Low-depth random Clifford circuits for quantum coding against Pauli noise using a tensor-network decoder

Recent work [M. J. Gullans et al., Physical Review X, 11(3):031066 (2021)] has shown that quantum error correcting codes defined by random Clifford encoding circuits can achieve a non-zero encoding rate in correcting errors even if the random circuits on $n$ qubits, embedded in one spatial dimension (1D), have a logarithmic depth $d=\mathcal{O}(\log{n})$. However, this was demonstrated only for a simple erasure noise model. In this work, we discover that this desired property indeed holds for the conventional Pauli noise model. Specifically, we numerically demonstrate that the hashing bound, i.e., a rate known to be achieved with $d=\mathcal{O}(n)$-depth random encoding circuits, can be attained even when the circuit depth is restricted to $d=\mathcal{O}(\log n)$ in 1D for depolarizing noise of various strengths. This analysis is made possible with our development of a tensor-network maximum-likelihood decoding algorithm that works efficiently for $\log$-depth encoding circuits in 1D

Marital status and risk of physical frailty: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Objectives: Evidence on associations between marital status and frailty is limited. The objectives of this study were to perform a systematic review for associations between marital status and physical frailty and to perform a meta-analysis to combine findings. Design: Systematic review and meta-analysis. Setting and participants: Community-dwelling older people with mean age ≥60 years. Methods: Systematic literature search using 5 databases was conducted in February 2019 to identify longitudinal and cross-sectional studies examining associations between marital status and Fried's phenotype-based frailty status. Additional studies were searched for by reviewing the reference lists of relevant articles and conducting forward citation tracking of included articles. Odds ratio (OR) of marital status and frailty was pooled using a random-effects meta-analysis. Subgroup analysis and analyses stratified by gender and marital status (married, widowed, divorced or separated, and never married) were completed. Results: A total of 1565 studies were found, from which 3 studies with longitudinal data and 35 studies with cross-sectional data were included. Although longitudinal studies suggested that married men had lower frailty risks than unmarried men while married women had higher frailty risks than widowed women, meta-analysis was not possible because of different methodologies. Meta-analyses of cross-sectional data from 35 studies including 80,754 individuals showed that unmarried individuals were almost twice more likely to be frail than married individuals (pooled odds ratio = 1.88, 95% confidence interval = 1.70-2.07). A high degree of heterogeneity was observed (I2 = 69%) and was partially explained by reasons for not being married and study location. Stratified analyses showed that pooled risks of frailty in the unmarried compared with the married were not statistically different between women and women (P for difference = .62). Conclusions and Implications: Three and 35 studies, respectively, were found providing longitudinal and cross-sectional data regarding associations between marital status and frailty among community-dwelling older people. A meta-analysis of cross-sectional data showed almost twice higher frailty risk in unmarried individuals compared with married individuals. Marital status should be recognized as an important factor, and more longitudinal studies controlling for potential confounding factors are needed

Gender differences in the use of transportation services to community rehabilitation programs

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Prevention and reduction of disability among community-dwelling older adults have been an important health policy concern in Japan. Moreover, it has also become a gendered issue due to the recent rapid growth in older females than males with disability living in their own homes. The aim of this study is to examine whether there is a gender difference in the use of community rehabilitation programs in Japan, and if so, whether the lack of transportation services and accompanying caregivers are the reasons for the gender difference.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>This study was based on surveys of the program administrators and the primary caregivers of the program participants from 55 randomly selected community rehabilitation programs (CRP) in the Tokyo metropolitan area. Questions included sociodemographic characteristics of program participants, types of transportation services provided by the CRP, caregiver's relationship to participant, and the nature of family support. Bivariate statistical analysis was conducted.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Although there were more females than males with disability residing in communities, our findings showed that females were less likely to use CRP than males (1.3% and 2.3%, respectively; <it>X</it>²= 93.0, p < 0.0001). Lower CRP use by females was related to lower availability of transportation services (36% without transportation service and 46% door-to-door services) and fewer caregivers accompanying the participants to CRP.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>This study builds on previous research findings, which suggest gender inequality in access to CRP.</p

Te covered Si(001): a variable surface reconstruction

At a given temperature, clean and adatom covered silicon surfaces usually exhibit well-defined reconstruction patterns. Our finite temperature ab-initio molecular dynamics calculations show that the tellurium covered Si(001) surface is an exception. Soft longitudinal modes of surface phonons due to the strongly anharmonic potential of the bridged tellurium atoms prevent the reconstruction structure from attaining any permanent, two dimensional periodic geometry. This explains why experiments attempting to find a definite model for the reconstruction have reached conflicting conclusions.Comment: 4 pages, 3 gif figure

RELEVANSI PEMIKIRAN IRIGARAY TERHADAP ARSITEKTUR

Abstrak_ Teori arsitektur terlahir dari beberapa pemikiran filosof yang membahas tentang hubungan manusia dengan ruang. Pemikiran para filosof tersebut, menjelaskan bagaimana memahami manusia sebagai pengguna produk arsitektur. Berbagai pemikiran tersebut kemudian diterjemahkan oleh para praktisi dan mahasiswa arsitektur ke dalam konsep perancangan yang lebih humanis. Tulisan ini bertujuan mendiskripsikan pemikiran salah satu filosof yang berkontribusi pada perkembangan teori arsitektur, yaitu Luce Irigaray. Pemikiran Irigaray mengenai feminisme akan dijelaskan bagaimana relevansinya terhadap konsep desain arsitektur. Tulisan ini disusun dengan metode kajian literatur dengan mengkaji dua pemikiran Irigaray yaitu mengenai konsep fluiditas dan persepsi melalui sentuhan. Adapun hasil kajian dari kedua konsep hasil pemikiran Irigaray, yaitu fluiditas dan persepsi melalui sentuhan, keduanya menjelaskan bagaimana perbedaan gender dalam suatu ruang menentukan bentukan dari suatu produk arsitektur. Apabila arsitek telah dapat mewadahi perbedaan kebutuhan antar gender, maka karya tersebut telah mengakui kedua gender sebagai subyek yang diwadahi dalam suatu produk arsitektural, bukanlah lagi sebagai objek. Sehingga tercipta suatu karya arsitektur yang lebih humanis.Kata kunci: Irigaray; Feminisme; Teori Arsitektur. Abstract_ Architectural theory was born from several philosophical thoughts which discussed the relationship between humans and space. The thought of the philosophers explained how to understand humans as users of architectural products. These various thoughts were then translated by architectural practitioners and students into more humanistic design concepts. This paper aims to describe the thoughts of one of the philosophers who contributed to the development of architectural theory, Luce Irigaray. Irigaray thinking about feminism will explain how relevant it is to architectural design concepts. This paper is compiled with a literature review method by examining two irrational thoughts, the concept of fluidity and perception through touch. The results of the study of the two concepts of Irigaray's thinking, fluidity and perception through touch, both explain how gender differences in a space determine the formation of an architectural product. If the architect has been able to accommodate differences in needs between genders, then the work has recognized the two genders as subjects that are contained in an architectural product, no longer as objects. Thus creating a more humanistic architectural work.Keywords:  Irigaray; Feminism; Architecture Theory

Real-time In Situ Electron Spin Resonance Measurements on Fungal Spores of Penicillium digitatum during Exposure of Oxygen Plasmas

We report the kinetic analysis of free radicals on fungal spores of Penicillium digitatum interacted with atomic oxygen generated plasma electric discharge using real time in situ electron spin resonance (ESR) measurements. We have obtained information that the ESR signal from the spores was observed and preliminarily assignable to semiquinone radical with a g-value of around 2.004 and a line width of approximately 5G. The decay of the signal is possibly linked to the inactivation of the fungal spore. The real-time in situ ESR has proven to be a useful method to elucidate plasma-induced surface reactions on biological specimens.Comment: 11 pages, 5 figure

Relationship between home care service use and changes in the care needs level of Japanese elderly

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>With the introduction of long-term care insurance (LTCI) in Japan, more home care services are available for the community-dwelling elderly. To deliver effective home care services, it is important to know the effects of service use. In this study, as the first step to determine this, we sought to describe different home service use in the sustained/improved group and deteriorated group in their care needs levels, and to report the relationship between the use of home care services and changes in care needs levels.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The participants included 624 of a total of 1,474 users of LTCI services in one city in Japan. Home care service users were stratified into a 'lower care needs level subgroup' and a 'higher care needs level subgroup' based on the baseline care needs level. Simple statistical comparison and multiple logistic regression analyses in which the change in care needs level was set as a dependent variable were performed. Gender, age, and baseline care needs level were designated as control variables. Home based services were treated as independent variables. In this study, home care services consisted of home help, home bathing services, a visiting nurse, home rehabilitation, nursing home daycare, health daycare, loan of medical devices, respite stay in a nursing home, respite stay in a health care facility, respite stay in a sanatorium-type medical care facility, and medical management by a physician.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>In the lower care needs level subgroup, age (OR = 1.04, CI, 1.01-1.08), use of respite stay in a nursing home (OR = 2.55; CI, 1.43-4.56), and the number of types of long-term care services (OR = 1.33; CI, 1.02-1.74) used during an 11 month period were significantly related to a deterioration of the user's care needs level. In the higher care needs level subgroup, use of medical management by a physician (OR = 6.99; CI, 1.42-41.25) was significantly related to a deterioration of the user's care needs level. There were no home based services significantly related to sustaining or improving the user's care needs level.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>There were different home service use in two groups (the sustained/improved group and the deteriorated group). Respite stay in a nursing home service use and more types of service use were related to experiencing a deterioration of care needs level in lower care needs level community-dwelling elderly persons in Japan. Further, medical management by a physician service was related to experiencing a deterioration of care needs level in higher care needs level community-dwelling elderly persons.</p

Xanthogranuloma of the intrasellar region presenting in pituitary dysfunction: a case report

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Introduction</p> <p>Differentiation of cystic mass lesions of the sellar and parasellar regions may pose a diagnostic dilemma for physicians, neurosurgeons, radiologists and pathologists involved in treating patients with these entities. A considerable number of tumors previously identified as craniopharyngiomas may, in fact, have been xanthogranulomas. We report a case of pituitary dysfunction caused by xanthogranuloma of the intrasellar region.</p> <p>Case presentation</p> <p>A 47-year-old man of Japanese descent presented to our institution with a tumor located exclusively in the intrasellar region which manifested as severe hypopituitarism. MRI revealed a clearly defined intrasellar mass that was heterogeneously hyperintense on T1-weighted images and markedly hypointense on T2-weighted images. We preoperatively diagnosed the patient with Rathke's cleft cyst or non-functioning pituitary adenoma. Although the tumor was completely removed using a transsphenoidal approach, the improvement of the patient's endocrine function was marginal, and continued endocrine replacement therapy was needed. Postoperatively, a histological examination revealed the tumor to be a xanthogranuloma of the intrasellar region. His visual field defects and headache improved.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Because diagnosis depends on surgical intervention and xanthogranulomas of the intrasellar region are very rare, the natural history of xanthogranuloma is still unknown. Therefore, this entity is difficult to diagnose preoperatively. We suggest that xanthogranuloma should be included in the differential diagnosis, even in the case of sellar lesions, to formulate appropriate postoperative management and improve endocrine outcomes.</p