Continuous quantum non-demolition measurement of Fock states of a nanoresonator using feedback-controlled circuit QED

We propose a scheme for the quantum non-demolition (QND) measurement of Fock states of a nanomechanical resonator via feedback control of a coupled circuit QED system. A Cooper pair box (CPB) is coupled to both the nanoresonator and microwave cavity. The CPB is read-out via homodyne detection on the cavity and feedback control is used to effect a non-dissipative measurement of the CPB. This realizes an indirect QND measurement of the nanoresonator via a second-order coupling of the CPB to the nanoresonator number operator. The phonon number of the Fock state may be determined by integrating the stochastic master equation derived, or by processing of the measurement signal.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figure

Increasing the reliability of fully automated surveillance for central line–associated bloodstream infections

OBJECTIVETo increase reliability of the algorithm used in our fully automated electronic surveillance system by adding rules to better identify bloodstream infections secondary to other hospital-acquired infections.METHODSIntensive care unit (ICU) patients with positive blood cultures were reviewed. Central line–associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI) determinations were based on 2 sources: routine surveillance by infection preventionists, and fully automated surveillance. Discrepancies between the 2 sources were evaluated to determine root causes. Secondary infection sites were identified in most discrepant cases. New rules to identify secondary sites were added to the algorithm and applied to this ICU population and a non-ICU population. Sensitivity, specificity, predictive values, and kappa were calculated for the new models.RESULTSOf 643 positive ICU blood cultures reviewed, 68 (10.6%) were identified as central line–associated bloodstream infections by fully automated electronic surveillance, whereas 38 (5.9%) were confirmed by routine surveillance. New rules were tested to identify organisms as central line–associated bloodstream infections if they did not meet one, or a combination of, the following: (I) matching organisms (by genus and species) cultured from any other site; (II) any organisms cultured from sterile site; (III) any organisms cultured from skin/wound; (IV) any organisms cultured from respiratory tract. The best-fit model included new rules I and II when applied to positive blood cultures in an ICU population. However, they didn’t improve performance of the algorithm when applied to positive blood cultures in a non-ICU population.CONCLUSIONElectronic surveillance system algorithms may need adjustment for specific populations.Infect. Control Hosp. Epidemiol. 2015;36(12):1396–1400</jats:sec

Two-dimensional Nanolithography Using Atom Interferometry

We propose a novel scheme for the lithography of arbitrary, two-dimensional nanostructures via matter-wave interference. The required quantum control is provided by a pi/2-pi-pi/2 atom interferometer with an integrated atom lens system. The lens system is developed such that it allows simultaneous control over atomic wave-packet spatial extent, trajectory, and phase signature. We demonstrate arbitrary pattern formations with two-dimensional 87Rb wavepackets through numerical simulations of the scheme in a practical parameter space. Prospects for experimental realizations of the lithography scheme are also discussed.Comment: 36 pages, 4 figure

Diurnal Variation of TEC and S 4 Index During the Period of Low Geomagnetic Activity at Ile-Ife, Nigeria

Ile-Ife lies on the equatorial anomaly region where the ionospheric current is greatly influenced by the existence of the equatorial electrojet. The dual frequency SCINDA NovAtel GSV 4004B GPS receiver recently installed at Ile-Ife [on geographical latitude 7°33′N and longitude 4°33′E and geomagnetic dipole (coordinate) of latitude 9.84°N and longitude 77.25°E] is currently operational and recording data from the available global positioning system satellites. The receiver provides the data on total electron content (TEC) and the scintillation index (S[subscript 4]). This paper presents the first sets of results from this station. Data records for the month of February 2010 were analyzed using the WinTec-P software program and these were interpreted to discuss the diurnal variation of the TEC and S[subscript 4] index during the period considered, as having low geomagnetic activity. The vertical TEC in this study showed that the values vary widely from as low as 0 TECu about sunrise to about 35 TECu during the day. Depletion in TEC was also noticed about sunset and marked by the occurrence of scintillations with a maximum index value of 0.3. Results of the IRI models and the observed TEC differ considerably; hence, there is the need to improve IRI models for its adaptability to the Africa ionospheric conditions

Device-independent bounds for Hardy's experiment

In this Letter we compute an analogue of Tsirelson's bound for Hardy's test of nonlocality, that is, the maximum violation of locality constraints allowed by the quantum formalism, irrespective of the dimension of the system. The value is found to be the same as the one achievable already with two-qubit systems, and we show that only a very specific class of states can lead to such maximal value, thus highlighting Hardy's test as a device-independent self-test protocol for such states. By considering realistic constraints in Hardy's test, we also compute device-independent upper bounds on this violation and show that these bounds are saturated by two-qubit systems, thus showing that there is no advantage in using higher-dimensional systems in experimental implementations of such test.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figure

Imagining Artificial Intelligence Applications with People with Visual Disabilities Using Tactile Ideation

There has been a surge in artificial intelligence (AI) technologies co-opted by or designed for people with visual disabilities. Researchers and engineers have pushed technical boundaries in areas such as computer vision, natural language processing, location inference, and wearable computing. But what do people with visual disabilities imagine as their own technological future? To explore this question, we developed and carried out tactile ideation workshops with participants in the UK and India. Our participants generated a large and diverse set of ideas, most focusing on ways to meet needs related to social interaction. In some cases, this was a matter of recognizing people. In other cases, they wanted to be able to participate in social situations without foregrounding their disability. It was striking that this finding was consistent across UK and India despite substantial cultural and infrastructural differences. In this paper, we describe a new technique for working with people with visual disabilities to imagine new technologies that are tuned to their needs and aspirations. Based on our experience with these workshops, we provide a set of social dimensions to consider in the design of new AI technologies: social participation, social navigation, social maintenance, and social independence. We offer these social dimensions as a starting point to forefront users' social needs and desires as a more deliberate consideration for assistive technology design

Plasma PGE-2 levels and altered cytokine profiles in adherent peripheral blood mononuclear cells in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC)

INTRODUCTION: PGE-2 is constitutively produced by many non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLC) and its immunosuppressive effects have been linked to altered immune responses in lung cancer. We asked whether elevated levels of plasma PGE-2 correlated with monocyte IL10 production in the NSCLC environment. Looking for correlation in NSCLC patient blood we assayed plasma from NSCLC patients for PGE2 and IL10; we further evaluated production of IL10 by adherent mononuclear cells from a subset of these patients looking for an altered cytokine profile. RESULTS: Our initial in vitro experiments show that monocyte IL10 induction correlates with tumor cell PGE-2 production, confirming similar reports in the literature. Data show plasma PGE-2 levels in 38 NSCLC patients are elevated compared to normal controls. Plasma IL10 levels were not significantly elevated; however, adherent monocytes derived from NSCLC patient blood did produce significantly more IL10 in 24 hr primary culture than those from normal controls (p < 0.01). The association of elevated plasma PGE-2 and monocyte derived IL-10 was not significant. CONCLUSIONS: Elevated plasma PGE-2 and monocyte IL10 production are associated with NSCLC. The biological significance to elevated PGE-2 levels in NSCLC are unclear. Further investigation of each as a nonspecific marker for NSCLC tumor is warranted