Coherent States of Harmonic Oscillator and Generalized Uncertainty Principle

In this paper dynamics and quantum mechanical coherent states of a simple harmonic oscillator are considered in the framework of Generalized Uncertainty Principle(GUP). Equations of motion for simple harmonic oscillator are derived and some of their new implications are discussed. Then coherent states of harmonic oscillator in the case of GUP are compared with relative situation in ordinary quantum mechanics. It is shown that in the framework of GUP there is no considerable difference in definition of coherent states relative to ordinary quantum mechanics. But, considering expectation values and variances of some operators, based on quantum gravitational arguments one concludes that although it is possible to have complete coherency and vanishing broadening in usual quantum mechanics, gravitational induced uncertainty destroys complete coherency in quantum gravity and it is not possible to have a monochromatic ray in principle.Comment: 12 pages, no figur

Crossing the Cosmological Constant Line on a Warped DGP Brane

We study dynamics of the equation of state parameter for a dark energy component non-minimally coupled to induced gravity on a warped DGP brane. We show that there are appropriate domains of the model parameters space that account for crossing of the phantom divide line. This crossing, which is possible for both branches of the scenario, depends explicitly on the values of the non-minimal coupling and warp factor. The effect of warp factor appears in the value of the redshift parameter at which phantom divide line crossing occurs.Comment: 28 pages, 8 figures, 2 tables, revised version to appear in Prog. Theor. Phy

Foundations of Quantum Approaches to Consciousness

As generally accepted, consciousness or mind and material brain are closely related to each other; but how? Quantum mechanics is a new pathway to understand the hard problem of consciousness and its relation to the brain. Consciousness has specific properties such as unity, irreducibility, non-locality, etc. The completely different features of classical physics (locality, reducibility, determinacy, etc.) hindered the success of scientists to study consciousness. But quantum mechanics with its features (non-locality, irreducibility, indeterminacy, etc.) gave scientists hope to study consciousness. Several quantum approaches to consciousness have been proposed in recent decades; the most important point about these approaches is that each one has used its own philosophy to determine its viewpoint about the mind’s nature and even its quantum approach. In general, all scientific theories are based on some metaphysical principles which come from the worldview of scientists. In this article four contemporary approaches are discussed: The Eccles-Beck, Stapp, Penrose-Hameroff, and Avicenna-Bohm theories; philosophical and scientific points are highlighted for each of them. Finally, the theory of Top-Down Causation is discussed because we think it can provide a fertile philosophical ground for theories of “mind-brain relation” and “quantum consciousness”

Antiulcer Activity after Oral Administration of the Wormwood Ethanol Extract on Lesions due to Leishmania major Parasites in BALB/C Mice

Herbal extracts were used to investigate the in vivo efficacy of Artemisia absinthium on the treatment of cutaneous leishmaniasis in susceptible mice. A total of 40 BALB/c mice were subjected to assays. In each, 3-5×103 amastigotes of standard Leishmania major strain were inoculated subcutaneously into the tail base of mice. Groups of mice were assigned as: I-negative control, II-positive control, III-Glucantime®, IV-ointment twice a day, V-ointment with oral medicine, VI-oral medicine on parasite injection, VII-oral medicine once ulcer develops, and VIII-ointment-based crème on ulcer. The gold standard of clinical infection control was based on ulcer size measurement using a Vernier scale weekly during 4 weeks Post-Ulcer Development (PUD). The mean ulcer sizes in different groups were compared using the post hoc Dunnett's 3 statistical analyses. There was a significant difference between the two groups of ointment with medicine (V) and medicine on parasite inoculation (VI) (P ≤ 0.027). Antiulcer activity and healing was noted after oral treatment with aqueous extract on parasite injection. There was a significant difference between data from positive control group and local ointment with oral medicine (P ≤ 0.045) indicating that ointment use facilitated ulcer growth. There was also a significant difference between data from Glucantime® use and ointment with medicine group (P ≤ 0.039) which showed the deteriorating effect of oil-based ointment use. The oral administration of extract had an effect similar to Glucantime® use and led to the repair of ulcer. A. absinthium extract as oral feeder appeared to cause modulation of host responses, ulcer size reduction and tissue repair

Cutaneous leishmaniasis in Iran: A review of epidemiological aspects, with emphasis on molecular findings

Leishmania parasites can cause zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) by circulating between humans, rodents, and sandflies in Iran. In this study, published data were collected from scientific sources such as Web of Science, Scopus, PubMed, Springer, ResearchGate, Wiley Online, Ovid, Ebsco, Cochrane Library, Google scholar, and SID. Keywords searched in the articles, theses, and abstracts from 1983 to 2021 were cutaneous leishmaniasis, epidemiology, reservoir, vector, climatic factors, identification, and Iran. This review revealed that CL was prevalent in the west of Iran, while the center and south of Iran were also involved in recent years. The lack of facilities in suburban regions was an aggravating factor in the human community. Some parts of southern Iran were prominent foci of CL due the presence of potential rodent hosts in these regions. Rhombomys opimus, Meriones lybicus, and Tatera indica were well-documented species for hosting the Leishmania species in Iran. Moreover, R. opimus has been found with a coinfection of Leishmania major and L. turanica from the northeast and center of Iran. Mashhad, Kerman, Yazd, and sometimes Shiraz and Tehran foci were distinct areas for L. tropica. Molecular identifications using genomic diagnosis of kDNA and ITS1 fragments of the parasite indicated that there is heterogeneity in leishmaniasis in different parts of the country. Although cutaneous leishmaniasis has been a predicament for the health system, it is relatively under control in Iran

Survey of spiders (Arachnida: Araneae) in southwestern Iran, with new records

Twenty-nine locations in Kohgiluyeh & Boyer-Ahmad Province in southwestern Iran were sampled for spiders (Araneae) in 2016–17 using different sampling methods (hand collection, pitfall traps, and aspirators). A total of 196 identifiable specimens were collected which represented 49 species belonging to 38 genera and 15 families. Six species, namely Cheiracanthium elegans Thorell, 1875 (Cheiracanthiidae), Cryptodrassus helvolus (O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1872) (Gnaphosidae), Enoplognatha macrochelis Levy & Amitai, 1981 (Theridiidae), Xysticus xerodermus Strand, 1913 (Thomisidae), Zelotes babunaensis (Drensky, 1929) and Z. potanini Schenkel, 1963 (both Gnaphosidae) had not been previously reported from Iran. Also, an additional number of 35 species represent new records for the province.</p

Observational constraints on Chaplygin cosmology in a braneworld scenario with induced gravity and curvature effect

We study cosmological dynamics and late-time evolution of an extended induced gravity braneworld scenario. In this scenario, curvature effects are taken into account via the Gauss-Bonnet term in the bulk action and there is also a Chaplygin gas component on the brane. We show that this model mimics an effective phantom behavior in a relatively wider range of redshifts than previously formulated models. It also provides a natural framework for smooth crossing of the phantom-divide line due to presence of the Chaplygin gas component on the brane. We confront the model with observational data from type Ia Supernovae, Cosmic Microwave Background and Baryon Acoustic Oscillations to constraint the model parameters space.Comment: 19 pages, 11 figures, Accepted for publication in MNRA