219 research outputs found
Dynamical description of quantum computing: generic nonlocality of quantum noise
We develop dynamical non-Markovian description of quantum computing in weak
coupling limit, in lowest order approximation. We show that long range memory
of quantum reservoir produces strong interrelation between structure of noise
and quantum algorithm, implying nonlocal attacks of noise. We then argue that
the quantum error correction method fails to protect quantum computation
against electromagnetic or phonon vacuum which exhibit memory. This
shows that the implicit assumption of quantum error correction theory --
independence of noise and self-dynamics -- fails in long time regimes. We also
use our approach to present {\it pure} decoherence and decoherence accompanied
by dissipation in terms of spectral density of reservoir. The so-called {\it
dynamical decoupling} method is discussed in this context. Finally, we propose
{\it minimal decoherence model}, in which the only source of decoherence is
vacuum. We optimize fidelity of quantum information processing under the
trade-off between speed of gate and strength of decoherence.Comment: 12 pages, minor corrections, softened interpretation of the result
FMRI resting slow fluctuations correlate with the activity of fast cortico-cortical physiological connections
Recording of slow spontaneous fluctuations at rest using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) allows distinct long-range cortical networks to be identified. The neuronal basis of connectivity as assessed by resting-state fMRI still needs to be fully clarified, considering that these signals are an indirect measure of neuronal activity, reflecting slow local variations in de-oxyhaemoglobin concentration. Here, we combined fMRI with multifocal transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), a technique that allows the investigation of the causal neurophysiological interactions occurring in specific cortico-cortical connections. We investigated whether the physiological properties of parieto-frontal circuits mapped with short-latency multifocal TMS at rest may have some relationship with the resting-state fMRI measures of specific resting-state functional networks (RSNs). Results showed that the activity of fast cortico-cortical physiological interactions occurring in the millisecond range correlated selectively with the coupling of fMRI slow oscillations within the same cortical areas that form part of the dorsal attention network, i.e., the attention system believed to be involved in reorientation of attention. We conclude that resting-state fMRI ongoing slow fluctuations likely reflect the interaction of underlying physiological cortico-cortical connections
Analytical shear and flexion of Einasto dark matter haloes
N-body simulations predict that dark matter haloes are described by specific
density profiles on both galactic- and cluster-sized scales. Weak gravitational
lensing through the measurements of their first and second order properties,
shear and flexion, is a powerful observational tool for investigating the true
shape of these profiles. One of the three-parameter density profiles recently
favoured in the description of dark matter haloes is the Einasto profile. We
present exact expressions for the shear and the first and second flexions of
Einasto dark matter haloes derived using a Mellin-transform formalism in terms
of the Fox H and Meijer G functions, that are valid for general values of the
Einasto index. The resulting expressions can be written as series expansions
that permit us to investigate the asymptotic behaviour of these quantities.
Moreover, we compare the shear and flexion of the Einasto profile with those of
different mass profiles including the singular isothermal sphere, the
Navarro-Frenk-White profile, and the S\'ersic profile. We investigate the
concentration and index dependences of the Einasto profile, finding that the
shear and second flexion could be used to determine the halo concentration,
whilst for the Einasto index the shear and first and second flexions may be
employed. We also provide simplified expressions for the weak lensing
properties and other lensing quantities in terms of the generalized
hypergeometric function.Comment: 14 pages, 3 figures. Accepted for publication in Astronomy and
Astrophysic
Signals for a Transition from Surface to Bulk Emission in Thermal Multifragmentation
Excitation-energy-gated two-fragment correlation functions have been studied
between 2 to 9A MeV of excitation energy for equilibrium-like sources formed in
and p + Au reactions at beam momenta of 8,9.2 and 10.2 GeV/c.
Comparison of the data to an N-body Coulomb-trajectory code shows a decrease of
one order of magnitude in the fragment emission time in the excitation energy
interval 2-5A MeV, followed by a nearly constant breakup time at higher
excitation energy. The observed decrease in emission time is shown to be
strongly correlated with the increase of the fragment emission probability, and
the onset of thermally-induced radial expansion. This result is interpreted as
evidence consistent with a transition from surface-dominated to bulk emission
expected for spinodal decomposition.Comment: 11 pages including 3 postscript figures (1 color
Multifragmentation of a very heavy nuclear system (I): Selection of single-source events
A sample of `single-source' events, compatible with the multifragmentation of
very heavy fused systems, are isolated among well-measured 155Gd+natU 36AMeV
reactions by examining the evolution of the kinematics of fragments with Z>=5
as a function of the dissipated energy and loss of memory of the entrance
channel. Single-source events are found to be the result of very central
collisions. Such central collisions may also lead to multiple fragment emission
due to the decay of excited projectile- and target-like nuclei and so-called
`neck' emission, and for this reason the isolation of single-source events is
very difficult. Event-selection criteria based on centrality of collisions, or
on the isotropy of the emitted fragments in each event, are found to be
inefficient to separate the two mechanisms, unless they take into account the
redistribution of fragments' kinetic energies into directions perpendicular to
the beam axis. The selected events are good candidates to look for bulk effects
in the multifragmentation process.Comment: 39 pages including 15 figures; submitted to Nucl. Phys.
Decentralized Sensor Fusion for Ubiquitous Networking Robotics in Urban Areas
In this article we explain the architecture for the environment and sensors that has been built for the European project URUS (Ubiquitous Networking Robotics in Urban Sites), a project whose objective is to develop an adaptable network robot architecture for cooperation between network robots and human beings and/or the environment in urban areas. The project goal is to deploy a team of robots in an urban area to give a set of services to a user community. This paper addresses the sensor architecture devised for URUS and the type of robots and sensors used, including environment sensors and sensors onboard the robots. Furthermore, we also explain how sensor fusion takes place to achieve urban outdoor execution of robotic services. Finally some results of the project related to the sensor network are highlighted
Detection of severe obstructive sleep apnea through voice analysis
tThis paper deals with the potential and limitations of using voice and speech processing to detect Obstruc-tive Sleep Apnea (OSA). An extensive body of voice features has been extracted from patients whopresent various degrees of OSA as well as healthy controls. We analyse the utility of a reduced set offeatures for detecting OSA. We apply various feature selection and reduction schemes (statistical rank-ing, Genetic Algorithms, PCA, LDA) and compare various classifiers (Bayesian Classifiers, kNN, SupportVector Machines, neural networks, Adaboost). S-fold crossvalidation performed on 248 subjects showsthat in the extreme cases (that is, 127 controls and 121 patients with severe OSA) voice alone is able todiscriminate quite well between the presence and absence of OSA. However, this is not the case withmild OSA and healthy snoring patients where voice seems to play a secondary role. We found that thebest classification schemes are achieved using a Genetic Algorithm for feature selection/reduction
Liquid-gas phase transition in nuclear multifragmentation
The equation of state of nuclear matter suggests that at suitable beam
energies the disassembling hot system formed in heavy ion collisions will pass
through a liquid-gas coexistence region. Searching for the signatures of the
phase transition has been a very important focal point of experimental
endeavours in heavy ion collisions, in the last fifteen years. Simultaneously
theoretical models have been developed to provide information about the
equation of state and reaction mechanisms consistent with the experimental
observables. This article is a review of this endeavour.Comment: 63 pages, 27 figures, submitted to Adv. Nucl. Phys. Some typos
corrected, minor text change
Decoherence, einselection, and the quantum origins of the classical
Decoherence is caused by the interaction with the environment. Environment
monitors certain observables of the system, destroying interference between the
pointer states corresponding to their eigenvalues. This leads to
environment-induced superselection or einselection, a quantum process
associated with selective loss of information. Einselected pointer states are
stable. They can retain correlations with the rest of the Universe in spite of
the environment. Einselection enforces classicality by imposing an effective
ban on the vast majority of the Hilbert space, eliminating especially the
flagrantly non-local "Schr\"odinger cat" states. Classical structure of phase
space emerges from the quantum Hilbert space in the appropriate macroscopic
limit: Combination of einselection with dynamics leads to the idealizations of
a point and of a classical trajectory. In measurements, einselection replaces
quantum entanglement between the apparatus and the measured system with the
classical correlation.Comment: Final version of the review, with brutally compressed figures. Apart
from the changes introduced in the editorial process the text is identical
with that in the Rev. Mod. Phys. July issue. Also available from
http://www.vjquantuminfo.or
Comparative Study of Tumor Targeting and Biodistribution of pH (Low) Insertion Peptides (pHLIPÂź Peptides) Conjugated with Different Fluorescent Dyes
Purpose
Acidification of extracellular space promotes tumor development, progression, and invasiveness. pH (low) insertion peptides (pHLIPÂź peptides) belong to the class of pH-sensitive membrane peptides, which target acidic tumors and deliver imaging and/or therapeutic agents to cancer cells within tumors. Procedures
Ex vivo fluorescent imaging of tissue and organs collected at various time points after administration of different pHLIPÂź variants conjugated with fluorescent dyes of various polarity was performed. Methods of multivariate statistical analyses were employed to establish classification between fluorescently labeled pHLIPÂź variants in multidimensional space of spectral parameters.
Results
The fluorescently labeled pHLIPÂź variants were classified based on their biodistribution profile and ability of targeting of primary tumors. Also, submillimeter-sized metastatic lesions in lungs were identified by ex vivo imaging after intravenous administration of fluorescent pHLIPÂź peptide.
Conclusions
Different cargo molecules conjugated with pHLIPÂź peptides can alter biodistribution and tumor targeting. The obtained knowledge is essential for the design of novel pHLIPÂź-based diagnostic and therapeutic agents targeting primary tumors and metastatic lesions
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