Memory effects in a Markov chain dephasing channel

We study a dephasing channel with memory, modelled by a Markov chain. We show that even weak memory effects have a detrimental impact on the performance of quantum error correcting schemes designed for uncorrelated errors. We also discuss an alternative scheme that takes advantage of memory effects to protect quantum information.Comment: 5 pages, 1 figure, NIC@QS proceeding

The role of culture in long-term care arrangement decisions

In this paper, we show how and to what extent cultural factors may influence the LTC market and elderly living arrangements. Using a spatial regression discontinuity design, we exploit the within-state variation in language groups in Switzerland to provide evidence about cultural differences in LTC use. We show that elderly people residing in regions speaking a Latin language (French, Italian and Romansh) enter nursing homes in worse health conditions and rely more on home-based care compared to elderly people residing in the neighboring German regions. Differences in the strength of family ties across linguistic groups represent the most reasonable explanation for such differences

Incoherent effects of electron cloud in proton storage rings

Electron clouds in the beam pipe of high-energy proton or positron storage rings can give rise to significant incoherent emittance growth, at densities far below the coherent-instability threshold. We identify two responsible echanisms, namely: (1) a beam particle periodically crosses a resonance and (2) a beam particle periodically crosses a region of the bunch where its motion is linearly unstable. Formation of halo or beam-core blow up, respectively, are the result. Key ingredients for both processes are synchrotron motion and electron-induced tune shift. The mechanisms considered provide a possible explanation for reduced beam lifetime and emittance growth observed at several operating accelerators. Similar phenomena are likely to occur in other two- stream systems

The role of culture in long-term care

The aim of this paper is to assess the role of culture in shaping individual preferences to- wards different long-term care (LTC) arrangements. The analysis uses Swiss data from two administrative databases covering the universe of formal LTC providers between 2007 and 2013. Switzerland is a multi-cultural confederation where state administrative borders do not always coincide with cultural groups. For this reason, we exploit the within-state variation in cultural groups to show evidence about cultural differences in LTC use. In particular, we use spatial regression discontinuity design (RDD) at the language border between French-speaking and German-speaking individuals living in bilingual cantons to provide causal interpretation of the differences in formal LTC use between these two main cultural groups. Our results suggest a strong role of culture in shaping household decisions about formal LTC use. In particular, elderly people residing in regions speaking a Latin language (French, Italian and Romansh) use home-based care services more intensely and enter in nursing homes at older ages and in worse health conditions with respect to elderly people in German regions. This difference across the two cultural groups are driven by different preferences towards LTC arrangement

Resonance Trapping, Halo Formation and Incoherent Emittance Growth due to Electron Cloud

The pinched electron cloud introduces a tune shift along the bunch, which, together with synchrotron motion, leads to a periodic crossing of resonances. The resonances are excited by the longitudinal distribution of the electron cloud around the storage ring. We benchmark the PIC code HEADTAIL against a simplified weak-strong tracking code based on an analytical field model, obtaining an excellent agreement. The simplified code is then used for exploring the long term evolution of the beam emittance, and for studying more realistic lattice models. Results are presented for the CERN SPS and the LHC

Strengthening of Existing Episodic Memories Through Non-invasive Stimulation of Prefrontal Cortex in Older Adults with Subjective Memory Complaints

Episodic memory is critical to daily life functioning. This type of declarative memory declines with age and is the earliest cognitive function to be compromised in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Subjective memory complaints are commonly reported by older adults and have been considered a risk factor for developing AD. The possibilities for prevention of memory disorders in older adults have increased substantially in recent years. Previous studies have shown that anodal transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) applied over the left lateral prefrontal cortex (PFC) after a contextual reminder strengthened existing verbal episodic memories, conceivably through reconsolidation, in elderly people. In this study, we hypothesized that anodal tDCS applied over the left lateral PFC after a contextual reminder would improve delayed memory retrieval relative to placebo (sham) stimulation in elderly individuals with SMC. Twenty-two subjects learned a list of words. Twenty-four hour later, tDCS (anodal or placebo) was applied over the left lateral PFC after a contextual reminder. Memory retrieval was tested 48h and 30 days later. These findings showed that anodal tDCS over the left lateral PFC strengthened existing episodic memories, a behavioral effect documented by improved recognition up to 30 days, relative to placebo stimulation. This study suggests that tDCS after a contextual reminder can induce long-lasting beneficial effects by facilitating the consolidation processes and opens up the possibility to design specific non-invasive interventions aimed at preventing memory decline in this at-risk population

Musei E Intelligenza Artificiale: Un Toolkit di Progettazione

The Museums + AI network engaged with 50 senior museum professionals, and leading academics across the UK and US. Alongside these industry focussed events we were delighted to throw open the doors to the public through a series of events called Curator: Computer: Creator that encouraged diverse voices to join the conversation on what AI might look like for museums in the near future in partnership with the Barbican Centre (London), and Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum (NYC). During these workshops and events, we tested, challenged and refined models of practice, workshop formats, and development tools – this toolkit is one of the results of that work. We hope you will use this toolkit when developing future AI projects in your own museum, and signpost colleagues and peers to it as a free resource to support the development of ethically robust project concepts. The toolkit is designed to start a conversation, it does not provide all the answers, or indeed offer solutions, but instead it serves as a foundation for critical engagement with these technologies and the possibilities and challenges that they offer. The toolkit was first published in English in 2020, in 2022 we were approached by international partners who sought to adopt this work for use in their regions, in response to demand we worked with partners to publish a German and Spanish edition, with new case studies from each of these countries added to provide local context to the framework. In 2024 we published an Italian version of the toolkit. Partners for the international versions of this work are listed in each toolkit. The Responsible AI Development Frameworks included in the toolkit are standalone tools, which are timeless as they relate to development process rather than specific technologies and tools