M. Dugic

On a Possible Physical Metatheory of Consciousness

We show that modern quantum mechanics, and particularly the theory of decoherence, allows formulating a sort of a physical metatheory of consciousness. Particularly, the analysis of the necessary conditions for the occurrence of decoherence, along with the hypothesis that consciousness bears (more-or-less) well definable physical origin, leads to a wider physical picture naturally involving consciousness. This can be considered as a sort of a psycho-physical parallelism, but on very wide scales bearing some cosmological relevance.

Quantum Decoherence and Quantum-Holographic Information Processes: From Biomolecules to Biosystems

Our recently proposed quantum approach to biomolecular recognition processes is hereby additionally supported by biomolecular Resonant Recognition Model and by quantum-chemical theory of biomolecular non-radiative resonant transitions. Previously developed general quantumdecoherence framework for biopolymer conformational changes in very selective ligandproteins/ target-receptors key/lock biomolecular recognition processes (with electron-conformational coupling, giving rise to dynamical modification of many-electron energy-state hypersurface of the cellular quantum-ensemble ligand-proteins/target-receptors biomolecular macroscopic quantum system, with revealed possibility to consider cellular biomolecular recognition as a Hopfield-like quantum-holographic associative neural network) is further extended from nonlocal macroscopicquantum level of biological cell to nonlocal macroscopic-quantum level of biological organism, based on long-range coherent microwave excitations (as supported by macroscopic quantum-like microwave resonance therapy of the acupuncture system) - which might be of fundamental importance in understanding of underlying macroscopic quantum (quantum-holographic Hopfieldlike) control mechanisms of embryogenesis/ontogenesis and morphogenesis, and their backward influence on the expression of genes.

Quantum Structures of a Model-Universe: An Inconsistency with Everett Interpretation of Quantum Mechanics

We observe a Quantum Brownian Motion (QBM) Model Universe in conjunction with recently established Entanglement Relativity and Parallel Occurrence of Decoherence. The Parallel Occurrence of Decoherence establishes the simultaneous occurrence of decoherence for two mutually irreducible structures (decomposition into subsystems) of the total QBM model universe. First we find that Everett world branching for one structure excludes branching for the alternate structure and in order to reconcile this situation branching cannot be allowed for either of the structures considered. Second, we observe the non-existence of a third, “emergent structure”, that could approximate both structures and also be allowed to branch. Ultimately we find unless world-branching requires additional criteria or conditions, or there is a privileged structure, that we provide a valid model that cannot be properly described by the Everett Interpretation of Quantum Mechanics.

Biopolymer Chain Folding and Biomolecular Recognition: A Quantum Decoherence Theory Approach

In this paper we describe the biopolymer chain folding problem in the framework of the so-called quantum decoherence theory. As we propose a rather qualitative scenario yet bearing generality, it seems this provides promising basis for the solution-in-principle of the (semi) classically hard kinetic problem of biopolymer chain folding from coiled to native conformation in highly selective ligand proteins/target-receptors biomolecular recognition processes, implying underlying macroscopic quantum nonlocality on the level of biological cell.

Quantum information processing: The case of vanishing interaction energy

Abstract We investigate the rate of operation of quantum “black boxes” (“oracles”) and point out the possibility of performing an operation by a quantum “oracle” whose average energy equals zero. This counterintuitive result not only presents a generalization of the recent results of Margolus and Levitin, but might also sharpen the conceptual distinction between the “classical” and the “quantum” information.

Polymer Conformational Transitions: A Quantum Decoherence Theory Approach

In this paper we describe the problem of polymer conformational transitions in the framework of the so-called quantum decoherence theory. We propose a rather qualitative scenario yet bearing generality in the context of the quantum decoherence theory. It seems that our proposal provides a promising basis for the solution-in-principle of this (semi-)classically hard problem of the polymer kinetics.

A local-time-induced unique pointer basis

There is a solution to the problem of asymptotic completeness in many-body scattering theory that offers a specific view of the quantum unitary dynamics which allows for the straightforward introduction of local time for every, at least approximately closed, many-particle system. In this approach, time appears as a hidden classical parameter of the unitary dynamics of a many-particle system. We show that a closed many-particle system can exhibit behaviour that is characteristic for open quantum systems and there is no need for the ‘state collapse’ or environmental influence. On the other hand, closed few-particle systems bear high quantum coherence. This local-time scheme encompasses concepts including ‘emergent time’, ‘relational time’ as well as the ‘hybrid system’ models with possibly induced gravitational uncertainty of time.

Dynamical emergence of Markovianity in local time scheme.

Recently we pointed out the so-called local time scheme as a novel approach to quantum foundations that solves the preferred pointer-basis problem. In this paper, we introduce and analyse in depth a rather non-standard dynamical map that is imposed by the scheme. On the one hand, the map does not allow for introducing a properly defined generator of the evolution nor does it represent a quantum channel. On the other hand, the map is linear, positive, trace preserving and unital as well as completely positive, but is not divisible and therefore non-Markovian. Nevertheless, we provide quantitative criteria for dynamical emergence of time-coarse-grained Markovianity, for exact dynamics of an open system, as well as for operationally defined approximation of a closed or open many-particle system. A closed system never reaches a steady state, whereas an open system may reach a unique steady state given by the Lüders–von Neumann formula; where the smaller the open system, the faster a steady state is attained. These generic findings extend the standard open quantum systems theory and substantially tackle certain cosmological issues.

Quantum and classical neural networks for modeling two modes of consciousness: cognitive implications

Quantum bases of consciousness and free will are considered with implications of two cognitive modes of consciousness (direct religious/creative, characteristic of quantum-coherent transitional and altered states of individual consciousness, and indirect perceptually/rationally mediated, characteristic of classically-reduced normal states of individual consciousness), as well as conditions of transformations of one mode into another.

Generalized Kraus Operators for the One-Qubit Depolarizing Quantum Channel

Microscopic Hamiltonian models of the composite system “open system + environment” typically do not provide the operator-sum Kraus form of the open system’s dynamical map. With the use of a recently developed method (Andersson et al. J. Mod. Opt. 54, 1695 2007), we derive the Kraus operators starting from the microscopic Hamiltonian model, i.e., from the proper master equation, of the one-qubit depolarizing channel. Those Kraus operators generalize the standard counterparts, which are widely used in the literature. Comparison of the standard and the here obtained Kraus operators is performed via investigating dynamical change of the Bloch sphere volume, entropy production, and the open system’s state trace distance. We compare the generalized with the standard Kraus operators for both single qubit and regarding the occurrence of the entanglement sudden death for a pair of initially correlated qubits. We find that the generalized Kraus operators describe the less deteriorating quantum channel than the standard ones.