Strong Optomechanical Coupling at Room Temperature by Coherent Scattering

Quantum control of a system requires the manipulation of quantum states faster than any decoherence rate. For mesoscopic systems, this has so far only been reached by few cryogenic systems. An important milestone towards quantum control is the so-called strong coupling regime, which in cavity optomechanics corresponds to an optomechanical coupling strength larger than cavity decay rate and mechanical damping. Here, we demonstrate the strong coupling regime at room temperature between a levitated silica particle and a high finesse optical cavity. Normal mode splitting is achieved by employing coherent scattering, instead of directly driving the cavity. The coupling strength achieved here approaches three times the cavity linewidth, crossing deep into the strong coupling regime. Entering the strong coupling regime is an essential step towards quantum control with mesoscopic objects at room temperature

Long-term effects of non-surgical therapy for obesity on cardiovascular risk management: a weighted empirical review

Weight loss affects cardiovascular risk profiles in obese patients. Surgery is not a plausible or viable response to the public health problem of obesity, given that more than 30% of adults are obese in some countries. However, most studies investigating the effects of weight loss on the cardiovascular risk profile are focussed on weight loss and limited to short-term effects. Since newer data show a rebound of cardiovascular risks in studies that complete a short-term follow-up, the question arises whether, and to what extent, long-term treatments offer a more sustained cardiovascular benefit beside the extensive or less marked weight loss. Aims The purpose of this article is to critically review existing data on the long-term cardiovascular effects of weight loss in obese and overweight patients treated with dietary interventions, physical activity programmes, behavioural therapy and pharmacological treatments and their combination. Method Inclusion criteria were peer-reviewed, randomized controlled trials (RCT) in the English language which presented data on cardiovascular effects at a follow-up of at least 18months during or after weight reduction interventions. The search was limited to adults and the publication years between 1990 and 2007. Studies of patients with diagnoses such as coronary heart disease and cancer, and medically treated diabetes and hypertension were excluded. Results Twenty-three studies measured cardiovascular risk factors after 18months or more. Mean BMI was 33.9kg/m2 including 13,733 patients. Mean duration of the studies was 37months with a dropout rate of 16.1% on average. Regardless of the absolute amount of weight loss a positive effect on cardiovascular risk factors such as blood pressure, lipids and glucose tolerance was foun

The ocean carbon sink – impacts, vulnerabilities and challenges

Carbon dioxide (CO2) is, next to water vapour, considered to be the most important natural greenhouse gas on Earth. Rapidly rising atmospheric CO2 concentrations caused by human actions such as fossil fuel burning, land-use change or cement production over the past 250 years have given cause for concern that changes in Earth’s climate system may progress at a much faster pace and larger extent than during the past 20 000 years. Investigating global carbon cycle pathways and finding suitable adaptation and mitigation strategies has, therefore, become of major concern in many research fields. The oceans have a key role in regulating atmospheric CO2 concentrations and currently take up about 25% of annual anthropogenic carbon emissions to the atmosphere. Questions that yet need to be answered are what the carbon uptake kinetics of the oceans will be in the future and how the increase in oceanic carbon inventory will affect its ecosystems and their services. This requires comprehensive investigations, including high-quality ocean carbon measurements on different spatial and temporal scales, the management of data in sophisticated databases, the application of Earth system models to provide future projections for given emission scenarios as well as a global synthesis and outreach to policy makers. In this paper, the current understanding of the ocean as an important carbon sink is reviewed with respect to these topics. Emphasis is placed on the complex interplay of different physical, chemical and biological processes that yield both positive and negative air–sea flux values for natural and anthropogenic CO2 as well as on increased CO2 (uptake) as the regulating force of the radiative warming of the atmosphere and the gradual acidification of the oceans. Major future ocean carbon challenges in the fields of ocean observations, modelling and process research as well as the relevance of other biogeochemical cycles and greenhouse gases are discussed

Observation of Stable Jones-Roberts Solitons in Bose-Einstein Condensates

We experimentally generate two-dimensional Jones-Roberts solitons in a three-dimensional atomic Bose-Einstein condensate by imprinting a triangular phase pattern. By monitoring their dynamics we observe that this kind of solitary waves are resistant to both dynamic (snaking) and thermodynamic instabilities, that usually are known to strongly limit the lifetime of dark plane solitons in dimensions higher than one. We additionally find signatures of a possible dipole-like interaction between them. Our results confirm that Jones-Roberts solitons are stable solutions of the non-linear Schr\"odinger equation in higher dimensions and promote these excitations for applications beyond matter wave physics, like energy and information transport in noisy and inhomogeneous environments

Biometrisch basierte Gewichtsschätzungsformeln und Body Condition Score bei deutschen Maststraußen bis zum Schlachtalter

Eine Gewichtschätzungsformel wurde bislang nur für in England gehaltene Farmstrauße von DEEMING et al. (1996) etabliert. Eine Formel, die die spezifischen Bedingungen von Maststraußen in Deutschland berücksichtigt, gibt es bisher nicht. Darüber hinaus wurde bisher kein Body Condition Score (BCS) - System für Strauße standardisiert. Ziel dieser Studie war, unter Beachtung des fachgerechten Umgangs mit Straußen (1) neue Gewichtschätzungsformeln für in Deutschland gehaltene Maststrauße zu entwerfen, (2) eine bestehende Formel für Strauße unter zwei Jahren zu evaluieren und (3) ein BCS System für Maststrauße zu generieren. Die Untersuchungen erfolgten an 153 Kreuzungstieren von Blauhals (S.c. australis)- und Schwarzhalsstraußen (S.c. domesticus), 4 reinrassigen Blauhalsstraußen und 34 Tieren, die einer der beiden Gruppen nicht genau zuzuordnen waren. Für die Erstellung der Gewichtsschätzungsformeln wurden pro Tier insgesamt 23 Körpermaße und das Körpergewicht bestimmt. Die Körpermaße umfassten verschiedene Längen- und Umfangsparameter. Im Hinblick auf das Straußenwachstum wurden zwei Gewichtsschätzungsformeln für Maststrauße (1) zwischen 10 - 239 Lebenstagen unter Einbeziehung der Kopflänge und des transversalen sowie sagittalen Körperumfangs und (2) für Maststrauße zwischen 240 - 555 Lebenstagen unter Einbeziehung der Rücken- und Sternumlänge sowie des Abdomenumfangs etabliert. Die von DEEMING et al. (1996) etablierte Gewichtsschätzungsformel ergab zum Teil sehr starke Abweichungen vom realen Körpergewicht der Strauße. In Bezug auf das BCS-System wurden neun Körpermerkmale, wie zum Beispiel die Dornfortsätze der Rückenwirbelsäule oder die Abdomen- und Rückenform, bestimmt, die jeweils pro Tier mit einer nominalen oder ordinalen 5-Punkteskala bewertet wurden. Um die Eignung dieser neun Körpermerkmale hinsichtlich der Verwendung in einem BCS-System beurteilen zu können, wurde ein Body Condition Index (BCI) erstellt, der sich aus dem Verhältnis von Abdomenumfang und Widerristhöhe berechnet. Ein BCS-System konnte mit den hier gewählten Körpermerkmalen nicht erstellt werden. Es liegen aber nunmehr erstmals BCI-Werte für Strauße vor, die Rückschlüsse auf deren Ernährungszustand zulassen. Die hier gewonnenen neuen Gewichtsschätzungsformeln und die BCI-Werte sind wertvolle Hilfsmittel für Straußenhalter, um die Wachstumsleistungen und den Ernährungszustand von Maststraußen kontrollieren und so Futterrationen adäquat zusammenstellen zu können. Für Tierärzte ergeben sich durch diese objektiven Bewertungsmethoden einfache Möglichkeiten zur Beurteilung des Gesundheitszustandes und des Haltungsmanagements sowie eine Grundlage zur genauen Dosierung von Arzneimitteln durch die Kenntnis des Körpergewichts

Perseverative Thinking in Depression and Anxiety

The current study investigated the impact of worry and brooding as moderators of the tripartite model of depression and anxiety (TMDA). We hypothesized that both types of perseverative thinking would moderate the association between negative affectivity (NA) and both anxiety and depression. Complete data sets for this questionnaire survey were obtained from 537 students. Participants’ ages ranged from 16 to 49 years with a mean age of 21.1 years (SD = 3.6). Overall, results from path analyses supported the assumptions of the TMDA, in that NA was a non-specific predictor for both depression and anxiety whilst lack of positive affectivity (PA) was related to depression only. Unexpectedly, perseverative thinking had an effect on the dependency of negative and positive affectivity. Worry was a significant moderator for the path NA–anxiety. All other hypothesized associations were only marginally significant. Alternative pathways as well as methodological implications regarding similarities and differences of the two types of perseverative thinking are discussed

Advances in the prevention of heterosexual transmission of HIV/AIDS among women in the United States

Despite recent advances in testing and treatment, the incidence of HIV/AIDS in the United States has remained stagnant with an estimated 56,300 new infections every year. Women account for an increasing proportion of the epidemic. The vulnerability of women to HIV stems from both increased biologic susceptibility to heterosexual transmission and also the social, economic, and structural disadvantages they often confront. This review describes the main reasons for the increased vulnerability of U.S. women to HIV transmission with particular emphasis on specific high-risk groups including: non-Hispanic blacks, women who use drugs, women with a history of incarceration, and victims of intimate partner violence. Although behavioral approaches to HIV prevention may be effective, pragmatic implementation is often difficult, especially for women who lack sociocultural capital to negotiate condoms with their male partners. Recent advances in HIV prevention show promise in terms of female-initiated interventions. These notably include female condoms, non-specific vaginal microbicides, and antiretroviral oral and vaginal pre-exposure prophylaxis. In this review, we will present evidence in support of these new female-initiated interventions while also emphasizing the importance of advocacy and the political support for these scientific advances to be successful