Technical note: successful DNA amplification of DNA from non-destructive buccal swabbing in Vespertilionid and Rhinolophid bats

\ua9 The Author(s) 2024.Acquiring DNA from wild bats (Mammalia: Chiroptera) is typically undertaken utilizing highly invasive (but non-lethal) sampling techniques comprising wing biopsies and occasional blood samples. While non-invasive sampling is possible through the extraction of DNA from faecal samples, it is not always possible to acquire samples from individual bats whilst conducting fieldwork, and as such, this method is primarily applicable to roost occupancy identification. Similarly, wing swabbing is liable to cross-contamination from roost mates. Here we present the first use of oral (buccal) swabbing for successful, species-resolution DNA sequencing of Vespertilionidae and Rhinolophidae in 10 bat species (nine Vespertilionidae and one Rhinolophidae) from the UK

Incommensurate Charge and Spin Fluctuations in d-wave Superconductors

We show analytic results for the irreducible charge and spin susceptibilities, $\chi_0 (\omega, {\bf Q})$, where ${\bf Q}$ is the momentum transfer between the nodes in d-wave superconductors. Using the BCS theory and a circular Fermi surface, we find that the singular behavior of the irreducible charge susceptibility leads to the dynamic incommensurate charge collective modes. The peaks in the charge structure factor occur at a set of wave vectors which form an ellipse around ${\bf Q}_{\pi}=(\pi,\pi)$ and ${\bf Q}_0=(0,0)$ in momentum space with momentum dependent spectral weight. It is also found that, due to the non-singular irreducible spin susceptibility, an extremely strong interaction via random phase approximation is required to support the magnetic peaks near ${\bf Q}_{\pi}$. Under certain conditions, the peaks in the magnetic structure factor occur near ${\bf Q}=(\pi,\pi (1 \pm \delta))$ and $(\pi (1 \pm \delta),\pi)$.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figure

UCN Upscattering rates in a molecular deuterium crystal

A calculation of ultra-cold neutron (UCN) upscattering rates in molecular deuterium solids has been carried out, taking into account intra-molecular exictations and phonons. The different moelcular species ortho-D2 (with even rotational quantum number J) and para-D2 (with odd J) exhibit significantly different UCN-phonon annihilation cross-sections. Para- to ortho-D2 conversion, furthermore, couples UCN to an energy bath of excited rotational states without mediating phonons. This anomalous upscattering mechanism restricts the UCN lifetime to 4.6 msec in a normal-D2 solid with 33% para content.Comment: 3 pages, one figur

Atom interferometer as a selective sensor of rotation or gravity

In the presence of Earth gravity and gravity-gradient forces, centrifugal and Coriolis forces caused by the Earth rotation, the phase of the time-domain atom interferometers is calculated with accuracy up to the terms proportional to the fourth degree of the time separation between pulses. We considered double-loop atom interferometers and found appropriate condition to eliminate their sensitivity to acceleration to get atomic gyroscope, or to eliminate the sensitivity to rotation to increase accuracy of the atomic gravimeter. Consequent use of these interferometers allows one to measure all components of the acceleration and rotation frequency projection on the plane perpendicular to gravity acceleration. Atom interference on the Raman transition driving by noncounterpropagating optical fields is proposed to exclude stimulated echo processes which can affect the accuracy of the atomic gyroscopes. Using noncounterpropagating optical fields allows one to get a new type of the Ramsey fringes arising in the unidirectional Raman pulses and therefore centered at the two-quantum line center. Density matrix in the Wigner representation is used to perform calculations. It is shown that in the time between pulses, in the noninertial frame, for atoms with fully quantized spatial degrees of freedom, this density matrix obeys classical Liouville equations.Comment: 21 pages, 4 figures, extended references, discussion, and motivatio

Development of a generic activities model of command and control

This paper reports on five different models of command and control. Four different models are reviewed: a process model, a contextual control model, a decision ladder model and a functional model. Further to this, command and control activities are analysed in three distinct domains: armed forces, emergency services and civilian services. From this analysis, taxonomies of command and control activities are developed that give rise to an activities model of command and control. This model will be used to guide further research into technological support of command and control activities

Gravitational Redshift, Equivalence Principle, and Matter Waves

We review matter wave and clock comparison tests of the gravitational redshift. To elucidate their relationship to tests of the universality of free fall (UFF), we define scenarios wherein redshift violations are coupled to violations of UFF ("type II"), or independent of UFF violations ("type III"), respectively. Clock comparisons and atom interferometers are sensitive to similar effects in type II and precisely the same effects in type III scenarios, although type III violations remain poorly constrained. Finally, we describe the "Geodesic Explorer," a conceptual spaceborne atom interferometer that will test the gravitational redshift with an accuracy 5 orders of magnitude better than current terrestrial redshift experiments for type II scenarios and 12 orders of magnitude better for type III.Comment: Work in progress. 11 page

Sub-dekahertz ultraviolet spectroscopy of 199Hg+

Using a laser that is frequency-locked to a Fabry-Perot etalon of high finesse and stability, we probe the 5d10 6s 2S_1/2 (F=0) - 5d9 6s 2D_5/2 (F=2) Delta-m_F = 0 electric-quadrupole transition of a single laser-cooled 199Hg+ ion stored in a cryogenic radio-frequency ion trap. We observe Fourier-transform limited linewidths as narrow as 6.7 Hz at 282 nm (1.06 X 10^15 Hz), yielding a line Q = 1.6 X 10^14. We perform a preliminary measurement of the 5d9 6s2 2D_5/2 electric-quadrupole shift due to interaction with the static fields of the trap, and discuss the implications for future trapped-ion optical frequency standards.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures, submitted for publicatio

Symmetry, complexity and multicritical point of the two-dimensional spin glass

We analyze models of spin glasses on the two-dimensional square lattice by exploiting symmetry arguments. The replicated partition functions of the Ising and related spin glasses are shown to have many remarkable symmetry properties as functions of the edge Boltzmann factors. It is shown that the applications of homogeneous and Hadamard inverses to the edge Boltzmann matrix indicate reduced complexities when the elements of the matrix satisfy certain conditions, suggesting that the system has special simplicities under such conditions. Using these duality and symmetry arguments we present a conjecture on the exact location of the multicritical point in the phase diagram.Comment: 32 pages, 6 figures; a few typos corrected. To be published in J. Phys.

Attention deficit hyperactivity symptoms predict problematic mobile phone use

Attention-deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is the most commonly diagnosed childhood disorder characterised by inattention, hyperactivity/impulsivity, or both. Some of the key traits of ADHD have previously been linked to addictive and problematic behaviours. The aim of the present study was to examine the relationship between problematic mobile phone use, smartphone addiction risk and ADHD symptoms in an adult population. A sample of 273 healthy adult volunteers completed the Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale (ASRS), the Mobile Phone Problem Usage Scale (MPPUS), and the Smartphone Addiction Scale (SAS). A significant positive correlation was found between the ASRS and both scales. More specifically, inattention symptoms and age predicted smartphone addiction risk and problematic mobile phone use. Our results suggest that there is a positive relationship between ADHD traits and problematic mobile phone use. In particular, younger adults with higher level of inattention symptoms could be at higher risk of developing smartphone addiction. The implication of our findings for theoretical frameworks of problematic mobile phone use and clinical practice are discussed