patients will be randomized to 3 lead-in arms (triplet therapy, doublet immunotherapy only, liposomal-doxorubicin only) prior to receiving full triplet therapy with fresh tissue biopsies before and after the lead-in treatment. CDX-301 will be discontinued after 2 cycles; liposomal-doxorubicin and CDX-1140 will be continued until disease progression or clinically limiting toxicities. Primary endpoint is determination of a recommended phase 2 dose based on treatment-related adverse events including dose-limiting toxicities. Secondary endpoints include anti-tumor immune response after triplet therapy, after immunotherapy alone, and after liposomal-doxorubicin alone; median progression-free survival, overall response rate, duration of response, and clinical benefit rate. Key eligibility criteria are unresectable stage III or stage IV triple-negative breast cancer (ER ≤10%, PR ≤10%, HER2/neu negative), 1st to 3rd line metastatic treatment setting (1st line patients need to be PD-L1 negative by 22C3 assay), measurable disease by RECIST 1.1 criteria, consent for pre-treatment and on-treatment biopsies of amenable soft tissue tumor lesions, no prior treatment with an anti-CD40 antibody or a Flt3 ligand, no anthracycline treatment in the metastatic setting, no prior progression while on anthracycline-based therapy or within 6 months of completing neoadjuvant chemotherapy, and no history of non-infectious pneumonitis or current pneumonitis. This trial will enroll up to 45 patients across multiple sites. Clinical trial information: NCT05029999.

Properties of a Rare-Earth-Ion-Doped Waveguide at Sub-Kelvin Temperatures for Quantum Signal Processing

We characterize the 795 nm ^{3}H_{6} to ^{3}H_{4} transition of Tm^{3+} in a Ti^{4+}:LiNbO_{3} waveguide at temperatures as low as 800 mK. Coherence and hyperfine population lifetimes-up to 117  μs and 2.5 h, respectively-exceed those at 3 K at least tenfold, and are equivalent to those observed in a bulk Tm^{3+}:LiNbO_{3} crystal under similar conditions. We also find a transition dipole moment that is equivalent to that of the bulk. Finally, we prepare a 0.5 GHz-bandwidth atomic frequency comb of finesse >2 on a vanishing background. These results demonstrate the suitability of rare-earth-ion-doped waveguides created using industry-standard Ti indiffusion in LiNbO_{3} for on-chip quantum applications.

Real-Time Examination of Atomistic Mechanisms during Shock-Induced Structural Transformation in Silicon

The experimental determination of atomistic mechanisms linking crystal structures during a compression-driven solid-solid phase transformation is a long-standing and challenging scientific objective. Using new capabilities at the Dynamic Compression Sector at the Advanced Photon Source, the structure of shocked Si at 19 GPa was identified as simple hexagonal, and the lattice orientations between ambient cubic diamond and simple hexagonal structures were related. The approach is general and provides a powerful new method for examining atomistic mechanisms during stress-induced structural changes.

Tm 3+ Tm 3+ : Y3Ga5O12 materials for spectrally multiplexed quantum memories

We investigate the relevant spectroscopic properties of the 795 nm (3)H(6)↔(3)H(4) transition in 1% Tm(3+):Y(3)Ga(5)O(12) at temperatures as low as 1.2 K for optical quantum memories based on persistent spectral tailoring of narrow absorption features. Our measurements reveal that this transition has uniform coherence properties over a 56 GHz bandwidth, and a simple hyperfine structure split by ± 44 MHz/T with lifetimes of up to hours. Furthermore, we find a (3)F(4) population lifetime of 64 ms-one of the longest lifetimes observed for an electronic level in a solid--and an exceptionally long coherence lifetime of 490 μs--the longest ever observed for optical transitions of Tm(3+) ions in a crystal. Our results suggest that this material allows realizing broadband quantum memories that enable spectrally multiplexed quantum repeaters.

Abstract P1-08-16: Deep sequencing of breast tumor biopsies reveals an association between pathologic complete response and reduction of TP53 clonal abundance upon brief exposure to therapy

Background: Next generation deep sequencing has revealed the existence of intra-tumor heterogeneity within subsets of breast tumors. The clinical implications of intra-tumor heterogeneity are not fully understood, however subclonal heterogeneity likely plays a role in treatment resistance. We quantify the clonal abundance of somatic mutations in breast tumor biopsies using deep targeted amplicon sequencing and assess their changes over the course of preoperative therapy (PT). We also evaluate the association of changes in clonal abundance upon brief exposure (BE) to therapy with clinical outcome.

Methods: DNA from 69 breast tumor samples obtained from BE preoperative clinical trials BrUOG 211A/211B were sequenced. Patients received a run-in dose of bevacizumab(B), nab-paclitaxel(N) or trastuzumab (T), followed by combination biologic/chemotherapy (HER2- with B/carboplatin/N; HER2+ with T/carboplatin/N). We sequenced biopsy pairs obtained pre/post 10 day exposure to run-in targeted therapy and germline and surgical tumor DNA for a subset of patients upon completion of PT. A TruSeqCustom Amplicon (Illumina) for targeted enrichment sequencing that included 1183 amplicons covering either hotspot regions or whole exonic regions from 35 commoly mutated genes in breast cancer (TCGA, Stephens, 2012; Shah); a total of 101,484 bp of the genome was represented. Sequencing was performed using IlluminaMiSeq platform and analyzed for variant calls using IlluminaBasespace. High confidence somatic mutations were identified in samples with matched germline data using VarScan2. In the absence of matched normal DNA, germline variants were eliminated using dbSNP and the 1000 Genomes Project. Minor allele frequencies (MAF) of somatic aberrations were estimated as the percentage of reads matching the variant.

Results: Approximately 5 mutations on average were found baseline and post-exposure, with a maximum mutational burden of 15 mutations in one basal breast cancer. Recurrent somatic aberrations were observed in TP53 (42%), PIK3CA (16%) and FAT4 (13%), whereas sporadic aberrations were also seen in COL1A1, PTEN, CDH1. More than 85% of samples harboring TP53 mutations exhibited MAF≥40%. Similar high clonal abundance (MAF >50%) was observed for FAT4 mutations whereas PIK3CA mutations exhibited only subclonal frequencies (MAF≤30%). We evaluated changes in clonal architecture upon BE to therapy by scoring for a change in MAF of at least 10% from baseline to post-exposure sample. We scored a total of 16 cases for clonal abundance changes in TP53 mutations upon exposure to therapy. We found 6 cases that exhibited ≥10% reduction in MAF, of which 4 achieved pCR (p = 0.03) and the remaining 2 achieved RCB I. This association was independent of therapy arm and BE regimen.

Conclusions: We found that a reduction in TP53 clonal abundance upon BE to PT is associated with clinical outcome. We are currently integrating whole genome copy-number profiles with the deep sequencing data to more accurately assess clonal architecture and changes upon exposure to therapy. Clonal changes upon BE to therapy may provide early readouts of therapy benefit and provide biological insights into mechanisms of action.

Citation Information: Cancer Res 2013;73(24 Suppl): Abstract nr P1-08-16.

Long-term efficacy of 2-0 Prolene brow suspensions for congenital ptosis

AIMS

To highlight the long-lasting benefit of 2-0 Prolene brow suspension for congenital ptosis.

METHODS

Retrospective case review of 38 paediatric cases at two centres in the United Kingdom.

RESULTS

Six cases continue to have a successful functional and cosmetic result ranging from 6 to 10 years.

CONCLUSIONS

Brow suspension with 2-0 Prolene can be long-lasting in some patients.

Tripartite entanglement versus tripartite nonlocality in three-qubit Greenberger-Horne-Zeilinger-class states

We analyze the relationship between tripartite entanglement and genuine tripartite nonlocality for three-qubit pure states in the Greenberger-Horne-Zeilinger class. We consider a family of states known as the generalized Greenberger-Horne-Zeilinger states and derive an analytical expression relating the three-tangle, which quantifies tripartite entanglement, to the Svetlichny inequality, which is a Bell-type inequality that is violated only when all three qubits are nonlocally correlated. We show that states with three-tangle less than 1/2 do not violate the Svetlichny inequality. On the other hand, a set of states known as the maximal slice states does violate the Svetlichny inequality, and exactly analogous to the two-qubit case, the amount of violation is directly related to the degree of tripartite entanglement. We discuss further interesting properties of the generalized Greenberger-Horne-Zeilinger and maximal slice states.

The post-infarction nurse practitioner project: A prospective study comparing nurse intervention with conventional care in a non-high-risk myocardial infarction population

OBJECTIVES

To confirm the feasibility of nurse practitioner interventionin non-high-risk patients with recent myocardial infarction (MI).

DESIGN

Observational study.

SETTING

Acute coronary care unit in a teaching hospital.

METHODS

We performed an open-label feasibility study to identify non-high-risk MI patients and evaluate the outcome of a new nurse practitioner intervention programme. The initial pilot phase served to identify the non-high-risk population. In the subsequent confirmation phase, 500 consecutive non-high-risk post-MI patients with preserved LV function without heart failure were included to receive nurse practitioner management. The nurse practitioner intervention started on transfer from the coronary care unit to the cardiology ward and continued thereafter for up to 30 days.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Time to first event analysis of death from all causes or repeat myocardial infarction.

RESULTS

500 Patients without signs of heart failure or depressed LV function were identified as nonhigh- risk and eligible for inclusion in the nurse practitioner intervention programme. In the implementation phase, none of the patients died and 0.9% developed a repeat myocardial infarction after 30 days of follow-up. Compared with the pilot phase, patients in the implementation phase spent fewer days in hospital (mean 11.1 versus 6.2 days; p<0.001).

CONCLUSION

It is feasible to identify non-high-risk post-MI patients, who can be managed adequately by a nurse practitioner. Embedding experienced nurse practitioners within critical care pathways may result in significant decreases in length of hospital stay. (Neth Heart J 2009;17:61-7.Neth Heart J 2009;17:61-7.).

Visual perception during phacoemulsification cataract surgery under subtenons anaesthesia

AIM

The aim of this study was to record the subjective visual experience of patients during phacoemulsification and intraocular lens implantation under subtenons anaesthesia.

METHODS

Prospective, nonrandomised, cohort, postoperative questionnaire based study. Patients selected underwent routine phacoemulsification and intraocular lens implantation under regional subtenons anaesthesia. chi(2) and Fisher's exact tests (two-tail) were used to evaluate the data.

RESULTS

A total of 104 patients were selected, 38 (36.5%) were male and 66 (63.5%) were female. The mean age of patients was 74.0+/-8.8 years. In all, 87.5% saw light during the operation with 9.6% finding this painful. Photophobia was highest among younger patients (P=0.002). Coloured lights were seen by 56.7% and 13.5% found the visual experience frightening. Frightening visual experiences were significantly associated with the perception of colour (P=0.005) and photophobia (P=0.003). A volume of anaesthetic greater than 4 m was associated with a significant reduction in anxiety as a result of the visual experience (P=0.003). None of the other visual phenomena recorded were associated with a frightening visual experience.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients undergoing regional anaesthesia experience a wide variety of visual sensations during cataract surgery. Perception of colour and volumes of anaesthetic less than 4 m appear to be associated with the visual experience being more frightening. Detailed preoperative counselling is mandatory. It should include comprehensive information about visual perception during the procedure relieving the patients from unnecessary distress.

Association of thrombospondin of endothelial cells with other matrix proteins and cell attachment sites and migration tracks

Different biochemical and cytochemical techniques were applied to characterize the sites of localization of thrombospondin in cultured endothelial cells. The results obtained by [35S]methionine labeling, immunoblotting, immunoprecipitation, fluorescence microscopy, ultracytochemistry, immunogold labeling, and silver enhancement experiments revealed that thrombospondin secreted by endothelial cells is structurally organized together with proteoheparan sulfate in spherical granules at the cell surface. These granules are about 100 to 300 nm in size. Heparin or enzymatic degradation with heparitinase, but not with ABC lyase, release thrombospondin from the cell surface. Fibronectin is expressed in the extracellular matrix of endothelial cells in a fibrillar organization, clearly distinct from the punctate pattern of thrombospondin on the cell surface. Furthermore, secreted thrombospondin is highly enriched together with fibronectin and proteoheparan sulfate in cell attachment sites and in cell migration tracks. In cell migration tracks proteoheparan sulfate more clearly resembles the fibrillar distribution pattern of fibronectin, whereas thrombospondin reveals a rather monodisperse pattern. The obtained data suggest preferential sites of interaction between thrombospondin and heparan sulfate proteoglycans on the cell surface and a participation of thrombospondin in cell adhesion and cell migration.

A Case of Melanotic Growth of the Temple exhibited to show Result of Excision and Grafting

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