Of impacts, agents, and functions: An interdisciplinary meta-review of smart home energy management systems research

Smart home energy management technologies (SHEMS) have long been viewed as a promising opportunity to manage the way households use energy. Research on this topic has emerged across a variety of disciplines, focusing on different pieces of the SHEMS puzzle without offering a holistic vision of how these technologies and their users will influence home energy use moving forward. This paper presents the results of a systematic, interdisciplinary meta-review of SHEMS literature, assessing the extent to which it discusses the role of various SHEMS components in driving energy benefits. Results reveal a bias towards technical perspectives and controls approaches that seek to drive energy impacts such as load management and energy savings through SHEMS without user or third-party participation. Not only are techno-centric approaches more common, there is also a lack of integration of these approaches with user-centric, information-based solutions for driving energy impacts. These results suggest future work should investigate more holistic solutions for optimal impacts on household energy use. We hope these results will provoke a broader discussion about how to advance research on SHEMS to capitalize on their potential contributions to demand-side management initiatives moving forward

Absolute frequency measurements of 85Rb nF7/2 Rydberg states using purely optical detection

A three-step laser excitation scheme is used to make absolute frequency measurements of highly excited nF7/2 Rydberg states in 85Rb for principal quantum numbers n=33-100. This work demonstrates the first absolute frequency measurements of rubidium Rydberg levels using a purely optical detection scheme. The Rydberg states are excited in a heated Rb vapour cell and Doppler free signals are detected via purely optical means. All of the frequency measurements are made using a wavemeter which is calibrated against a GPS disciplined self-referenced optical frequency comb. We find that the measured levels have a very high frequency stability, and are especially robust to electric fields. The apparatus has allowed measurements of the states to an accuracy of 8.0MHz. The new measurements are analysed by extracting the modified Rydberg-Ritz series parameters.Comment: 12 pages, 5 figures, submitted to New. J. Phy

Nonlinear interaction between two heralded single photons

Harnessing nonlinearities strong enough to allow two single photons to interact with one another is not only a fascinating challenge but is central to numerous advanced applications in quantum information science. Currently, all known approaches are extremely challenging although a few have led to experimental realisations with attenuated classical laser light. This has included cross-phase modulation with weak classical light in atomic ensembles and optical fibres, converting incident laser light into a non-classical stream of photon or Rydberg blockades as well as all-optical switches with attenuated classical light in various atomic systems. Here we report the observation of a nonlinear parametric interaction between two true single photons. Single photons are initially generated by heralding one photon from each of two independent spontaneous parametric downconversion sources. The two heralded single photons are subsequently combined in a nonlinear waveguide where they are converted into a single photon with a higher energy. Our approach highlights the potential for quantum nonlinear optics with integrated devices, and as the photons are at telecom wavelengths, it is well adapted to applications in quantum communication.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure

Wave function engineering in quantum dot-ring nanostructures

Modern nanotechnology allows producing, depending on application, various quantum nanostructures with the desired properties. These properties are strongly influenced by the confinement potential which can be modified, e.g., by electrical gating. In this paper we analyze a nanostructure composed of a quantum dot surrounded by a quantum ring. We show that depending on the details of the confining potential the electron wave functions can be located in different parts of the structure. Since the properties of such a nanostructure strongly depend on the distribution of the wave functions, varying the applied gate voltage one can easily control them. In particular, we illustrate the high controllability of the nanostructure by demonstrating how its coherent, optical, and conducting properties can be drastically changed by a small modification of the confining potential.Comment: 8 pages, 10 figures, 2 tables, revte

Risk factors for recurrence in patients with Clostridium difficile infection due to 027 and non-027 ribotypes

Objectives: Our objective was to evaluate factors associated with recurrence in patients with 027+ and 027– Clostridium difficile infection (CDI). Methods: Patients with CDI observed between January and December 2014 in six hospitals were consecutively included in the study. The 027 ribotype was deduced by the presence of tcdB, tcdB, cdt genes and the deletion Δ117 in tcdC (Xpert® C. difficile/Epi). Recurrence was defined as a positive laboratory test result for C. difficile more than 14 days but within 8 weeks after the initial diagnosis date with reappearance of symptoms. To identify factors associated with recurrence in 027+ and 027– CDI, a multivariate analysis was performed in each patient group. Subdistributional hazard ratios (sHRs) and 95% confidence intervals (95%CIs) were calculated. Results: Overall, 238 patients with 027+ CDI and 267 with 027– CDI were analysed. On multivariate analysis metronidazole monotherapy (sHR 2.380, 95%CI 1.549–3.60, p <0.001) and immunosuppressive treatment (sHR 3.116, 95%CI 1.906–5.090, p <0.001) were factors associated with recurrence in patients with 027+ CDI. In this patient group, metronidazole monotherapy was independently associated with recurrence in both mild/moderate (sHR 1.894, 95%CI 1.051–3.410, p 0.033) and severe CDI (sHR 2.476, 95%CI 1.281–4.790, p 0.007). Conversely, non-severe disease (sHR 3.704, 95%CI 1.437–9.524, p 0.007) and absence of chronic renal failure (sHR 16.129, 95%CI 2.155–125.000, p 0.007) were associated with recurrence in 027– CDI. Conclusions: Compared to vancomycin, metronidazole monotherapy appears less effective in curing CDI without relapse in the 027+ patient group, independently of disease severity

A new Manifestation of Atomic Parity Violation in Cesium: a Chiral Optical Gain induced by linearly polarized 6S-7S Excitation

We have detected, by using stimulated emission, an Atomic Parity Violation (APV) in the form of a chiral optical gain of a cesium vapor on the 7S - 6P$_{3/2}$ transition,consecutive to linearly polarized 6S-7S excitation. We demonstrate the validity of this detection method of APV, by presenting a 9% accurate measurement of expected sign and magnitude. We underline several advantages of this entirely new approach in which the cylindrical symmetry of the set-up can be fully exploited. Future measurements at the percent level will provide an important cross-check of an existing more precise result obtained by a different method.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figure