Dynamic transition in Landau-Zener-St\"uckelberg interferometry of dissipative systems: the case of the flux qubit

We study Landau-Zener-Stuckelberg (LZS) interferometry in multilevel systems coupled to an Ohmic quantum bath. We consider the case of superconducting flux qubits driven by a dc+ac magnetic fields, but our results can apply to other similar systems. We find a dynamic transition manifested by a symmetry change in the structure of the LZS interference pattern, plotted as a function of ac amplitude and dc detuning. The dynamic transition is from a LZS pattern with nearly symmetric multiphoton resonances to antisymmetric multiphoton resonances at long times (above the relaxation time). We also show that the presence of a resonant mode in the quantum bath can impede the dynamic transition when the resonant frequency is of the order of the qubit gap. Our results are obtained by a numerical calculation of the finite time and the asymptotic stationary population of the qubit states, using the Floquet-Markov approach to solve a realistic model of the flux qubit considering up to 10 energy levels.Comment: One new figure added. Final version to be published in PR

A hierarchic task-based programming model for distributed heterogeneous computing

Distributed computing platforms are evolving to heterogeneous ecosystems with Clusters, Grids and Clouds introducing in its computing nodes, processors with different core architectures, accelerators (i.e. GPUs, FPGAs), as well as different memories and storage devices in order to achieve better performance with lower energy consumption. As a consequence of this heterogeneity, programming applications for these distributed heterogeneous platforms becomes a complex task. Additionally to the complexity of developing an application for distributed platforms, developers must also deal now with the complexity of the different computing devices inside the node. In this article, we present a programming model that aims to facilitate the development and execution of applications in current and future distributed heterogeneous parallel architectures. This programming model is based on the hierarchical composition of the COMP Superscalar and Omp Superscalar programming models that allow developers to implement infrastructure-agnostic applications. The underlying runtime enables applications to adapt to the infrastructure without the need of maintaining different versions of the code. Our programming model proposal has been evaluated on real platforms, in terms of heterogeneous resource usage, performance and adaptation.This work has been supported by the European Commission through the Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation program under contract 687584 (TANGO project) by the Spanish Government under contract TIN2015-65316 and grant SEV-2015-0493 (Severo Ochoa Program) and by Generalitat de Catalunya under contracts 2014-SGR-1051 and 2014-SGR-1272.Peer ReviewedPostprint (author's final draft

Talking to a Screen

Throughout the U.S. 20% of teens and adults between the ages 18 and 49 use a dating app on a daily basis. Dating apps can have a good quality of communication. Studies showed that 60% of the participants have had positive experiences with dating platforms. There is also information that dating apps can also be a sign of danger such as false information and false identity. This research will show what are the good and bad outcomes of using a dating app

Um lugar onde se achar: deslocamentos e rituais entre os Guarani do Chaco boreal paraguaio

As already established in ethnological literature, Chaco War (Bolivia-Paraguay, 1932-1935) launched a range of spatial displacements that reshaped the local ethnic map. This paper sketches out the displacements that took the guarani and isosenho people from Bolivia to northern paraguaian Chaco, and then describes the formation of the five communities established in this area. Secondly, it refers to guarani sociality by examining the role of ritual in their history and social life. Through a performative approach to ritual and indigenous art practices, the paper argues that in this context, ritual acts as a powerful means to build chacoan space as a guarani place.  Como analisado na literatura etnológica recente, a guerra do Chaco (Bolivia - Paraguai, 1932-1935) foi o disparador de uma série de deslocamentos espaciais que reconfiguraram o mapa étnico da região. Este artigo refere, inicialmente, aos deslocamentos que levaram aos guarani e isosenhos da Bolívia ao Chaco boreal paraguaio e descreve, na sequência, a formação das cinco comunidades guarani que existem atualmente na área. Logo, trata-se de alguns aspectos da sociabilidade dos guarani do Chaco boreal paraguaio por meio da reflexão sobre o lugar do ritual na sua história e na sua vida social. Através de uma análise que interpreta o ritual –e com ele a arte indígena- na sua performatividade, argumenta-se que o ritual opera aqui como um dispositivo fundamental para transformar o espaço chaquenho num lugar guarani

Kinky Criticism: BDSM Principles Applied to Literature

This thesis proposes a new school of literary analysis: Kinky Criticism. This critical theory will examine the presence in literature of themes related to BDSM, an acronym referring to bondage/discipline, domination/submission, and sadism/masochism. My purpose in examining this power exchange and sadomasochism in literature is threefold. Firstly, I aim to reveal the presence of kinky themes in not only a range of literary works, but also leave the reader aware of kink present in everyday human interactions. Secondly, through this application to literature, Kinky Criticism sheds new light on the techniques of characterization and adds complexity to the dynamics between characters. Finally, Kinky Criticism provides a new perspective that leads to unexpected conclusions about hotly debated topics in literature, such as the infamous sodomites of Dante’s Inferno. Although a few scholars have commented on kinky themes, their analyses have not yet gained the coherence of a critical movement. This thesis aims to outline the tenets of Kinky Criticism and to establish not only its legitimacy as a critical lens, but also Kinky Criticism’s unique contributions to the interpretation of three major literary works: Dante Alighieri’s Divine Comedy, Ernest Hemingway’s For Whom the Bell Tolls, and D.H. Lawrence’s Women in Love

Chlorhexidine Gluconate Bathing in Hospitalized Patients: Reducing Barriers and Increasing Compliance Rate

The organization-wide implementation of Chlorhexidine Gluconate (CHG) bathing protocol is one of many measures used to help reduce hospital-acquired infections (HAI) at the 30-bed, Medical-Surgical Specialties and Palliative Care Unit. CHG bathing compliance rate for the unit for the week of August 14-20 was 82.9%, with a 40.4% refusal rate. This is below the 90% desired performance rate. The purpose of this project is to identify the barriers to CHG compliance and to implement interventions that will aid in reducing these barriers and increase CHG compliance rate. Patient declining was identified as one of the main barriers to CHG bathing. The specific aim of the project is to reduce the number of patients who decline CHG bathing in the unit by 30% by the end of November 2016. A cause and effect analysis was done to explore the reasons for noncompliance to CHG bathing. Direct observations, nurse surveys, and EMR documentation reviews were performed to gather data. Results revealed the need to provide teaching and visual reminders to staff nurses and provide education to patients in the efficacy of CHG bathing in infection prevention. Staff nurses received education on CHG bathing protocol. Visual reminders were placed in common areas. Informational handouts were placed in each admission folder to help patients understand the benefits of CHG bathing as well as the potential risk of their refusal. CHG bathing compliance rate for the week of November 6-12 was 90.9%, with a refusal rate of 31.5%. This showed an 8% increase in compliance and a 22% reduction in the number of patients refusing CHG bathing

Each and Everyday, Love us Free: Critical Pedagogy as a Living-Loving Praxis

According to Giroux (2011) we can, through critical pedagogy, engage the world as “an object of critical analysis” and as a place of “hopeful transformation” (p. 14). Giroux’s (2011) approach requires building and maintaining spaces where “the complexity of knowledge, culture, values and social issues can be explored in open and critical dialogue” (p. 124). Through these spaces, he argues, we are able to work to understand and disrupt oppressive power dynamics kept in place by systems of domination and control and move toward struggling for a more socially just world (Giroux, 2011, p. 7).bell hooks’ (2010) understanding that “love matters and that it brings strength and power (pp. 166-167) can contribute to our understanding of these spaces. hooks (2000) contends that “great social movements for freedom and justice” promote “a love ethic”, one in which we “utilize all the dimensions of love-care, commitment, trust, responsibility, respect, and knowledge-in our everyday lives” (p. 94).Ascribing to the critical pedagogical view that education should be a “critical practice” (Freire, 2001, p. 30) in which those involved “make ourselves different tomorrow from what we are today” (Shapiro, 2012, p. 50), “transform the world we live in” (hooks, 2010, p. 188) and employ an understanding of the power and ethic of love as integral to “working for a collective good” (hooks, 2000, p. 214), I argue that we should engage critical pedagogy as living-loving praxis in all the places of lives, including the personal and romantic.