Bures Metrics for Certain High-Dimensional Quantum Systems

Hubner's formula for the Bures (statistical distance) metric is applied to both a one-parameter and a two-parameter series (n=2,...,7) of sets of 2^n x 2^n density matrices. In the doubly-parameterized series, the sets are comprised of the n-fold tensor products --- corresponding to n independent, identical quantum systems --- of the 2 x 2 density matrices with real entries. The Gaussian curvatures of the corresponding Bures metrics are found to be constants (4/n). In the second series of 2^n x 2^n density matrices studied, the singly-parameterized sets are formed --- following a study of Krattenthaler and Slater --- by averaging with respect to a certain Gibbs distribution, the n-fold tensor products of the 2 x 2 density matrices with complex entries. For n = 100, we are also able to compute the Bures distance between two arbitrary (not necessarily neighboring) density matrices in this particular series, making use of the eigenvalue formulas of Krattenthaler and Slater, together with the knowledge that the 2^n x 2^n density matrices in this series commute.Comment: 8 pages, LaTeX, 4 postscript figures, minor changes, to appear in Physics Letters

The global implementation of the 'winner's competitive cycle'

The purpose of this paper is to revisit the winning cycle's model proposed by Abegglen and Stalk to investigate the competitive strategies being deployed by Japanese firms

Self-advocacy and socially just pedagogy

Discussions of 'special educational needs' (SEN), 'children with SEN' and 'inclusion' continue to portray disabled learners as problematic 'others' to be tolerated and managed (Allan 2004). The neo-liberal prioritisation of entrepreneurship and autonomy create further problems for disabled learners attempting to negotiate an increasingly market-driven education system. This paper comes about as a result of eight-weeks spent as a volunteer in an organisation offering self-advocacy based projects to young people with the label of ‘learning difficulties’, and considers such projects alongside Deleuzoguatarrian Disability Studies discussions of socially just pedagogy. By drawing on Deleuze and Guattari’s metaphor of the rhizome, and considering desire as productive, it is argued that such projects have the potential to offer an alternative, more engaged and socially-just education to the one currently offered in schools

ALT-C 2011 call for proposals (proceedings papers)

This is the call and guidelines document for the submission of full proceedings papers for inclusion in the programme of the September 6-8 2011 ALT Conference. The conference "Thriving in a colder and more challenging climate" will be co-chaired by John Cook (Professor of Technology Enhanced Learning at the Learning Technology Research Institute, London Metropolitan University), and Sugata Mitra (Professor of Educational Technology at Newcastle University)

ALT-C 2011 call for proposals (abstracts)

This is the detailed call and guidelines document for the submission of abstracts of Short Papers, Short Presentations (ePosters), Symposia, Workshops and Demonstrations for inclusion in the programme of the September 6-8 2011 ALT Conference. The conference "Thriving in a colder and more challenging climate" will be co-chaired by John Cook (Professor of Technology Enhanced Learning at the Learning Technology Research Institute, London Metropolitan University), and Sugata Mitra (Professor of Educational Technology at Newcastle University)

A Legal and Ethical Puzzle: Defense Counsel as Quasi Witness

The U.S. criminal justice system is built on the concept of an adversarial trial. The defense and prosecution present competing narratives to a neutral audience that judges whether the prosecution has proved its case beyond a reasonable doubt. In this context, defense counsel is expected to be a zealous advocate for the defendant, providing the most effective representation possible in light of the evidence presented by the government. However, there are occasions outside of trial where defense counsel’s traditional role changes and she is asked to disclose, not to the jury, but to the court, personal opinions and knowledge about her client and the attorney-client relationship. This Note argues that during these occasions, defense counsel becomes a “quasi witness.” Even though she is not presenting testimony at trial, she is still providing information about her client to the judge. Indeed, the duties of confidentiality and loyalty that defense counsel owes her client are pitted against those she owes the court, spawning a serious ethical dilemma. This Note examines this dilemma and the potential damage that it can cause to the attorney-client relationship. Ultimately, this Note proposes several mechanisms for limiting the disclosures needed from defense counsel but argues that now that the category of quasi witness has been identified, a more profound debate within the profession is warranted

Latest results from NA48 and NA48/1.

The first observations of the rare decays KS ! 0e+e− and KS ! 0μ+μ− have been made by the NA48/1 collaboration at the CERN SPS accelerator. From high intensity KS data collected during the 2002 run, clean signals of 7 KS ! 0e+e− events and 6 KS ! 0μ+μ− events were observed, giving branching ratio measurements of BR(KS ! 0e+e−) = 5.8+2.9 −2.4 × 10−9 and BR(KS ! 0μ+μ−) = 2.9+1.5 −1.2 × 10−9. These results constrain the indirect CP violating component of the corresponding KL decays. Other recent results from NA48 are also presented