Quantum computing has attracted the attention of the scientific community in the past few decades. The development of quantum computers promises one path toward safer and faster ways to treat, extract, and transfer information. However, despite the significant advantages of quantum computing, the development of quantum devices operating at room temperature has been compromised by the thermal decoherence process. In addition, in most undergraduate and graduate quantum mechanics courses, the study of thermofield dynamics is usually neglected. In this scenario, this work presents a didactic approach to simulate thermal qubit systems through Thermofield Dynamics (TFD), applied in a quantum computing setup. The results show that the Bloch sphere representation for a qubit can be written in terms of the Bogoliubov transformation, which allows a practical construction for the thermal qubits in a quantum computing setup. Therefore, this work introduces thermofield dynamics through quantum computing to teachers and curious students interested in teaching and learning this important field of studying the temperature impacts on quantum protocols using the TFD technique.

Neste artigo, apresentamos a ferramenta Quantum Information Software Development Kit – Qiskit para o ensino de computação quântica para estudantes de graduação com conhecimento básico dos postulados da mecânica quântica. Nos concentramos na apresentação da construção dos programas em qualquer laptop ou desktop comum e a sua execução em processadores quânticos reais através do acesso remoto aos hardwares disponibilizados na plataforma IBM Quantum Experience. Os códigos são disponibilizados ao longo do texto para que os leitores, mesmo com pouca experiência em computação científica, possam reproduzi-los e adotar os métodos discutidos neste artigo para abordar seus próprios projetos de computação quântica. Os resultados apresentados estão de acordo com as previsões teóricas, mostrando a eficácia do pacote Qiskit como uma ferramenta de trabalho em sala de aula para a introdução de conceitos aplicados de computação e informação quântica.

In this paper, we present the Quantum Information Software Development Kit – Qiskit for teaching quantum computing to undergraduate students, with basic knowledge of quantum mechanics postulates. We focus on presenting the construction of the programs on any common laptop or desktop computer and their execution on real quantum processors through the remote access to the quantum hardware available on the IBM Quantum Experience platform. The codes are made available throughout the text so that readers, even with little experience in scientific computing, can reproduce them and adopt the methods discussed in this paper to address their own quantum computing projects. The results presented are in agreement with theoretical predictions and show the effectiveness of the Qiskit package as a robust classroom working tool for the introduction of applied concepts of quantum computing and quantum information theory.

Manchas foliares, causadas por fungos fitopatogênicos, podem reduzir a produção de forrageiras. Óleos essenciais de plantas medicinais apresentam potencial antimicrobiano. Objetivou-se avaliar a fungitoxicidade in vitro dos óleos essenciais de capim-limão (Cymbopogon citratus (DC.) Stapf (Poaceae)), citronela (Cymbopogon nardus (L.) Rendle (Poaceae)), erva-cidreira (Lippia alba (Mill.) N.E. Br. ex Britton & P. Wilson (Verbenaceae)) e hortelã-pimenta (Mentha piperita L. (Lamiaceae)) sobre o fungo Helminthosporium sp. e o efeito in vivo desses óleos e do óleo comercial de nim (Azadirachta indica A. Juss. (Meliaceae)) sobre a helmintosporiose de Panicum maximum Jacq. cv. Tanzânia-1. Foi avaliado, em cinco períodos (dois, quatro, seis, oito e dez dias de incubação), o crescimento micelial do fungo sob cinco concentrações dos óleos essenciais (C1 = 250 ppm; C2 = 500 ppm; C3 = 750 ppm; C4 = 1000 ppm e C5 = 1250 ppm). Como controle alternativo, foi avaliado o efeito preventivo e curativo sobre a helmintosporiose de cinco tratamentos à base de óleo: capim-limão, citronela, erva-cidreira, hortelã-pimenta e nim em quatro concentrações (2500; 5000; 7500 e 10000 ppm). Os óleos essenciais de capim-limão e citronela foram os mais eficientes na redução do crescimento micelial do Helminthosporium sp. Sob o óleo essencial de erva-cidreira, o patógeno apresentou crescimento até na maior concentração (1250 ppm). Pelos resultados obtidos verificou-se que todos os óleos essenciais e concentrações avaliadas apresentaram efeito preventivo e curativo, reduzindo a severidade da helmintosporiose.

Leaf spots caused by phyto-pathogenic fungi, can reduce the production of forage plants. The essential oils of medicinal plants have antimicrobial potential. The objective here was to evaluate the fungotoxicity in vitro of the essential oils of lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus (DC.) Stapf (Poaceae)), citronella (Cymbopogon nardus (L.) Rendle (Poaceae)), lemon balm (Lippia alba (Mill.) NE Br ex Britton & P. Wilson (Verbenaceae)) and peppermint (Mentha piperita L. (Lamiaceae)) on the fungus Helminthosporium sp. and the in vivo effect of these oils and of commercial neem oil (Azadirachta indica A. Juss. (Meliaceae)) on leaf blotch in Panicum maximum Jacq. cv. Tanzania-1. The mycelial growth of the fungus was evaluated over five periods (2; 4; 6; 8 and 10 days from incubation) and with five concentrations of essential oils (C1 = 250 ppm; C2 = 500 ppm; C3 = 750 ppm; C4 = 1,000 ppm e C5 = 1,250 ppm). As an alternative control, the preventative and curative effect on leaf blotch of five oil-based treatments were evaluated: lemongrass, citronella, lemon balm, peppermint and neem in four concentrations (2,500; 5,000; 7,500 and 10,000 ppm). The essential oils of lemongrass and citronella were the most effective in reducing mycelial growth of Helminthosporium sp. With the essential oil of lemongrass, the pathogen presented the highest growth concentration (1.250 ppm). The results obtained showed that all the essential oils and concentrations tested presented a preventive and curative effect, reducing the severity of leaf blotch.