A small mode volume tunable microcavity: development and characterization

We report the realization of a spatially and spectrally tunable air-gap Fabry-Pérot type microcavity of high finesse and cubic-wavelength-scale mode volume. These properties are attractive in the fields of opto-mechanics, quantum sensing, and foremost cavity quantum electrodynamics. The major design feature is a miniaturized concave mirror with atomically smooth surface and radius of curvature as low as 10 μm produced by CO2 laser ablation of fused silica. We demonstrate excellent mode-matching of a focussed laser beam to the microcavity mode and confirm from the frequencies of the resonator modes that the effective optical radius matches the physical radius. With these small radii, we demonstrate wavelength-size beam waists. We also show that the microcavity is sufficiently rigid for practical applications: in a cryostat at 4 K, the root-mean-square microcavity length fluctuations are below 5 pm

Health of children conceived after preimplantation genetic diagnosis: a preliminary outcome study

A preliminary study was conducted on health of children conceived after preimplantation genetic screening and diagnosis (PGD). Forty-nine children were assessed with 66 matched naturally conceived (NC) controls. Primary outcome was neurodevelopmental screening, and secondary outcomes were evidence of other health problems and assessment of parent-child relationships. Study and control children were well matched across relevant socio-demographic variables. Growth parameters at mean age 18 months were normal. The mean Griffiths quotient was 102.7 (+/-13.1) (PGD) and 103.3 (+/-12.8) (NC), both of which were within the normal range, and did not differ significantly. PGD cases were more likely to be lighter, at <2500 g (12 children, 24.5% versus one child 1.5%, P < 0.0001) and born earlier than controls (38.2 +/- 2.6 versus 40.0 +/- 1.4 weeks; P < 0.0001), consistent with other similar studies. PGD families showed no evidence of excess stress in their relationship with their child. The PGD group had significantly higher scores on the warmth-affection sub-scale (P = 0.042), and significantly lower scores on the aggression-hostility and rejection sub-scales (P = 0.030) of the questionnaire. The study showed no major ill effects from PGD on the child health. A larger study is needed to confirm the validity of this conclusion

Potential Genetic Bases of Morphological Evolution in the Triassic Fish Saurichthys

Originating from an ancestor covered entirely by uniform rhomboid scales with numerous, highly segmented fin rays, the Triassic basal actinopterygian fish Saurichthys radiated into species diagnosed by different degrees of loss in scales, rays, and dermal bones. Such changes are analogous to those reported in mutants of different extant species, such as sticklebacks, zebrafish, and medaka. With this background, we infer a loss of function or a regulatory change of a signaling pathway as a key mechanism behind the morphological diversity of Saurichthys. Either the fibroblast growth factor pathway was affected, assuming that gene duplication had occurred, as for example in the closely related acipenserids or in teleosts, or the ectodysplasin pathway was involved, assuming that its pleiotropic effects led to viable morphological diversification. In contrast to a gradualistic model of evolution, a change in a major developmental gene serves as a viable explanation for the essential differences among the species of Saurichthys in the paleoecological context in which they originated

European multicentre evaluation of a commercial system for identification of methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus

SCOPUS: ar.jinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishe