Time-dependent Hamiltonian estimation for Doppler velocimetry of trapped ions

The time evolution of a closed quantum system is connected to its Hamiltonian through Schroedinger's equation. The ability to estimate the Hamiltonian is critical to our understanding of quantum systems, and allows optimization of control. Though spectroscopic methods allow time-independent Hamiltonians to be recovered, for time-dependent Hamiltonians this task is more challenging. Here, using a single trapped ion, we experimentally demonstrate a method for estimating a time-dependent Hamiltonian of a single qubit. The method involves measuring the time evolution of the qubit in a fixed basis as a function of a time-independent offset term added to the Hamiltonian. In our system the initially unknown Hamiltonian arises from transporting an ion through a static, near-resonant laser beam. Hamiltonian estimation allows us to estimate the spatial dependence of the laser beam intensity and the ion's velocity as a function of time. This work is of direct value in optimizing transport operations and transport-based gates in scalable trapped ion quantum information processing, while the estimation technique is general enough that it can be applied to other quantum systems, aiding the pursuit of high operational fidelities in quantum control.Comment: 10 pages, 8 figure

Towards the interoperability of computerised guidelines and electronic health records: an experiment with openEHR archetypes and a chronic heart failure guideline

Clinical guidelines contain recommendations based on the best empirical evidence available at the moment. There is a wide consensus about the benefits of guidelines and about the fact that they should be deployed through clinical information systems, making them available during clinical consultations. However, one of the main obstacles to this integration is the interaction with the electronic healthrecord system. With the aim of solving the interoperability problems of guideline systems, we have investigated the utilisation of the openEHR standardisation proposal in the context of one of the existing guideline representation languages. Concretely, we have designed a collection of archetypes to be used within a chronic heart failure guideline. The main contribution of our work is the utilisation of openEHR archetypes in the framework of guideline representation languages. Other contributions include both the concrete set of archetypes that we have selected and the methodological approach that we have followed to obtain itThis work has been supported by Fundaci´o Caixa Castell´o-Bancaixa, through the research project P11B2009-3

Bionomics of the Established Exotic Mosquito Species Aedes koreicus in Belgium, Europe

Adults of an exotic mosquito, Aedes (Finlaya) koreicus (Edwards) (Diptera: Culicidae) were identified by morphology and genotyping from one site in Belgium in 2008. In late summer of that year, the occurrence of adults and immature stages reconfirmed its presence. This is the first record of this species outside its native range and in particular in Europe. Two subsites of the original location were prospected from April until October 2009 with different traps to evaluate the extent of its presence and establishment in the area and to understand the dynamics of the species' population. Next to Ae. koreicus, 15 other mosquito species were collected. Adult individuals of Ae. koreicus were found from May to September and larvae were still found early October. Larvae were mainly retrieved from artificial containers both in 2008 as in 2009. Containers with eggs and/or larvae were found up to 4 km away from the initial location, indicating the species is spreading locally. Though the introduction route is unknown, it may have occurred via international trade as a large industrial center was located nearby. A comparison of different climatic variables between locations in Belgium with Ae. koreicus and putative source locations in South Korea, revealed similarities between winter temperatures and the number of freezing days and nights in four consecutive years (2004-2008), while humidity and precipitation values differed strongly. The introduction of a new potential disease vector into Europe seems to be a result of proper entrance points, created by intense worldwide trade and suitable environmental condition

An archetype-based solution for the interoperability of computerised guidelines and electronic health records

Clinical guidelines contain recommendations based on the best empirical evidence available at the moment. There is a wide con- sensus about the benefits of guidelines and about the fact that they should be deployed through clinical information systems, making them available during consultation time. However, one of the main obstacles to this integration is still the interaction with the electronic health record. In this paper we present an archetype-based approach to solve the inter- operability problems of guideline systems, as well as to enable guideline sharing. We also describe the knowledge requirements for the develop- ment of archetype-enabled guideline systems, and then focus on the de- velopment of appropriate guideline archetypes and on the connection of these archetypes to the target electronic health record

Optimization of Xanthatin Extraction from Xanthium spinosum L. and its cytotoxic, anti-angiogenesis and antiviral properties

The aqueous extraction of the sesquiterpene lactone xanthatin from Xanthium spinosum L. favours the conversion of xanthinium to xanthatin via the loss of acetic acid. The cytotoxic (Hep-G2 and L1210 human cell lines) and antiviral activities of isolated xanthatin are established. This natural compound shows significant cytotoxicity against the Hep-G2 cell line and our experimental results reveal its strong anti-angiogenesis capacity in vitro. The structure of xanthatin is determined by spectroscopic methods and for the first time confirmed by X-ray diffraction

Human-Induced Expanded Distribution of Anopheles plumbeus, Experimental Vector of West Nile Virus and a Potential Vector of Human Malaria in Belgium

For the majority of native species, human-created habitats provide a hostile environment that prevents their colonization. However, if the conditions encountered in this novel environment are part of the fundamental niche of a particular species, these low competitive environments may allow strong population expansion of even rare and stenotopic species. If these species are potentially harmful to humans, such anthropogenic habitat alterations may impose strong risks for human health. Here, we report on a recent and severe outbreak of the viciously biting and day-active mosquito Anopheles plumbeus Stephens, 1828, that is caused by a habitat shift toward human-created habitats. Although historic data indicate that the species was previously reported to be rare in Belgium and confined to natural forest habitats, more recent data indicate a strong population expansion all over Belgium and severe nuisance at a local scale. We show that these outbreaks can be explained by a recent larval habitat shift of this species from tree-holes in forests to large manure collecting pits of abandoned and uncleaned pig stables. Further surveys of the colonization and detection of other potential larval breeding places of this mosquito in this artificial environment are of particular importance for human health because the species is known as a experimental vector of West Nile virus and a potential vector of human malari

Cellular and humoral immune responses and protection against schistosomes induced by a radiation-attenuated vaccine in chimpanzees

The radiation-attenuated Schistosoma mansoni vaccine is highly effective in rodents and primates but has never been tested in humans, primarily for safety reasons. To strengthen its status as a paradigm for a human recombinant antigen vaccine, we have undertaken a small-scale vaccination and challenge experiment in chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes). Immunological, clinical, and parasitological parameters were measured in three animals after multiple vaccinations, together with three controls, during the acute and chronic stages of challenge infection up to chemotherapeutic cure. Vaccination induced a strong in vitro proliferative response and early gamma interferon production, but type 2 cytokines were dominant by the time of challenge. The controls showed little response to challenge infection before the acute stage of the disease, initiated by egg deposition. In contrast, the responses of vaccinated animals were muted throughout the challenge period. Vaccination also induced parasite-specific immunoglobulin M (IgM) and IgG, which reached high levels at the time of challenge, while in control animals levels did not rise markedly before egg deposition. The protective effects of vaccination were manifested as an amelioration of acute disease and overall morbidity, revealed by differences in gamma-glutamyl transferase level, leukocytosis, eosinophilia, and hematocrit. Moreover, vaccinated chimpanzees had a 46% lower level of circulating cathodic antigen and a 38% reduction in fecal egg output, compared to controls, during the chronic phase of infection