579 research outputs found
Beyond Gross-Pitaevskii Mean Field Theory
A large number of effects related to the phenomenon of Bose-Einstein
Condensation (BEC) can be understood in terms of lowest order mean field
theory, whereby the entire system is assumed to be condensed, with thermal and
quantum fluctuations completely ignored. Such a treatment leads to the
Gross-Pitaevskii Equation (GPE) used extensively throughout this book. Although
this theory works remarkably well for a broad range of experimental parameters,
a more complete treatment is required for understanding various experiments,
including experiments with solitons and vortices. Such treatments should
include the dynamical coupling of the condensate to the thermal cloud, the
effect of dimensionality, the role of quantum fluctuations, and should also
describe the critical regime, including the process of condensate formation.
The aim of this Chapter is to give a brief but insightful overview of various
recent theories, which extend beyond the GPE. To keep the discussion brief,
only the main notions and conclusions will be presented. This Chapter
generalizes the presentation of Chapter 1, by explicitly maintaining
fluctuations around the condensate order parameter. While the theoretical
arguments outlined here are generic, the emphasis is on approaches suitable for
describing single weakly-interacting atomic Bose gases in harmonic traps.
Interesting effects arising when condensates are trapped in double-well
potentials and optical lattices, as well as the cases of spinor condensates,
and atomic-molecular coupling, along with the modified or alternative theories
needed to describe them, will not be covered here.Comment: Review Article (19 Pages) - To appear in 'Emergent Nonlinear
Phenomena in Bose-Einstein Condensates: Theory and Experiment', Edited by
P.G. Kevrekidis, D.J. Frantzeskakis and R. Carretero-Gonzalez (Springer
Verlag
Intraguild Predation and Native Lady Beetle Decline
Coccinellid communities across North America have experienced significant changes in recent decades, with declines in several native species reported. One potential mechanism for these declines is interference competition via intraguild predation; specifically, increased predation of native coccinellid eggs and larvae following the introduction of exotic coccinellids. Our previous studies have shown that agricultural fields in Michigan support a higher diversity and abundance of exotic coccinellids than similar fields in Iowa, and that the landscape surrounding agricultural fields across the north central U.S. influences the abundance and activity of coccinellid species. The goal of this study was to quantify the amount of egg predation experienced by a native coccinellid within Michigan and Iowa soybean fields and explore the influence of local and large-scale landscape structure. Using the native lady beetle Coleomegilla maculata as a model, we found that sentinel egg masses were subject to intense predation within both Michigan and Iowa soybean fields, with 60.7% of egg masses attacked and 43.0% of available eggs consumed within 48 h. In Michigan, the exotic coccinellids Coccinella septempunctata and Harmonia axyridis were the most abundant predators found in soybean fields whereas in Iowa, native species including C. maculata, Hippodamia parenthesis and the soft-winged flower beetle Collops nigriceps dominated the predator community. Predator abundance was greater in soybean fields within diverse landscapes, yet variation in predator numbers did not influence the intensity of egg predation observed. In contrast, the strongest predictor of native coccinellid egg predation was the composition of edge habitats bordering specific fields. Field sites surrounded by semi-natural habitats including forests, restored prairies, old fields, and pasturelands experienced greater egg predation than fields surrounded by other croplands. This study shows that intraguild predation by both native and exotic predators may contribute to native coccinellid decline, and that landscape structure interacts with local predator communities to shape the specific outcomes of predator-predator interactions
Pooling as a strategy for the timely diagnosis of soil-transmitted helminths in stool: value and reproducibility
Background
The strategy of pooling stool specimens has been extensively used in the field of parasitology in order to facilitate the screening of large numbers of samples whilst minimizing the prohibitive cost of single sample analysis. The aim of this study was to develop a standardized reproducible pooling protocol for stool samples, validated between two different laboratories, without jeopardizing the sensitivity of the quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) assays employed for the detection of soil-transmitted helminths (STHs). Two distinct experimental phases were recruited. First, the sensitivity and specificity of the established protocol was assessed by real-time PCR for each one of the STHs. Secondly, agreement and reproducibility of the protocol between the two different laboratories were tested. The need for multiple stool sampling to avoid false negative results was also assessed. Finally, a cost exercise was conducted which included labour cost in low- and high-wage settings, consumable cost, prevalence of a single STH species, and a simple distribution pattern of the positive samples in pools to estimate time and money savings suggested by the strategy.
Results
The sensitivity of the pooling method was variable among the STH species but consistent between the two laboratories. Estimates of specificity indicate a ‘pooling approach’ can yield a low frequency of ‘missed’ infections. There were no significant differences regarding the execution of the protocol and the subsequent STH detection between the two laboratories, which suggests in most cases the protocol is reproducible by adequately trained staff. Finally, given the high degree of agreement, there appears to be little or no need for multiple sampling of either individuals or pools.
Conclusions
Our results suggest that the pooling protocol developed herein is a robust and efficient strategy for the detection of STHs in ‘pools-of-five’. There is notable complexity of the pool preparation to ensure even distribution of helminth DNA throughout. Therefore, at a given setting, cost of labour among other logistical and epidemiological factors, is the more concerning and determining factor when choosing pooling strategies, rather than losing sensitivity and/or specificity of the molecular assay or the method.Open Access This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license, and indicate if changes were made. The Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication waiver (http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/) applies to the data made available in this article, unless otherwise stated
Quantum Stochastic Processes and the Modelling of Quantum Noise
This brief article gives an overview of quantum mechanics as a {\em quantum
probability theory}. It begins with a review of the basic operator-algebraic
elements that connect probability theory with quantum probability theory. Then
quantum stochastic processes is formulated as a generalization of stochastic
processes within the framework of quantum probability theory. Quantum Markov
models from quantum optics are used to explicitly illustrate the underlying
abstract concepts and their connections to the quantum regression theorem from
quantum optics.Comment: 14 pages, invited article for the second edition of Springer's
Encyclopedia of Systems and Control (to appear). Comments welcom
Sisyphus cooling and amplification by a superconducting qubit
Laser cooling of the atomic motion paved the way for remarkable achievements
in the fields of quantum optics and atomic physics, including Bose-Einstein
condensation and the trapping of atoms in optical lattices. More recently
superconducting qubits were shown to act as artificial two-level atoms,
displaying Rabi oscillations, Ramsey fringes, and further quantum effects.
Coupling such qubits to resonators brought the superconducting circuits into
the realm of quantum electrodynamics (circuit QED). It opened the perspective
to use superconducting qubits as micro-coolers or to create a population
inversion in the qubit to induce lasing behavior of the resonator. Furthering
these analogies between quantum optical and superconducting systems we
demonstrate here Sisyphus cooling of a low frequency LC oscillator coupled to a
near-resonantly driven superconducting qubit. In the quantum optics setup the
mechanical degrees of freedom of an atom are cooled by laser driving the atom's
electronic degrees of freedom. Here the roles of the two degrees of freedom are
played by the LC circuit and the qubit's levels, respectively. We also
demonstrate the counterpart of the Sisyphus cooling, namely Sisyphus
amplification. Parallel to the experimental demonstration we analyze the system
theoretically and find quantitative agreement, which supports the
interpretation and allows us to estimate system parameters.Comment: 7 pages, 4 figure
A Geographically-Restricted but Prevalent Mycobacterium tuberculosis Strain Identified in the West Midlands Region of the UK between 1995 and 2008
Background: We describe the identification of, and risk factors for, the single most prevalent Mycobacterium tuberculosis strain in the West Midlands region of the UK.Methodology/Principal Findings: Prospective 15-locus MIRU-VNTR genotyping of all M. tuberculosis isolates in the West Midlands between 2004 and 2008 was undertaken. Two retrospective epidemiological investigations were also undertaken using univariable and multivariable logistic regression analysis. The first study of all TB patients in the West Midlands between 2004 and 2008 identified a single prevalent strain in each of the study years (total 155/3,056 (5%) isolates). This prevalent MIRU-VNTR profile (32333 2432515314 434443183) remained clustered after typing with an additional 9-loci MIRU-VNTR and spoligotyping. The majority of these patients (122/155, 79%) resided in three major cities located within a 40 km radius. From the apparent geographical restriction, we have named this the "Mercian" strain. A multivariate analysis of all TB patients in the West Midlands identified that infection with a Mercian strain was significantly associated with being UK-born (OR = 9.03, 95% CI = 4.56-17.87, p 65 years old (OR = 0.25, 95% CI = 0.09-0.67, p < 0.01). A second more detailed investigation analyzed a cohort of 82 patients resident in Wolverhampton between 2003 and 2006. A significant association with being born in the UK remained after a multivariate analysis (OR = 9.68, 95% CI = 2.00-46.78, p < 0.01) and excess alcohol intake and cannabis use (OR = 6.26, 95% CI = 1.45-27.02, p = .01) were observed as social risk factors for infection.Conclusions/Significance: The continued consistent presence of the Mercian strain suggests ongoing community transmission. Whilst significant associations have been found, there may be other common risk factors yet to be identified. Future investigations should focus on targeting the relevant risk groups and elucidating the biological factors that mediate continued transmission of this strain
Justification of the symmetric damping model of the dynamical Casimir effect in a cavity with a semiconductor mirror
A "microscopic" justification of the "symmetric damping" model of a quantum
oscillator with time-dependent frequency and time-dependent damping is given.
This model is used to predict results of experiments on simulating the
dynamical Casimir effect in a cavity with a photo-excited semiconductor mirror.
It is shown that the most general bilinear time-dependent coupling of a
selected oscillator (field mode) to a bath of harmonic oscillators results in
two equal friction coefficients for the both quadratures, provided all the
coupling coefficients are proportional to a single arbitrary function of time
whose duration is much shorter than the periods of all oscillators. The choice
of coupling in the rotating wave approximation form leads to the "mimimum
noise" model of the quantum damped oscillator, introduced earlier in a pure
phenomenological way.Comment: 9 pages, typos corrected, corresponds to the published version,
except for the reference styl
Factors Associated with herb and dietary supplement use by young adults in the United States
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Little is known about the association between use of herbs and dietary supplements (HDS) and lifestyle/behavior factors in young adults in the US.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Analyzing the 2002 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), we examined the patterns of HDS (excluding vitamins/minerals) use among young adults in the United States using descriptive statistics and logistic regression.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>In our sample of 18 to 30 year olds (n = 6666), 26% were current smokers, 24% were moderate/heavy drinkers, 43% had high physical activity, and 54% and 76% use prescription and over the counter (OTC) medications respectively. Non-vitamin, non-mineral HDS was used by 17% of the overall sample in the last 12 months. In the multivariable analysis, the lifestyle and behavioral factors associated with HDS use include: current smoking (odds ratio 1.41 95% CI [1.16–1.72]); being a former smoker (1.50 [1.15–1.95]); moderate/heavy alcohol use (2.02 [1.53–2.65]); high physical activity levels (2.45 [1.98–3.03]); and prescription medication use (1.51 [1.26–1.81]). Among HDS users, only 24% discussed their use with a health care professional.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Nearly one in five young adults report using non-vitamin/non-mineral HDS.</p
Method for evaluating subjective states of awareness that accompany recognition: adaptation for use in Portuguese-speaking patients with schizophrenia
Concurrent use of prescription drugs and herbal medicinal products in older adults: A systematic review
This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/), which permits any noncommercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license, and indicate if changes were made.The use of herbal medicinal products (HMPs) is common among older adults. However, little is known about concurrent use with prescription drugs as well as the potential interactions associated with such combinations. Objective Identify and evaluate the literature on concurrent prescription and HMPs use among older adults to assess prevalence, patterns, potential interactions and factors associated with this use. Methods Systematic searches in MEDLINE, PsycINFO, EMBASE, CINAHL, AMED, Web of Science and Cochrane from inception to May 2017 for studies reporting concurrent use of prescription medicines with HMPs in adults (≥65 years). Quality was assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute checklists. The Evidence for Policy and Practice Information and Co-ordinating Centre (EPPI-Centre) three stage approach to mixed method research was used to synthesise data. Results Twenty-two studies were included. A definition of HMPs or what was considered HMP was frequently missing. Prevalence of concurrent use by older adults varied widely between 5.3% and 88.3%. Prescription medicines most combined with HMPs were antihypertensive drugs, beta blockers, diuretics, antihyperlipidemic agents, anticoagulants, analgesics, antihistamines, antidiabetics, antidepressants and statins. The HMPs most frequently used were: ginkgo, garlic, ginseng, St John’s wort, Echinacea, saw palmetto, evening primrose oil and ginger. Potential risks of bleeding due to use of ginkgo, garlic or ginseng with aspirin or warfarin was the most reported herb-drug interaction. Some data suggests being female, a lower household income and less than high school education were associated with concurrent use. Conclusion Prevalence of concurrent prescription drugs and HMPs use among older adults is substantial and potential interactions have been reported. Knowledge of the extent and manner in which older adults combine prescription drugs will aid healthcare professionals can appropriately identify and manage patients at risk.Peer reviewedFinal Published versio
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