Classical and quantum communication without a shared reference frame

We show that communication without a shared reference frame is possible using entangled states. Both classical and quantum information can be communicated with perfect fidelity without a shared reference frame at a rate that asymptotically approaches one classical bit or one encoded qubit per transmitted qubit. We present an optical scheme to communicate classical bits without a shared reference frame using entangled photon pairs and linear optical Bell state measurements.Comment: 4 pages, published versio

Further results on the cross norm criterion for separability

In the present paper the cross norm criterion for separability of density matrices is studied. In the first part of the paper we determine the value of the greatest cross norm for Werner states, for isotropic states and for Bell diagonal states. In the second part we show that the greatest cross norm criterion induces a novel computable separability criterion for bipartite systems. This new criterion is a necessary but in general not a sufficient criterion for separability. It is shown, however, that for all pure states, for Bell diagonal states, for Werner states in dimension d=2 and for isotropic states in arbitrary dimensions the new criterion is necessary and sufficient. Moreover, it is shown that for Werner states in higher dimensions (d greater than 2), the new criterion is only necessary.Comment: REVTeX, 19 page

The Uniqueness Theorem for Entanglement Measures

We explore and develop the mathematics of the theory of entanglement measures. After a careful review and analysis of definitions, of preliminary results, and of connections between conditions on entanglement measures, we prove a sharpened version of a uniqueness theorem which gives necessary and sufficient conditions for an entanglement measure to coincide with the reduced von Neumann entropy on pure states. We also prove several versions of a theorem on extreme entanglement measures in the case of mixed states. We analyse properties of the asymptotic regularization of entanglement measures proving, for example, convexity for the entanglement cost and for the regularized relative entropy of entanglement.Comment: 22 pages, LaTeX, version accepted by J. Math. Phy

Further results on entanglement detection and quantification from the correlation matrix criterion

The correlation matrix (CM) criterion is a recently derived powerful sufficient condition for the presence of entanglement in bipartite quantum states of arbitrary dimensions. It has been shown that it can be stronger than the positive partial transpose (PPT) criterion, as well as the computable cross norm or realignment (CCNR) criterion in different situations. However, it remained as an open question whether there existed sets of states for which the CM criterion could be stronger than both criteria simultaneously. Here, we give an affirmative answer to this question by providing examples of entangled states that scape detection by both the PPT and CCNR criteria whose entanglement is revealed by the CM condition. We also show that the CM can be used to measure the entanglement of pure states and obtain lower bounds for the entanglement measure known as tangle for general (mixed) states.Comment: 13 pages, no figures; added references, minor changes; section 4.3 added, to appear in J. Phys.

Weak nonlinearities: A new route to optical quantum computation

Quantum information processing (QIP) offers the promise of being able to do things that we cannot do with conventional technology. Here we present a new route for distributed optical QIP, based on generalized quantum non-demolition measurements, providing a unified approach for quantum communication and computing. Interactions between photons are generated using weak non-linearities and intense laser fields--the use of such fields provides for robust distribution of quantum information. Our approach requires only a practical set of resources, and it uses these very efficiently. Thus it promises to be extremely useful for the first quantum technologies, based on scarce resources. Furthermore, in the longer term this approach provides both options and scalability for efficient many-qubit QIP.Comment: 7 Pages, 4 Figure

Computable measure of entanglement

We present a measure of entanglement that can be computed effectively for any mixed state of an arbitrary bipartite system. We show that it does not increase under local manipulations of the system, and use it to obtain a bound on the teleportation capacity and on the distillable entanglement of mixed states

Cellular senescence in naevi and immortalisation in melanoma: a role for p16?

Cellular senescence, the irreversible proliferative arrest seen in somatic cells after a limited number of divisions, is considered a crucial barrier to cancer, but direct evidence for this in vivo was lacking until recently. The best-known form of human cell senescence is attributed to telomere shortening and a DNA-damage response through p53 and p21. There is also a more rapid form of senescence, dependent on the p16-retinoblastoma pathway. p16 (CDKN2A) is a known melanoma susceptibility gene. Here, we use retrovirally mediated gene transfer to confirm that the normal form of senescence in cultured human melanocytes involves p16, since disruption of the p16/retinoblastoma pathway is required as well as telomerase activation for immortalisation. Expression (immunostaining) patterns of senescence mediators and markers in melanocytic lesions provide strong evidence that cell senescence occurs in benign melanocytic naevi (moles) in vivo and does not involve p53 or p21 upregulation, although p16 is widely expressed. In comparison, dysplastic naevi and early (radial growth-phase, RGP) melanomas show less p16 and some p53 and p21 immunostaining. All RGP melanomas expressed p21, suggesting areas of p53-mediated senescence, while most areas of advanced (vertical growth-phase) melanomas lacked both p16 and p21, implying escape from both forms of senescence (immortalisation). Moreover, nuclear p16 but not p21 expression can be induced in human melanocytes by oncogenic BRAF, as found in around 80% of naevi. We conclude that cell senescence can form a barrier to melanoma development. This also provides a potential explanation of why p16 is a melanoma suppressor gene