155 research outputs found
A short impossibility proof of Quantum Bit Commitment
Bit commitment protocols, whose security is based on the laws of quantum
mechanics alone, are generally held to be impossible on the basis of a
concealment-bindingness tradeoff. A strengthened and explicit impossibility
proof has been given in: G. M. D'Ariano, D. Kretschmann, D. Schlingemann, and
R. F. Werner, Phys. Rev. A 76, 032328 (2007), in the Heisenberg picture and in
a C*-algebraic framework, considering all conceivable protocols in which both
classical and quantum information are exchanged. In the present paper we
provide a new impossibility proof in the Schrodinger picture, greatly
simplifying the classification of protocols and strategies using the
mathematical formulation in terms of quantum combs, with each single-party
strategy represented by a conditional comb. We prove that assuming a stronger
notion of concealment--worst-case over the classical information
histories--allows Alice's cheat to pass also the worst-case Bob's test. The
present approach allows us to restate the concealment-bindingness tradeoff in
terms of the continuity of dilations of probabilistic quantum combs with
respect to the comb-discriminability distance.Comment: 15 pages, revtex
Structured Error Recovery for Codeword-Stabilized Quantum Codes
Codeword stabilized (CWS) codes are, in general, non-additive quantum codes
that can correct errors by an exhaustive search of different error patterns,
similar to the way that we decode classical non-linear codes. For an n-qubit
quantum code correcting errors on up to t qubits, this brute-force approach
consecutively tests different errors of weight t or less, and employs a
separate n-qubit measurement in each test. In this paper, we suggest an error
grouping technique that allows to simultaneously test large groups of errors in
a single measurement. This structured error recovery technique exponentially
reduces the number of measurements by about 3^t times. While it still leaves
exponentially many measurements for a generic CWS code, the technique is
equivalent to syndrome-based recovery for the special case of additive CWS
codes.Comment: 13 pages, 9 eps figure
Entanglement, Haag-duality and type properties of infinite quantum spin chains
We consider an infinite spin chain as a bipartite system consisting of the
left and right half-chain and analyze entanglement properties of pure states
with respect to this splitting. In this context we show that the amount of
entanglement contained in a given state is deeply related to the von Neumann
type of the observable algebras associated to the half-chains. Only the type I
case belongs to the usual entanglement theory which deals with density
operators on tensor product Hilbert spaces, and only in this situation
separable normal states exist. In all other cases the corresponding state is
infinitely entangled in the sense that one copy of the system in such a state
is sufficient to distill an infinite amount of maximally entangled qubit pairs.
We apply this results to the critical XY model and show that its unique ground
state provides a particular example for this type of entanglement.Comment: LaTeX2e, 34 pages, 1 figure (pstricks
Low-complexity quantum codes designed via codeword-stabilized framework
We consider design of the quantum stabilizer codes via a two-step,
low-complexity approach based on the framework of codeword-stabilized (CWS)
codes. In this framework, each quantum CWS code can be specified by a graph and
a binary code. For codes that can be obtained from a given graph, we give
several upper bounds on the distance of a generic (additive or non-additive)
CWS code, and the lower Gilbert-Varshamov bound for the existence of additive
CWS codes. We also consider additive cyclic CWS codes and show that these codes
correspond to a previously unexplored class of single-generator cyclic
stabilizer codes. We present several families of simple stabilizer codes with
relatively good parameters.Comment: 12 pages, 3 figures, 1 tabl
Index theory of one dimensional quantum walks and cellular automata
If a one-dimensional quantum lattice system is subject to one step of a
reversible discrete-time dynamics, it is intuitive that as much "quantum
information" as moves into any given block of cells from the left, has to exit
that block to the right. For two types of such systems - namely quantum walks
and cellular automata - we make this intuition precise by defining an index, a
quantity that measures the "net flow of quantum information" through the
system. The index supplies a complete characterization of two properties of the
discrete dynamics. First, two systems S_1, S_2 can be pieced together, in the
sense that there is a system S which locally acts like S_1 in one region and
like S_2 in some other region, if and only if S_1 and S_2 have the same index.
Second, the index labels connected components of such systems: equality of the
index is necessary and sufficient for the existence of a continuous deformation
of S_1 into S_2. In the case of quantum walks, the index is integer-valued,
whereas for cellular automata, it takes values in the group of positive
rationals. In both cases, the map S -> ind S is a group homomorphism if
composition of the discrete dynamics is taken as the group law of the quantum
systems. Systems with trivial index are precisely those which can be realized
by partitioned unitaries, and the prototypes of systems with non-trivial index
are shifts.Comment: 38 pages. v2: added examples, terminology clarifie
Optical generation of matter qubit graph states
We present a scheme for rapidly entangling matter qubits in order to create
graph states for one-way quantum computing. The qubits can be simple 3-level
systems in separate cavities. Coupling involves only local fields and a static
(unswitched) linear optics network. Fusion of graph state sections occurs with,
in principle, zero probability of damaging the nascent graph state. We avoid
the finite thresholds of other schemes by operating on two entangled pairs, so
that each generates exactly one photon. We do not require the relatively slow
single qubit local flips to be applied during the growth phase: growth of the
graph state can then become a purely optical process. The scheme naturally
generates graph states with vertices of high degree and so is easily able to
construct minimal graph states, with consequent resource savings. The most
efficient approach will be to create new graph state edges even as qubits
elsewhere are measured, in a `just in time' approach. An error analysis
indicates that the scheme is relatively robust against imperfections in the
apparatus.Comment: 10 pages in 2 column format, includes 4 figures. Problems with
figures resolve
Dynamics and manipulation of entanglement in coupled harmonic systems with many degrees of freedom
Published versio
The actin-myosin regulatory MRCK kinases: regulation, biological functions and associations with human cancer
The contractile actin-myosin cytoskeleton provides much of the force required for numerous cellular activities such as motility, adhesion, cytokinesis and changes in morphology. Key elements that respond to various signal pathways are the myosin II regulatory light chains (MLC), which participate in actin-myosin contraction by modulating the ATPase activity and consequent contractile force generation mediated by myosin heavy chain heads. Considerable effort has focussed on the role of MLC kinases, and yet the contributions of the myotonic dystrophy-related Cdc42-binding kinases (MRCK) proteins in MLC phosphorylation and cytoskeleton regulation have not been well characterized. In contrast to the closely related ROCK1 and ROCK2 kinases that are regulated by the RhoA and RhoC GTPases, there is relatively little information about the CDC42-regulated MRCKα, MRCKβ and MRCKγ members of the AGC (PKA, PKG and PKC) kinase family. As well as differences in upstream activation pathways, MRCK and ROCK kinases apparently differ in the way that they spatially regulate MLC phosphorylation, which ultimately affects their influence on the organization and dynamics of the actin-myosin cytoskeleton. In this review, we will summarize the MRCK protein structures, expression patterns, small molecule inhibitors, biological functions and associations with human diseases such as cancer
Structure-Function Correlation of the Human Central Retina
The impact of retinal pathology detected by high-resolution imaging on vision remains largely unexplored. Therefore, the aim of the study was to achieve high-resolution structure-function correlation of the human macula in vivo.To obtain high-resolution tomographic and topographic images of the macula spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) and confocal scanning laser ophthalmoscopy (cSLO), respectively, were used. Functional mapping of the macula was obtained by using fundus-controlled microperimetry. Custom software allowed for co-registration of the fundus mapped microperimetry coordinates with both SD-OCT and cSLO datasets. The method was applied in a cross-sectional observational study of retinal diseases and in a clinical trial investigating the effectiveness of intravitreal ranibizumab in macular telangietasia type 2. There was a significant relationship between outer retinal thickness and retinal sensitivity (p<0.001) and neurodegeneration leaving less than about 50 µm of parafoveal outer retinal thickness completely abolished light sensitivity. In contrast, functional preservation was found if neurodegeneration spared the photoreceptors, but caused quite extensive disruption of the inner retina. Longitudinal data revealed that small lesions affecting the photoreceptor layer typically precede functional detection but later cause severe loss of light sensitivity. Ranibizumab was shown to be ineffective to prevent such functional loss in macular telangietasia type 2.Since there is a general need for efficient monitoring of the effectiveness of therapy in neurodegenerative diseases of the retina and since SD-OCT imaging is becoming more widely available, surrogate endpoints derived from such structure-function correlation may become highly relevant in future clinical trials
The Angio-Fibrotic Switch of VEGF and CTGF in Proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy
BACKGROUND: In proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) cause blindness by neovascularization and subsequent fibrosis, but their relative contribution to both processes is unknown. We hypothesize that the balance between levels of pro-angiogenic VEGF and pro-fibrotic CTGF regulates angiogenesis, the angio-fibrotic switch, and the resulting fibrosis and scarring. METHODS/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: VEGF and CTGF were measured by ELISA in 68 vitreous samples of patients with proliferative DR (PDR, N = 32), macular hole (N = 13) or macular pucker (N = 23) and were related to clinical data, including degree of intra-ocular neovascularization and fibrosis. In addition, clinical cases of PDR (n = 4) were studied before and after pan-retinal photocoagulation and intra-vitreal injections with bevacizumab, an antibody against VEGF. Neovascularization and fibrosis in various degrees occurred almost exclusively in PDR patients. In PDR patients, vitreous CTGF levels were significantly associated with degree of fibrosis and with VEGF levels, but not with neovascularization, whereas VEGF levels were associated only with neovascularization. The ratio of CTGF and VEGF was the strongest predictor of degree of fibrosis. As predicted by these findings, patients with PDR demonstrated a temporary increase in intra-ocular fibrosis after anti-VEGF treatment or laser treatment. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: CTGF is primarily a pro-fibrotic factor in the eye, and a shift in the balance between CTGF and VEGF is associated with the switch from angiogenesis to fibrosis in proliferative retinopathy
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