Abnormalities of the immune system are rarely reported in patients affected by RASopathies. Aim of the current study was to investigate the prevalence of immune system dysfunction in a cohort of ...patients affected by RASopathies.
A group of 69 patients was enrolled: 60 at the Federico II University, Naples, 7 at University Magna Graecia of Catanzaro, 2 at "Scuola Medica Salernitana", Salerno. An age- and sex-matched control group was also enrolled. Autoimmune disorders were investigated according to international consensus criteria. Immune framework was also evaluated by immunoglobulin levels, CD3, CD4, CD8, CD19, CD56 lymphocyte subpopulations, autoantibodies levels and panel of inflammatory molecules, in both patients and controls.
Frequent upper respiratory tract infections were recorded in 2 patients; pneumonia, psoriasis and alopecia in single patients. Low IgA levels were detected in 8/44 patients (18.18%), low CD8 T cells in 13/35 patients (37.14%). Anti-tg and anti-TPO antibodies were detected in 3/24 patients (12.5%), anti r-TSH in 2 cases (8.33%), all in euthyroidism. Serum IgA and CD8 levels were significantly lower in patients than in controls (p 0.00685; p 0.000656 respectively). All tested patients showed increased inflammatory molecules compared to controls. These findings may anticipate the detection of overt autoimmune disease.
Patients affected by RASopathies are at risk to develop autoimmune disorders. Routine screening for autoimmunity is recommended in patients with RASopathy.
Kocuria species (KS) are gram-positive, coagulase-negative coccoids. Reports about KS infection in children are limited. We performed a short-review of literature and described a case of catheter ...related-bloodstream infection (CR-BSI) caused by KS.
Electronic search through PubMed was conducted using the keywords: “Kocuria” AND “children” AND “sepsis”. The earliest publication date was of 2008, the latest of 2017
We analyzed 7 articles with 15 cases described. KS were responsible of endocarditis in 1 child, CR-BSI in 13 children and spontaneous bacterial peritonitis in 2 children. Most were immunocompromised hosts and CVC-carriers (2 short-bowel syndrome, 2 tumor, 1 congenital tufting-enteropathy, 1 Hirschsprung's disease, 1 methylmalonic-aciduria, 6 prematurity). Only 1 was an otherwise healthy child.
Case report: during the COVID-19 lockdown, a 17yeas-old boy affected by Hirschsprung's disease and CVC-carrier developed fever, chills, vomit and hematuria. Due to “hospital fear”, he began empirical therapy with ceftriaxone at home, without symptoms resolution. Once admitted to the department, blood exams showed: normal lymphocyte immunophenotyping, thrombocytopenia, increased CRP and hyperbilirubinaemia. Haematuria, proteinuria and glycosuria also occurred. Culturing blood samples showed KS infection. Echocardiography was normal. Basing on the antibiogram, we started treatment with vancomycin with rapid patient recovery.
The use of CVCs in immunocompromised patients represents the most important risk factor for KS-BSI. Due to the limited number of reports about this infection, there are no guidelines to manage it.In patients with a chronic disease, opportunistic pathogens as KS must be considered, also because symptoms and complications are still unknown.
In quantum illumination entangled light is employed to enhance the detection accuracy of an object when compared with the best classical protocol. On the other hand, cloaking is a stealth technology ...based on covering a target with a material deflecting the light around the object to avoid its detection. Here, we propose a quantum illumination protocol especially adapted to quantum microwave technology. This protocol seizes the phase-shift induced by some cloaking techniques, such as scattering reduction, allowing for a 3 dB improvement in the detection of a cloaked target. The method can also be employed for the detection of a phase-shift in bright environments in different frequency regimes. Finally, we study the minimal efficiency required by the photocounter for which the quantum illumination protocol still shows a gain with respect to the classical protocol.
Josephson parametric amplifiers (JPA) are promising devices for applications in circuit quantum electrodynamics and for studies on propagating quantum microwaves because of their good noise ...performance. In this work, we present a systematic characterization of a flux-driven JPA at millikelvin temperatures. In particular, we study in detail its squeezing properties by two different detection techniques. With the homodyne setup, we observe the squeezing of vacuum fluctuations by superposing signal and idler bands. For a quantitative analysis, we apply dual-path cross-correlation techniques to reconstruct the Wigner functions of various squeezed vacuum and thermal states. At 10 dB signal gain, we find 4.9 ± 0.2 dB squeezing below the vacuum. In addition, we discuss the physics behind squeezed coherent microwave fields. Finally, we analyze the JPA noise temperature in the degenerate mode and find a value smaller than the standard quantum limit for phase-insensitive amplifiers.
Two-mode squeezing is a fascinating example of quantum entanglement manifested in cross-correlations of non-commuting observables between two subsystems. At the same time, these subsystems themselves ...may contain no quantum signatures in their self-correlations. These properties make two-mode squeezed (TMS) states an ideal resource for applications in quantum communication. Here, we generate propagating microwave TMS states by a beam splitter distributing single mode squeezing emitted from distinct Josephson parametric amplifiers along two output paths. We experimentally study the fundamental dephasing process of quantum cross-correlations in continuous-variable propagating TMS microwave states and accurately describe it with a theory model. In this way, we gain the insight into finite-time entanglement limits and predict high fidelities for benchmark quantum communication protocols such as remote state preparation and quantum teleportation.
Path entanglement constitutes an essential resource in quantum information and communication protocols. Here, we demonstrate frequency-degenerate entanglement between continuous-variable quantum ...microwaves propagating along two spatially separated paths. We combine a squeezed and a vacuum state using a microwave beam splitter. Via correlation measurements, we detect and quantify the path entanglement contained in the beam splitter output state. Our experiments open the avenue to quantum teleportation, quantum communication, or quantum radar with continuous variables at microwave frequencies.
Critical parametric quantum sensing Di Candia, R.; Minganti, F.; Petrovnin, K. V. ...
npj quantum information,
03/2023, Letnik:
9, Številka:
1
Journal Article
Recenzirano
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Abstract
Critical quantum systems are a promising resource for quantum metrology applications, due to the diverging susceptibility developed in proximity of phase transitions. Here, we assess the ...metrological power of parametric Kerr resonators undergoing driven-dissipative phase transitions. We fully characterize the quantum Fisher information for frequency estimation, and the Helstrom bound for frequency discrimination. By going beyond the asymptotic regime, we show that the Heisenberg precision can be achieved with experimentally reachable parameters. We design protocols that exploit the critical behavior of nonlinear resonators to enhance the precision of quantum magnetometers and the fidelity of superconducting qubit readout.
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