State Discrimination with Post-Measurement Information

We introduce a new state discrimination problem in which we are given additional information about the state after the measurement, or more generally, after a quantum memory bound applies. In particular, the following special case plays an important role in quantum cryptographic protocols in the bounded storage model: Given a string x encoded in an unknown basis chosen from a set of mutually unbiased bases, you may perform any measurement, but then store at most q qubits of quantum information. Later on, you learn which basis was used. How well can you compute a function f(x) of x, given the initial measurement outcome, the q qubits and the additional basis information? We first show a lower bound on the success probability for any balanced function, and any number of mutually unbiased bases, beating the naive strategy of simply guessing the basis. We then show that for two bases, any Boolean function f(x) can be computed perfectly if you are allowed to store just a single qubit, independent of the number of possible input strings x. However, we show how to construct three bases, such that you need to store all qubits in order to compute f(x) perfectly. We then investigate how much advantage the additional basis information can give for a Boolean function. To this end, we prove optimal bounds for the success probability for the AND and the XOR function for up to three mutually unbiased bases. Our result shows that the gap in success probability can be maximal: without the basis information, you can never do better than guessing the basis, but with this information, you can compute f(x) perfectly. We also exhibit an example where the extra information does not give any advantage at all.Comment: twentynine pages, no figures, equations galore. v2 thirtyone pages, one new result w.r.t. v

Dynamical subset sampling of quantum error correcting protocols

Quantum error correcting (QEC) stabilizer codes enable protection of quantum information against errors during storage and processing. Simulation of noisy QEC codes is used to identify the noise parameters necessary for advantageous operation of logical qubits in realistic quantum computing architectures. Typical quantum error correction techniques contain intermediate measurements and classical feedback that determine the actual noisy circuit sequence in an instance of performing the protocol. Dynamical subset sampling enables efficient simulation of such non-deterministic quantum error correcting protocols for any type of quantum circuit and incoherent noise of low strength. As an importance sampling technique, dynamical subset sampling allows one to effectively make use of computational resources to only sample the most relevant sequences of quantum circuits in order to estimate a protocol's logical failure rate with well-defined error bars. We demonstrate the capabilities of dynamical subset sampling with examples from fault-tolerant (FT) QEC. We show that, in a typical stabilizer simulation with incoherent Pauli noise of strength $p = 10^{-3}$, our method can reach a required sampling accuracy on the logical failure rate with two orders of magnitude fewer samples than direct Monte Carlo simulation. Furthermore, dynamical subset sampling naturally allows for efficient simulation of realistic multi-parameter noise models describing faulty quantum processors. It can be applied not only for QEC in the circuit model but any noisy quantum computing framework with incoherent fault operators including measurement-based quantum computation and quantum networks.Comment: 33 pages, 26 figure

Über die physiologische Funktion von TRPV6-Ionenkanälen in Plazenta, Eihülle und Uterus

TRPV6-Ionenkanäle besitzen eine besonders hohe Selektivität für Ca2+-Ionen und sind an der Ca2+-Homöostase verschiedener Gewebe wie z.B. Uterus, Plazenta und Nebenhoden beteiligt. Demgemäß beeinflusst ihr Fehlen die Reproduktionsmechanismen beider Geschlechter. So zeigen homozygote TRPV6-defiziente, männliche Mäuse eine gestörte Spermienreifung, welche auf eine erhöhte Ca2+-Konzentration im Lumen des Nebenhodens zurückzuführen ist. Dagegen zeigen TRPV6-defiziente Embryonen, die sich in TRPV6-defizienten Müttern entwickeln, ein verzögertes Wachstum und eine unzureichende Knochenmineralisierung. Dieser Phänotyp der Maus ähnelt dem Krankheitsbild eines neonatalen Hyperparathyroidismus beim Menschen, dem eine unzureichende Calciumversorgung des Embryos über die Plazenta aufgrund von Trpv6-Genmutationen zugrunde liegt. Die Neugeborenen leiden an Skelettverformungen und untermineralisierten Knochen. Zur Untersuchung der Ursachen embryonaler Fehlbildungen in TRPV6-defizienten Mäusen wurden in dieser Arbeit TRPV6-exprimierende Gewebe analysiert, welche an der Embryogenese beteiligt sind. Im nicht schwangeren Uterus, im schwangeren Uterus, in Plazenta und in Trophoblasten sowie in der Eihülle konnte das TRPV6-Protein nach Immunpräzipitation durch Massenspektrometrie und Western Blot-Analyse nachgewiesen werden. TRPV6-defiziente Gewebe zeigten eine verstärkte Expression verschiedener Proteasen. In der Plazenta war Granzyme F, in den Trophoblasten waren die Granzyme C, F, G und HTRA1, im schwangeren Uterus die Granzyme C, E, F und in der Eihülle war Cathepsin D signifikant erhöht. Die Proteaseinhibitoren Alpha-1-antitrypsin 1-4 (A1AT4) und Alpha-1-antitrypsin 1-5 (A1AT5) waren hingegen in Abwesenheit von TRPV6 deutlich reduziert. In TRPV6-defizienten Plazenten zeigte sich die Oberfläche der Labyrinthzone verringert und die Chorionplatte vergrößert. Die reduzierte Oberfläche der Labyrinthzone führt wahrscheinlich zu einem reduzierten Stofftransport und könnte eine mögliche Ursache für die Unterversorgung von Embryonen in TRPV6-defizienten Tieren sein. Trophoblasten aus der Labyrinthzone von TRPV6-defizienten Plazenten vernetzten sich in Zellkultur schlechter und ihre basale Ca2+-Konzentration war signifikant reduziert. Ihr Migrationsverhalten und ihre Vitalität waren unverändert. Konform zu der Erhöhung von Serinproteasen zeigte sich eine deutliche Reduktion des extrazellulären Matrixproteins (ECM) Fibronektin. Entsprechend zeigten Proteinlysate aus TRPV6-defizienten Plazenten verstärkten proteolytischen Abbau von Fibronektin. Diese Daten belegen die Hypothese, dass TRPV6-Proteine die Struktur der extrazellulären Matrix im plazentaren Labyrinth kontrollieren. Die Eihülle von TRPV6-defizienten Tieren war ebenso wie die Embryonen kleiner. Ihre Dicke war jedoch unverändert. Ähnlich wie in den Trophoblasten und der Plazenta war eine Protease, Cathepsin D, verstärkt exprimiert, die Proteaseinhibitoren A1AT4 und A1AT5 waren reduziert und Fibronektin degradiert. Dies legt nahe, dass TRPV6 auch in diesem Gewebe eine wesentliche Rolle bei der Kontrolle der extrazellulären Matrix spielt. Daher wurde der transepitheliale Widerstand von Eihüllen in Gegenwart und Abwesenheit von TRPV6 bestimmt. Er zeigte sich (trotz reduziertem Fibronektin) bei TRPV6-defizienten Eihüllen ebenso erhöht, wie in Anwesenheit eines TRPV6-Antagonisten in Eihüllen von WT Mäusen. Offensichtlich beeinflussen TRPV6-Ionenkanäle auch die Permeabilität der Eihülle während der Embryogenese. Der schwangere und der nicht schwangere Uterus zeigten keine offensichtlichen morphologischen Veränderungen zwischen WT- und TRPV6-defizienten Tieren. Im TRPV6-defizienten schwangeren Uterus war die Expression der Granzyme C, D, E, F und G erhöht, der Proteaseinhibitor A1AT5 reduziert, die Menge an Fibronektin jedoch unverändert. Im nicht-schwangeren Uterus waren keine Granzyme nachweisbar, jedoch war die Menge des Proteaseinhibitors A1AT4 in TRPV6-defizienten Uteri während des Diestrus und Metestrus signifikant reduziert, Fibronektin dagegen war nicht verändert. Der nicht-schwangere Uterus zeigte ein zyklusabhängiges Expressionsmuster von TRPV6 mit der größten Menge TRPV6 während des Estrus. Die zyklusabhängige Expression von TRPV6 und dessen Lokalisation im Uterusepithel legt die Vermutung nahe, dass TRPV6 an initialen Prozessen der Schwangerschaft wie z.B. der Adhäsion und Invasion der Blastozyste oder der Dezidualisierung beteiligt sein könnte.TRPV6 ion channels have a particularly high selectivity for Ca2+ ions and are involved in the Ca2+ homeostasis of various tissues such as the uterus, placenta and epididymis. Accordingly, their absence affects the reproductive mechanisms of both sexes. Homozygous TRPV6-deficient male mice show impaired sperm maturation, caused by an enhanced Ca2+ concentration in the lumen of the epididymis. In contrast, TRPV6-deficient embryos from TRPV6-deficient mothers show delayed growth and insufficient bone mineralization. This phenotype in the mouse resembles the clinical picture of neonatal hyperparathyroidism in humans, which is based on an inadequate calcium supply of the embryo via the placenta due to Trpv6 gene mutations. The newborns suffer from skeletal dysplasia and under-mineralized bones. To investigate the causes of embryonic malformations in TRPV6-deficient mice, TRPV6-expressing tissues, which are involved in embryogenesis, were analyzed in this thesis. In the non-pregnant uterus, the pregnant uterus, the placenta and trophoblasts, as well as the yolk sac, the TRPV6 protein was detected after immunoprecipitation by mass spectrometry and Western blot analysis. Tissues with a lack of TRPV6 showed an increase of various proteases. Granzyme F was significantly higher in the placenta, granzymes C, F, G and HTRA1 in the trophoblasts, granzymes C, E, F in the pregnant uterus and cathepsin D in the yolk sac. In contrast, the protease inhibitors alpha-1-antitrypsin 1-4 (A1AT4) and alpha-1-antitrypsin 1-5 (A1AT5) were significantly reduced in the absence of TRPV6. In TRPV6-deficient placentas, the surface of the labyrinth zone was reduced and the chorionic plate was enlarged. The decreased surface area of the labyrinth zone probably leads to reduced nutrient and mineral transport and could be a possible cause for the undersupply of embryos in TRPV6-deficient animals. Trophoblasts from the labyrinth zone of TRPV6-deficient placentas networked less well in cell culture and their basal Ca2+ concentration was significantly reduced. Their migratory behavior and vitality were unaffected. In line with the increase in serine proteases, there was a clear reduction in the extracellular matrix protein (ECM) fibronectin. Accordingly, protein lysates from TRPV6-deficient placentas showed increased proteolytic degradation of fibronectin. This data supports the hypothesis that TRPV6 proteins control the structure of the extracellular matrix in the placental labyrinth zone. The yolk sac of TRPV6-deficient animals was just as smaller as the embryos. However, their thickness was unchanged. As in the trophoblasts and the placenta, a protease, cathepsin D, was expressed to an increased extent. The protease inhibitors A1AT4 and A1AT5 were reduced, and fibronectin was degraded. This suggests that TRPV6 also plays an essential role in controlling the extracellular matrix in this tissue. Therefore, the transepithelial resistance of yolk sac in the presence and absence of TRPV6 was determined. It was found to be increased (despite reduced fibronectin) in TRPV6-deficient yolk sac as well as in the presence of a TRPV6 antagonist in the yolk sac of WT mice. Apparently, TRPV6 ion channels also influence the permeability of the yolk sac during embryogenesis. The pregnant and non-pregnant uterus showed no apparent morphological changes between WT- and TRPV6-deficient animals. In the TRPV6-deficient pregnant uterus, the amount of granzymes C, D, E, F and G was increased, the protease inhibitor A1AT5 was reduced, but the amount of fibronectin was unchanged. Granzymes were not detectable in the non-pregnant uterus. However, the amount of the protease inhibitor A1AT4 in TRPV6-deficient uteri was significantly reduced during the diestrus and metestrus, whereas fibronectin was not changed. The non-pregnant uterus showed a cycle-dependent expression pattern of TRPV6 with the largest amount of TRPV6 during estrus. The cycle-dependent expression of TRPV6 and its localization in the uterine epithelium suggest that TRPV6 may be involved in the initial processes of pregnancy such as adhesion and invasion of the blastocyst or decidualization

Mastleistung von Rindern mit der Weidestrategie Mob Grazing unter niederschlagsarmen Klimabedingungen

Die Tageszunahmen von Mob Grazing Herden sind geringer, da die Tiere weniger hochwertiges Futter erhalten. In dieser Studie waren die Tageszunahmen höher (724 g und 620 g). Der Pflanzenbestand hatte einen signifikanten Einfluss auf die Mastleistung und zeigt, dass höhere Leistungen möglich sind

Nonspherical Nanoparticle Shape Stability Is Affected by Complex Manufacturing Aspects: Its Implications for Drug Delivery and Targeting

The shape of nanoparticles is known recently as an important design parameter influencing considerably the fate of nanoparticles with and in biological systems. Several manufacturing techniques to generate nonspherical nanoparticles as well as studies on in vitro and in vivo effects thereof have been described. However, nonspherical nanoparticle shape stability in physiological-related conditions and the impact of formulation parameters on nonspherical nanoparticle resistance still need to be investigated. To address these issues, different nanoparticle fabrication methods using biodegradable polymers are explored to produce nonspherical nanoparticles via the prevailing film-stretching method. In addition, systematic comparisons to other nanoparticle systems prepared by different manufacturing techniques and less biodegradable materials (but still commonly utilized for drug delivery and targeting) are conducted. The study evinces that the strong interplay from multiple nanoparticle properties (i.e., internal structure, Young's modulus, surface roughness, liquefaction temperature [glass transition (Tg) or melting (Tm)], porosity, and surface hydrophobicity) is present. It is not possible to predict the nonsphericity longevity by merely one or two factor(s). The most influential features in preserving the nonsphericity of nanoparticles are existence of internal structure and low surface hydrophobicity (i.e., surface-free energy (SFE) > ≈55 mN m−1, material–water interfacial tension 10 nm), porous (>1 m2 g−1), and in possession of low bulk liquefaction temperature (<100 °C). Interestingly, low surface hydrophobicity of nanoparticles can be obtained indirectly by the significant presence of residual stabilizers. Therefore, it is strongly suggested that nonsphericity of particle systems is highly dependent on surface chemistry but cannot be appraised separately from other factors. These results and reviews allot valuable guidelines for the design and manufacturing of nonspherical nanoparticles having adequate shape stability, thereby appropriate with their usage purposes. Furthermore, they can assist in understanding and explaining the possible mechanisms of nonspherical nanoparticles effectivity loss and distinctive material behavior at the nanoscale. © 2019 The Authors. Published by WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinhei

Endobronchial Lipomatous Hamartoma: An Incidental Finding in a Patient with Atrial Fibrillation—A Case Report

Introduction. Lung hamartomas are the most common benign tumors of the lung. Typically, they are located in the peripheral lung, while an endobronchial localisation is rare. Case Presentation. We present a case with the rare diagnosis of an endobronchial hamartoma as incidental finding in a 69-year-old male, caucasian patient with atrial fibrillation. At first admission, the patient's exertional dyspnea was caused by atrial fibrillation. Relapse of exertional dyspnea in the absence of arrhythmia was due to postobstructive pneumonia caused by an endobronchial hamartoma. Conclusion. Endobronchial tumors such as endobronchial lipoma or hamartoma should be considered as potential causes of exertional dyspnea and thus as differential diagnosis of atrial fibrillation. Although endobronchial hamartomas are benign, resection is recommended to prevent postobstructive lung damage

Response to deep brain stimulation in three brain targets with implications in mental disorders: a PET study in rats

Objective: To investigate metabolic changes in brain networks by deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), nucleus accumbens (NAcc) and dorsomedial thalamus (DM) using positron emission tomography (PET) in naïve rats. Methods: 43 male Wistar rats underwent stereotactic surgery and concentric bipolar platinum-iridium electrodes were bilaterally implanted into one of the three brain sites. [18F]-fluoro-2-deoxy-glucose-PET (18FDG-PET) and computed tomography (CT) scans were performed at the 7th (without DBS) and 9th day (with DBS) after surgery. Stimulation period matched tracer uptake period. Images were acquired with a small-animal PET-CT scanner. Differences in glucose uptake between groups were assessed with Statistical Parametric Mapping. Results: DBS induced site-specific metabolic changes, although a common increased metabolic activity in the piriform cortex was found for the three brain targets. mPFC-DBS increased metabolic activity in the striatum, temporal and amygdala, and reduced it in the cerebellum, brainstem (BS) and periaqueductal gray matter (PAG). NAcc-DBS increased metabolic activity in the subiculum and olfactory bulb, and decreased it in the BS, PAG, septum and hypothalamus. DM-DBS increased metabolic activity in the striatum, NAcc and thalamus and decreased it in the temporal and cingulate cortex. Conclusions: DBS induced significant changes in 18FDG uptake in brain regions associated with the basal ganglia-thalamo-cortical circuitry. Stimulation of mPFC, NAcc and DM induced different patterns of 18FDG uptake despite interacting with the same circuitries. This may have important implications to DBS research suggesting individualized target selection according to specific neural modulatory requirements.This research was conducted under the EraNet Neuron framework (DBS_F20rat) and supported by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research, Germany (BMBF 01EW1103), the Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness ISCIII-FIS grants (PI14/00860, CPII/00005) co-financed by ERDF (FEDER) Funds from the European Commission, "A way of making Europe", Fundación Mapfre and Comunidad de Madrid (BRADE S2013/ICE-2958)

Drugs and Biodiversity Loss: Narcotraffic-Linked Landscape Change in Guatemala

Characteristic of the Anthropocene, human impacts have resulted in worldwide losses in forested land cover, which can directly and indirectly drive biodiversity loss. The global illicit drug trade is one source of deforestation directly implicated with habitat loss in Central America, typically for drug trafficking and livestock production for money laundering. Given reports of deforestation in Central America linked to narcotraffic, we explored vegetation changes within Guatemala’s highly biodiverse Maya Biosphere Reserve by examining trends suggestive of deforestation in a protected area. As such, we collected satellite-derived data in the form of enhanced vegetation index (EVI), as well as history of burned areas, published human-“footprint” data, official population density, and artificial light activity in Laguna del Tigre National Park from 2002 to 2020 for descriptive analysis. We found consistent reductions in EVI and trends of anomalous losses of vegetation despite a baseline accounting for variation within the park. Analyses revealed weak correlations (R2 ≤ 0.26) between EVI losses and official sources of anthropogenic data, which may be attributable to the data’s limited spatial and temporal resolution. Alarmingly, simple analyses identified vegetation losses within a protected area, thus emphasizing the need for additional monitoring and science-based, but interdisciplinary policies to protect this biodiversity hotspot

Einfluss der Kurzrasen-Aufwuchshöhe auf die Weideochsenmast ohne Kraftfutter

Über die gesamte Mastperiode hinweg ging mit steigender Kurzrasenweide-Aufwuchshöhe die Flächenleistung (kg LM-Zuwachs/ha) zurück. Die höchste Einzeltierleistung (Tageszunahmen) wurde bei einer mittleren Aufwuchshöhe von etwa 6,5 cm festgestellt

Futterqualität von Bioraffinerie-Produkten aus unterschiedlichen Silagen

Ziel dieser Studie war es, die Futterqualität von Presssaft und Presskuchen zu analysieren. Die Proteinkonzentration ist im Presssaft höher (204 und 208 g/kg TM für Rotklee-Gras und Rotklee), dennoch kann die Futter-Einsatzmenge aufgrund der geringeren Aminosäurequalität nach oben begrenzt sein