Realistic interpretation of a superposition state does not imply a mixture

Contrary to previous claims, it is shown that, for an ensemble of either single-particle systems or multi-particle systems, the realistic interpretation of a superposition state that mathematically describes the ensemble does not imply that the ensemble is a mixture. Therefore it cannot be argued that the realistic interpretation is wrong on the basis that some predictions derived from the mixture are different from the corresponding predictions derived from the superposition state

Magnetic Field Dependence of the Paramagnetic to the High Temperature Magnetically Ordered Phase Transition in CeB6

We have measured the magnetic field dependence of the paramagnetic to high temperature magnetically ordered phase transition TQ(H) in CeB6 from 2 to 30 T using cantilever magnetometry. It is found that the phase separation temperature continuously increases in field with an increasingly positive slope. In addition, we find that measurements in strong magnetic field gradients have no effect on the phase transition.Comment: 6 total page including 3 figures, submitted to Physical Review B (also available at http://publish.aps.org/eprint/gateway/eplist/aps1999dec08_006) v2: Corrected typos, added 1 reference, minor content changes (deleted 1 sentence in introduction, added 2 sentences in discussion to explain added reference), fixed the "et al"s in the bibliograph

Tracing groundwater flow and sources of organic carbon in sandstone aquifers using fluorescence properties of dissolved organic matter (DOM)

The fluorescence properties of groundwaters from sites in two UK aquifers, the Penrith Sandstone of Cumbria and the Sherwood Sandstone of South Yorkshire, were investigated using excitation-emission matrix (EEM) fluorescence spectroscopy. Both aquifers are regionally important sources of public supply water and are locally impacted by anthropogenic pollution. The Penrith Sandstone site is in a rural setting while the Sherwood Sandstone site is in suburban Doncaster. Fluorescence analysis of samples from discrete sample depths in the Penrith Sandstone shows decreasing fulvic-like intensities with depth and also shows a good correlation with CFC-12, an anthropogenic groundwater tracer. Tryptophan- like fluorescence centres in the depth profile may also provide evidence of rapid routing of relatively recent applications of organic slurry along fractures. Fluorescence analysis of groundwater sampled from multi-level piezometers installed within the Sherwood Sandstone aquifer also shows regions of tryptophan-like and relatively higher fulvic-like signatures. The fluorescence intensity profile in the piezometers shows tryptophan-like peaks at depths in excess of 50 metres and mirrors the pattern exhibited by microbial species and CFCs highlighting the deep and rapid penetration of modern recharge due to rapid fracture flow. Fluorescence analysis has allowed the rapid assessment of different types and relative abundances of dissolved organic matter (DOM), and the fingerprinting of different sources of organic carbon within the groundwater system. The tryptophan:fulvic ratios found in the Penrith Sandstone were found to be between (0.5–3.0) and are characteristic of ratios from sheep waste sources. The Sherwood Sandstone has the lowest ratios (0.2–0.4) indicating a different source of DOM, most likely a mixture of terrestrial and microbial sources, although there is little evidence of pollution from leaking urban sewage systems. Results from these two studies suggest that intrinsic fluorescence may be used as a proxy for, or complimentary tool to, other groundwater investigation methods in helping provide a conceptual model of groundwater flow and identifying different sources of DOM within the groundwater system

Hyperbolic phase and squeeze-parameter estimation

We define a new representation, the hyperbolic phase representation, which enables optimal estimation of a squeeze parameter in the sense of quantum estimation theory. We compare the signal-to-noise ratio for such measurements, with conventional measurement based on photon counting and homodyne detection. The signal-to-noise ratio for hyperbolic phase measurements is shown to increase quadratically with the squeezing parameter for fixed input power

Acid pH activation of the PmrA/PmrB two-component regulatory system of Salmonella enterica

Acid pH often triggers changes in gene expression. However, little is known about the identity of the gene products that sense fluctuations in extracytoplasmic pH. The Gram-negative pathogen Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium experiences a number of acidic environments both inside and outside animal hosts. Growth in mild acid (pH 5.8) promotes transcription of genes activated by the response regulator PmrA, but the signalling pathway(s) that mediates this response has thus far remained unexplored. Here we report that this activation requires both PmrA's cognate sensor kinase PmrB, which had been previously shown to respond to Fe(3+) and Al(3+), and PmrA's post-translational activator PmrD. Substitution of a conserved histidine or of either one of four conserved glutamic acid residues in the periplasmic domain of PmrB severely decreased or abolished the mild acid-promoted transcription of PmrA-activated genes. The PmrA/PmrB system controls lipopolysaccharide modifications mediating resistance to the antibiotic polymyxin B. Wild-type Salmonella grown at pH 5.8 were > 100 000-fold more resistant to polymyxin B than organisms grown at pH 7.7. Our results suggest that protonation of the PmrB periplasmic histidine and/or of the glutamic acid residues activate the PmrA protein, and that mild acid promotes cellular changes resulting in polymyxin B resistance

Mutations of the BRAF gene in human cancer

Cancers arise owing to the accumulation of mutations in critical genes that alter normal programmes of cell proliferation, differentiation and death. As the first stage of a systematic genome-wide screen for these genes, we have prioritized for analysis signalling pathways in which at least one gene is mutated in human cancer. The RAS RAF MEK ERK MAP kinase pathway mediates cellular responses to growth signals. RAS is mutated to an oncogenic form in about 15% of human cancer. The three RAF genes code for cytoplasmic serine/threonine kinases that are regulated by binding RAS. Here we report BRAF somatic missense mutations in 66% of malignant melanomas and at lower frequency in a wide range of human cancers. All mutations are within the kinase domain, with a single substitution (V599E) accounting for 80%. Mutated BRAF proteins have elevated kinase activity and are transforming in NIH3T3 cells. Furthermore, RAS function is not required for the growth of cancer cell lines with the V599E mutation. As BRAF is a serine/threonine kinase that is commonly activated by somatic point mutation in human cancer, it may provide new therapeutic opportunities in malignant melanoma

Hadrons with Charm and Beauty

By combining potential models and QCD spectral sum rules (QSSR), we discuss the spectroscopy of the $(b\bar c)$ mesons and of the $(bcq)$, $(ccq)$ and $(bbq)$ baryons (${q}\equiv {d}$ or $s$), the decay constant and the (semi)leptonic decay modes of the $B_c$ meson. For the masses, the best predictions come from potential models and read: $M_{B_c} = (6255 \pm 20)$~MeV, $M_{B^*_c} = (6330 \pm 20)$~MeV, $M_{\Lambda(bcu)} = (6.93\pm 0.05)$~GeV, $M_{\Omega(bcs)} = (7.00\pm 0.05)$~GeV, $M_{\Xi^*(ccu)} =(3.63\pm 0.05)$~GeV and $M_{\Xi^*(bbu)} = (10.21\pm 0.05)$~GeV. The decay constant $f_{B_c} = (2.94 \pm 0.21) f_\pi$ is well determined from QSSR and leads to: $\Gamma(B_c \rightarrow \nu_\tau \tau) = (3.0 \pm 0.4)( V_{cb}/0.037 )^2$ $\times 10^{10}$ s$^{-1}$.The uses of the vertex sum rules for the semileptonic decays of the $B_c$ show that the $t$-dependence of the form factors is much stronger than predicted by vector meson dominance. It also predicts the almost equal strength of about 0.30 $\times 10^{10}$ sec$^{-1}$ for the semileptonic rates $B_c$ into $B_s, B^*_s,\eta_c$ and J/$\psi$. Besides these phenomenological results, we also show explicitly how the Wilson coefficients of the $\langle\alpha_s G^2\rangle$ and $\langle G^3\rangle$ gluon condensates already contain the full heavy quark- ($\langle\bar QQ\rangle$) and mixed- ($\langle\bar QGQ\rangle$) condensate contributions in the OPE.}Comment: 32 pages, LaTeX, no changes in the 1994 paper, latex errors corrected in 201

Search for Single Top Production at LEP

Single top production in e+e- annihilations is searched for in data collected by the L3 detector at centre-of-mass energies from 189 to 209 GeV, corresponding to a total integrated luminosity of 634 pb-1. Investigating hadronic and semileptonic top decays, no evidence of single top production at LEP is obtained and upper limits on the single top cross section as a function of the centre-of-mass energy are derived. Limits on possible anomalous couplings, as well as on the scale of contact interactions responsible for single top production are determined

Search for R-parity Violating Decays of Supersymmetric Particles in e+e- Collisions at LEP

A search, in e^+e^- collisions, for chargino, neutralino, scalar lepton and scalar quark pair-production is performed, without assuming R-parity conservation in decays, in the case that only one of the coupling constants lambda_ijk or lambda''_ijk is non-negligible. No signal is found in data up to a centre-of-mass energy of 208GeV. Limits on the production cross sections and on the masses of supersymmetric particles are derived

Modeling Vortex Swarming In Daphnia

Based on experimental observations in \textit{Daphnia}, we introduce an agent-based model for the motion of single and swarms of animals. Each agent is described by a stochastic equation that also considers the conditions for active biological motion. An environmental potential further reflects local conditions for \textit{Daphnia}, such as attraction to light sources. This model is sufficient to describe the observed cycling behavior of single \textit{Daphnia}. To simulate vortex swarming of many \textit{Daphnia}, i.e. the collective rotation of the swarm in one direction, we extend the model by considering avoidance of collisions. Two different ansatzes to model such a behavior are developed and compared. By means of computer simulations of a multi-agent system we show that local avoidance - as a special form of asymmetric repulsion between animals - leads to the emergence of a vortex swarm. The transition from uncorrelated rotation of single agents to the vortex swarming as a function of the swarm size is investigated. Eventually, some evidence of avoidance behavior in \textit{Daphnia} is provided by comparing experimental and simulation results for two animals.Comment: 24 pages including 11 multi-part figs. Major revisions compared to version 1, new results on transition from uncorrelated rotation to vortex swarming. Extended discussion. For related publications see http://www.sg.ethz.ch/people/scfrank/Publication