LOS ANGELES (AP) ? Authorities and celebrities were grappling Monday with how to respond to a website that posted what appears to be private financial information about top government officials and stars such as Jay-Z and Mel Gibson.
Los Angeles police and the FBI said they were aware of the pages but declined to confirm they were investigating the site, which posted purported Social Security numbers and credit reports of the leaders of both agencies. Pages posted on Vice President Joe Biden and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton did not include credit reports but included addresses and other sensitive information.
Social Security numbers posted on Gibson, Jay-Z and others matched records in public databases.
The site, which bore an internet suffix originally assigned to the Soviet Union, remained active Monday afternoon. It did not state how the information was obtained or why the 11 people targeted on the site were selected, describing the records only as "secret files."
Its existence was first reported Monday by celebrity website TMZ.
FBI Director Robert Mueller and Los Angeles Police Chief Charlie Beck were among those targeted, as were celebrities Beyonce Knowles, Ashton Kutcher, Kim Kardashian and Paris Hilton.
Several of the purported credit reports appear to have been generated last week.
Representatives for each person targeted either declined to comment on the accuracy of the information that was posted, or they did not return messages seeking comment.
Several of the pages featured unflattering pictures of the celebrities or government officials whose information was posted.
The site's page on Beck includes a taunting reference to former officer Christopher Dorner, who was killed in a shootout after killing four people over several days last month. Beck's page included the message "(hash)YouCantCornerTheDorner" and an image of a woman protesting police corruption.
While government officials often have to disclose details on their finances ? and celebrity divorces sometimes feature public financial data ? the information posted online exceeds those disclosures.
Social Security numbers are rarely included in public records anymore because they can be used for identity theft.
___
Anthony McCartney can be reached at http://twitter.com/mccartneyAP .
If your office is running the heater a little higher than you'd like, this DIY personal AC unit can keep you cool.
Weblog Philippine Stuffs shared this genius design based on evaporative cooling. If you've ever stepped out of a shower into a room with a fan, you know how chilling this effect can be. To make your own, just attach an old PC fan to a refrigerator deodorizer, then put a wet sponge inside the container. The fan sucks the warm air through the sponge, and blows the newly-cooled air out the other side. It won't cool an entire room, but if your desk is a little stuffy, this is a cheap way to stay comfortable without bothering coworkers.
Mini desktop aircon | Philippine Stuffs via Hack A Day
How can mother and father look for a great college? Not just tend to be open public colleges crippled through a large number of poor suggestions, however the colleges appear deliberately created to ensure that mother and father can?t realize what is truly happening within the classes. Most likely it is much more useful to remain notify for that threat indicators that may be noticed from the range. Here is a list from the best 8 indicators you don?t would like your son or daughter with this college:
1) READING THROUGH: The most crucial ability is actually reading through. Should you listen to any kind of reference to Entire Phrases, View Phrases, Dolch Phrases, Fry Phrases, or even Well balanced Literacy, operate another method. British is within alphabetic/phonetic vocabulary, and really should end up being trained phonetically. Kids should instantly discover the actual alphabet, which characters are a symbol of seems. (Presently there appear to be 5 or even 10 great phonics applications obtainable. I am not really persuaded the little variations issue. What is already been eliminating all of us is actually that one huge difference: training fundamental alphabetic info or even NOT REALLY training this. Any kind of artificial phonics plan, combined with poems, tune, along with a gentle contact, appears to have the desired effect. Promoters associated with phonics statement which almost all their own college students learn how to study through grow older 7. Promoters associated with Entire Term state kids ought to memorize several 100 phrases every year, whereby they will be successfully illiterate via senior high school. )#)
two) MATHEMATICS: The following most significant point is actually math. Should you listen to any kind of reference to Change Mathematics, operate another method. (Change Mathematics is definitely an outdoor umbrella phrase with regard to a minimum of 10 various applications, along with titles for example Daily Mathematics, Linked Mathematics, MathLand, TERC, CPM, and so on. )#) These types of applications often drive sophisticated ideas from kids that do not actually understand how to include 10 as well as sixteen. These types of applications prefer to make use of imprecise techniques as well as algorithms to ensure that kids wind up baffled as well as spread. The correct objective is actually which kids obtain competence associated with fundamental math, for instance, very easily including as well as subtracting one- as well as two-digit amounts. They move ahead in order to spreading as well as separating one- as well as two-digit amounts. There must be absolutely no utilization of calculators, absolutely no ?spiraling? regarding through subject in order to subject, absolutely no reference to college-level ideas.
3) UNDERSTANDING: The following most significant point is actually which kids tend to be regularly likely to obtain understanding. This particular was previously regular; however for seventy five many years the teachers possess waged battle towards content material, details, as well as memorization. ?They may appear this up? is really a large threat transmission. To review background, for instance, demands which kids very first discover the actual titles associated with seas, continents, streams, mountain tops, as well as nations. Fundamental location ought to be the staple through the very first couple of years; there must be roadmaps in most class, each from the ALL OF US and also the globe. Generally, in most topics, kids ought to very first end up being trained the easiest info, the necessities, the actual foundational understanding, just about all within planning with regard to learning the topic in a higher-level. In the event that kids don?t discover the actual titles from the seas within the very first quality, they?re not really in a college however the babysitting support.
four) TECHNOLOGY: Kids ought to be trained, from the beginning, the actual rudiments associated with technology as well as medical considering. For instance, kids may take a look at typical items as well as state whether or not they tend to be pet, veggie or even nutrient. Kids will be able to discuss drinking water altering through strong in order to fluid in order to vapor. Older kids will be able to talk about the actual different types of difficulties handled through physicians, chemists, biologists, physicists, mathematicians, and so on. Learning easy roadmaps, diagrams, graphs, pictures as well as plans is a great indication. (Place it an additional method, I can not suppose a poor college might think about training kids to comprehend easy diagrams within very first quality. )#)
5) CONSTRUCTIVISM: Among the large trends flaming in certain open public colleges is known as constructivism. (It may arrive within the training associated with any kind of topic. )#) The actual free gifts tend to be key phrases for example ?construct brand new understanding, inch ?guide from their own aspect, inch ?prior understanding, inch ?learning methods, inch and so on. Many of these remain within immediate comparison in order to immediate coaching, where professional instructors train exactly what these people understand much better than other people within the space. ?A sage on the stage? is precisely exactly what kids require. Constructivism devalues the actual ability as well as planning which great instructors provide towards the schoolroom; as well as helps you to hide poor people instruction associated with poor instructors. Constructivism ensures which coaching may proceed gradually and become fragmented.
6) TRENDS OPERATE WIDESPREAD: Additional well-liked trends to become prevented consist of: Self confidence (exactly where kids tend to be continuously recognized as well as granted great levels even though carrying out a poor work); Cooperative Understanding (exactly where kids tend to be continuously pressured to operate within organizations so that they in no way learn how to believe with regard to on their own); Crucial Considering (exactly where kids ought to participate in heavy conversations associated with topics these people understand small regarding); Creativeness Programs (exactly where using the actual disciplines is actually provided dominance more than understanding understanding); as well as Fluffy Something (exactly where kids tend to be permitted to speculate, in order to concoct unusual spellings as well as unusual sentence structure without having modification, to become incorrect but nonetheless end up being rated as though proper). Many of these tend to be indicators.
7) OBJECTIVES: Probably the the majority of special characteristic associated with great colleges is actually they discuss what?s going to end up being trained as well as what?s going to end up being achieved. You will find objectives as well as anticipation. There?s a feeling how the college includes a chart and it has journeyed the street often prior to. Poor colleges tend to be recognized through a good limitless litany associated with excuses as well as alibis. There?s a feeling these colleges do not have obvious objectives, plus they do not truly be prepared to progress really much. Within poor colleges, lots of what goes on is really a kind of make-believe where kids tend to be held hectic performing pretend-work that does not equal to greatly. Probably the the majority of revolting the main entire charade is actually which a few of these colleges may make-believe that they?re becoming thoughtful from the kids, they do not wish to drive all of them too much, plus they do not wish to reveal the actual insufficiencies associated with bad as well as group kids. All this, it appears in my experience, may be the tiniest drivel, as well as racist. Kids have to be questioned as well as pressed, not really to the stage exactly where they provide upward however to the stage exactly where these people believe, ?Wow, take a look at me personally proceed. inch
SECURITY: An indication which slashes throughout all of the other people may be known as fundamental orderliness as well as protection. Colleges ought to be secure locations, each law-abiding as well as foreseeable. The thing is which kids will be able to unwind to allow them to discover. The frightening college stops to become a college. The main (similar to a little town?s Gran as well as Sheriff) is really a essential determine with this paradigm: she or he models the actual sculpt. Principals clarify objectives as well as guidelines in order to college students as well as mother and father; principals encourage as well as assistance instructors. (This may end up being known as the main Theory. )#)
Overview: The actual Tao associated with Training really is easy. Understanding fundamentals as well as teachers may be the objective, and also the road to which objective. Details as well as understanding would be the lifeblood from the class. Training ought to be because innovative as you possibly can; colleges ought to be enjoyable as well as college student ought to grin a great deal. However the entire procedure needs to proceed someplace, needs to progress. At the conclusion of every day time, college students learn more compared to these people do your day prior to. The issue along with United states training is actually which top notch teachers altered from knowledge-based training (a/k/a cognitive understanding) towards feeling-based training (a/k/a affective understanding).
Lots of psychotherapeutic prejudices had been combined within having a disregard with regard to details along with a overlook associated with foundational understanding, such as actually literacy. The end result, as you might anticipate, will be a really dumbed-down, average college, this kind of many times in a United states town. The answer would be to disregard the poor suggestions which triggered the problem, change from the actual touchy-feely cliches, as well as critically attempt to make support in order to college students giving all of them the perfect planning for that relaxation of the life.
Philadelphia, PA, March 7, 2013 According to a 2012 World Health Organization report, over 35 million people worldwide currently have dementia, a number that is expected to double by 2030 (66 million) and triple by 2050 (115 million). Alzheimer's disease, the most common form of dementia, has no cure and there are currently only a handful of approved treatments that slow, but do not prevent, the progression of symptoms.
New drug development, no matter the disease, is a slow, expensive, and risky process. Thus, innovative techniques to study and assess the possibilities of already-existing drugs for different diseases can be used to alleviate the traditional burdens of cost and time. Detailed in their new article in Biological Psychiatry, researchers from the University of Washington, led by Dr. Brian Kraemer, have developed an exciting new approach to screening potential new treatments for Alzheimer's disease using C. elegans, a small transparent worm.
Their focus was on tau, a protein involved in maintaining brain cell structure. In Alzheimer's disease and related disorders, tau protein becomes abnormally modified and forms clumps of protein called aggregates. These aggregates are a hallmark of the dying nerve cells in Alzheimer's disease and other related disorders. Diseases with abnormal tau are called tauopathies.
Dr. Kraemer's lab previously developed a worm model for tauopathy by expressing human tau in C. elegans nerve cells. This model has behavioral abnormalities, accumulates abnormal tau protein, and exhibits loss of nerve cellsall of which are general features of Alzheimer's disease.
Using their worm model for this study, they screened a library of 1,120 drugs approved for human use and tested each at three different concentrations to identify compounds that suppress the effects of abnormal tau aggregation.
"We have identified six compounds capable of reliably alleviating tau induced behavioral abnormalities in our C. elegans model for tauopathy. In a human cultured cell model for abnormal tau protein, we have also seen that azaperone treatment can decrease the amount of abnormal tau," said Kraemer.
Azaperone, an antipsychotic drug, normally binds to certain dopamine receptors found in nerve cells. They demonstrated that removing those receptors in either C. elegans or human cells has the same effect as azaperone treatment, indicating that azaperone and related drugs should alter abnormal tau accumulation. Other antipsychotic drugs also have a similar effect to azaperone.
Tests of these compounds for anti-tau properties are now underway in existing mouse models of Alzheimer's disease.
"This study is an exemplary instance of how a simple C. elegans model system may be used to rapidly screen drugs for diseases and evaluate mechanism of action," said Drs. Sangeetha Iyer and Jonathan Pierce-Shimomura, authors of a commentary that accompanies this article.
Dr. John Krystal, Editor of Biological Psychiatry, agrees and added: "Studying the worm, C. elegans, has already provided us with fundamental insights into how the brain develops. The new approach described by McCormick and colleagues suggests that this animal model may be a powerful new approach to studying novel treatments that prevent its decline."
###
The article is "Dopamine D2 Receptor Antagonism Suppresses Tau Aggregation and Neurotoxicity" by Allyson V. McCormick, Jeanna M. Wheeler, Chris R. Guthrie, Nicole F. Liachko, and Brian C. Kraemer (doi: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2012.08.027). The commentary is "Worming Our Way to Alzheimer's Disease Drug Discovery" by Sangeetha Iyer and Jonathan T. Pierce-Shimomura (doi: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2012.12.026). Both appear in Biological Psychiatry, Volume 73, Issue 5 (March 1, 2013), published by Elsevier.
Notes for Editors
Full text of the articles is available to credentialed journalists upon request; contact Rhiannon Bugno at +1 214 648 0880 or Biol.Psych@utsouthwestern.edu. Journalists wishing to interview the authors may contact the Public Affairs Office of VA Puget Sound Health Care System at PublicAffairsPugetSound@va.gov.
The authors' affiliations, and disclosures of financial and conflicts of interests are available in the article.
John H. Krystal, M.D., is Chairman of the Department of Psychiatry at the Yale University School of Medicine and a research psychiatrist at the VA Connecticut Healthcare System. His disclosures of financial and conflicts of interests are available here.
About Biological Psychiatry
Biological Psychiatry is the official journal of the Society of Biological Psychiatry, whose purpose is to promote excellence in scientific research and education in fields that investigate the nature, causes, mechanisms and treatments of disorders of thought, emotion, or behavior. In accord with this mission, this peer-reviewed, rapid-publication, international journal publishes both basic and clinical contributions from all disciplines and research areas relevant to the pathophysiology and treatment of major psychiatric disorders.
The journal publishes novel results of original research which represent an important new lead or significant impact on the field, particularly those addressing genetic and environmental risk factors, neural circuitry and neurochemistry, and important new therapeutic approaches. Reviews and commentaries that focus on topics of current research and interest are also encouraged.
Biological Psychiatry is one of the most selective and highly cited journals in the field of psychiatric neuroscience. It is ranked 5th out of 129 Psychiatry titles and 16th out of 243 Neurosciences titles in the Journal Citations Reports published by Thomson Reuters. The 2011 Impact Factor score for Biological Psychiatry is 8.283.
About Elsevier
Elsevier is a world-leading provider of scientific, technical and medical information products and services. The company works in partnership with the global science and health communities to publish more than 2,000 journals, including The Lancet and Cell, and close to 20,000 book titles, including major reference works from Mosby and Saunders. Elsevier's online solutions include ScienceDirect, Scopus, Reaxys, ClinicalKey and Mosby's Nursing Suite, which enhance the productivity of science and health professionals, and the SciVal suite and MEDai's Pinpoint Review, which help research and health care institutions deliver better outcomes more cost-effectively.
A global business headquartered in Amsterdam, Elsevier employs 7,000 people worldwide. The company is part of Reed Elsevier Group PLC, a world-leading provider of professional information solutions in the Science, Medical, Legal and Risk and Business sectors, which is jointly owned by Reed Elsevier PLC and Reed Elsevier NV. The ticker symbols are REN (Euronext Amsterdam), REL (London Stock Exchange), RUK and ENL (New York Stock Exchange).
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AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
Worming our way to new treatments for Alzheimer's diseasePublic release date: 7-Mar-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Philadelphia, PA, March 7, 2013 According to a 2012 World Health Organization report, over 35 million people worldwide currently have dementia, a number that is expected to double by 2030 (66 million) and triple by 2050 (115 million). Alzheimer's disease, the most common form of dementia, has no cure and there are currently only a handful of approved treatments that slow, but do not prevent, the progression of symptoms.
New drug development, no matter the disease, is a slow, expensive, and risky process. Thus, innovative techniques to study and assess the possibilities of already-existing drugs for different diseases can be used to alleviate the traditional burdens of cost and time. Detailed in their new article in Biological Psychiatry, researchers from the University of Washington, led by Dr. Brian Kraemer, have developed an exciting new approach to screening potential new treatments for Alzheimer's disease using C. elegans, a small transparent worm.
Their focus was on tau, a protein involved in maintaining brain cell structure. In Alzheimer's disease and related disorders, tau protein becomes abnormally modified and forms clumps of protein called aggregates. These aggregates are a hallmark of the dying nerve cells in Alzheimer's disease and other related disorders. Diseases with abnormal tau are called tauopathies.
Dr. Kraemer's lab previously developed a worm model for tauopathy by expressing human tau in C. elegans nerve cells. This model has behavioral abnormalities, accumulates abnormal tau protein, and exhibits loss of nerve cellsall of which are general features of Alzheimer's disease.
Using their worm model for this study, they screened a library of 1,120 drugs approved for human use and tested each at three different concentrations to identify compounds that suppress the effects of abnormal tau aggregation.
"We have identified six compounds capable of reliably alleviating tau induced behavioral abnormalities in our C. elegans model for tauopathy. In a human cultured cell model for abnormal tau protein, we have also seen that azaperone treatment can decrease the amount of abnormal tau," said Kraemer.
Azaperone, an antipsychotic drug, normally binds to certain dopamine receptors found in nerve cells. They demonstrated that removing those receptors in either C. elegans or human cells has the same effect as azaperone treatment, indicating that azaperone and related drugs should alter abnormal tau accumulation. Other antipsychotic drugs also have a similar effect to azaperone.
Tests of these compounds for anti-tau properties are now underway in existing mouse models of Alzheimer's disease.
"This study is an exemplary instance of how a simple C. elegans model system may be used to rapidly screen drugs for diseases and evaluate mechanism of action," said Drs. Sangeetha Iyer and Jonathan Pierce-Shimomura, authors of a commentary that accompanies this article.
Dr. John Krystal, Editor of Biological Psychiatry, agrees and added: "Studying the worm, C. elegans, has already provided us with fundamental insights into how the brain develops. The new approach described by McCormick and colleagues suggests that this animal model may be a powerful new approach to studying novel treatments that prevent its decline."
###
The article is "Dopamine D2 Receptor Antagonism Suppresses Tau Aggregation and Neurotoxicity" by Allyson V. McCormick, Jeanna M. Wheeler, Chris R. Guthrie, Nicole F. Liachko, and Brian C. Kraemer (doi: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2012.08.027). The commentary is "Worming Our Way to Alzheimer's Disease Drug Discovery" by Sangeetha Iyer and Jonathan T. Pierce-Shimomura (doi: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2012.12.026). Both appear in Biological Psychiatry, Volume 73, Issue 5 (March 1, 2013), published by Elsevier.
Notes for Editors
Full text of the articles is available to credentialed journalists upon request; contact Rhiannon Bugno at +1 214 648 0880 or Biol.Psych@utsouthwestern.edu. Journalists wishing to interview the authors may contact the Public Affairs Office of VA Puget Sound Health Care System at PublicAffairsPugetSound@va.gov.
The authors' affiliations, and disclosures of financial and conflicts of interests are available in the article.
John H. Krystal, M.D., is Chairman of the Department of Psychiatry at the Yale University School of Medicine and a research psychiatrist at the VA Connecticut Healthcare System. His disclosures of financial and conflicts of interests are available here.
About Biological Psychiatry
Biological Psychiatry is the official journal of the Society of Biological Psychiatry, whose purpose is to promote excellence in scientific research and education in fields that investigate the nature, causes, mechanisms and treatments of disorders of thought, emotion, or behavior. In accord with this mission, this peer-reviewed, rapid-publication, international journal publishes both basic and clinical contributions from all disciplines and research areas relevant to the pathophysiology and treatment of major psychiatric disorders.
The journal publishes novel results of original research which represent an important new lead or significant impact on the field, particularly those addressing genetic and environmental risk factors, neural circuitry and neurochemistry, and important new therapeutic approaches. Reviews and commentaries that focus on topics of current research and interest are also encouraged.
Biological Psychiatry is one of the most selective and highly cited journals in the field of psychiatric neuroscience. It is ranked 5th out of 129 Psychiatry titles and 16th out of 243 Neurosciences titles in the Journal Citations Reports published by Thomson Reuters. The 2011 Impact Factor score for Biological Psychiatry is 8.283.
About Elsevier
Elsevier is a world-leading provider of scientific, technical and medical information products and services. The company works in partnership with the global science and health communities to publish more than 2,000 journals, including The Lancet and Cell, and close to 20,000 book titles, including major reference works from Mosby and Saunders. Elsevier's online solutions include ScienceDirect, Scopus, Reaxys, ClinicalKey and Mosby's Nursing Suite, which enhance the productivity of science and health professionals, and the SciVal suite and MEDai's Pinpoint Review, which help research and health care institutions deliver better outcomes more cost-effectively.
A global business headquartered in Amsterdam, Elsevier employs 7,000 people worldwide. The company is part of Reed Elsevier Group PLC, a world-leading provider of professional information solutions in the Science, Medical, Legal and Risk and Business sectors, which is jointly owned by Reed Elsevier PLC and Reed Elsevier NV. The ticker symbols are REN (Euronext Amsterdam), REL (London Stock Exchange), RUK and ENL (New York Stock Exchange).
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AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
The future of ion trapsPublic release date: 7-Mar-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Emily Edwards eedwards@umd.edu Joint Quantum Institute
Technology will continue to be a leader in the development of quantum computing architectures
Recently Science Magazine invited JQI fellow Chris Monroe and Duke Professor Jungsang Kim to speculate on ion trap technology as a scalable option for quantum information processing. The article is highlighted on the cover of this week's issue, which is dedicated to quantum information. The cover portrays a photograph of a surface trap that was fabricated by Sandia National Labs and used to trap ions at JQI and Duke, among other laboratories.
Trapped atomic ions are a promising architecture that satisfies many of the critical requirements for constructing a quantum computer. At the heart of quantum computers are qubits, systems maintained in two or more quantum states simultaneously. Here, the qubits are manifested in the internal energy levels of the ions, and are manipulated through laser and microwave radiation. These technologies are a key factor in the success of atomic ions: scientists can set the frequency of the radiation to match that of the ion's energy level spacings with extreme precision.
The qubits have long coherence time -- meaning they can be placed in quantum states and remain that way long enough to perform calculations. The qubit's states are not sensitive to ambient disturbances like magnetic fields, giving them inherent protection from the destructive environment.
Additionally, the ions are in a vacuum of lower than 10-11 torr. This is about 100 trillion times lower than atmospheric pressure. To visualize this daunting number, imagine light particles like hydrogen or nitrogen in a vacuum chamber. After special pumps remove most of the air, there are so few molecules left that before one molecule will collide with another, it will typically travel a distance comparable to the circumference of the earth. At atmospheric pressure, even though we can't see them with our eyes, there are so many molecules floating about that they only travel about a hundredth the width of a human hair before they bump into a neighboring particle.
Scientists want to go even further. Using cryogenics (cooling to near absolute zero temperature), they expect to push a few more factors of ten lower in pressure. Cooling the system is effective because it makes the molecules stick to the walls, thus removing them from the region where the ions rest.
Ion traps themselves were invented more than a half-century ago, but researchers have implemented new technologies in order to store large ion crystals and shuttle ions around as quantum operations are executed. Professionally micro-fabricated devices, like the one shown on the cover, resemble traditional computer components. Some researchers are also integrating optics on-board the traps. Although quantum logic operations in such chip traps remain elusive, the obstacles are not prohibitive. In the US, researchers at institutions such as NIST (Boulder), Sandia National Labs, Georgia Tech Research Institute, JQI, Duke, MIT, and others are now, often collaboratively, fabricating and testing these technologies.
Monroe and Kim are part of a larger collaboration called MUSIQC, which stands for Modular Universal Scalable Ion-trap Quantum Computer, and is supported by the Intelligence Advance Research Projects Activity (IARPA). This program focuses on building the components necessary for a practical quantum computer. The effort involves national labs, universities, and even private small businesses.
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AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
The future of ion trapsPublic release date: 7-Mar-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Emily Edwards eedwards@umd.edu Joint Quantum Institute
Technology will continue to be a leader in the development of quantum computing architectures
Recently Science Magazine invited JQI fellow Chris Monroe and Duke Professor Jungsang Kim to speculate on ion trap technology as a scalable option for quantum information processing. The article is highlighted on the cover of this week's issue, which is dedicated to quantum information. The cover portrays a photograph of a surface trap that was fabricated by Sandia National Labs and used to trap ions at JQI and Duke, among other laboratories.
Trapped atomic ions are a promising architecture that satisfies many of the critical requirements for constructing a quantum computer. At the heart of quantum computers are qubits, systems maintained in two or more quantum states simultaneously. Here, the qubits are manifested in the internal energy levels of the ions, and are manipulated through laser and microwave radiation. These technologies are a key factor in the success of atomic ions: scientists can set the frequency of the radiation to match that of the ion's energy level spacings with extreme precision.
The qubits have long coherence time -- meaning they can be placed in quantum states and remain that way long enough to perform calculations. The qubit's states are not sensitive to ambient disturbances like magnetic fields, giving them inherent protection from the destructive environment.
Additionally, the ions are in a vacuum of lower than 10-11 torr. This is about 100 trillion times lower than atmospheric pressure. To visualize this daunting number, imagine light particles like hydrogen or nitrogen in a vacuum chamber. After special pumps remove most of the air, there are so few molecules left that before one molecule will collide with another, it will typically travel a distance comparable to the circumference of the earth. At atmospheric pressure, even though we can't see them with our eyes, there are so many molecules floating about that they only travel about a hundredth the width of a human hair before they bump into a neighboring particle.
Scientists want to go even further. Using cryogenics (cooling to near absolute zero temperature), they expect to push a few more factors of ten lower in pressure. Cooling the system is effective because it makes the molecules stick to the walls, thus removing them from the region where the ions rest.
Ion traps themselves were invented more than a half-century ago, but researchers have implemented new technologies in order to store large ion crystals and shuttle ions around as quantum operations are executed. Professionally micro-fabricated devices, like the one shown on the cover, resemble traditional computer components. Some researchers are also integrating optics on-board the traps. Although quantum logic operations in such chip traps remain elusive, the obstacles are not prohibitive. In the US, researchers at institutions such as NIST (Boulder), Sandia National Labs, Georgia Tech Research Institute, JQI, Duke, MIT, and others are now, often collaboratively, fabricating and testing these technologies.
Monroe and Kim are part of a larger collaboration called MUSIQC, which stands for Modular Universal Scalable Ion-trap Quantum Computer, and is supported by the Intelligence Advance Research Projects Activity (IARPA). This program focuses on building the components necessary for a practical quantum computer. The effort involves national labs, universities, and even private small businesses.
###
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AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (AP) ? A nurse's refusal to give CPR to a dying 87-year-old woman at a Californiaindependent living home despite desperate pleas from a 911 dispatcher has prompted outrage and spawned a criminal investigation.
The harrowing 7-minute, 16-second call also raised concerns that policies at senior living facilities could prevent staff from intervening in medical emergencies. It prompted calls for legislation Monday to prevent a repeat of what happened Feb. 26 at Glenwood Gardens in Bakersfield.
Lorraine Bayless collapsed in the dining room of the retirement home that offers many levels of care. She lived in the independent living building, which state officials said is like a senior apartment complex and doesn't operate under licensing oversight.
"This is a wakeup call," said Assemblywoman Mariko Yamada, chair of the California Assembly Aging and Long-term Care Committee. "I'm sorry it took a tragedy like this to bring it to our attention."
Yamada cautioned that while it's not yet known whether intervention would have saved the woman's life, "we want to investigate because it has caused a lot of concern and alarm."
Independent living facilities "should not have a policy that says you can stand there and watch somebody die," said Pat McGinnis, founder of California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform, a consumer advocacy group. "How a nurse can do that is beyond comprehension."
In all her years of advocating for the elderly, McGinnis said: "This was so horrifying. I've never seen this happen before."
State officials did not know Monday whether the woman who talked to the 911 dispatcher actually was a nurse, or just identified herself as one during the call. She said one of the home's policies prevented her from doing CPR, according to an audio recording of the call.
"The consensus is if they are a nurse and if they are at work as a nurse, then they should be offering the appropriate medical care," said Russ Heimerich, spokesman for the California Board of Registered Nursing, the agency that licenses health care providers.
The executive director of Glenwood Gardens, Jeffrey Toomer, defended the nurse in a written statement, saying she followed the facility's policy.
"In the event of a health emergency at this independent living community, our practice is to immediately call emergency medical personnel for assistance and to wait with the individual needing attention until such personnel arrives," Toomer said. "That is the protocol we followed."
Toomer offered condolences to the woman's family and said a thorough internal review would be conducted. He told KGET-TV that residents of the facility are informed of the policy and agree to it when they move in. He said the policy does not apply at the adjacent assisted living and skilled nursing facilities.
Multiple calls to the facility and its parent company seeking more information were not returned.
Unlike nursing homes, which provide medical care, independent living facilities generally do not.
"These are like apartments for seniors. You're basically living on your own. They may have some services provided by basic nursing staff, but it's not their responsibility to care for the individual," said Dr. Susan Leonard, a geriatrics expert at the University of California, Los Angeles.
Residents of independent living communities can still take care of themselves, but may need help getting to doctor's appointments. In skilled nursing facilities and nursing homes, many residents require around-the-clock care.
Staff members are "required to perform and provide CPR" unless there's a do-not-resuscitate order, said Greg Crist, a senior vice president at the American Health Care Association.
Bayless did not have such an order on file at the facility, said Battalion Chief Anthony Galagaza of the Bakersfield Fire Department, which was the first on the scene. That's when firefighters immediately began CPR, continuing until she reached the hospital.
Dr. Patricia Harris, who heads the University of Southern California's geriatrics division, said the survival odds are slim among elderly who receive CPR. Even if they survive, they are never the same. She said she would override the home's policy and risk getting fired "rather than watch somebody die in front of me."
During the call, an unidentified woman called from her cellphone, and asked for paramedics to be sent to help the woman. Later, a woman who identified herself as the nurse got on the phone and told dispatcher Tracey Halvorson she was not permitted to do CPR on the woman.
Halvorson urged the nurse to start CPR, warning the consequences could be dire if no one tried to revive the woman, who had been laid out on the floor on her instructions.
"I understand if your boss is telling you, you can't do it," the dispatcher said. "But ... as a human being ... you know, is there anybody that's willing to help this lady and not let her die?"
"Not at this time," the nurse answered.
Halvorson assured the nurse that Glenwood couldn't be sued if anything went wrong in attempts to resuscitate the resident, saying the local emergency medical system "takes the liability for this call."
Later in the call, Halvorson asked, "Is there a gardener? Any staff, anyone who doesn't work for you? Anywhere? Can we flag someone down in the street and get them to help this lady? Can we flag a stranger down? I bet a stranger would help her."
"I understand if your facility is not willing to do that. Give the phone to a passer-by. This woman is not breathing enough. She is going to die if we don't get this started, do you understand?"
The woman had no pulse and wasn't breathing when fire crews reached her, Galagaza said.
Sgt. Jason Matson of the Bakersfield Police Department said its investigation so far had not revealed criminal wrongdoing, but the probe is continuing.
First responders say often it's hard to find someone willing to provide CPR in an emergency.
"It's not uncommon to have someone refuse to provide CPR if they physically can't do it, or they're so upset they just can't function," Kern County Fire Department Deputy Chief Michael Miller said. "What made this one unique was the way the conversation on the phone went. It was just very frustrating to anyone listening to it, like, why wasn't anyone helping this poor woman, since CPR today is much simpler than it was in the past?"
___
Cone reported from Sacramento. Associated Press writers Garance Burke in San Francisco and Alicia Chang in Los Angeles contributed to this report.
Hot on the heels of a White House statement supporting unimpeded mobile phone unlocking, Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-Minnesota) has announced that she will introduce legislation to reverse the ban imposed in January.
The text of the bill was not released, but a press release briefly describing the reasoning behind it was posted on Kolbuchar's website.
"We need to make sure consumers are getting a fair deal and today?s announcement is a welcome step towards implementing consumer-friendly policies in the wireless industry," Klobuchar said in a statement. "That?s why I?m introducing legislation this week to get rid of the ban on unlocking cell phones and I will continue to work to advance commonsense measures to protect consumers and promote competition."
Klobuchar has dealt with cellphone legislation before, sponsoring a bill called the Cell Phone Consumer Empowerment Act of 2007, requiring "greater disclosure to, and empowerment of, consumers who have entered into a contract for cellular telephone service." That bill died in committee.
Unlocking a phone allows it to be used on carriers other than the one from which it was purchased, and it was recently ruled that consumers may not unlock their phone without permission from that same carrier.
In October 2012, the Librarian of Congress, who determines exemptions to a strict anti-hacking law called the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), decided that unlocking mobile phones would no longer be allowed, effective in late January.
The White House, Library of Congress and FCC all responded Monday after an online petition to remove restrictions on unlocking mobile phones reached more than 100,000 signatures. All three indicated that they would support legislation to remove those restrictions.
Devin Coldewey is a contributing writer for NBC News Digital. His personal website is coldewey.cc.
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Public release date: 7-Mar-2013
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