154 research outputs found
Quantum Computing in Logistics and Supply Chain Management an Overview
The work explores the integration of quantum computing into logistics and
supply chain management, emphasising its potential for use in complex
optimisation problems. The discussion introduces quantum computing principles,
focusing on quantum annealing and gate-based quantum computing, with the
Quantum Approximate Optimisation Algorithm and Quantum Annealing as key
algorithmic approaches. The paper provides an overview of quantum approaches to
routing, logistic network design, fleet maintenance, cargo loading, prediction,
and scheduling problems. Notably, most solutions in the literature are hybrid,
combining quantum and classical computing. The conclusion highlights the early
stage of quantum computing, emphasising its potential impact on logistics and
supply chain optimisation. In the final overview, the literature is
categorised, identifying quantum annealing dominance and a need for more
research in prediction and machine learning is highlighted. The consensus is
that quantum computing has great potential but faces current hardware
limitations, necessitating further advancements for practical implementation
Classification of Hybrid Quantum-Classical Computing
As quantum computers mature, the applicability in practice becomes more
important. Many uses of quantum computers will be hybrid, with classical
computers still playing an important role in operating and using the quantum
computer. The term hybrid is however diffuse and multi-interpretable. In this
work we define two classes of hybrid quantum-classical computing: vertical and
horizontal. The first is application-agnostic and concerns using quantum
computers. The second is application-specific and concerns running an
algorithm. For both, we give a further subdivision in different types of hybrid
quantum-classical computing and we coin terms for them
Accelerated Wound Healing in Minipigs by On-Site Production and Delivery of CXCL12 by Transformed Lactic Acid Bacteria
Non-healing wounds are a growing medical problem and result in considerable suffering. The lack of pharmaceutical treatment options reflects the multistep wound healing process, and the complexity of both translation and assessment of treatment efficacy. We previously demonstrated accelerated healing of full-thickness wounds in mice following topical application of the probiotic bacteria Limosilactobacillus reuteri R2LC transformed to express CXCL12. In this study, safety and biological effects of a freeze-dried formulation of CXCL12-producing L. reuteri (ILP100) were investigated in induced full-thickness wounds in minipigs, and different wound healing evaluation methods (macroscopic, planimetry, 2D-photographs, 3D-scanning, ultrasound) were compared. We found that treatment with ILP100 was safe and accelerated healing, as granulation tissue filled wound cavities 1 day faster in treated compared to untreated/placebo-treated wounds. Furthermore, evaluation using planimetry resulted in 1.5 days faster healing than using 2D photographs of the same wounds, whereas the areas measured using 2D photographs were smaller compared to those obtained from 3D scans accounting for surface curvatures, whereas ultrasound imaging enabled detailed detection of thin epithelial layers. In conclusion, topical administration of the drug candidate ILP100 warrants further clinical development as it was proven to be safe and to accelerate healing using different evaluation methods in minipigs
Evaluating Three Levels of Quantum Metrics on Quantum-Inspire Hardware
With the rise of quantum computing, many quantum devices have been developed
and many more devices are being developed as we speak. This begs the question
of which device excels at which tasks and how to compare these different
quantum devices with one another. The answer is given by quantum metrics, of
which many exist today already. Different metrics focus on different aspects of
(quantum) devices and choosing the right metric to benchmark one device against
another is a difficult choice. In this paper we aim to give an overview of this
zoo of metrics by grouping established metrics in three levels: component
level, system level and application level. With this characterisation we also
mention what the merits and uses are for each of the different levels. In
addition, we evaluate these metrics on the Starmon-5 device of Quantum-Inspire
through the cloud access, giving the most complete benchmark of a quantum
device from an user experience to date.Comment: 22 pages, 10 figure
Mathematical formulation of quantum circuit design problems in networks of quantum computers
In quantum circuit design, the question arises how to distribute qubits, used in algorithms, over the various quantum computers, and how to order them within a quantum computer. In order to evaluate these problems, we define the global and local reordering problems for distributed quantum computing. We formalise the mathematical problems and model them as integer linear programming problems, to minimise the number of SWAP gates or the number of interactions between different quantum computers. For global reordering, we analyse the problem for various geometries of networks: completely connected networks, general networks, linear arrays and grid-structured networks. For local reordering, in networks of quantum computers, we also define the mathematical optimisation problem
Optimising and recognising 2-stage delivery chains with time windows
In logistic delivery chains time windows are common. An arrival has to be in a certain time interval, at the expense of waiting time or penalties if the time limits are exceeded. This paper looks at the optimal placement of those time intervals in a specific case of a barge visiting two ports in sequence. For the second port a possible delay or penalty should be incorporated. Next, recognising these penalty structures in data is analysed to if see certain patterns in public travel data indicate that a certain dependency exists
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