Interacting multi-component exciton gases in a potential trap: phase separation and Bose-Einstein condensation

The system under consideration is a multi-component gas of interacting para- and orthoexcitons confined in a three dimensional potential trap. We calculate the spatially resolved optical emission spectrum due to interband transitions involving weak direct and phonon mediated exciton-photon interactions. For each component, the occurrence of a Bose-Einstein condensate changes the spectrum in a characteristic way so that it directly reflects the constant chemical potential of the excitons and the renormalization of the quasiparticle excitation spectrum. Moreover, the interaction between the components leads, in dependence on temperature and particle number, to modifications of the spectra indicating phase separation of the subsystems. Typical examples of density profiles and luminescence spectra of ground-state para- and orthoexcitons in cuprous oxide are given.Comment: 7 pages, 6 figure

Biobarometer Schweiz: Wovon die Kaufentscheidung für Biolebensmittel abhängt

Kaufentscheidungen beeinflussen massgeblich die Nachfrage nach Biolebensmitteln. In der Studie «Biobarometer Schweiz» wurden Konsumentinnen und Konsumenten im November 2015 mit einer standardisierten Befragung zu ihrem Kaufverhalten befragt. Ziel der Befragung war es zu untersuchen, von welchen Faktoren die Kaufentscheidung für Biolebensmittel abhängt, und zu ermitteln, welche Aspekte in der Kommunikation gegenüber den Konsumentinnen und Konsumenten relevant sind. Die Studie hat gezeigt, dass die Schweizer Biokonsumierenden signifikant häufiger weiblich sind, ein höheres Bildungsniveau haben und mehrheitlich in der Deutschschweiz leben. Die Konsumenten, die häufig Bioprodukte kaufen, bezeichnen sich als umweltbewusst, achten auf eine gesunde Ernährung und auf einen geringen Fleischkonsum. Neben ernährungsspezifischen Motiven haben für sie vor allem altruistische Kaufmotive einen hohen Stellenwert, zudem die Naturbelassenheit der Bioprodukte sowie die Vermeidung von Pestizidrückständen in Lebensmitteln. Dagegen nimmt die Bedeutung von Geschmack und Aroma beim Lebensmitteleinkauf im Vergleich zu den anderen Kaufmotiven innerhalb der jeweiligen Käufergruppe mit abnehmendem Biokonsum zu. Neben dem Genussaspekt von Biolebensmitteln sollten vor allem Aspekte wie Natürlichkeit und Umweltverträglichkeit im Vordergrund der Kommunikation stehen. Das Biobarometer Schweiz wird zukünftig in regelmässigen Abständen durchgeführt, sodass sich Veränderungen von Konsumtrends ableiten lassen

Bosons in a Lattice: Exciton-Phonon Condensate in Cu2O

We explore a nonlinear field model to describe the interplay between the ability of excitons to be Bose-condensed and their interaction with other modes of a crystal. We apply our consideration to the long-living para-excitons in Cu2O. Taking into account the exciton-phonon interaction and introducing a coherent phonon part of the moving condensate, we derive the dynamic equations for the exciton-phonon condensate. These equations can support localized solutions, and we discuss the conditions for the moving inhomogeneous condensate to appear in the crystal. We calculate the condensate wave function and energy, and a collective excitation spectrum in the semiclassical approximation; the inside-excitations were found to follow the asymptotic behavior of the macroscopic wave function exactly. The stability conditions of the moving condensate are analyzed by use of Landau arguments, and Landau critical parameters appear in the theory. Finally, we apply our model to describe the recently observed interference and strong nonlinear interaction between two coherent exciton-phonon packets in Cu2O.Comment: 34 pages, LaTeX, four figures (.ps) are incorporated by epsf. Submitted to Phys. Rev.

The Diversity of Religious Diversity. Using Census and NCS Methodology in Order to Map and Assess the Religious Diversity of a Whole Country

Religious diversity is often captured in “mapping studies” that use mostly qualitative methods in order to map and assess the religious communities in a given area. While these studies are useful, they often present weaknesses in that they treat only limited geographic regions, provide limited possibilities for comparing across religious groups and cannot test theories. In this article, we show how a census and a quantitative national congregations study (NCS) methodology can be combined in order to map and assess the religious diversity of a whole country (Switzerland), overcoming the problems mentioned above. We outline the methodological steps and selected results concerning organizational, geographic, structural, and cultural diversity

Procalcitonin for diagnosis of infection and guide to antibiotic decisions: past, present and future

There are a number of limitations to using conventional diagnostic markers for patients with clinical suspicion of infection. As a consequence, unnecessary and prolonged exposure to antimicrobial agents adversely affect patient outcomes, while inappropriate antibiotic therapy increases antibiotic resistance. A growing body of evidence supports the use of procalcitonin (PCT) to improve diagnosis of bacterial infections and to guide antibiotic therapy. For patients with upper and lower respiratory tract infection, post-operative infections and for severe sepsis patients in the intensive care unit, randomized-controlled trials have shown a benefit of using PCT algorithms to guide decisions about initiation and/or discontinuation of antibiotic therapy. For some other types of infections, observational studies have shown promising first results, but further intervention studies are needed before use of PCT in clinical routine can be recommended. The aim of this review is to summarize the current evidence for PCT in different infections and clinical settings, and discuss the reliability of this marker when used with validated diagnostic algorithms

Altered Trabecular Bone Structure and Delayed Cartilage Degeneration in the Knees of Collagen VI Null Mice

Mutation or loss of collagen VI has been linked to a variety of musculoskeletal abnormalities, particularly muscular dystrophies, tissue ossification and/or fibrosis, and hip osteoarthritis. However, the role of collagen VI in bone and cartilage structure and function in the knee is unknown. In this study, we examined the role of collagen VI in the morphology and physical properties of bone and cartilage in the knee joint of Col6a1−/− mice by micro-computed tomography (microCT), histology, atomic force microscopy (AFM), and scanning microphotolysis (SCAMP). Col6a1−/− mice showed significant differences in trabecular bone structure, with lower bone volume, connectivity density, trabecular number, and trabecular thickness but higher structure model index and trabecular separation compared to Col6a1+/+ mice. Subchondral bone thickness and mineral content increased significantly with age in Col6a1+/+ mice, but not in Col6a1−/− mice. Col6a1−/− mice had lower cartilage degradation scores, but developed early, severe osteophytes compared to Col6a1+/+mice. In both groups, cartilage roughness increased with age, but neither the frictional coefficient nor compressive modulus of the cartilage changed with age or genotype, as measured by AFM. Cartilage diffusivity, measured via SCAMP, varied minimally with age or genotype. The absence of type VI collagen has profound effects on knee joint structure and morphometry, yet minimal influences on the physical properties of the cartilage. Together with previous studies showing accelerated hip osteoarthritis in Col6a1−/− mice, these findings suggest different roles for collagen VI at different sites in the body, consistent with clinical data