Quantum entanglement between a nonlinear nanomechanical resonator and a microwave field

We consider a theoretical model for a nonlinear nanomechanical resonator coupled to a superconducting microwave resonator. The nanomechanical resonator is driven parametrically at twice its resonance frequency, while the superconducting microwave resonator is driven with two tones that differ in frequency by an amount equal to the parametric driving frequency. We show that the semi-classical approximation of this system has an interesting fixed point bifurcation structure. In the semi-classical dynamics a transition from stable fixed points to limit cycles is observed as one moves from positive to negative detuning. We show that signatures of this bifurcation structure are also present in the full dissipative quantum system and further show that it leads to mixed state entanglement between the nanomechanical resonator and the microwave cavity in the dissipative quantum system that is a maximum close to the semi-classical bifurcation. Quantum signatures of the semi-classical limit-cycles are presented.Comment: 36 pages, 18 figure

Synchronization of many nano-mechanical resonators coupled via a common cavity field

Using amplitude equations, we show that groups of identical nano-mechanical resonators, interacting with a common mode of a cavity microwave field, synchronize to form a single mechanical mode which couples to the cavity with a strength dependent on the square sum of the individual mechanical-microwave couplings. Classically this system is dominated by periodic behaviour which, when analyzed using amplitude equations, can be shown to exhibit multi-stability. In contrast groups of sufficiently dissimilar nano-mechanical oscillators may lose synchronization and oscillate out of phase at significantly higher amplitudes. Further the method by which synchronization is lost resembles that for large amplitude forcing which is not of the Kuramoto form.Comment: 23 pages, 11 figure

Surface excitonic emission and quenching effects in ZnO nanowire/nanowall systems: limiting effects on device potential.

We report ZnO nanowire/nanowall growth using a two-step vapour phase transport method on a-plane sapphire. X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy data establish that the nanostructures are vertically well-aligned with c-axis normal to the substrate, and have a very low rocking curve width. Photoluminescence data at low temperatures demonstrate the exceptionally high optical quality of these structures, with intense emission and narrow bound exciton linewidths. We observe a high energy excitonic emission at low temperatures close to the band-edge which we assign to the surface exciton in ZnO at ~ 3.366 eV, the first time this feature has been reported in ZnO nanorod systems. This assignment is consistent with the large surface to volume ratio of the nanowire systems and indicates that this large ratio has a significant effect on the luminescence even at low temperatures. The band-edge intensity decays rapidly with increasing temperature compared to bulk single crystal material, indicating a strong temperature-activated non-radiative mechanism peculiar to the nanostructures. No evidence is seen of the free exciton emission due to exciton delocalisation in the nanostructures with increased temperature, unlike the behaviour in bulk material. The use of such nanostructures in room temperature optoelectronic devices appears to be dependent on the control or elimination of such surface effects

Microwave Tomographic Imaging Utilizing Low-Profile, Rotating, Right Angle-Bent Monopole Antennas

We have developed a simple mechanism incorporating feedline bends and rotary joints to enable motion of a monopole antenna within a liquid-based illumination chamber for tomographic imaging. The monopole is particularly well suited for this scenario because of its small size and simplicity. For the application presented here a full set of measurement data is collected from most illumination and receive directions utilizing only a pair of antennas configured with the rotating fixture underneath the imaging tank. Alternatively, the concept can be adapted for feed structures entering the tank from the sides to allow for measurements with vertically and horizontally polarized antennas. This opens the door for more advanced imaging applications where anisotropy could play an important role such as in bone imaging

Partially dentate patient preferences

Objective: To identify factors influencing attitudes of partially dentate adults towards dental treatment in Ireland. Background: People are retaining more teeth later in life than ever before. Management of partially dentate older adults will be a major requirement for the future and it is important to determine factors which may influence patients’ attitudes to care. Methods: Subjects: A purposive sample of 22 partially dentate patients was recruited; 12 women and 12 men, ranging in age from 45 to 75 years. Data Collection: Semi-structured individual interviews. Results: Dental patients have increasing expectations in relation to (i) a more sophisticated approach to the management of missing teeth and (ii) their right to actively participate in decision making regarding the management of their tooth loss. There is some evidence of a cohort effect with younger patients (45–64 years) having higher expectations. Conclusions: The evidence of a cohort effect within this study in relation to higher patient expectations indicates that both contemporary and future patients are likely to seek a service based on conservation and restoration of missing teeth by fixed prostheses

Quality and safety of milk from farm to dairy product

End of Project ReportNeutrophils (PMN cells) constitute one of the main cell types in milk. Increased PMN level is an indication of mastitis. An ELISA method has been developed to determine PMN levels in milk. This may allow (in addition to somatic cell count [SCC]) selection of infected quarters at drying off, thereby allowing antibiotic therapy to be limited to those quarters. PMN counts may also be used to select milk for processing. Little information is available on the contribution of different somatic cells in milk to cheese-making efficiency. The overall objective of this study was to establish the influence of the quality of raw milk, as determined by somatic cell level and type, on milk biochemistry and cheese quality. The work firstly included modification to a method for an enzyme immunoassay, which could enumerate milk PMN. Subsequently, the impact of somatic cell and PMN content on biochemistry of individual udder quarter milks and simulated bulk cow milks, and quality of cheese manufactured from such milks was investigated. The somatic cell and PMN content of bulk herd milks was also investigated. The modification to the test of O’Sullivan et al (1992) allowed the accurate measurement of PMN levels in milk. The strong relationship or correlation between SCC and PMN of 92% in the individual quarter milks has confirmed previous preliminary data. This is important since PMN in conjunction with SCC may now provide a more reliable method of selecting milks for processing. The reduction in casein at elevated SCC and PMN levels may have resulted in the trend towards deteriorated milk coagulation properties. A very heterogeneous selection of proteolysis patterns was observed in the miniature cheeses. This substantial difference in proteolytic activity in milk from different quarters had not been observed previously. Enzymes associated with the cells in high SCC milk were retained in the cheese curd and thus, contributed to proteolysis during ripening. Addition of low volumes of high SCC milk had an obvious impact on proteolysis patterns and cheese ripening. However, such trends were generally less clear with increasing PMN milk than those observed for addition of high SCC milk. The poor correlation between SCC and PMN obtained in both cow and herd bulk milks, compared to the correlation in quarter milks was probably due to the mixing of high and low SCC milks from either quarters or cows. Thus, the true effect of PMN may not be observed in bulk herd milk but may still have an adverse effect on milk quality. Whether elevated bulk milk SCC and PMN level is due to milk from a smaller number of cows with extremely high SCC/PMN being included with milk from a predominantly healthy herd, or, to large numbers of cows with sub-clinical infections, probably contributes to variation in the effects of SCC/PMN on dairy products

Lessons from a Marine Spatial Planning data management process for Ireland

Peer-reviewedThis paper presents a framework containing ten components to deliver a data management process for the storage and management of data used for Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) in Ireland. The work includes a data process flow and a recommended solution architecture. The architecture includes a central data catalogue and a spatial storage system. The components of the process are presented to maximise the reuse potential of any dataset within an MSP context. The terms ‘Suitability’ and ‘Readiness’ in the MSP context are offered as both formal and considered assessments of data, as is the applicability of a data stewardship maturity matrix. How data contained in such a storage system can be published externally to potential consumers of these data is also explored. The process presents a means of managing data and metadata to ensure data lineage is optimised by carrying information about the origin of and the processing applied to the data; to evaluate the quality and relevance of geospatial datasets for use in MSP decisions in Ireland. The process was piloted in the National Marine Planning Framework for Ireland in the development of draft map products; feedback from the public consultation is ongoing and not presented

What's Wrong with Early Medieval Medicine?

The medical writings of early medieval western Europe c. 700 – c. 1000 have often been derided for their disorganised appearance, poor Latin, nebulous conceptual framework, admixtures of magic and folklore, and general lack of those positive features that historians attribute to ancient or later medieval medicine. This paper attempts to rescue the period from its negative image. It examines a number of superficially bizarre writings so as to place them in an intellectual and sociological context, and to suggest that the presumed contrast between them and their ancient and later medieval counterparts has been wrongly drawn

Muscle Glycogen Depletion Following 75-km of Cycling Is Not Linked to Increased Muscle IL-6, IL-8, and MCP-1 mRNA Expression and Protein Content

The cytokine response to heavy exertion varies widely for unknown reasons, and this study evaluated the relative importance of glycogen depletion, muscle damage, and stress hormone changes on blood and muscle cytokine measures. Cyclists (N=20) participated in a 75-km cycling time trial (168±26.0 min), with blood and vastus lateralis muscle samples collected before and after. Muscle glycogen decreased 77.2±17.4%, muscle IL-6, IL-8, and MCP-1 mRNA increased 18.5±2.8-, 45.3±7.8-, and 8.25±1.75-fold, and muscle IL-6, IL-8, and MCP-1 protein increased 70.5±14.1%, 347±68.1%, and 148±21.3%, respectively (all, P<0.001). Serum myoglobin and cortisol increased 32.1±3.3 to 242±48.3 mg/mL, and 295±27.6 to 784±63.5 nmol/L, respectively (both P<0.001). Plasma IL-6, IL-8, and MCP-1 increased 0.42±0.07 to 18.5±3.8, 4.07±0.37 to 17.0±1.8, and 96.5±3.7 to 240±21.6 pg/mL, respectively (all P<0.001). Increases in muscle IL-6, IL-8, and MCP-1 mRNA were unrelated to any of the outcome measures. Muscle glycogen depletion was related to change in plasma IL-6 (r=0.462, P=0.040), with change in myoglobin related to plasma IL-8 (r=0.582, P=0.007) and plasma MCP-1 (r=0.457, P=0.043), and muscle MCP-1 protein (r=0.588, P=0.017); cortisol was related to plasma IL-8 (r=0.613, P=0.004), muscle IL-8 protein (r=0.681, P=0.004), and plasma MCP-1 (r=0.442, P=0.050). In summary, this study showed that muscle IL-6, IL-8, and MCP-1 mRNA expression after 75-km cycling was unrelated to glycogen depletion and muscle damage, with change in muscle glycogen related to plasma IL-6, and changes in serum myoglobin and cortisol related to the chemotactic cytokines IL-8 and MCP-1