Optimization search effort over the control landscapes for open quantum systems with Kraus-map evolution

A quantum control landscape is defined as the expectation value of a target observable $\Theta$ as a function of the control variables. In this work control landscapes for open quantum systems governed by Kraus map evolution are analyzed. Kraus maps are used as the controls transforming an initial density matrix $\rho_{\rm i}$ into a final density matrix to maximize the expectation value of the observable $\Theta$. The absence of suboptimal local maxima for the relevant control landscapes is numerically illustrated. The dependence of the optimization search effort is analyzed in terms of the dimension of the system $N$, the initial state $\rho_{\rm i}$, and the target observable $\Theta$. It is found that if the number of nonzero eigenvalues in $\rho_{\rm i}$ remains constant, the search effort does not exhibit any significant dependence on $N$. If $\rho_{\rm i}$ has no zero eigenvalues, then the computational complexity and the required search effort rise with $N$. The dimension of the top manifold (i.e., the set of Kraus operators that maximizes the objective) is found to positively correlate with the optimization search efficiency. Under the assumption of full controllability, incoherent control modelled by Kraus maps is found to be more efficient in reaching the same value of the objective than coherent control modelled by unitary maps. Numerical simulations are also performed for control landscapes with linear constraints on the available Kraus maps, and suboptimal maxima are not revealed for these landscapes.Comment: 29 pages, 8 figure

Improvement of sleep in patients with chronic idiopathic/spontaneous urticaria treated with omalizumab: results of three randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled studies.

BACKGROUND: Patients with chronic idiopathic/spontaneous urticaria (CIU/CSU) report difficulty with sleep. METHODS: We examined the effect of omalizumab on sleep-related outcomes during 3-6 months omalizumab or placebo treatment and a 16-week follow-up period within three Phase III double-blind randomized placebo-controlled pivotal trials in CIU/CSU: ASTERIA I, ASTERIA II, and GLACIAL. Sleep quality was assessed in all three studies using sleep-related questions included in an electronic diary, the Chronic Urticaria Quality of Life Questionnaire, and the Medical Outcomes Study Sleep Scale. Score changes from baseline in the treatment arms were compared with that in the placebo arm and adjusted for baseline score and weight. We also examined correlations of sleep scores at baseline, week 12, and week 24 and the slopes of change between sleep and itch and hive. RESULTS: Patients treated with omalizumab reported a larger reduction in sleep problems than those in the placebo arm; omalizumab 300 mg demonstrated the greatest improvement on all sleep components among all treatment arms. The largest reduction in sleep problems was reported within the first 4 weeks of therapy. After treatment discontinuation, sleep quality worsened. Sleep scores demonstrated moderate-to-strong correlation between them, and the change in sleep scores was associated with changes in itch and hives. CONCLUSIONS: Improvement in sleep was reported after the first dose of omalizumab. Sleep continued to improve throughout the active treatment period. Patients receiving omalizumab 300 mg achieved greater improvement in sleep than those in other treatment arms. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT01287117 (ASTERIA I), NCT01292473 (ASTERIA II), and NCT01264939 (GLACIAL).The funding for ASTERIA I, ASTERIA II, and GLACIAL was provided by Genentech, Inc., South San Francisco, CA, USA and Novartis Pharma AG, Basel, Switzerland. The funding for this study was provided by Genentech, Inc. Medical writing support for this manuscript was provided by Charlotte Kenreigh of Excel Scientific Solutions and funded by Genentech, Inc. and Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation

The Palladium‐Catalyzed Carboxytelomerization of Butadiene with Agrobased Alcohols and Polyols

International audienceThe palladium catalyzed carboxytelomerization reaction of alcohols with butadiene allows for efficient and atom-economical access to unsaturated alkyl nona-3,8-dienoate esters. The study focused on the nature of the catalyst (phosphine and acid) with ethanol. Commercially available triarylphosphines and carboxylic acids associated with a simple palladium precursor appear to be the best combination for in situ generation of the catalyst. The reaction conditions were further optimized and the carboxytelomerization reaction was efficiently applied to the full transformation of several industrially relevant agro-based monoalcohols and polyols