Mean-Field Approximation to the Master Equation for Sympathetic Cooling of Trapped Bosons

We use the mean-field approximation to simplify the master equation for sympathetic cooling of Bosons. For the mean single-particle occupation numbers, this approach yields the same equations as the factorization assumption introduced in an erlier paper. The stationary or equilibrium solution of the resulting master equation for the one-body density matrix shows that the mean-field approximation breaks down whenever the fraction of condensate Bosons exceeds ten percent or so of the total. Using group-theoretical methods, we also solve the time-dependent master equation for the one-body density matrix. Given the time dependence of the mean single-particle occupation numbers, this solution is obtained by quadratures. It tends asymptotically towards the equilibrium solution.Comment: submitted to PR

Dimer states in atomic mixtures

A mixture of heavy atoms in a Mott state and light spin-1/2 fermionic atoms is studied in an optical lattice. Inelastic scattering processes between both atomic species excite the heavy atoms and renormalize the tunneling rate as well as the interaction of the light atoms. An effective Hamiltonian for the latter is derived that describes tunneling of single fermions, tunneling of fermionic pairs and an exchange of fermionic spins. Low energy states of this Hamiltonian are a N\'eel state for strong effective repulsion, dimer states for moderate interaction, and a density wave of paired fermions for strong effective attraction.Comment: 10 pages, 3 figure, extended versio

Time Evolution of tunneling and decoherence: soluble model

Decoherence effects associated to the damping of a tunneling two-level system are shown to dominate the tunneling probability at short times in strong coupling regimes in the context of a soluble model. A general decomposition of tunneling rates in dissipative and unitary parts is implemented. Master equation treatments fail to describe the model system correctly when more than a single relaxation time is involved

Differential response to dexamethasone on the TXB2 release in guinea-pig alveolar macrophages induced by zymosan and cytokines

Glucocorticosteroids reduce the production of inflammatory mediators but this effect may depend on the stimulus. We have compared the time course of the effect of dexamethasone on the thromboxane B2 (TXB2) release induced by cytokine stimulation and zymosan in guinea-pig alveolar macrophages. Interleukin-1β (IL-1β), tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and opsonized zymosan (OZ), all stimulate TXB2 release. High concentrations of dexamethasone (1–10 μM) inhibit the TXB2 production induced by both cytokines and OZ, but the time course of this response is different. Four hours of incubation with dexamethasone reduce the basal TXB2 release and that induced by IL-1β and TNF-α, but do not modify the TXB2 release induced by OZ. However, this stimulus was reduced after 24 h incubation. Our results suggest that the antiinflammatory activity of glucocorticosteroids shows some dependence on stimulus and, therefore, may have more than one mechanism involved

Modelling the Recoherence of Mesoscopic Superpositions in Dissipative Environments

A model is presented to describe the recently proposed experiment (J. Raimond, M. Brune and S. Haroche Phys. Rev. Lett {\bf 79}, 1964 (1997)) where a mesoscopic superposition of radiation states is prepared in a high-Q cavity which is coupled to a similar resonator. The dynamical coherence loss of such state in the absence of dissipation is reversible and can in principle be observed. We show how this picture is modified due to the presence of the environmental couplings. Analytical expressions for the experimental conditional probabilities and the linear entropy are given. We conclude that the phenomenon can still be observed provided the ratio between the damping constant and the inter-cavities coupling does not exceed about a few percent. This observation is favored for superpositions of states with large overlap.Comment: 13 pages, 6 figure