Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
On the Significance of the Gottesman–Knill Theorem

According to the Gottesman–Knill theorem, quantum algorithms that utilize only the operations belonging to a certain restricted set are efficiently simulable classically. Since some of the operations in this set generate entangled states, it is commonly concluded that entanglement is insufficient to enable quantum computers to outperform classical computers. I argue in this article that this conclusion is misleading. First, the statement of the theorem (that the particular set of quantum operations in question can be simulated using a classical computer) is, on reflection, already evident when we consider Bell’s and related inequalities in the context of a discussion of computational machines. This, in turn, helps us to understand that the appropriate conclusion to draw from the Gottesman–Knill theorem is not that entanglement is insufficient to enable a quantum performance advantage, but rather that if we limit ourselves to the operations referred to in the Gottesman–Knill theorem, we will not have used the resources provided by an entangled quantum system to their full potential. 1 Introduction 2 The Gottesman–Knill Theorem 3 The Significance of the Gottesman–Knill Theorem 4 Classical Communication and Locally Causal Description 5 Constraining Locally Causal Descriptions in the Practical Context of Inquiry 6 The Sufficiency of Entanglement Thesis 7 Summary Appendix A Recovering Statistics for Bipartite Entangled States Generated from Gottesman–Knill Operations Appendix B Recovering Statistics of Pauli Measurements on the GHZ State 1 Introduction 2 The Gottesman–Knill Theorem 3 The Significance of the Gottesman–Knill Theorem 4 Classical Communication and Locally Causal Description 5 Constraining Locally Causal Descriptions in the Practical Context of Inquiry 6 The Sufficiency of Entanglement Thesis 7 Summary Appendix A Recovering Statistics for Bipartite Entangled States Generated from Gottesman–Knill Operations Appendix B Recovering Statistics of Pauli Measurements on the GHZ State
Anticoagulation in chronic nonvalvular atrial fibrillation: a critical appraisal and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE To assess the outcomes associated with warfarin treatment of patients with chronic nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (CNVAF) for prevention of primary stroke. DATA SOURCES MEDLINE was searched for literature published from 1987 to August 1996. Search terms used were 'atrial fibrillation' and 'anticoagulants'. STUDY SELECTION Five published randomized controlled trials concerning primary stroke prevention. DATA EXTRACTION Data were pooled across trials to estimate the magnitude of the effect for each of nine reported end-points. The annual probability of occurrence of each outcome was calculated, including standard errors and Mantel-Haenszel significance tests with 95% CIs. DATA SYNTHESIS In view of the lack of blinded assessment and documented low inter-rater reliability of soft neurological end-points, the analysis was limited to the relatively objective end-points of major strokes, fatal strokes, major bleeding and fatal bleeding. Warfarin did not reduce the incidence of fatal strokes to a statistically significant extent, nor was incidence of fatal bleeding increased significantly. Warfarin reduced the absolute annual incidence of major strokes in patients with CNVAF by 0.89%, while at the same time it increased the absolute annual risk of major bleeding incidents by 1.8%. Though small, these differences were statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS On balance, the margin between expected benefit and harm for warfarin prophylaxis in patients with CNVAF is uncomfortably thin. These results and conclusions differ from those of a previously published meta-analysis of these same studies.
Case treated with triple therapy of lamivudine, interferon-β and prednisolone for acute exacerbation of chronic hepatitis B during pregnancy

We herein report a case of a pregnant Chinese woman who suffered an acute exacerbation of hepatitis B. The patient's liver enzymes became elevated toward the end of the first trimester. She was treated with lamivudine, interferon (IFN)‐β and steroids early in the second trimester. After this treatment regimen was initiated, aminotransferase levels rapidly normalized within 4 weeks. IFN‐β and steroids were administrated for 2 weeks in the second trimester, while the administration of lamivudine continued until delivery. The spontaneous delivery of a female baby weighing 2984 g occurred at 37 weeks of gestation. A neonatal examination revealed no congenital anomalies, and fetal growth was found to be within normal reference ranges. The infant received simultaneous active and passive hepatitis B virus immunization within 12 h of delivery and completed the hepatitis B vaccine schedule at 2, 3 and 5 months of age. The infant was successfully prevented from contracting hepatitis B virus. This case suggests that combination therapy with lamivudine, IFN‐β and steroids may be safely used during the second trimester to treat acute exacerbations of hepatitis B.
Should arm span or height be used in calculating the BMI for the older people? Preliminary results.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES To consider using arm span rather than height for calculating the body mass index, as a parameter that offers greater long-term stability, for the nutritional assessment of persons aged over 65 years. BACKGROUND The body mass index presents certain drawbacks for the nutritional screening of older people suffering malnutrition or at risk of malnutrition, due to the anthropometric changes that occur with increasing age, especially the progressive loss of height. DESIGN Observational, cross-sectional study, using nonprobabilistic convenience sampling, with anthropometric measurements and nutritional screening in older men and women, divided into two groups: (1) aged 65-75 years and (2) aged over 75 years. METHODOLOGY Height and arm span were measured to calculate two separate indices of body mass: body mass index (weight/height) and body mass index.1 (weight/arm span). Nutritional screening was conducted using the Mini Nutritional Assessment Short-Form, which includes the body mass index as an anthropometric measure. RESULTS Our results reveal statistically significant differences between the two indices, for the sample analysed. Body mass index.1 classifies a larger number of older people as suffering malnutrition and fewer as being at nutritional risk. When this new index is used, there is a displacement of the subjects at risk, thus increasing the number considered at risk of malnutrition and in need of appropriate therapeutic intervention. Therefore, the use of body mass index.1 would enable more people suffering malnutrition, who would otherwise remain untreated, to be attended. CONCLUSIONS As arm span, as an anthropometric measure, remains unchanged over time, it could be used instead of height, as an alternative index (body mass index.1) to the conventional body mass index. Further research is needed to determine the association between body mass index.1 and clinical status parameters to determine optimum cut-off points. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE This study describes the greater stability of body mass index.1 with respect to body mass index for nutritional screening, and the resulting benefits for nutritional monitoring and intervention for older people.
'Alzheimer's Progression Score': Development of a Biomarker Summary Outcome for AD Prevention Trials.

BACKGROUND Alzheimer's disease (AD) prevention research requires methods for measurement of disease progression not yet revealed by symptoms. Preferably, such measurement should encompass multiple disease markers. OBJECTIVES Evaluate an item response theory (IRT) model-based latent variable Alzheimer Progression Score (APS) that uses multi-modal disease markers to estimate pre-clinical disease progression. DESIGN Estimate APS scores in the BIOCARD observational study, and in the parallel PREVENT-AD Cohort and its sister INTREPAD placebo-controlled prevention trial. Use BIOCARD data to evaluate whether baseline and early APS trajectory predict later progression to MCI/dementia. Similarly, use longitudinal PREVENT-AD data to assess test measurement invariance over time. Further, assess portability of the PREVENT-AD IRT model to baseline INTREPAD data, and explore model changes when CSF markers are added or withdrawn. SETTING BIOCARD was established in 1995 and participants were followed up to 20 years in Baltimore, USA. The PREVENT-AD and INTREPAD trial cohorts were established between 2011-2015 in Montreal, Canada, using nearly identical entry criteria to enroll high-risk cognitively normal persons aged 60+ then followed for several years. PARTICIPANTS 349 cognitively normal, primarily middle-aged participants in BIOCARD, 125 high-risk participants aged 60+ in PREVENT-AD, and 217 similar subjects in INTREPAD. 106 INTREPAD participants donated up to four serial CSF samples. MEASUREMENTS Global cognitive assessment and multiple structural, functional, and diffusion MRI metrics, sensori-neural tests, and CSF concentrations of tau, Aβ42 and their ratio. RESULTS Both baseline values and early slope of APS scores in BIOCARD predicted later progression to MCI or AD. Presence of CSF variables strongly improved such prediction. A similarly derived APS in PREVENT-AD showed measurement invariance over time and portability to the parallel INTREPAD sample. CONCLUSIONS An IRT-based APS can summarize multimodal information to provide a longitudinal measure of pre-clinical AD progression, and holds promise as an outcome for AD prevention trials.
Some aspects of child phonology in imitative and spontaneous speech

ABSTRACT Child phonologists have made varying assumptions concerning the nature of phonological characteristics of children's imitative utterances and their relationship to the characteristics of spontaneous utterances. This study examined this relationship in children in early Stage I. A task was devised which permitted an inspection of children's unsolicited imitations of nonsense words reflecting syllabic shapes and consonants in and out of the child's phonological system. The results are discussed with respect to production constraints, phonological idioms, and selection and avoidance rules operative in imitative speech during this period of development. The findings indicated that while these imitative utterances were subject to the same production constraints they were not subject to the same selection and avoidance rules operative in spontaneous speech.
Theory of Terminated Nonlinear Transmission Lines

Properly terminating a transmission line, in order to transfer the maximum available power to the load, is an important issue. The problem, fully analyzed in linear lines, is still considered as a persisting problem in the area of nonlinear transmission lines (NLTLs). In this paper, an accurate analysis is presented which gives a closed-form formula for the matching efficiency of the NLTLs. Using this analysis, optimal resistive terminating load for the NLTLs was extracted. These results will considerably ease the design of all kinds of the NLTL-based systems, such as high-frequency oscillators and ultrashort pulse generators. This consistent analysis also gives the reflection coefficient for the waves reflecting from the NLTLs load. It is shown that the NLTLs are far different from linear transmission lines in the both cases of matching efficiency and reflection coefficient. The obtained analytical results are verified with experimental measurements and SPICE simulations. Excellent agreements are obtained. It is also shown that the results of the introduced analysis make it possible to design the NLTL-based systems without any trial-and-error efforts.
Drawing What Homelessness Looks Like: Using Creative Visual Methods as a Tool of Critical Pedagogy

This article presents findings from a creative qualitative study, where drawing was used as a methodological tool to investigate university students’ awareness of homelessness. Previous research (Breeze and Dean 2012; 2013) has shown that homelessness charities often utilise stereotypical images in their fundraising campaigns, focusing on the arresting issue of rough sleeping (rooflessness) as opposed to other, more widespread experiences of homelessness. In drawing ‘what homelessness looks like’ the images students produce are often rooted in familiar local scenes - local roofless people they see regularly, or replications of common media images, with a tendency to depoliticise and individualise homelessness as a social issue. These drawings show striking similarities, common themes, and indicate a lack of critical engagement with the complex problems within personal homelessness narratives. The efficacy of the methodological approach is assessed, with the role creative methods such as drawing can play in stimulating critical discussion of issues, such as gender and the media, highlighted. The article also argues that such methods can play a role in critical pedagogy, encouraging deeply reflexive accounts of participants’ behaviour and knowledge. In policy terms however, this article concludes that it would be a risk for homelessness charities to utilise less stereotypical images in their fundraising materials, as the findings suggest such images align with those in the minds of potential donors.
Can Qualitative Research Inform Policy Implementation? Evidence and Arguments from a Developing Country Context

Was kann qualitative Forschung zur Implementation von Erziehungsprogrammen beitragen? Mein Artikel soll helfen, zur Beantwortung dieser komplexen und wichtigen Frage beizutragen, und zwar bezogen auf Sudafrika, ein Land, das sich in einer Ubergangsphase befindet: Im Rahmen einer qualitativen Studie versuche ich, der Stimme von Lehrern und Lehrerinnen Ausdruck zu verleihen und zu zeigen, wie deren Wissen in die Durchfuhrung von Erziehungsprogrammen einbezogen werden kann. Dies steht der gegenwartigen Situation entgegen, denn obwohl Lehrer und Lehrerinnen eine wichtige Rolle im Erziehungssystem spielen, werden sie selten gehort – lokales Wissen wird fur Programmimplementationen unterschatzt, missachtet oder einfach ignoriert. In meinem Beitrag zeige ich zuerst die Entwicklung qualitativer Forschung fur dieses Feld. Danach rekonstruiere ich aus einer interpretativen Perspektive das lokale Wissen der Lehrer und Lehrerinnen, diskutiere widerstandiges Verhalten und auch die Reaktionen erfahrener Lehrerinnen und Lehrer. Abschliesend skizziere ich, wie qualitative Forschung substantielle und detailreiche Erkenntnisse uber die komplexen Erfordernisse wahrend der verschiedenen Stufen der Implementation von Programmen beitragen kann. URN: urn:nbn:de:0114-fqs030363
Multiple Effects of Anthropogenic Climate Change on the Growth and Calcification of Marine Phytoplankton

of the Dissertation Krumhardt, Kristen M. (Ph.D., Environmental Studies) Multiple effects of anthropogenic climate change on the growth and calcification of marine phytoplankton Thesis directed by Professor Nicole S. Lovenduski Phytoplankton living in the surface ocean are an influential force on the global carbon cycle and the base of the marine food web. Over the next century the surface ocean is expected to increase in inorganic carbon content, acidify, warm, and stratify as a result of anthropogenic climate change. Calcifying phytoplankton called coccolithophores are thought to be especially susceptible to ocean acidification. These tiny, photosynthetic calcifiers have an important role in the global carbon cycle, substantially contributing to global ocean calcification, ballasting organic matter to the deep sea, and influencing ocean-atmosphere CO2 exchange. Despite their potential vulnerability to ocean acidification, our in situ study showed that coccolithophores in the North Atlantic have been increasing in abundance over the past two decades in response to rising levels of dissolved inorganic carbon, but model testing is needed to rule out the influence of other factors, such as increasing temperature. We investigated the role of temperature on marine phytoplankton net primary production in the Community Earth System Model (CESM), showing that anthropogenic warming causes declines in phytoplankton productivity on a global scale with variable regional responses. In order to better understand coccolithophore responses to ocean change, we compiled field and laboratory studies to synthesize overarching, across-species relationships between environmental conditions and coccolithophore growth rates and relative calcification. These relationships were used to parameterize coccolithophores as a phytoplankton functional type in CESM, the first coccolithophore parameterization in an Earth system model in which growth rate and calcification are sensitive to carbonate chemistry. We performed CESM integrations under preindustrial (285 μatm), modern (400 μatm), and end-of-the-century
Regulation, function, and dysregulation of endocannabinoids in models of adipose and beta-pancreatic cells and in obesity and hyperglycemia.

CONTEXT Cannabinoid CB(1) receptor blockade decreases weight and hyperinsulinemia in obese animals and humans in a way greatly independent from food intake. OBJECTIVE The objective of this study was to investigate the regulation and function of the endocannabinoid system in adipocytes and pancreatic beta-cells. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PATIENTS Mouse 3T3-F442A adipocytes and rat insulinoma RIN-m5F beta-cells, pancreas and fat from mice with diet-induced obesity, visceral and sc fat from patients with body mass index equal to or greater than 30 kg/m(2), and serum from normoglycemic and type 2 diabetes patients were studied. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE Endocannabinoid enzyme and adipocyte protein expression, and endocannabinoid and insulin levels were measured. RESULTS Endocannabinoids are present in adipocytes with levels peaking before differentiation, and in RIN-m5F beta-cells, where they are under the negative control of insulin. Chronic treatment of adipocytes with insulin is accompanied by permanently elevated endocannabinoid signaling, whereas culturing of RIN-m5F beta-cells in high glucose transforms insulin down-regulation of endocannabinoid levels into up-regulation. Epididymal fat and pancreas from mice with diet-induced obesity contain higher endocannabinoid levels than lean mice. Patients with obesity or hyperglycemia caused by type 2 diabetes exhibit higher concentrations of endocannabinoids in visceral fat or serum, respectively, than the corresponding controls. CB(1) receptor stimulation increases lipid droplets and decreases adiponectin expression in adipocytes, and it increases intracellular calcium and insulin release in RIN-m5F beta-cells kept in high glucose. CONCLUSIONS Peripheral endocannabinoid overactivity might explain why CB(1) blockers cause weight-loss independent reduction of lipogenesis, of hypoadiponectinemia, and of hyperinsulinemia in obese animals and humans.
Schmidl-Cox-like Frequency Offset Estimation in Time-Hopping UWB

This paper presents a time hopping ultra wide band (TH-UWB) receiver design targeted to high performance and low complexity. The classical Schmidl and Cox idea of extracting the frequency offset from the phase of a correlation measure between two identical transmitted signals is here extended to a TH format. The algorithm exploits the low duty cycle of the time hopping access, and combines received samples in order to strengthen the signal-to-noise ratio. A clever selection of which samples to use in the correlation measure (first and last third of the received signal) is proved to perform 0.5 dB from the Cramer-Rao lower bound, thus providing an improvement of 0.75 dB with respect to the standard approach of the literature (correlating the first and second halves of the received signal). A modified algorithm that suitably weights received samples is also proposed for achieving robustness in impulsive multiple user access scenarios.
Mp1p Is a Virulence Factor in Talaromyces (Penicillium) marneffei

Background Talaromyces marneffei is an opportunistic dimorphic fungus prevalent in Southeast Asia. We previously demonstrated that Mp1p is an immunogenic surface and secretory mannoprotein of T. marneffei. Since Mp1p is a surface protein that can generate protective immunity, we hypothesized that Mp1p and/or its homologs are virulence factors. Methodology/Principal Findings We examined the pathogenic roles of Mp1p and its homologs in a mouse model. All mice died 21 and 30 days after challenge with wild-type T. marneffei PM1 and MP1 complemented mutant respectively. None of the mice died 60 days after challenge with MP1 knockout mutant (P<0.0001). Seventy percent of mice died 60 days after challenge with MP1 knockdown mutant (P<0.0001). All mice died after challenge with MPLP1 to MPLP13 knockdown mutants, suggesting that only Mp1p plays a significant role in virulence. The mean fungal loads of PM1 and MP1 complemented mutant in the liver, lung, kidney and spleen were significantly higher than those of the MP1 knockout mutant. Similarly, the mean load of PM1 in the liver, lung and spleen were significantly higher than that of the MP1 knockdown mutant. Histopathological studies showed an abundance of yeast in the kidney, spleen, liver and lung with more marked hepatic and splenic necrosis in mice challenged with PM1 compared to MP1 knockout and MP1 knockdown mutants. Likewise, a higher abundance of yeast was observed in the liver and spleen of mice challenged with MP1 complemented mutant compared to MP1 knockout mutant. PM1 and MP1 complemented mutant survived significantly better than MP1 knockout mutant in macrophages at 48 hours (P<0.01) post-infection. The mean fungal counts of Pichia pastoris GS115-MP1 in the liver (P<0.001) and spleen (P<0.05) of mice were significantly higher than those of GS115 at 24 hours post-challenge. Conclusions/Significance Mp1p is a key virulence factor of T. marneffei. Mp1p mediates virulence by improving the survival of T. marneffei in macrophages.
Estimation of the past and future burden of mortality from mesothelioma in France.

OBJECTIVES: Firstly to evaluate future mortality from mesothelioma in France with an age-period-cohort approach and evaluate different hypotheses on risk of mesothelioma for the most recent birth cohort. Secondly to compare the results with a British and an American study. Thirdly to study if any trends were detectable on data for women which would be consistent with the consequences of increasing environmental exposure to asbestos. METHODS: Estimates of mortality from mesothelioma among men and women in France from 1950 to 1995 were based on the analysis of the pleural cancer mortality data coded 163 in the ninth revision of the international classification of diseases (ICD-9). Correction factors were used to derive the mortality from mesothelioma from these data, based on two regional registries. The analysis of the past mortality data has been performed by an age-cohort model (with a maximum likelihood technique). Predictions of deaths from mesothelioma over the next 50 years were based on four different assumptions on the risk of death from mesothelioma in future birth cohorts. RESULTS: The predicted lifetime probability of dying from mesothelioma increases until the last birth cohort 1964-8 among men whereas it decreases strongly from the 1954-8 birth cohort among women. The projected numbers of deaths from mesothelioma in France until 2020 are similar, whichever hypothesis is considered: around 20,000 deaths from mesothelioma might occur among men and 2900 among women from 1996 to 2020. CONCLUSIONS: French data show an increasing lifetime probability of death from mesothelioma in the more recent male cohorts. Although the mortality burden can be predicted until 2020, and is intermediate between the United Kingdom and United States estimates, there is still high uncertainty on the figures after 2020. No increase is found in women, and this does not support the hypothesis that current environmental exposure to asbestos could be associated with a detectable risk of death. Specific surveillance should be set up to monitor future trends or their absence.