Quantum techniques using continuous variables of light

We present schemes for the generation and evaluation of continuous variable entanglement of bright optical beams and give a brief overview of the variety of optical techniques and quantum communication applications on this basis. A new entanglement-based quantum interferometry scheme with bright beams is suggested. The performance of the presented schemes is independent of the relative interference phase which is advantageous for quantum communication applications.Comment: 11 pages, 5 figures; minor correction, accepted versio

Emotions associated with different textures during touch

Haptics plays an important role in emotion perception. However, most studies of the affective aspects of haptics have investigated emotional valence rather than emotional categories. In the present study, we explored the associations of different textures with six basic emotions: fear, anger, happiness, disgust, sadness and surprise. Participants touched twenty-one different textures and evaluated them using six emotional scales. Additionally, we explored whether individual differences in participants’ levels of alexithymia are related to the intensity of emotions associated with touching the textures. Alexithymia is a trait related to difficulties in identifying, describing and communicating emotions to others. The findings show that people associated touching different textures with distinct emotions. Textures associated with each of the basic emotions were identified. The study also revealed that a higher alexithymia level corresponds to a higher intensity of associations between textures and the emotions of disgust, anger and sadness

Sub shot noise phase quadrature measurement of intense light beams

We present a setup to perform sub shot noise measurements of the phase quadrature for intense pulsed light without the use of a separate local oscillator. A Mach--Zehnder interferometer with an unbalanced arm length is used to detect the fluctuations of the phase quadrature at a single side band frequency. Using this setup, the non--separability of a pair of quadrature entangled beams is demonstrated experimentally.Comment: 9 pages, 2 figures, accepted for publication in Optics Letter

Entanglement and squeezing in a two-mode system: theory and experiment

We report on the generation of non separable beams produced via the interaction of a linearly polarized beam with a cloud of cold cesium atoms placed in an optical cavity. We convert the squeezing of the two linear polarization modes into quadrature entanglement and show how to find out the best entanglement generated in a two-mode system using the inseparability criterion for continuous variable [Duan et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 84, 2722 (2000)]. We verify this method experimentally with a direct measurement of the inseparability using two homodyne detections. We then map this entanglement into a polarization basis and achieve polarization entanglement.Comment: submitted to J. Opt. B for a Special Issue on Foundations of Quantum Optic

Arterial pressure: agreement between a brachial cuff-based device and radial tonometry

Objectives: Aortic (central) blood pressure (BP) differs from brachial BP and may be a superior predictor of cardiovascular events. However, its measurement is currently restricted to research settings, owing to a moderate level of operator dependency. We tested a new noninvasive device in a large UK cohort. The device estimates central BP using measurements obtained with an upper arm cuff inflated to suprasystolic pressure. We compared these estimates with those obtained using radial tonometry as well as with invasively acquired measurements of aortic BP in a limited number of individuals. Methods: Consecutive cuff-based and tonometry-based estimates of the pressure waveform and the central BP were obtained from 1107 individuals (70 ± 6 years). Short-term and long-term reproducibility studies were performed on 28 individuals. Simultaneous cuff-based and invasively measured pressure traces were acquired and compared in an additional six individuals (65 ± 20 years). Results: Central systolic BP, as estimated by the cuff-based device, was found to be highly reproducible (coefficient of variation 4 and 8% for short and long-term reproducibility, respectively) and was comparable to that estimated by tonometry (average difference 3 ± 6 mmHg, intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.91). The cuff-based pressure waveforms were similar to those acquired invasively (cross-correlation coefficient 0.93), and the difference in the estimated central systolic BP was −5 ± 8 mmHg (P = 0.2). Conclusion: Cuff-based devices show promise to simplify the measurement of central BP, whilst maintaining a similar fidelity to tonometry. This could lead to improved adoption of estimates of central BP in clinical practice

Condition of entomophilic fauna on Hyssopus officinalis L. crops depending on ecotope conditions

Species diversity and number of potential pollinator species on H. officinalis seed crops in various ecotopes of farm fields were studied under the influence of "Bi-58 new" insecticide treatment and without preliminary treatment. The presence of 16 insect species belonging to four families of the genus Hymenoptera (Megachilida, Apidae, Halictidae and Vespidae), two families of the Diptera row (Syrphidae and Stratiomyidae) and one family of the genus Lepidoptera (Lycaenalidae) has been identified on the seed crops of H. officinalis. The insecticidal treatment in general did not significantly affect the total number of pollinators, but changed the species composition of pollinators and their number on the field area. As much as possible, the decrease in the prevalence and number of the Megachilida species was affecte

Some ways of filling of the vascular bed of domestic animals

In this work the assessment of some methods of filling of the mammals blood channels is presented. As injection masses there were used the gelatine solution of 5%, painted with the ink by Borisevich V.B. technique and the solution consisting of Bustilat-M glue and the water in a proportion of 2:1. The conducted researches showed that the most successful, in terms of simplicity of execution, is filling of vessels with the solution consisting of Bustilat-M glue and water, as it allows with the little effort and with the smallest expenses to fill in both large and average vessel

Biological resources of natural forage grassland of the cretaceous south of the European Russia

The main objective of the made researches was assessment of territorial confinedness of economic and valuable plant species and also a status and productivity of a natural forage grassland within agrolandscapes of the cretaceous South of the European Russia (the territory of the Belgorod region). Biological and vegetable resources of the natural forage grasslands of the East part of the Belgorod region in a subband of the southern forest-steppe were studie

Field dissipation and Parker’s effect in dynamics of flaringmagnetic flux rope

Обсуждается структура и динамика бессилового магнитного жгута, расположенного горизонтально в солнечной атмосфере и представляющего собой вершину слабоизогнутой магнитной петли, основания которой закреплены в фотосфере. По мере выхода магнитного жгута в разреженную солнечную атмосферу внешнее давление, предохраняющее жгут от бокового расширения на бесконечность, непрерывно падает и при некотором его предельном значении продольное магнитное поле жгута обращается в нуль на поверхности смены знака электрических токов. Это ведет к неограниченному росту азимутального электрического тока в окрестности этой поверхности и служит триггером для возбуждения плазменной неустойчивости, появления аномального сопротивления с последующим вспышечным выделением энергии и генерацией супердрейсеровских электрических полей в элементах тонкой магнитной структуры с поперечным радиусом :00-200 км. Обсуждается квазипериодический режим вспышечного энерговыделения в скрученном жгуте-петле, обусловленный переносом азимутального поля альвеновскими волнами из ног петли к вершине, к области диссипации поля, где скручивающий момент минимален (эффект Паркера).The structure and dynamics of a force-free magnetic rope :ocated horizontally in the solar atmosphere and representing the top of a weakly curved magnetic loop, the bases of which are fixed in the photosphere, have been studied. As the magnetic flux rope enters the rarefied solar atmosphere, the external pressure, which protects the rope from lateral expansion to infinity, continuously drops and at a certain limiting value, the longitudinal magnetic field of the rope becomes zero on the surface of the change in sign of the electric currents. This leads to an unlimited increase in the azimuthal electric current in the vicinity of this surface and serves as a trigger for the excitation of plasma instability, the appearance of anomalous resistance, followed by a flare energy release and the generation of super-Dreicer electric fields in elements of a fine magnetic structure with a transverse radius of about :00-200 km. Such strong electric fields can accelerate charged particles up to hundreds of MeV over a path of several thousand km. The regime of quasi-periodic oscillations of flare energy release in such a twisted ropMoop is discussed. It caused by the transfer of the azimuthal field by Alfven waves from the legs of the loop to the top, to the field dissipation region, where the twisting moment (torque) is minimal (Parker’s ehect), A mechanism is proposed for the precipitation of accelerated particles from a loop magnetic trap upon entering the heliosphere