2,382 research outputs found
The role of quantum fluctuations in the optomechanical properties of a Bose-Einstein condensate in a ring cavity
We analyze a detailed model of a Bose-Einstein condensate trapped in a ring
optical resonator and contrast its classical and quantum properties to those of
a Fabry-P{\'e}rot geometry. The inclusion of two counter-propagating light
fields and three matter field modes leads to important differences between the
two situations. Specifically, we identify an experimentally realizable region
where the system's behavior differs strongly from that of a BEC in a
Fabry-P\'{e}rot cavity, and also where quantum corrections become significant.
The classical dynamics are rich, and near bifurcation points in the mean-field
classical system, the quantum fluctuations have a major impact on the system's
dynamics.Comment: 11 pages, 11 figures, submitted to PR
Conjugate field and fluctuation-dissipation relation for the dynamic phase transition in the two-dimensional kinetic Ising model
The two-dimensional kinetic Ising model, when exposed to an oscillating
applied magnetic field, has been shown to exhibit a nonequilibrium,
second-order dynamic phase transition (DPT), whose order parameter Q is the
period-averaged magnetization. It has been established that this DPT falls in
the same universality class as the equilibrium phase transition in the
two-dimensional Ising model in zero applied field. Here we study for the first
time the scaling of the dynamic order parameter with respect to a nonzero,
period-averaged, magnetic `bias' field, H_b, for a DPT produced by a
square-wave applied field. We find evidence that the scaling exponent,
\delta_d, of H_b at the critical period of the DPT is equal to the exponent for
the critical isotherm, \delta_e, in the equilibrium Ising model. This implies
that H_b is a significant component of the field conjugate to Q. A finite-size
scaling analysis of the dynamic order parameter above the critical period
provides further support for this result. We also demonstrate numerically that,
for a range of periods and values of H_b in the critical region, a
fluctuation-dissipation relation (FDR), with an effective temperature
T_{eff}(T, P, H_0) depending on the period, and possibly the temperature and
field amplitude, holds for the variables Q and H_b. This FDR justifies the use
of the scaled variance of Q as a proxy for the nonequilibrium susceptibility,
\partial / \partial H_b, in the critical region.Comment: revised version; 31 pages, 12 figures; accepted by Phys. Rev.
A Potential Foundation for Emergent Space-Time
We present a novel derivation of both the Minkowski metric and Lorentz
transformations from the consistent quantification of a causally ordered set of
events with respect to an embedded observer. Unlike past derivations, which
have relied on assumptions such as the existence of a 4-dimensional manifold,
symmetries of space-time, or the constant speed of light, we demonstrate that
these now familiar mathematics can be derived as the unique means to
consistently quantify a network of events. This suggests that space-time need
not be physical, but instead the mathematics of space and time emerges as the
unique way in which an observer can consistently quantify events and their
relationships to one another. The result is a potential foundation for emergent
space-time.Comment: The paper was originally titled "The Physics of Events: A Potential
Foundation for Emergent Space-Time". We changed the title (and abstract) to
be more direct when the paper was accepted for publication at the Journal of
Mathematical Physics. 24 pages, 15 figure
Release of chromatin extracellular traps by phagocytes of Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar (LINNAEUS, 1758)
Neutrophils release chromatin extracellular traps (ETs) as part of the fish innate immune response to counter the threats posed by microbial pathogens. However, relatively little attention has been paid to this phenomenon in many commercially farmed species, despite the importance of understanding host-pathogen interactions and the potential to influence ET release to reduce disease outbreaks. The aim of this present study was to investigate the release of ETs by Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.) immune cells. Extracellular structures resembling ETs of different morphology were observed by fluorescence microscopy in neutrophil suspensions in vitro, as these structures stained positively with Sytox Green and were digestible with DNase I. Immunofluorescence studies confirmed the ET structures to be decorated with histones H1 and H2A and neutrophil elastase, which are characteristic for ETs in mammals and other organisms. Although the ETs were released spontaneously, release in neutrophil suspensions was stimulated most significantly with 5âŻÎŒg/ml calcium ionophore (CaI) for 1âŻh, whilst the fish pathogenic bacterium Aeromonas salmonicida (isolates 30411 and Hooke) also exerted a stimulatory effect. Microscopic observations revealed bacteria in association with ETs, and fewer bacterial colonies of A. salmonicida Hooke were recovered at 3âŻh after co-incubation with neutrophils that had been induced to release ETs. Interestingly, spontaneous release of ETs was inversely associated with fish mass (p⯠< 0.05), a surrogate for age. Moreover, suspensions enriched for macrophages and stimulated with 5âŻÎŒg/ml CaI released ET-like structures that occasionally led to the formation of large clumps of cells. A deeper understanding for the roles and functions of ETs within innate immunity of fish hosts, and their interaction with microbial pathogens, may open new avenues towards protecting cultured stocks against infectious diseases
Sequential superradiant scattering from atomic Bose-Einstein condensates
We theoretically discuss several aspects of sequential superradiant
scattering from atomic Bose-Einstein condensates. Our treatment is based on the
semiclassical description of the process in terms of the Maxwell-Schroedinger
equations for the coupled matter-wave and optical fields. First, we investigate
sequential scattering in the weak-pulse regime and work out the essential
mechanisms responsible for bringing about the characteristic fan-shaped
side-mode distribution patterns. Second, we discuss the transition between the
Kapitza-Dirac and Bragg regimes of sequential scattering in the strong-pulse
regime. Finally, we consider the situation where superradiance is initiated by
coherently populating an atomic side mode through Bragg diffraction, as in
studies of matter-wave amplification, and describe the effect on the sequential
scattering process.Comment: 9 pages, 4 figures. Submitted to Proceedings of LPHYS'06 worksho
Introducing non-linear analysis into sustained speech characterization to improve sleep apnea detection
The final publication is available at Springer via http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-25020-0_28Proceedings of 5th International Conference on Nonlinear Speech Processing, NOLISP 2011, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (Spain)We present a novel approach for detecting severe obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) cases by introducing non-linear analysis into sustained speech characterization. The proposed scheme was designed for providing additional information into our baseline system, built on top of state-of-the-art cepstral domain modeling techniques, aiming to improve accuracy rates. This new information is lightly correlated with our previous MFCC modeling of sustained speech and uncorrelated with the information in our continuous speech modeling scheme. Tests have been performed to evaluate the improvement for our detection task, based on sustained speech as well as combined with a continuous speech classifier, resulting in a 10% relative reduction in classification for the first and a 33% relative reduction for the fused scheme. Results encourage us to consider the existence of non-linear effects on OSA patientsâ voices, and to think about tools which could be used to improve short-time analysis.The activities described in this paper were funded by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation as part of the TEC2009-14719-C02-02 (PriorSpeech) project
DE Canum Venaticorum : a bright, eclipsing red dwarfâwhite dwarf binary
Context. Close white dwarfâred dwarf binaries must have gone through a common-envelope phase during their evolution. DE CVn is a detached white dwarfâred dwarf binary with a relatively short (âŒ8.7 h) orbital period. Its brightness and the presence of eclipses makes this system ideal for a more detailed study.
Aims. From a study of photometric and spectroscopic observations of DE CVn we derive the system parameters that we discuss in the framework of common-envelope evolution.
Methods. Photometric observations of the eclipses are used to determine an accurate ephemeris. From a model fit to an average lowresolution spectrum of DE CVn, we constrain the temperature of the white dwarf and the spectral type of the red dwarf. The eclipse light curve is analysed and combined with the radial velocity curve of the red dwarf determined from time-resolved spectroscopy to derive constraints on the inclination and the masses of the components in the system.
Results. The derived ephemeris is HJDmin = 2 452 784.5533(1) + 0.3641394(2) Ă E. The red dwarf in DE CVn has a spectral type of M3V and the white dwarf has an effective temperature of 8 000 K. The inclination of the system is 86+3⊠â2 and the mass and radius of the red dwarf are 0.41 ± 0.06 M and 0.37+0.06 â0.007 R, respectively, and the mass and radius of the white dwarf are 0.51+0.06
â0.02 M and 0.0136+0.0008 â0.0002 R, respectively.
Conclusions. We found that the white dwarf has a hydrogen-rich atmosphere (DA-type). Given that DE CVn has experienced a common-envelope phase, we can reconstruct its evolution and we find that the progenitor of the white dwarf was a relatively lowmass star (M †1.6 M). The current age of this system is 3.3â7.3 Ă 109 years, while it will take longer than the Hubble time for DE CVn to evolve into a semi-detached system
RNA Polymerase Pausing during Initial Transcription
In bacteria, RNA polymerase (RNAP) initiates transcription
by synthesizing short transcripts that are
either released or extended to allow RNAP to escape
from the promoter. The mechanism of initial transcription
is unclear due to the presence of transient
intermediates and molecular heterogeneity. Here,
we studied initial transcription on a lac promoter
using single-molecule fluorescence observations
of DNA scrunching on immobilized transcription
complexes. Our work revealed a long pause (ââinitiation
pause,ââ ïżœ20 s) after synthesis of a 6-mer RNA;
such pauses can serve as regulatory checkpoints.
Region sigma 3.2, which contains a loop blocking
the RNA exit channel, was a major pausing determinant.
We also obtained evidence for RNA backtracking
during abortive initial transcription and for
additional pausing prior to escape. We summarized
our work in a model for initial transcription, in which
pausing is controlled by a complex set of determinants
that modulate the transition from a 6- to a
7-nt RNA
Structure of Colloid-Polymer Suspensions
We discuss structural correlations in mixtures of free polymer and colloidal
particles based on a microscopic, 2-component liquid state integral equation
theory. Whereas in the case of polymers much smaller than the spherical
particles the relevant polymer degree of freedom is the center of mass, for
polymers larger than the (nano-) particles conformational rearrangements need
to be considered. They have the important consequence that the polymer
depletion layer exhibits two widely different length scales, one of the order
of the particle radius, the other of the order of the polymer radius or the
polymer density screening length in dilute or semidilute concentrations,
respectively. Their consequences on phase stability and structural correlations
are discussed extensively.Comment: 37 pages, 17 figures; topical feature articl
Ancient Yersinia pestis genomes from across Western Europe reveal early diversification during the First Pandemic (541â750)
The first historically documented pandemic caused by Yersinia pestis began as the Justinianic Plague in 541 within the Roman Empire and continued as the so-called First Pandemic until 750. Although paleogenomic studies have previously identified the causative agent as Y. pestis, little is known about the bacteriumâs spread, diversity, and genetic history over the course of the pandemic. To elucidate the microevolution of the bacterium during this time period, we screened human remains from 21 sites in Austria, Britain, Germany, France, and Spain for Y. pestis DNA and reconstructed eight genomes. We present a methodological approach assessing single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in ancient bacterial genomes, facilitating qualitative analyses of low coverage genomes from a metagenomic background. Phylogenetic analysis on the eight reconstructed genomes reveals the existence of previously undocumented Y. pestis diversity during the sixth to eighth centuries, and provides evidence for the presence of multiple distinct Y. pestis strains in Europe. We offer genetic evidence for the presence of the Justinianic Plague in the British Isles, previously only hypothesized from ambiguous documentary accounts, as well as the parallel occurrence of multiple derived strains in central and southern France, Spain, and southern Germany. Four of the reported strains form a polytomy similar to others seen across the Y. pestis phylogeny, associated with the Second and Third Pandemics. We identified a deletion of a 45-kb genomic region in the most recent First Pandemic strains affecting two virulence factors, intriguingly overlapping with a deletion found in 17th- to 18th-century genomes of the Second Pandemic. © 2019 National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved
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