On the local unitary equivalence of states of multi-partite systems

Two pure states of a multi-partite system are alway are related by a unitary transformation acting on the Hilbert space of the whole system. This transformation involves multi-partite transformations. On the other hand some quantum information protocols such as the quantum teleportation and quantum dense coding are based on equivalence of some classes of states of bi-partite systems under the action of local (one-particle) unitary operations. In this paper we address the question: ``Under what conditions are the two states states, $\varrho$ and $\sigma$, of a multi-partite system locally unitary equivalent?'' We present a set of conditions which have to be satisfied in order that the two states are locally unitary equivalent. In addition, we study whether it is possible to prepare a state of a multi-qudit system. which is divided into two parts A and B, by unitary operations acting only on the systems A and B, separately.Comment: 6 revtex pages, 1 figur

Quantum Zeno tomography

We show that the resolution "per absorbed particle" of standard absorption tomography can be outperformed by a simple interferometric setup, provided that the different levels of "gray" in the sample are not uniformly distributed. The technique hinges upon the quantum Zeno effect and has been tested in numerical simulations. The scheme we propose could be implemented in experiments with UV-light, neutrons or X-rays.Comment: 8 pages, 5 figure

Kindlin-3 loss curbs chronic myeloid leukemia in mice by mobilizing leukemic stem cells from protective bone marrow niches.

Kindlin-3 (K3)-mediated integrin adhesion controls homing and bone marrow (BM) retention of normal hematopoietic cells. However, the role of K3 in leukemic stem cell (LSC) retention and growth in the remodeled tumor-promoting BM is unclear. We report that loss of K3 in a mouse model of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) triggers the release of LSCs from the BM into the circulation and impairs their retention, proliferation, and survival in secondary organs, which curbs CML development, progression, and metastatic dissemination. We found de novo expression of cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated antigen 4 (CTLA-4) on CML-LSCs but not normal hematopoietic stem cells and this enabled us to specifically deplete K3 with a CTLA-4-binding RNA aptamer linked to a K3-siRNA (small interfering RNA) in CTLA-4+ LSCs in vivo, which mobilized LSCs in the BM, induced disease remission, and prolonged survival of mice with CML. Thus, disrupting interactions of LSCs with the BM environment is a promising strategy to halt the disease-inducing and relapse potential of LSCs

Digital Discovery of a Scientific Concept at the Core of Experimental Quantum Optics

Entanglement is a crucial resource for quantum technologies ranging from quantum communication to quantum-enhanced measurements and computation. Finding experimental setups for these tasks is a conceptual challenge for human scientists due to the counterintuitive behavior of multiparticle interference and the enormously large combinatorial search space. Recently, new possibilities have been opened by artificial discovery where artificial intelligence proposes experimental setups for the creation and manipulation of high-dimensional multi-particle entanglement. While digitally discovered experiments go beyond what has been conceived by human experts, a crucial goal is to understand the underlying concepts which enable these new useful experimental blueprints. Here, we present Halo (Hyperedge Assembly by Linear Optics), a new form of multiphoton quantum interference with surprising properties. Halos were used by our digital discovery framework to solve previously open questions. We -- the human part of this collaboration -- were then able to conceptualize the idea behind the computer discovery and describe them in terms of effective probabilistic multi-photon emitters. We then demonstrate its usefulness as a core of new experiments for highly entangled states, communication in quantum networks, and photonic quantum gates. Our manuscript has two conclusions. First, we introduce and explain the physics of a new practically useful multi-photon interference phenomenon that can readily be realized in advanced setups such as integrated photonic circuits. Second, our manuscript demonstrates how artificial intelligence can act as a source of inspiration for the scientific discoveries of new actionable concepts in physics

Generation of multi-modal dialogue for a net environment

In this paper an architecture and special purpose markup language for simulated affective face-to-face communication is presented. In systems based on this architecture, users will be able to watch embodied conversational agents interact with each other in virtual locations on the internet. The markup language, or Rich Representation Language (RRL), has been designed to provide an integrated representation of speech, gesture, posture and facial animation

How many photons are needed to distinguish two transparencies?

We give a bound on the minimum number of photons that must be absorbed by any quantum protocol to distinguish between two transparencies. We show how a quantum Zeno method in which the angle of rotation is varied at each iteration can attain this bound in certain situations.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figure

Conceptual understanding through efficient automated design of quantum optical experiments

Artificial intelligence (AI) is a potentially disruptive tool for physics and science in general. One crucial question is how this technology can contribute at a conceptual level to help acquire new scientific understanding. Scientists have used AI techniques to rediscover previously known concepts. So far, no examples of that kind have been reported that are applied to open problems for getting new scientific concepts and ideas. Here, we present Theseus, an algorithm that can provide new conceptual understanding, and we demonstrate its applications in the field of experimental quantum optics. To do so, we make four crucial contributions. (i) We introduce a graph-based representation of quantum optical experiments that can be interpreted and used algorithmically. (ii) We develop an automated design approach for new quantum experiments, which is orders of magnitude faster than the best previous algorithms at concrete design tasks for experimental configuration. (iii) We solve several crucial open questions in experimental quantum optics which involve practical blueprints of resource states in photonic quantum technology and quantum states and transformations that allow for new foundational quantum experiments. Finally, and most importantly, (iv) the interpretable representation and enormous speed-up allow us to produce solutions that a human scientist can interpret and gain new scientific concepts from outright. We anticipate that Theseus will become an essential tool in quantum optics for developing new experiments and photonic hardware. It can further be generalized to answer open questions and provide new concepts in a large number of other quantum physical questions beyond quantum optical experiments. Theseus is a demonstration of explainable AI (XAI) in physics that shows how AI algorithms can contribute to science on a conceptual level

Cellular automaton modelling of lightning-induced and man made forest fires

The impact of forest fires on nature and civilisation is conflicting: on one hand, they play an irreplaceable role in the natural regeneration process, but on the other hand, they come within the major natural hazards in many regions. Their frequency-area distributions show power-law behaviour with scaling exponents α in a quite narrow range, relating wildfire research to the theoretical framework of self-organised criticality. Examples of self-organised critical behaviour can be found in computer simulations of simple cellular automaton models. The established self-organised critical Drossel-Schwabl forest fire model is one of the most widespread models in this context. Despite its qualitative agreement with event-size statistics from nature, its applicability is still questioned. Apart from general concerns that the Drossel-Schwabl model apparently oversimplifies the complex nature of forest dynamics, it significantly overestimates the frequency of large fires. We present a modification of the model rules that distinguishes between lightning-induced and man made forest fires and enables a systematic increase of the scaling exponent α by approximately 1/3. In addition, combined simulations using both the original and the modified model rules predict a dependence of the overall event-size distribution on the ratio of lightning induced and man made fires as well as a splitting of their partial distributions. Lightning is identified as the dominant mechanism in the regime of the largest fires. The results are confirmed by the analysis of the Canadian Large Fire Database and suggest that lightning-induced and man made forest fires cannot be treated separately in wildfire modelling, hazard assessment and forest management

Annular Air Leaks in a Liquid Hydrogen Storage Tank

Large liquid hydrogen (LH2) storage tanks are vital infrastructure for NASA, the DOD, and industrial users. Over time, air may leak into the evacuated, perlite filled annular region of these tanks. Once inside, the extremely low temperatures will cause most of the air to freeze. If a significant mass of air is allowed to accumulate, severe damage can result from nominal draining operations. Collection of liquid air on the outer shell may chill it below its ductility range, resulting in fracture. Testing and analysis to quantify the thermal conductivity of perlite that has nitrogen frozen into its interstitial spaces and to determine the void fraction of frozen nitrogen within a perlite-frozen nitrogen mixture is presented. General equations to evaluate methods for removing frozen air, while avoiding fracture, are developed. A hypothetical leak is imposed on an existing tank and a full analysis of that leak is detailed. This analysis includes a thermal model of the tank and a time-to-failure calculation. Approaches to safely remove the frozen air are analyzed, leading to the conclusion that the optimal approach is to allow the frozen air to melt and use a water stream to prevent the outer shell from chilling