816 research outputs found
Non locality and causal evolution in QFT
Non locality appearing in QFT during the free evolution of localized field
states and in the Feynman propagator function is analyzed. It is shown to be
connected to the initial non local properties present at the level of quantum
states and then it does not imply a violation of Einstein's causality. Then it
is investigated a simple QFT system with interaction, consisting of a classical
source coupled linearly to a quantum scalar field, that is exactly solved. The
expression for the time evolution of the state describing the system is given.
The expectation value of any arbitrary ``good'' local observable, expressed as
a function of the field operator and its space and time derivatives, is
obtained explicitly at all order in the field-matter coupling constant. These
expectation values have a source dependent part that is shown to be always
causally retarded, while the non local contributions are source independent and
related to the non local properties of zero point vacuum fluctuations.Comment: Submitted to Journal of Physics B: 16 pages: 1 figur
Casimir-Polder potentials as entanglement probe
We have considered the interaction of a pair of spatially separated two-level
atoms with the electromagnetic field in its vacuum state and we have analyzed
the amount of entanglement induced between the two atoms by the non local field
fluctuations. This has allowed us to characterize the quantum nature of the non
local correlations of the electromagnetic field vacuum state as well as to link
the induced quantum entanglement with Casimir-Polder potentials.Comment: Published on Europhysics Letters 78 (2007) 3000
Non-local quantum correlations and detection processes in QFT
Quantum detection processes in QFT must play a key role in the description of
quantum field correlations, such as the appearance of entanglement, and of
causal effects. We consider the detection in the case of a simple QFT model
with a suitable interaction to exact treatment, consisting of a quantum scalar
field coupled linearly to a classical scalar source. We then evaluate the
response function to the field quanta of two-level point-like quantum model
detectors, and analyze the effects of the approximation adopted in standard
detection theory. We show that the use of the RWA, that characterizes the
Glauber detection model, leads in the detector response to non-local terms
corresponding to an instantaneously spreading of source effects over the whole
space. Other detector models, obtained with non-standard or the no-application
of RWA, give instead local responses to field quanta, apart from source
independent vacuum contribution linked to preexisting correlations of
zero-point field.Comment: 23 page
Moving Atom-Field Interaction: Correction to Casimir-Polder Effect from Coherent Back-action
The Casimir-Polder force is an attractive force between a polarizable atom
and a conducting or dielectric boundary. Its original computation was in terms
of the Lamb shift of the atomic ground state in an electromagnetic field (EMF)
modified by boundary conditions along the wall and assuming a stationary atom.
We calculate the corrections to this force due to a moving atom, demanding
maximal preservation of entanglement generated by the moving atom-conducting
wall system. We do this by using non-perturbative path integral techniques
which allow for coherent back-action and thus can treat non-Markovian
processes. We recompute the atom-wall force for a conducting boundary by
allowing the bare atom-EMF ground state to evolve (or self-dress) into the
interacting ground state. We find a clear distinction between the cases of
stationary and adiabatic motions. Our result for the retardation correction for
adiabatic motion is up to twice as much as that computed for stationary atoms.
We give physical interpretations of both the stationary and adiabatic atom-wall
forces in terms of alteration of the virtual photon cloud surrounding the atom
by the wall and the Doppler effect.Comment: 16 pages, 2 figures, clarified discussions; to appear in Phys. Rev.
Utilization of nitrate abolishes the "Custers effect" in Dekkera bruxellensis and determines a different pattern of fermentation products
Nitrate is one of the most abundant nitrogen sources in nature. Several yeast species have been shown to be able to assimilate nitrate and nitrite, but the metabolic pathway has been studied in very few of them. Dekkera bruxellensis can use nitrate as sole nitrogen source and this metabolic characteristic can render D. bruxellensis able to overcome S. cerevisiae populations in industrial bioethanol fermentations. In order to better characterize how nitrate utilization affects carbon metabolism and the yields of the fermentation products, we investigated this trait in defined media under well-controlled aerobic and anaerobic conditions. Our experiments showed that in D. bruxellensis, utilization of nitrate determines a different pattern of fermentation products. Acetic acid, instead of ethanol, became in fact the main product of glucose metabolism under aerobic conditions. We have also demonstrated that under anaerobic conditions, nitrate assimilation abolishes the "Custers effect", in this way improving its fermentative metabolism. This can offer a new strategy, besides aeration, to sustain growth and ethanol production for the employment of this yeast in industrial processes
"THE ROLE OF GREEN EXPERIENTIAL QUALITY, SATISFACTION, AND AUTHENTICITY ON TOURISTS PRO-ENVIRONMENTAL INTENTION"
This research investigates the impact of green experiential quality, experiential satisfaction, and perceived authenticity on tourists’ pro-environmental behavior. Based on an extension of the service quality framework, experiential quality related to green practices represents an extension that goes beyond the tourists’ evaluation of the functional attributes provided by the hospitality sector and the hotel suppliers. In fact, it reflects the tourists’ affective response to their desired socio-psychological benefits linked to the ability of the hospitality offering to consider the specific consumers’ sustainable needs. The preliminary findings are based on 300 green hotel customers and data are analyzed through a moderated-mediated analysis conducted via PROCESS macro for SPSS. Our results confirm the role of green experiential quality in driving the tourist towards pro-environmental behavior during the tourism experience. It does so via the mediation role played by the consequent experiential satisfaction deriving from the hotel green practices quality. Surprisingly, our findings found no support for the moderating role of authenticity in fostering the relationship between green quality and perceived satisfaction. Our study suggests valuable insights for both managers and scholars related to the antecedents of pro-environmental behavior deriving from hotel green practices
The Fermi Problem in Discrete Systems
The Fermi two-atom problem illustrates an apparent causality violation in
Quantum Field Theory which has to do with the nature of the built in
correlations in the vacuum. It has been a constant subject of theoretical
debate and discussions during the last few decades. Nevertheless, although the
issues at hand could in principle be tested experimentally, the smallness of
such apparent violations of causality in Quantum Electrodynamics prevented the
observation of the predicted effect. In the present paper we show that the
problem can be simulated within the framework of discrete systems that can be
manifested, for instance, by trapped atoms in optical lattices or trapped ions.
Unlike the original continuum case, the causal structure is no longer sharp.
Nevertheless, as we show, it is possible to distinguish between "trivial"
effects due to "direct" causality violations, and the effects associated with
Fermi's problem, even in such discrete settings. The ability to control
externally the strength of the atom-field interactions, enables us also to
study both the original Fermi problem with "bare atoms", as well as correction
in the scenario that involves "dressed" atoms. Finally, we show that in
principle, the Fermi effect can be detected using trapped ions.Comment: Second version - minor change
Quantum optical dipole radiation fields
We introduce quantum optical dipole radiation fields defined in terms of photon creation and annihilation operators. These fields are identified through their spatial dependence, as the components of the total fields that survive infinitely far from the dipole source. We use these radiation fields to perturbatively evaluate the electromagnetic radiated energy-flux of the excited dipole. Our results indicate that the standard interpretation of a bare atom surrounded by a localised virtual photon cloud, is difficult to sustain, because the radiated energy-flux surviving infinitely far from the source contains virtual contributions. It follows that there is a clear distinction to be made between a radiative photon defined in terms of the radiation fields and a real photon, whose identification depends on whether or not a given process conserves the free energy. This free energy is represented by the difference between the total dipole-field Hamiltonian and its interaction component
Retinitis pigmentosa and ocular motility alterations: new frontiers, review
Purpose: To carry out a review of the literature on alterations in extraocular motility in Retinitis
Pigmentosa (RP), focusing on the possible genetic basis of ocular alterations.
Design: Systematic review
Methods: The search of publications was carried out using the databases: Scopus, PubMed, Google
Scholar, Web of Science, considering clinical cases, case reports, and systematic reviews of ocular
motility alterations in the Retinitis Pigmentosa in the literature. The words: “ocular motility
alterations, Retinitis Pigmentosa, orthoptic evaluation, case reports, clinical cases, systematic
reviews” were used.
Results: A total of 2 articles from 2006–2022 were retrieved: No other ocular motility alterations
clinical cases linked to RP were found before. Particularly, a study conducted on patients affected
by typical RP showed that there was an impaired motility in 50% of them. Since RP is a genetically
determined disease, in reference to the studies analyzed, the absence of eye movement disorders in a
percentage of the sample could be related to the different penetrance of the disease that determines
the existence of healthy carriers.
Conclusion: Therefore, it would be important to search for a possible correlation between the genetic
mutations involved in this hereditary disorder and the deficits in extraocular motility, in order to
make an early diagnosis of RP in genetically predisposed subjects. The existence of alterations of
extraocular motility in subjects with RP, indicates that a careful orthoptic screening can allow a
further contribution to an early diagnosis of this disease, especially in subjects with positive family
history and healthy carriers
Spontaneous absorption of an accelerated hydrogen atom near a conducting plane in vacuum
We study, in the multipolar coupling scheme, a uniformly accelerated
multilevel hydrogen atom in interaction with the quantum electromagnetic field
near a conducting boundary and separately calculate the contributions of the
vacuum fluctuation and radiation reaction to the rate of change of the mean
atomic energy. It is found that the perfect balance between the contributions
of vacuum fluctuations and radiation reaction that ensures the stability of
ground-state atoms is disturbed, making spontaneous transition of ground-state
atoms to excited states possible in vacuum with a conducting boundary. The
boundary-induced contribution is effectively a nonthermal correction, which
enhances or weakens the nonthermal effect already present in the unbounded
case, thus possibly making the effect easier to observe. An interesting feature
worth being noted is that the nonthermal corrections may vanish for atoms on
some particular trajectories.Comment: 19 pages, no figures, Revtex
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