Improved quantum algorithms for the ordered search problem via semidefinite programming

One of the most basic computational problems is the task of finding a desired item in an ordered list of N items. While the best classical algorithm for this problem uses log_2 N queries to the list, a quantum computer can solve the problem using a constant factor fewer queries. However, the precise value of this constant is unknown. By characterizing a class of quantum query algorithms for ordered search in terms of a semidefinite program, we find new quantum algorithms for small instances of the ordered search problem. Extending these algorithms to arbitrarily large instances using recursion, we show that there is an exact quantum ordered search algorithm using 4 log_{605} N \approx 0.433 log_2 N queries, which improves upon the previously best known exact algorithm.Comment: 8 pages, 4 figure

The differential associations of positive and negative symptoms with suicidality

BACKGROUND: Suicide is one of the leading causes of death in people with schizophrenia. Identifying risk factors for suicide in schizophrenia is therefore an important clinical and research priority. METHOD: A cross-sectional secondary analysis was conducted on the DNA Polymorphisms in Mental Illness Study (DPIM) data. Suicidality data was extracted, and the number of positive and negative symptoms were established for a total of 1494 participants. Logistic and negative binomial regression analyses were conducted to assess for associations between positive or negative symptoms and suicidal ideation, attempt, or number of attempts, whilst adjusting for potential confounders. RESULTS: Negative symptoms were associated with a reduction in the risk of suicidal ideation (odds ratio [OR]: 0.83; 95 % CI: 0.75-0.91) and suicide attempt (OR: 0.79; 95 % CI: 0.71-0.88) after adjusting for age and sex. Positive symptoms were associated with an increased risk of suicidal ideation (OR: 1.06; 95 % CI: 1.03-1.09), suicide attempt (OR: 1.04; 95 % CI: 1.00-1.07) and number of suicide attempts (incidence rate ratio [IRR]: 1.05; 95 % CI: 1.01-1.08). Further adjusting for depressive symptoms slightly increased the magnitude of associations with negative symptoms but attenuated associations between positive symptoms and suicidality to the null. CONCLUSIONS: Negative symptoms are associated with a reduced risk of suicidality, whilst positive symptoms are associated with an increased risk of suicidality. Depressive symptoms may confound or mediate these associations

Microspacecraft and Earth observation: Electrical field (ELF) measurement project

The Utah State University space system design project for 1989 to 1990 focuses on the design of a global electrical field sensing system to be deployed in a constellation of microspacecraft. The design includes the selection of the sensor and the design of the spacecraft, the sensor support subsystems, the launch vehicle interface structure, on board data storage and communications subsystems, and associated ground receiving stations. Optimization of satellite orbits and spacecraft attitude are critical to the overall mapping of the electrical field and, thus, are also included in the project. The spacecraft design incorporates a deployable sensor array (5 m booms) into a spinning oblate platform. Data is taken every 0.1 seconds by the electrical field sensors and stored on-board. An omni-directional antenna communicates with a ground station twice per day to down link the stored data. Wrap-around solar cells cover the exterior of the spacecraft to generate power. Nine Pegasus launches may be used to deploy fifty such satellites to orbits with inclinations greater than 45 deg. Piggyback deployment from other launch vehicles such as the DELTA 2 is also examined

Microglial responses to amyloid β peptide opsonization and indomethacin treatment

BACKGROUND: Recent studies have suggested that passive or active immunization with anti-amyloid β peptide (Aβ) antibodies may enhance microglial clearance of Aβ deposits from the brain. However, in a human clinical trial, several patients developed secondary inflammatory responses in brain that were sufficient to halt the study. METHODS: We have used an in vitro culture system to model the responses of microglia, derived from rapid autopsies of Alzheimer's disease patients, to Aβ deposits. RESULTS: Opsonization of the deposits with anti-Aβ IgG 6E10 enhanced microglial chemotaxis to and phagocytosis of Aβ, as well as exacerbated microglial secretion of the pro-inflammatory cytokines TNF-α and IL-6. Indomethacin, a common nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), had no effect on microglial chemotaxis or phagocytosis, but did significantly inhibit the enhanced production of IL-6 after Aβ opsonization. CONCLUSION: These results are consistent with well known, differential NSAID actions on immune cell functions, and suggest that concurrent NSAID administration might serve as a useful adjunct to Aβ immunization, permitting unfettered clearance of Aβ while dampening secondary, inflammation-related adverse events

Votes at 16: democracy experts respond to Ed Miliband’s proposal

Ed Miliband used his speech to the Labour Party conference this week to announce his support for lowering the voting age to 16 for all UK elections. This follows the decision to allow 16- and 17-year-olds to vote in the Scottish independence referendum. In this post, Democratic Audit asks leading experts and practitioners to respond to Miliband’s proposal

Carrier Selective, Passivated Contacts for High Efficiency Silicon Solar Cells based on Transparent Conducting Oxides

AbstractWe describe the design, fabrication and results of passivated contacts to n-type silicon utilizing thin SiO2 and transparent conducting oxide layers. High temperature silicon dioxide is grown on both surfaces of an n-type wafer to a thickness <50Å, followed by deposition of tin-doped indium oxide (ITO) and a patterned metal contacting layer. As deposited, the thin-film stack has a very high J0,contact, and a non-ohmic, high contact resistance. However, after a forming gas anneal, the passivation quality and the contact resistivity improve significantly. The contacts are characterized by measuring the recombination parameter of the contact (J0,contact) and the specific contact resistivity (ρcontact) using a TLM pattern. The best ITO/SiO2 passivated contact in this study has J0,contact = 92.5 fA/cm2 and ρcontact = 11.5 mOhm-cm2. These values are placed in context with other passivating contacts using an analysis that determines the ultimate efficiency and the optimal area fraction for contacts for a given set of (J0,contact, ρcontact) values. The ITO/SiO2 contacts are found to have a higher J0,contact, but a similar ρcontact compared to the best reported passivated contacts

Integration of a personalised mobile health (mHealth) application into the care of patients with brain tumours: proof-of-concept study (IDEAL stage 1)

Objectives: Brain tumours lead to significant morbidity including a neurocognitive, physical and psychological burden of disease. The extent to which they impact the multiple domains of health is difficult to capture leading to a significant degree of unmet needs. Mobile health tools such as Vinehealth have the potential to identify and address these needs through real-world data generation and delivery of personalised educational material and therapies. We aimed to establish the feasibility of Vinehealth integration into brain tumour care, its ability to collect real-world and (electronic) patient-recorded outcome (ePRO) data, and subjective improvement in care. Design: A mixed-methodology IDEAL stage 1 study. Setting: A single tertiary care centre. Participants: Six patients consented and four downloaded and engaged with the mHealth application throughout the 12 weeks of the study. Main outcome measures: Over a 12-week period, we collected real-world and ePRO data via Vinehealth. We assessed qualitative feedback from mixed-methodology surveys and semistructured interviews at recruitment and after 2 weeks. Results: 565 data points were captured including, but not limited to: symptoms, activity, well-being and medication. EORTC QLQ-BN20 and EQ-5D-5L completion rates (54% and 46%) were impacted by technical issues; 100% completion rates were seen when ePROs were received. More brain cancer tumour-specific content was requested. All participants recommended the application and felt it improved care. Conclusions: Our findings indicate value in an application to holistically support patients living with brain cancer tumours and established the feasibility and safety of further studies to more rigorously assess this

Differential Dynamics of Transposable Elements during Long-Term Diploidization of Nicotiana Section Repandae (Solanaceae) Allopolyploid Genomes

PubMed ID: 23185607This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited