Scalable designs for quantum computing with rare-earth-ion-doped crystals

Due to inhomogeneous broadening, the absorption lines of rare-earth-ion dopands in crystals are many order of magnitudes wider than the homogeneous linewidths. Several ways have been proposed to use ions with different inhomogeneous shifts as qubit registers, and to perform gate operations between such registers by means of the static dipole coupling between the ions. In this paper we show that in order to implement high-fidelity quantum gate operations by means of the static dipole interaction, we require the participating ions to be strongly coupled, and that the density of such strongly coupled registers in general scales poorly with register size. Although this is critical to previous proposals which rely on a high density of functional registers, we describe architectures and preparation strategies that will allow scalable quantum computers based on rare-earth-ion doped crystals.Comment: Submitted to Phys. Rev.

Communication and optimal hierarchical networks

We study a general and simple model for communication processes. In the model, agents in a network (in particular, an organization) interchange information packets following simple rules that take into account the limited capability of the agents to deal with packets and the cost associated to the existence of open communication channels. Due to the limitation in the capability, the network collapses under certain conditions. We focus on when the collapse occurs for hierarchical networks and also on the influence of the flatness or steepness of the structure. We find that the need for hierarchy is related to the existence of costly connections.Comment: 7 pages, 2 figures. NATO ARW on Econophysic

A biophysical model of prokaryotic diversity in geothermal hot springs

Recent field investigations of photosynthetic bacteria living in geothermal hot spring environments have revealed surprisingly complex ecosystems, with an unexpected level of genetic diversity. One case of particular interest involves the distribution along hot spring thermal gradients of genetically distinct bacterial strains that differ in their preferred temperatures for reproduction and photosynthesis. In such systems, a single variable, temperature, defines the relevant environmental variation. In spite of this, each region along the thermal gradient exhibits multiple strains of photosynthetic bacteria adapted to several distinct thermal optima, rather than the expected single thermal strain adapted to the local environmental temperature. Here we analyze microbiology data from several ecological studies to show that the thermal distribution field data exhibit several universal features independent of location and specific bacterial strain. These include the distribution of optimal temperatures of different thermal strains and the functional dependence of the net population density on temperature. Further, we present a simple population dynamics model of these systems that is highly constrained by biophysical data and by physical features of the environment. This model can explain in detail the observed diversity of different strains of the photosynthetic bacteria. It also reproduces the observed thermal population distributions, as well as certain features of population dynamics observed in laboratory studies of the same organisms

The three dimensional Ising spin glass in an external magnetic field: the role of the silent majority

We perform equilibrium parallel-tempering simulations of the 3D Ising Edwards-Anderson spin glass in a field. A traditional analysis shows no signs of a phase transition. Yet, we encounter dramatic fluctuations in the behaviour of the model: Averages over all the data only describe the behaviour of a small fraction of it. Therefore we develop a new approach to study the equilibrium behaviour of the system, by classifying the measurements as a function of a conditioning variate. We propose a finite-size scaling analysis based on the probability distribution function of the conditioning variate, which may accelerate the convergence to the thermodynamic limit. In this way, we find a non-trivial spectrum of behaviours, where a part of the measurements behaves as the average, while the majority of them shows signs of scale invariance. As a result, we can estimate the temperature interval where the phase transition in a field ought to lie, if it exists. Although this would-be critical regime is unreachable with present resources, the numerical challenge is finally well posed.Comment: 42 pages, 19 figures. Minor changes and added figure (results unchanged

Matching microscopic and macroscopic responses in glasses

We first reproduce on the Janus and Janus II computers a milestone experiment that measures the spin-glass coherence length through the lowering of free-energy barriers induced by the Zeeman effect. Secondly we determine the scaling behavior that allows a quantitative analysis of a new experiment reported in the companion Letter [S. Guchhait and R. Orbach, Phys. Rev. Lett. 118, 157203 (2017)]. The value of the coherence length estimated through the analysis of microscopic correlation functions turns out to be quantitatively consistent with its measurement through macroscopic response functions. Further, non-linear susceptibilities, recently measured in glass-forming liquids, scale as powers of the same microscopic length.Comment: 6 pages, 4 figure

The Mpemba effect in spin glasses is a persistent memory effect

The Mpemba effect occurs when a hot system cools faster than an initially colder one, when both are refrigerated in the same thermal reservoir. Using the custom built supercomputer Janus II, we study the Mpemba effect in spin glasses and show that it is a non-equilibrium process, governed by the coherence length \xi of the system. The effect occurs when the bath temperature lies in the glassy phase, but it is not necessary for the thermal protocol to cross the critical temperature. In fact, the Mpemba effect follows from a strong relationship between the internal energy and \xi that turns out to be a sure-tell sign of being in the glassy phase. Thus, the Mpemba effect presents itself as an intriguing new avenue for the experimental study of the coherence length in supercooled liquids and other glass formers.Comment: Version accepted for publication in PNAS. 6 pages, 7 figure

Impact of perioperative infarcts after cardiac surgery

Background and Purpose: Brain injury after cardiac surgery is a serious concern for patients and their families. The purpose of this study was to use 3-T fluid attenuated inversion recovery MRI to characterize new and preexisting cerebral ischemic lesions in patients undergoing cardiac surgery and to test whether the accumulation of new ischemic lesions adversely affects cognition. Methods: Digital comparison of before and after fluid attenuated inversion recovery MRI images was performed for 77 cardiac surgery patients. The burden of preexisting versus new ischemic lesions was quantified and compared with the results of baseline and postoperative neuropsychological testing. Results: After surgery, new lesions were identified in 31% of patients, averaging 0.5 lesions per patient (67 mm3 [0.004%] of brain tissue). Patients with preexisting lesions were 10× more likely to receive new lesions after surgery than patients without preexisting lesions. Preexisting ischemic lesions were observed in 64% of patients, averaging 19.4 lesions (1542 mm3 [0.1%] of brain tissue). New lesions in the left hemisphere were significantly smaller and more numerous (29 lesions; median volume, 44 mm3; volume range, 5–404 mm3) than those on the right (10 lesions; median volume, 128 mm3; volume range, 13–1383 mm3), which is consistent with a cardioembolic source of particulate emboli. Overall, the incidence of postoperative cognitive decline was 46% and was independent of whether new lesions were present. Conclusions: New lesions after cardiac surgery added a small (≈4%) contribution to the burden of preexisting cerebrovascular disease and did not seem to affect cognitive function

Normal cognition in transgenic BRI2-Aβ mice

BACKGROUND: Recent research in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) field has been focused on the potential role of the amyloid-β protein that is derived from the transmembrane amyloid precursor protein (APP) in directly mediating cognitive impairment in AD. Transgenic mouse models overexpressing APP develop robust AD-like amyloid pathology in the brain and show various levels of cognitive decline. In the present study, we examined the cognition of the BRI2-Aβ transgenic mouse model in which secreted extracellular Aβ1-40, Aβ1-42 or both Aβ1-40/Aβ1-42 peptides are generated from the BRI-Aβ fusion proteins encoded by the transgenes. BRI2-Aβ mice produce high levels of Aβ peptides and BRI2-Aβ1-42 mice develop amyloid pathology that is similar to the pathology observed in mutant human APP transgenic models. RESULTS: Using established behavioral tests that reveal deficits in APP transgenic models, BRI2-Aβ1-42 mice showed completely intact cognitive performance at ages both pre and post amyloid plaque formation. BRI2-Aβ mice producing Aβ1-40 or both peptides were also cognitively intact. CONCLUSIONS: These data indicate that high levels of Aβ1-40 or Aβ1-42, or both produced in the absence of APP overexpression do not reproduce memory deficits observed in APP transgenic mouse models. This outcome is supportive of recent data suggesting that APP processing derivatives or the overexpression of full length APP may contribute to cognitive decline in APP transgenic mouse models. Alternatively, Aβ aggregates may impact cognition by a mechanism that is not fully recapitulated in these BRI2-Aβ mouse models

Scaling and super-universality in the coarsening dynamics of the 3d random field Ising model

We study the coarsening dynamics of the three-dimensional random field Ising model using Monte Carlo numerical simulations. We test the dynamic scaling and super-scaling properties of global and local two-time observables. We treat in parallel the three-dimensional Edward-Anderson spin-glass and we recall results on Lennard-Jones mixtures and colloidal suspensions to highlight the common and different out of equilibrium properties of these glassy systems.Comment: 18 pages, 21 figure