Evaluation of \u3ci\u3ePaederus Littorarius\u3c/i\u3e (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae) as an Egg Predator of \u3ci\u3eChrysoteuchia Topiaria\u3c/i\u3e (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae in Wisconsin Cranberry Bogs

A preliminary study was conducted to determine if the rove beetle, Paederus littorarius Grav., would exhibit a feeding preference for the eggs of the pyralid moth, Chrysoteuchia topiaria Zeller, a pest in Wisconsin cran­berry bogs. Individuals were offered a choice of C. topiaria eggs or Drosophila sp. adults for four days. Total number of prey items eaten was converted to weight using a multiplier based on the mean weight of 20 individuals of each prey item, respectively. A significant preference for Drosophila adults was observed in the preference trial; however as many as 24 C. topiaria eggs in addition to Drosophila offerings were consumed by P. littorarius individuals within a 24 h period. Additionally, laboratory and field observations suggests P. littorarius is a polyphagous predator

On the interaction of a single-photon wave packet with an excited atom

The interaction of a single-photon wave packet with an initially excited two-level atom in free space is studied in semiclassical and quantum approaches. It is shown that the final state of the field does not contain doubly occupied modes. The process of the atom's transition to the ground state may be accelerated, decelerated or even reversed by the incoming photon, depending on parameters. The spectrum of emitted radiation is close to the sum of the spectrum of the incoming single-photon wave packet and the natural line shape, with small and complicated deviations.Comment: 17 pages, 5 figure

Polaritonics in complex structures: Confinement, bandgap materials, and coherent control

We report on the design, fabrication, and testing of ferroelectric patterned materials in the guided-wave and polaritonic regime. We demonstrate their functionality and exploit polariton confinement for amplification and coherent control using temporal pulse shaping.Comment: 3 pages, 3 figures, presented in the 14th international conference on ultrafast phenomenon in Niigita Japan on July 25, 200

CONSERT suggests a change in local properties of 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko's nucleus at depth

International audienceAfter the successful landing of Philae on the nucleus of 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko, the Rosetta mission provided the first opportunity of performing measurements with the CONSERT tomographic radar in November 2014. CONSERT data were acquired during this first science sequence. They unambiguously showed that propagation through the smaller lobe of the nucleus was achieved. Aims. While the ultimate objective of the CONSERT radar is to perform the tomography of the nucleus, this paper focuses on the local characterization of the shallow subsurface in the area of Philae’s final landing site, specifically determining the possible presence of a permittivity gradient below the nucleus surface.Methods. A number of electromagnetic simulations were made with a ray-tracing code to parametrically study how the gradient of the dielectric constant in the near-subsurface affects the ability of CONSERT to receive signals.Results. At the 90 MHz frequency of CONSERT, the dielectric constant is a function of porosity, composition, and temperature. The dielectric constant values considered for the study are based on observations made by the other instruments of the Rosetta mission, which indicate a possible near-surface gradient in physical properties and on laboratory measurements made on analog samples. Conclusions. The obtained simulated data clearly show that if the dielectric constant were increasing with depth, it would have prevented the reception of signal at the CONSERT location during the first science sequence. We conclude from our simulations that the dielectric constant most probably decreases with depth

Revealing the properties of Chuyurmov-Gerasimenko's shallow sub-surface through CONSERT's measurements at grazing angles

International audienceThe aim of the Comet Nucleus Sounding Experiment by Radiowave Transmission (CONSERT) is the characterization of the inner structure and electrical properties of the Chuyurmov-Gerasimenko's nucleus. The instrument will sound the comet's nucleus between the lander Philae at the comet's surface and the Rosetta main spacecraft. A coarse three-dimensional model of the complex dielectric permittivity inside the nucleus will be reconstructed from the whole set of data obtained during the first science phase [3]. The work presented here show how a limited set of data acquired at grazing angles during a single low altitude fly-by can be used to characterize the shallow sub-surface of the nucleus. The study is based on simulated data obtained by two different electromagnetic models: the accurate pseudo spectral time-domain method and a much faster ray-based approximation taking into account material and path-loss

Effectiveness of MBSR and MBCT in Reducing Clinical Symptoms in Adolescents

Like adults, many adolescents live with mental health diagnoses and struggle to manage their symptoms. If adolescents do not find effective strategies to manage their symptoms, they may have a profound effect on their quality of life. While mindfulness has been practiced around the globe for thousands of years, it is an emerging method of practice in the mental health field. Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) was developed as a treatment for adults. Mindfulness base cogitative therapy (MBCT) is an intervention adapted from MBSR. The purpose of this systemic review is to explore the effectiveness of MBSR and MBCT in reducing clinical symptoms in adolescents. The results of this review suggest that MBSR and MBCT may be effective in reducing some clinical symptoms in adolescents. MBSR and MBCT are skill-based interventions, that if effective, teach participants skills to manage their symptoms. This is imperative for work with adolescents as it empowers their independence; compared to medication-based treatments that may lead adolescents to believe they require medication to successfully manage their symptoms. This review found that MBSR and MBCT might also be effective when paired with treatment as usual (TAU). Further research that includes both a control and a treatment groups is recommended

Charge and Thermoelectric Transport in Semicrystalline Conjugated Polymers and Single-Walled Carbon Nanotube Networks

Due to their flexibility, solution-processability and continuously improving electronic performance, conjugated polymer semiconductors and single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) networks are promising candidates for wearable electronics, flexible optoelectronic devices and thermoelectric generators. In the past two decades the development of high-mobility donor-acceptor copolymers outperforming amorphous silicon, employed in commercial display technologies, and the ability to tune the diameter distribution in SWCNT networks via selective dispersion with conjugated polymers and other sorting methods have been major breakthroughs for these material systems. This thesis provides an improved understanding of their charge and thermoelectric transport. In particular, the charge density and temperature dependence of their field-effect mobility and gated Seebeck coefficient are investigated. When a temperature difference is applied to a conducting system, a thermal voltage builds up as a response. The Seebeck coefficient is the ratio of the thermal voltage to the temperature difference and characterizes the entropy transported by a carrier divided by its charge. Consequently, it offers insights into the transport energetics and the density of states (DoS). It can be used to identify the prevailing transport mechanisms, such as phonon-assisted hopping between localized states or scattering-limited transport through delocalized states, scattering mechanisms and carrier-carrier interactions as well as the extent of charge carrier trapping. Firstly, it is demonstrated that charge transport in semicrystalline high-mobility copolymers is incompatible with disorder-based transport models that were developed for preceding, more disordered polymers. Instead the charge density and temperature dependence of the field-effect mobility and gated Seebeck coefficient of the semicrystalline n-type polymer P(NDI2OD-T2) with varying degrees of crystallinity provides direct evidence for low-disorder, narrow-band conduction. The inclusion of short-range electron-electron interactions and the consideration of a spatially inhomogeneous DoS allow to explain both the measured mobility and Seebeck coefficient. These findings outline the extension of crystalline domains as a mean for improved thermoelectric conversion efficiencies. Subsequently, the charge density and temperature-dependent field-effect mobility and gated Seebeck coefficient of polymer-sorted monochiral small diameter (6,5) (0.76 nm) and mixed large diameter SWCNT (1.17-1.55 nm) networks with different network densities and length distributions are reported. It is shown that charge and thermoelectric transport in SWCNT networks can be modelled by the Boltzmann transport formalism incorporating transport in heterogeneous media and fluctuation-induced tunneling. The charge density and temperature dependence of the Seebeck coefficient can be simulated via the consideration of the diameter-dependent one-dimensional DoS of the SWCNTs composing the network. Due to the carrier relaxation time being anti-proportional to energy, the simulations further point towards a more two-dimensional character of scattering, as opposed to one-dimensional acoustic and optical phonon scattering in single SWCNTs, as well as the potential necessity to consider scattering at SWCNT junctions. Trap-free, narrow DoS distribution, large diameter SWCNT networks, allowing low tunnel barriers and a large thermally accessible DoS, are proposed for both electronic and thermoelectric applications. Finally, the thermoelectric performance of the molecularly doped semicrystalline polymer PBTTT is presented in the high charge density limit, which is relevant for applications in thermoelectric generators. Using the recently reported ion-exchange doping routine charge densities on the order of one carrier per monomer repeat unit can be obtained, allowing to attain a highly conductive system. Ongoing investigations of the impact of polymer alignment on charge and thermoelectric transport in this regime are presented.EPSRC studentshi

Effectiveness of MBSR and MBCT in Reducing Clinical Symptoms in Adolescents

Like adults, many adolescents live with mental health diagnoses and struggle to manage their symptoms. If adolescents do not find effective strategies to manage their symptoms, they may have a profound effect on their quality of life. While mindfulness has been practiced around the globe for thousands of years, it is an emerging method of practice in the mental health field. Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) was developed as a treatment for adults. Mindfulness base cogitative therapy (MBCT) is an intervention adapted from MBSR. The purpose of this systemic review is to explore the effectiveness of MBSR and MBCT in reducing clinical symptoms in adolescents. The results of this review suggest that MBSR and MBCT may be effective in reducing some clinical symptoms in adolescents. MBSR and MBCT are skill-based interventions, that if effective, teach participants skills to manage their symptoms. This is imperative for work with adolescents as it empowers their independence; compared to medication-based treatments that may lead adolescents to believe they require medication to successfully manage their symptoms. This review found that MBSR and MBCT might also be effective when paired with treatment as usual (TAU). Further research that includes both a control and a treatment groups is recommended