Resistive flow in a weakly interacting Bose-Einstein condensate

We report the direct observation of resistive flow through a weak link in a weakly interacting atomic Bose-Einstein condensate. Two weak links separate our ring-shaped superfluid atomtronic circuit into two distinct regions, a source and a drain. Motion of these weak links allows for creation of controlled flow between the source and the drain. At a critical value of the weak link velocity, we observe a transition from superfluid flow to superfluid plus resistive flow. Working in the hydrodynamic limit, we observe a conductivity that is 4 orders of magnitude larger than previously reported conductivities for a Bose-Einstein condensate with a tunnel junction. Good agreement with zero-temperature Gross-Pitaevskii simulations and a phenomenological model based on phase slips indicate that the creation of excitations plays an important role in the resulting conductivity. Our measurements of resistive flow elucidate the microscopic origin of the dissipation and pave the way for more complex atomtronic devices.Comment: Version published in PR

Atomic-scale structure of the SrTiO3(001)-c(6x2) reconstruction: Experiments and first-principles calculations

The c(6x2) is a reconstruction of the SrTiO3(001) surface that is formed between 1050-1100oC in oxidizing annealing conditions. This work proposes a model for the atomic structure for the c(6x2) obtained through a combination of results from transmission electron diffraction, surface x-ray diffraction, direct methods analysis, computational combinational screening, and density functional theory. As it is formed at high temperatures, the surface is complex and can be described as a short-range ordered phase featuring microscopic domains composed of four main structural motifs. Additionally, non-periodic TiO2 units are present on the surface. Simulated scanning tunneling microscopy images based on the electronic structure calculations are consistent with experimental images

University of Vermont Medical Center Critical Care Transport Community Paramedicine Pilot Inclusion/Exclusion Criteria and Supplemental Materials

The University of Vermont Medical Center (UVMMC) Critical Care Transport (CCT) team received a grant in 2020 to trial one Community Paramedic to reduce high volume utilizers of UVMMC’s ED enrolled in Vermont’s accountable care organization (ACO), OneCareVT. That summer, this team helped develop and analyze the implications of that program. The current literature surrounding Community Paramedicine was explored, focusing particularly on studies that analyzed costs savings of these programs, rural areas with similar populations as Vermont, and the average cost of an ED visit. The reviewed literature and annotations are included in this work. Initially, our plan was to analyze data obtained from the Critical Care Transport team’s pilot program. However, the program was slated to begin at the beginning of April 2020 and was postponed in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. The department’s Community Paramedic was instead reallocated to set up the drive-through COVID-19 testing site for Chittenden County. The reallocation of resources from UVMMC’s CCT team prompted this team’ to pivot efforts toward the fundamental establishment of the program – particularly patient selection. 78 high utilizers of UVMMC’s ED for six months in 2020 were reviewed. Following the chart review trends in chronic underlying conditions and chief complaints were established within this cohort. With these data, inclusion criteria and exclusion criteria for a community paramedic pilot program were generated further taking into the considerations the abilities and limitations of community paramedics, safety, and other community resources available for this patient population. These criteria are included within this work. With the pivot from data collection to assisting with program set up, a mail-out letter to send to potential patients who might benefit from the program was written. Additionally, a script for contacting these patients via telephone to enroll them in the program was also written. These resources are also included within this work

Pinhole aperture point backlighter development experiments on Trident, 9-13, 2001

Pinhole aperture point backlighter (PAPBL) imaging has been used on experiments on Omega, but results have been compromised by large backgrounds. This technique has advantages over traditional area backlighting/pinhole imaging, and the Omega experiments could benefit from this capability, but Omega time is expensive and not the place for developing diagnostic techniques if they can be developed on Trident instead. PAPBL, shot from Direct Drive Cylinder Mix experiments on Omega (DDCYLMIX 00-1, January 18 and 19, 2000). [See LA-UR-00-4187, Post-Shot Report, Direct Drive Cylinder Mix]. In this campaign, they used Trident to obtain clean PAPBL images. Having accomplished that, they attempted to replicate the noise environment of Omega by producing hot electrons and having them impinge on material to produce high-energy x-rays similar to those that might be produced by hot electrons impinging on diagnostics or target positioner components on Omega. Backlighter target design was based, to some degree, on that shown by Bullock et al. at the 42nd Annual APS-DPP Meeting in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada, October 23-27, 2000. [A.B. Bullock et al., Bull. Am. Phys. Soc. 45,(7) 359 (2000); A.B. Bullock et al., Rev. Sci. Instrum. 72, 690 (2001).] We accomplished this to some degree and then attempted, with some success, to obtain a good PAPBL image in the presence of this noise. Results of this work suggest methods that might reduce the background noise in Omega PAPBL images. The goals are to obtain a pinhole aperture point backlighter (PAPBL) image on Trident and develop a method to simulate the high-energy background contribution to PAPBL imnages seen on Omega experients in order to allow future experiments to optimize signal-to-noise in PAPBL imaging

Determining in-channel (dead zone) transient storage by comparing solute transport in a bedrock channel–alluvial channel sequence, Oregon

Current stream tracer techniques do not allow separation of in-channel dead zone (e.g., eddies) and out-of-channel (hyporheic) transient storage, yet this separation is important to understanding stream biogeochemical processes. We characterize in-channel transient storage with a rhodamine WT solute tracer experiment in a 304 m cascade-pool-type bedrock reach with no hyporheic zone. We compare the solute breakthrough curve (BTC) from this reach to that of an adjacent 367 m alluvial reach with significant hyporheic exchange. In the bedrock reach, transient storage has an exponential residence time distribution with a mean residence time of 3.0 hours and a ratio of transient storage to stream volume of 0.14, demonstrating that at moderate discharge, bedrock in-channel storage zones provide a small volume of transient storage with substantial residence time. In the alluvial reach, though pools are similar in size to those in the bedrock reach, transient storage has a power law residence time distribution with a mean residence time of >100 hours (estimated at nearly 1200 hours) and a ratio of storage to stream volume of 105. Because the in-channel hydraulics of bedrock reaches are simpler than alluvial step-pool reaches, the bedrock results are probably a lower end-member with respect to volume and residence time, though they demonstrate that in-channel storage may be appreciable in some reaches. These results suggest that in-stream dead zone transient storage may be accurately simulated by exponential RTDs but that hyporheic exchange is better simulated with a power law RTD as a consequence of more complicated flow path and exchange dynamics.Keywords: residence time distribution, transient storage, dead zone, hyporheic exchange, H.J. Andrews Experimental Forest, bedrock channelKeywords: residence time distribution, transient storage, dead zone, hyporheic exchange, H.J. Andrews Experimental Forest, bedrock channe

The Small Unit Cell Reconstructions of SrTiO3 (111)

We analyze the basic structural units of simple reconstructions of the (111) surface of SrTiO3 using density functional calculations. The prime focus is to answer three questions: what is the most appropriate functional to use; how accurate are the energies; what are the dominant low-energy structures and where do they lie on the surface phase diagram. Using test calculations of representative small molecules we compare conventional GGA with higher-order methods such as the TPSS meta-GGA and on-site hybrid methods PBE0 and TPSSh, the later being the most accurate. There are large effects due to reduction of the metal d oxygen sp hybridization when using the hybrid methods which are equivalent to a dynamical GGA+U, which leads to rather substantial improvements in the atomization energies of simple calibration molecules, even though the d-electron density for titanium compounds is rather small. By comparing the errors of the different methods we are able to generate an estimate of the theoretical error, which is about 0.25eV per 1x1 unit cell, with changes of 0.5-1.0 eV per 1x1 cell with the more accurate method relative to conventional GGA. An analysis of the plausible structures reveals an unusual low-energy TiO2-rich configuration with an unexpected distorted trigonal biprismatic structure. This structure can act as a template for layers of either TiO or Ti2O3, consistent with experimental results as well as, in principle, Magnelli phases. The results also suggest that both the fracture surface and the stoichiometric SrTiO3 (111) surface should spontaneously disproportionate into SrO and TiO2 rich domains, and show that there are still surprises to be found for polar oxide surfaces.Comment: 14 pages, 4 Figure

CD56negCD16+ NK cells are activated mature NK cells with impaired effector function during HIV-1 infection

BACKGROUND: A subset of CD3(neg)CD56(neg)CD16⁺ Natural Killer (NK) cells is highly expanded during chronic HIV-1 infection. The role of this subset in HIV-1 pathogenesis remains unclear. The lack of NK cell lineage-specific markers has complicated the study of minor NK cell subpopulations. RESULTS: Using CD7 as an additional NK cell marker, we found that CD3(neg)CD56(neg)CD16⁺ cells are a heterogeneous population comprised of CD7⁺ NK cells and CD7(neg) non-classical myeloid cells. CD7⁺CD56(neg)CD16⁺ NK cells are significantly expanded in HIV-1 infection. CD7⁺CD56(neg)CD16⁺ NK cells are mature and express KIRs, the C-type lectin-like receptors NKG2A and NKG2C, and natural cytotoxicity receptors similar to CD7⁺CD56⁺CD16⁺ NK cells. CD7⁺CD56(neg) NK cells in healthy donors produced minimal IFNγ following K562 target cell or IL-12 plus IL-18 stimulation; however, they degranulated in response to K562 stimulation similar to CD7⁺CD56⁺ NK cells. HIV-1 infection resulted in reduced IFNγ secretion following K562 or cytokine stimulation by both NK cell subsets compared to healthy donors. Decreased granzyme B and perforin expression and increased expression of CD107a in the absence of stimulation, particularly in HIV-1-infected subjects, suggest that CD7⁺CD56(neg)CD16⁺ NK cells may have recently engaged target cells. Furthermore, CD7⁺CD56(neg)CD16⁺ NK cells have significantly increased expression of CD95, a marker of NK cell activation. CONCLUSIONS: Taken together, CD7⁺CD56(neg)CD16⁺ NK cells are activated, mature NK cells that may have recently engaged target cells

Safety of anti-immunoglobulin E therapy with omalizumab in allergic patients at risk of geohelminth infection

BACKGROUND: Although the role of immunoglobulin E (IgE) in immunity against helminth parasites is unclear, there is concern that therapeutic antibodies that neutralize IgE (anti-IgE) may be unsafe in subjects at risk of helminth infection. OBJECTIVE: We conducted an exploratory study to investigate the safety of omalizumab (anti-IgE) in subjects with allergic asthma and/or perennial allergic rhinitis at high risk of intestinal helminth infection. The primary safety outcome was risk of infections with intestinal helminths during anti-IgE therapy. METHODS: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was conducted in 137 subjects (12–30 years) at high risk of geohelminth infection. All subjects received pre-study anthelmintic treatment, followed by 52 weeks' treatment with omalizumab or placebo. RESULTS: Of the omalizumab subjects 50% (34/68) experienced at least one intestinal geohelminth infection compared with 41% (28/69) of placebo subjects [odds ratio (OR) 1.47, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.74–2.95, one-sided P = 0.14; OR (adjusted for study visit, baseline infection status, gender and age) 2.2 (0.94–5.15); one-sided P = 0.035], providing some evidence for a potential increased incidence of geohelminth infection in subjects receiving omalizumab. Omalizumab therapy was well tolerated, and did not appear to be associated with increased morbidity attributable to intestinal helminths as assessed by clinical and laboratory adverse events, maximal helminth infection intensities and additional anthelmintic requirements. Time to first infection (OR 1.30, 95% CI 0.79–2.15, one-sided P = 0.15) was similar between treatment groups. Infection severity and response to anthelmintics appeared to be unaffected by omalizumab therapy. CONCLUSIONS: In this exploratory study of allergic subjects at high risk of helminth infections, omalizumab therapy appeared to be safe and well tolerated, but may be associated with a modest increase in the incidence of geohelminth infection

NK Cells Are Not Required for Spontaneous Autoimmune Diabetes in NOD Mice

NK cells have been shown to either promote or protect from autoimmune diseases. Several studies have examined the role of receptors preferentially expressed by NK cells in the spontaneous disease of NOD mice or the direct role of NK cells in acute induced disease models of diabetes. Yet, the role of NK cells in spontaneous diabetes has not been directly addressed. Here, we used the NOD.NK1.1 congenic mouse model to examine the role of NK cells in spontaneous diabetes. Significant numbers of NK cells were only seen in the pancreas of mice with disease. Pancreatic NK cells displayed an activated surface phenotype and proliferated more than NK cells from other tissues in the diseased mice. Nonetheless, depletion of NK cells had no effect on dendritic cell maturation or T cell proliferation. In spontaneous disease, the deletion of NK cells had no significant impact on disease onset. NK cells were also not required to promote disease induced by adoptively transferred pathogenic CD4+ T cells. Thus, NK cells are not required for spontaneous autoimmune diabetes in NOD mice