Characterization of strong light-matter coupling in semiconductor quantum-dot microcavities via photon-statistics spectroscopy

It is shown that spectrally resolved photon-statistics measurements of the resonance fluorescence from realistic semiconductor quantum-dot systems allow for high contrast identification of the two-photon strong-coupling states. Using a microscopic theory, the second-rung resonance is analyzed and optimum excitation conditions are determined. The computed photon-statistics spectrum displays gigantic, experimentally robust resonances at the energetic positions of the second-rung emission.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figure

The Effectiveness of Desensitization Therapy for Individuals with Complex Regional Pain Syndrome: A Systematic Review

Authors: Kira L, Donnelly, SPT; Lauryn M. Helmers, SPT; Olivia M. Verberne, SPT; Roger J. Allen, PT, PhD Title: The Effectiveness of Desensitization Therapy for Individuals with Complex Regional Pain Syndrome: A Systematic Review Purpose: Systematically review evidence supporting the use of desensitization therapy to treat Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS). Subjects: This systematic review evaluated 10 studies from peer-reviewed journals fitting research criteria. Materials/Methods: Databases were searched between Mar and Aug of 2014 with the following search terms: complex regional pain syndrome, CRPS, allodynia, desensitization, neuropathic pain, physical therapy, tactile desensitization, pressure desensitization, hydrotherapy, physiotherapy, capsaicin and somatosensory. Results: Initial search yielded 42 articles with 10 fitting inclusion/exclusion criteria. Articles were evaluated with the STROBE scale and organized by desensitization type: chemical, tactile, thermal and pressure desensitization. Outcome measures varied, including assessing functional use, pressure tolerance and pain tolerance. Conclusions: Despite lacking a standard desensitization protocol, research suggests implementing desensitization by selecting the proper somatosensory modality and using a graded protocol in order to reduce allodynia. Clinical Relevance: Desensitization is often a component of a multifaceted treatment approach for patients with CRPS, which is difficult to isolate within research. To make solid conclusions about desensitization efficacy, studies need to isolate desensitization as a treatment using larger numbers of subjects with CRPS with clear, controlled and replicable protocols. Given current research limitations, existing evidence is promising for continued utilization of graded desensitization therapy for individuals with CRPS. Keywords: desensitization, complex regional pain syndrome, allodynia, tactile desensitization, pressure desensitization, hydrotherapy, capsaicin, physical therap

Simulated climate change impacts on striped bass, blue crab and Eastern oyster in oyster sanctuary habitats of Chesapeake Bay

Oyster reefs and the species that inhabit them will likely be impacted by shifts in environmental conditions due to climate change. This study examined the potential impact of long-term shifts in water temperature and salinity as a result of climate change on the biomasses of important fisheries species within oyster sanctuary sites in the Choptank and Little Choptank river complex (CLC) in Chesapeake Bay using an Ecopath with Ecosim food web model. The model was used to evaluate changes in the oyster reef food web, with particular emphasis on impacts to striped bass (Morone saxatilis), blue crab (Callinectes sapidus), and Eastern oysters (Crassostrea virginica). Eight different climate change scenarios were used to vary water temperature and salinity within Chesapeake Bay up to the year 2100 based on projections given by previous studies. Simulations used a 4 °C increase in temperature along with an increase (+12 or +10) or decrease (−2) in salinity at annual time steps. The rate of change in species biomasses across scenarios ranged from −0.0052 to 0.0008 t/km2/month for striped bass, −0.0021 to 0.0026 t/km2/month for blue crab and −0.0018 to 0.0026 t/km2/month for oysters. Across the majority of scenarios, the biomasses of striped bass and blue crab decreased, while oyster biomass increased. These results begin to offer insight on the interaction between oyster reef restoration benefits and climate change. The modeling framework utilized by this study may be adapted to other systems to assess the effects of climate change on other coastal restoration habitats

Climatic risks and impacts in South Asia: extremes of water scarcity and excess

This paper reviews the current knowledge of climatic risks and impacts in South Asia associated with anthropogenic warming levels of 1.5°C to 4°C above pre-industrial values in the 21st century. It is based on the World Bank Report “Turn Down the Heat, Climate Extremes, Regional Impacts and the Case for Resilience” (2013). Many of the climate change impacts in the region, which appear quite severe even with relatively modest warming of 1.5–2°C, pose significant hazards to development. For example, increased monsoon variability and loss or glacial meltwater will likely confront populations with ongoing and multiple challenges. The result is a significant risk to stable and reliable water resources for the region, with increases in peak flows potentially causing floods and dry season flow reductions threatening agriculture. Irrespective of the anticipated economic development and growth, climate projections indicate that large parts of South Asia’s growing population and especially the poor are likely to remain highly vulnerable to climate change

Measurement of the CP-violating phase ϕs in B0s→J/ψϕ decays in ATLAS at 13 TeV

A measurement of the B0s→J/ψϕ decay parameters using 80.5fb−1 of integrated luminosity collected with the ATLAS detector from 13 TeV proton–proton collisions at the LHC is presented. The measured parameters include the CP-violating phase ϕs, the width difference ΔΓs between the B0s meson mass eigenstates and the average decay width Γs. The values measured for the physical parameters are combined with those from 19.2fb−1 of 7 and 8 TeV data, leading to the following: ϕs=−0.087±0.036 (stat.)±0.021 (syst.) rad ΔΓs=0.0657±0.0043 (stat.)±0.0037 (syst.) ps−1 Γs=0.6703±0.0014 (stat.)±0.0018 (syst.) ps−1 Results for ϕs and ΔΓs are also presented as 68% confidence level contours in the ϕs–ΔΓs plane. Furthermore the transversity amplitudes and corresponding strong phases are measured. ϕs and ΔΓs measurements are in agreement with the Standard Model predictions.publishedVersio

Search for supersymmetry in events with four or more charged leptons in 139 fb−1 of √s= 13 TeV pp collisions with the ATLAS detector

A search for supersymmetry in events with four or more charged leptons (electrons, muons and τ-leptons) is presented. The analysis uses a data sample corresponding to 139 fb−1 of proton-proton collisions delivered by the Large Hadron Collider at √s = 13 TeV and recorded by the ATLAS detector. Four-lepton signal regions with up to two hadronically decaying τ-leptons are designed to target several supersymmetric models, while a general five-lepton signal region targets any new physics phenomena leading to a final state with five charged leptons. Data yields are consistent with Standard Model expectations and results are used to set upper limits on contributions from processes beyond the Standard Model. Exclusion limits are set at the 95% confidence level in simplified models of general gauge-mediated supersymmetry, excluding higgsino masses up to 540 GeV. In R-parity-violating simplified models with decays of the lightest supersymmetric particle to charged leptons, lower limits of 1.6 TeV, 1.2 TeV, and 2.5 TeV are placed on wino, slepton and gluino masses, respectively.publishedVersio

Search for the Higgs boson decays H → ee and H → eμ in pp collisions at √s=13 TeV with the ATLAS detector

Searches for the Higgs boson decays H → ee and H → eμ are performed using data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 139 fb−1 collected with the ATLAS detector in pp collisions at √s = 13 TeV at the LHC. No significant signals are observed, in agreement with the Standard Model expectation. For a Higgs boson mass of 125 GeV, the observed (expected) upper limit at the 95% confidence level on the branching fraction B(H → ee) is 3.6 × 10−4 (3.5 × 10−4) and on B(H → eμ) is 6.2 × 10−5 (5.9 × 10−5). These results represent improvements by factors of about five and six on the previous best limits on B(H → ee) and B(H → eμ) respectively.publishedVersio

Search for pair production of third-generation scalar leptoquarks decaying into a top quark and a τ-lepton in pp collisions at √s = 13 TeV with the ATLAS detector

A search for pair production of third-generation scalar leptoquarks decaying into a top quark and a τ-lepton is presented. The search is based on a dataset of pp collisions at √s = 13 TeV recorded with the ATLAS detector during Run 2 of the Large Hadron Collider, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 139 fb−1. Events are selected if they have one light lepton (electron or muon) and at least one hadronically decaying τ -lepton, or at least two light leptons. In addition, two or more jets, at least one of which must be identified as containing b-hadrons, are required. Six final states, defined by the multiplicity and flavour of lepton candidates, are considered in the analysis. Each of them is split into multiple event categories to simultaneously search for the signal and constrain several leading backgrounds. The signal-rich event categories require at least one hadronically decaying τ-lepton candidate and exploit the presence of energetic final-state objects, which is characteristic of signal events. No significant excess above the Standard Model expectation is observed in any of the considered event categories, and 95% CL upper limits are set on the production cross section as a function of the leptoquark mass, for different assumptions about the branching fractions into tτ and bν. Scalar leptoquarks decaying exclusively into tτ are excluded up to masses of 1.43 TeV while, for a branching fraction of 50% into tτ, the lower mass limit is 1.22 TeV.publishedVersio

Search for squarks and gluinos in final states with one isolated lepton, jets, and missing transverse momentum at √s=13 TeV with the ATLAS detector

The results of a search for gluino and squark pair production with the pairs decaying via the lightest charginos into a final state consisting of two W bosons, the lightest neutralinos (χ~01), and quarks, are presented: the signal is characterised by the presence of a single charged lepton (e± or μ±) from a W boson decay, jets, and missing transverse momentum. The analysis is performed using 139 fb−1 of proton–proton collision data taken at a centre-of-mass energy √s=13 delivered by the Large Hadron Collider and recorded by the ATLAS experiment. No statistically significant excess of events above the Standard Model expectation is found. Limits are set on the direct production of squarks and gluinos in simplified models. Masses of gluino (squark) up to 2.2 (1.4 ) are excluded at 95% confidence level for a light χ~01.publishedVersio

Measurements of the inclusive and differential production cross sections of a top-quark–antiquark pair in association with a Z boson at √s = 13 TeV with the ATLAS detector

Measurements of both the inclusive and differential production cross sections of a top-quark–antiquark pair in association with a Z boson (tt¯Ztt¯Z) are presented. The measurements are performed by targeting final states with three or four isolated leptons (electrons or muons) and are based on s√=13s=13 TeV proton–proton collision data with an integrated luminosity of 139 fb−1fb−1, recorded from 2015 to 2018 with the ATLAS detector at the CERN Large Hadron Collider. The inclusive cross section is measured to be σtt¯Z=0.99±0.05σtt¯Z=0.99±0.05 (stat.) ±0.08±0.08 (syst.) pb, in agreement with the most precise theoretical predictions. The differential measurements are presented as a function of a number of kinematic variables which probe the kinematics of the tt¯Ztt¯Z system. Both absolute and normalised differential cross-section measurements are performed at particle and parton levels for specific fiducial volumes and are compared with theoretical predictions at different levels of precision, based on a χ2/χ2/ndf and p value computation. Overall, good agreement is observed between the unfolded data and the predictions.publishedVersio