Device-independent bounds for Hardy's experiment

In this Letter we compute an analogue of Tsirelson's bound for Hardy's test of nonlocality, that is, the maximum violation of locality constraints allowed by the quantum formalism, irrespective of the dimension of the system. The value is found to be the same as the one achievable already with two-qubit systems, and we show that only a very specific class of states can lead to such maximal value, thus highlighting Hardy's test as a device-independent self-test protocol for such states. By considering realistic constraints in Hardy's test, we also compute device-independent upper bounds on this violation and show that these bounds are saturated by two-qubit systems, thus showing that there is no advantage in using higher-dimensional systems in experimental implementations of such test.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figure

Intelligent Control of a Robotic Arm Using Hierarchical Neural Network Systems

Two artificial neural network systems are considered in a hierarchical fashion to plan the trajectory and control of a robotic arm. At the higher level of the hierarchy the neural system consists of four networks: a restricted Coulomb energy network to delineate the robot arm workspace; two standard backpropagation (BP) networks for coordinates transformation; and a fourth network which also uses BP and participates in the trajectory planning by cooperating with other knowledge sources. The control emulation process which is developed using a second neural system at a lower hierarchical level provides the correct sequence of control actions. An example is presented to illustrate the capabilities of the developed architectures

Hierarchical Neurocontroller Architecture for Robotic Manipulation

A hierarchical neurocontroller architecture consisting of two artificial neural network systems for the manipulation of a robotic arm is presented. The higher-level network system participates in the delineation of the robot arm workspace and coordinates transformation and the motion decision-making process. The lower-level network provides the correct sequence of control actions. A straightforward example illustrates the architecture\u27\u27s capabilities, including speed, adaptability, and computational efficienc

See Something, Do Something: Predicting Sexual Assault Bystander Intentions in the U.S. Military

Sexual assault is a pervasive problem in the U.S. military, especially against women. Bystander intervention is increasingly promoted as important for reducing sexual violence, and it may be particularly helpful in contexts with high rates of sexual violence. Bystander training encourages and enables people to intervene safely and stop sexual violence. In this study, we drew from an ecological model to investigate intrapersonal, microsystem, and exosystem factors that predicted Service members’ assumption of personal responsibility to intervene in an alcohol‐involved sexual assault. Moreover, we examined how these predictors played a role in decisions about how to intervene: confronting the perpetrator, assisting the victim, or finding someone to help. We analyzed data from 24,610 active duty personnel collected by the Department of Defense. Several factors significantly related to Service members’ bystander intentions: gender, rank, morale, attitudes about sexual assault, training, and trust in the military sexual assault system predicted the likelihood and method of bystander intervention. These findings help identify how and why people intervene (or fail to intervene) when they witness situations that could develop into sexual violence.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/134152/1/ajcp12077_am.pdfhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/134152/2/ajcp12077.pd

Survey About the Use of Bacterial Inoculants in Brazil: Effects on Silage Quality and Animal Performance

Our objective was to report the effect of bacterial inoculants on silage quality and animal responses in Brazil. A survey of bacterial inoculants utilization in Brazil was made based on a total of 178 published articles assessing a widely varied crops (alfalfa, cabbage, cassava, corn, grass, high-moisture corn (HMC), high-moisture sorghum, millet, oat, orange bagasse, peanut forage, sorghum, soybean, stylosantes Campo Grande, sugarcane, and sunflower). Sugarcane and grass silages comprised 58.1% of the total crops investigated. Homolactic inoculation reduced dry matter (DM) losses in alfalfa silages, but not in corn, grass, HMC, and sorghum silages. Heterolactic inoculation enhanced the aerobic stability of corn and HMC silages. The use of heterofermentative lactic acid-bacteria (LAB) was more effective to improve fermentation of sugarcane silages compared to homofermentative LAB. Inoculation impaired the DM intake in cattle fed corn, grass, and sugarcane silages, but DM intake increased in sheep due to inoculation. In some cases, silage digestibility was affected by inoculation. Positive responses to inoculation occurred most often when the compatibility between the bacterial inoculant and crop was better understood (e.g., homolactic inoculation for grass silage and heterolactic inoculation for sugarcane silage). The performance of animals consuming inoculated silages has been investigated in Brazil only a few times, but the data suggest a greater impact of bacterial inoculants on DM intake and weight gain in cattle and sheep than that indicated in temperate conditions

Sexual Assault Training in the Military: Evaluating Efforts to End the “Invisible War”

Sexual assault is an insidious problem in the United States military. In 2005 the Department of Defense (DoD) created the Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Office, which centralizes responsibility for sexual assault training. However, this training initiative has undergone little evaluation by outside researchers. Addressing this need, we analyzed responses from over 24,000 active duty personnel who completed the 2010 DoD Workplace and Gender Relations Survey. We assessed whether sexual assault training exposure (None, Minimal, Partial, or Comprehensive) predicted accurate knowledge of sexual assault resources and protocols. Using a social‐ecological framework, we investigated whether institutional and individual factors influenced Service members’ training exposure and judgment of training effectiveness. According to our results, exposure to comprehensive training predicted lower sexual assault incidence and superior knowledge. However, comprehensive training differed as a function of military branch, rank, gender, and sexual assault history. Judgments of training effectiveness also varied across these dimensions. Our results highlight the importance of considering context, gender, and victimization history when evaluating institutional efforts to end sexual violence. The DoD’s 2010 annual report on military sexual assault concluded that “most Active Duty members receive effective training on sexual assault” (p. 104). Our results cast doubt on that assertion.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/117230/1/ajcp9672.pd