93 research outputs found
Scheme for the implementation of a universal quantum cloning machine via cavity-assisted atomic collisions in cavity QED
We propose a scheme to implement the universal quantum cloning
machine of Buzek et.al [Phys. Rev.A 54, 1844(1996)] in the context of cavity
QED. The scheme requires cavity-assisted collision processes between atoms,
which cross through nonresonant cavity fields in the vacuum states. The cavity
fields are only virtually excited to face the decoherence problem. That's why
the requirements on the cavity quality factor can be loosened.Comment: to appear in PR
Theory of Coexistence of Superconductivity and Ferroelectricity : A Dynamical Symmetry Model
We propose and investigate a model for the coexistence of Superconductivity
(SC) and Ferroelectricity (FE) based on the dynamical symmetries for
the pseudo-spin SC sector, for the displaced oscillator FE sector, and
for the composite system. We assume a minimal
symmetry-allowed coupling, and simplify the hamiltonian using a double mean
field approximation (DMFA). A variational coherent state (VCS) trial
wave-function is used for the ground state: the energy, and the relevant order
parameters for SC and FE are obtained. For positive sign of the SC-FE coupling
coefficient, a non-zero value of either order parameter can suppress the other
(FE polarization suppresses SC and vice versa). This gives some support to
"Matthias' Conjecture" [1964], that SC and FE tend to be mutually exclusive.
For such a Ferroelectric Superconductor we predict: a) the SC gap
(and ) will increase with increasing applied pressure when pressure
quenches FE as in many ferroelectrics, and b) the FE polarization will increase
with increaesing magnetic field up to . The last result is equivalent to
the prediction of a new type of Magneto-Electric Effect in a coexistent SC-FE
material. Some discussion will be given of the relation of these results to the
cuprate superconductors.Comment: 46 page
Nucleosynthesis Constraints on a Massive Gravitino in Neutralino Dark Matter Scenarios
The decays of massive gravitinos into neutralino dark matter particles and
Standard Model secondaries during or after Big-Bang nucleosynthesis (BBN) may
alter the primordial light-element abundances. We present here details of a new
suite of codes for evaluating such effects, including a new treatment based on
PYTHIA of the evolution of showers induced by hadronic decays of massive,
unstable particles such as a gravitino. We also develop an analytical treatment
of non-thermal hadron propagation in the early universe, and use this to derive
analytical estimates for light-element production and in turn on decaying
particle lifetimes and abundances. We then consider specifically the case of an
unstable massive gravitino within the constrained minimal supersymmetric
extension of the Standard Model (CMSSM). We present upper limits on its
possible primordial abundance before decay for different possible gravitino
masses, with CMSSM parameters along strips where the lightest neutralino
provides all the astrophysical cold dark matter density. We do not find any
CMSSM solution to the cosmological Li7 problem for small m_{3/2}. Discounting
this, for m_{1/2} ~ 500 GeV and tan beta = 10 the other light-element
abundances impose an upper limit m_{3/2} n_{3/2}/n_\gamma < 3 \times 10^{-12}
GeV to < 2 \times 10^{-13} GeV for m_{3/2} = 250 GeV to 1 TeV, which is similar
in both the coannihilation and focus-point strips and somewhat weaker for tan
beta = 50, particularly for larger m_{1/2}. The constraints also weaken in
general for larger m_{3/2}, and for m_{3/2} > 3 TeV we find a narrow range of
m_{3/2} n_{3/2}/n_\gamma, at values which increase with m_{3/2}, where the Li7
abundance is marginally compatible with the other light-element abundances.Comment: 74 pages, 40 Figure
Milk for a girl and bananas for a boy:recipes and reasons for sex-preference practices in a British Internet forum
Using postings from an internet forum, this paper explores the ways in which some women try to influence the sex of a future child. The extensive reproductive work involved give an indication of the womenâs commitment to being able to choose a particular sex; in this case a preference for girls rather than boys. The findings revealed stereotypical views of masculinity and femininity at the heart of the preference. The presumption of fixed gendered identities helped to frame this desire as ânatural,â lessen the threat to maternal identities, and reinforce the logic of âchoice,â and support their reproductive work practices
Legal, medical and lay understanding of embryos in Portugal: alignment with biology?
Pretende-se contribuir para o debate em torno dos processos de circulação de conhecimentos e sentidos entre especialistas e âleigosâ no que concerne ao estatuto dos embriĂ”es humanos em Portugal. Reflete-se sobre as expectativas e preocupaçÔes manifestadas quanto Ă confiança, qualidade, segurança e eficĂĄcia das tecnologias mĂ©dicas de reprodução assistida. O estudo assenta na realização de entrevistas individuais, com vistas a explorar as complexidades, similitudes e diferenças entre as visĂ”es e os valores de juristas, mĂ©dicos e casais envolvidos em tratamentos de fertilização in vitro. Trata-se de uma anĂĄlise qualitativa em um estudo de caso. Se os juristas e os mĂ©dicos enquadram o estatuto dos embriĂ”es em categorias de Ăndole biolĂłgica, tĂ©cnica e/ou jurĂdico-legal, jĂĄ os casais estabelecem com os mesmos diversas relaçÔes ontolĂłgicas de Ăndole moral, afetiva e social, pelo que estes podem ser representados como seres Ă©ticos face Ă biologização mĂ©dico-legal dos embriĂ”es.Our aim is to contribute towards the debate about the processes through which knowledge and meanings regarding the status of human embryos circulate among experts and laymen in Portugal. Expectations and concerns expressed regarding the reliability, quality, safety and efficacy of medical technologies for assisted reproduction were assessed. This study is based on data from individual interviews that sought to explore the complexities, similarities and differences among the views and values of jurists, doctors and couples involved in in vitro fertilization treatments. It consists of a qualitative analysis on a case study. If jurists and doctors frame the status of embryos as categories of a biological, technical and/or legal nature, couples establish between themselves a variety of ontological relationships of a moral, affective and social nature. Through these, they can be represented as ethical beings, thus contrasting with the medical-legal biologization of the embryos.To the jurists, doctors and women and men who we interviewed and who shared with us their views and experiences, our sincere thanks. We also thank Helena Lima and Filomena Louro (Scientific Editing Programme, University of Minho) for the translation of the Portuguese text into English; and the revision of David George Elliff. The authors thank the Foundation for Science and Technology (Portuguese Ministry of Science, Technology and Higher Education) for the financial support for this research, through a PhD fellowship (SFRH/BD/10396/2002) and a post-doctoral fellowship (SFRH/BPD/47020/2008).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Physics with the KLOE-2 experiment at the upgraded DANE
Investigation at a --factory can shed light on several debated issues
in particle physics. We discuss: i) recent theoretical development and
experimental progress in kaon physics relevant for the Standard Model tests in
the flavor sector, ii) the sensitivity we can reach in probing CPT and Quantum
Mechanics from time evolution of entangled kaon states, iii) the interest for
improving on the present measurements of non-leptonic and radiative decays of
kaons and eta/eta mesons, iv) the contribution to understand the
nature of light scalar mesons, and v) the opportunity to search for narrow
di-lepton resonances suggested by recent models proposing a hidden dark-matter
sector. We also report on the physics in the continuum with the
measurements of (multi)hadronic cross sections and the study of gamma gamma
processes.Comment: 60 pages, 41 figures; added affiliation for one of the authors; added
reference to section
Chance, choice and control: Lay debate on prenatal social sex selection
Assisted reproductive technologies are typically positioned as increasing the range of choices open to the healthcare consumer, thereby enhancing âreproductive freedomâ. In this paper, we question the equivalence of reproductive choice and personal freedom in ethical theory, using results from a project investigating how lay people make ethical evaluations about the new genetic and reproductive technologies. We took the topic of social sex selection by preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD), and used group discussions and interviews in the north-east of England to trace how lay people develop and express their ethical evaluations, and to identify the implicit or explicit normative framework that gave rise to their opinions on prenatal sex selection. There was a striking level of ambivalence towards choice in general and reproductive choice in particular. Participants offered few positive statements and numerous reasons why reproductive choice might be problematic. Our participantsâ argumentation shares with mainstream bioethical analysis the weighing of the possible harms of prenatal sex selection for social reasons against the harm of restricting reproductive freedom. However, unlike most secularâliberal bioethicists, many of our participants concluded that prenatal sex selection is undesirable because it is an expression of parental preference instead of a response to the future child's need. Our interpretation of their reasoning is that they work from an ideal of âgood parentsâ, one of the features of which is the relinquishing of control over their children, except to protect them from harm. This voluntary self-limitation does not indicate reduced autonomy, because parental autonomy can only operate within the limits set by this relational framework. We suggest that a model of relational autonomy captures our lay participantsâ framing of the problem better than a more traditional understanding of autonomy. Our study also shows that in appropriately structured discussion of bioethical issues, lay people can articulate reasons for their opinions that are grounded in sophisticated and morally relevant concepts
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