A Graphic Representation of States for Quantum Copying Machines

The aim of this paper is to introduce a new graphic representation of quantum states by means of a specific application: the analysis of two models of quantum copying machines. The graphic representation by diagrams of states offers a clear and detailed visualization of quantum information's flow during the unitary evolution of not too complex systems. The diagrams of states are exponentially more complex in respect to the standard representation and this clearly illustrates the discrepancy of computational power between quantum and classical systems. After a brief introductive exposure of the general theory, we present a constructive procedure to illustrate the new representation by means of concrete examples. Elementary diagrams of states for single-qubit and two-qubit systems and a simple scheme to represent entangled states are presented. Quantum copying machines as imperfect cloners of quantum states are introduced and the quantum copying machines of Griffiths and Niu and of Buzek and Hillery are analyzed, determining quantum circuits of easier interpretation. The method has indeed shown itself to be extremely successful for the representation of the involved quantum operations and it has allowed to point out the characteristic aspects of the quantum computations examined.Comment: 30 pages, 22 figure

Mainstreaming Grameen banking: How rural banks combine sustainability with outreach to the poor in the Philippines

In many countries, Grameen replication has not fared well in terms of outreach and sustainability. There is no country where the Grameen Bank, reaching two million poor women in groups of five and centers of 30 in Bangladesh, has been truly replicated. In The Philippines, rural banks and NGOs-turned-rural-bank have made Grameen banking a highly profitable product with rapidly expanding outreach to the enterprising poor and ultra-poor, mostly women. How did they do it? --

Three Quantum Algorithms to Solve 3-SAT

We propose three quantum algorithms to solve the 3-SAT NP-complete decision problem. The first algorithm builds, for any instance Á of 3-SAT, a quantum Fredkin circuit that computes a superposition of all classical evaluations of Á in a given output line. Similarly, the second and third algorithms compute the same superposition on a given register of a quantum register machine, and as the energy of a given membrane in a quantum P system, respectively. Assuming that a specific non-unitary operator, built using the well known creation and annihilation operators, can be realized as a quantum gate, as an instruction of the quantum register machine, and as a rule of the quantum P system, respectively, we show how to decide whether Á is a positive instance of 3-SAT. The construction relies also upon the assumption that an external observer is able to distinguish, as the result of a measurement, between a null and a non-null vector

Mainstreaming Grameen banking: How rural banks combine sustainability with outreach to the poor in the Philippines

In many countries, Grameen replication has not fared well in terms of outreach and sustainability. There is no country where the Grameen Bank, reaching two million poor women in groups of five and centers of 30 in Bangladesh, has been truly replicated. In The Philippines, rural banks and NGOs-turned-rural-bank have made Grameen banking a highly profitable product with rapidly expanding outreach to the enterprising poor and ultra-poor, mostly women. How did they do it

Commercialisation de la microfinance: une expérience basée sur le modèle Grameen Bank aux Philippines

Cet article présente un exemple de commercialisation de la microfinance aux Philippines, sous l’égide d’un projet de reproduction de l’approche « Grameen Bank ». Selon l’idée initiale du projet, de modestes prêts devaient être fournis aux foyers les plus pauvres par des ONG et des coopératives. Finalement, ce sont de petites banques privées qui sont devenues les principaux partenaires du projet. Ces banques rurales s’étaient rendu compte que des services financiers pouvaient être octroyés aux foyers pauvres sur des bases commerciales. Elles ont mené par la suite une rapide extension, tout en offrant aux clients pauvres un accès à toute une gamme de produits financiers (prêts, épargne, assurance). Cette incursion des banques n’a pas provoqué de « dérive » vers les clients non-pauvres ; bien au contraire, alors qu’en règle générale les clients des institutions de microfinance bénéficient de prestations de services financiers, les clients des banques ont eu l’avantage de se voir offrir des services additionnels. Les banques ont proposé des coûts unitaires de services financiers plus faibles, mais pas de taux d’intérêt significativement plus bas que les autres IMF impliquées dans le projet. --

Is There a Relationship between Ovarian Epithelial Dysplasia and Infertility?

Aim. Ovarian epithelial dysplasia was initially described in material from prophylactic oophorectomies performed in patients at genetic risk of ovarian cancer. Similar histopathological abnormalities have been revealed after ovulation stimulation. Since infertility is also a risk factor for ovarian neoplasia, the aim of this study was to study the relationship between infertility and ovarian dysplasia. Methods. We blindly reviewed 127 histopathological slides of adnexectomies or ovarian cystectomies according to three groups—an exposed group to ovulation induction (n = 30), an infertile group without stimulation (n = 35), and a spontaneously fertile control group (n = 62)—in order to design an eleven histopathological criteria scoring system. Results. The ovarian dysplasia score was significantly higher in exposed group whereas dysplasia score was low in infertile and control groups (resp., 8.21 in exposed group, 3.69 for infertile patients, and 3.62 for the controls). In the subgroup with refractory infertility there was a trend towards a more severe dysplasia score (8.53 in ovulation induction group and 5.1 in infertile group). Conclusion. These results raise questions as to the responsibility of drugs used to induce ovulation and/or infertility itself in the genesis of ovarian epithelial dysplasia