Unsharp Values, Domains and Topoi

The so-called topos approach provides a radical reformulation of quantum theory. Structurally, quantum theory in the topos formulation is very similar to classical physics. There is a state object, analogous to the state space of a classical system, and a quantity-value object, generalising the real numbers. Physical quantities are maps from the state object to the quantity-value object -- hence the `values' of physical quantities are not just real numbers in this formalism. Rather, they are families of real intervals, interpreted as `unsharp values'. We will motivate and explain these aspects of the topos approach and show that the structure of the quantity-value object can be analysed using tools from domain theory, a branch of order theory that originated in theoretical computer science. Moreover, the base category of the topos associated with a quantum system turns out to be a domain if the underlying von Neumann algebra is a matrix algebra. For general algebras, the base category still is a highly structured poset. This gives a connection between the topos approach, noncommutative operator algebras and domain theory. In an outlook, we present some early ideas on how domains may become useful in the search for new models of (quantum) space and space-time.Comment: 32 pages, no figures; to appear in Proceedings of Quantum Field Theory and Gravity, Regensburg (2010

Partial and Total Ideals of Von Neumann Algebras

A notion of partial ideal for an operator algebra is a weakening the notion of ideal where the defining algebraic conditions are enforced only in the commutative subalgebras. We show that, in a von Neumann algebra, the ultraweakly closed two-sided ideals, which we call total ideals, correspond to the unitarily invariant partial ideals. The result also admits an equivalent formulation in terms of central projections. We place this result in the context of an investigation into notions of spectrum of noncommutative $C^*$-algebras.Comment: 14 page

Divergent competitiveness in the eurozone and the optimum currency area theory

As the euro is on its second decade, the European sovereign debt crisis and the ever more evident disparities in competitiveness among member states are prompting many to question whether monetary union is bringing more benefits than costs. The optimum currency area (OCA) theory provides a framework with several criteria for such analysis. Most literature focuses either or on OCA individual criteria or on an aggregate analysis of these criteria, using meta-properties. Differently, we start by a descriptive analysis of the first twelve euro countries under six criteria between 1999 and 2009. We detect signs of labour geographic mobility. However, nominal wages growth largely outpaced productivity growth in some periphery countries, resulting in losses of competitiveness. Financial markets seem to be deeply integrated. Total intra-EMU trade increased, though core countries seem to have benefited more, as their relative competitiveness improved. We detect no increased homogeneity of exports structures of EMU countries. Inflation rates alternated between periods of convergence and of divergence, though prices levels consistently converged between EMU countries. Finally, budgetary indiscipline was frequent preventing several countries from having fiscal room to face asymmetrical shocks.We conclude by estimating the impact of five OCA criteria on countries’ relative competitiveness, using real effective exchange rates as a proxy. Differences in the growth of unit labour costs, the dissimilarity of trade and the differences in output growth were found to be significant. With a higher confidence level, bilateral trade is significant and points towards the specialization paradigm. Thus, we identify some causes of the divergent competitiveness between some EMU countries that contributed to weaker economic growth in parts of the euro area.Optimum currency area, Euro Area; Economic and Monetary Union (EMU), Competitiveness

A comonadic view of simulation and quantum resources

We study simulation and quantum resources in the setting of the sheaf-theoretic approach to contextuality and non-locality. Resources are viewed behaviourally, as empirical models. In earlier work, a notion of morphism for these empirical models was proposed and studied. We generalize and simplify the earlier approach, by starting with a very simple notion of morphism, and then extending it to a more useful one by passing to a co-Kleisli category with respect to a comonad of measurement protocols. We show that these morphisms capture notions of simulation between empirical models obtained via `free' operations in a resource theory of contextuality, including the type of classical control used in measurement-based quantum computation schemes.Comment: To appear in Proceedings of LiCS 201

A complete characterisation of All-versus-Nothing arguments for stabiliser states

An important class of contextuality arguments in quantum foundations are the All-versus-Nothing (AvN) proofs, generalising a construction originally due to Mermin. We present a general formulation of All-versus-Nothing arguments, and a complete characterisation of all such arguments which arise from stabiliser states. We show that every AvN argument for an n-qubit stabiliser state can be reduced to an AvN proof for a three-qubit state which is local Clifford-equivalent to the tripartite GHZ state. This is achieved through a combinatorial characterisation of AvN arguments, the AvN triple Theorem, whose proof makes use of the theory of graph states. This result enables the development of a computational method to generate all the AvN arguments in $\mathbb{Z}_2$ on n-qubit stabiliser states. We also present new insights into the stabiliser formalism and its connections with logic.Comment: 18 pages, 6 figure

On monogamy of non-locality and macroscopic averages: examples and preliminary results

We explore a connection between monogamy of non-locality and a weak macroscopic locality condition: the locality of the average behaviour. These are revealed by our analysis as being two sides of the same coin. Moreover, we exhibit a structural reason for both in the case of Bell-type multipartite scenarios, shedding light on but also generalising the results in the literature [Ramanathan et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 107, 060405 (2001); Pawlowski & Brukner, Phys. Rev. Lett. 102, 030403 (2009)]. More specifically, we show that, provided the number of particles in each site is large enough compared to the number of allowed measurement settings, and whatever the microscopic state of the system, the macroscopic average behaviour is local realistic, or equivalently, general multipartite monogamy relations hold. This result relies on a classical mathematical theorem by Vorob'ev [Theory Probab. Appl. 7(2), 147-163 (1962)] about extending compatible families of probability distributions defined on the faces of a simplicial complex -- in the language of the sheaf-theoretic framework of Abramsky & Brandenburger [New J. Phys. 13, 113036 (2011)], such families correspond to no-signalling empirical models, and the existence of an extension corresponds to locality or non-contextuality. Since Vorob'ev's theorem depends solely on the structure of the simplicial complex, which encodes the compatibility of the measurements, and not on the specific probability distributions (i.e. the empirical models), our result about monogamy relations and locality of macroscopic averages holds not just for quantum theory, but for any empirical model satisfying the no-signalling condition. In this extended abstract, we illustrate our approach by working out a couple of examples, which convey the intuition behind our analysis while keeping the discussion at an elementary level.Comment: In Proceedings QPL 2014, arXiv:1412.810

Automatic Upload of Professional Profiles Directly from Sources

Globalization of education and employment is a fact [1]. Also, according to one International Labor Organization report [2], 6% of the world's work force was without job in 2012. Finally, a high development of information and communications technology (ICT) until 2020 is possible [3]. Why, then, should we go on using the conventional, complex, irksome, bureaucratic process of gathering our CV from often remote Sources, and share it with remote Recruiters who often don’t trust on it? Alternatively, it should be possible to solely supply our national identification to an Interface, and get, through national platforms, or else, our CV, expeditiously, and directly from those Sources; and to use it to apply to the Recruiting Entities, or to use them in internet platforms (LinkedIn, #1 Naukri, Times Jobs, Monster India, EURES, EUROPASS, Guardian’s and so). We propose a methodology, and ICT system, to upgrade the CV’s delivery to an expeditious and cheaper process.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Percepção das crianças em idade escolar sobre o profissional de enfermagem

Projeto de Graduação apresentado à Universidade Fernando Pessoa como parte dos requisitos para obtenção do grau de Licenciado em EnfermagemO presente projecto de graduação e integração profissional, desenvolvido no âmbito da Licenciatura em Enfermagem, tenta aprofundar a questão da percepção das crianças em idade escolar, nomeadamente a frequentar o terceiro e quarto ano do primeiro ciclo, relativamente ao profissional de Enfermagem. No presente trabalho serão abordadas definições como a de Enfermagem e consequentemente o papel do profissional da área, a de percepção, a de criança, entre outras que serão pertinentes para o desenvolvimento deste projecto. Dentro dos objectivos do investigador este tenta perceber se as crianças reconhecem os diferentes papéis desenvolvidos pelo Enfermeiro de cuidados gerais, se mencionam a sua importância social e se identificam as suas funções para além da sua componente prática e especificamente se indicam o papel de educador do profissional.The present research project and professional integration, developed under the Nursing Degree, try to understand the perception of school-age children, specifically the third and fourth year of the first cycle, about the Nursing professional. In this work will be discussed topics such as nursing and consequently the role of the professional in the field, will be discussed the perception of the child, among others that will be relevant for the development of this project. Within the objectives of the researcher, he tries to understand if children recognize the different roles undertaken by the nurse responsible for general care, if they mention its social importance and identify other functions than their practical activities, specifically if they indicate the educator role of the professional

Materialidade e transdimensionalidade nas novas textualidades electrónicas: uma transição de paradigma?

info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Machine learning models in decision support systems for diagnosing colorectal cancer based on metabolic profiles

In today’s ever-evolving technological landscape, the volume of data across sectors is grow ing, particularly in healthcare. Here, the gathering and processing of biochemical data aim to refine decision-making for patient treatments, especially using tools based on Machine Learning (ML). As a subset of Artificial Intelligence, ML harnesses algorithms to predict outcomes or unearth patterns that might otherwise remain concealed. The interpretability of ML models is pivotal, enabling healthcare professionals to place con fidence in and decipher the model’s predictions. This assumes particular significance when decisions could directly affect patient lives. This research embarked on an in-depth exploration of various ML algorithms and techniques to discern whether the combined metabolic profiles of amino acids and acylcarnitines might serve as new biochemical indicators for predicting colo-rectal cancer prognosis. Throughout this study, several algorithms and data preprocessing techniques were evaluated. Four distinct experiments validated the predictions of the models in different scenarios. These scenarios involved predicting Colorectal Cancer using amino acids with and without the age parameter, and similarly, using acylcarnitine with and without the age parameter. Each scenario’s predictions were elucidated using SHAP, both for overarching feature significance and individual instances. Preliminary analyses indicated that the constructed models demonstrated promising predic tive power, with notable variations for the different scenarios. Amongst the algorithms tested, Random Forest, Support Vector Machine, Gaussian Naive Bayes, and Gradient Boosting emerged as the top performers.No atual panorama tecnológico em constante evolução, o volume de dados em diversos setores está a aumentar, particularmente na saúde. Aqui, a recolha e processamento de dados bioquímicos visam aprimorar a tomada de decisão para tratamentos de pacientes, especialmente utilizando ferramentas baseadas em Aprendizagem Automática. Como um subconjunto da Inteligência Artificial, a Aprendizagem Automática utiliza algoritmos para prever resultados ou descobrir padrões que de outra forma poderiam permanecer ocultos. A interpretabilidade dos modelos de Aprendizagem Automática é fundamental, permitindo que os profissionais de saúde confiem e decifrem as previsões do modelo. Isto assume uma importância particular quando as decisões podem afetar diretamente a vida dos pacientes. Esta investigação levou a cabo uma exploração aprofundada de vários algoritmos e téc nicas de Aprendizagem Automática para determinar se os perfis metabólicos combinados de aminoácidos e acilcarnitinas poderiam servir como novos indicadores bioquímicos para a previsão e prognóstico do cancro colo-retal. Ao longo deste estudo, vários algoritmos e técnicas de pré-processamento de dados foram avaliados. Quatro experiências distintas validaram as previsões dos modelos em diferentes cenários. Estes cenários envolveram a previsão de Cancro Colorretal usando aminoácidos com e sem o atributo idade, e de forma semelhante, usando acilcarnitinas. As previsões de cada cenário foram elucidadas usando o SHAP, tanto para a importância geral dos atributos como para amostras individuais. Análises preliminares indicaram que os modelos construídos mostraram um poder preditivo promissor, com variações notáveis nos diferentes cenários. Entre os algoritmos testados, Random Forest, Support Vector Machines, Naive Bayes e Gradient Boosting destacaram-se com melhor desempenho