Search Results (145)

Interactions between parasites and hosts are not fully understood, though the dynamic pattern of infection and reinfection in humans varies with different demographic variables and behavioral changes. A community-based non-equivalent control group post-test-only design, an aspect of quasi-experimental design (QED), was carried out between March 2019 and February 2020. For the extraction of data from respondents, structural questionnaires were filled. Their CD4 count and viral load from the database of the National Health Laboratory Services, Mthatha were recorded. The method applied for the identification of intestinal parasites was a direct examination of the stool and the use of concentration methods. The post-test analysis showed that the intervention sites that received THEdS (Treatment, Health education, and Sanitation) bundle had a cure proportion of 60% and a re-infection proportion of 40%. The post-test results on control sites (treatment-only group) showed that the cure proportion was 51.4% and the re-infection proportion was 48.6%. The viral load significantly reduced from 377 to 44 copies/mL with a significant increment in CD4 count from 244 to 573 (cells µL) and (p-value) = 0.002. The combination of THEdS is an effective measure to reduce infection and reinfection of intestinal parasites. The THEdS bundle is a sustainable control and prevention method for the control of helminthes and protozoan associated with unsanitary environment and poor personal hygiene among immune-compromised individuals like HIV/AIDS patients. Full article

A review of recent advances in spacetime optics is given, with special emphasis on time refraction. This is a basic optical process, occurring at a temporal discontinuity or temporal boundary, which is able to produce various different effects, such as frequency shifts, energy amplification, time reflection, and photon emission. If, instead of a single discontinuity, we have two reverse temporal boundaries, we can form a temporal beam splitter, where temporal interferences can occur. It will also be shown that, in the presence of an axis of symmetry, such as a magnetic field, the temporal beam splitter can induce a rotation of the initial polarization state, similar to a Faraday rotation. Recent work on time crystals, superluminal fronts, and superfluid light will be reviewed. Time gates based on spacetime optical effects will be discussed. We also mention recent work on optical metamaterials. Finally, the quantum properties of time refraction, which imply the emission of photon from vacuum, are considered, while similar problems in high-energy QED associated with electron–positron pairs are briefly mentioned. Full article

We investigate Quantum Electrodynamics (QED) of water coupled with sound and light, namely Quantum Brain Dynamics (QBD) of water, phonons and photons. We provide phonon degrees of freedom as additional quanta in the framework of QBD in this paper. We begin with the Lagrangian density QED with non-relativistic charged bosons, photons and phonons, and derive time-evolution equations of coherent fields and Kadanoff–Baym (KB) equations for incoherent particles. We next show an acoustic super-radiance solution in our model. We also introduce a kinetic entropy current in KB equations in 1st order approximation in the gradient expansion and show the H-theorem for self-energy in Hartree–Fock approximation. We finally derive conserved number density of charged bosons and conserved energy density in spatially homogeneous system. Full article

We propose boson sampling from a system of coupled photons and Bose–Einstein condensed atoms placed inside a multi-mode cavity as a simulation process testing the quantum advantage of quantum systems over classical computers. Consider a two-level atomic transition far-detuned from photon frequency. An atom–photon scattering and interatomic collisions provide interactions that create quasiparticles and excite atoms and photons into squeezed entangled states, orthogonal to the atomic condensate and classical field driving the two-level transition, respectively. We find a joint probability distribution of atom and photon numbers within a quasi-equilibrium model via a hafnian of an extended covariance matrix. It shows a sampling statistics that is ♯P-hard for computing, even if only photon numbers are sampled. Merging cavity-QED and quantum-gas technologies into a hybrid boson sampling setup has the potential to overcome the limitations of separate, photon or atom, sampling schemes and reveal quantum advantage. Full article

Charged quasiparticles, which are constrained to move on a plane, interact by means of electromagnetic (EM) fields which are not subject to this constraint, living, thus, in three-dimensional space. We have, consequently, a hybrid situation where the particles of a given system and the EM fields (through which they interact) live in different dimensions. Pseudo-Quantum Electrodynamics (PQED) is a U(1) gauge field theory that, despite being strictly formulated in two-dimensional space, precisely describes the real EM interaction of charged particles confined to a plane. PQED is completely different from QED(2 + 1), namely, Quantum Electrodynamics of a planar gauge field. It produces, for instance, the correct $1/r$ Coulomb potential between static charges, whereas QED(2 + 1) produces $lnr$ potential. In spite of possessing a nonlocal Lagrangian, it has been shown that PQED preserves both causality and unitarity, as well as the Huygens principle. PQED has been applied successfully to describe the EM interaction of numerous systems containing charged particles constrained to move on a plane. Among these are p-electrons in graphene, silicene, and transition-metal dichalcogenides; systems exhibiting the Valley Quantum Hall Effect; systems inside cavities; and bosonization in (2 + 1)D. Here, we present a review article on PQED (also known as Reduced Quantum Electrodynamics). Full article

Hyperfine splittings play an important role in quantum information and spintronics applications. They allow for the readout of the spin qubits, while at the same time providing the dominant mechanism for the detrimental spin decoherence. Their exact knowledge is thus of prior relevance. In this work, we analytically investigate the relativistic effects on the hyperfine splittings of hydrogen-like atoms, including finite-size effects of the nucleis’ structure. We start from exact solutions of Dirac’s equation using different nuclear models, where the nucleus is approximated by (i) a point charge (Coulomb potential), (ii) a homogeneously charged full sphere, and (iii) a homogeneously charged spherical shell. Equivalent modelling has been done for the distribution of the nuclear magnetic moment. For the $1s$ ground state and $2s$ excited state of the one-electron systems ${}^1\mathrm{H}$, ${}^2\mathrm{H}$, ${}^3\mathrm{H}$, and ${}^3\mathrm{He}^{+}$, the calculated finite-size related hyperfine shifts are quite similar for the different structure models and in excellent agreement with those estimated by comparing QED and experiment. This holds also in a simplified approach where relativistic wave functions from a Coulomb potential combined with spherical-shell distributed nuclear magnetic moments promises an improved treatment without the need for an explicit solution of Dirac’s equation within the nuclear core. Larger differences between different nuclear structure models are found in the case of the anisotropic $2p_{3/2}$ orbitals of hydrogen, rendering these excited states as promising reference systems for exploring the proton structure. Full article

The search for New Physics (NP) beyond the Standard Model (SM) has been a central focus of particle physics, including in the context of B-meson decays involving $b\to s\ell \ell$ transitions. These transitions, mediated by flavour-changing neutral currents, are highly sensitive to small NP effects due to their suppression in the SM. While direct searches at colliders have not yet led to NP discoveries, indirect probes through semi-leptonic decays have revealed anomalies in observables such as the branching fraction $\mathcal{B}(B\to K\mu \mu )$ and the angular observable $P_5^{\prime }(B\to K^{\ast }\mu \mu )$. In order to assess the observed tensions, it is essential to ensure an accurate SM prediction. In this review, we examine the theoretical basis of the $B\to K^{(\ast )}\ell \ell$ decays, addressing in particular key uncertainties arising from local and non-local form factors. We also discuss the impact of QED corrections to the Wilson coefficients, as well as the effect of CKM matrix elements on the predictions and the tension with the experimental measurements. We discuss the most recent results, highlighting ongoing efforts to refine predictions and to constrain potential signs of NP in these critical decay processes. Full article

Computer-aided design usually gives inspirations and has become a vital strategy to develop novel pesticides through reconstructing natural lead compounds. Patulin, an unsaturated heterocyclic lactone mycotoxin, is a new natural PSII inhibitor and shows significant herbicidal activity to various weeds. However, some evidence, especially the health concern, prevents it from developing as a bioherbicide. In this work, molecular docking and toxicity risk prediction are combined to construct interaction models between the ligand and acceptor, and design and screen novel derivatives. Based on the analysis of a constructed patulin–Arabidopsis D1 protein docking model, in total, 81 derivatives are designed and ranked according to quantitative estimates of drug-likeness (QED) values and free energies. Among the newly designed derivatives, forty-five derivatives with better affinities than patulin are screened to further evaluate their toxicology. Finally, it is indicated that four patulin derivatives, D3, D6, D34, and D67, with higher binding affinity but lower toxicity than patulin have a great potential to develop as new herbicides with improved potency. Full article

The mass $m_{{\mu }^{-}}$ of the negative muon is one of the parameters of the elementary particle Standard Model and it allows us to verify the CPT (charge–parity–time) symmetry theorem by comparing $m_{{\mu }^{-}}$ value with the mass $m_{{\mu }^{+}}$ of the positive muon. However, the experimental determination precision of $m_{{\mu }^{-}}$ is $3.1\mathrm{ppm}$, which is an order of magnitude lower than the determination precision of $m_{{\mu }^{+}}$ at $120\mathrm{ppb}$. The authors aim to determine $m_{{\mu }^{-}}$ and the magnetic moment ${\mu }_{{\mu }^{-}}$ with a precision of $\mathcal{O}\left(10\mathrm{ppb}\right)$ through spectroscopy of the hyperfine structure (HFS) of muonic helium-4 atom ${(}^4\mathrm{He}{\mu }^{-}{e}^{-})$ under high magnetic fields. ${}^4\mathrm{He}{\mu }^{-}{e}^{-}$ is an exotic atom where one of the two electrons of the ${}^4\mathrm{He}$ atom is replaced by a negative muon. To achieve the goal, it is necessary to determine the HFS of ${}^4\mathrm{He}{\mu }^{-}{e}^{-}$ with a precision of $\mathcal{O}\left(1\mathrm{ppb}\right)$. This paper describes the determination procedure of the HFS of ${}^4\mathrm{He}{\mu }^{-}{e}^{-}$ in weak magnetic fields reported recently, and the work towards achieving the goal of higher precision measurement. Full article

Fluctuations are omnipresent; they exist in any matter, due either to its quantum nature or to its nonzero temperature. In the current review, we briefly cover the quantum electrodynamic Casimir (QED) force as well as the critical Casimir (CC) and Helmholtz (HF) forces. In the QED case, the medium is usually a vacuum and the massless excitations are photons, while in the CC and HF cases the medium is usually a critical or correlated fluid and the fluctuations of the order parameter are the cause of the force between the macroscopic or mesoscopic bodies immersed in it. We discuss the importance of the presented results for nanotechnology, especially for devising and assembling micro- or nano-scale systems. Several important problems for nanotechnology following from the currently available experimental findings are spelled out, and possible strategies for overcoming them are sketched. Regarding the example of HF, we explicitly demonstrate that when a given integral quantity characterizing the fluid is conserved, it has an essential influence on the behavior of the corresponding fluctuation-induced force. Full article

The description of the electron–electron interactions in two-dimensional materials has a dimensional mismatch, where electrons live in (2 + 1)D while photons propagate in (3 + 1)D. In order to define an action in (2 + 1)D, one may perform a dimensional reduction of quantum electrodynamics in (3 + 1)D (QED4) into pseudo-quantum electrodynamics (PQED). The main difference between this model and QED4 is the presence of a pseudo-differential operator in the Maxwell term. However, besides the Coulomb repulsion, electrons in a material are subjected to several microscopic interactions, which are inherent in a many-body system. These are expected to reduce the range of the Coulomb potential, leading to a short-range interaction. Here, we consider the coupling to a scalar field in PQED for explaining such a mechanism, which resembles the spontaneous symmetry breaking (SSB) in Abelian gauge theories. In order to do so, we consider two cases: (i) by coupling the quantum electrodynamics to a Higgs field in (3 + 1)D and, thereafter, performing the dimensional reduction; and (ii) by coupling a Higgs field to the gauge field in PQED and, subsequently, calculating its effective potential. In case (i), we obtain a model describing electrons interacting through the Yukawa potential and, in case (ii), we show that SSB does not occur at one-loop approximation. The relevance of the model for describing electronic interactions in two-dimensional materials is also addressed. Full article

This paper considers the scattering of a probe laser pulse by an intense light spring in a QED vacuum. This new scattering configuration can be seen as the vacuum equivalent to the process originally associated with the scattering of light by a rotating black hole, which is usually called Penrose superradiance. Here, the rotating object is an intense laser beam containing two different components of orbital angular momentum. Due to these two components having slightly different frequencies, the energy profile of the intense laser beam rotates with an angular velocity that depends on the frequency difference. The nonlinear properties of a quantum vacuum are described by a first-order Euler–Heisenberg Lagrangian. It is shown that in such a configuration, nonlinear photon–photon coupling leads to scattered radiation with frequency shift and angular dispersion. These two distinct properties, of frequency and propagation direction, could eventually be favorable for possible experimental observations. In principle, this new scattering configuration can also be reproduced in a nonlinear optical medium. Full article

This paper explores methods to enhance the reproducibility of Josephson junctions, which are crucial elements in superconducting quantum technologies, when employing the Dolan technique in 30 kV e-beam processes. The study explores the influence of dose distribution along the bridge area on reproducibility, addressing challenges related to fabrication sensitivity. Experimental methods include e-beam lithography, with electron trajectory simulations shedding light on the behavior of backscattered electrons. Wedescribe the fabrication of various Josephson junction geometries and analyze the correlation between the success rates of different lithography patterns and the simulated distribution of backscattered electrons. Our findings demonstrate a success rate of up to 96.3% for the double-resist 1-step low-energy e-beam lithography process. As a means of implementation strategy, we provide a geometric example that takes advantage of simulated stability regions to administer a controlled, uniform dose across the junction area, introducing novel features to overcome the difficulties associated with fabricating bridge-like structures. Full article

The Schwinger confinement mechanism stipulates that a massless fermion and a massless antifermion are confined as a massive boson when they interact in the Abelian QED interaction in (1+1)D.If we approximate light quarks as massless and apply the Schwinger confinement mechanism to quarks, we can infer that a light quark and a light antiquark interacting in the Abelian QED interaction are confined as a QED meson in (1+1)D. Similarly, a light quark and a light antiquark interacting in the QCD interaction in the quasi-Abelian approximation will be confined as a QCD meson in (1+1)D. The QED and QCD mesons in (1+1)D can represent physical mesons in (3+1)D when the flux tube radius is properly taken into account. Such a theory leads to a reasonable description of the masses of ${\pi }^0,\eta$, and ${\eta }^{\prime }$, and its extrapolation to the unknown QED sector yields an isoscalar QED meson at about 17 MeV and an isovector QED meson at about 38 MeV. The observations of the anomalous soft photons, the hypothetical X17 particle, and the hypothetical E38 particle bear promising evidence for the possible existence of the QED mesons. Pending further confirmation, they hold important implications on the properties on the quarks and their interactions. Full article

In this paper we would like to highlight the problems of conceiving the “Hydrogen Bond” (HB) as a real short-range, directional, electrostatic, attractive interaction and to reframe its nature through the non-approximated view of condensed matter offered by a Quantum Electro-Dynamic (QED) perspective. We focus our attention on water, as the paramount case to show the effectiveness of this 40-year-old theoretical background, which represents water as a two-fluid system (where one of the two phases is coherent). The HB turns out to be the result of the electromagnetic field gradient in the coherent phase of water, whose vacuum level is lower than in the non-coherent (gas-like) fraction. In this way, the HB can be properly considered, i.e., no longer as a “dipolar force” between molecules, but as the phenomenological effect of their collective thermodynamic tendency to occupy a lower ground state, compatible with temperature and pressure. This perspective allows to explain many “anomalous” behaviours of water and to understand why the calculated energy associated with the HB should change when considering two molecules (water-dimer), or the liquid state, or the different types of ice. The appearance of a condensed, liquid, phase at room temperature is indeed the consequence of the boson condensation as described in the context of spontaneous symmetry breaking (SSB). For a more realistic and authentic description of water, condensed matter and living systems, the transition from a still semi-classical Quantum Mechanical (QM) view in the first quantization to a Quantum Field Theory (QFT) view embedded in the second quantization is advocated. Full article