355 research outputs found
Vacuum-Induced Quantum Decoherence and the Entropy Puzzle
Or: ``How to generate an ensemble in a single event?'' Following recent work
on entropy in strong interactions, I explain the concept of environment-induced
quantum decoherence in elementary quantum mechanics. The classically chaotic
inverted oscillator becomes partially decoherent already in the environment of
a single other oscillator performing only vacuum fluctuations. One finds
exponential entropy growth in the subsystem with a Lyapunov exponent, which
approaches the classical one for weak coupling.
Presented at the Workshops on ``Quantum Infrared Physics'', Paris,
6 - 10.6.94, and ``QCD 94'', Montpellier, 7 - 13.7.94.
Invited talk at the NATO Adv. Res. Workshop on ``Hot Hadronic Matter'',
Divonne, 27.6. - 1.7.94. To appear in the Proceedings.Comment: 12 pages, CERN-TH.7372/9
Astrophysical Effects of Scalar Dark Matter Miniclusters
We model the formation, evolution and astrophysical effects of dark compact
Scalar Miniclusters (``ScaMs''). These objects arise when a scalar field, with
an axion-like or Higgs-like potential, undergoes a second order phase
transition below the QCD scale. Such a scalar field may couple too weakly to
the standard model to be detectable directly through particle interactions, but
may still be detectable by gravitational effects, such as lensing and baryon
accretion by large, gravitationally bound miniclusters. The masses of these
objects are shown to be constrained by the Ly power spectrum to be less
than , but they may be as light as classical axion
miniclusters, of the order of . We simulate the formation and
nonlinear gravitational collapse of these objects around matter-radiation
equality using an N-body code, estimate their gravitational lensing properties,
and assess the feasibility of studying them using current and future lensing
experiments. Future MACHO-type variability surveys of many background sources
can reveal either high-amplification, strong lensing events, or measure density
profiles directly via weak-lensing variability, depending on ScaM parameters
and survey depth. However, ScaMs, due to their low internal densities, are
unlikely to be responsible for apparent MACHO events already detected in the
Galactic halo. A simple estimate is made of parameters that would give rise to
early structure formation; in principle, early stellar collapse could be
triggered by ScaMs as early as recombination, and significantly affect cosmic
reionization.Comment: 13 pages, 12 figures. Replaced to reflect published versio
Decoherence of an -qubit quantum memory
We analyze decoherence of a quantum register in the absence of non-local
operations i.e. of non-interacting qubits coupled to an environment. The
problem is solved in terms of a sum rule which implies linear scaling in the
number of qubits. Each term involves a single qubit and its entanglement with
the remaining ones. Two conditions are essential: first decoherence must be
small and second the coupling of different qubits must be uncorrelated in the
interaction picture. We apply the result to a random matrix model, and
illustrate its reach considering a GHZ state coupled to a spin bath.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figure
Estimating purity in terms of correlation functions
We prove a rigorous inequality estimating the purity of a reduced density
matrix of a composite quantum system in terms of cross-correlation of the same
state and an arbitrary product state. Various immediate applications of our
result are proposed, in particular concerning Gaussian wave-packet propagation
under classically regular dynamics.Comment: 3 page
Quantum Decoherence, Entropy and Thermalization in Strong Interactions at High Energy
Entropy is generated in high-multiplying events by a dynamical separation of
strongly interacting systems into partons and unobservable environment modes
(almost constant field configurations) due to confinement.Comment: 45 pages, 2 figure
Semiquantum Chaos in the Double-Well
The new phenomenon of semiquantum chaos is analyzed in a classically regular
double-well oscillator model. Here it arises from a doubling of the number of
effectively classical degrees of freedom, which are nonlinearly coupled in a
Gaussian variational approximation (TDHF) to full quantum mechanics. The
resulting first-order nondissipative autonomous flow system shows energy
dependent transitions between regular behavior and semiquantum chaos, which we
monitor by Poincar\'e sections and a suitable frequency correlation function
related to the density matrix. We discuss the general importance of this new
form of deterministic chaos and point out the necessity to study open
(dissipative) quantum systems, in order to observe it experimentally.Comment: LaTeX, 25 pages plus 7 postscript figures. Replaced figure 3 with a
non-bitmapped versio
Evolution of entanglement under echo dynamics
Echo dynamics and fidelity are often used to discuss stability in quantum
information processing and quantum chaos. Yet fidelity yields no information
about entanglement, the characteristic property of quantum mechanics. We study
the evolution of entanglement in echo dynamics. We find qualitatively different
behavior between integrable and chaotic systems on one hand and between random
and coherent initial states for integrable systems on the other. For the latter
the evolution of entanglement is given by a classical time scale. Analytic
results are illustrated numerically in a Jaynes Cummings model.Comment: 5 RevTeX pages, 3 EPS figures (one color) ; v2: considerable revision
;inequality proof omitte
Engagement of nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-containing protein 1 (NOD1) by receptor-interacting protein 2 (RIP2) is insufficient for signal transduction.
Following activation, the cytoplasmic pattern recognition receptor nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-containing protein 1 (NOD1) interacts with its adaptor protein receptor-interacting protein 2 (RIP2) to propagate immune signaling and initiate a proinflammatory immune response. This interaction is mediated by the caspase recruitment domain (CARD) of both proteins. Polymorphisms in immune proteins can affect receptor function and predispose individuals to specific autoinflammatory disorders. In this report, we show that mutations in helix 2 of the CARD of NOD1 disrupted receptor function but did not interfere with RIP2 interaction. In particular, N43S, a rare polymorphism, resulted in receptor dysfunction despite retaining normal cellular localization, protein folding, and an ability to interact with RIP2. Mutation of Asn-43 resulted in an increased tendency to form dimers, which we propose is the source of this dysfunction. We also demonstrate that mutation of Lys-443 and Tyr-474 in RIP2 disrupted the interaction with NOD1. Mapping the key residues involved in the interaction between NOD1 and RIP2 to the known structures of CARD complexes revealed the likely involvement of both type I and type III interfaces in the NOD1·RIP2 complex. Overall we demonstrate that the NOD1-RIP2 signaling axis is more complex than previously assumed, that simple engagement of RIP2 is insufficient to mediate signaling, and that the interaction between NOD1 and RIP2 constitutes multiple CARD-CARD interfaces.This work was funded by a Wellcome Trust Career Development Fellowship (WT085090MA) to TPM. TAK is supported by the German Research Foundation (DFG), grant SFB670 and acknowledges support by the Koeln Fortune Program / Faculty of Medicine, University of CologneThis is the final published version. It's also available from the Journal of Biological Chemistry website at http://www.jbc.org/content/289/33/22900.abstract
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