Quantum system characterization with limited resources.

The construction and operation of large-scale quantum information devices presents a grand challenge. A major issue is the effective control of coherent evolution, which requires accurate knowledge of the system dynamics that may vary from device to device. We review strategies for obtaining such knowledge from minimal initial resources and in an efficient manner, and apply these to the problem of characterization of a qubit embedded into a larger state manifold, made tractable by exploiting prior structural knowledge. We also investigate adaptive sampling for estimation of multiple parameters.

Coherent time evolution of a single-electron wave function.

Observation of coherent single-electron dynamics is severely limited by experimental bandwidth. We present a method to overcome this using moving quantum dots defined by surface acoustic waves. Each dot holds a single electron, and travels through a static potential landscape. When the dot passes abruptly between regions of different confinement, the electron is excited into a superposition of states, and oscillates unitarily from side to side. We detect these oscillations by using a weak, repeated measurement of the current across a tunnel barrier, and find close agreement with simulations.

Learning-Service Community Partnership Model: a pediatric program evaluation.

Pediatric clinical learning experiences in which service provision is offered present a challenge to nursing faculty and students. The Learning-Service Community Partnership Model is a framework in which innovative learning and service provision are an integral part of the pediatric nursing clinical experience. This article discusses a program evaluation of a pediatric community-based health promotion program based on this model. The result from this program evaluation shows that a service program can be effectively managed and provided by pediatric nursing faculty and students. This article describes the shift in moving pediatric learning experiences into the community and validates its importance.

Flow cytometry: an improved method for the selection of highly productive gene-amplified CHO cells using flow cytometry.

In previous work, we clarified the relationship between the productivity and stability of gene-amplified cells and the location of the amplified gene. The location of the amplified gene enabled us to classify resistant cells into two types. One type of resistant cell group, in which the amplified genes were observed near the telomeric region, was named the "telomere type." The other type of cell group, in which the amplified genes were observed in other chromosomal regions, was named the "other type." The phenotypes of these two types of cells are very different. In this experiment, using a fluorescein isothiocyanate-labeled methotrexate (F-MTX) reagent with flow cytometry, we were easily able to distinguish between highly productive cells and the other types of cells. The level of fluorescence differed according to the difference in resistance to MTX. Based on this new finding, highly productive gene-amplified cells could be isolated from heterogeneous gene-amplified cell pools more easily than by the method of limiting-dilution assay. The limiting-dilution method requires several months to obtain highly productive gene-amplified cells, while our flow-cytometry-based method of selection requires only a few weeks.

Evidence of intracolony transmission of Thelohania solenopsae (Microsporidia: Thelohaniidae) in red imported fire ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) and the first report of spores from pupae.

Red imported fire ant, Solenopsis invicta, colonies were infected horizontally by introducing live brood (mainly larvae and pupae) infected with Thelohania solenopsae. Live, infected brood introduced into uninfected colonies were adopted and raised to adulthood instead of being executed by the recipient colony. Introductions of infected larvae with uninfected pupae, which eclose into adult worker caste fire ants, resulted in an 80% infection rate of the inoculated colonies. Infections from introductions of infected pupae with uninfected larvae resulted in a 37.5% infection of inoculated colonies. Infections were also detected in 11.6 and 3.7% of the adult worker caste ants that eclosed from uninfected large larvae and pupae, respectively, that were held with infected adult workers. Microscopic examination of infected brood revealed sporoblasts and large numbers of spores of T. solenopsae in S. invicta pupae.

Amplified gene location in chromosomal DNA affected recombinant protein production and stability of amplified genes.

Previously, we established an easy and quick construction method for obtaining a stable and highly productive gene-amplified recombinant Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell line. With a gradual increase in methotrexate (MTX) concentration, gene-amplified cell pools had high and stable specific growth and production rates. Moreover, the phenotype of gene-amplified cells seemed to be affected by the location of the amplified gene in chromosomal DNA. We suspected that various kinds of gene-amplified cells might appear during the long-term selection to construct gene-amplified cell pools. To clarify the behavior of gene-amplified cell pools during a stepwise increase of MTX concentration, we isolated gene-amplified clones derived from gene-amplified cell pools. We compared the characteristics of isolated clones, such as the productivity of recombinant protein, stability of amplified genes, and the location of amplified genes. As a result, telomere-type clones, in which the amplified gene was located near the telomeric region, were found to be more stable and productive than other types of clones. Telomere-type clones had over 100 copies of amplified genes in the chromosomal DNA. In contrast, a large number of other types of clones had less than 10 copies of amplified genes. During long-term cultivation in the absence of MTX, in other types of clones, amplified genes rapidly decreased in the chromosomal DNA.

Bait distribution among multiple colonies of Pharaoh ants (hymenoptera: Formicidae).

Pharaoh ant, Monomorium pharaonis (L.), infestations often consist of several colonies located at different nest sites. To achieve control, it is desirable to suppress or eliminate the populations of a majority of these colonies. We compared the trophallactic distribution and efficacy of two ant baits, with different modes of action, among groups of four colonies of Pharaoh ants. Baits contained either the metabolic-inhibiting active ingredient hydramethylnon or the insect growth regulator (IGR) pyriproxyfen. Within 3 wk, the hydramethylnon bait reduced worker and brood populations by at least 80%, and queen reductions ranged between 73 and 100%, when nests were in proximity (within 132 cm) to the bait source. However, these nest sites were reoccupied by ants from other colonies located further from the bait source. The pyriproxyfen bait was distributed more thoroughly to all nest locations with worker populations gradually declining by 73% at all nest sites after 8 wk. Average queen reductions ranged from 31 to 49% for all nest sites throughout the study. Even though some queens survived, brood reductions were rapid in the pyriproxyfen treatment, with reductions of 95% at all locations by week 3. Unlike the metabolic inhibitor, the IGR did not kill adult worker ants quickly, thus, more surviving worker ants were available to distribute the bait to all colonies located at different nest sites. Thus, from a single bait source, the slow-acting bait toxicant provided gradual, but long-term control, whereas the fast-acting bait toxicant provided rapid, localized control for a shorter duration.

Geometric phases for mixed states in interferometry.

We provide a physical prescription based on interferometry for introducing the total phase of a mixed state undergoing unitary evolution, which has been an elusive concept in the past. We define the parallel transport condition that provides a connection form for obtaining the geometric phase for mixed states. The expression for the geometric phase for mixed state reduces to well known formulas in the pure state case when a system undergoes noncyclic and unitary quantum evolution.