Realization of GHZ States and the GHZ Test via Cavity QED

In this article we discuss the realization of atomic GHZ states involving three-level atoms and we show explicitly how to use this state to perform the GHZ test in which it is possible to decide between local realism theories and quantum mechanics. The experimental realizations proposed makes use of the interaction of Rydberg atoms with a cavity prepared in a coherent state.Comment: 16 pages and 3 figures. submitted to J. Mod. Op

Supporting dementia care by monitoring indoor environmental quality in a nursing home

The indoor environment quality in care facilities impacts residents’ daily lives. Sensor technology has been proven useful in evaluating the indoor environment of buildings, but the process of using this information to improve residents’ comfort, specifically in the context of nursing homes, is still underdeveloped. Thus, this study focuses on monitoring indoor environmental quality in a nursing home in the Netherlands, supported by professional caregivers’ insights. A campaign was conducted for one year to monitor eight rooms, and a mixed-method approach was used to collect and analyse the data on local weather, building facility operation and proxies’ responses to residents’ comfort. Seventeen care professionals and twenty-two guardians (visitors) answered questions based on their opinions and observation. The results show that the low indoor humidity during heating seasons and high CO2 concentration at night were the main factors leading to environment-related symptoms of residents and care professionals, such as dry eyes. Furthermore, we found that data outliers can help to reveal residents’ occupancy, ventilation habits and activity time, thus showing the application value of environmental sensors in dementia care. We also recommend using non-intrusive sensors for nursing home residents and taking into account room layouts and occupants’ conditions before installing sensors

“Cuts in Action”: A High-Density EEG Study Investigating the Neural Correlates of Different Editing Techniques in Film

In spite of their striking differences with real-life perception, films are perceived and understood without effort. Cognitive film theory attributes this to the system of continuity editing, a system of editing guidelines outlining the effect of different cuts and edits on spectators. A major principle in this framework is the 180° rule, a rule recommendation that, to avoid spectators’ attention to the editing, two edited shots of the same event or action should not be filmed from angles differing in a way that expectations of spatial continuity are strongly violated. In the present study, we used high-density EEG to explore the neural underpinnings of this rule. In particular, our analysis shows that cuts and edits in general elicit early ERP component indicating the registration of syntactic violations as known from language, music, and action processing. However, continuity edits and cuts-across the line differ from each other regarding later components likely to be indicating the differences in spatial remapping as well as in the degree of conscious awareness of one’s own perception. Interestingly, a time–frequency analysis of the occipital alpha rhythm did not support the hypothesis that such differences in processing routes are mainly linked to visual attention. On the contrary, our study found specific modulations of the central mu rhythm ERD as an indicator of sensorimotor activity, suggesting that sensorimotor networks might play an important role. We think that these findings shed new light on current discussions about the role of attention and embodied perception in film perception and should be considered when explaining spectators’ different experience of different kinds of cuts

Reseña del libro Tecnología, lectura y nuevas alfabetizaciones. De: Rebeca Garzón Clemente y Jesús Abidán Ramos Salas.

Este libro electrónico reúne varios apartados logrando unidad e independencia entre las partes. El lector obtendrá un resultado coherente sin importar por cuál desee iniciar el recorrido. Entre sus páginas o pantallas, los autores describen la situación lectora en el momento actual y las múltiples oportunidades que abren las tecnologías integrando con acierto contenidos teóricos suficientes para enmarcar sus reflexiones; recursos lúdicos en los que recuperan y reeditan narraciones tradicionales locales y una apreciación del contexto; además de las políticas y acciones institucionales con las que se busca formar profesionales críticos y creativos, capaces de conectar el mundo real con el mundo virtual

Stress-Related Growth Scale-Short Form: A Portuguese validation for cancer patients

Abstract background/objective: Cancer can be extremely disruptive, triggering high levels of distress, and at the same time transformative, promoting perceptions of positive life changes and growth. This study aims to analyze the psychometric proprieties of the Stress-Related Growth Scale Short-Form (SRGS-SF) in cancer patients. Method: 209 Cancer patients heterogeneous in disease stage and diagnosis completed: clinical and sociodemographic information, Distress Thermometer, Positive and Negative Affect Schedule, Visual-analogue Scale of Perceived Positive Life Changes, and Stress-Related Growth Scale-Short Form. Results: The analysis of internal structure pointed to an one-dimensional scale, with high reliability (.92) measured through the McDonald`s omega coefficient. Validity was also evidenced through significant correlations with other variables. Conclusions: The Portuguese version of the SRGS-SF seems to present the necessary psychometric proprieties to be considered a valid and reliable short tool, to assess perceptions of growth following cancer and contribute to targeted and integrative psycho-oncological interventions.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Near and Far Field Model Mismatch: Implications on 6G Communications, Localization, and Sensing

The upcoming 6G technology is expected to operate in near-field (NF) radiating conditions thanks to high-frequency and electrically large antenna arrays. While several studies have already addressed this possibility, it is worth noting that NF models introduce heightened complexity, the justification for which is not always evident in terms of performance improvements. Therefore, this paper delves into the implications of the disparity between NF and far-field (FF) models concerning communication, localization, and sensing systems. Such disparity might lead to a degradation of performance metrics like localization accuracy, sensing reliability, and communication efficiency. Through an exploration of the effects arising from the mismatches between NF and FF models, this study seeks to illuminate the challenges confronting system designers and offer valuable insights into the balance between model accuracy, which typically requires a high complexity and achievable performance. To substantiate our perspective, we also incorporate a numerical performance assessment confirming the repercussions of the mismatch between NF and FF models.Comment: This work has been submitted to the IEEE for possible publication. Copyright may be transferred without notice, after which this version may no longer be accessibl

Northern Hemisphere atmospheric pattern enhancing Eastern Mediterranean Transient-type events during the past 1000 years

High-resolution climate model simulations for the last millennium were used to elucidate the main winter Northern Hemisphere atmospheric pattern during enhanced Eastern Mediterranean Transient (EMT-type) events, a situation in which an additional overturning cell is detected in the Mediterranean at the Aegean Sea. The differential upward heat flux between the Aegean Basin and the Gulf of Lion was taken as a proxy of EMT-type events and correlated with winter mean geopotential height at 500 mbar in the Northern Hemisphere (20-90 degrees N and 100 degrees W-80 degrees E). Correlations revealed a pattern similar to the East Atlantic/Western Russian (EA/WR) mode as the main driver of EMT-type events, with the past 1000 years of EA/WR-like mode simulations being enhanced during insolation minima. Our model results are consistent with alkenone sea surface temperature (SST) reconstructions that documented an increase in the west-east basin gradients during EMT-type events

Evidence of suppression of onchocerciasis transmission in the Venezuelan Amazonian focus.

BACKGROUND: The World Health Organization (WHO) has set goals for onchocerciasis elimination in Latin America by 2015. Most of the six previously endemic countries are attaining this goal by implementing twice a year (and in some foci, quarterly) mass ivermectin (Mectizan®) distribution. Elimination of transmission has been verified in Colombia, Ecuador and Mexico. Challenges remain in the Amazonian focus straddling Venezuela and Brazil, where the disease affects the hard-to-reach Yanomami indigenous population. We provide evidence of suppression of Onchocerca volvulus transmission by Simulium guianense s.l. in 16 previously hyperendemic Yanomami communities in southern Venezuela after 15 years of 6-monthly and 5 years of 3-monthly mass ivermectin treatment. METHODS: Baseline and monitoring and evaluation parasitological, ophthalmological, entomological and serological surveys were conducted in selected sentinel and extra-sentinel communities of the focus throughout the implementation of the programme. RESULTS: From 2010 to 2012–2015, clinico-parasitological surveys indicate a substantial decrease in skin microfilarial prevalence and intensity of infection; accompanied by no evidence (or very low prevalence and intensity) of ocular microfilariae in the examined population. Of a total of 51,341 S. guianense flies tested by PCR none had L3 infection (heads only). Prevalence of infective flies and seasonal transmission potentials in 2012–2013 were, respectively, under 1 % and 20 L3/person/transmission season. Serology in children aged 1–10 years demonstrated that although 26 out of 396 (7 %) individuals still had Ov-16 antibodies, only 4/218 (2 %) seropositives were aged 1–5 years. CONCLUSIONS: We report evidence of recent transmission and morbidity suppression in some communities of the focus representing 75 % of the Yanomami population and 70 % of all known communities. We conclude that onchocerciasis transmission could be feasibly interrupted in the Venezuelan Amazonian focus. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13071-016-1313-z) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users

The murine natural cytotoxic receptor NKp46/NCR1 controls TRAIL protein expression in NK cells and ILC1

TRAIL is an apoptosis-inducing ligand constitutively expressed on liver resident type 1 innate lymphoid cells (ILC1) and a subset of Natural Killer (NK) cells where it contributes to NK cell anti-tumor, anti-viral and immunoregulatory functions. Yet the intrinsic pathways involved in TRAIL expression in ILC remain unidentified. Here we demonstrate that the murine natural cytotoxic receptor mNKp46/NCR1, expressed on ILC1 and NK cells, controls TRAIL protein expression. Using NKp46-deficient mice, we show that liver ILC1 lack constitutive expression of TRAIL protein and that NK cells activated in vitro and in vivo fail to upregulate cell-surface TRAIL in the absence of NKp46. We show that NKp46 regulates TRAIL expression in a dose-dependent manner and that the reintroduction of NKp46 in mature NK cells deficient for NKp46 is sufficient to restore TRAIL surface expression. These studies uncover a link between NKp46 and TRAIL expression in ILC with potential implications in pathologies involving NKp46-expressing cells