Symmetric construction of reference-frame-free qudits

By exploiting a symmetric scheme for coupling $N$ spin-1/2 constituents (the physical qubits) to states with total angular momentum $N/2-1$, we construct rotationally invariant logical qudits of dimension $d=N-1$. One can encode all qudit states, and realize all qudit measurements, by this construction. The rotational invariance of all relevant objects enables one to transmit quantum information without having aligned reference frames between the parties that exchange the qudits. We illustrate the method by explicit constructions of reference-frame-free qubits and qutrits and, for the qubit case, comment on possible experimental implementations.Comment: 5 pages, typos correcte

Antitubercular drugs for an old target: GSK693 as a promising InhA direct inhibitor

AbstractDespite being one of the first antitubercular agents identified, isoniazid (INH) is still the most prescribed drug for prophylaxis and tuberculosis (TB) treatment and, together with rifampicin, the pillars of current chemotherapy. A high percentage of isoniazid resistance is linked to mutations in the pro-drug activating enzyme KatG, so the discovery of direct inhibitors (DI) of the enoyl-ACP reductase (InhA) has been pursued by many groups leading to the identification of different enzyme inhibitors, active against Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), but with poor physicochemical properties to be considered as preclinical candidates. Here, we present a series of InhA DI active against multidrug (MDR) and extensively (XDR) drug-resistant clinical isolates as well as in TB murine models when orally dosed that can be a promising foundation for a future treatment

La Relación Entre la Motivación Docente y Variables de la Organización: Revisión de la Literatura

Abstract Teacher motivation plays a central role in education because ofitsimpacton student motivation. Previous reviews of teacher motivation have focused on individual variables and psychopathology indicators. However, it is also important to understand the effect of organizational variableson teacher motivationbecause these highlightthe contextthat the teacher is a part of(i.e.,the school). The literature review in this paper analysed studies related to teacher motivation and a pre-defined group of organizational variablesthat werepublished between 1990 and 2014 in several electronic databases.The study found that organizational culture was the most studied variable associated with teacher motivationand most studies in this area were published between 2010 and 2014.Further,there was a prevalence of quantitative studies. This paper concludes with the theoreticaland practical implications of the results,as well assuggestions for future research directions

Stability mechanisms of a thermophilic laccase probed by molecular dynamics.

Laccases are highly stable, industrially important enzymes capable of oxidizing a large range of substrates. Causes for their stability are, as for other proteins, poorly understood. In this work, multiple-seed molecular dynamics (MD) was applied to a Trametes versicolor laccase in response to variable ionic strengths, temperatures, and glycosylation status. Near-physiological conditions provided excellent agreement with the crystal structure (average RMSD ∼0.92 Å) and residual agreement with experimental B-factors. The persistence of backbone hydrogen bonds was identified as a key descriptor of structural response to environment, whereas solvent-accessibility, radius of gyration, and fluctuations were only locally relevant. Backbone hydrogen bonds decreased systematically with temperature in all simulations (∼9 per 50 K), probing structural changes associated with enthalpy-entropy compensation. Approaching T opt (∼350 K) from 300 K, this change correlated with a beginning "unzipping" of critical β-sheets. 0 M ionic strength triggered partial denucleation of the C-terminal (known experimentally to be sensitive) at 400 K, suggesting a general salt stabilization effect. In contrast, F(-) (but not Cl(-)) specifically impaired secondary structure by formation of strong hydrogen bonds with backbone NH, providing a mechanism for experimentally observed small anion destabilization, potentially remedied by site-directed mutagenesis at critical intrusion sites. N-glycosylation was found to support structural integrity by increasing persistent backbone hydrogen bonds by ∼4 across simulations, mainly via prevention of F(-) intrusion. Hydrogen-bond loss in distinct loop regions and ends of critical β-sheets suggest potential strategies for laboratory optimization of these industrially important enzymes

Plant extract-mediated synthesis and characterization of manganese (II, III) oxide nanoparticles from watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) rinds extract for potential theranostic applications

Green synthesis of Mn3O4 nanoparticles for theranostic applications was performed utilizing the plant extract of watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) rinds as a reducing and stabilizing agent. The optical, chemical, structural, and morphological properties of the synthesized Mn3O4 nanoparticles were characterized. UV-Visible absorption of the nanoparticles at 196 nm is associated with the surface plasmon resonance of Mn3O4 nanoparticles. FTIR spectra presented the key chemical functional groups associated with the Mn-O vibrations and phytoconstituents of the C. lanatus rinds extract. XRD analysis revealed the single-phase hausmannite crystalline structure of the Mn3O4 nanoparticles with an average crystallite size of 35.2 nm. SEM and TEM images of the synthesized Mn3O4 nanoparticles showed a morphology of quasi-spherical shapes and a core size of 52.90 ± 8.19 nm and 35.89 ± 0.83 nm respectively. EDS analysis confirmed that the synthesized nanoparticles are mainly composed of Mn, O, and C. The nanoparticles were investigated through DLS and were found to be stable with time and physiological pH conditions. Furthermore, the synthesized Mn3O4 nanoparticles were tested for their antioxidant and relaxivity capabilities as a theranostic agent. The radical scavenging activity through the DPPH assay revealed that the nanoparticles possessed profound antioxidant therapeutic capabilities obtaining an IC50 value of 20.62 ± 0.69 ppm. Relaxivity measurements through NMR revealed the T1 and T2 relaxivity values of the Mn3O4 nanoparticles, which were found to be 5.34 ± 0.11 mM-1s-1 and 63.47 ± 0.60 mM-1s-1 respectively, that demonstrates its capability as a contrast agent for diagnostic imaging. Overall, the results suggest that the green synthesized Mn3O4 nanoparticles have the potential to be a theranostic agent for MRI applications

Quantitative and Qualitative Research: Beyond the Debate

Psychology has been a highly quantitative field since its conception as a science. However, a qualitative approach to psychological research has gained increasing importance in the last decades, and an enduring debate between quantitative and qualitative approaches has arisen. The recently developed Mixed Methods Research (MMR) addresses this debate by aiming to integrate quantitative and qualitative approaches. This article outlines and discusses quantitative, qualitative and mixed methods research approaches with specific reference to their (1) philosophical foundations (i.e. basic sets of beliefs that ground inquiry), (2) methodological assumptions (i.e. principles and formal conditions which guide scientific investigation), and (3) research methods (i.e. concrete procedures for data collection, analysis and interpretation). We conclude that MMR may reasonably overcome the limitation of purely quantitative and purely qualitative approaches at each of these levels, providing a fruitful context for a more comprehensive psychological research