Parametric Amplification and Back-Action Noise Squeezing by a Qubit-Coupled Nanoresonator

We demonstrate the parametric amplification and noise squeezing of nanomechanical motion utilizing dispersive coupling to a Cooper-pair box qubit. By modulating the qubit bias and resulting mechanical resonance shift, we achieve gain of 30 dB and noise squeezing of 4 dB. This qubit-mediated effect is 3000 times more effective than that resulting from the weak nonlinearity of capacitance to a nearby electrode. This technique may be used to prepare nanomechanical squeezed states

Learning in the Machine: To Share or Not to Share?

Weight-sharing is one of the pillars behind Convolutional Neural Networks and their successes. However, in physical neural systems such as the brain, weight-sharing is implausible. This discrepancy raises the fundamental question of whether weight-sharing is necessary. If so, to which degree of precision? If not, what are the alternatives? The goal of this study is to investigate these questions, primarily through simulations where the weight-sharing assumption is relaxed. Taking inspiration from neural circuitry, we explore the use of Free Convolutional Networks and neurons with variable connection patterns. Using Free Convolutional Networks, we show that while weight-sharing is a pragmatic optimization approach, it is not a necessity in computer vision applications. Furthermore, Free Convolutional Networks match the performance observed in standard architectures when trained using properly translated data (akin to video). Under the assumption of translationally augmented data, Free Convolutional Networks learn translationally invariant representations that yield an approximate form of weight-sharing

Learning in the Machine: To Share or Not to Share?

Weight-sharing is one of the pillars behind Convolutional Neural Networks and their successes. However, in physical neural systems such as the brain, weight-sharing is implausible. This discrepancy raises the fundamental question of whether weight-sharing is necessary. If so, to which degree of precision? If not, what are the alternatives? The goal of this study is to investigate these questions, primarily through simulations where the weight-sharing assumption is relaxed. Taking inspiration from neural circuitry, we explore the use of Free Convolutional Networks and neurons with variable connection patterns. Using Free Convolutional Networks, we show that while weight-sharing is a pragmatic optimization approach, it is not a necessity in computer vision applications. Furthermore, Free Convolutional Networks match the performance observed in standard architectures when trained using properly translated data (akin to video). Under the assumption of translationally augmented data, Free Convolutional Networks learn translationally invariant representations that yield an approximate form of weight sharing

Les relations école-famille : de la confrontation à la coéducation

Les relations entre parents et enseignants peuvent déboucher sur des conflits et sur des attitudes de défiance réciproque entre les protagonistes. C’est pourquoi la pratique de coéducation impliquant l’école et la famille est relativement difficile à mettre en place. Le présent article vise à faire connaître les résultats d’un travail de recherche-action mené récemment dans trois écoles primaires de la ville de Charleroi, considérées comme des milieux économiquement faibles. L’analyse des données de cette recherche a permis d’identifier les catégories majeures des difficultés qui parasitent le partenariat école-famille. Elle a permis aussi de mettre en évidence les éléments du référentiel commun à partir duquel les enseignants et les parents parviennent à s’entendre pour une définition opérationnelle de la notion d’éducation.Relationships between parents and teachers can lead to conflicts and to attitudes of reciprocal defiance. In this situation, practices in co-education involving the school and the family are difficult to implement. This article presents the results of an action-research developed in three primary schools in Charleroi, a city considered as economically disadvantaged. Analysis of the data led to the identification of three main categories of difficulties within the school-family partnership. As well, the authors point out those elements of a common reference that teachers and parents use to agree upon in developing an operational definition of the concept of education.Las relaciones entre padres y maestros pueden desembocar en conflictos y en actitudes de desconfianza recíproca entre los protagonistas. Es por eso que la práctica de coeducación involucrando la escuela y la familia resulta relativamente difícil de aplicar. El presente artículo tiene por objetivo dar a conocer los resultados de un trabajo de investigación-acción que se llevó a cabo últimamente en tres escuelas primarias de la ciudad de Charleroi, consideradas como medios económicamente bajos. El análisis de los datos de esta investigación permitió identificar las principales categorías de las dificultades que parasitan la colaboración escuela-familia. Asimismo el análisis puso de manifiesto los elementos del referencial común a partir del cual los maestros y los padres logran ponerse de acuerdo sobre una definición operacional de la noción de educación

Coupling a nanomechanical resonator to a Cooper-pair-box qubit

We demonstrate dispersive coupling between a Cooper-pair box (CPB) qubit and a VHF NEMS (nanoelectromechanical systems) resonator. The observed interaction strength is sufficient to pursue more advanced experiments to elicit quantum behavior in NEMS

Staging of regional nodes in AJCC stage I and II melanoma: 18FDG PET imaging versus sentinel node detection.

PRIMARY PURPOSE: The staging of regional nodes by means of sentinel node detection has been shown to accurately detect subclinical nodal metastases from cutaneous melanoma. On the other hand, the oncological applications of 18F-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose positron emission tomography (18FDG PET) are, nowadays, firmly established. However, the sensitivity of such metabolic imaging for staging the regional nodes in primary melanoma remains debatable. We prospectively assessed the actual value of PET for detecting sentinel node metastases in 21 consecutive patients presenting with early-stage melanoma. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-one melanoma patients scheduled for lymphatic mapping and sentinel lymphadenectomy underwent fully corrected whole-body PET using 18FDG. In all cases, the disease was initially classified as either stage I or II, from the latest version of the American Joint Committee on Cancer staging system. The sentinel node detection was systematically performed within the week following the PET scan. Serial sections of the sentinel nodes were analyzed by both conventional pathology and immunohistochemical staining. Metastatic sentinel nodes were also assessed for the size of tumor deposits and the degree of nodal involvement (focal, partial, or massive). The median follow-up time was 12 months. RESULTS: Six of the 21 patients (28.5%) had an involved sentinel node. PET was positive in only one case with a sentinel node >1 cm. In the five other cases, the sentinel nodes missed by PET were <1 cm with focal and/or partial involvements. One patient, free of regional nodal metastases in both sentinel node detection and PET imaging, had, however, a same-basin recurrence 3 months later. In another case, PET had one false positive result. Overall, the sentinel detection of subclinical nodal metastases had a sensitivity of 86%. PET detected only 14% of sentinel node metastases. CONCLUSIONS: Sentinel node detection remains the procedure of choice for detecting subclinical lymph node involvement from primary cutaneous melanoma. Owing to its limited spatial resolution, PET appears insufficiently sensitive to identify microscopic nodal metastases. As a practical consequence, metabolic imaging is not recommended as a first-line imaging strategy for staging regional lymph nodes in patients with stage I or II melanoma

Coupling a nanomechanical resonator to a Cooper-pair-box qubit

We demonstrate dispersive coupling between a Cooper-pair box (CPB) qubit and a VHF NEMS (nanoelectromechanical systems) resonator. The observed interaction strength is sufficient to pursue more advanced experiments to elicit quantum behavior in NEMS