2,671 research outputs found
Impact of meningitis on intelligence and development: A systematic review and meta-analysis
BACKGROUND: We undertook a systematic review and meta-analysis to address the question "what is the impact of meningitis on IQ and development." METHODS: Search: conducted using standardized search terms across Medline, PsychInfo and EMBASE to 06/2014. Eligibility: human studies of any infectious aetiology of meningitis reporting IQ or infant developmental age or stage outcomes. Quality: Centre for Evidence Based Medicine, Oxford, quality tools. Analysis: random effects meta-analysis by organism. RESULTS: 39 studies were included in the review, 34 providing data on IQ (2015 subjects) and 12 on developmental delay (382 subjects). Across all bacterial organisms, meningitis survivors had a mean IQ 5.50 (95% CI: -7.19, -3.80; I2 = 47%, p = 0.02) points lower than controls. IQ was significantly lower than controls for Neisseria meningitides (NM: 5 points) and Haemophilus influenzae b (Hib: 6 points) but not in viral meningitis, with only single studies included for Streptococcus pneumoniae (SP) and group B streptococcus (GBS). The pooled relative risk (RR) for low IQ (IQ<70) in survivors of bacterial meningitis compared with controls was 4.99 (95% CI: 3.17, 7.86) with no significant heterogeneity (I2 = 49%, p = 0.07). Developmental delay of approximately 0.5SD was reported in studies of bacterial meningitis but no delay in the only study of viral meningitis. CONCLUSIONS: We found moderate evidence that surviving bacterial meningitis has a deleterious impact on IQ and development but no evidence that viral meningitis had meaningful cognitive impacts. Survivors of bacterial meningitis should be routinely offered screening for cognitive deficits and developmental delay in addition to hearing loss
A generalized theory of semiflexible polymers
DNA bending on length scales shorter than a persistence length plays an
integral role in the translation of genetic information from DNA to cellular
function. Quantitative experimental studies of these biological systems have
led to a renewed interest in the polymer mechanics relevant for describing the
conformational free energy of DNA bending induced by protein-DNA complexes.
Recent experimental results from DNA cyclization studies have cast doubt on the
applicability of the canonical semiflexible polymer theory, the wormlike chain
(WLC) model, to DNA bending on biological length scales. This paper develops a
theory of the chain statistics of a class of generalized semiflexible polymer
models. Our focus is on the theoretical development of these models and the
calculation of experimental observables. To illustrate our methods, we focus on
a specific toy model of DNA bending. We show that the WLC model generically
describes the long-length-scale chain statistics of semiflexible polymers, as
predicted by the Renormalization Group. In particular, we show that either the
WLC or our new model adequate describes force-extension, solution scattering,
and long-contour-length cyclization experiments, regardless of the details of
DNA bend elasticity. In contrast, experiments sensitive to short-length-scale
chain behavior can in principle reveal dramatic departures from the linear
elastic behavior assumed in the WLC model. We demonstrate this explicitly by
showing that our toy model can reproduce the anomalously large
short-contour-length cyclization J factors observed by Cloutier and Widom.
Finally, we discuss the applicability of these models to DNA chain statistics
in the context of future experiments
Supersymmetric Jaynes-Cummings model and its exact solutions
The super-algebraic structure of a generalized version of the Jaynes-Cummings
model is investigated. We find that a Z2 graded extension of the so(2,1) Lie
algebra is the underlying symmetry of this model. It is isomorphic to the
four-dimensional super-algebra u(1/1) with two odd and two even elements.
Differential matrix operators are taken as realization of the elements of the
superalgebra to which the model Hamiltonian belongs. Several examples with
various choices of superpotentials are presented. The energy spectrum and
corresponding wavefunctions are obtained analytically.Comment: 12 pages, no figure
Excitation Spectrum of the Holstein Model
In this paper the polaron problem for the Holstein model is studied in the
weak coupling limit. We use second order perturbation theory to construct
renormalized electron and phonons. Eigenstates of the Hamiltonian are labelled
and the excitation spectrum is constructed.Comment: 4 pages, revtex, 1 figures, more stuff at
http://www.mpipks-dresden.mpg.de/~robin/robin.htm
Chemical Abundance Gradients in the Star-Forming Ring Galaxies
Ring waves of star formation, propagating outwardly in the galactic disks,
leave chemical abundance gradients in their wakes. We show that the relative
[Fe/O] abundance gradients in ring galaxies can be used as a tool for
determining the role of the SNIa explosions in their chemical enrichment. We
consider two mechanisms which can create outwardly propagating star forming
rings in a purely gaseous disk -- a self-induced wave and a density wave, and
demonstrate that the radial distribution of the relative [Fe/O] abundance
gradients does not depend on the particular mechanism of the wave formation or
on the parameters of the star-forming process. We show that the [Fe/O] profile
is determined by the velocity of the wave, initial mass function, and the
initial chemical composition of the star-forming gas. If the role of SNIa
explosions is negligible in the chemical enrichment, the ratio [Fe/O] remains
constant throughout the galactic disk with a steep gradient at the wave front.
If SNIa stars are important in the production of cosmic iron, the [Fe/O] ratio
has gradient in the wake of the star-forming wave with the value depending on
the frequency of SNIa explosions.Comment: Uses aas2pp4.sty and epsfig.sty, 7 pages including one figure To
appear in Astrophysical Journa
Coherent strong-field control of multiple states by a single chirped femtosecond laser pulse
We present a joint experimental and theoretical study on strong-field
photo-ionization of sodium atoms using chirped femtosecond laser pulses. By
tuning the chirp parameter, selectivity among the population in the highly
excited states 5p, 6p, 7p and 5f, 6f is achieved. Different excitation pathways
enabling control are identified by simultaneous ionization and measurement of
photoelectron angular distributions employing the velocity map imaging
technique. Free electron wave packets at an energy of around 1 eV are observed.
These photoelectrons originate from two channels. The predominant 2+1+1
Resonance Enhanced Multi-Photon Ionization (REMPI) proceeds via the strongly
driven two-photon transition , and subsequent
ionization from the states 5p, 6p and 7p whereas the second pathway involves
3+1 REMPI via the states 5f and 6f. In addition, electron wave packets from
two-photon ionization of the non-resonant transiently populated state 3p are
observed close to the ionization threshold. A mainly qualitative five-state
model for the predominant excitation channel is studied theoretically to
provide insights into the physical mechanisms at play. Our analysis shows that
by tuning the chirp parameter the dynamics is effectively controlled by dynamic
Stark-shifts and level crossings. In particular, we show that under the
experimental conditions the passage through an uncommon three-state "bow-tie"
level crossing allows the preparation of coherent superposition states
Electromagnetic response of a static vortex line in a type-II superconductor : a microscopic study
The electromagnetic response of a pinned Abrikosov fluxoid is examined in the
framework of the Bogoliubov-de Gennes formalism. The matrix elements and the
selection rules for both the single photon (emission - absorption) and two
photon (Raman scattering) processes are obtained. The results reveal striking
asymmetries: light absorption by quasiparticle pair creation or single
quasiparticle scattering can occur only if the handedness of the incident
radiation is opposite to that of the vortex core states. We show how these
effects will lead to nonreciprocal circular birefringence, and also predict
structure in the frequency dependence of conductivity and in the differential
cross section of the Raman scattering.Comment: 14 pages (RevTex
States interpolating between number and coherent states and their interaction with atomic systems
Using the eigenvalue definition of binomial states we construct new
intermediate number-coherent states which reduce to number and coherent states
in two different limits. We reveal the connection of these intermediate states
with photon-added coherent states and investigate their non-classical
properties and quasi-probability distributions in detail. It is of interest to
note that these new states, which interpolate between coherent states and
number states, neither of which exhibit squeezing, are nevertheless squeezed
states. A scheme to produce these states is proposed. We also study the
interaction of these states with atomic systems in the framework of the
two-photon Jaynes-Cummings model, and describe the response of the atomic
system as it varies between the pure Rabi oscillation and the collapse-revival
mode and investigate field observables such as photon number distribution,
entropy and the Q-function.Comment: 26 pages, 29 EPS figures, Latex, Accepted for publication in J.Phys.
Entanglement in squeezed two-level atom
In the previous paper, we adopted the method using quantum mutual entropy to
measure the degree of entanglement in the time development of the
Jaynes-Cummings model. In this paper, we formulate the entanglement in the time
development of the Jaynes-Cummings model with squeezed states, and then show
that the entanglement can be controlled by means of squeezing.Comment: 6 pages, 5 figures, to be published in J.Phys.
The most rapidly rotating He-strong emission line star: HR7355
Using archival spectroscopic and photometric data, we searched for massive
stars with Balmer-emission consistent with magnetically confined circumstellar
material. HR 7355 is a formerly unknown He-strong star showing Balmer emission.
At V=6.02 mag, it is one of the brightest objects simultaneously showing
anomalous helium absorption and hydrogen emission. Among similar objects, only
sigma Ori E has so far been subjected to any systematic analysis of the
circumstellar material responsible for the emission. We argue that the
double-wave photometric period of 0.52d corresponds to the rotation period. In
tandem with the high projected equatorial velocity, v sin i=320 km/s, this
short period suggests that HR 7355 is the most rapidly rotating He-strong star
known to date; a class that was hitherto expected to host stars with slow to
moderate rotation only.Comment: 4 pages with 2 figures. Accepted for publication as Research Note by
Astronomy and Astrophysic
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