Testing nonlocal gravity with Lunar Laser Ranging

We study the impact of the limit on $|\dot{G}|/G$ from Lunar Laser Ranging on "nonlocal gravity", i.e. on models of the quantum effective action of gravity that include nonlocal terms relevant in the infrared, such as the "RR" and "RT" models proposed by our group, and the Deser-Woodard (DW) model. We elaborate on the analysis of Barreira et al. [1] and we confirm their findings that (under plausible assumptions such as the absence of strong backreaction from non-linear structures), the RR model is ruled out. We also show that the mechanism of "perfect screening for free" suggested for the DW model actually does not work and the DW model is also ruled out. In contrast, the RT model passes all phenomenological consistency tests and is still a viable candidate.Comment: 46 pages, 4 figure

Classical and quantum parametric excitations of Bose-Einstein condensates

In this thesis, we study the parametric excitations of a homogeneous Bose-Einstein condensate(BEC) at finite temperature obtained from modulating the interaction strength. In Bogoliubov theory, a result connecting the real part of the diagonal Bogoliubov coefficient and instability, i.e. exponential growth of excitations, is obtained for general periodic modulations. Consequently, an analytic solution for an arbitrary square wave modulation is derived that can be studied to understand similar drivings like the sinusoidal case. This adds to previous works studying only the case for small driving amplitudes. In the recent experimental and theoretical literature well-established nonclassicality criteria from the field of quantum optics have been directly applied to the case of excitations in matter-waves like those studied here. Among these are violations of Cauchy-Schwarz inequalities, Glauber-Sudarshan P-nonclassicality, sub-Poissonian number difference squeezing (also known as the two-mode variance) and the criterion of nonseparability. We review the strong connection of these criteria and their meaning in quantum optics, and point out differences in the interpretation between light and matter waves. By proposing a classical theory of a thermal BEC that gives the same predictions as the quantum theory in the high temperature limit, and using it as a reference, we can isolate real quantum effects like spontaneous emission caused by quantum noise. We conclude that to date in experiments relevant for this scenario nonclassical effects have not conclusively been observed and conjecture that additional, noncommuting, observables have to be measured to this end. Moreover this has important implications for proposed analog gravity models where the observation of nonclassical effects is a major goal. In the second part of the thesis, we present simulational methods with focus on the Truncated Wigner Approximation (TWA). We take a path integral approach inspired by [Polkovnikov, 2010] and derive a set of classical equations from the semi-classical limit that is more general than TWA. We add some proofs to the literature and identify problems in this approach. We also present a highly optimized software package as an extension of previous work [Jain, 2007]. It can carry out the relevant simulations and we use it to confirm the theoretical predictions of the first part

On the observation of nonclassical excitations in Bose–Einstein condensates

In the recent experimental and theoretical literature well-established nonclassicality criteria from the field of quantum optics have been directly applied to the case of excitations in matter-waves. Among these are violations of Cauchy–Schwarz inequalities, Glauber–Sudarshan P-nonclassicality, subPoissonian number-difference squeezing (also known as the two-mode variance) and the criterion of nonseparability. We review the strong connection of these criteria and their meaning in quantum optics, and point out differences in the interpretation between light and matter waves. We then calculate observables for a homogeneous Bose–Einstein condensate undergoing an arbitrary modulation in the interaction parameter at finite initial temperature, within both the quantum theory as well as a classical reference. We conclude that to date in experiments relevant for this scenario nonclassical effects have not conclusively been observed and conjecture that additional, noncommuting, observables have to be measured to this end. Moreover this has important implications for proposed analog gravity models where the observation of nonclassical effects is a major goal

Immunogenicity Studies in Carnivores Using a Rabies Virus Construct with a Site-Directed Deletion in the Phosphoprotein

Different approaches have been applied to develop highly attenuated rabies virus vaccines for oral vaccination of mesocarnivores. One prototype vaccine construct is SAD dIND1, which contains a deletion in the P-gene severely limiting the inhibition of type-1 interferon induction. Immunogenicity studies in foxes and skunks were undertaken to investigate whether this highly attenuated vaccine would be more immunogenic than the parental SAD B19 vaccine strain. In foxes, it was demonstrated that SAD dIND1 protected the animals against a rabies infection after a single oral dose, although virus neutralizing antibody titres were lower than in foxes orally vaccinated with the SAD B19 virus as observed in previous experiments. In contrast, skunks receiving 107.5 FFU SAD dIND1 did not develop virus neutralizing antibodies and were not protected against a subsequent rabies infection

Analysis of the Release Characteristics of Cu-Treated Antimicrobial Implant Surfaces Using Atomic Absorption Spectrometry

New developments of antimicrobial implant surfaces doped with copper (Cu) ions may minimize the risk of implant-associated infections. However, experimental evaluation of the Cu release is influenced by various test parameters. The aim of our study was to evaluate the Cu release characteristics in vitro according to the storage fluid and surface roughness. Plasma immersion ion implantation of Cu (Cu-PIII) and pulsed magnetron sputtering process of a titanium copper film (Ti-Cu) were applied to titanium alloy (Ti6Al4V) samples with different surface finishing of the implant material (polished, hydroxyapatite and corundum blasted). The samples were submersed into either double-distilled water, human serum, or cell culture medium. Subsequently, the Cu concentration in the supernatant was measured using atomic absorption spectrometry. The test fluid as well as the surface roughness can alter the Cu release significantly, whereby the highest Cu release was determined for samples with corundum-blasted surfaces stored in cell medium

SMC5/6 complex-mediated SUMOylation stimulates DNA–protein cross-link repair in Arabidopsis

DNA–protein cross-links (DPCs) are highly toxic DNA lesions consisting of proteins covalently attached to chromosomal DNA. Unrepaired DPCs physically block DNA replication and transcription. Three DPC repair pathways have been identified in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) to date: the endonucleolytic cleavage of DNA by the structure-specific endonuclease MUS81; proteolytic degradation of the crosslinked protein by the metalloprotease WSS1A; and cleavage of the cross-link phosphodiester bonds by the tyrosyl phosphodiesterases TDP1 and TDP2. Here we describe the evolutionary conserved STRUCTURAL MAINTENANCE OF CHROMOSOMEs SMC5/6 complex as a crucial component involved in DPC repair. We identified multiple alleles of the SMC5/6 complex core subunit gene SMC6B via a forward-directed genetic screen designed to identify the factors involved in the repair of DPCs induced by the cytidine analog zebularine. We monitored plant growth and cell death in response to DPC-inducing chemicals, which revealed that the SMC5/6 complex is essential for the repair of several types of DPCs. Genetic interaction and sensitivity assays showed that the SMC5/6 complex works in parallel to the endonucleolytic and proteolytic pathways. The repair of zebularine-induced DPCs was associated with SMC5/6-dependent SUMOylation of the damage sites. Thus, we present the SMC5/6 complex as an important factor in plant DPC repair

Gravity in the infrared and effective nonlocal models

We provide a systematic and updated discussion of a research line carried out by our group over the last few years, in which gravity is modified at cosmological distances by the introduction of nonlocal terms, assumed to emerge at an effective level from the infrared behavior of the quantum theory. The requirement of producing a viable cosmology turns out to be very stringent and basically selects a unique model, in which the nonlocal term describes an effective mass for the conformal mode. We discuss how such a specific structure could emerge from a fundamental local theory of gravity, and we perform a detailed comparison of this model with the most recent cosmological datasets, confirming that it fits current data at the same level as $\Lambda$CDM. Most notably, the model has striking predictions in the sector of tensor perturbations, leading to a very large effect in the propagation of gravitational wave (GWs) over cosmological distances. At the redshifts relevant for the next generation of GW detectors such as Einstein Telescope, Cosmic Explorer and LISA, this leads to deviations from GR that could be as large as $80\%$, and could be verified with the detection of just a single coalescing binary with electromagnetic counterpart. This would also have potentially important consequences for the search of the counterpart since, for a given luminosity distance to the source, as inferred through the GW signal, the actual source redshift could be significantly different from that predicted by $\Lambda$CDM. At the redshifts relevant for advanced LIGO/Virgo/Kagra the effect is smaller, but still potentially observable over a few years of runs at target sensitivity.Comment: 84 pages, 22 figure