Parallel Quantum Computing Emulation

Quantum computers provide a fundamentally new computing paradigm that promises to revolutionize our ability to solve broad classes of problems. Surprisingly, the basic mathematical structures of gate-based quantum computing, such as unitary operations on a finite-dimensional Hilbert space, are not unique to quantum systems but may be found in certain classical systems as well. Previously, it has been shown that one can represent an arbitrary multi-qubit quantum state in terms of classical analog signals using nested quadrature amplitude modulated signals. Furthermore, using digitally controlled analog electronics one may manipulate these signals to perform quantum gate operations and thereby execute quantum algorithms. The computational capacity of a single signal is, however, limited by the required bandwidth, which scales exponentially with the number of qubits when represented using frequency-based encoding. To overcome this limitation, we introduce a method to extend this approach to multiple parallel signals. Doing so allows a larger quantum state to be emulated with the same gate time required for processing frequency-encoded signals. In the proposed representation, each doubling of the number of signals corresponds to an additional qubit in the spatial domain. Single quit gate operations are similarly extended so as to operate on qubits represented using either frequency-based or spatial encoding schemes. Furthermore, we describe a method to perform gate operations between pairs of qubits represented using frequency or spatial encoding or between frequency-based and spatially encoded qubits. Finally, we describe how this approach may be extended to represent qubits in the time domain as well.Comment: 9 pages, 4 figures, 2018 IEEE International Conference on Rebooting Computing (ICRC

Postgraduate Symposium Positive influence of nutritional alkalinity on bone health: Conference on ‘Over- and undernutrition: challenges and approaches'

There is growing evidence that consumption of a Western diet is a risk factor for osteoporosis through excess acid supply, while fruits and vegetables balance the excess acidity, mostly by providing K-rich bicarbonate-rich foods. Western diets consumed by adults generate approximately 50-100 mEq acid/d; therefore, healthy adults consuming such a diet are at risk of chronic low-grade metabolic acidosis, which worsens with age as a result of declining kidney function. Bone buffers the excess acid by delivering cations and it is considered that with time an overstimulation of this process will lead to the dissolution of the bone mineral content and hence to reduced bone mass. Intakes of K, Mg and fruit and vegetables have been associated with a higher alkaline status and a subsequent beneficial effect on bone health. In healthy male volunteers an acid-forming diet increases urinary Ca excretion by 74% and urinary C-terminal telopeptide of type I collagen (C-telopeptide) excretion by 19% when compared with an alkali (base-forming) diet. Cross-sectional studies have shown that there is a correlation between the nutritional acid load and bone health measured by bone ultrasound or dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Few studies have been undertaken in very elderly women (>75 years), whose osteoporosis risk is very pertinent. The EVAluation of Nutrients Intakes and Bone Ultra Sound Study has developed and validated (n 51) an FFQ for use in a very elderly Swiss population (mean age 80·4 (sd 2·99) years), which has shown intakes of key nutrients (energy, fat, carbohydrate, Ca, Mg, vitamin C, D and E) to be low in 401 subjects. A subsequent study to assess net endogenous acid production (NEAP) and bone ultrasound results in 256 women aged ≥75 years has shown that lower NEAP (P=0·023) and higher K intake (P=0·033) are correlated with higher bone ultrasound results. High acid load may be an important additional risk factor that may be particularly relevant in very elderly patients with an already-high fracture risk. The latter study adds to knowledge by confirming a positive link between dietary alkalinity and bone health indices in the very elderly. In a further study to complement these findings it has also been shown in a group of thirty young women that in Ca sufficiency an acid Ca-rich water has no effect on bone resorption, while an alkaline bicarbonate-rich water leads to a decrease in both serum parathyroid hormone and serum C-telopeptide. Further investigations need to be undertaken to study whether these positive effects on bone loss are maintained over long-term treatment. Mineral-water consumption could be an easy and inexpensive way of helping to prevent osteoporosis and could be of major interest for long-term prevention of bone los

Predicting postoperative day 1 hematocrit levels after uncomplicated hysterectomy

ObjectiveTo develop a model for predicting postoperative hematocrit levels after uncomplicated hysterectomy.MethodsIn a retrospective study, data were analyzed from the Michigan Surgery Quality Collaborative for non‐emergent hysterectomies performed for benign indications among women aged at least 18 years between January 1, 2012, and April 4, 2014. Linear mixed models were used for univariate and multivariate analyses.ResultsThe model was developed with data from 4747 hysterectomies and validated on 1184 cases. In the mixed multivariate analysis, higher postoperative day 1 (POD1) hematocrit levels were associated with higher weight (B = 0.03222, P < 0.001), higher preoperative hematocrit (B = 0.6587, P < 0.001), and non‐vaginal hysterectomy (B = 0.2815, P = 0.0055). Lower POD1 hematocrit was associated with higher preoperative platelet count (B = − 0.00457, P < 0.001), greater estimated blood loss (B = − 0.00652, P < 0.001), and larger intraoperative crystalloid volume (B = − 0.3303, P < 0.001). The final model predicted POD1 hematocrit within 4% points of the actual value for 91.7% of cases in the validation set.ConclusionUse of the model after uncomplicated hysterectomy might help to support the practice of selectively conducting postoperative hematocrit tests after hysterectomy in a clinically thoughtful and cost‐effective manner.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/135182/1/ijgo19.pd

Vitamin D status and associated genetic polymorphisms in a cohort of UK children with non -alcoholic fatty liver disease

Background: Vitamin D deficiency has been associated with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). However, the role of polymorphisms determining vitamin D status remains unknown. Objectives: To determine in UK children with biopsy-proven NAFLD: (i) vitamin D status throughout a 12-month period; (ii) interactions between key vitamin D-related genetic variants (NADSYN1/DHCR7, VDR, GC, CYP2R1) and disease severity. Methods: In 103 pediatric patients with NAFLD, serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD) levels and genotypes were determined contemporaneously to liver biopsy and examined in relation to NAFLD activity score and fibrosis stage. Results: Only 19.2% of children had adequate vitamin D status; most had mean 25OHD levels considered deficient (<25nmol/l, 25.5%) or insufficient (<50nmol/l, 55.3%). Patients had significantly lower 25OHD levels in winter months (95%CI: 22.7-31.2nmol/l) when compared to spring (30.5-42.1nmol/l; P=0.0089), summer (36.3-47.2nmol/l; P<0.0001) and autumn (34.2-47.5nmol/l; P=0.0003). Polymorphisms in the NADSYN1/DHCR7 (rs3829251, rs12785878), and VDR (rs2228570) genes were independently associated with increased steatosis; while a GC variant (rs4588) was associated with increased inflammation in liver biopsies. Conclusions: Children with NAFLD in the UK have particularly low winter vitamin D status; with vitamin D insufficiency prevalent throughout the year. Polymorphisms in the vitamin D metabolic pathway are associated with histological severity of pediatric NAFLD

A Noncoherent Space-Time Code from Quantum Error Correction

In this work, we develop a space-time block code for noncoherent communication using techniques from the field of quantum error correction. We decompose the multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) channel into operators from quantum mechanics, and design a non-coherent space time code using the quantum stabilizer formalism. We derive an optimal decoder, and analyze the former through a quantum mechanical lens. We compare our approach to a comparable coherent approach and a noncoherent differential approach, achieving comparable or better performance.Comment: 6 pages, one figure, accepted at the 53rd annual Conference on Information Sciences and System

De novo reefs: Fish habitat provision by oyster aquaculture varies with farming method

Aquaculture industries have the capacity to produce positive ecosystem service benefits, such as the provision of habitat to wild animals. Oyster cultivation is the oldest and largest aquaculture industry in south-eastern Australia. Oyster spat are grown to marketable size in rack-and-rail (‘racks’) or longline-and-basket (‘baskets’) configurations, which add structure to estuarine waters. This study assessed: (1) how the fish communities associated with oyster farms vary with production method; (2) how communities of fish utilise oyster infrastructure, as compared to adjacent natural habitats; and (3) whether oyster infrastructure can serve as de facto oyster reefs by supporting similar fish communities. Remote underwater video surveys, conducted during summer and winter of 2 study years, revealed that fish observations and species richness were generally greater for rack than basket cultivation. Both types of oyster farms supported at least as many species of fish as adjacent natural habitats, including oyster reef, seagrass, mangrove and bare sediment. Fish communities were, in general, most similar between racks and baskets and most dissimilar between racks and bare sediments. Oyster farms supported species of fish otherwise limited to habitats with wild oysters, and unique harvested fish species were observed more frequently at racks. Fish use of oyster-growing infrastructure for foraging and shelter mirrored use of natural biogenic habitats. Overall, this study suggests that the oyster aquaculture infrastructure can support fish communities with species composition similar to those of natural biogenic habitats, although this service is dependent on farming method. Ecosystem services provided by aquaculture should be considered in estuarine habitat enhancement, conservation and restoration