How to Suppress Dark States in Quantum Networks and Bio-Engineered Structures

Transport across quantum networks underlies many problems, from state transfer on a spin network to energy transport in photosynthetic complexes. However, networks can contain dark subspaces that block the transportation, and various methods used to enhance transfer on quantum networks can be viewed as equivalently avoiding, modifying, or destroying the dark subspace. Here, we exploit graph theoretical tools to identify the dark subspaces and show that asymptotically almost surely they do not exist for large networks, while for small ones they can be suppressed by properly perturbing the coupling rates between the network nodes. More specifically, we apply these results to describe the recently experimentally observed and robust transport behaviour of the electronic excitation travelling on a genetically-engineered light-harvesting cylinder (M13 virus) structure. We believe that these mainly topological tools may allow us to better infer which network structures and dynamics are more favourable to enhance transfer of energy and information towards novel quantum technologies.Comment: 9 pages, 6 figure

A complete hand-drawn sketch vectorization framework

Vectorizing hand-drawn sketches is a challenging task, which is of paramount importance for creating CAD vectorized versions for the fashion and creative workflows. This paper proposes a complete framework that automatically transforms noisy and complex hand-drawn sketches with different stroke types in a precise, reliable and highly-simplified vectorized model. The proposed framework includes a novel line extraction algorithm based on a multi-resolution application of Pearson's cross correlation and a new unbiased thinning algorithm that can get rid of scribbles and variable-width strokes to obtain clean 1-pixel lines. Other contributions include variants of pruning, merging and edge linking procedures to post-process the obtained paths. Finally, a modification of the original Schneider's vectorization algorithm is designed to obtain fewer control points in the resulting Bezier splines. All the proposed steps of the framework have been extensively tested and compared with state-of-the-art algorithms, showing (both qualitatively and quantitatively) its outperformance

The Italian Summer Students Program at Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory and other US Laboratories

Since 1984 INFN scientists performing experiments at Fermilab have been running a two month summer training program for Italian students at the lab. In 1984 the program involved only a few physics students from the Pisa group, but it was later extended to other groups and to engineering students. Since 2004 the program has been supported in part by DOE in the frame of an exchange agreement with INFN. The Fermilab training programs spanned from data analysis to design and construction of particle detectors and accelerator components, research on superconductive elements, theory of accelerators, and analysis of astrophysical data. At the other US laboratories the offered training was on Space Science.Comment: Proceedings of the XXXIX International Conference on High Energy Physics, July 4-11, 2018, Seoul (Korea

Macular Edema and Silicone Oil Tamponade

Purpose: To analyze the risk factors for inflammatory macular edema (ME) in a series of patients undergoing vitreoretinal surgery using Silicone Oil (SO) as a long-term tamponade. Materials and methods: We examined 118 consecutive eyes of 115 patients, mean age 57.8 years (range 39-79), suffering from various types of severe retinal detachment. Surgical procedures were carried out on all patients, and SO 1000cs was injected into the eye at the end of surgery to permit stable retinal reattachment. ME was classified as initial, medium and severe. The characteristics of ME were compared with various preoperative, intra-surgical and postoperative parameters. Statistical analyses were carried out using the T test and the Pearson correlation coefficient. Results: Twenty-six eyes were excluded. Twenty out of 92 eyes (22%) presented various types of ME. No significant correlation was found between ME and age or complication and duration of surgery. Significant correlation was found between ME and macular status before surgery and time length of intraocular permanence of SO. Conclusion: SO should be removed as soon as possible, in particular when the preoperative macular status is compromised. Decreased molecular transport in the vitreous space, permanence of inflammatory substances between SO and the macula, mechanical floating of SO and dangerous light exposure might be involved in the pathogenesis of ME