Statistical comparison of ensemble implementations of Grover's search algorithm to classical sequential searches

We compare pseudopure state ensemble implementations, quantified by their initial polarization and ensemble size, of Grover's search algorithm to probabilistic classical sequential search algorithms in terms of their success and failure probabilities. We propose a criterion for quantifying the resources used by the ensemble implementation via the aggregate number of oracle invocations across the entire ensemble and use this as a basis for comparison with classical search algorithms. We determine bounds for a critical polarization such that the ensemble algorithm succeeds with a greater probability than the probabilistic classical sequential search. Our results indicate that the critical polarization scales as N^(-1/4) where N is the database size and that for typical room temperature solution state NMR, the polarization is such that the ensemble implementation of Grover's algorithm would be advantageous for N > 10^2

The pharmaceutical Impacts of honeybee venom against thioacetamide-induced hepatic fibrosis in rats

Hepatic cirrhosis is an acute disease accompanying fibrosis, liver cell damage, and liver dysfunction. The current study, the prospective therapeutic effects of honey bee venom (BV) on liver fibrosis were examined in rats administered thioacetamide. Hepatic histology, Masson’s trichrome, anti-oxidants (total glutathione and superoxide dismutase), apoptosis and biochemical hepatic functions assays were estimated. We found that BV treatment up-regulated the albumin protein, anti-oxidant enzymes (GSH and SOD) and down-regulated aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), bilirubin, collagen formation and apoptotic rate, which were altered by TAA inducer. Together, these responses increased liver cells sensitivity to TAA-induced hepatotoxicity and forced the damaged cells to undergo apoptosis. Enhancing the tendency of damaged liver cells to undergo apoptosis could be a protective mechanism whereby BV suppresses inflammatory responses and liver fibrosis. The study suggested that honeybee venom prevented TAA-induced liver fibrosis by inhibiting liver inflammation; decreased the high rate of lethality; alleviated hepatic histological injury; attenuated hepatic inflammatory responses; and inhibited hepatic cells apoptosis. These results suggest that honeybee venom could be an effective agent for preventing liver fibrosis. Keywords: Hepatic fibrosis, Honey bee venom, Thioactamide, Antioxidant

Is Phaseolus vulgaris Leucoagglutinin (PHA-L) a Useful Marker for Labeling Neural Grafts?

The lectin Phaseolus vulgaris leucoagglutinin (PHA-L) has come into wide use as an anterograde neuroanatomical tracer. The ability of this lectin to fill entire neurons and remain in place over long periods suggested it might be an ideal marker for donor cells to be grafted into hosts for long survival periods. We have used the lectin PHA-L to mark fetal rat olfactory bulb (OB) cells prior to grafting into host rat OBs. Hosts were sacrificed at various times up to 9 weeks after grafting, and tissue was immunohistochemically processed for PHA reactivity. After 2 and 4 weeks survival, sparse patterns of labeled cells were observed within the host OBs. However, after 9 weeks survival, few if any labeled cells were visible within host tissue. We conclude that PHA-L may be a less than satisfactory marker for fetal rat cells (other than astrocytes) which are to be identified in host tissue after a period of several weeks

Hidden diversity in Antarctica: Molecular and morphological evidence of two different species within one of the most conspicuous ascidian species

The Southern Ocean is one of the most isolated marine ecosystems, characterized by high levels of endemism, diversity, and biomass. Ascidians are among the dominant groups in Antarctic benthic assemblages; thus, recording the evolutionary patterns of this group is crucial to improve our current understanding of the assembly of this polar ocean. We studied the genetic variation within Cnemidocarpa verrucosa sensu lato, one of the most widely distributed abundant and studied ascidian species in Antarctica. Using a mitochondrial and a nuclear gene (COI and 18S), the phylogeography of fifteen populations distributed along the West Antarctic Peninsula and Burdwood Bank/MPA Namuncurá (South American shelf) was characterized, where the distribution of the genetic distance suggested the existence of, at least, two species within nominal C. verrucosa. When reevaluating morphological traits to distinguish between genetically defined species, the presence of a basal disk in one of the genotypes could be a diagnostic morphological trait to differentiate the species. These results are surprising due to the large research that has been carried out with the conspicuous C. verrucosa with no differentiation between species. Furthermore, it provides important tools to distinguish species in the field and laboratory. But also, these results give new insights into patterns of differentiation between closely related species that are distributed in sympatry, where the permeability of species boundaries still needs to be well understood.Fil: Ruiz, Micaela Belén. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Físicas y Naturales. Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales. Departamento de Diversidad Biológica y Ecológica; ArgentinaFil: Taverna, Anabela Jesús. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Físicas y Naturales. Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales. Departamento de Diversidad Biológica y Ecológica; ArgentinaFil: Servetto, Natalia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Físicas y Naturales. Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales. Departamento de Diversidad Biológica y Ecológica; ArgentinaFil: Sahade, Ricardo Jose. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Físicas y Naturales. Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales. Departamento de Diversidad Biológica y Ecológica; ArgentinaFil: Held, Christoph. Alfred-Wegener-Institut, Helmholtz-Zentrum für Polar- und Meeresforschung; Alemani

Temperature-dependent transport in a sixfold degenerate two-dimensional electron system on a H-Si(111) surface

Low-field magnetotransport measurements on a high mobility (mu=110,000 cm^2/Vs) two-dimensional (2D) electron system on a H-terminated Si(111) surface reveal a sixfold valley degeneracy with a valley splitting <= 0.1 K. The zero-field resistivity rho_{xx} displays strong temperature dependence for 0.07 < T < 25 K as predicted for a system with high degeneracy and large mass. We present a method for using the low-field Hall coefficient to probe intervalley momentum transfer (valley drag). The relaxation rate is consistent with Fermi liquid theory, but a small residual drag as T->0 remains unexplained.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures; revised and slightly shortened for publication

Telehealth and eHealth in Nurse Practitioner Training: Current Perspectives

Telehealth is becoming a vital process for providing access to cost-effective quality care to patients at a distance. As such, it is important for nurse practitioners, often the primary providers for rural and disadvantaged populations, to develop the knowledge, skills, and attitudes needed to utilize telehealth technologies in practice. In reviewing the literature, very little information was found on programs that addressed nurse practitioner training in telehealth. This article provides an overview of both the topics and the techniques that have been utilized for training nurse practitioners and nurse practitioner students in the delivery of care utilizing telehealth. Specifically, this article focuses on topics including 1) defining telehealth, 2) telehealth etiquette, 3) interprofessional collaboration, 4) regulations, 5) reimbursement, 6) security/Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), 7) ethical practice in telehealth, and 8) satisfaction of patients and providers. A multimodal approach based on a review of the literature is presented for providing the training: 1) didactics, 2) simulations including standardized patient encounters, 3) practice immersions, and 4) telehealth projects. Studies found that training using the multimodal approach allowed the students to develop comfort, knowledge, and skills needed to embrace the utilization of telehealth in health care

Suppressive efficiency of Kojic acid from Aspergillus tamarii MM11 against HepG-2 cell line derived from human liver cancer

Purpose: To evaluate the antioxidant and cytotoxic properties of Kojic acid (KOJIC ACID) from Aspergillus tamarii MM11 against HepG-2 cell line derived from human liver cancer.Methods: The crude extract of A. tamarii MM11 was dissolved in a mixture of CH2Cl2/MeOH (85:15) and separation was done using silica gel chromatography using gradient size exclusion chromatograph. The non-polar oily fractions were subjected to gas chromatography-mass&nbsp; spectrometric (GC-MS) analysis. Kojic acid structure was identified by x-beam crystallography and spectroscopic methods. Total antioxidant properties of KOJIC ACID were evaluated by using 1,1-diphenyl-2- picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) against ascorbic acid as a reference. The cytotoxic activity of KOJIC ACID from A. tamarii MM11 was investigated on the human cell line of liver cancer (HepG-2) using a sulforhodamine B (SRB) assay based on a cell density determination by the measurement of cellular protein content.Result: Highly bioactive Kojic acid was isolated as the main product. A. tamarii MM11 Kojic acid showed good antioxidant activity with half-maximal inhibitory concentration of IC50 at concentrations of 10.34 compared to 6.79 μg/mL for ascorbic acid. Kojic acid also showed good cytotoxic activity against HepG-2 cell line of human liver cancer with IC50 at 6.20 compared to 3.25 μg/mL of reference drug doxorubicin.Conclusion: Kojic acid produced naturally from A. tamarii MM11 shows good antioxidant and cytotoxic activity against HepG-2 cell line derived from&nbsp; human liver cancer. These findings suggest that Kojic acid can be therapeutically used as an antitumor drug after further in vivo studies. Keywords: Aspergillus tamarii, Secondary metabolites, Kojic acid, Anticancer, Liver cance