Adaptive immunity maintains occult cancer in an equilibrium state

The capacity of immunity to control and shape cancer, that is, cancer immunoediting, is the result of three processes that function either independently or in sequence: elimination (cancer immunosurveillance, in which immunity functions as an extrinsic tumour suppressor in naive hosts); equilibrium (expansion of transformed cells is held in check by immunity); and escape (tumour cell variants with dampened immunogenicity or the capacity to attenuate immune responses grow into clinically apparent cancers). Extensive experimental support now exists for the elimination and escape processes because immunodeficient mice develop more carcinogen-induced and spontaneous cancers than wild-type mice, and tumour cells from immunodeficient mice are more immunogenic than those from immunocompetent mice. In contrast, the equilibrium process was inferred largely from clinical observations, including reports of transplantation of undetected (occult) cancer from organ donor into immunosuppressed recipients. Herein we use a mouse model of primary chemical carcinogenesis and demonstrate that equilibrium occurs, is mechanistically distinguishable from elimination and escape, and that neoplastic cells in equilibrium are transformed but proliferate poorly in vivo. We also show that tumour cells in equilibrium are unedited but become edited when they spontaneously escape immune control and grow into clinically apparent tumours. These results reveal that, in addition to destroying tumour cells and sculpting tumour immunogenicity, the immune system of a naive mouse can also restrain cancer growth for extended time periods.     

A pre-existing hydrophobic collapse in the unfolded state of an ultrafast folding protein

Insights into the conformational passage of a polypeptide chain across its free energy landscape have come from the judicious combination of experimental studies and computer simulations. Even though some unfolded and partially folded proteins are now known to possess biological function or to be involved in aggregation phenomena associated with disease states, experimentally derived atomic-level information on these structures remains sparse as a result of conformational heterogeneity and dynamics. Here we present a technique that can provide such information. Using a 'Trp-cage' miniprotein known as TC5b (ref. 5), we report photochemically induced dynamic nuclear polarization NMR pulse-labelling experiments that involve rapid in situ protein refolding. These experiments allow dipolar cross-relaxation with hyperpolarized aromatic side chain nuclei in the unfolded state to be identified and quantified in the resulting folded-state spectrum. We find that there is residual structure due to hydrophobic collapse in the unfolded state of this small protein, with strong inter-residue contacts between side chains that are relatively distant from one another in the native state. Prior structuring, even with the formation of non-native rather than native contacts, may be a feature associated with fast folding events in proteins.     

Maintenance of an unfolded polypeptide by a cognate chaperone in bacterial type III secretion.

Many bacterial pathogens use a type III protein secretion system to deliver virulence effector proteins directly into the host cell cytosol, where they modulate cellular processes. A requirement for the effective translocation of several such effector proteins is the binding of specific cytosolic chaperones, which typically interact with discrete domains in the virulence factors. We report here the crystal structure at 1.9 A resolution of the chaperone-binding domain of the Salmonella effector protein SptP with its cognate chaperone SicP. The structure reveals that this domain is maintained in an extended, unfolded conformation that is wound around three successive chaperone molecules. Short segments from two different SptP molecules are juxtaposed by the chaperones, where they dimerize across a hydrophobic interface. These results imply that the chaperones associated with the type III secretion system maintain their substrates in a secretion-competent state that is capable of engaging the secretion machinery to travel through the type III apparatus in an unfolded or partially folded manner.     

The Lkb1 metabolic sensor maintains haematopoietic stem cell survival

Haematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) can convert between growth states that have marked differences in bioenergetic needs. Although often quiescent in adults, these cells become proliferative upon physiological demand. Balancing HSC energetics in response to nutrient availability and growth state is poorly understood, yet essential for the dynamism of the haematopoietic system. Here we show that the Lkb1 tumour suppressor is critical for the maintenance of energy homeostasis in haematopoietic cells. Lkb1 inactivation in adult mice causes loss of HSC quiescence followed by rapid depletion of all haematopoietic subpopulations. Lkb1-deficient bone marrow cells exhibit mitochondrial defects, alterations in lipid and nucleotide metabolism, and depletion of cellular ATP. The haematopoietic effects are largely independent of Lkb1 regulation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signalling. Instead, these data define a central role for Lkb1 in restricting HSC entry into cell cycle and in broadly maintaining energy homeostasis in haematopoietic cells through a novel metabolic checkpoint.     

Macroscopically ordered state in an exciton system

There is a rich variety of quantum liquids -- such as superconductors, liquid helium and atom Bose-Einstein condensates -- that exhibit macroscopic coherence in the form of ordered arrays of vortices. Experimental observation of a macroscopically ordered electronic state in semiconductors has, however, remained a challenging and relatively unexplored problem. A promising approach for the realization of such a state is to use excitons, bound pairs of electrons and holes that can form in semiconductor systems. At low densities, excitons are Bose-particles, and at low temperatures, of the order of a few kelvin, excitons can form a quantum liquid -- that is, a statistically degenerate Bose gas or even a Bose-Einstein condensate. Here we report photoluminescence measurements of a quasi-two-dimensional exciton gas in GaAs/AlGaAs coupled quantum wells and the observation of a macroscopically ordered exciton state. Our spatially resolved measurements reveal fragmentation of the ring-shaped emission pattern into circular structures that form periodic arrays over lengths up to 1 mm.     

基于4粒子纠缠态的未知3粒子态概率量子隐形传态

使用4粒子纠缠态作为量子信道,在对4粒子纠缠态的纠缠系数方面并没有做确切要求的前提下,完成了未知3粒子纠缠态的隐形传态.在传输过程中,发送方对2对粒子进行Bell测量并公布结果,然后再对4粒子中的一个粒子作Hadamard操作之后,也对其进行测量,且将测量结果通过经典信道公布.接收方引进2个辅助粒子并实施一次控制非操作,再进行一组适当的幺正变换,便可实现未知3粒子纠缠态的概率量子隐形传态.     

Impossibility of deleting an unknown quantum state

A photon in an arbitrary polarization state cannot be cloned perfectly. But suppose that at our disposal we have several copies of a photon in an unknown state. Is it possible to delete the information content of one or more of these photons by a physical process? Specifically, if two photons are in the same initial polarization state, is there a mechanism that produces one photon in the same initial state and the other in some standard polarization state? If this could be done, then one would create a standard blank state onto which one could copy an unknown state approximately, by deterministic cloning or exactly, by probabilistic cloning. This could in principle be useful in quantum computation, where one could store new information in an already computed state by deleting the old information. Here we show, however, that the linearity of quantum theory does not allow us to delete a copy of an arbitrary quantum state perfectly. Though in a classical computer information can be deleted (reversibly) against a copy, the analogous task cannot be accomplished, even irreversibly, with quantum information.     

一类害虫流行病控制模型非常数正平衡解的存在性

研究一类具有交错扩散的害虫流行病控制模型。讨论反应扩散系统惟一的正常数平衡解的全局稳定性,建立正平衡解上下界的先验估计,证明了交错扩散系统非常数正平衡解的存在性。     

未知二粒子纠缠态的辅助克隆

提出一个以三粒子GHZ态为量子信道的未知二粒子纠缠态及其正交态的概率克隆方案.此方案中,发送方Alice和接收方Bob对未知态的信息一无所知.首先Alice对他的粒子实施贝尔测量,在得知Alice的测量结果后,通过引入辅助粒子并执行控制非门操作后,Bob可成功地接收未知态.随后在态的制备方Victor的帮助下,Alice以一定的概率获得未知二粒子纠缠态及其正交态的复制.该方案同样适合量子信道是非最大纠缠态的情况.此外,量子纠缠资源和经典信息损耗在该方案中均得到了节省.     

The calculation of ground state energies of double-electron systems in an uniform magnetic field below 109 G

Energies for the ground states of double-electron systems in a uniform magnetic fieldB≤10⁹ G are calculated by using the modified Slater basis and configuration interaction method, and the result for energy in zero magnetic field is comparable with those obtained by different methods. Supported by the Opening Foundation of Wuhan Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Science Wu Liangkai: born in 1970, Graduate student     

A diffusion barrier maintains distribution of membrane proteins in polarized neurons

The asymmetric distribution of proteins to distinct domains in the plasma membrane is crucial to the function of many polarized cells. In epithelia, distinct apical and basolateral surfaces are maintained by tight junctions that prevent diffusion of proteins and lipids between the two domains. Polarized neurons maintain axonal and somatodendritic plasma membrane domains without an obvious physical barrier. Indeed, the artificial lipid Dil encounters no diffusion barrier at the presumptive domain boundary, the axon hillock. By measuring the lateral mobility of membrane proteins using optical tweezers, we show here that some membrane proteins exhibit markedly reduced mobility in the initial segment of the axon. Disruption of F-actin and low levels of dimethyl sulphoxide (DMSO) abolish this diffusion barrier and lead to redistribution of membrane markers that had previously been polarized. Immobilization in the initial segment may reflect, at least in part, differential tethering to cytoskeletal components. Therefore, the ability to maintain a polarized distribution of membrane proteins depends on a specialized domain at the initial segment of the axon, which restricts lateral mobility and serves as a new type of diffusion barrier that acts in the absence of cell-cell contact.     

Si基片各向异性腐蚀特性研究

为了制备高性能铁电薄膜红外探测器 ,对Si微桥的湿化学腐蚀工艺进行了研究 .利用Si基片各向异性腐蚀特性 ,在四甲基氢氧化铵 (简称TMAH )水溶液中加入氢氧化钾 (KOH)作为各向异性腐蚀液 (简称KTMAH) ,研究了TMAH与KOH摩尔比、腐蚀浓度、腐蚀温度对Si基片腐蚀特性的影响 .结果表明 :Si(1 0 0 )面的腐蚀速度随着腐蚀液浓度和温度的升高而增大 ,随着TMAH与KOH摩尔比的降低 ,KTMAH腐蚀液对掩膜层的腐蚀程度加剧 .选用 5 g/L的过硫酸盐 (PDS)与TMAH质量分数为 2 5 %、TMAH与KOH摩尔比为2的KTMAH混合液作为腐蚀液 ,并在 80℃× 2 .5h的腐蚀条件下能得到平整的腐蚀面 ,可以制备质量较好的微桥结构     

The state of the Universe

The past 20 years have seen dramatic advances in cosmology, mostly driven by observations from new telescopes and detectors. These instruments have allowed astronomers to map out the large-scale structure of the Universe and probe the very early stages of its evolution. We seem to have established the basic parameters describing the behaviour of our expanding Universe, thereby putting cosmology on a firm empirical footing. But the emerging 'standard' model leaves many details of galaxy formation still to be worked out, and new ideas are emerging that challenge the theoretical framework on which the structure of the Big Bang is based. There is still a great deal left to explore in cosmology.     

利用四维的二粒子纠缠态传送一个未知的二维二粒子量子态

利用四维的二粒子最大纠缠态作为量子信道可成功地传送一个未知的二维二粒子量子态,其成功几率及态的保真度均为100%。若量子信道为部分纠缠态,也可以几率传送此量子态,其成功几率由部分纠缠态的最小Schm idt系数决定,态的保真度为100%。     

二能级多粒子任意纠缠态的超空间传送

在二能级单粒子未知量子态的超空间传送方案和有控制者参与的受控二能级单粒子量子态超空间传送方案的基础上,分析了一般情况和受控情况下二能级二粒子量子态的超空间传送,并给出了详细的计算结果.同时简要讨论了这2种情况下任意数目的二能级系统的任意未知量子态的超空间传输问题.     

在QED腔中实现一个未知的三粒子W态的隐形传输方案

量子隐形传输在量子信息科学中有着重要的地位,很多方案被设计出来用于实现隐形传输,但在实际中,存在着很多困难,例如EPR对的制备,联合Bell测量,腔衰减和热场的影响等.在本文中,首先介绍了一个单模腔,原子4、5,原子6、7和原子8、9的最大纠缠态被制备出来,从它的有效哈密顿量的形式,可以看出,热场和腔衰减可以消除掉,其次我们设计了一个未知的三粒子W态的隐形传输方案,从中可以发现,这个过程中不需要联合Bell测量,而且实现这个过程成功的概率是1.