7,094 research outputs found
Optimal irreversible stimulated emission
We studied the dynamics of an initially inverted atom in a semi-infinite
waveguide, in the presence of a single propagating photon. We show that atomic
relaxation is enhanced by a factor of 2, leading to maximal bunching in the
output field. This optimal irreversible stimulated emission is a novel
phenomenon that can be observed with state-of-the-art solid-state atoms and
waveguides. When the atom interacts with two one-dimensional electromagnetic
environments, the preferential emission in the stimulated field can be
exploited to efficiently amplify a classical or a quantum state.Comment: 9 pages, 6 figure
Universal optimal broadband photon cloning and entanglement creation in one dimensional atoms
We study an initially inverted three-level atom in the lambda configuration
embedded in a waveguide, interacting with a propagating single-photon pulse.
Depending on the temporal shape of the pulse, the system behaves either as an
optimal universal cloning machine, or as a highly efficient deterministic
source of maximally entangled photon pairs. This quantum transistor operates
over a wide range of frequencies, and can be implemented with today's
solid-state technologies.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figure
Amoebic Liver Abscess. A Case Report
A amebíase é uma das doenças parasitárias mais comuns no mundo. As principais formas invasivas da doença são a colite amebiana e o abcesso hepático.
Apresenta-se o caso clínico de um homem de 42 anos admitido com um quadro agudo de febre elevada e dor abdominal no hipocôndrio direito com dois dias de evolução. A tomografia axial computorizada do abdómen revelou a presença de 3 lesões abcedadas a nível do lobo direito do fígado.
Tratando-se de um doente residente em área endémica de amebiase colocou-se o diagnóstico diferencial entre abcesso
amebiano hepático versus abcesso piogénico, situações com abordagem terapêutica distinta.
O quadro clínico e a serologia positiva para Entamoeba histolytica confirmaram o diagnóstico de abcesso amebiano hepático.
Os autores apresentam uma breve revisão desta entidade, rara nos países desenvolvidos, que no adequado contexto epidemiológico deve ser considerada no diagnóstico diferencial dos abcessos hepáticos
Nonlinear magneto-optical rotation of frequency-modulated light resonant with a low-J transition
A low-light-power theory of nonlinear magneto-optical rotation of
frequency-modulated light resonant with a J=1->J'=0 transition is presented.
The theory is developed for a Doppler-free transition, and then modified to
account for Doppler broadening and velocity mixing due to collisions. The
results of the theory are shown to be in qualitative agreement with
experimental data obtained for the rubidium D1 line.Comment: 11 pages, 5 figures, v.2 edited for clarit
Rapid yeast DNA extraction by boiling and freeze-thawing without using chemical reagents and DNA purification.
The purpose of this work was to study a rapid yeast DNA extraction by boiling and freeze-thawing processes without using chemical reagents or any purification procedures, to obtain a high grade PCR-product. A specific DNA fragment of the 18S region of Dekkera bruxellensis and Saccharomyces cerevisiae was chosen. The described boiling and freeze-thawing protocols generated the PCR-grade product preparations and could be used to process many samples. The amplification of the fragments could be observed after 30 and 35 cycles. These processes of extraction without using any kind of chemical reagents, especial water, and purification procedures proved to be efficient, reproducible, simple, fast, and inexpensive
Modelling diffusion of innovations in a social network
A new simple model of diffusion of innovations in a social network with
upgrading costs is introduced. Agents are characterized by a single real
variable, their technological level. According to local information agents
decide whether to upgrade their level or not balancing their possible benefit
with the upgrading cost. A critical point where technological avalanches
display a power-law behavior is also found. This critical point is
characterized by a macroscopic observable that turns out to optimize
technological growth in the stationary state. Analytical results supporting our
findings are found for the globally coupled case.Comment: 4 pages, 5 figures. Final version accepted in PR
Effects of inhibition of the renin-angiotensin system on hypertension-induced target organ damage: Clinical and experimental evidence
The dysregulation of renin-angiotensin-system (RAS) plays a pivotal role in hypertension and in the development of the related target organ damage (TOD). The main goal of treating hypertension is represented by the long-term reduction of cardiovascular (CV) risk. RAS inhibition either by angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE)-inhibitors or by type 1 Angiotensin II receptors blockers (ARBs), reduce the incidence of CV events in hypertensive patients. Actually, ACE-inhibitors and ARBs have been demonstrated to be effective to prevent, or delay TOD like left ventricular hypertrophy, chronic kidney disease, and atherosclerosis. The beneficial effects of RAS blockers on clinical outcome of hypertensive patients are due to the key role of angiotensin II in the pathogenesis of TOD. In particular, Angiotensin II through an inflammatory-mediated mechanism plays a role in the initiation, progression and vulnerability of atherosclerotic plaque. In addition, Angiotensin II can be considered the hormonal transductor of the pressure overload in cardiac myocytes, and through an autocrine-paracrine mechanism plays a role in the development of left ventricular hypertrophy. Angiotensin II by modulating the redox status and the immune system participates to the development of chronic kidney disease. The RAS blocker should be considered the first therapeutic option in patients with hypertension, even if ACE-inhibitors and ARBs have different impact on CV prevention. ARBs seem to have greater neuro-protective effects, while ACE-inhibitors have greater cardio-protective action
Spastin recovery in hereditary spastic paraplegia by preventing neddylation-dependent degradation
Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia (HSP) is a neurodegenerative disease most commonly caused by autosomal dominant mutations in the SPG4 gene encoding the microtubule-severing protein spastin. We hypothesise that SPG4-HSP is attributable to reduced spastin function because of haploinsufficiency; thus, therapeutic approaches which elevate levels of the wild-type spastin allele may be an effective therapy. However, until now, how spastin levels are regulated is largely unknown. Here, we show that the kinase HIPK2 regulates spastin protein levels in proliferating cells, in differentiated neurons and in vivo. Our work reveals that HIPK2-mediated phosphorylation of spastin at S268 inhibits spastin K48-poly-ubiquitination at K554 and prevents its neddylation-dependent proteasomal degradation. In a spastin RNAi neuronal cell model, overexpression of HIPK2, or inhibition of neddylation, restores spastin levels and rescues neurite defects. Notably, we demonstrate that spastin levels can be restored pharmacologically by inhibiting its neddylation-mediated degradation in neurons derived from a spastin mouse model of HSP and in patient-derived cells, thus revealing novel therapeutic targets for the treatment of SPG4-HSP
Tools in the orbit space approach to the study of invariant functions: rational parametrization of strata
Functions which are equivariant or invariant under the transformations of a
compact linear group acting in an euclidean space , can profitably
be studied as functions defined in the orbit space of the group. The orbit
space is the union of a finite set of strata, which are semialgebraic manifolds
formed by the -orbits with the same orbit-type. In this paper we provide a
simple recipe to obtain rational parametrizations of the strata. Our results
can be easily exploited, in many physical contexts where the study of
equivariant or invariant functions is important, for instance in the
determination of patterns of spontaneous symmetry breaking, in the analysis of
phase spaces and structural phase transitions (Landau theory), in equivariant
bifurcation theory, in crystal field theory and in most areas where use is made
of symmetry adapted functions.
A physically significant example of utilization of the recipe is given,
related to spontaneous polarization in chiral biaxial liquid crystals, where
the advantages with respect to previous heuristic approaches are shown.Comment: Figures generated through texdraw package; revised version appearing
in J. Phys. A: Math. Ge
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