Quantum Circuits for General Multiqubit Gates

We consider a generic elementary gate sequence which is needed to implement a general quantum gate acting on n qubits -- a unitary transformation with 4^n degrees of freedom. For synthesizing the gate sequence, a method based on the so-called cosine-sine matrix decomposition is presented. The result is optimal in the number of elementary one-qubit gates, 4^n, and scales more favorably than the previously reported decompositions requiring 4^n-2^n+1 controlled NOT gates.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figure

Implementation with foresighted agents

Agents are farsighted when they consider the ultimate consequences of their actions. We re-examine the classical questions of implementation theory under complete information in a setting with transfers, where farsighted coalitions are considered fundamental behavioral units, and the equilibrium outcomes of their interactions are predicted via the stability notion of the largest consistent set. The designer's exercise consists of designing a rights structure that formalizes the idea of power distribution in society. The designer's challenge lies in forming a rights structure in which the equilibrium behavior of agents always coincides with the recommendation given by a social choice rule. We show that (Maskin) monotonicity fully identifies the class of implementable single-valued social choice rules. Even though, monotonicity is not necessary for implementation in general, we show that every monotonic social choice rule can be implemented. These findings imply that the class of implementable social choice rules in core equilibria is unaltered by farsighted reasoning

Patient Inspiratory Maneuver Performance; Peak Lungpower, Acceleration and Volume

Background: Use of drug delivery devices between nebulizers, dry powder inhalers (DPIs), or metered dose inhalers (MDIs), for treating patients with asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), is based on patients' capability of coordinating the inhalation maneuver and achieving sufficient airflow. There are limited data available with regard to how patients meet the requirements of successful inhalation performance, and how the concept of inspiratory lungpower could be applied. The aim of this work was to study the patient inspiratory airflow profile performance in large data sets. We analyzed how the Kamin-Haidl inhalation criteria were met by patients with DPIs such as Easyhaler for combination therapy (EH-combi), Easyhaler for monotherapy (EH-mono), Diskus, and Turbuhaler (TH), and applied peak lungpower instead of peak inspiratory flow rate as an indicator of patient performance. Materials and Methods: Data sets gathered in two previous studies for DPIs, that is, EH-combi, EH-mono, Diskus, and TH, were used to analyze how inspiratory lungpower representing inspiratory muscle power, flow acceleration, and volume after peak met the inhalation criteria. The measured patient airflow profiles through inhalers were assessed for patients with asthma or COPD. Results: Based on the Kamin-Haidl inhalation criteria, successful inhalation requirements were met with EH-combi in 96.1% and with EH-mono in 92.6% of patients. The success rates were 89.5% and 84.6% with Diskus and TH, respectively, (p <0.0001 between devices). In patients with asthma or COPD, the mean lungpower was 7.51 and 6.15 W for EH-combi, 8.79 and 6.88 W for EH-mono, 7.18 and 4.36 W for Diskus, and 9.65 and 6.86 W for TH, respectively, when patients followed the manufacturer's written instructions. Conclusions: Lungpower applied to the Kamin-Haidl inhalation criteria concept could be an applicable method for reviewing patient performance for different DPIs despite DPIs' characteristic differences in airflow resistance. In light of these results, DPIs provide a feasible treatment option for a large majority of respiratory patients.Peer reviewe

Implementation in largest consistent set via rights structures

The designer's exercise consists of designing a rights structure that formalizes the idea of power distribution in society. A solution is implementable in largest consistent set by a rights structure if there exists a rights structure such that for each preference profile, the largest consistent set of the game played by agents coincides with the set of outcomes that the solution would select for it. In a setting with transfers, every Maskin monotonic solution is implementable. This finding implies that the class of implementable solutions in core equilibria is unaltered by farsighted reasoning.</p

Relationship Satisfaction and Similarity of Personality Traits, Personal Values, and Attitudes

Spousal similarity and its consequences are widely studied, but methodologically challenging topics. We employed Response Surface Analysis to examine similarity along political attitudes, personal values, and personality traits. Opposite-sex couples (624 individuals) expecting a child were recruited. Spouses were highly similar regarding their political attitudes and moderately similar regarding trait Openness and the personal values Universalism and Tradition. Similarity for other traits and values was weak (e.g. Conscientiousness, Power values) or non-existent (e.g. Neuroticism, Benevolence values). Similarity in conservative vs. liberal attitudes was non-linear: a conservative-conservative union was most common. Women's relationship satisfaction was related to similarity in left-right and liberal-conservative political attitudes, and both partners' satisfaction was related to similarity in Self-Direction values. Similarity in personality traits was unrelated to relationship satisfaction.Peer reviewe

Pirfenidone decreases mesothelioma cell proliferation and migration via inhibition of ERK and AKT and regulates mesothelioma tumor microenvironment in vivo

Malignant mesothelioma is an aggressive cancer with poor prognosis. It is characterized by prominent extracellular matrix, mesenchymal tumor cell phenotypes and chemoresistance. In this study, the ability of pirfenidone to alter mesothelioma cell proliferation and migration as well as mesothelioma tumor microenvironment was evaluated. Pirfenidone is an anti-fibrotic drug used in the treatment of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and has also anti-proliferative activities. Mesothelioma cell proliferation was decreased by pirfenidone alone or in combination with cisplatin. Pirfenidone also decreased significantly Transwell migration/ invasion and 3D collagen invasion. This was associated with increased BMP pathway activity, decreased GREM1 expression and downregulation of MAPK/ERK and AKT/mTOR signaling. The canonical Smad-mediated TGF-beta signaling was not affected by pirfenidone. However, pirfenidone blocked TGF-beta induced upregulation of ERK and AKT pathways. Treatment of mice harboring mesothelioma xenografts with pirfenidone alone did not reduce tumor proliferation in vivo. However, pirfenidone modified the tumor microenvironment by reducing the expression of extracellular matrix associated genes. In addition, GREM1 expression was downregulated by pirfenidone in vivo. By reducing two major upregulated pathways in mesothelioma and by targeting tumor cells and the microenvironment pirfenidone may present a novel anti-fibrotic and anti-cancer adjuvant therapy for mesothelioma.Peer reviewe

Label-free plasma proteomics identifies haptoglobin-related protein as candidate marker of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and dysregulation of complement and oxidative pathways

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a lung parenchymal disease of unknown cause usually occurring in older adults. It is a chronic and progressive condition with poor prognosis and diagnosis is largely clinical. Currently, there exist few biomarkers that can predict patient outcome or response to therapies. Together with lack of markers, the need for novel markers for the detection and monitoring of IPF, is paramount. We have performed label-free plasma proteomics of thirty six individuals, 17 of which had confirmed IPF. Proteomics data was analyzed by volcano plot, hierarchical clustering, Partial-least square discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) and Ingenuity pathway analysis. Univariate and multivariate statistical analysis overlap identified haptoglobin-related protein as a possible marker of IPF when compared to control samples (Area under the curve 0.851, ROC-analysis). LXR/RXR activation and complement activation pathways were enriched in t-test significant proteins and oxidative regulators, complement proteins and protease inhibitors were enriched in PLS-DA significant proteins. Our pilot study points towards aberrations in complement activation and oxidative damage in IPF patients and provides haptoglobin-related protein as a new candidate biomarker of IPF.Peer reviewe

Quantum circuits with uniformly controlled one-qubit gates

Uniformly controlled one-qubit gates are quantum gates which can be represented as direct sums of two-dimensional unitary operators acting on a single qubit. We present a quantum gate array which implements any n-qubit gate of this type using at most 2^{n-1} - 1 controlled-NOT gates, 2^{n-1} one-qubit gates and a single diagonal n-qubit gate. The circuit is based on the so-called quantum multiplexor, for which we provide a modified construction. We illustrate the versatility of these gates by applying them to the decomposition of a general n-qubit gate and a local state preparation procedure. Moreover, we study their implementation using only nearest-neighbor gates. We give upper bounds for the one-qubit and controlled-NOT gate counts for all the aforementioned applications. In all four cases, the proposed circuit topologies either improve on or achieve the previously reported upper bounds for the gate counts. Thus, they provide the most efficient method for general gate decompositions currently known.Comment: 8 pages, 10 figures. v2 has simpler notation and sharpens some result

Toiminnalliset alueet ja kasvuvyöhykkeet Suomessa

Tässä raportissa käsitellään hallinnollisista rajoista riippumattomia toiminnallisia aluekokonaisuuksia. Toiminnallisia alueita rajataan päivittäisen ja viikoittaisen liikkumisen näkökulmasta sekä paikallisella että seudullisella tasolla. Lähtöaineistona käytetään paikkatietoja työssäkäynnistä ja kyselytietoa asioinnin suuntautumisesta. Tuloksena on tuotettu jatkossa helposti toistettava menetelmä aluerajausten tuottamiseksi. Kaupunkikeskusten väliin sijoittuvia kasvuvyöhykkeitä luokitellaan alueellisen vuorovaikutuksen sekä liikennejärjestelmään ja saavutettavuuteen perustuvan vuorovaikutuspotentiaalin perusteella. Vuorovaikutusta tarkastellaan erityisesti työssäkäynnin, liikennevirtojen ja yritysten välisten yhteyksien pohjalta. Vyöhykkeiden muutoksia lähestytään väestön, muuttoliikkeen, työllisyyden, työpaikkakehityksen, rakentamisen ja yritysten kehitysnäkymien kautta. Vyöhykkeiden merkityksen analysointi perustuu myös aluekehittämisen toimijoiden haastatteluihin ja yrityksille tehtyyn verkkokyselyyn sekä kansainvälisiin vertailukohtiin. Keskeisinä toimenpide-ehdotuksina nostetaan esille tietoperustan vahvistaminen, seudullisen suunnittelun vahvistaminen, vaikutusarviointien kehittäminen, vuorovaikutuksen lisääminen, aluekehittämisen keskustelujen kehittäminen, kasvuvyöhykkeiden pitkän aikavälin kehittäminen sekä kestävän liikkumisen edistämine