Learning the noise fingerprint of quantum devices

Noise sources unavoidably affect any quantum technological device. Noise's main features are expected to strictly depend on the physical platform on which the quantum device is realized, in the form of a distinguishable fingerprint. Noise sources are also expected to evolve and change over time. Here, we first identify and then characterize experimentally the noise fingerprint of IBM cloud-available quantum computers, by resorting to machine learning techniques designed to classify noise distributions using time-ordered sequences of measured outcome probabilities.Comment: 20 pages, 3 figures, 5 tables, research articl

Reconstruction of daily pressure maps over Italy during some extreme events of the 19th Century

The quality and availability of daily meteorological data for the reconstruction of atmospheric circulation over Italy in the period between the Italian political Unity (1860) and the development of the Central Office for Meteorology (1879) is studied. Examples of atmospheric circulation reconstructed for some extreme events are presented

Energy fluctuation relations and repeated quantum measurements

In this paper, we discuss the statistical description in non-equilibrium regimes of energy fluctuations originated by the interaction between a quantum system and a measurement apparatus applying a sequence of repeated quantum measurements. To properly quantify the information about energy fluctuations, both the exchanged heat probability density function and the corresponding characteristic function are derived and interpreted. Then, we discuss the conditions allowing for the validity of the fluctuation theorem in Jarzynski form 〈e−βQ〉=1, thus showing that the fluctuation relation is robust against the presence of randomness in the time intervals between measurements. Moreover, also the late-time, asymptotic properties of the heat characteristic function are analyzed, in the thermodynamic limit of many intermediate quantum measurements. In such a limit, the quantum system tends to the maximally mixed state (thus corresponding to a thermal state with infinite temperature) unless the system's Hamiltonian and the intermediate measurement observable share a common invariant subspace. Then, in this context, we also discuss how energy fluctuation relations change when the system operates in the quantum Zeno regime. Finally, the theoretical results are illustrated for the special cases of two- and three-levels quantum systems, now ubiquitous for quantum applications and technologies

Gastric Cancer: The Times they are a-changin’

Gastric cancer is the third leading cause of cancer death worldwide. Even though during these last decades gastric cancer incidence decreased in Western countries, it remains endemic and with a high incidence in Eastern countries. The survival in advanced and metastatic stage of gastric cancer is still very poor. Recently the Cancer Genoma Atlas Research Network identified four subtypes with different molecular profiles to classify gastric cancer in order to offer the optimal targeted therapies for pre-selected patients. Indeed, the key point is still the selection of patients for the right treatment, on basis of molecular tumor characterization. Since chemotherapy reached a plateau of efficacy for gastric cancer, the combination between cytotoxic therapy and biological agents gets a better prognosis and decreases chemotherapeutic toxicity. Currently, Trastuzumab in combination with platinum and fluorouracil is the only approved targeted therapy in the first line for c-erbB2 positive patients, whereas Ramucirumab is the only approved targeted agent for patients with metastatic gastric cancer. New perspectives for an effective treatment derived from the immunotherapeutic strategies. Here, we report an overview on gastric cancer treatments, with particular attention to recent advances in targeted therapies and in immunotherapeutic approach

Multiplicity of homoclinic orbits in quasi-linear autonomous Lagrangian systems

Abstract The existence of at least two homoclinic orbits is proved by A. Ambrosetti and V. Coti Zelati (Multiple homoclinic orbits for a class of conservative systems, Rend. Sem. Mat. Univ. Padova 89, 1993, 177-194) for autonomous Lagrangian systems where V : R m → R is a function of the form with W ∈ C 2 (R m , R) superquadratic, satisfying a "pinching" hypothesis and an hypothesis on its second derivative. The present work deals with potentials of the form W (q,q) that weakly depend onq. In this case an homoclinic orbit corresponds to a classical solution to the equation where Wi = ∂iW for i = 1, 2. 2000 MSC: 37J45, 58E50

Antimicrobial susceptibility of Escherichia coli in bovines from intensive and extensive breeding interpretated by epidemiological cutoff values

Se estudió la “disminución de sensibilidad” o población “non-wild-type” (NWT) a diferentes antimicrobianos en 120 cepas de Escherichia coli, aisladas de materia fecal de bovinos de terminación aparentemente sanos, 60 cepas de bovinos de explotación intensiva (EI) y 60 cepas de bovinos de explotación extensiva (EE). Los antimicrobianos seleccionados son los frecuentemente utilizados en medicina veterinaria y humana. La sensibilidad antimicrobiana fue determinada por el método de concentración inhibitoria mínima (CIM) de dilución en agar. El criterio de interpretación fue establecido en base al punto de corte epidemiológico, epidemiological cutoff (ECOFF), epidemiological cutoff values (ECV) o wild type cutoff values (WCV). Las cepas de Escherichia coli aisladas de EI mostraron “disminución de sensibilidad” a tres familias de antimicrobianos: aminoglucósidos, tetraciclinas y fluorquinolonas, mientras que las cepas aisladas de EE a la familia de quinolonas y fluorquinolonas, coincidiendo con los antimicrobianos más utilizados en la explotación animal. Además se hallaron 16/60 cepas pertenecientes a la población NWT o con “disminución de sensibilidad” a cefotaxima aisladas en animales de EE.“Reduced susceptibility” or “non-wild-type” population (NWT) to different antimicrobial in 120 Escherichia coli strains, isolated from finishing bovines faeces of apparently healthy animals, 60 strains from intensive breeding bovines (EI) and 60 from extensive breeding (EE) bovines were studied. The selected antimicrobials are frequently used in veterinary and human medicine. The minimal inhibitory concentration was determined by agar dilution method. Interpretative criteria on the basis of epidemiological cutoff (ECOFF) epidemiological cutoff values (ECV) or wild type cutoff values (WCV) were established. Escherichia coli strains isolated from EI showed “reduced susceptibility” to three antimicrobial families: aminoglycosides, tetracyclines and fluorquinolones, whereas strains isolated from EE showed “reduced susceptibility” to quinolones and fluorquinolones families, coinciding with the antimicrobials most used in animal farms. In addition, 16/60 strains belonging to NWT population or with “reduced susceptibility” for cefotaxime isolated from EE animals were found.Facultad de Ciencias Veterinaria

Antimicrobial susceptibility of Escherichia coli in bovines from intensive and extensive breeding interpretated by epidemiological cutoff values

Se estudió la “disminución de sensibilidad” o población “non-wild-type” (NWT) a diferentes antimicrobianos en 120 cepas de Escherichia coli, aisladas de materia fecal de bovinos de terminación aparentemente sanos, 60 cepas de bovinos de explotación intensiva (EI) y 60 cepas de bovinos de explotación extensiva (EE). Los antimicrobianos seleccionados son los frecuentemente utilizados en medicina veterinaria y humana. La sensibilidad antimicrobiana fue determinada por el método de concentración inhibitoria mínima (CIM) de dilución en agar. El criterio de interpretación fue establecido en base al punto de corte epidemiológico, epidemiological cutoff (ECOFF), epidemiological cutoff values (ECV) o wild type cutoff values (WCV). Las cepas de Escherichia coli aisladas de EI mostraron “disminución de sensibilidad” a tres familias de antimicrobianos: aminoglucósidos, tetraciclinas y fluorquinolonas, mientras que las cepas aisladas de EE a la familia de quinolonas y fluorquinolonas, coincidiendo con los antimicrobianos más utilizados en la explotación animal. Además se hallaron 16/60 cepas pertenecientes a la población NWT o con “disminución de sensibilidad” a cefotaxima aisladas en animales de EE.“Reduced susceptibility” or “non-wild-type” population (NWT) to different antimicrobial in 120 Escherichia coli strains, isolated from finishing bovines faeces of apparently healthy animals, 60 strains from intensive breeding bovines (EI) and 60 from extensive breeding (EE) bovines were studied. The selected antimicrobials are frequently used in veterinary and human medicine. The minimal inhibitory concentration was determined by agar dilution method. Interpretative criteria on the basis of epidemiological cutoff (ECOFF) epidemiological cutoff values (ECV) or wild type cutoff values (WCV) were established. Escherichia coli strains isolated from EI showed “reduced susceptibility” to three antimicrobial families: aminoglycosides, tetracyclines and fluorquinolones, whereas strains isolated from EE showed “reduced susceptibility” to quinolones and fluorquinolones families, coinciding with the antimicrobials most used in animal farms. In addition, 16/60 strains belonging to NWT population or with “reduced susceptibility” for cefotaxime isolated from EE animals were found.Facultad de Ciencias Veterinaria

Antimicrobial susceptibility of Escherichia coli in bovines from intensive and extensive breeding interpretated by epidemiological cutoff values

Se estudió la “disminución de sensibilidad” o población “non-wild-type” (NWT) a diferentes antimicrobianos en 120 cepas de Escherichia coli, aisladas de materia fecal de bovinos de terminación aparentemente sanos, 60 cepas de bovinos de explotación intensiva (EI) y 60 cepas de bovinos de explotación extensiva (EE). Los antimicrobianos seleccionados son los frecuentemente utilizados en medicina veterinaria y humana. La sensibilidad antimicrobiana fue determinada por el método de concentración inhibitoria mínima (CIM) de dilución en agar. El criterio de interpretación fue establecido en base al punto de corte epidemiológico, epidemiological cutoff (ECOFF), epidemiological cutoff values (ECV) o wild type cutoff values (WCV). Las cepas de Escherichia coli aisladas de EI mostraron “disminución de sensibilidad” a tres familias de antimicrobianos: aminoglucósidos, tetraciclinas y fluorquinolonas, mientras que las cepas aisladas de EE a la familia de quinolonas y fluorquinolonas, coincidiendo con los antimicrobianos más utilizados en la explotación animal. Además se hallaron 16/60 cepas pertenecientes a la población NWT o con “disminución de sensibilidad” a cefotaxima aisladas en animales de EE.“Reduced susceptibility” or “non-wild-type” population (NWT) to different antimicrobial in 120 Escherichia coli strains, isolated from finishing bovines faeces of apparently healthy animals, 60 strains from intensive breeding bovines (EI) and 60 from extensive breeding (EE) bovines were studied. The selected antimicrobials are frequently used in veterinary and human medicine. The minimal inhibitory concentration was determined by agar dilution method. Interpretative criteria on the basis of epidemiological cutoff (ECOFF) epidemiological cutoff values (ECV) or wild type cutoff values (WCV) were established. Escherichia coli strains isolated from EI showed “reduced susceptibility” to three antimicrobial families: aminoglycosides, tetracyclines and fluorquinolones, whereas strains isolated from EE showed “reduced susceptibility” to quinolones and fluorquinolones families, coinciding with the antimicrobials most used in animal farms. In addition, 16/60 strains belonging to NWT population or with “reduced susceptibility” for cefotaxime isolated from EE animals were found.Facultad de Ciencias Veterinaria