Input-output relations for multiport ring cavities

Quantum input-output relations for a generic $n$-port ring cavity are obtained by modeling the ring as a cascade of $n$ interlinked beam splitters. Cavity response to a beam impinging on one port is studied as a function of the beam-splitter reflectivities and the internal phase-shifts. Interferometric sensitivity and stability are analyzed as a function of the number of ports.Comment: 6 pages, 5 figures (low-res

Localizing merging black holes with sub-arcsecond precision using gravitational-wave lensing

The current gravitational-wave localization methods rely mainly on sources with electromagnetic counterparts. Unfortunately, a binary black hole does not emit light. Due to this, it is generally not possible to localize these objects precisely. However, strongly lensed gravitational waves, which are forecasted in this decade, could allow us to localize the binary by locating its lensed host galaxy. Identifying the correct host galaxy is challenging because there are hundreds to thousands of other lensed galaxies within the sky area spanned by the gravitational-wave observation. However, we can constrain the lensing galaxy's physical properties through both gravitational-wave and electromagnetic observations. We show that these simultaneous constraints allow one to localize quadruply lensed waves to one or at most a few galaxies with the LIGO/Virgo/Kagra network in typical scenarios. Once we identify the host, we can localize the binary to two sub-arcsec regions within the host galaxy. Moreover, we demonstrate how to use the system to measure the Hubble constant as a proof-of-principle application.Comment: 5 pages (main text) + 5 pages (methods+references), 5 figures. Accepted to MNRA

Potential strategies for supporting mental health and mitigating the risk of burnout among healthcare professionals: insights from the COVID-19 pandemic

Summary: Healthcare professionals (HCPs) experienced prolonged stressful conditions during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, and the global situation (particularly in the United Kingdom) meant that they continue to sustain mental stress related to the subsequent cost-of-living and healthcare budgeting crises. The psychological toll on HCPs may lead to increased staff attrition, adversely impacting the quality of patient care and work security. To help mitigate this psychological impact, the current evidence is strongly supportive of healthcare providers consistently adopting programmes fostering improvement in coping and resilience, facilitating healthy lifestyle, and allocating some resources for therapeutic strategies (e.g. cognitive behavioural therapy-based strategies and other strategies specified to trauma-related issues) which can be delivered by trained professionals. We stress that some approaches are not a one-size-fits-all strategy, and we also highlight the need to encourage treatment-seeking among those who need it. These strategies are highly relevant to healthcare employers and policymakers to support all HCPs in settings marked by prolonged periods of stress. The investment in these strategies are expected not only to reduce staff attrition in the long-term, but are likely to add to the cost-effectiveness of overall healthcare budgetary allocation

A model of ant route navigation driven by scene familiarity

In this paper we propose a model of visually guided route navigation in ants that captures the known properties of real behaviour whilst retaining mechanistic simplicity and thus biological plausibility. For an ant, the coupling of movement and viewing direction means that a familiar view specifies a familiar direction of movement. Since the views experienced along a habitual route will be more familiar, route navigation can be re-cast as a search for familiar views. This search can be performed with a simple scanning routine, a behaviour that ants have been observed to perform. We test this proposed route navigation strategy in simulation, by learning a series of routes through visually cluttered environments consisting of objects that are only distinguishable as silhouettes against the sky. In the first instance we determine view familiarity by exhaustive comparison with the set of views experienced during training. In further experiments we train an artificial neural network to perform familiarity discrimination using the training views. Our results indicate that, not only is the approach successful, but also that the routes that are learnt show many of the characteristics of the routes of desert ants. As such, we believe the model represents the only detailed and complete model of insect route guidance to date. What is more, the model provides a general demonstration that visually guided routes can be produced with parsimonious mechanisms that do not specify when or what to learn, nor separate routes into sequences of waypoints

Quantum-state input-output relations for absorbing cavities

The quantized electromagnetic field inside and outside an absorbing high-$Q$ cavity is studied, with special emphasis on the absorption losses in the coupling mirror and their influence on the outgoing field. Generalized operator input-output relations are derived, which are used to calculate the Wigner function of the outgoing field. To illustrate the theory, the preparation of the outgoing field in a Schr\"{o}dinger cat-like state is discussed.Comment: 12 pages, 5 eps figure

Engineering model 8-cm thruster subsystem

An Engineering Model (EM) 8 cm Ion Thruster Propulsion Subsystem was developed for operation at a thrust level 5 mN (1.1 mlb) at a specific impulse 1 sub sp = 2667 sec with a total system input power P sub in = 165 W. The system dry mass is 15 kg with a mercury-propellant-reservoir capacity of 8.75 kg permitting uninterrupted operation for about 12,500 hr. The subsystem can be started from a dormant condition in a time less than or equal to 15 min. The thruster has a design lifetime of 20,000 hr with 10,000 startup cycles. A gimbal unit is included to provide a thrust vector deflection capability of + or - 10 degrees in any direction from the zero position. The EM subsystem development program included thruster optimization, power-supply circuit optimization and flight packaging, subsystem integration, and subsystem acceptance testing including a cyclic test of the total propulsion package

In-vitro Stimulation of CD4+ Lymphocytes Following Renal Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury

To explore the Th-17 activation mechanism, renal CD4+ cells were isolated from post ischemic rats and stimulated in-vitro with varying conditions. These conditions focused on the effect of adenosine on IL-17 response using RT-PCR. Additionally, inhibitors of adenosine were added to test their IL-17 response in conjunction with adenosine. Specifically, an inhibitor for the Orai1 calcium channel. Furthermore, adenosine agonists were tested with to determine their effect on IL-17 response in the in-vitro stimulation plate

Characterization of carbonaceous aerosol during the Big Bend Regional Aerosol and Visibility Observational study

December 2001.Includes bibliographical references.The Big Bend Regional Aerosol and Visibility Observational (BRAVO) study was a four month field campaign (July-October 1999) to investigate aerosol particle properties, sources, and impacts on regional visibility in Big Bend National Park, Texas. Daily PM2.5 aerosol samples were collected on pre-fired quartz fiber filters for detailed molecular analysis of the aerosol organic carbon fraction. Aerosol black carbon concentrations during BRAVO were measured with an aethalometer. The molecular characterization of the organic carbon fraction of aerosol present during the BRAVO study was performed using gas chromatography - mass spectroscopy (GC-MS). Organic carbon concentrations on individual days were too low for a detailed analysis by GC-MS. Therefore, multi-day composite samples, selected based on common air mass trajectories and temporal proximity, were extracted and analyzed for numerous compounds, including n-alkanes, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), and alkanoic acids. Low alkane Carbon Preference Indices (CPIs) during July through September reflect similar concentrations of n-alkanes containing odd and even numbers of carbon atoms and indicate that anthropogenic emissions were important contributors to carbonaceous aerosol during this period, when air masses generally were advected from the east over Texas and Mexico. In October, CPIs increased, reflecting increased influence of odd carbon numbered alkanes and suggesting a predominant biogenic aerosol influence with air masses arriving from the north and the south. Plant wax contributions to odd carbon number alkanes (C25-C33) were estimated to range between 26% and 78%, with the highest contributions occurring in October with air masses arriving from the north and south. Periods with transport from eastern Texas and northeastern Mexico had much smaller plant wax contributions. Alkanoic acids were the most abundant compound class, with CPIs that were high throughout the study. The high acid CPI suggests that the alkanoic acids may be largely biogenic in origin, a finding consistent with other studies. Caution is required in interpreting the acid CPI, however, as alkanoic acids can also be formed as secondary products of atmospheric reactions. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (P AH) were usually not found in abundance, suggesting that upwind combustion emissions were not important contributors to carbonaceous aerosol or that P AH were removed by reaction or deposition in transit. Higher P AH concentrations during one period indicated a more significant contribution from fresh combustion emissions. Molecular source tracer (hopanes for vehicle emissions, levoglucosan for wood combustion, cholesterol for meat cooking) concentrations were generally not detected. Based on analytical detection limits for these species, it was estimated that wood smoke contributed no more than 1% of the total Organic Carbon (OC) present, vehicle exhaust contributed no more than 4%, and smoke from meat cooking contributed less than 13%. The presence of other wood smoke tracer molecules, however, suggests a possibly greater influence from wood combustion and possible chemical instability of levoglucosan during multi-day transport in an acidic atmosphere. Several observations suggest that secondary production contributed significantly to BRAVO carbonaceous aerosol. Examination of ratios of aerosol organic carbon to elemental carbon indicates that secondary organic aerosol may have contributed between 45% and 90% of the total BRAVO aerosol organic carbon. High ratios of saturated/unsaturated C18 acids, an abundance of nonanoic acid, and high concentrations of 6,10,14 trimethylpentadecan-2-one (an indicator of secondary aerosol production from vegetation emissions) all support the conclusion that secondary aerosol formation was important in the region. Total black carbon (BC) concentrations ranged from below detection limit (71 ng/m3) to 267 ng/m3, averaging 129 ng/m3. Fine (< 1 μm) aerosol BC concentrations averaged 114 ng/m3, and comprised 89% of the total BC. BC concentrations correlated reasonably well with aerosol sulfate concentrations, suggesting similar source regions for these species.Funding agency: National Park Service #CA2350-97-001 T098-07, #CA2380-99-001 T001-52

Factors influencing attitudes toward vaccine safety and vaccine effectiveness amongst UK healthcare professionals prior to and at the time of COVID-19 vaccine rollout: Insights from the CoPE-HCP cohort study.

Given the potential for nosocomial outbreaks, we must understand factors associated with negative vaccine attitudes amongst healthcare professionals (HCPs) before the rollout of a newly developed vaccine in a pandemic setting. The aim of this prospective cohort study was to study the impact of preexisting and prevailing mental health on United Kingdom HCPs' attitudes towards a newly developed COVID-19 vaccine. Two online surveys were distributed: first during vaccine development (July-September, 2020) and second during nationwide vaccine rollout (December 2020-March 2021). Mental health (PHQ-9 for depression; GAD-7 for anxiety) was assessed in both surveys. Negative attitude regarding vaccine safety and vaccine effectiveness was assessed at vaccine rollout. A series of logistic regression models were developed relating mental health (preexisting during vaccine development, ongoing and new-onset during rollout, and changes in symptom severity) to negative vaccine attitudes. In 634 HCPs, the presence of depression and/or anxiety during vaccine development was associated with elevated negative attitude towards vaccine safety (adj. OR 1.74 [95% CI 1.10-2.75], p = .02), but not vaccine effectiveness (1.13 [0.77-1.66], p = .53) at rollout. This was independent of other characteristics: age, ethnicity, professional role, and history of contracting COVID-19. Ongoing depression and/or anxiety (1.72 [1.10-2.69], p = .02) was associated with elevated negative attitude regarding vaccine effectiveness, but not vaccine safety. Worsened combined symptom scores over time were associated with elevated negative vaccine effectiveness attitudes (1.03 [1.00-1.05], p < .05), but not vaccine safety. Overall, adverse mental health can impact on HCPs' attitudes towards a newly developed vaccine. Further work is required to understand how this translates to vaccine uptake