Mechanically induced correlated errors on superconducting qubits with relaxation times exceeding 0.4 ms.

Superconducting qubits are among the most advanced candidates for achieving fault-tolerant quantum computing. Despite recent significant advancements in the qubit lifetimes, the origin of the loss mechanism for state-of-the-art qubits is still subject to investigation. Furthermore, the successful implementation of quantum error correction requires negligible correlated errors between qubits. Here, we realize long-lived superconducting transmon qubits that exhibit fluctuating lifetimes, averaging 0.2 ms and exceeding 0.4 ms - corresponding to quality factors above 5 million and 10 million, respectively. We then investigate their dominant error mechanism. By introducing novel time-resolved error measurements that are synchronized with the operation of the pulse tube cooler in a dilution refrigerator, we find that mechanical vibrations from the pulse tube induce nonequilibrium dynamics in highly coherent qubits, leading to their correlated bit-flip errors. Our findings not only deepen our understanding of the qubit error mechanisms but also provide valuable insights into potential error-mitigation strategies for achieving fault tolerance by decoupling superconducting qubits from their mechanical environments.

Optogenetic activation of the lateral habenulaD1R-ventral tegmental area circuit induces depression-like behavior in mice.

A number of different receptors are distributed in glutamatergic neurons of the lateral habenula (LHb). These glutamatergic neurons are involved in different neural pathways, which may identify how the LHb regulates various physiological functions. However, the role of dopamine D1 receptor (D1R)-expressing habenular neurons projecting to the ventral tegmental area (VTA) (LHbD1R-VTA) remains not well understood. In the current study, to determine the activity of D1R-expressing neurons in LHb, D1R-Cre mice were used to establish the chronic restraint stress (CRS) depression model. Adeno-associated virus was injected into bilateral LHb in D1R-Cre mice to examine whether optogenetic activation of the LHb D1R-expressing neurons and their projections could induce depression-like behavior. Optical fibers were implanted in the LHb and VTA, respectively. To investigate whether optogenetic inhibition of the LHbD1R-VTA circuit could produce antidepressant-like effects, the adeno-associated virus was injected into the bilateral LHb in the D1R-Cre CRS model, and optical fibers were implanted in the bilateral VTA. The D1R-expressing neuronal activity in the LHb was increased in the CRS depression model. Optogenetic activation of the D1R-expressing neurons in LHb induced behavioral despair and anhedonia, which could also be induced by activation of the LHbD1R-VTA axons. Conversely, optogenetic inhibition of the LHbD1R-VTA circuit improved behavioral despair and anhedonia in the CRS depression model. D1R-expressing glutamatergic neurons in the LHb and their projections to the VTA are involved in the occurrence and regulation of depressive-like behavior.

Treatment of inflammatory bowel disease: Potential effect of NMN on intestinal barrier and gut microbiota.

Nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN) exerts physiological effects in mammals through its conversion to nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+). In this study, we established experimental models of colitis by mixing drinking water of C57BL/6J mice with dextran sodium sulphate (DSS), and then fed them with the same concentration of NMN or at the same time. After NMN treatment, we observed improved morphology of inflamed intestines, slightly restored length of colon, improved barrier function and reduced proinflammatory factors expression in serum. Also, significant alterations in the composition and abundance of intestinal flora in IBD mice were found. The abundance of Firmicutes, Verrucomicrobia, Akkermansia and Lactobacillus, considered as beneficial bacteria, increased, while Bacteroidetes and Muribaculaceae unclassifiably decreased. Taken together, these results suggest that NMN may improve intestinal inflammation, reduce intestinal mucosal permeability and repair gut flora dysbiosis in IBD.

Correlations of ALD, Keap-1, and FoxO4 expression with traditional tumor markers and clinicopathological characteristics in colorectal carcinoma.

Aldolase A (A-2) (ALD), Kelch-like-ECH associated protein-1 (Keap-1), and Forkhead box O4 (FoxO4) are key regulatory proteins, which have been proven to be involved in tumor development. However, the clinicopathological significance of ALD, Keap-1, and FoxO4 expressions in colorectal (colon) carcinoma (CRC) is not clearly known. We sought to explore the clinicopathological significance of ALD, Keap-1, and FoxO4 in CRC to provide evidences for potential monitoring index of CRC. Cases of 199 CRC patients were analyzed retrospectively. Evaluation of ALD, cAMP response element-binding protein-2, cyclo-oxygenase 2, FoxO4, Keap-1, and p53 expressions in CRC patients was accomplished with immunohistochemical technique. The patients were divided into negative and positive groups in accordance with immunohistochemical result. We compared the clinicopathological characteristics of the patients in the 2 groups, coupled with analysis of the relationship between 6 aforesaid proteins and clinicopathological characteristics. Herein, we confirmed the association of tumor location with the expression of ALD, Keap-1, and FoxO4. Also, tumor differentiation was observed to associate significantly with the expression of Keap-1, FoxO4, and Cox-2. The data also revealed that there was a correlation between smoking and expression of ALD, Keap-1, FoxO4, p53, and Cox-2. Nevertheless, insignificant difference was observed when clinicopathological characteristics were compared with cAMP response element-binding protein-2 expression. These findings suggest that ALD, Keap-1, and FoxO4 reinvolved in CRC development, and thus may be considered as potential monitoring protein for CRC.

Long-term treatment of Nicotinamide mononucleotide improved age-related diminished ovary reserve through enhancing the mitophagy level of granulosa cells in mice.

Ovarian aging affects the reproductive health of elderly women due to decline in oocyte quality, which is closely related to mitochondrial dysfunction. Nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN), as a precursor of NAD+, effectively regulate mitochondria metabolism in mice. However, roles of NMN in improving age-related diminished ovary reserve remain to be determined. In present study, 4, 8, 12, 24, 40-week old female ICR mice were collected and a 20-week-long administration of NMN was conducted to 40-week-old mice (60WN), meanwhile the control group is given water (60WC). First, we found that 20-week-long administration of NMN to 40-week-old mice exhibited anti-aging and anti-inflammatory effects on organ structures, along with the improvement of estrus cycle condition and endocrine function. The number of primordial, primary, secondary, antral follicles and corpora luteum of ovaries in 60WN group was significantly increased compared with those in 60WC group. Additionally, the protein and gene expressions of P16 of ovaries were significantly reduced in 60WN group than in 60WC group. the mitochondria biogenesis, autophagy level, and proteases activity enhanced in granulosa cells after 20-week-administration of NMN. Present results indicate that NMN has the potential to save diminished ovary reserve by long-term treatment, providing a basis for exploring the role of NMN in anti-ovarian aging by enhancing the mitophagy level of granulosa cells.

NMN Maintains Intestinal Homeostasis by Regulating the Gut Microbiota.

The aim of this study was to determine the effects of long-term Nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN) treatment on modulating gut microbiota diversity and composition, as well as its association with intestinal barrier function. In this study, C57BL/6J mice were fed different concentrations of NMN, and their feces were collected for detection of 16S rDNA and non-targeted metabolites to explore the effects of NMN on intestinal microbiota and metabolites. The results revealed that NMN increased the abundance of butyric acid-producing bacteria (Ruminococcae_UCG-014 and Prevotellaceae_NK3B31_group) and other probiotics (Akkermansia muciniphila), while the abundance of several harmful bacteria (Bilophila and Oscillibacter) were decreased after NMN treatment. Meanwhile, the level of bile acid-related metabolites in feces from the G1 group (0.1 mg/ml) was significantly increased compared to the control group, including cholic acid, taurodeoxycholic acid, taurocholic acid, glycocholic acid, and tauro-ß-muricholic acid. In addition, long-term NMN treatment affected the permeability of the intestinal mucosa. The number of goblet cells and mucus thickness increased, as well as expression of tight junction protein. These results demonstrate that NMN reduced intestinal mucosal permeability and exerts a protective effect on the intestinal tract. This study lays the foundation for exploring NMN's utility in clinical research.

[Determination of thiram in wheat flour and flour improvers by high performance liquid chromatography-diode array detection].

Thiram is an important dithiocarbamate (DTC) fungicide. In the United States and the European Union, the limit range of thiram is 0.1-15 mg/kg in fruits and vegetables, but there is no specific limit for grains. The maximum residue limit (MRL) for wheat is 1 mg/kg (calculated as carbon disulfide, CS2) in the National Food Safety Standard (GB 2763-2019). At present, the relevant regulation methods in China are targeted at the detection of dithiocarbamates and are incapable of detecting thiram specifically. CS2 is produced by the reaction of dithiocarbamate and acid, and it is then determined by spectrophotometry or GC; this renders the quantification of dithiocarbamate indirect. HPLC and HPLC-MS/MS methods are also reported for the detection of thiram. Most of the literature focuses on the determination of thiram in vegetables, fruits, soil, etc. In these methods, thiram is converted into dimethyldithiocarbamate (DMD) anions in an alkaline buffer solution, and DMD can be determined by HPLC-UV or LC-MS. However, ziram can also be converted into the DMD anion under alkaline conditions. Therefore, thiram cannot be distinguished from ziram, and this may produce false-positive results. Research has shown that in the presence of sulfite, thiram is converted into a DMD-sulfite adduct, which can be a marker for the selective determination of thiram. Furthermore, thiram can be directly detected by HPLC and HPLC-MS/MS after extraction with dichloromethane, chloroform, hexane, cyclohexane, ethyl acetate, or methanol and clean-up by solid phase extraction in vegetables and fruits. However, until now, few studies have reported the determination of thiram in wheat flour and flour improvers. Therefore, it is of great importance to develop a method for thiram in wheat flour. In this study, an analytical method based on HPLC-DAD was developed for the determination of thiram in wheat flour and flour improvers. The wheat flour and flour improver samples were extracted using acetonitrile. After shaking for 15 min, the samples were ultrasonicated for 10 min in an ice-water bath. The supernatant was filtered before separation on a ZORBAX plus-C18 column (150 mm×4.6 mm, 5 µm). The samples were eluted with a water-acetonitrile solvent system and detected at 280 nm. In this research, the extraction solvent, extraction solvent volume, ultrasonic conditions, chromatographic column, determination wavelength, and mobile phase were optimized. The retention times and UV spectra were used for qualitative analysis, and the external standard method was used to quantify thiram. Stability tests of standard stock solutions, a series of standard solutions, and extraction solutions were also performed. The standard stock solutions could be stored for at least 21 d, and the series of standard solutions could be stored for 14 d under refrigeration at 4 ℃. The standard solution was either exposed to light at room temperature for 4 h or kept in dark at room temperature for 48 h, and no obvious degradation was observed. This revealed that thiram was stable in acetonitrile solution during our investigation. It was suggested that the extraction solution should be analyzed as soon as possible. The linear range was 0.30-30.0 µg/mL. The peak area of the analyte showed a good linear relationship with its corresponding concentration, and the correlation coefficient (r2) was 0.99999. When the spiked levels were 1.5, 3.0, and 15 mg/kg, the spiked recoveries of thiram were 89.6%-98.3%, with relative standard deviations of 1.6%-3.9% (n=6). The limits of determination and quantification for thiram were 0.5 mg/kg and 1.5 mg/kg, respectively. The results revealed that this method is simple, rapid, and specific, in addition to having high precision, good repeatability, and a low limit of detection. The method is thus suitable for the daily routine analysis of thiram in wheat flour and flour improvers.