114 research outputs found
Quenched Narrow-Line Laser Cooling of 40Ca to Near the Photon Recoil Limit
We present a cooling method that should be generally applicable to atoms with
narrow optical transitions. This technique uses velocity-selective pulses to
drive atoms towards a zero-velocity dark state and then quenches the excited
state to increase the cooling rate. We demonstrate this technique of quenched
narrow-line cooling by reducing the 1-D temperature of a sample of neutral 40Ca
atoms. We velocity select and cool with the 1S0(4s2) to 3P1(4s4p) 657 nm
intercombination line and quench with the 3P1(4s4p) to 1S0(4s5s)
intercombination line at 553 nm, which increases the cooling rate eight-fold.
Limited only by available quenching laser power, we have transferred 18 % of
the atoms from our initial 2 mK velocity distribution and achieved temperatures
as low as 4 microK, corresponding to a vrms of 2.8 cm/s or 2 recoils at 657 nm.
This cooling technique, which is closely related to Raman cooling, can be
extended to three dimensions.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures; Submitted to PRA Rapid Communication
Towards quantum computing with single atoms and optical cavities on atom chips
We report on recent developments in the integration of optical
microresonators into atom chips and describe some fabrication and
implementation challenges. We also review theoretical proposals for quantum
computing with single atoms based on the observation of photons leaking through
the cavity mirrors. The use of measurements to generate entanglement can result
in simpler, more robust and scalable quantum computing architectures. Indeed,
we show that quantum computing with atom-cavity systems is feasible even in the
presence of relatively large spontaneous decay rates and finite photon detector
efficiencies.Comment: 14 pages, 6 figure
Identification of novel Coxiella burnetii genotypes from Ethiopian ticks
Background:
Coxiella burnetii
, the etiologic agent of Q fever, is a highly infectious
zoonotic bacterium. Genetic information about the strains of this worldwide
distributed agent circulating on the African continent is limited. The aim of the
present study was the genetic characterization of
C. burnetii
DNA samples
detected in ticks collected from Ethiopian cattle and their comparison with other
genotypes found previously in other parts of the world.
Methodology/Principal Findings:
A total of 296 tick samples were screened by
real-time PCR targeting the IS
1111
region of
C. burnetii
genome and from the 32
positive samples, 8 cases with sufficient
C. burnetii
DNA load (
Amblyomma
cohaerens
,n
5
6;
A. variegatum
,n
5
2) were characterized by multispacer sequence
typing (MST) and multiple-locus variable-number tandem repeat analysis (MLVA).
One novel sequence type (ST), the proposed ST52, was identified by MST. The
MLVA-6 discriminated the proposed ST52 into two newly identified MLVA
genotypes: type 24 or AH was detected in both
Amblyomma
species while type 26
or AI was found only in
A. cohaerens
.
Conclusions/Significance:
Both the MST and MLVA genotypes of the present
work are closely related to previously described genotypes found primarily in cattle
samples from different parts of the globe. This finding is congruent with the source
hosts of the analyzed Ethiopian ticks, as these were also collected from cattle. The
present study provides genotype information of
C. burnetii
from this seldom studied
East-African region as well as further evidence for the presumed host-specific
adaptation of this agent
Modelling the impact of toxic and disturbance stress on white-tailed eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla) populations
Several studies have related breeding success and survival of sea eagles to toxic or non-toxic stress separately. In the present investigation, we analysed single and combined impacts of both toxic and disturbance stress on populations of white-tailed eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla), using an analytical single-species model. Chemical and eco(toxico)logical data reported from laboratory and field studies were used to parameterise and validate the model. The model was applied to assess the impact of ∑PCB, DDE and disturbance stress on the white-tailed eagle population in The Netherlands. Disturbance stress was incorporated through a 1.6% reduction in survival and a 10–50% reduction in reproduction. ∑PCB contamination from 1950 up to 1987 was found to be too high to allow the return of white-tailed eagle as a breeding species in that period. ∑PCB and population trends simulated for 2006–2050 suggest that future population growth is still reduced. Disturbance stress resulted in a reduced population development. The combination of both toxic and disturbance stress varied from a slower population development to a catastrophical reduction in population size, where the main cause was attributed to the reduction in reproduction of 50%. Application of the model was restricted by the current lack of quantitative dose–response relationships between non-toxic stress and survival and reproduction. Nevertheless, the model provides a first step towards integrating and quantifying the impacts of multiple stressors on white-tailed eagle populations
Metabolic and miRNA Profiling of TMV Infected Plants Reveals Biphasic Temporal Changes
Plant viral infections induce changes including gene expression and metabolic components. Identification of metabolites and microRNAs (miRNAs) differing in abundance along infection may provide a broad view of the pathways involved in signaling and defense that orchestrate and execute the response in plant-pathogen interactions. We used a systemic approach by applying both liquid and gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry to determine the relative level of metabolites across the viral infection, together with a miRs profiling using a micro-array based procedure. Systemic changes in metabolites were characterized by a biphasic response after infection. The first phase, detected at one dpi, evidenced the action of a systemic signal since no virus was detected systemically. Several of the metabolites increased at this stage were hormone-related. miRs profiling after infection also revealed a biphasic alteration, showing miRs alteration at 5 dpi where no virus was detected systemically and a late phase correlating with virus accumulation. Correlation analyses revealed a massive increase in the density of correlation networks after infection indicating a complex reprogramming of the regulatory pathways, either in response to the plant defense mechanism or to the virus infection itself. Our data propose the involvement of a systemic signaling on early miRs alteration
Maternal vitamin and iron supplementation and risk of infant leukaemia: a report from the Children's Oncology Group
Assessment of the therapeutic efficacy of artemether-lumefantrine in the treatment of uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum malaria in northern KwaZulu-Natal: an observational cohort study
XPO1 in B cell hematological malignancies: from recurrent somatic mutations to targeted therapy
The role of nuclear technologies in the diagnosis and control of livestock diseases—a review
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