Transport of a quantum degenerate heteronuclear Bose-Fermi mixture in a harmonic trap

We report on the transport of mixed quantum degenerate gases of bosonic 87Rb and fermionic 40K in a harmonic potential provided by a modified QUIC trap. The samples are transported over a distance of 6 mm to the geometric center of the anti-Helmholtz coils of the QUIC trap. This transport mechanism was implemented by a small modification of the QUIC trap and is free of losses and heating. It allows all experiments using QUIC traps to use the highly homogeneous magnetic fields that can be created in the center of a QUIC trap and improves the optical access to the atoms, e.g., for experiments with optical lattices. This mechanism may be cascaded to cover even larger distances for applications with quantum degenerate samples.Comment: 7 pages, 8 figure

Josephson oscillation of a superfluid Fermi gas

Using the complete numerical solution of a time-dependent three-dimensional mean-field model we study the Josephson oscillation of a superfluid Fermi gas (SFG) at zero temperature formed in a combined axially-symmetric harmonic plus one-dimensional periodic optical-lattice (OL) potentials after displacing the harmonic trap along the axial OL axis. We study the dependence of Josephson frequency on the strength of the OL potential. The Josephson frequency decreases with increasing strength as found in the experiment of Cataliotti et al. [Science 293 (2001) 843] for a Bose-Einstein condensate and of the experiment of Pezze et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 93 (2004) 120401] for an ideal Fermi gas. We demonstrate a breakdown of Josephson oscillation in the SFG for a large displacement of the harmonic trap. These features of Josephson oscillation of a SFG can be tested experimentally.Comment: 7 pages, 10 figure

Experimental local realism tests without fair sampling assumption

Following the theoretical suggestion of Ref. [1,2], we present experimental results addressed to test restricted families of local realistic models, but without relying on the fair sampling assumption

Circular 99

We initiated this study to develop a single small scale boiling tank and test a drying technique on samples of velvet antler

Archiving scientific blogs with ArchivePress

A poster describing the ArchivePress blog archiving approach and project, presented at the International Digital Curation Conference, London, December 2009

MOUTH FRESHNERS - Useful or harmful?

From periods best known to man, aroma or pleasant smell is always welcomed while bad odor withresent. Many methods have been adopted to avoid or mask malodour. Bad odor is considered asdisgusting especially during the periods of intimacy or closer association with others.  This article attempts to explain the role played by these mouth freshners.

The significance of 'the visit' in an English category-B prison: Views from prisoners, prisoners' families and prison staff

A number of claims have been made regarding the importance of prisoners staying in touch with their family through prison visits, firstly from a humanitarian perspective of enabling family members to see each other, but also regarding the impact of maintaining family ties for successful rehabilitation, reintegration into society and reduced re-offending. This growing evidence base has resulted in increased support by the Prison Service for encouraging the family unit to remain intact during a prisoner’s incarceration. Despite its importance however, there has been a distinct lack of research examining the dynamics of families visiting relatives in prison. This paper explores perceptions of the same event – the visit – from the families’, prisoners’ and prison staffs' viewpoints in a category-B local prison in England. Qualitative data was collected with 30 prisoners’ families, 16 prisoners and 14 prison staff, as part of a broader evaluation of the visitors’ centre. The findings suggest that the three parties frame their perspective of visiting very differently. Prisoners’ families often see visits as an emotional minefield fraught with practical difficulties. Prisoners can view the visit as the highlight of their time in prison and often have many complaints about how visits are handled. Finally, prison staff see visits as potential security breaches and a major organisational operation. The paper addresses the current gap in our understanding of the prison visit and has implications for the Prison Service and wider social policy

Electric Telegraph to e-Scotland: Networking remote and rural communities

There are said to be parallels in the impact that the advent of the telegraph and the internet had on their respective societies. This chapter looks at two examples of state intervention and subsidy in the development of those two communications infrastructures in remote and rural areas of Scotland, at either end of the revolution in electric communications. Both applied the technology of the day to break down geographical barriers, to increase connectivity, to spread information, and to enhance social and business links. Both initiatives grew in part out of a government concern that Scotland should not fall behind the level of technological provision available in other European countries, thereby disadvantaging Scottish business as well as citizens (a comparison with the state-owned telegraph systems in Belgium, Switzerland and France informed the 1868 Telegraph Act, and the development of a broadband infrastructure across a range of European Union countries has been quoted by the Scottish Government). The emphasis in both cases was on affordable wide-ranging availability to benefit individuals as much as business, though with an understanding that business needs would be the driver and would provide the bulk of the finance to establish and maintain the infrastructure. The first was a product of nationalisation with the expansion of the telegraph network from 1870 to 1872 driven by demand. Following is an analysis of that demand and its impact, alongside a description of the development of the network across remote and rural areas over the two years of the scheme. The second examines the rationales behind Scottish Government initiatives since 2001 to extend broadband provision and outlines the technical solutions devised in partnership with commercial operators and funding bodies to reach non-commercially viable areas and to stimulate take up

Genotypic variation in phosphorus efficiency between wheat cultivars grown under greenhouse and field conditions

Phosphorus (P) efficiency (relative growth), which is described as the ratio of shoot dry matter or grain yield at deficient P supply to that obtained under adequate P supply, was compared in 25 winter wheat cultivars grown under greenhouse and field conditions with low and adequate P levels in a P-deficient calcareous soil. Adequate P supply resulted in significant increases in shoot dry weight and grain yield under both experimental conditions. In the greenhouse experiment, the increases in shoot dry weight under adequate P supply (80 mg kg(-1)) were from 0% (cv: C-1252) to 34% (cv: Dagdas). Under field conditions, the cultivars showed much greater variation in their response to adequate P supply (60 kg ha(-1)): the increases in shoot dry weight and grain yield with adequate P supply were between -2% (cv: Sivas-111/33) and 25% (cv: Kirac-66) for shoot dry matter production at the heading stage and between 0% (cv: Kirkpinar-79) and 76% (cv: Kate A-1) for grain yield at maturity. Almost all cultivars behaved totally different in their response to P deficiency under greenhouse and field conditions. Phosphorus efficiency ratios (relative growth) under greenhouse conditions did not correlate with the P efficiency ratios under field conditions. In general, durum wheat cultivars were found to be more P efficient compared with bread wheat cultivars. The results of this study indicated that there is wide variation in tolerance to P deficiency among wheat cultivars that can be exploited in breeding new wheat cultivars for high P deficiency tolerance. The results also demonstrated that P efficiency was expressed differently among the wheat cultivars when grown under greenhouse and field conditions and, therefore, special attention should be paid to growth conditions in screening wheat for P efficiency