Optimal eavesdropping on QKD without quantum memory

We consider the security of the BB84, six-state and SARG04 quantum key distribution protocols when the eavesdropper doesn't have access to a quantum memory. In this case, Eve's most general strategy is to measure her ancilla with an appropriate POVM designed to take advantage of the post-measurement information that will be released during the sifting phase of the protocol. After an optimization on all the parameters accessible to Eve, our method provides us with new bounds for the security of six-state and SARG04 against a memoryless adversary. In particular, for the six-state protocol we show that the maximum QBER for which a secure key can be extracted is increased from 12.6% (for collective attacks) to 20.4% with the memoryless assumption.Comment: 7 pages, 3 figures. Analysis of six-state and SARG04 QKD protocols adde

Specialisation in physiotherapy: A mark of maturity

Have you gained postgraduate qualifications or been invited to lecture to other physiotherapists regarding your area of practice? Do your clients present for treatment of a particular condition or area of the body? Should you be able to claim that you specialise in that particular condition or region of the body (e.g. shoulder injuries or headaches)? What defines specialisation within physiotherapy? What is a Specialist Physiotherapist

Model Independent Primordial Power Spectrum from Maxima, Boomerang, and DASI Data

A model-independent determination of the primordial power spectrum of matter density fluctuations could uniquely probe physics of the very early universe, and provide powerful constraints on inflationary models. We parametrize the primordial power spectrum $A_s^2(k)$ as an arbitrary function, and deduce its binned amplitude from the cosmic microwave background radiation anisotropy (CMB) measurements of Maxima, Boomerang, and DASI. We find that for a flat universe with $A_s^2(k)=1$ (scale-invariant) for scales $k<0.001$h/Mpc, the primordial power spectrum is marginally consistent with a scale-invariant Harrison-Zeldovich spectrum. However, we deduce a rise in power compared to a scale-invariant power spectrum for 0.001 h/{Mpc} \la k \la 0.01 h/{Mpc}. Our results are consistent with large-scale structure data, and seem to suggest that the current observational data allow for the possibility of unusual physics in the very early universe.Comment: substantially revised and final version, accepted by Ap

A sensitivity study of parameters affecting residual stress predictions in finite element modelling of the inertia friction welding process

This study presents a finite element (FE) model capable of predicting the final residual stress field in an inertia friction welded component of a CrMoV steel considering the elastic and inelastic components of strain resulting from mechanical deformation, temperature changes in the material and volumetric changes associated with phase transformations. The material database was improved to include the properties of the child phases involved in the polymorphic transformation during inertia friction welding (IFW) of CrMoV steels, i.e. austenite and quenched martensite, taking different approaches based on existent experimental data from the parent phase (tempered martensite) and material characterisation of the heat affected zone (HAZ) in weld trials. This is the only FE model available in the literature that takes into consideration the effects induced by the transformation strain component of multiple phases in the total strain generated during IFW. Several simulations were run using this FE model in order to address for the first time the sensitivity of the final residual stress field to the individual effects of the microstructural changes, the interrelationship of multiple phases, and to different processing parameters such as the die geometry, clamping history and cooling rates

Musical Revue : Andre\u27s Fashion Shop, Presented by the Willing Workers.

Program for The Willing Workers, Peaks Island, Maine production of the musical play, Andre\u27s Fashion Shop, performed at The Rink, Peaks Island, 7 August 1929. Includes list of actors.https://digitalcommons.portlandlibrary.com/peaks_cooper_programs/1002/thumbnail.jp

Complete quantum teleportation using nuclear magnetic resonance

Quantum mechanics provides spectacular new information processing abilities (Bennett 1995, Preskill 1998). One of the most unexpected is a procedure called quantum teleportation (Bennett et al 1993) that allows the quantum state of a system to be transported from one location to another, without moving through the intervening space. Partial implementations of teleportation (Bouwmeester et al 1997, Boschi et al 1998) over macroscopic distances have been achieved using optical systems, but omit the final stage of the teleportation procedure. Here we report an experimental implementation of the full quantum teleportation operation over inter-atomic distances using liquid state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). The inclusion of the final stage enables for the first time a teleportation implementation which may be used as a subroutine in larger quantum computations, or for quantum communication. Our experiment also demonstrates the use of quantum process tomography, a procedure to completely characterize the dynamics of a quantum system. Finally, we demonstrate a controlled exploitation of decoherence as a tool to assist in the performance of an experiment.Comment: 15 pages, 2 figures. Minor differences between this and the published versio

mHealth in palliative care for cancer patients & care givers

Patients and caregivers in palliative care experience multidimensional pain. In current practice, information about a cancer patient progress is known when they visit a clinic or make a distress call when their conditions worsen. This strategy is not efficient for systematic monitoring of symptoms, which is key in improving palliative care. Mobile phones have helped to transform healthcare through diagnosis, health education and symptoms management of chronic illnesses. In this study, a mobile phone assessment tool was implemented at an outpatient palliative care clinic for cancer patients in Aga Khan University Hospital, Nairobi. The usefulness of the mobile phone application was examined. In the initial interview with a cohort of 19 patients and caregivers, 15 were eligible for the study. Patients and caregivers used the application to report their symptoms and needs at an interval of one week. Participatory action design was used whereas data collection was achieved through non-structured interviews. Findings from the study were organized into three themes: enhanced communication, improved assessment of total cancer pain and advocacy tool. This study illustrates that utilization of mobile phone applications can enhance palliative care by improving monitoring of symptoms and strengthening patient-provider communication

Evaluating the Ecological Impact of a Youth Program

Youth are the weakest population within the workforce and long-term unemployment leaves them unable to develop work skills, reaches into their future prospects, and can weaken the economy, education systems, and overall social structure. Through ecological qualitative methodology, the reported research gathered in-depth accounts of experiences of ten urban youth who participated in a federally-funded Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP). To develop an understanding of aspects of the youth’s lives, individual interviews were conducted and ecomaps were completed with participants. Personal narratives support the premises that documenting the ecosystems of individuals provides insights into daily lives, histories, and lived experiences in a way that provides a window into how services and prevention efforts can be targeted. Results concluded that for these participants, the SYEP made a difference in their lives in terms of helping them make connections to positive role models, learning workplace communication, and providing an entrance into the workforce on varying levels consistent with their barriers. This research can be applied to inform practitioners, teachers, and decision makers with a better understanding of the social, emotional, educational, and workforce realities of adolescents. The research advances the conversation about federally funded youth employment programs creating opportunities for marginalized youth to learn skills for succeeding in the mainstream economy

A Pilot Study Investigating Changes in the Human Plasma and Urine NAD+ Metabolome During a 6 Hour Intravenous Infusion of NAD+

Accumulating evidence suggests that active maintenance of optimal levels of the essential pyridine nucleotide, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) is beneficial in conditions of either increased NAD+ turnover or inadequate synthesis, including Alzheimer’s disease and other neurodegenerative disorders and the aging process. While studies have documented the efficacy of some NAD+ precursors such as nicotinamide riboside (NR) in raising plasma NAD+, no data are currently available on the fate of directly infused NAD+ in a human cohort. This study, therefore, documented changes in plasma and urine levels of NAD+ and its metabolites during and after a 6 h 3 μmol/min NAD+ intravenous (IV) infusion. Surprisingly, no change in plasma (NAD+) or metabolites [nicotinamide, methylnicotinamide, adenosine phosphoribose ribose (ADPR) and nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN)] were observed until after 2 h. Increased urinary excretion of methylnicotinamide and NAD+ were detected at 6 h, however, no significant rise in urinary nicotinamide was observed. This study revealed for the first time that: (i) at an infusion rate of 3 μmol/min NAD+ is rapidly and completely removed from the plasma for at least the first 2 h; (ii) the profile of metabolites is consistent with NAD+ glycohydrolase and NAD+ pyrophosphatase activity; and (iii) urinary excretion products arising from an NAD+ infusion include NAD+ itself and methyl nicotinamide (meNAM) but not NAM