Localizationlike effect in two-dimensional alternate quantum walks with periodic coin operations

Exploiting multidimensional quantum walks as feasible platforms for quantum computation and quantum simulation attracts constantly growing attention from a broad experimental physics community. Here, we propose a two-dimensional quantum walk scheme with a single-qubit coin that presents, in the considered regimes, a strong localizationlike effect on the walker. The result could provide new possible directions for the implementation of quantum algorithms or from the point of view of quantum simulation. We characterize the localizationlike effect in terms of the parameters of a step-dependent qubit operation that acts on the coin space after any standard coin operation, showing that a proper choice can guarantee a nonnegligible probability of finding the walker in the origin even for large times. We finally discuss the robustness to imperfections, a qualitative relation with coherences behavior, and possible experimental realizations of this model with the current state-of-the-art settings.

Prognostic significance of minichromosome maintenance proteins in breast cancer

A role for the minichromosome maintenance (MCM) proteins in cancer initiation and progression is slowly emerging. Functioning as a complex to ensure a single chromosomal replication per cell cycle, the six family members have been implicated in several neoplastic disease states, including breast cancer. Our study aim to investigate the prognostic significance of these proteins in breast cancer. We studied the expression of MCMs in various datasets and the associations of the expression with clinicopathological parameters. When considered alone, high level MCM4 overexpression was only weakly associated with shorter survival in the combined breast cancer patient cohort (n = 1441, Hazard Ratio = 1.31; 95% Confidence Interval = 1.11-1.55; p = 0.001). On the other hand, when we studied all six components of the MCM complex, we found that overexpression of all MCMs was strongly associated with shorter survival in the same cohort (n = 1441, Hazard Ratio = 1.75; 95% Confidence Interval = 1.31-2.34; p <0.001), suggesting these MCM proteins may cooperate to promote breast cancer progression. Indeed, their expressions were significantly correlated with each other in these cohorts. In addition, we found that increasing number of overexpressed MCMs was associated with negative ER status as well as treatment response. Together, our findings are reproducible in seven independent breast cancer cohorts, with 1441 patients, and suggest that MCM profiling could potentially be used to predict response to treatment and prognosis in breast cancer patients.

The effect of pH on the photonic efficiency of the destruction of methyl orange under controlled periodic illumination with UV-LED sources

The nature of photon interaction and reaction pH can have significant impacts on semiconductor photocatalysis. This paper describes the effect of pH on the photonic efficiency of photocatalytic reactions in the aqueous phase using TiO2 catalysts. The reactor was irradiated using periodic illumination with UV-LEDs through control of the illumination duty cycle (γ) through a series of light and dark times (Ton/Toff). Photonic efficiencies for methyl orange degradation were found to be comparable at high γ irrespective of pH. At lower γ, pH effects on photonic efficiency were very distinct across acidic, neutral and alkaline pH indicating an effect of complementary parameters. The results suggest photonic efficiency is greatest as illumination time, Ton approaches interfacial electron-transfer characteristic time which is within the range of this study or charge-carrier lifetimes upon extrapolation and also when electrostatic attraction between surface-trapped holes, {TiIVOH}ads+ and substrate molecules is strongest.

Effect of controlled periodic-based illumination on the photonic efficiency of photocatalytic degradation of methyl orange

The use of controlled periodic illumination with UV LEDs for enhancing photonic efficiency of photocatalytic decomposition processes in water has been investigated using methyl orange as a model compound. The impact of the length of light and dark time periods (T _ON/T _OFF times) on photodegradation and photonic efficiency using a UV LED-illuminated photoreactor has been studied. The results have shown an inverse dependency of the photonic efficiency on duty cycle and a very little effect on T _ON or T _OFF time periods, indicating no effect of rate-limiting steps through mass diffusion or adsorption/desorption in the reaction. For this reactor, the photonic efficiency under controlled periodic illumination (CPI) matches to that of continuous illumination, for the same average UV light intensities. Furthermore, under CPI conditions, the photonic efficiency is inversely related to the average UV light intensity in the reactor, in the millisecond time regime. This is the first study that has investigated the effect of controlled periodic illumination using ultra band gap UV LED light sources in the photocatalytic destruction of dye compounds using titanium dioxide. The results not only enhance the understanding of the effect of periodic illumination on photocatalytic processes but also provide a greater insight to the potential of these light sources in photocatalytic reactions. 

Mathematical modelling of quantum yield enhancements of methyl orange photooxidation in aqueous TiO2 suspensions under controlled periodic UV LED illumination

Quantum yields of the photocatalytic degradation of methyl orange under controlled periodic illumination (CPI) have been modelled using existing models. A modified Langmuir-Hinshelwood (L-H) rate equation was used to predict the degradation reaction rates of methyl orange at various duty cycles and a simple photocatalytic model was applied in modelling quantum yield enhancement of the photocatalytic process due to the CPI effect. A good agreement between the modelled and experimental data was observed for quantum yield modelling. The modified L-H model, however, did not accurately predict the photocatalytic decomposition of the dye under periodic illumination.

Long-term macrolide maintenance therapy in non-CF bronchiectasis: Evidence and questions

Non-reciprocity in doubly periodic strip arrays on ferrite-dielectric substrate

Doubly periodic arrays of strip conductors printed on a composite ferrite-dielectric substrate have been investigated at oblique incidence of linear polarized plane waves. The simulation results revealed strong non-reciprocity of wave reflectance and transmittance at positive and negative angles of incidence. It is also shown that the non-reciprocity is further enhanced by the strip conductor pattern. 

Quasi-periodic stacks of semiconductor layers: Combinatorial frequency generation

The nonlinear scattering and combinatorial frequency generation by the quasi-periodic Fibonacci and Thue-Morse stacks of semiconductor layers have been investigated taking into account the nonlinear charge dynamics. It has been shown that the mixing processes in passive semiconductor structures are driven by the competitive effects of the collision of charges and resonance interactions of carriers with pump waves. The effects of the stack arrangements and constituent layer parameters on the efficiency of the combinatorial frequency generation are discussed. 

The Robustness of Periodic Orchestrations in Uncertain Evolving Environments

A framework for assessing the robustness of long-duration repetitive orchestrations in uncertain evolving environments is proposed. The model assumes that service-based evaluation environments are stable over short time-frames only; over longer periods service-based environments evolve as demand fluctuates and contention for shared resources varies. The behaviour of a short-duration orchestration E in a stable environment is assessed by an uncertainty profile U and a corresponding zero-sum angel-daemon game Γ(U) [2]. Here the angel-daemon approach is extended to assess evolving environments by means of a subfamily of stochastic games. These games are called strategy oblivious because their transition probabilities are strategy independent. It is shown that the value of a strategy oblivious stochastic game is well defined and that it can be computed by solving a linear system. Finally, the proposed stochastic framework is used to assess the evolution of the Gabrmn IT system.

BRCA1, a 'complex' protein involved in the maintenance of genomic stability

BRCA1 is a major breast and ovarian cancer susceptibility gene, with mutations in this gene predisposing women to a very high risk of developing breast and ovarian tumours. BRCA1 primarily functions to maintain genomic stability via critical roles in DNA repair, cell cycle checkpoint control, transcriptional regulation, apoptosis and mRNA splicing. As a result, BRCA1 mutations often result in defective DNA repair, genomic instability and sensitivity to DNA damaging agents. BRCA1 carries out these different functions through its ability to interact, and form complexes with, a vast array of proteins involved in multiple cellular processes, all of which are considered to contribute to its function as a tumour suppressor. This review discusses and highlights recent research into the functions of BRCA1-related protein complexes and their roles in maintaining genomic stability and tumour suppression.

Transforming Growth Factor-beta superfamily:evaluation as breast cancer biomarkers and preventive agents

The Transforming Growth Factor-beta (TGFbeta) superfamily of cytokines is comprised of a number of structurally-related, secreted polypeptides that regulate a multitude of cellular processes including proliferation, differentiation and neoplastic transformation. These growth regulatory molecules induce ligand-mediated hetero-oligomerization of distinct type II and type I serine/threonine kinase receptors that transmit signals predominantly through receptor-activated Smad proteins but also induce Smad-independent pathways. Ligands, receptors and intracellular mediators of signaling initiated by members of the TGFbeta family are expressed in the mammary gland and disruption of these pathways may contribute to the development and progression of human breast cancer. Since many facets of TGFbeta and breast cancer have been recently reviewed in several articles, except for discussion of recent developments on some aspects of TGFbeta, the major focus of this review will be on the role of activins, inhibins, BMPs, nodal and MIS-signaling in breast cancer with emphasis on their utility as potential diagnostic, prognostic and therapeutic targets.

Biosecurity and Emerging Plant Health Problems in Turf Production and Maintenance

Recent research has supported the view that the distributions of many pests and diseases have extended towards higher latitudes over the last 50 years. Probably driven by a combination of climate change and trade, this extension to the ranges of hundreds of plant pathogens may have serious implications not only for agriculture, horticulture and forestry, but also for turf production &maintenance. Here we review our data relating to the current status of three emerging pest and disease problems across North West Europe (rapid blight, Labyrinthula sp. , the root knot nematode, Meloidogyne minor and the pacific stem gall nematode, Anguina pacificae ) and discuss the factors which may be involved in their spread and increasing impact on the turf industry. With turf production and maintenance becoming an increasingly international business, we ask if biosecurity and the promotion of plant health in turf production fields and associated sport facilities should be a greater priority for the industry. We also examine if a lack of effective biosecurity measures in the materials supply chain has led to increased plant health problems.

The United Kingdom, the United Nations Human Rights Council and the first cycle of the Universal Periodic Review

The introduction of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) mechanism as an innovative component of the new Human Rights Council in 2006 has suffered little academic scrutiny. This is partly because it holds as its objective an improvement in human rights situations on the ground, a goal that is difficult to test amongst so many possible causal factors attributable to law reform and policy change, and partly due to the fact that the mechanism has only completed one full cycle of review. This article seeks to remedy this absence of analysis by examining the experience of the United Kingdom during its first review. In doing so, the article first considers the conception of the UPR, before progressing to examine the procedure and recommendations made to the UK by its peers. Finally, the article considers the five year review of the UPR which occurred as a subset of the Human Rights Council Review in 2011 and the resulting changes to the process modalities.

Identification of Road Irregularities via Vehicle Accelerations

A periodic monitoring of the pavement condition facilitates a cost-effective distribution of the resources available for maintenance of the road infrastructure network. The task can be accurately carried out using profilometers, but such an approach is generally expensive. This paper presents a method to collect information on the road profile via accelerometers mounted in a fleet of non-specialist vehicles, such as police cars, that are in use for other purposes. It proposes an optimisation algorithm, based on Cross Entropy theory, to predict road irregularities. The Cross Entropy algorithm estimates the height of the road irregularities from vehicle accelerations at each point in time. To test the algorithm, the crossing of a half-car roll model is simulated over a range of road profiles to obtain accelerations of the vehicle sprung and unsprung masses. Then, the simulated vehicle accelerations are used as input in an iterative procedure that searches for the best solution to the inverse problem of finding road irregularities. In each iteration, a sample of road profiles is generated and an objective function defined as the sum of squares of differences between the ‘measured’ and predicted accelerations is minimized until convergence is reached. The reconstructed profile is classified according to ISO and IRI recommendations and compared to its original class. Results demonstrate that the approach is feasible and that a good estimate of the short-wavelength features of the road profile can be detected, despite the variability between the vehicles used to collect the data.