Quantum Key Distribution with Classical Bob

Secure key distribution among two remote parties is impossible when both are classical, unless some unproven (and arguably unrealistic) computation-complexity assumptions are made, such as the difficulty of factorizing large numbers. On the other hand, a secure key distribution is possible when both parties are quantum. What is possible when only one party (Alice) is quantum, yet the other (Bob) has only classical capabilities? We present a protocol with this constraint, and prove its robustness against attacks: we prove that any attempt of an adversary to obtain information (and even a tiny amount of information) necessarily induces some errors that the legitimate users could notice.Comment: 4 and a bit pages, 1 figure, RevTe

Grover's Quantum Search Algorithm for an Arbitrary Initial Mixed State

The Grover quantum search algorithm is generalized to deal with an arbitrary mixed initial state. The probability to measure a marked state as a function of time is calculated, and found to depend strongly on the specific initial state. The form of the function, though, remains as it is in the case of initial pure state. We study the role of the von Neumann entropy of the initial state, and show that the entropy cannot be a measure for the usefulness of the algorithm. We give few examples and show that for some extremely mixed initial states carrying high entropy, the generalized Grover algorithm is considerably faster than any classical algorithm.Comment: 4 pages. See http://www.cs.technion.ac.il/~danken/MSc-thesis.pdf for extended discussio

РАДИАЦИОННАЯ ЗАЩИТА НАСЕЛЕНИЯ БЕЛАРУСИ ПОСЛЕ ЧЕРНОБЫЛЬСКОЙ КАТАСТРОФЫ

The  article  describes  the  evolution  of  the  formation  of  the  conceptual  approaches  and  regulation documents for the population radiation protection the after the Chernobyl disaster in Belarus. Zoning scheme showing Belarus contamination is given as well as the dynamics of the quantity of settlements located in the contaminated areas, and population living in them. The methodology of regulation of radionuclides content in the foodstuffs is stated. The data on the population effective exposure doses changing is given for the post-accident period.В  статье  описана  эволюция  формирования  концептуальных  подходов  и  нормативных  документов радиационной защиты населения после катастрофы на Чернобыльской АЭС в Республике Беларусь. Приведены схема зонирования территории Беларуси, подвергшейся радиоактивному загрязнению, и динамика количества населенных пунктов, находящихся в зонах радиоактивного загрязнения,  и  проживающего  в  них  населения.  Изложена  методология  нормирования  содержания радионуклидов в пищевых продуктах. Представлены данные изменения эффективных доз облучения населения за послеаварийный период

The elusive MAESTRO gene: Its human reproductive tissue-specific expression pattern

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РОЛЬ НАЦИОНАЛЬНОЙ КОМИССИИ БЕЛАРУСИ ПО РАДИАЦИОННОЙ ЗАЩИТЕ В МИНИМИЗАЦИИ ПОСЛЕДСТВИЙ АВАРИИ НА ЧЕРНОБЫЛЬСКОЙ АЭС

The Belarus National Commission on Radiation Protection was established in 1991, based on the former Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic Supreme Council Resolution. The Commission works out recommendations on the radiation protection to submit to the state authorities, state institutions under the Republic of Belarus Government and state research institutions, reviews and assesses scientific data in the field of radiation protection and makes suggestions in regards of the implementation of the achieved developments. The Commission engages leading scientists and practitioners from Belarus, involved in the provision of the radiation protection and safety in the state. The methodological cornerstone for the Commission activities was chosen to be the committment to the worldwide accepted approach of the nature and magnitude of the undertaken protective measures justification in the field of radiation safety. The Commission adheres the ALARA optimization criteria as the core of the aforementioned approach. The Commission has also submited to the Government a number of developments which were crucial in the highest level managerial decisions elaboration. The latter impacted directly the state tactics and strategy in the environmental, health and social consequences of the Chernobyl disaster minimization. Following the recommendations of the international institutions (ICRP, IAEA, UNSCEAR, FAO/WHO), developments of the colleagues in the Russian Federation, Ukraine and the local regional experience, the Commission proceeds with the expert observation of the ongoing protective measures to reduce the radiation impact and population exposure resulted from the Chernobyl accident, is actively occupied in the radiation safety ensuring at the Belarussian nuclear power plant being under construction, much contributes to elaboration of the new version of the state Law “On Radiation Protection of Population” and other regulatory documents.Национальная комиссия Беларуси по радиационной защите (НКРЗ Беларуси) была создана в 1991 г. на основе Постановления Верховного Совета БССР. Комиссия осуществляет подготовку рекомендаций по вопросам обеспечения радиационной безопасности республиканским органам государственного управления, иным государственным организациям, подчиненным Правительству Республики Беларусь, государственным научным организациям; рассматривает и оценивает научные данные в области обеспечения радиационной безопасности и рекомендует их применение на практике. В состав НКРЗ входят ведущие белорусские ученые и практики, непосредственно работающие по проблемам радиационной защиты и безопасности. Методологической основой всей деятельности НКРЗ является следование международно признанным подходам к обоснованию характера и объема защитных мер, в основу которой положен «дозовый» подход при строгом соблюдении принципа оптимизации (ALARA). Комиссии удалось подготовить для Правительства ряд принципиально важных рекомендаций, которые были использованы при принятии управленческих решений и, в конечном итоге, напрямую позитивно повлияли на тактику и стратегию государственных мер, направленных на минимизацию эколого-гигиенических, медицинских и социальных последствий аварии на Чернобыльской АЭС. Опираясь на рекомендации международных организаций (НКДАР ООН, МКРЗ, МАГАТЭ, ФАО/ВОЗ и др.), коллег из России и Украины, а также на региональный опыт, НКРЗ продолжает экспертное сопровождение мер по минимизации последствий аварии на ЧАЭС, активно проявляет себя в связи со строительством БелАЭС, принимает участие в подготовке новой редакции закона РБ «О радиационной безопасности» и других нормативных документов

Childhood exposure due to the Chernobyl accident and thyroid cancer risk in contaminated areas of Belarus and Russia

The thyroid dose due to 131I releases during the Chernobyl accident was reconstructed for children and adolescents in two cities and 2122 settlements in Belarus, and in one city and 607 settlements in the Bryansk district of the Russian Federation. In this area, which covers the two high contamination spots in the two countries following the accident, data on thyroid cancer incidence during the period 1991-1995 were analysed in the light of possible increased thyroid surveillance. Two methods of risk analysis were applied: Poisson regression with results for the single settlements and Monte Carlo (MC) calculations for results in larger areas or sub-populations. Best estimates of both methods agreed well. Poisson regression estimates of 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were considerably smaller than the MC results, which allow for extra-Poisson uncertainties due to reconstructed doses and the background thyroid cancer incidence. The excess absolute risk per unit thyroid dose (EARPD) for the birth cohort 1971-1985 by the MC analysis was 2.1 (95% CI 1.0-4.5) cases per 10(4) person-year Gy. The point estimate is lower by a factor of two than that observed in a pooled study of thyroid cancer risk after external exposures. The excess relative risk per unit thyroid dose was 23 (95% CI 8.6-82) Gy(-1). No significant differences between countries or cities and rural areas were found. In the lowest dose group of the settlements with an average thyroid dose of 0.05 Gy the risk was statistically significantly elevated. Dependencies of risks on age-at-exposure and on gender are consistent with findings after external exposures

Release of mineral-bound water prior to subduction tied to shallow seismogenic slip off Sumatra

Plate-boundary fault rupture during the 2004 Sumatra-Andaman subduction earthquake extended closer to the trench than expected, increasing earthquake and tsunami size. International Ocean Discovery Program Expedition 362 sampled incoming sediments offshore northern Sumatra, revealing recent release of fresh water within the deep sediments. Thermal modeling links this freshening to amorphous silica dehydration driven by rapid burial-induced temperature increases in the past 9 million years. Complete dehydration of silicates is expected before plate subduction, contrasting with prevailing models for subduction seismogenesis calling for fluid production during subduction. Shallow slip offshore Sumatra appears driven by diagenetic strengthening of deeply buried fault-forming sediments, contrasting with weakening proposed for the shallow Tohoku-Oki 2011 rupture, but our results are applicable to other thickly sedimented subduction zones including those with limited earthquake records

Multiple Independent Genetic Factors at NOS1AP Modulate the QT Interval in a Multi-Ethnic Population

Extremes of electrocardiographic QT interval are associated with increased risk for sudden cardiac death (SCD); thus, identification and characterization of genetic variants that modulate QT interval may elucidate the underlying etiology of SCD. Previous studies have revealed an association between a common genetic variant in NOS1AP and QT interval in populations of European ancestry, but this finding has not been extended to other ethnic populations. We sought to characterize the effects of NOS1AP genetic variants on QT interval in the multi-ethnic population-based Dallas Heart Study (DHS, n = 3,072). The SNP most strongly associated with QT interval in previous samples of European ancestry, rs16847548, was the most strongly associated in White (P = 0.005) and Black (P = 3.6×10−5) participants, with the same direction of effect in Hispanics (P = 0.17), and further showed a significant SNP × sex-interaction (P = 0.03). A second SNP, rs16856785, uncorrelated with rs16847548, was also associated with QT interval in Blacks (P = 0.01), with qualitatively similar results in Whites and Hispanics. In a previously genotyped cohort of 14,107 White individuals drawn from the combined Atherosclerotic Risk in Communities (ARIC) and Cardiovascular Health Study (CHS) cohorts, we validated both the second locus at rs16856785 (P = 7.63×10−8), as well as the sex-interaction with rs16847548 (P = 8.68×10−6). These data extend the association of genetic variants in NOS1AP with QT interval to a Black population, with similar trends, though not statistically significant at P<0.05, in Hispanics. In addition, we identify a strong sex-interaction and the presence of a second independent site within NOS1AP associated with the QT interval. These results highlight the consistent and complex role of NOS1AP genetic variants in modulating QT interval

Assistive technologies to address capabilities of people with dementia: from research to practice

Assistive technologies (AT) became pervasive and virtually present in all our life domains. They can be either an enabler or an obstacle leading to social exclusion. The Fondation Médéric Alzheimer gathered international experts of dementia care, with backgrounds in biomedical, human and social sciences, to analyse how AT can address the capabilities of people with dementia, on the basis of their needs. Discussion covered the unmet needs of people with dementia, the domains of daily life activities where AT can provide help to people with dementia, the enabling and empowering impact of technology to improve their safety and wellbeing, barriers and limits of use, technology assessment, ethical and legal issues. The capability approach (possible freedom) appears particularly relevant in person-centered dementia care and technology development. The focus is not on the solution, rather on what the person can do with it: seeing dementia as disability, with technology as an enabler to promote capabilities of the person, provides a useful framework for both research and practice. This article summarizes how these concepts took momentum in professional practice and public policies in the past fifteen years (2000-2015), discusses current issues in the design, development and economic model of AT for people with dementia, and covers how these technologies are being used and assessed