Quantum bounds on multiplayer linear games and device-independent witness of genuine tripartite entanglement

Here we study multiplayer linear games, a natural generalization of XOR games to multiple outcomes. We generalize a recently proposed efficiently computable bound, in terms of the norm of a game matrix, on the quantum value of 2-player games to linear games with $n$ players. As an example, we bound the quantum value of a generalization of the well-known CHSH game to $n$ players and $d$ outcomes. We also apply the bound to show in a simple manner that any nontrivial functional box, that could lead to trivialization of communication complexity in a multiparty scenario, cannot be realized in quantum mechanics. We then present a systematic method to derive device-independent witnesses of genuine tripartite entanglement.Comment: 7+8 page

The national ecological network and a land morphology model. An application to Portugal

Doutoramento em Arquitetura Paisagista - Instituto Superior de AgronomiaOne of the most complex issues that modern society is facing is landscape transformation, its fragmentation and ecological simplification, resulting in loss of biodiversity and a decline in ecosystems’ quality. Recently, the concept and establishment of Ecological Networks (EN) have been seen as a solution towards nature conservation strategies targeting biodiversity and ecological connectivity, (re)focusing on the ecosystem approach and the “continuum naturale”. The research in this dissertation aims to clarify the potential of EN in the context of landscape planning and its importance and function within the Green Infrastructure (GI) concept, emerging from EU Biodiversity Strategy to 2020, as a fundamental strategically connected infrastructure of abiotic and biotic systems underlying the provision of multiple functions valuable to society. It also addresses the lack of mapping at the national level of ecological systems. The main research objectives are: 1) To develop a methodology to map the National Ecological Network (NEN) for mainland Portugal and 2) To develop a Land Morphology (LM) mapping method at the national level. LM classifies landforms according to their hydrological position in the watershed and represents a helpful evaluation tool for modelling natural systems. This thesis contributes to the understanding of: i) the NEN as a spatial network that defines areas of existing and potential ecological connectivity at various scales which provides the physical and biological conditions necessary to maintain or restore landscape’ ecological functions; ii) the importance of NEN as an ecologically based tool towards a more sustainable landscape planning, strengthening the notions of connectivity and multi-functionality of landscape; iii) the morphological approach to map Portuguese landforms as valuable tool to assist policy makers and planners in taking decisions based on a more thorough analysis of land value and its ecological functions; and iv) Mapping the wet system at national level may have an impact on clarifying concepts related to water resources and can be used as a preliminary delimitation of floodplains and potential flood risk areasN/

Mechanisms and Signals for the Nuclear Import of Proteins

In eukaryotes, the nuclear membrane provides a physical barrier to the passive diffusion of macromolecules from and into the cytoplasm. Nucleocytoplasmic traffic occurs through highly specialized structures known as nuclear pores, and involves the participation of a special class of transport proteins. Active transport across the nuclear pores is an energy-dependent process that relies on the activity of Ran-GTPases both in the nuclear and cytoplasmic compartments

The ecological land suitability in the land-use plan: Sintra’s municipality case study

Peer Reviewe

Characterization of the nuclear localization signal of the hepatitis delta virus antigen

AbstractThe delta antigen (HDAg) is the only protein encoded by the hepatitis delta virus (HDV) RNA genome. The HDAg contains an RNA binding domain, a dimerization domain, and a nuclear localization signal (NLS). The nuclear import of HDV RNPs is thought to be one of the first tasks of the HDAg during the HDV replication cycle. Using c-myc–PK fusions with several regions of the HDAg in transfection assays in Huh7 cells, we found that the HDAg NLS consists of a single stretch of 10 amino acids, EGAPPAKRAR, located in positions 66–75. Deletion and mutation analysis of this region showed that both the acidic glutamic acid residue at position 66 and the basic arginine residue at position 75 are essential for promoting nuclear import

The Portuguese National Ecological Network - A Mapping Proposal

In Portugal, the Ecological Network (EN) was included in the Portuguese legal system in 1999 according to which it must be considered, delineated and implemented in all landscape plans at all spatial scales. Despite of all EU policies, in Portugal the EN is defined by the set of areas, values and key systems for environmental protection (article 14th of the Decree Law n. º 46/2009). Furthermore, at national level there is only the Program for National Planning Policy, which doesn’t include any EN delimitation. This paper presents a methodology for the delineation of the National Ecological Network (NEN) based on: a) the physical sub-system which refers to physical components and their interactions; b) biological sub-system composed by habitats and flora; c) the network concept which is based on the vertical and horizontal connection of structures and information within the ecological system (Jongman, 1995; Magalhães, 2001). Moreover, the main notion of EN is to link ecosystems into a spatially coherent system through which materials and organisms flow (Opdam et al., 2006), as reflected in the Landscape-System methodology (Magalhães et al., 2007). The Portuguese ecological networks, at different scales, has been developed according with the theoretical research and actual field of studies carried out by the Landscape Architecture Research Centre (CEAP/ISA/TUL) since the beginning of the 90s, and is closely related to the ecological landscape planning methods and policies adopted in European countries. The CEAP/ISA/TUL is developing a research project, funded by the Foundation for Science and Technology’s, aiming the proposal of a methodology for mapping and policies implementation for the NEN (Project reference: FCT-PTDC/AUR-URB/102578/2008). The main goal of this paper is to present the NEN methodology as a component of the Landscape-System methodology (Magalhães et al., 2007) whose objectives are the maintenance, restoration or enhancement of nature conservation and biodiversity within a coherent system, safeguarding ecological and cultural values, complemented with potential multiple uses and respective evolution tendencies. This study will focus on the NEN and will compare it with the regional and local case studies at scales 1/100.000 and 1/25.000 respectively

The Elliptical and the Hyperbolical Range Theorems Revisited

International Conference on Engineering and Mathematics (ENMA'2007), July 9-11, 2007 - Bilbao, Spain.A geometrical proof of the Hyperbolical Range Theorem, concerning the numerical range of linear operators on 2-dimensional Krein spaces, is given. The classical Elliptical Range Theorem, which is the correspondent result for Hilbert spaces, is also obtained using the same technique. Both proofs depend on the geometrical properties of the plane algebraic curve that generates the numerical range as its convex hull or as its pseudoconvex hull

Indefinite numerical range of 3×3 matrices

Copyright © 2009, Springer Netherlands.The point equation of the associated curve of the indefinite numerical range is derived, following Fiedler’s approach for definite inner product spaces. The classification of the associated curve is presented in the 3 × 3 indefinite case, using Newton’s classification of cubic curves. Illustrative examples of all the different possibilities are given. The results obtained extend to Krein spaces results of Kippenhahn on the classical numerical range