Quantum-proof randomness extractors via operator space theory

Quantum-proof randomness extractors are an important building block for classical and quantum cryptography as well as device independent randomness amplification and expansion. Furthermore they are also a useful tool in quantum Shannon theory. It is known that some extractor constructions are quantum-proof whereas others are provably not [Gavinsky et al., STOC'07]. We argue that the theory of operator spaces offers a natural framework for studying to what extent extractors are secure against quantum adversaries: we first phrase the definition of extractors as a bounded norm condition between normed spaces, and then show that the presence of quantum adversaries corresponds to a completely bounded norm condition between operator spaces. From this we show that very high min-entropy extractors as well as extractors with small output are always (approximately) quantum-proof. We also study a generalization of extractors called randomness condensers. We phrase the definition of condensers as a bounded norm condition and the definition of quantum-proof condensers as a completely bounded norm condition. Seeing condensers as bipartite graphs, we then find that the bounded norm condition corresponds to an instance of a well studied combinatorial problem, called bipartite densest subgraph. Furthermore, using the characterization in terms of operator spaces, we can associate to any condenser a Bell inequality (two-player game) such that classical and quantum strategies are in one-to-one correspondence with classical and quantum attacks on the condenser. Hence, we get for every quantum-proof condenser (which includes in particular quantum-proof extractors) a Bell inequality that can not be violated by quantum mechanics.Comment: v3: 34 pages, published versio

Variations on Classical and Quantum Extractors

Many constructions of randomness extractors are known to work in the presence of quantum side information, but there also exist extractors which do not [Gavinsky {\it et al.}, STOC'07]. Here we find that spectral extractors $\psi$ with a bound on the second largest eigenvalue $\lambda_{2}(\psi^{\dagger}\circ\psi)$ are quantum-proof. We then discuss fully quantum extractors and call constructions that also work in the presence of quantum correlations decoupling. As in the classical case we show that spectral extractors are decoupling. The drawback of classical and quantum spectral extractors is that they always have a long seed, whereas there exist classical extractors with exponentially smaller seed size. For the quantum case, we show that there exists an extractor with extremely short seed size $d=O(\log(1/\epsilon))$, where $\epsilon>0$ denotes the quality of the randomness. In contrast to the classical case this is independent of the input size and min-entropy and matches the simple lower bound $d\geq\log(1/\epsilon)$.Comment: 7 pages, slightly enhanced IEEE ISIT submission including all the proof

Subsistence of Early Pastoral Nomadism in the Southern Levant: New Data from Eastern Bayir

À partir du Néolithique récent-début du Chalcolithique, le pastoralisme nomade spécialisé s’est imposé comme le mode de subsistence privilégié dans les régions désertiques du Levant Sud, bien qu’il semble peu représenté dans le nord-est de la Jordanie et le sud-est de la Syrie. Une des raisons permettant d’expliquer ces disparités tient à la nature des territoires concernés. Les périphéries désertiques du centre-est et du sud-est jordanien constituent en effet un environnement favorable au développement du mode de subsistance pastoral. La demande accrue pour les matières premières et les biens produits dans le désert, en particulier les racloirs tabulaires, a participé au développement de ces régions. La fabrication des racloirs tabulaires s’est intégrée dans un réseau d’échanges et dans les itinéraires de transhumance saisonniers couvrant le sud du Levant et le nord de l’Arabie. Les nouvelles recherches entreprises dans la région orientale du Wadi Bayir, aussi désignée sous le nom de Ardh as-Suwwan (le territoire du silex), ont permis de démontrer, grâce aux datations radiocarbone, une augmentation significative du nombre d’établissements de pasteurs nomades au cours du Néolithique récent/début du Chalcolithique. L’étude de cette ccupation pastorale nomade soulève la question de l’interaction avec les populations des régions voisines et en particulier avec les sociétés agricoles pratiquant d’autres formes d’élevage à proximité des agglomérations sédentaires. Un nomadisme pastoral enclavé est aussi possible dans les zones proches des villages agricoles, mais très peu de villages ont été trouvés dans le Levant Sud.By the Late Neolithic-Early Chalcolithic period, specialized pastoral-nomadism became the dominant way of life in the desert regions of the southern Levant, but it was almost absent from north-eastern Jordan and south-eastern Syria. This shift from the north-eastern steppe to the central-eastern and south-eastern steppe/desert may be because the marginal landscapes of Jordan were more suitable for a predominantly pastoral lifestyle, and that the increasing demand for raw materials and goods produced in the desert, particularly tabular scarpers, made exploiting these areas viable. The production of tabular scrapers became an integral part of pastoral nomads' trade networks and seasonal movements between different regions in the southern Levant and northern Arabia. New investigations in the eastern Bayir region, also called Ardh-as-Suwwan (land of the flint), has proved, through carbon dating, that there are an increasing number of Late Neolithic-Early Chalcolithic sites in this area which were occupied by pastoral nomads. Studying the pastoral nomads raises the question of what kind of relationships they had with other regions, particularly with farmers who were also practicing herding near their villages. Dependant pastoral nomadism is also possible in the areas close to the farming villages, but very few villages sites were found in the southern Levant.اصبحت البداوة الخالصة منذ نهاية العصر الحجري الحديث وبداية العصر الحجري النحاسي هي النمط السائد في منطقة جنوبشرق بلاد الشام بينما لم يعثر على أدلة على وجود هذا النمط في المنطقة الشمالية الشرقية من الأردن وجنوب شرق سوريا. هذا التحول من المنطقة الشمالية الشرقية الى المنطقة الوسطى والجنوبية الشرقية ربما يعود الى الاختلاف البيئي بين المنطقتين حيث تعتبر المنطقة الجنوبية اكثر ملائمة لهذا النمط المعيشي وكذلك توفر المواد الخام لصناعة السلع المهمة في منطقة البادية خاصة المكاشط المسطحة. ويبدوا أن تصنيع المكشاط المسطحة قد لعب دورا كبيراً في حياة البدو وكذلك طرق التجارة والتنقل الموسمي بين المناطق المختلفة في جنوب بلاد الشام وشمال الجزيرة العربية. وتشير نتائج تحليل الكربون المشع من منطقة باير (ارض الصوان) الى الإستيطان البدوي منذ الفترة المتأخرة من العصر الحجري الحديث وبداية العصر الحجري النحاسي. وتثير دراسة البداوة خلال هذا الفترة السؤال عن طبيعة العلاقة بين البدو الرحل وسكان المناطق الأخرى خاصة الفلاحين الذين مارسوا الرعي ايضا بالقرب من قراهم. ومن المحتمل أنه كان هناك تخييم للبدو الرحل بالقرب من قرى الفلاحين الزراعية, لكن عدد هذه القرى قليل جدا في منطقة جنوب بلاد الشام

Semidefinite Programs for Randomness Extractors

Randomness extractors are an important building block for classical and quantum cryptography. However, for many applications it is crucial that the extractors are quantum-proof, i.e., that they work even in the presence of quantum adversaries. In general, quantum-proof extractors are poorly understood and we would like to argue that in the same way as Bell inequalities (multiprover games) and communication complexity, the setting of randomness extractors provides a operationally useful framework for studying the power and limitations of a quantum memory compared to a classical one. We start by recalling how to phrase the extractor property as a quadratic program with linear constraints. We then construct a semidefinite programming (SDP) relaxation for this program that is tight for some extractor constructions. Moreover, we show that this SDP relaxation is even sufficient to certify quantum-proof extractors. This gives a unifying approach to understand the stability properties of extractors against quantum adversaries. Finally, we analyze the limitations of this SDP relaxation

Quantum Bilinear Optimization

We study optimization programs given by a bilinear form over noncommutative variables subject to linear inequalities. Problems of this form include the entangled value of two-prover games, entanglement-assisted coding for classical channels, and quantum-proof randomness extractors. We introduce an asymptotically converging hierarchy of efficiently computable semidefinite programming (SDP) relaxations for this quantum optimization. This allows us to give upper bounds on the quantum advantage for all of these problems. Compared to previous work of Pironio, Navascués, and Acín [SIAM J. Optim., 20 (2010), pp. 2157-2180], our hierarchy has additional constraints. By means of examples, we illustrate the importance of these new constraints both in practice and for analytical properties. Moreover, this allows us to give a hierarchy of SDP outer approximations for the completely positive semidefinite cone introduced by Laurent and Piovesan

Premier rapport sur la prolifération de marées jaunes ichthyotoxiques à Prymnesium parvum Carter (Haptophyceae) dans le lac hypereutrophe Oued Mellah (Maroc)

Les algues Prymnesiophyceae ou Haptophyceae (Chrysophyta) renferment des espèces capables de pullulations spectaculaires nommées " marées jaunes ". Parmi les Haptophycées, les plus communes sont : Prymnesium parvum, Prymnesium patelliferum et Chrysochromulina polylepis. Ces microalgues ont été souvent incriminées dans des cas de mortalité aiguë de poissons et d'invertébrés aquatiques. P. parvum est connue depuis cent ans comme responsable de blooms toxiques ayant entraîné des mortalités catastrophiques de poissons dans diverses régions du monde.Au Maroc, ces blooms à Prymnesiophyceae n'ont, jusqu'à présent, jamais été signalés. Nos recherches sur les successions phytoplanctoniques du lac hypereutrophe et saumâtre de Oued Mellah (33°30'N-07°20'W), ont mis en évidence la prolifération périodique en automne de l'Haptophycée P. parvum occasionnant des blooms spectaculaires. Les densités cellulaires de P. parvum, espèce dominante, atteignent des maxima de 148·106 cellules·L-1 en 1998 et 169·106 cellules·L-1 en 1999, représentant 34 à 80 % de la biomasse totale. Ces " marées jaunes " coïncident régulièrement avec des mortalités catastrophiques de poissons et d'invertébrés aquatiques dans le lac laissant présager une toxicité aiguë de cette souche de microalgue.Dans ce travail sont présentés les premiers résultats concernant la dynamique interannuelle des blooms à P. parvum et l'influence des conditions physicochimiques particulières des eaux du lac sur leur développement est discutée.The Prymnesiophyceae or Haptophyceae (Chrysophyta) contain species-forming spectacular blooms named yellow tides. Among Haptophyceae, Prymnesium parvum, Prymnesium patelliferum and Chrysochromulina polylepis are the most common. These microalgae were often involved in acute fish and aquatic invertebrates mortality cases. P. parvum, known since hundred years as being responsible for toxic blooms, has induced catastrophic fish mortality in various areas throughout the world.In Morocco, blooms of Prymnesiophyceae have never been reported up till now. Studies on phytoplankton successions in the hypertrophic brackish Oued Mellah lake (33°30'N-07°20'W) show a periodic autumnal proliferation of P. parvum. This species, which cellular densities reach a maxima of 148·106 cells·L-1 in 1998 and 169·106 cells·L-1 in 1999, dominates the other phytoplanctonic species with 34 to 80% of the total biomass. The yellow tides coincide regularly with dramatic fish and aquatic invertebrates mortality in the lake leading to the prediction of an acute toxicity due to this microalgae.The principal aim of this study was to present the first results concerning the interannual dynamics of P. parvum blooms and to discuss the influence of the particular physical and chemical water characteristics on their development

Application de certains indices diatomiques à un cours d'eau marocain : Oued Hassar

Les eaux de l'Oued Hassar (Maroc) sont caractérisées par une forte minéralisation. La conductivité, variant entre 3470 et 7210 µS.cm-1, est due essentiellement aux fortes teneurs en chlorures. L'examen de l'Indice de Pollution Organique (IPO) montre que l'effluent d'eaux usées provenant de la ville de Mediouna constitue la principale source de pollution des eaux de l'Oued Hassar.Concernant l'étude des diatomées épilithiques, 61 espèces et variétés de diatomées ont été inventoriées. Ces taxons sont liés particulièrement à la salinité (Pleurosira laevis, Fragilaria pulchella,…) et à la charge organique (Nitzschia palea, Gomphonema parvulum,…).Quatre indices diatomiques ont été testés pour l'évaluation de la qualité des eaux de l'Oued Hassar : l'Indice Diatomique Pratique (IDP), l'Indice Diatomique Générique (IDG), l'Indice de Sládecek (SLA) et l'Indice Diatomique Trophique (IDT). La variation spatio-temporelle de ces indices reflète bien la dégradation de la qualité de ce cours d'eau, particulièrement en aval du rejet de la ville de Mediouna (IDP=3,86 ± 1,84 ; IDG=6,05 ± 1,95 ; SLA=4,35 ± 1,93 ; IDT=5,80 ± 1,31). Parmi ces indices testés, seul l'IDP présente une corrélation significative (0,63 ; α<5%) avec l'IPO (indice de référence) tandis que l'IDG, le SLA et l'IDT montrent des corrélations non significatives avec cet indice (0,38 ; 0,27 et -0,11 respectivement).The water quality in Moroccan rivers and streams becomes more and more injured because of the important amount of pollutants discharged in these aquatic ecosystems without any treatment in the most cases. A physical, chemical and microbiological analyses are regularly done by public institutions (office national des eaux potables, direction de l'hydrolique). However, these analyses become insufficient facing the big diversity of chemicals and the intermittence of pollution sources at the time. So, methods using a biotic indicators as a complement of the chemical analyses become a requirement in the water quality assessment. In the present study, besides the physical and chemical analyses, we have tested the use of benthic diatoms as indicators of the oued Hassar water quality and diatom indices as a tool for the evaluation of this quality.Oued Hassar is a canalized stream situated on the valley of oued Mellah river. It drains a part of the Berrechid groundwater as sources. Its main source (station SC) is situated to 3 km in the Northeast of Mediouna (155 m). Along this water course, in sections of various degrees of water pollution, six sites (SC, SB, HP, OM, SH and CA) were sampled on four different dates (august 1997 and january, june and august 1998). The station OM belongs to oued Mouileh stream which is a unique tributary of oued Hassar. The main source of pollution; the wastewater effluent of Médiouna agglomeration entered the stream between The oued Hassar source and the station SB (Sidi Brahim). This region has a Mediterranean semi-aride bioclimate. The influence of the ocean results in a summer temperatures generally varying between 25 and 30°C and winter temperatures varying between 12 and 19°C.The physical and chemical analysis data of the oued Hassar waters show particularly elevated values of water conductivity essentially due to the high contents in chlorides. These values were understood between a minimal value recorded at station SH in August 1998 (3470 mS.cm-1) and a maximal value signalled at station OM in January of the same year (7210 mS.cm-1). Concentrations in sulphates vary according to stations. The most elevated values were recorded in january 1998 at stations SC and OM (231 and 218 mg.l-1 respectively). The hardness values are very important especially at the source of oued Hassar (SC) where the concentration reaches 25,2 meq.l-1. This excessive mineralization of waters, particularly at stations SC and OM, is essentially due to the Permo-triasique saliferous sedimentary layers which crop out in the area.The oued Hassar stream receives, to 100 ms downstream the station SC, the wastewater effluent of Médiouna agglomeration, highly loaded with organic matters, ammonia, orthophosphates and suspended matters. The impact of this effluent results on the elevated values of these parameters downstream the wastewater input (SB). On January 1998 (rainy period), the important contents in orthophosphates and sulphates recorded at all stations were essentially due to the high amounts of superphosphates and ammonia sulphates used as amendment of the cultivated lands situated a long the sides of oued Hassar stream.Outside of this period, contents in orthophosphates and ammonia at stations SC and OM are very low. However, the elevated content in nitrates at the oued Hassar's source (maximal value: 93,3 mg.l-1) gives an idea on the deterioration of the groundwater quality.To put in evidence the evolution of the global organic pollution of waters, the "Indice de Pollution Organique" (IPO) have been calculated. The exam of this index shows that the wastewater effluent constitutes the main source of pollution. Indeed, water quality goes from a mean pollution state (3,88 ± 0,14) at the oued Hassar's source to a very strong pollution state (1,96 ± 0,31) at the station SB. Downstream the swampy zone, at the station HP, the water quality of oued Hassar improves remarkably (3,50 ± 0,74) due to the auto-purification phenomenon and the dilution of these waters by those coming from the secondary sources situated between stations SB and HP. At the stations SH and CA, the IPO mean values (3,50 ± 0,79 and 3,75 ± 0,41 respectively) show that the water quality remains rather identical as at the station HP.Concerning the survey of epilithic diatoms, 61 species and varieties of diatoms have been inventoried. These taxa are bound especially to the salinity (Amphora coffeaeformis, Fragilaria fasciculata, Fragilaria pulchella, Pleurosira laevis,…) and to the organic load (Gomphonema parvulum, Navicula subminuscula, Nitzschia palea,…). In the most collected samples, particularly at the stations SB, SH and CA, diatom communities are essentially dominated by N. palea and the complex N. inconspicua / N. frustulum. At the station SB, the relative abundance of N. palea reaches 71% in august 1997 and august 1998, and goes beyond 45% in January and june 1998. giving evidence of the important organic pollution. this species is substituted, at stations SH and CA, essentially by Navicula subminuscula, N. veneta and Nitzschia inconspicua / N. frustulum complex. Diatom communities at the stations SC, HP and OM don't show an exclusive dominance of one or two species, but several species dominate and form a more varied communities.Four diatom indices have been tested to assess the water quality in Oued Hassar (Morocco) : the "Indice Diatomique Pratique" (IDP), the "Indice Diatomique Générique" (IDG), the Sládecek Index (SLA) and the Trophic Diatom Index (TDI). These indices are different by the assigned indicative values and pollution sensitivity coefficients relative to every species and by the taxonomic list integrated in the calculation of every index. The spatio-temporal variation of these indices reflects clearly the deterioration of water quality downstream the wastewater input of Mediouna agglomeration (IDP=3,86 ± 2,30; IDG=6,05 ± 2,31; SLA=4,35 ± 2,62; IDT=5,80 ± 1,85) and its recovery after the swampy zone at the station HP (IDP=9,37 ± 2,35; IDG=11,83 ± 1,77 ; SLA=7,19 ± 3,05 ; IDT=6,76 ± 2,48). Among these indices, only the IDP presents a significant correlation (0,63 ; α<5%) with the IPO (reference index). While the IDG, the SLA and the TDI don't show a significant correlation with this index (0,38 ; 0,27 and -0,11 respectively). The IDT shows nearly the same water quality in the different stations and rather inform on the high level of eutrophication in these water courses.The physical and chemical analyses, the composition of diatom communities as well as the relative results of diatom indices, show that the oued Hassar stream is submitted to an important pollution, particularly downstream the wastewater input. Among the tested indices, the IDP appears more adapted to the assessment of water quality in oued Hassar. However, more work is required in order to finalize a new diatom index which is more adapted to characteristics of the Moroccan water courses

Synchronized Crystal Dissolution Behavior for Tooth Enamel and Synthetic (NBS) Hydroxyapatite

The synchronized crystal dissolution hypothesis previously proposed to explain the unusual dissolution behavior of human dental enamel and hydroxyapatite in partially saturated acidic media has been critically examined with dissolution-dialysis transport experiments. The findings are in accord with the hypothesis. A model based upon a variable effective solubility for the hydroxyapatite crystal is proposed.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/67380/2/10.1177_00220345770560040701.pd

NEOPTERIN AND INTERFERON-GAMMA AS IMMUNE RESPONSE MARKERS IN BETATHALASSEMIA MAJOR PATIENTS

Objective: The assessment of neopterin and interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) levels as a part of immune system response about serum iron status in β-thalassemia (TM) major patients.Methods: Spectrophotometry applied for the estimation of iron status including serum iron level, total iron-binding capacity, and unsaturated iron-binding capacity. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) applied for the estimation of the serum cytokines included neopterin and IFN-γ also serum ferritin estimation by ELISA from 130 β-TM major patients where they divided according to serum ferritin level (&lt; and ≥2500 ng/mL).Results: The neopterin and IFN-γ concentration showed significantly increased with direct correlation among TM patient group when compared to the normal healthy control group. However, there was no significant difference between different levels of serum ferritin.Conclusion: The increased serum level of neopterin and IFN-γ found in patients with β-TM may be due to the direct effect of iron on cellular immune cells beside of immune system response to the effect of iron toxicity on different body organs. There was a direct moderate relationship between neopterin and IFN-γ

"Smart Drip Irrigation System" Sistem Irigasi Tetes Terkendali Pada Tanaman Tembakau

Smart drip irrigation System is a drip irrigation system that controlled by microcontroller which would be applied on tobacco plantation cooperated with PTPN X Klaten. Nowadays, the drip irrigation system has been applied by PTPN X but the result is not maximal comparing with conventional irrigation system. The application of smart irrigatin system intended to automate and determine the precision schedule of irrigation so definitely the plant water need will be known. The utilization of precision schedule of irrigation system would give us the maximum result of the plant, because the soil moisture was able to maintain at the available moisture condition so the plant growth is better. In addition to water USAge is more efficient because the water was given exactly to the root zone then percolation and run-off were able to prevent so the operating cost of diesel pump is cheaper. Smart drip irrigation is a combination from drip irrigation system and control system which equipped with soil moisture sensors to detecting the plant water needs approach the soil moisture on the wilting point (TL) and field capacity (KL) condition were then being a feedback to control system to activate and deactivate the pump in the irrigation system. The automatic irrigation system is activated if the soil moisture below the wilting point and deactivated if the soil moisture above the field capacity