Generation and detection of bound entanglement

We propose a method for the experimental generation of two different families of bound entangled states of three qubits. Our method is based on the explicit construction of a quantum network that produces a purification of the desired state. We also suggest a route for the experimental detection of bound entanglement, by employing a witness operator plus a test of the positivity of the partial transposes

Direct estimation of functionals of density operators by local operations and classical communication

We present a method of direct estimation of important properties of a shared bipartite quantum state, within the "distant laboratories" paradigm, using only local operations and classical communication. We apply this procedure to spectrum estimation of shared states, and locally implementable structural physical approximations to incompletely positive maps. This procedure can also be applied to the estimation of channel capacity and measures of entanglement

Air quality in Oporto área: comparative analysis

A partir de 1986-1987, on observe une tendance irrégulière de l'augmentation des concentrations moyennes mensuelles d'acidité forte et fumées noires. Les concentrations correspondant aux jours de la semaine sont supérieures à celles obtenues les week-ends et jours fériés, lesquelles mettent en évidence l'apport de l'activité industrielle et du trafic. Aucune corrélation mathématique significative traduisant l'évolution croissante des concentrations moyennes annuelles n'a été mise en évidence. Dans les stations les plus représentatives, les valeurs guides ont été dépassées, les concentrations étant proches de la limite. Bien que nous n'ayons pas enregistré d'épisodes aigus de pollution, l'évolution vérifiée durant la période prise en compte traduit un aggravement de la qualité de l'air. Cette tendance à la hausse est contraire à celle observée dans d'autres pays, où les niveaux d'acidité forte et fumées noires tendent à baisser grâce aux mesures de protection de l'environnement mises en pratique. Les niveaux de monoxyde de carbone, d'oxydes d'azote et d'ozone, observés en 1992 sont plus bas que dans d'autres régions.It was recorded an irregular trend upward for strong acidity and black smoke average monthly concentrations since 1986-1987. Levels in the working days are higher than those monitored in the week-end and days off, which proves the effect of traffic and industrial activities on air quality. It was not possible to establish any overall correlation fiable to express the increase in annual average concentrations. At the most representative stations, the exceedance of guideline values was recorded and concentrations reached values close to the limit. No acute episodes of air pollution were recorded, although the trend patterns monitored show an aggravation of air quality during this period of time. This trend is contrary to the one derived in foreign networks, where strong acidity and black smoke levels have been decreasing in consequence of environmental protection measures put into practice. Carbon monoxyde, nitrogen oxydes and ozone levels measured in 1992 are lower when compared with those monitored in other regions

Metodologia para elaboração de escalas diagramáticas para avaliação de doenças em planta.

bitstream/item/65040/1/Comunicado-Tecnico-120.pd

Seasonal susceptibility of apple trees to Neonectria ditissima wound infections.

European canker, caused by Neonectria ditissima, is an important disease of apple in the temperate climate of southern Brazil. Monthly inoculations of this fungus were carried out on various wound types on cvs ‘Gala’ and ‘Fuji’ over two productive cycles to better understand the seasonal susceptibility of apple trees. Wound types were: bud scars (September), petal scars (October), fruit-thinning scars (November), leaf scars (from November to May), fruit-picking wound scars for ‘Gala’ (February) and ‘Fuji’ (March), and pruning wounds (June to August). One hundred plants of each cultivar were used and inoculation sites were monitored periodically for symptom expression. At each assessment, visible lesions were counted and pruned, and wounds were painted. Differences in wound susceptibility occurred throughout the year. Most lesions resulted from inoculations of pruning wounds. Inoculations performed in spring on bud and petal scars resulted in lower disease expression than inoculations later in the season. Keywords European canker, Malus domestica, Nectria galligena, Neonectria ditissima, apple, wound

Extended-release niacin increases anti-apolipoprotein A-I antibodies that block the antioxidant effect of high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol: the EXPLORE clinical trial.

Extended-release niacin (ERN) is the most effective agent for increasing high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C). Having previously identified anti-HDL antibodies, we investigated whether ERN affected the antioxidant capacity of HDL and whether ERN was associated with the production of antibodies against HDL (aHDL) and apolipoprotein A-I (aApoA-I). METHODS: Twenty-one patients older than 18 years, with HDL-C ≤40 mg dl-1 (men) or ≤50 mg dl-1 (women) were randomly assigned to receive daily ERN (n = 10) or placebo (n = 11) for two sequential 12-week periods, with 4 weeks of wash-out before cross-over. Primary outcome was change of paraoxonase-1 (PON1) activity and secondary outcomes were changes in aHDL and aApoA-I antibodies. Clinical Trial Unique Identifier: EudraCT 2006-006889-42. RESULTS: The effect of ERN on PON1 activity was nonsignificant (coefficient estimate 20.83 U l-1 , 95% confidence interval [CI] -9.88 to 51.53; P = 0.184). ERN was associated with an increase in HDL-C levels (coefficient estimate 5.21 mg dl-1 , 95% CI 1.16 to 9.25; P = 0.012) and its subclasses HDL2 (coefficient estimate 2.46 mg dl-1 , 95% CI 0.57 to 4.34; P = 0.011) and HDL3 (coefficient estimate 2.73 mg dl-1 , 95% CI 0.47 to 4.98; P = 0.018). ERN was significantly associated with the production of aApoA-I antibodies (coefficient estimate 0.25 μg ml-1 , 95% CI 0.09-0.40; P = 0.001). aApoA-I titres at baseline were correlated with decreased PON activity. CONCLUSIONS: The rise in HDL-C achieved with ERN was not matched by improved antioxidant capacity, eventually hampered by the emergence of aApoA-I antibodies. These results may explain why Niacin and other lipid lowering agents fail to reduce cardiovascular risk.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio