441 research outputs found
Continuous optical loading of a Bose-Einstein Condensate in the Thomas-Fermi regime
We discuss the optical loading of a Bose-Einstein condensate in the
Thomas-Fermi regime. The condensate is loaded via spontaneous emission from a
reservoir of excited-state atoms. By means of a master equation formalism, we
discuss the modification of the condensate temperature during the loading. We
identify the threshold temperature, , above (below) which the loading
process leads to cooling (heating), respectively. The consequences of our
analysis for the continuous loading of an atom laser are discussed.Comment: 7 pages, 3 figure
Loading of a Bose-Einstein condensate in the boson-accumulation regime
We study the optical loading of a trapped Bose-Einstein condensate by
spontaneous emission of atoms in excited electronic state in the
Boson-Accumulation Regime. We generalize the previous simplified analysis of
ref. [Phys. Rev. A 53, 2466 (1996)], to a 3D case in which more than one trap
level of the excited state trap is considered. By solving the corresponding
quantum many-body master equation, we demonstrate that also for this general
situation the photon reabsorption can help to increase the condensate fraction.
Such effect could be employed to realize a continuous atom laser, and to
overcome condensate losses.Comment: 7 pages, 5 eps figures, uses epl.st
Debonding analysis via digital volume correlation during in-situ pull-out tests on fractal fibers
The quantification of debonding was performed for additively manufactured “fractal” fibers embedded within two brittle matrices. Three pull-out tests were carried out inside of an X-ray tomograph allowing for Digital Volume Correlation analyses. Relative motions at the interfaces were measured thanks to adapted meshes with split nodes. Profiles of normal, tangential and vertical displacement jumps as well as vertical strains in the fibers were used to study interfacial debonding. An articulated load transfer mechanism between the fiber and the matrix was observed in the examined tests, as demonstrated by zigzagged distributions of vertical displacement jumps and vertical strain profiles in the fibers at the initial stages of pull-out. Vertical strain concentrations were observed in correspondence to lateral protrusions (or ribs) of the reinforcing fibers. These results suggest that fiber–matrix interlocking may be affected by geometry-driven tensile stiffening effects between the ribs. For larger values of pull-out displacements, more diffuse damage of the fiber–matrix interface was observed between the ribs, especially in plaster matrices
Sick and grumpy: changes in social behaviour after a controlled immune stimulation in group-housed gilts
Poor health is associated with an increased risk of tail biting outbreaks in pigs. We propose that this is because illness changes social dynamics either by changing the behaviour of the sick pig towards its penmates, the behaviour of the healthy penmates towards the sick pig, or both. We tested the effect of immune stimulation (lipopolysaccharide (LPS) injection: O111:B4; 1.5 mu g kg(-1) IV) on social behaviour in gilts housed in triplets in a cross-over experiment. Each pen was subjected to the control treatment (all three pigs injected with saline) and then LPS treatment (one pig injected with LPS, two injected with saline), or vice versa. LPS injected pigs had a shift in social motivation and performed more tail- and ear- directed behaviour than saline pigs two days after injection. They seemed to fit the description of 'sick and grumpy'. This change was seen about 40 h after the signs of acute illness dissipated and was not accompanied by a similar increase in activity. We discuss possible mechanisms for this behavioural change in light of changes in neurotransmitter levels at three days after LPS injection described in a previous experiment.Peer reviewe
Prognostic significance of urokinase plasminogen activator and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 mRNA expression in lymph node- and hormone receptor-positive breast cancer
BACKGROUND: One of the most thoroughly studied systems in relation to its prognostic relevance in patients with breast cancer, is the plasminogen activation system that comprises of, among others, the urokinase Plasminogen Activator (uPA) and its main inhibitor, the Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor-1 (PAI-1). In this study, we investigated the prognostic value of uPA and PAI-1 at the mRNA level in lymph node- and hormone receptor-positive breast cancer. METHODS: The study included a retrospective series of 87 patients with hormone-receptor positive and axillary lymph node-positive breast cancer. All patients received radiotherapy, adjuvant anthracycline-based chemotherapy and five years of tamoxifen treatment. The median patient age was 54 and the median follow-up time was 79 months. Distant relapse occurred in 30 patients and 22 patients died from breast cancer during follow-up. We investigated the prognostic value of uPA and PAI-1 at the mRNA level as measured by real-time quantitative RT-PCR. RESULTS: uPA and PAI-1 gene expression was not found to be correlated with any of the established clinical and pathological factors. Metastasis-free Survival (MFS) and Breast Cancer specific Survival (BCS) were significantly shorter in patients expressing high levels of PAI-1 mRNA (p < 0.0001; p < 0.0001; respectively). In Cox multivariate analysis, the level of PAI-1 mRNA appeared to be the strongest prognostic factor for MFS (Hazard Ratio (HR) = 10.12; p = 0.0002) and for BCS (HR = 13.17; p = 0.0003). Furthermore, uPA gene expression was not significantly associated neither with MFS (p = 0.41) nor with BCS (p = 0.19). In a Cox-multivariate regression analysis, uPA expression did not demonstrate significant independent prognostic value. CONCLUSION: These findings indicate that high PAI-1 mRNA expression represents a strong and independent unfavorable prognostic factor for the development of metastases and for breast cancer specific survival in a population of hormone receptor- and lymph node-positive breast cancer patients
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Developing a state of the art methodology and toolkit for ICS SCADA forensics
Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) systems are used in different Critical National Infrastructure (CNI), including Electric Power, Oil & Gas, Manufacturing, Utility, Transportation services and others. The underpinning control systems have unique characteristics such as being real-time and safety critical. Therefore interference and disruption of the services from cyber attack poses a significant risk to; the environment, properties, economies and human lives. Responding to such events in not trivial, and recovering the required forensic evidence to understand the cause and consequence of such an event is key. Further, developing a suitable incident response methodology to identify evidential artefacts of the causes of disruption is crucial, should security mechanisms fail. In this paper we present the state of the art methodology forensic toolkit for cyber incident response on Industrial Control System (ICS) environment of SCADA plus evaluate the applicability of current IT forensic tools and the requirements of an 'ICS forensic toolbag'. The research work presents an experimental case study of a malware USB device based attack, a man in the middle attack and a remote access attack
Universal homodyne tomography with a single local oscillator
We propose a general method for measuring an arbitrary observable of a
multimode electromagnetic field using homodyne detection with a single local
oscillator. In this method the local oscillator scans over all possible linear
combinations of the modes. The case of two modes is analyzed in detail and the
feasibility of the measurement is studied on the basis of Monte-Carlo
simulations. We also provide an application of this method in tomographic
testing of the GHZ state.Comment: 12 pages, 5 figures (8 eps files
Bichromatic atomic lens
We investigate the focusing of three-level atoms with a bichromatic standing wave laser field, using both classical and quantum treatments of the problem. We find that, for the appropriate ratio of detunings to Rabi frequencies, the atoms will experience a periodic potential which is close to harmonic across half an optical wavelength. The field thus becomes equivalent to a periodic array of microlenses, which could be utilized to deposit lines of atoms upon a substrate. We consider and compare two regimes, differentiated by the interaction time of the atoms in the optical field. The first case considered, the Raman-Nath regime, is analogous to the thin lens regime in classical optics. The second case treats the transverse atomic motion within the light field, and investigates the distribution of atoms upon a substrate placed within the field. We investigate the extent to which this case can be modeled classically
Evaluation of nutrition care to adult patients on HAART attending primary healthcare facilities in Mpumalanga
CITATION: Schiever, J. F. et al. 2019. Evaluation of nutrition care to adult patients on HAART attending primary healthcare facilities in Mpumalanga, South African Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 32(1):13-20. doi:10.1080/16070658.2017.1412183The original publication is available at https://www.tandfonline.com/toc/ojcn20/currentObjectives: This study aimed to evaluate nutrition care and nursing professional knowledge received by adults on highly active antiretroviral therapy attending primary health care (PHC) facilities
Design: Cross-sectional, descriptive study.
Subjects and setting: The study was conducted on 263 adults and 75 nursing professionals, recruited from 19 facilities in the Mbombela sub-district, Mpumalanga.
Outcome measures: Interviewer-administered questionnaires were completed for each patient. Nursing professionals completed a self-administered questionnaire. Assessment tools were completed for each facility.
Results: Some 41% of patients were either overweight or obese, and most females (n = 87; 51.8%) had a BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2. Based on waist circumference, 52.7% (n = 88) of females and 8.4% (n = 8) of males showed increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Although nurses were aware of a nutrition supplementation programme, knowledge of national nutrition guidelines was inadequate. Clinical judgement, rather than eligibility criteria, was used to identify suitable patients, with 13.3% (n = 35) receiving supplementation whereas only 4.9% (n = 13) qualified. Facilities generally had sufficient equipment and fair storage conditions, but stock shortages of nutrition supplements were problematic.
Conclusions: Whilst certain positive findings emerged, nutrition care could be improved, largely through adequate training and support to professional nurses. Training should focus on correct execution of assessment measurements and appropriate nutritional counselling, emphasising balanced eating, food security and prevention of over-nutrition. Nurses should be familiarised with national nutrition guidelines and have access to a constant nutrition supplementation supply. Improved monitoring and evaluation of nutrition care to adults on treatment at PHC facilities is needed.https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/16070658.2017.1412183Publisher’s versio
Continuous optical loading of a Bose-Einstein Condensate
The continuous pumping of atoms into a Bose-Einstein condensate via
spontaneous emission from a thermal reservoir is analyzed. We consider the case
of atoms with a three-level scheme, in which one of the atomic
transitions has a very much shorter life-time than the other one. We found that
in such scenario the photon reabsorption in dense clouds can be considered
negligible. If in addition inelastic processes can be neglected, we find that
optical pumping can be used to continuously load and refill Bose-Einstein
condensates, i.e. provides a possible way to achieve a continuous atom laser.Comment: 12 pages, 8 figure
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