The geometric aspects of quantum mechanics are emphasized most prominently by the concept of geometric phases, which are acquired whenever a quantum system evolves along a path in Hilbert space, that ...is, the space of quantum states of the system. The geometric phase is determined only by the shape of this path and is, in its simplest form, a real number. However, if the system has degenerate energy levels, then matrix-valued geometric state transformations, known as non-Abelian holonomies--the effect of which depends on the order of two consecutive paths--can be obtained. They are important, for example, for the creation of synthetic gauge fields in cold atomic gases or the description of non-Abelian anyon statistics. Moreover, there are proposals to exploit non-Abelian holonomic gates for the purposes of noise-resilient quantum computation. In contrast to Abelian geometric operations, non-Abelian ones have been observed only in nuclear quadrupole resonance experiments with a large number of spins, and without full characterization of the geometric process and its non-commutative nature. Here we realize non-Abelian non-adiabatic holonomic quantum operations on a single, superconducting, artificial three-level atom by applying a well-controlled, two-tone microwave drive. Using quantum process tomography, we determine fidelities of the resulting non-commuting gates that exceed 95 per cent. We show that two different quantum gates, originating from two distinct paths in Hilbert space, yield non-equivalent transformations when applied in different orders. This provides evidence for the non-Abelian character of the implemented holonomic quantum operations. In combination with a non-trivial two-quantum-bit gate, our method suggests a way to universal holonomic quantum computing.
The plasma proteome can help bridge the gap between the genome and diseases. Here we describe genome-wide association studies (GWASs) of plasma protein levels measured with 4,907 aptamers in 35,559 ...Icelanders. We found 18,084 associations between sequence variants and levels of proteins in plasma (protein quantitative trait loci; pQTL), of which 19% were with rare variants (minor allele frequency (MAF) < 1%). We tested plasma protein levels for association with 373 diseases and other traits and identified 257,490 associations. We integrated pQTL and genetic associations with diseases and other traits and found that 12% of 45,334 lead associations in the GWAS Catalog are with variants in high linkage disequilibrium with pQTL. We identified 938 genes encoding potential drug targets with variants that influence levels of possible biomarkers. Combining proteomics, genomics and transcriptomics, we provide a valuable resource that can be used to improve understanding of disease pathogenesis and to assist with drug discovery and development.
Achieving individual qubit readout is a major challenge in the development of scalable supercon-ducting quantum processors. We have implemented the multiplexed readout of a four transmon qubit ...circuit using non-linear resonators operated as Josephson bifurcation amplifiers. We demonstrate the simultaneous measurement of Rabi oscillations of the four transmons. We find that multiplexed Josephson bifurcation is a high-fidelity readout method, the scalability of which is not limited by the need of a large bandwidth nearly quantum-limited amplifier as is the case with linear readout resonators.
Urticaria is a skin disorder characterized by outbreaks of raised pruritic wheals. In order to identify sequence variants associated with urticaria, we performed a meta-analysis of genome-wide ...association studies for urticaria with a total of 40,694 cases and 1,230,001 controls from Iceland, the UK, Finland, and Japan. We also performed transcriptome- and proteome-wide analyses in Iceland and the UK. We found nine sequence variants at nine loci associating with urticaria. The variants are at genes participating in type 2 immune responses and/or mast cell biology (CBLB, FCER1A, GCSAML, STAT6, TPSD1, ZFPM1), the innate immunity (C4), and NF-κB signaling. The most significant association was observed for the splice-donor variant rs56043070A (hg38: chr1:247556467) in GCSAML (MAF = 6.6%, OR = 1.24 (95%CI: 1.20-1.28), P-value = 3.6 × 10
). We assessed the effects of the variants on transcripts, and levels of proteins relevant to urticaria pathophysiology. Our results emphasize the role of type 2 immune response and mast cell activation in the pathogenesis of urticaria. Our findings may point to an IgE-independent urticaria pathway that could help address unmet clinical need.
Achieving individual qubit readout is a major challenge in the development of scalable superconducting quantum processors. We have implemented the multiplexed readout of a four transmon qubit circuit ...using non-linear resonators operated as Josephson bifurcation amplifiers. We demonstrate the simultaneous measurement of Rabi oscillations of the four transmons. We find that multiplexed Josephson bifurcation is a high-fidelity readout method, the scalability of which is not limited by the need of a large bandwidth nearly quantum-limited amplifier as is the case with linear readout resonators.
The geometric aspects of quantum mechanics are underlined most prominently by the concept of geometric phases, which are acquired whenever a quantum system evolves along a closed path in Hilbert ...space. The geometric phase is determined only by the shape of this path and is -- in its simplest form -- a real number. However, if the system contains degenerate energy levels, matrix-valued geometric phases, termed non-abelian holonomies, can emerge. They play an important role for the creation of synthetic gauge fields in cold atomic gases and the description of non-abelian anyon statistics. Moreover, it has been proposed to exploit non-abelian holonomic gates for robust quantum computation. In contrast to abelian geometric phases, non-abelian ones have been observed only in nuclear quadrupole resonance experiments with a large number of spins and without fully characterizing the geometric process and its non-commutative nature. Here, we realize non-abelian holonomic quantum operations on a single superconducting artificial three-level atom by applying a well controlled two-tone microwave drive. Using quantum process tomography, we determine fidelities of the resulting non-commuting gates exceeding 95 %. We show that a sequence of two paths in Hilbert space traversed in different order yields inequivalent transformations, which is an evidence for the non-abelian character of the implemented holonomic quantum gates. In combination with two-qubit operations, they form a universal set of gates for holonomic quantum computation.
Epidemiology and outcome of myeloma are mainly reported from large university centers and collaborative groups, and do not represent 'real-world' patients. The Swedish Myeloma Registry is a ...prospective population-based registry documenting characteristics, treatment and outcome in newly diagnosed myeloma, including asymptomatic and localized forms, with the purpose of improving disease management and outcome. This report presents information on patients diagnosed between 2008 and 2015, including data on first-line treatment in patients diagnosed up to 2014, with a follow up until December 2016. We present age-adjusted incidence, patients' characteristics at baseline, treatment, response, and survival. Baseline data were available with a 97% coverage in 4904 patients (median age 71 years, males 70 years, females 73 years; 72% were 65 years or older), and at 1-year follow up in 3558 patients with symptomatic disease (92% of patients initially reported). The age-adjusted incidence was 6.8 myeloma cases per 100,000 inhabitants per year. Among initially symptomatic patients (n=3988), 77% had osteolytic lesions or compression fractures, 49% had anemia, 18% impaired kidney function, and 13% hypercalcemia. High-dose therapy with autologous stem cell transplantation was given to 77% of patients aged up to 66 years, and to 22% of patients aged 66-70 years. In the study period, 68% received bortezomib, thalidomide, and/or lenalidomide as part of the first-line treatment, rising from 31% in 2008 to 81% in 2014. In active myeloma, the median relative survival of patients aged 65 years or under was 7.7 years, and 3.4 years in patients aged 66 years and over. Patients diagnosed with myeloma in more recent years were associated with significantly higher rates of complete or very good partial remission (
<0.05), and with a significantly higher survival, with a Hazard Ratio (HR) of 0.84 (95%CI: 0.77-0.92;
<0.05). There was a small, but significant survival benefit in patients treated at university hospitals (HR 0.93; 95%CI: 0.87-0.99;
<0.05). We report here on a near complete 'real-world' population of myeloma patients during an 8-year period; a period in which newer drugs were implemented into standard practice. The overall incidence and median age were both higher than in most previous studies, indicating a more complete coverage of older patients. Myeloma survival in Sweden is comparable to other large registry studies, and responses and survival improved during the study period.
School free fruit and vegetable (FFV) policies are used to promote healthy dietary habits and tackle obesity; however, our understanding of their effects on weight outcomes is limited. We assess the ...effect of a nationwide FFV policy on childhood and adolescent weight status and explore heterogeneity by sex and socioeconomic position.
This study used a quasi-natural experimental design. Between 2007 and 2014, Norwegian combined schools (grades 1-10, age 6 to 16 years) were obligated to provide FFVs while elementary schools (grades 1-7) were not. We used 4 nationwide studies (n = 11,215 children) from the Norwegian Growth Cohort with longitudinal or cross-sectional anthropometric data up to age 8.5 and 13 years to capture variation in FFV exposure. Outcomes were body mass index standard deviation score (BMISDS), overweight and obesity (OW/OB), waist circumference (WC), and weight to height ratio (WtHR) at age 8.5 years, and BMISDS and OW/OB at age 13 years. Analyses included longitudinal models of the pre- and post-exposure trajectories to estimate the policy effect. The participation rate in each cohort was >80%, and in most analyses <4% were excluded due to missing data. Estimates were adjusted for region, population density, and parental education. In pooled models additionally adjusted for pre-exposure BMISDS, there was little evidence of any benefit or unintended consequence from 1-2.5 years of exposure to the FFV policy on BMISDS, OW/OB, WC, or WtHR in either sex. For example, boys exposed to the FFV policy had a 0.05 higher BMISDS (95% CI: -0.04, 0.14), a 1.20-fold higher odds of OW/OB (95% CI: 0.86, 1.66) and a 0.3 cm bigger WC (95% CI: -0.3, 0.8); while exposed girls had a 0.04 higher BMISDS (95% CI: -0.04, 0.13), a 1.03 fold higher odds of OW/OB (95% CI: 0.75, 1.39), and a 0-cm difference in WC (95% CI: -0.6, 0.6). There was evidence of heterogeneity in the policy effect estimates at 8.5 years across cohorts and socioeconomic position; however, these results were inconsistent with other comparisons. Analysis at age 13 years, after 4 years of policy exposure, also showed little evidence of an effect on BMISDS or OW/OB. The main limitations of this study are the potential for residual confounding and exposure misclassification, despite efforts to minimize their impact on conclusions.
In this study we observed little evidence that the Norwegian nationwide FFV policy had any notable beneficial effect or unintended consequence on weight status among Norwegian children and adolescents.
Objective
To compare the risk of acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) infection and contact with specialist healthcare services for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) between ...pregnant and non‐pregnant women.
Population or sample
All women ages 15–45 living in Norway on 1 March 2020 (n = 1 033 699).
Methods
We linked information from the national birth, patient, communicable diseases and education databases using unique national identifiers.
Main outcome measure
We estimated hazard ratios (HR) among pregnant compared to non‐pregnant women of having a positive test for SARS‐CoV‐2, a diagnosis of COVID‐19 in specialist healthcare, or hospitalisation with COVID‐19 using Cox regression. Multivariable analyses adjusted for age, marital status, education, income, country of birth and underlying medical conditions.
Results
Pregnant women were not more likely to be tested for or to a have a positive SARS‐CoV‐2 test (adjusted HR 0.99; 95% CI 0.92–1.07). Pregnant women had higher risk of hospitalisation with COVID‐19 (HR 4.70, 95% CI 3.51–6.30) and any type of specialist care for COVID‐19 (HR 3.46, 95% CI 2.89–4.14). Pregnant women born outside Scandinavia were less likely to be tested, and at higher risk of a positive test (HR 2.37, 95% CI 2.51–8.87). Compared with pregnant Scandinavian‐born women, pregnant women with minority background had a higher risk of hospitalisation with COVID‐19 (HR 4.72, 95% CI 2.51–8.87).
Conclusion
Pregnant women were not more likely to be infected with SARS‐CoV‐2. Still, pregnant women with COVID‐19, especially those born outside of Scandinavia, were more likely to be hospitalised.
Tweetable
Pregnant women are at increased risk of hospitalisation for COVID‐19.
Tweetable
Pregnant women are at increased risk of hospitalisation for COVID‐19.
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