Measuring the purity of a qubit state: entanglement estimation with fully separable measurements

Given a finite number $N$ of copies of a qubit state we compute the maximum fidelity that can be attained using joint-measurement protocols for estimating its purity. We prove that in the asymptotic $N\to\infty$ limit, separable-measurement protocols can be as efficient as the optimal joint-measurement one if classical communication is used. This in turn shows that the optimal estimation of the entanglement of a two-qubit state can also be achieved asymptotically with fully separable measurements. The relationship between our global Bayesian approach and the quantum Cramer-Rao bound is also discussed.Comment: 5 pages, 1 figure, RevTeX, improved versio

Efficacy of free glutathione and niosomal glutathione in the treatment of acetaminophen-induced hepatotoxicity in cats

Acetaminophen (APAP) administration results in hepatotoxicity and hematotoxicity in cats. The response to three different treatments against APAP poisoning was evaluated. Free glutathione (GSH) (200mg/kg), niosomal GSH (14 mg/kg) and free amino acids (180 mg/kg of N-acetylcysteine and 280 mg/kg of methionine) were administered to cats that were intoxicated with APAP (a single dose of 150 mg/kg, p.o.). Serum concentration of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) along with serum, liver and erythrocyte concentration of GSH and methemoglobin percentage were measured before and 4, 24 and 72 hours after APAP administration. Free GSH (200 mg/kg) and niosomal GSH (14 mg/kg) were effective in reducing hepatotoxicity and hematotoxicity in cats intoxicated with a dose of 150 mg/kg APAP. We conclude that both types of treatments can protect the liver and haemoglobin against oxidative stress in APAP intoxicated cats. Furthermore, our results showed that treatment with niosomal GSH represents an effective therapeutic approach for APAP poisoning.Fil: Denzoin Vulcano, L. A.. Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias. Departamento de Fisiopatologia; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Tandil. Centro de Investigacion Veterinaria de Tandil; ArgentinaFil: Confalonieri, O.. Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias. Departamento de Clinicas; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Tandil. Centro de Investigacion Veterinaria de Tandil; ArgentinaFil: Franci, R.. Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias. Departamento de Clinicas; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Tandil. Centro de Investigacion Veterinaria de Tandil; ArgentinaFil: Tapia, Maria Ofelia. Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias. Departamento de Fisiopatologia; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Tandil. Centro de Investigacion Veterinaria de Tandil; ArgentinaFil: Soraci, Alejandro Luis. Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias. Departamento de Fisiopatologia; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Tandil. Centro de Investigacion Veterinaria de Tandil; Argentin

Squeezing the limit: Quantum benchmarks for the teleportation and storage of squeezed states

We derive fidelity benchmarks for the quantum storage and teleportation of squeezed states of continuous variable systems, for input ensembles where the degree of squeezing $s$ is fixed, no information about its orientation in phase space is given, and the distribution of phase space displacements is a Gaussian. In the limit where the latter becomes flat, we prove analytically that the maximal classical achievable fidelity (which is 1/2 without squeezing, for $s=1$) is given by $\sqrt{s}/(1+s)$, vanishing when the degree of squeezing diverges. For mixed states, as well as for general distributions of displacements, we reduce the determination of the benchmarks to the solution of a finite-dimensional semidefinite program, which yields accurate, certifiable bounds thanks to a rigorous analysis of the truncation error. This approach may be easily adapted to more general ensembles of input states.Comment: 19 pages, 4figure

Bound states and scattering lengths of three two-component particles with zero-range interactions under one-dimensional confinement

The universal three-body dynamics in ultra-cold binary gases confined to one-dimensional motion are studied. The three-body binding energies and the (2 + 1)-scattering lengths are calculated for two identical particles of mass $m$ and a different one of mass $m_1$, which interactions is described in the low-energy limit by zero-range potentials. The critical values of the mass ratio $m/m_1$, at which the three-body states arise and the (2 + 1)-scattering length equals zero, are determined both for zero and infinite interaction strength $\lambda_1$ of the identical particles. A number of exact results are enlisted and asymptotic dependences both for $m/m_1 \to \infty$ and $\lambda_1 \to -\infty$ are derived. Combining the numerical and analytical results, a schematic diagram showing the number of the three-body bound states and the sign of the (2 + 1)-scattering length in the plane of the mass ratio and interaction-strength ratio is deduced. The results provide a description of the homogeneous and mixed phases of atoms and molecules in dilute binary quantum gases

Assessment of the variability of atmospheric pollution in national parks of mainland Spain

Air quality in nine National Parks in mainland Spain was assessed analysing SO2, NOx, O3, PM10 and PM2.5 data from background stations. As emissions in and around parks are limited, the levels of primary pollutants are low. Concentrations of secondary pollutants are high especially in summer due to photochemical production. The geographical variability of pollutants responds to regional emission patterns and the dominant circulation regimes in different regions resulting in west-east gradients for O3 and PM. Seasonal variability of pollutants was also interpreted in virtue of transport scenarios, changes in photochemical activity and emissions variability. NOx and SO2, maximize in winter due to higher emissions while O3 and PM do it in summer due to photochemical production, lower precipitation and, in the case of PM, the occurrence of African dust outbreaks. The diurnal evolution was interpreted in virtue of variability in emissions and changes in the Planetary Boundar Layer height

Penetration of fosfomycin in intestinal culture explants

Fosfomicina (FOS) es un antibiótico utilizado en producción porcina para el tratamiento y prevención de infecciones causadas por bacterias resistentes durante el post destete. En la dieta de los animales es frecuente encontrar antibióticos y concentraciones subtóxicas de micotoxinas como el deoxinivalenol (DON). Estos compuestos pueden establecer interacciones en el tracto intestinal afectando y/o modificando la penetración de FOS a los enterocitos. El objetivo de este trabajo fue desarrollar un cultivo de explantes de intestino procedentes de yeyuno de cerdos y aplicar este modelo para estudiar la penetración intracelular de FOS en presencia o ausencia de DON. El uso de explantes intestinales disminuye el sacrificio de animales por experimento y preservan la estructura histológica intestinal normal en condiciones in vitro. Los resultados mostraron que no existieron diferencias estadísticamente significativas en la concentración intracelular de FOS entre los explantes incubados con 580 ppm FOS y los explantes incubados con 580 ppm FOS y 1 ppm DON. Se obtuvo un Cmax de 12 ppm y tmax de 2 h. Nuestro estudio demostró que solo el 2% del antibiótico se acumula intracelularmente y que la concentración intracelular de FOS no es afectada por la presencia de concentraciones subtóxicas de DON.Fosfomycin (FOS) is an antibiotic used in pig farms for treatment and prevention of infections caused by resistant bacteria during post-weaning period. Antibiotics and non-toxic concentrations of such mycotoxins as deoxynivalenol (DON) are frequently found in the diet of animals. These compounds can establish interactions in the intestinal tract which affect and/or modify the penetration of FOS to enterocytes. The aim of this study was to culture intestinal explants from jejuna of pigs and to apply this model to the study of intracellular penetration of FOS in presence or absence of DON. The use of intestinal explants reduces the number of animals sacrificed per experiment and preserves normal intestinal histological structure in vitro. The results showed that there was no statistically significant difference in the intracellular concentration of FOS between explants incubated with 580 ppm FOS and explants incubated with 580 ppm FOS and 1 ppm DON. The Cmax was 12 ppm and the tmax was 2 h. Our study proved that only the 2% of the antibiotic is intracellularly accumulated and that the intracellular concentration of FOS is not affected by the presence of non-toxic concentrations of DON.Facultad de Ciencias Veterinaria

Penetration of fosfomycin in intestinal culture explants

Fosfomicina (FOS) es un antibiótico utilizado en producción porcina para el tratamiento y prevención de infecciones causadas por bacterias resistentes durante el post destete. En la dieta de los animales es frecuente encontrar antibióticos y concentraciones subtóxicas de micotoxinas como el deoxinivalenol (DON). Estos compuestos pueden establecer interacciones en el tracto intestinal afectando y/o modificando la penetración de FOS a los enterocitos. El objetivo de este trabajo fue desarrollar un cultivo de explantes de intestino procedentes de yeyuno de cerdos y aplicar este modelo para estudiar la penetración intracelular de FOS en presencia o ausencia de DON. El uso de explantes intestinales disminuye el sacrificio de animales por experimento y preservan la estructura histológica intestinal normal en condiciones in vitro. Los resultados mostraron que no existieron diferencias estadísticamente significativas en la concentración intracelular de FOS entre los explantes incubados con 580 ppm FOS y los explantes incubados con 580 ppm FOS y 1 ppm DON. Se obtuvo un Cmax de 12 ppm y tmax de 2 h. Nuestro estudio demostró que solo el 2% del antibiótico se acumula intracelularmente y que la concentración intracelular de FOS no es afectada por la presencia de concentraciones subtóxicas de DON.Fosfomycin (FOS) is an antibiotic used in pig farms for treatment and prevention of infections caused by resistant bacteria during post-weaning period. Antibiotics and non-toxic concentrations of such mycotoxins as deoxynivalenol (DON) are frequently found in the diet of animals. These compounds can establish interactions in the intestinal tract which affect and/or modify the penetration of FOS to enterocytes. The aim of this study was to culture intestinal explants from jejuna of pigs and to apply this model to the study of intracellular penetration of FOS in presence or absence of DON. The use of intestinal explants reduces the number of animals sacrificed per experiment and preserves normal intestinal histological structure in vitro. The results showed that there was no statistically significant difference in the intracellular concentration of FOS between explants incubated with 580 ppm FOS and explants incubated with 580 ppm FOS and 1 ppm DON. The Cmax was 12 ppm and the tmax was 2 h. Our study proved that only the 2% of the antibiotic is intracellularly accumulated and that the intracellular concentration of FOS is not affected by the presence of non-toxic concentrations of DON.Facultad de Ciencias Veterinaria

Plant growth promoting activities of Pseudomonas sp. and Enterobacter sp. isolated from the rhizosphere of Vachellia gummifera in Morocco

The Moroccan endemic Vachellia gummifera grows wild under extreme desert conditions. This plant could be used as an alternative fodder for goats, and camels, in order to protect the Argan forests against overgrazing in Central and Southwestern Moroccan semiarid areas. With the aim to improve the V. gummifera population's density in semiarid areas, we proposed its inoculation with performing plant growth-promoting bacteria. Hence, 500 bacteria were isolated from the plant rhizosphere. From these, 291 isolates were retained for plant growth-promoting (PGP) activities assessment. A total of 44 isolates showed the best phosphates solubilization potential, as well as siderophore and auxin production. The combination of REP-PCR (repetitive extragenic palindromic-polymerase chain reaction) fingerprinting, PGP activities, and phenotypic properties, allowed the selection of three strains for the inoculation experiments. The three selected strains' 16S rRNA sequencing showed that they are members of the Enterobacter and Pseudomonas genera. The inoculation with three strains had diverse effects on V. gummifera growth parameters. All single and combined inoculations improved the plant shoot weight by more than 200%, and the root length by up to 139%, while some combinations further improved protein and chlorophyll content, thereby improving the plant's forage value. The three selected strains constitute an effective inoculum for use in the arid and semiarid zones of southern Morocco.The authors want to thank all the persons who contributed to the achievement of this work. This work was funded by the Hassan II Academy of Science and Technology (AH2ST), in Morocco. B.M. received a grant from the AH2ST. She received also the excellency fellowship Khadija Baddouri in life sciences, from the Horizons foundation, Franc

Early Deglaciation in the Tropical Andes

Analysis of sediment records from lakes located beyond the glacial limit in the Andes has provided, for the first time, an independent assessment of effective moisture ( precipitation minus evaporation) and the timing of the last glaciation (1). Conditions were wet at the LGM and remained so until approximately 15,000 cal yr B.P. (2). However, deglaciation was under way from the LGM between 22,000 and 19,500 cal yr B.P., which reinforces the observation that deglaciation in the tropical Andes was primarily forced by an increase in mean annual temperature during a wet postglacial interval (3, 4)

Early Deglaciation in the Tropical Andes

Analysis of sediment records from lakes located beyond the glacial limit in the Andes has provided, for the first time, an independent assessment of effective moisture ( precipitation minus evaporation) and the timing of the last glaciation (1). Conditions were wet at the LGM and remained so until approximately 15,000 cal yr B.P. (2). However, deglaciation was under way from the LGM between 22,000 and 19,500 cal yr B.P., which reinforces the observation that deglaciation in the tropical Andes was primarily forced by an increase in mean annual temperature during a wet postglacial interval (3, 4)