A Generalization of Grover's Algorithm

We investigate the necessary and sufficient conditions in order that a unitary operator can amplify a pre-assigned component relative to a particular basis of a generic vector at the expense of the other components. This leads to a general method which allows, given a vector and one of its components we want to amplify, to choose the optimal unitary operator which realizes that goal. Grover's quantum algorithm is shown to be a particular case of our general method. However the general structure of the unitary we find is remarkably similar to that of Grover's one: a sign flip of one component combined with a reflection with respect to a vector. In Grover's case this vector is fixed; in our case it depends on a parameter and this allows optimization.Comment: 20 pages, no figure

An urban rehabilitation proposal for the west side of Manhattan "Centro Delle Arti" core of a sensorial walkway

Chelsea is a multi-facet interesting neighborhood on the west site of Manhattan along the Hudson River, just north of Greenwich Village, stretching from 14th to 30th Stand from the river to Sixth Avenue towards the east. The idea was born to recover t he old High une and to create along it seeds that can grow, and improve the quality of lite revive curiosity, reestablish and enrich people relations, a "passeg-grata sensoriale" (promenade of senses), a walkway of the five senses. lts to revive a place, to bring to new lite the emotional impact settled in the sensorial memory of men and womens of the neighborhood a vast harbour. Millions of immigrams ... Social and cultural relations and confrontation and exchanges". And the project goes to the search of everyone's hidden memories, with the hope to incite to open-mindedness and dialogue. Each single situation wants to rediscover the joy of making, tasting, hearing, smelling and watching, and they culminate in the Centro Delle Arti (Arts Center), heart of the pathway, place of encountermg for ali the neighborhood, always mindful of social diversity and the art world. T h e track floor of the old High Une is restored and converted into a pedestrian pathway, with many connections with the street. Along this pathway, south and north of the art center, a number of activities are installed: Herbariums, where people can grow herbaceous plants, or just look at and smell herbs and spices and flowers and perfumes; music laboratories, where people can listen to hits, folles and classical music, but also to the sound of the harbour and old luxury ships; or local bands can play and record their works; food retail shops and cafés where casting speoalities, having a light meals or snacks, or enjoying soft drinks, tea or coffee, and meet people. At mid-way, walking along the High line. You find the central place, the art center equipped with laboratories open to professionals and amateurs, where you can make a search in the documentation area or amuse yourself watching the Works shown in the exhibition rooms or watching old potos or movies

Convergiendo diferencias: inalienabilidad de las tierras indígenas, soberanía y libre determinación en Ecuador y Colombia

En este texto reviso algunos de los antecedentes históricos que llevaron a las reformas constitucionales de Colombia en 1991 y de Ecuador en 1998 y 2008, reconociendo el carácter multisocietal de ambos estados. Dado que uno de los ejes de las resistencias y reivindicaciones de los pueblos indígenas ha sido en el régimen de propiedad, en este trabajo identifico la noción de inalienabilidad como una de las zonas de contacto para el trabajo de traducción propuesto por Santos (2009), de modo a construir una integibilidad entre los conocimientos contenidos en los sistemas tradicionales de tenencia de tierras y el régimen liberal de la propiedad privada. Pese a que las asambleas constituyentes de los años noventas hayan sido el lugar más adecuado para empezar los diálogos interculturales en el campo de los conocimientos de lo que se dice “jurídico”, es necesario un tercero marco, un marco inter-universal encarnado que surja del diálogo y de la traducción entre culturas, y que permita imaginar un nuevo pacto social y en cuyo ámbito el derecho sea visto como un sistema amplio de comunicaciones, superando la idea de un pacto civil original, y desviando el enfoque único respecto a la noción de soberanía hacia las distintas demandas de libre determinación

REGULATION OF CELL-MEDIATED CYTOTOXICITY : I. AUGMENTATION OF CELL-MEDIATED CYTOTOXICITY INDUCED BY RADIATION

Mice were treated with sublethal and midlethal doses of irradiation (500–700 rads) and injected intravenously with allogeneic or semiallogeneic F1 hybrid spleen cells. The cytotoxicity developed by their spleen cells was measured with the lysis of 51Cr-labeled target cells and was found to be stronger (although delayed in time) than the cytotoxic activity of spleen cells from nonirradiated mice. The injection of syngeneic thymus or spleen cells in the irradiated mice after their treatment with allogeneic spleen cells exerted a suppressor activity, i.e., reduced the level of cell-mediated cytotoxicity (CMC). The majority of effector cells involved in the modified CMC response of irradiated mice was shown to be of host origin and lysed specifically target cells of the same genotype as the donor. A small percentage of the cells obtained from the spleens of irradiated recipients of allogeneic spleen cells was composed of donor cells which lysed specifically target cells of the same genotype as the host. These results demonstrate that the precursors of the cytotoxic cells responsible for target cell lysis are relatively radioresistant and suggest that their response is regulated by radiosensitive thymus-dependent cells

Immunoregulation by the salivary glands

The evidence for the integration of the submandibular gland (SMG) into the neuroimmunoregulatory network is reviewed. In laboratory rodents, factors extracted from the SMG were shown to stimulate lymphocyte proliferation, to affect the weight of the thymus, spleen and lymph nodes and to induce immunosuppression in several in vivo and in vitro models. The SMG produces significant amount of nerve growth factor (NGF), epidermal growth factor (EGF), transforming growth factor-β, and kallikreins. These factors are secreted into the saliva and affect immune and mucosal tissues and nerve endings in the gastrointestinal tract. They may thus play a role in the regulation of mucosal immune/inflammatory responses. The major salivary glands also produce antimicrobial proteins and secretory IgA antibodies which are essential factors in mucosal host defense. SMG-derived NGF, EGF and glandular kallikrein are delivered into the bloodstream where they may act as important systemic immunoregulators and exert regulatory influences on the neuroendocrine system. Growth hormone, prolactin, androgens, thyroid hormone and corticosteroids regulate protein synthesis in the SMG, where as secretory activity is regulated by sympathetic, parasympathetic and peptidergic nerve fibers. Steroid hormones and cytokines as interleukin-1α, -1β, tumor necrosis factor-α, interferon-γ have major regulatory influence on protein secretion, including the secretion of immunoglobulin into the saliva. The SMG interacts with the mucosal and systemic compartments of the immune system, with the central and peripheral nervous systems, with the pituitary gland, and with peripheral endocrine organs. These interactions enable the SMG to exert regulatory influences on immune/inflammatory reactions in the gastrointestinal tract, in the lungs, and possibly elsewhere. It is suggested that these functions make this gland a key regulatory organ in the neuroimmunoregulatory network.Biomedical Reviews 1998; 9: 79-91