Post-selected weak measurement beyond the weak value

Closed expressions are derived for the quantum measurement statistics of pre-and postselected gaussian particle beams. The weakness of the pre-selection step is shown to compete with the non-orthogonality of post-selection in a transparent way. The approach is shown to be useful in analyzing post-selection-based signal amplification, allowing measurements to be extended far beyond the range of validity of the well-known Aharonov-Albert-Vaidman limit.Comment: The published version; with respect to previous one, note changes in Eqs. (16),(17),(19)

Three-sublattice ordering of the SU(3) Heisenberg model of three-flavor fermions on the square and cubic lattices

Combining a semi-classical analysis with exact diagonalizations, we show that the ground state of the SU(3) Heisenberg model on the square lattice develops three-sublattice long-range order. This surprising pattern for a bipartite lattice with only nearest-neighbor interactions is shown to be the consequence of a subtle quantum order-by-disorder mechanism. By contrast, thermal fluctuations favor two-sublattice configurations via entropic selection. These results are shown to extend to the cubic lattice, and experimental implications for the Mott-insulating states of three-flavor fermionic atoms in optical lattices are discussed.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures, minor changes, references adde

Dietary Intake of Natural Sources of Docosahexaenoic Acid and Folate in Pregnant Women of Three European Cohorts

Background: Folic acid plays a fundamental role in cell division and differentiation. Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) has been associated with infantile neurological and cognitive development. Thus, optimal intrauterine development and growth requires adequate supply of these nutrients during pregnancy. Methods: Healthy pregnant women, aged 18-41 years, were recruited in Granada (Spain; n = 62), Munich (Germany; n = 97) and Pecs (Hungary; n = 152). We estimated dietary DHA and folate intake in weeks 20 (w20) and 30 of gestation (w30) using a food frequency questionnaire with specific focus on the dietary sources of folate and DHA. Results: Both w20 and w30 Spanish participants had significantly higher daily DHA intakes (155 +/- 13 and 161 +/- 9 mg/1,000 kcal) than the German (119 +/- 9 and 124 +/- 12 mg/1,000 kcal; p = 0.002) and Hungarian participants (122 +/- 8 and 125 +/- 10 mg/1,000 kcal; p = 0.005). Hungarian women had higher folate intakes in w20 and w30 (149 +/- 5 and 147 +/- 6 mu g/1,000 kcal) than Spanish (112 +/- 2 and 110 +/- 2 mu g/1,000 kcal; p < 0.001) and German participants (126 +/- 4 and 120 +/- 6 mu g/1,000 kcal; p < 0.001), respectively. Conclusion: Dietary DHA and folate intake of pregnant women differs significantly across the three European cohorts. Only 7% of the participants reached the recommended folate intake during pregnancy, whereas nearly 90% reached the DHA recommended intake of 200 mg per day. Copyright (C) 2008 S. Karger AG, Base

Defining rural areas of Visegrad countries

The article is focused on the introduction and categorization of various approaches to rurality, and the identification and delimitation of rural areas in Visegrad countries. Three substantively different groups of conceptualizations and definitions of rural and rurality are described as follows: functional definitions, rural as locality (political-economic approaches), and social representation. Latter, basic sorts of methods and appro - aches to the delimitation of rural areas in V4 countries are introduced emphasizing its historical development, differences in spatial level and criteria of delimitation in current research. Due to different nature of rural areas and even local administrative units (the basic units usually used for delimitation of rural areas), it is not possible to reach sufficient and reliable identification of rural areas for whole V4 area using any of criteria or definitions applied in the research at national levels. Therefore, the average population density of entire V4 area was used as a main criterion for distinguishing between urban and rural LAU 2 at the whole Visegrad area level. Such approach is also affected by generalization but it captures various conditions in each country relatively well and moreover, it is comparable with the OECD and European Union methods to some extent

Impact of copper and iron binding properties on the anticancer activity of 8-hydroxyquinoline derived Mannich bases.

The anticancer activity of 8-hydroxyquinolines relies on complex formation with redox active copper and iron ions. Here we employ UV-visible spectrophotometry and EPR spectroscopy to compare proton dissociation and complex formation processes of the reference compound 8-hydroxyquinoline (Q-1) and three related Mannich bases to reveal possible correlations with biological activity. The studied derivatives harbor a CH2-N moiety at position 7 linked to morpholine (Q-2), piperidine (Q-3), and chlorine and fluorobenzylamino (Q-4) substituents. Solid phase structures of Q-3, Q-4·HCl·H2O, [(Cu(HQ-2)2)2]·(CH3OH)2·Cl4·(H2O)2, [Cu(Q-3)2]·Cl2 and [Cu(HQ-4)2(CH3OH)]·ZnCl4·CH3OH were characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. In addition, the redox properties of the copper and iron complexes were studied by cyclic voltammetry, and the direct reaction with physiologically relevant reductants (glutathione and ascorbic acid) was monitored. In vitro cytotoxicity studies conducted with the human uterine sarcoma MES-SA/Dx5 cell line reveal the significant cytotoxicity of Q-2, Q-3, and Q-4 in the sub- to low micromolar range (IC50 values 0.2-3.3 μM). Correlation analysis of the anticancer activity and the metal binding properties of the compound series indicates that, at physiological pH, weaker copper(ii) and iron(iii) binding results in elevated toxicity (e.g.Q4: pCu = 13.0, pFe = 6.8, IC50 = 0.2 μM vs.Q1: pCu = 15.1, pFe = 13.0 IC50 = 2.5 μM). Although the studied 8-hydroxyquinolines preferentially bind copper(ii) over iron(iii), the cyclic voltammetry data revealed that the more cytotoxic ligands preferentially stabilize the lower oxidation state of the metal ions. A linear relationship between the pKa (OH) and IC50 values of the studied 8-hydroxyquinolines was found. In summary, we identify Q-4 as a potent and selective anticancer candidate with significant toxicity in drug resistant cells

Additive decomposability of functions over abelian groups

Abelian groups are classified by the existence of certain additive decompositions of group-valued functions of several variables with arity gap 2.Comment: 17 page

MAP kináz jelátvitel funkcionális vizsgálat mitokondriumban = Functional studies on mitochondrial MAP kinase signalling

Munkánk során a növényekre specifikus, kevésbé vizsgált, D típusú MAPKok családjának egyik tagját az AtMPK9-t tanulmányoztuk. Élesztő kettős-hibrid rendszerrel a kalmodulint, mint lehetséges AtMPK9 fehérje partnert azonosítottuk, majd a kölcsönhatást in vitro transzlációval előállított fehérjékkel többféle megközelítéssel igazoltuk. Az AtMPK9 poszttranszlációs módosításokon keresztül történő szabályozása korábban ismeretlen volt. A pályázat keretében tömegspektrometriás vizsgálatokkal és in vitro mutagenezissel előállított AtMPK9 variánsokkal bizonyítottuk, hogy az aktiválásért felelős T hurok régióban elhelyezkedő TDY aminosav triplet treoninjának és tirozinjának foszforilálása nélkül a kináz nem rendelkezik aktivitással. A tömegspektrometriás adatok alapján az is nyilvánvaló vált, hogy az AtMPK9 kináz doménjét követő C-terminális doménben további négy aminosav foszforilálódik. Vizsgálataink szerint az összes általunk azonosított foszforiláció autofoszforiláció eredménye. Feltételezésünk szerint a kináz autofoszforilációs aktivitásának szabályozásában a kölcsönható partnerként azonosított kalmodulin kaphat szerepet. Az AtMPK9 in planta funkcióját protoplaszt tranziens expresszióval és null-mutáns növényekkel tanulmányoztuk. Vizsgálataink alapján a fehérje kináz abiotikus stresszel aktiválható, azonban ennek ellenére a null-mutáns növények fenotípusa még stressz körülmények között sem tér el a vadtípusétól, így az AtMPK9 valószínűsíthetően funkcionálisan redudáns kináz. | The project aimed at studying AtMPK9, a member of plant specific, D type mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK). We identified calmodulin as its putative protein interacting partner by yeast two-hybrid assay. In order to evaluate this result, AtMPK9 and calmodulin were produced by in vitro translation and the interaction was confirmed by pull-down assays and surface plasmone resonance analysis. The kinase activity regulation of AtMPK9 was unknown previously. We demonstrated by mass spectrometry and in vitro mutagenesis studies that phosphorylation of threonine and tyrosine of TDY amino acid triad of T loop is inevitable for kinase activity. Further mass spectrometry analysis revealed another four phosphorylated amino acids in the C-terminal domain of AtMPK9. According to our in vitro translation based data, all the identified phosphorylations are caused by autophosphorylation. We hypothesize that the interacting partner calmodulin regulates the autophosphorylation activity of kinase. The in planta function of the protein kinase was studied by protoplast transient overexpression and application of AtMPK9 knock-out plants. Although the kinase activity of AtMPK9 was inducible by abiotic stress, the knock-out plants did not show any difference in phenotype, not even in stress conditions. These data imply that AtMPK9 is a functionally redundant protein kinase

Frictional coupling between sliding and spinning motion

We show that the friction force and torque, acting at a dry contact of two objects moving and rotating relative to each other, are inherently coupled. As a simple test system, a sliding and spinning disk on a horizontal flat surface is considered. We calculate, and also measure, how the disk is slowing down, and find that it always stops its sliding and spinning motion at the same moment. We discuss the impact of this coupling between friction force and torque on the physics of granular materials.Comment: 4 pages, 5 figures; submitte