The origin of non-classical effects in a one-dimensional superposition of coherent states

We investigate the nature of the quantum fluctuations in a light field created by the superposition of coherent fields. We give a physical explanation (in terms of Wigner functions and phase-space interference) why the 1-D superposition of coherent states in the direction of the x-quadrature leads to the squeezing of fluctuations in the y-direction, and show that such a superposition can generate the squeezed vacuum and squeezed coherent states

Duvalius (Duvalius) lencinai Mateu & Ortuño, 2006 (Coleoptera, Carabidae, Trechini) a hypogean species from the south of the Iberian peninsula. Morphology, new taxonomic placement, systematics and biology

Se ha descubierto Duvalius (Duvalius) lencinai Mateu & Ortuño, 2006 en dos nuevas localidades del término municipal de Siles (Jaén, España): la Sima Curva del Espino y la Sima de los 30 Años, a poco más de 10 y 17 km de la localidad típo, respectivamente. El estudio de numerosos ejemplares ha posibilitado realizar numerosas disecciones, preparaciones microscópicas y un estudio de microscopía electrónica, lo que ha ampliado el conocimiento anatómico de esta especie. La aplicación de técnicas de evaginación del endofalo, ha permitido estudiar con más detalle las piezas esclerotizadas, y proponer la reubicación de esta especie dentro del género Trechus Clairville 1806: Trechus (Trechus) lencinai (Mateu & Ortuño, 2006) n. comb. Aunque esta especie presenta caracteres de los grupos T. fulvus y T. pyrenaeus, el saco interno se asemeja más al de ciertas especies de los grupos T. quadristriatus y T. tingitanus. En este sentido, la especie no ha podido ser asignada a ningún grupo de especies de los propuestos por Jeannel. Se aportan algunos datos sobre su biología (distribución temporal y espacial) y la entomofauna acompañante.Se ha descubierto Duvalius (Duvalius) lencinai Mateu & Ortuño, 2006 en dos nuevas localidades del término municipal de Siles (Jaén, España): la Sima Curva del Espino y la Sima de los 30 Años, a poco más de 10 y 17 km de la localidad típo, respectivamente. El estudio de numerosos ejemplares ha posibilitado realizar numerosas disecciones, preparaciones microscópicas y un estudio de microscopía electrónica, lo que ha ampliado el conocimiento anatómico de esta especie. La aplicación de técnicas de evaginación del endofalo, ha permitido estudiar con más detalle las piezas esclerotizadas, y proponer la reubicación de esta especie dentro del género Trechus Clairville 1806: Trechus (Trechus) lencinai (Mateu & Ortuño, 2006) n. comb. Aunque esta especie presenta caracteres de los grupos T. fulvus y T. pyrenaeus, el saco interno se asemeja más al de ciertas especies de los grupos T. quadristriatus y T. tingitanus. En este sentido, la especie no ha podido ser asignada a ningún grupo de especies de los propuestos por Jeannel. Se aportan algunos datos sobre su biología (distribución temporal y espacial) y la entomofauna acompañante.Duvalius (Duvalius) lencinai Mateu & Ortuño, 2006 was discovered in two new localities in the municipal district of Siles (Jaen, Spain): Sima Curva del Espino and Sima de los 30 Años, approximately 10 and 17 km, respectively, away from the type locality. The study of several individuals through dissection and use of optic and electronic microscopic preparations has increased the knowledge of the anatomy of this species. Evagination of the internal sac allowed further study of the sclerotized structures and led to the proposal of a new placement for this species within the genus Trechus Clairville 1806: Trechus (Trechus) lencinai (Mateu & Ortuño, 2006) n. comb. Although it comprises characters of the T. fulvus group and the T. pyrenaeus group, the endophallus is more similar to several species of the T. quadristriatus group and the T. tingitanus group. It could not therefore be placed in any of the species groups proposed by Jeannel. Some data about its biology (temporal and spatial distribution) and accompanying arthropod fauna are given

Coherent states superpositions in cavity quantum electrodynamics with trapped ions

We investigate how superpositions of motional coherent states naturally arise in the dynamics of a two-level trapped ion coupled to the quantized field inside a cavity. We extend our considerations including a more realistic set up where the cavity is not ideal and photons may leak through its mirrors. We found that a detection of a photon outside the cavity would leave the ion in a pure state. The statistics of the ionic state still keeps some interference effects that might be observed in the weak coupling regime.Comment: Figure and typos correcte

Un nuevo Trechus (Coleoptera, Carabidae, Trechini) hipogeo de la Sierra de Parapanda (Andalucía, España): taxonomía, sistemática y biología

El muestreo de la artropodofauna de la Sima de San Rafael en Íllora, Granada, mediante trampas de caída, ha permitido el descubrimiento de un nuevo coleóptero carábido, Trechus parapandussp. n., con notables caracteres troglobiomórficos: reducción ocular quedando relegada a una cicatriz, despigmentación y un ligero alargamiento de apéndices. Para la ubicación de este nuevo taxón dentro del conjunto de especies del género presentes en Andalucía, se ha confeccionado una clave dicotómica que permite identificar las 11 especies del género presentes en este ámbito territorial. Trechus parapandus sp. n. se encuadra dentro del grupo Trechus fulvus debido a la estructura de su genitalia en ambos sexos, el cual se constituye ahora por cinco especies en Andalucía. El estudio faunístico de la sima, sugiere que el grupo presa de esta nueva especie podrían ser los colémbolos, ya que además de su abundancia presentan una distribución temporal coincidente. Trechus parapandus sp. n. se distribuye por la cavidad de acuerdo a su carácter hipogeo, estando ausente en la zona más superficial de la misma.A new hypogean Trechus (Coleoptera, Carabidae, Trechini) from Sierra de Parapanda (Andalucía, España): taxonomy, systematics and biologySampling of arthropod fauna by pitfall traps in the cavern ‘Sima de San Rafael’ in Íllora (Granada, Spain) has revealed a new carabid beetle species, Trechus parapandus n. sp., with remarkable troglobiomorphic characteristics: eyes visible only as scars, depigmentation, and elongation of antennae and legs. In consonance with these characteristics, this new species, Trechus parapandus n. sp. is absent in the upper region of the cave. The species belongs to the Trechus fulvus species group (that has five species in Andalusia) according to the characteristics of both male and female genitalia. Study of the fauna in the cave suggests that Collembola might be the prey of this new species since they are the most abundant group and have a coincidental phenology. A key for the 11 Trechus species present in Andalusia is provided.El muestreo de la artropodofauna de la Sima de San Rafael en Íllora, Granada, mediante trampas de caída, ha permitido el descubrimiento de un nuevo coleóptero carábido, Trechus parapandussp. n., con notables caracteres troglobiomórficos: reducción ocular quedando relegada a una cicatriz, despigmentación y un ligero alargamiento de apéndices. Para la ubicación de este nuevo taxón dentro del conjunto de especies del género presentes en Andalucía, se ha confeccionado una clave dicotómica que permite identificar las 11 especies del género presentes en este ámbito territorial. Trechus parapandus sp. n. se encuadra dentro del grupo Trechus fulvus debido a la estructura de su genitalia en ambos sexos, el cual se constituye ahora por cinco especies en Andalucía. El estudio faunístico de la sima, sugiere que el grupo presa de esta nueva especie podrían ser los colémbolos, ya que además de su abundancia presentan una distribución temporal coincidente. Trechus parapandus sp. n. se distribuye por la cavidad de acuerdo a su carácter hipogeo, estando ausente en la zona más superficial de la misma

Asthma diagnosis is not associated with obesity in a population of adults from Madrid

Background: Several studies have suggested a relationship between asthma and obesity; however, this relationship is unclear when obesity is compared with bronchial hyperresponsiveness to methacholine. Aim: To determine whether obesity is associated with a diagnosis of asthma. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study in a population of Spanish adults in the north of Madrid, Spain between 2003 and 2007. The patients included had experienced asthma symptoms during the previous year, but had a ratio of forced expiratory volume in the fi rst second of expiration (FEV1) to forced vital capacity (FVC) of >70%. Diagnosis was confi rmed by the presence of symptoms and demonstration of bronchial hyperresponsiveness to methacholine. Obesity was measured by body mass index (BMI). Adjusted odd ratios (OR) were obtained by logistic regression. Results: Of a total of 1424 patients included, 251 (17.6%) were diagnosed with asthma. These patients were younger (P<.001) and had lower BMI (P<.001) and lung function parameters (FEV1 and FEV1/FVC ratio) than individuals without asthma (P<.001). After adjusting the model for age, gender, baseline FEV1, and FEV1/FVC ratio, patients with overweight or obesity were not more frequently diagnosed with asthma than those with normal weight (OR, 0.848 [95% confi dence interval (CI), 0.59-1.20]; and OR, 0.616 [95% CI, 0.38-0.99], respectively). In addition, obese males were more frequently diagnosed with asthma than obese females (P<.041). Conclusions: In this study, obesity and overweight were not associated with a diagnosis of asthma based on the presence of consistent symptoms and demonstration of airway responsiveness to methacholineFundamento: Varios estudios sugieren que la obesidad es un factor de riesgo para padecer asma, lo que no siempre se confi rma cuando se compara la obesidad con la hiperreactividad bronquial (HRB) en pacientes con síntomas de asma. Objetivo: Determinar si la obesidad se asocia con el diagnóstico de asma, confi rmado por presencia de síntomas e HRB a metacolina. Pacientes y Métodos: Se realizó un estudio transversal en población adulta del Área Norte de Madrid entre 2003 y 2007. Se incluyeron sujetos que habían padecido síntomas de asma en el último año, con un FEV1/FVC>70% y que precisaban una prueba de metacolina para confi rmar el diagnóstico. La obesidad se defi nió según el índice de masa corporal (IMC). Se aplicó un modelo de regresión logística para calcular odd ratios (OR) ajustadas. Resultados: Se estudiaron 1.424 sujetos y se diagnosticaron de asma 251 sujetos (17,6%) que, comparados con los 1.173 no diagnosticados de asma, eran más jóvenes y presentaban un IMC y parámetros de función pulmonar (FEV1, FEV1/FVC) más bajos (p<0,001). Tras ajustar el modelo por edad, sexo, FEV1 basal y FEV1/FVC el diagnóstico de asma no fue más prevalente en los sujetos obesos o con sobrepeso que en los sujetos con peso normal (OR 0,848, IC95% 0,59-1,20 y OR 0,616, IC95% 0,38-0,99, respectivamente). El diagnóstico de asma fue más frecuente en hombres obesos que en mujeres obesas (p=0,041). Conclusiones: La obesidad y el sobrepeso no se asociaron con el diagnóstico de asma establecido por la presencia de síntomas e HRB a metacolinaThis research project was carried out with a grant from Fundación para la Investigación Biomédica del Hospital Universitario La Paz (FIBHULP

Semiclassical Approximation to Neutron Star Superfluidity Corrected for Proximity Effects

The inner crust of a neutron star is a superfluid and inhomogeneous system, consisting of a lattice of nuclei immersed in a sea of neutrons. We perform a quantum calculation of the associated pairing gap and compare it to the results one obtains in the Local Density Approximation (LDA). It is found that the LDA overestimates the spatial dependence of the gap, and leads to a specific heat of the system which is too large at low temperatures, as compared with the quantal result. This is caused by the neglect of proximity effects and the delocalized character of the single-particle wavefunctions close to the Fermi energy. It is possible to introduce an alternative, simple semiclassical approximation of the pairing gap which leads to a specific heat that is in good agreement with the quantum calculation.Comment: RevteX, 8 Postscript Figure

Unparticle physics and neutrino phenomenology

We have constrained unparticle interactions with neutrinos and electrons using available data on neutrino-electron elastic scattering and the four CERN LEP experiments data on mono photon production. We have found that, for neutrino-electron elastic scattering, the MUNU experiment gives better constraints than previous reported limits in the region d>1.5. The results are compared with the current astrophysical limits, pointing out the cases where these limits may or may not apply. We also discuss the sensitivity of future experiments to unparticle physics. In particular, we show that the measurement of coherent reactor neutrino scattering off nuclei could provide a good sensitivity to the couplings of unparticle interaction with neutrinos and quarks. We also discuss the case of future neutrino-electron experiments as well as the International Linear Collider.Comment: 20 pages, 5 figures. Minor changes, final versio

Far-infrared edge modes in quantum dots

We have investigated edge modes of different multipolarity sustained by quantum dots submitted to external magnetic fields. We present a microscopic description based on a variational solution of the equation of motion for any axially symmetric confining potential and multipole mode. Numerical results for dots with different number of electrons whose ground-state is described within a local Current Density Functional Theory are discussed. Two sum rules, which are exact within this theory, are derived. In the limit of a large neutral dot at B=0, we have shown that the classical hydrodynamic dispersion law for edge waves \omega(q) \sim \sqrt{q \ln (q_0/q)} holds when quantum and finite size effects are taken into account.Comment: We have changed some figures as well as a part of the tex

Far-infrared edge modes in quantum dots

We have investigated edge modes of different multipolarity sustained by quantum dots submitted to external magnetic fields. We present a microscopic description based on a variational solution of the equation of motion for any axially symmetric confining potential and multipole mode. Numerical results for dots with different number of electrons whose ground-state is described within a local Current Density Functional Theory are discussed. Two sum rules, which are exact within this theory, are derived. In the limit of a large neutral dot at B=0, we have shown that the classical hydrodynamic dispersion law for edge waves \omega(q) \sim \sqrt{q \ln (q_0/q)} holds when quantum and finite size effects are taken into account.Comment: We have changed some figures as well as a part of the tex

Surface behaviour of the pairing gap in a slab of nuclear matter

The surface behaviour of the pairing gap previously studied for semi-infinite nuclear matter is analyzed in the slab geometry. The gap-shape function is calculated in two cases: (a) pairing with the Gogny force in a hard-wall potential and (b) pairing with the separable Paris interaction in a Saxon-Woods mean-field potential. It is shown that the surface features are preserved in the case of slab geometry, being almost independent of the width of the slab. It is also demonstrated that the surface enhancement is strengthened as the absolute value of chemical potential $|\mu|$ decreases which simulates the approach to the nucleon drip line.Comment: 12 pages, 2 figure