Observation of local temporal correlations in trapped quantum gases

We measure the temporal pair correlation function $g^{(2)}(\tau)$ of a trapped gas of bosons above and below the critical temperature for Bose-Einstein condensation. The measurement is performed {\it in situ} using a local, time-resolved single-atom sensitive probing technique. Third and fourth order correlation functions are also extracted. We develop a theoretical model and compare it with our experimental data, finding good quantitative agreement and highlighting the role of interactions. Our results promote temporal correlations as new observables to study the dynamics of ultracold quantum gases

Thermodynamics of Strongly Correlated One-Dimensional Bose Gases

We investigate the thermodynamics of one-dimensional Bose gases in the strongly correlated regime. To this end, we prepare ensembles of independent 1D Bose gases in a two-dimensional optical lattice and perform high-resolution in situ imaging of the column-integrated density distribution. Using an inverse Abel transformation we derive effective one-dimensional line-density profiles and compare them to exact theoretical models. The high resolution allows for a direct thermometry of the trapped ensembles. The knowledge about the temperature enables us to extract thermodynamic equations of state such as the phase-space density, the entropy per particle and the local pair correlation function.Comment: 4 pages, 5 figure

Der Regulationsmechanismus des Osmosensors BetP aus Corynebacterium glutamicum

Der sekundäre Glycinbetaintransporter BetP ist eines von vier osmoregulierten Transportsystemen, die in dem Gram-positiven Bodenbakterium Corynebacterium glutamicum den Import von kompatiblen Soluten unter hyperosmotischen Bedingungen vermitteln. Hierbei fungiert BetP zugleich als Osmosensor und Osmoregulator. Das heißt, BetP ist in der Lage, osmotischen Stress selbstständig zu detektieren und seine katalytische Aktivität in Abhängigkeit des detektierten Stresses zu regulieren. Messungen in Proteoliposomen hatten belegt, dass eine erhöhte interne Kaliumionenkonzentration als spezifischer Reiz zur Aktivierung von BetP fungiert. In dieser Arbeit wurde erstmalig ein in vitro identifizierter Stimulus für einen Osmosensor in vivo verifiziert. So konnte gezeigt werden, dass die BetP-Aktivierung auch in lebenden Zellen von Kalium abhängt. Jedoch wurden Indizien gefunden, dass in vivo neben Kalium noch ein zweiter Stimulus zur osmoabhängigen BetP-Aktivierung existiert. Es war bekannt, dass die cytoplasmatische C-terminale Extension des BetP-Proteins in die K+-abhängige Regulation des Transporters involviert ist. Durch ortsgerichtete Mutagenese innerhalb dieser putativen, alpha-helikalen Sensordomäne wurde gezeigt, dass nicht einzelne Aminosäurereste, sondern vielmehr die korrekte Konformation oder relative räumliche Orientierung der C-terminalen Domäne für die BetP-Regulation entscheidend ist. Die Charakterisierung C-terminaler BetP-Varianten in verschiedenen Membranumgebungen ließ den Schluss zu, dass die Konformation der alpha-helikalen C-Domäne über Interaktionen mit negativ geladenen Membranlipiden stabilisiert wird. Diese These konnte gestützt werden, indem Interaktionen der C-Domäne mit verschiedenen Lipidoberflächen durch Oberflächenplasmonresonanz-Spektroskopie analysiert wurden. Außerdem wurden mittels biochemischer Methoden erstmalig weitere cytoplasmatische Proteinbereiche identifiziert, die über Interaktionen mit der C-Domäne zur Detektion oder Transduktion des Kaliumsignals in den Mechanismus der BetP-Aktivierung eingebunden sind. Durch die hier gewonnenen Daten konnte ein neues Modell für den Regulationsmechanismus des Osmosensors BetP entworfen werden

Impact experiments in support of “Lithopanspermia”: The route from Mars to Earth

Shock recovery experiments on a Martian analogue rock (gabbro) loaded with three types of microorganisms reveal that these organisms survive the impact and ejection phase on Mars at shock pressures up to about 50 GPa with exponentially decreasing survival rates

The influence of shock pressure, pre-shock temperature, and host rock composition on the survival rate of endolithic microorganisms during impact ejection from Mars

Petrographic and biological analysis of shock recovery experiments confirms the possible life transport due to an impact from Mars to Earth

Cross-dimensional phase transition from an array of 1D Luttinger liquids to a 3D Bose-Einstein condensate

We study the thermodynamic properties of a 2D array of coupled one-dimensional Bose gases. The system is realized with ultracold bosonic atoms loaded in the potential tubes of a two-dimensional optical lattice. For negligible coupling strength, each tube is an independent weakly interacting 1D Bose gas featuring Tomonaga Luttinger liquid behavior. By decreasing the lattice depth, we increase the coupling strength between the 1D gases and allow for the phase transition into a 3D condensate. We extract the phase diagram for such a system and compare our results with theoretical predictions. Due to the high effective mass across the periodic potential and the increased 1D interaction strength, the phase transition is shifted to large positive values of the chemical potential. Our results are prototypical to a variety of low-dimensional systems, where the coupling between the subsystems is realized in a higher spatial dimension such as coupled spin chains in magnetic insulators.Comment: 5 pages, 5 pictures, final version, Phys. Rev. Lett. in print (2014

A cross-sectional study on the knowledge of and interest in Planetary Health in health-related study programmes in Germany

Planetary Health connects human health with the natural and anthropogenic systems on which it depends. Planetary Health education has been growing in a wide range of health-related disciplines, yet not been widely implemented in health-related university curricula. This cross-sectional study focused on students' knowledge of and interest in Planetary Health education in order to assess the relevance of Planetary Health and Planetary Health topics for university students and their fields of study. We surveyed 1,303 students enrolled in health-related programmes in Bavaria, Germany. Data was collected on students' previous knowledge of and interest in Planetary Health, as well as the relevance of different Planetary Health topics and students' willingness to select a Planetary Health elective within their study programmes. Descriptive statistics were calculated. The majority of participants (73.8%) had not yet heard of Planetary Health but were interested in learning more about this field (90.7%). Most participants considered Planetary Health as relevant to their field (81.6%) and would likely choose a Planetary Health elective (81.9%). Participants were most interested in topics about general associations between climate and health as well as its connections with mental health and (micro) plastics. There is an urgent need and high student interest to implement a Planetary Health module in health-related study programmes in order to move this topic more into focus for the next generation of students

Sex Differences in Cardiac Mitochondria in the New Zealand Obese Mouse

Background: Obesity is a risk factor for diseases including type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and cardiovascular disorders. Diabetes itself contributes to cardiac damage. Thus, studying cardiovascular events and establishing therapeutic intervention in the period of type T2DM onset and manifestation are of highest importance. Mitochondrial dysfunction is one of the pathophysiological mechanisms leading to impaired cardiac function.Methods: An adequate animal model for studying pathophysiology of T2DM is the New Zealand Obese (NZO) mouse. These mice were maintained on a high-fat diet (HFD) without carbohydrates for 13 weeks followed by 4 week HFD with carbohydrates. NZO mice developed severe obesity and only male mice developed manifest T2DM. We determined cardiac phenotypes and mitochondrial function as well as cardiomyocyte signaling in this model.Results: The development of an obese phenotype and T2DM in male mice was accompanied by an impaired systolic function as judged by echocardiography and MyH6/7 expression. Moreover, the mitochondrial function only in male NZO hearts was significantly reduced and ERK1/2 and AMPK protein levels were altered.Conclusions: This is the first report demonstrating that the cardiac phenotype in male diabetic NZO mice is associated with impaired cardiac energy function and signaling events

Survival of lichens and bacteria exposed to outer space conditions - Results of the Lithopanspermia experiments

n the space experiments Lithopanspermia, experimental support was provided to the likelihood of the lithopanspermia concept that considers a viable transport of microorganisms between the terrestrial planets by means of meteorites. The rock colonising lichens Rhizocarpon geographicum and Xanthoria elegans, the vagrant lichen Aspicilia fruticulosa, and endolithic and endoevaporitic communities of cyanobacteria and bacteria with their natural rock substrate were exposed to space for 10 days onboard the Biopan facility of the European Space Agency (ESA). Biopan was closed during launch and re-entry. In addition, in the Stone facility, one sample of R. geographicum on its natural granitic substrate was attached at the outer surface of the re-entry capsule close to the stagnation point, only protected by a thin cover of glass textolite. Post-flight analysis, which included determination of the photosynthetic activity, LIVE/DEAD staining, and germination capacity of the ascospores, demonstrated that all three lichen were quite resistant to outer space conditions, which include the full spectrum of solar extraterrestrial electromagnetic radiation or selected wavelength ranges. This high resistance of the lichens to space appears to be due to their symbiotic nature and protection by their upper pigmented layer, the cortex. In contrast, the rock- or halite-inhabiting bacteria were severely damaged by the same exposure. After atmospheric re-entry, the granite of the Stone sample was transformed into a glassy, nearly homogenous material, with several friction striae. None of the lichen cells survived this re-entry process. The data suggest that lichens are suitable candidates for testing the concept of lithopanspermia, because they are extremely resistant to the harsh environment of outer space. The more critical event is the atmospheric re-entry after being captured by a planet. Experiments simulating the re-entry process of a microbe-carrying meteoroid did not show any survivors

Policies to Enhance Prescribing Efficiency in Europe: Findings and Future Implications

Introduction: European countries need to learn from each other to address unsustainable increases in pharmaceutical expenditures. Objective: To assess the influence of the many supply and demand-side initiatives introduced across Europe to enhance prescribing efficiency in ambulatory care. As a result provide future guidance to countries. Methods: Cross national retrospective observational study of utilization (DDDs – defined daily doses) and expenditure (Euros and local currency) of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) and statins among 19 European countries and regions principally from 2001 to 2007. Demand-side measures categorized under the “4Es” – education engineering, economics, and enforcement. Results: Instigating supply side initiatives to lower the price of generics combined with demand-side measures to enhance their prescribing is important to maximize prescribing efficiency. Just addressing one component will limit potential efficiency gains. The influence of demand-side reforms appears additive, with multiple initiatives typically having a greater influence on increasing prescribing efficiency than single measures apart from potentially “enforcement.” There are also appreciable differences in expenditure (€/1000 inhabitants/year) between countries. Countries that have not introduced multiple demand side measures to counteract commercial pressures to enhance the prescribing of generics have seen considerably higher expenditures than those that have instigated a range of measures. Conclusions: There are considerable opportunities for European countries to enhance their prescribing efficiency, with countries already learning from each other. The 4E methodology allows European countries to concisely capture the range of current demand-side measures and plan for the future knowing that initiatives can be additive to further enhance their prescribing efficiency