Number-conserving master equation theory for a dilute Bose-Einstein condensate

We describe the transition of $N$ weakly interacting atoms into a Bose-Einstein condensate within a number-conserving quantum master equation theory. Based on the separation of time scales for condensate formation and non-condensate thermalization, we derive a master equation for the condensate subsystem in the presence of the non-condensate environment under the inclusion of all two body interaction processes. We numerically monitor the condensate particle number distribution during condensate formation, and derive a condition under which the unique equilibrium steady state of a dilute, weakly interacting Bose-Einstein condensate is given by a Gibbs-Boltzmann thermal state of $N$ non-interacting atoms

Bestimmung hydraulischer Eigenschaften aus Multistep-Outflow und Evaporationsexperimenten – Methodenvergleich

Die Multistep-Outflow- und Evaporationsmethode dienen der schnellen und simultanen Bestimmung der bodenhydraulischen Eigenschaften im Labor. Die mit diesen beiden Methoden ermittelten Retentions- und Leitfähigkeitskurven wurden auf ihre Übereinstimmung hin überprüft. Dazu wurden Bodenproben unterschiedlicher Textur mit beiden Experimenten nacheinander untersucht. Wir fanden sehr gute Übereinstimmungen zwischen den aus den MSO Experimenten gefitteten hydraulischen Funktionen und den direkt aus den Evaporationsexperimenten berechneten Datenpunkten. Da die Methoden für die ungesättigte Leitfähigkeitsbeziehung verschiedene Druckbereiche mit hoher Sensitivität abdecken, lassen sie sich sehr gut ergänzen, um den validen Datenbereich beträchtlich zu vergrößern

INVEST - Inverse modeling of terrestrial systems: Inverse modeling of data from virtual reality simulations to identify effective one-dimensional flow processes and properties

Die Wasserdynamik im Boden wird durch die räumliche Heterogenität der bodenhydraulischen Eigenschaften bestimmt. Da diese im Feld nicht detailliert gemessen werden kann, wurden im Rahmen des Projektverbunds INVEST komplexe virtuelle Realitäten entworfen, in denen die ungesättigte Wasserdynamik unter verschiedenen Randbedingungen simuliert wird. Daraus gewonnene Messwerte von Wassergehalt und Wasserspannung wurden verwendet, um die Messvariabilität, die in einem heterogenen Boden auftreten kann, nachzubilden. In unserer Arbeit wollten wir prüfen, inwieweit die mittlere Wasserdynamik auf der Feldskala durch eine eindimensionale Simulation beschrieben werden kann, und wie stark die invers bestimmten bodenhydraulischen Eigenschaften variieren. Wir fanden eine große Variabilität der Messdaten, die an verschiedenen Punkten in der Horizontalen gemessen wurden. Daraus folgte eine hohe Variabilität der invers geschätzten hydraulischen Eigenschaften. Diese kann in der Realität zu einer stark von der Lage der Messpunkte abhängigen Einschätzung des Wasserhaushalts führen

Inverse Modellierung des Wasserflusses mit Wurzelwasseraufnahme in Großlysimetern

Für die Simulation des Wasser- und Stofftransports in ungesättigten Böden ist die genaue Kenntnis der bodenhydraulischen Eigenschaften notwendig. In heterogenen Medien und unter atmosphärischen Randbedingungen erfolgt die Bestimmung effektiver hydraulischer Funktionen idealerweise durch inverse Simulation. Um hierfür möglichst genaue und vollständige Informationen über die Randbedingungen zu erhalten, eignen sich wägbare Lysimeter, insbesondere wenn sie zusätzlich mit leistungsfähigen Messgeräten ausgestattet sind. Unter Verwendung der natürlichen Randbedingungen wie sie am Gras-Referenz-Lysimeter auf der Lysimeterstation in Wagna (Österreich) gemessen wurden, wurden synthetische Messdaten generiert, um zu untersuchen, ob und bei welchem Informationsgehalt es möglich ist bodenhydraulische Eigenschaften und Wurzelwasseraufnahmeparameter durch inverse Simulation gleichzeitig zu bestimmen. Bei idealisierten, virtuellen Realitäten können unter atmosphärischen Randbedingungen für homogene Bodenprofile gleichzeitig bodenhydraulische Eigenschaften und ein Durchwurzelungsparameter korrekt bestimmt werden

Experimental evidence for temporal uncoupling of brain Aβ deposition and neurodegenerative sequelae

Brain A beta deposition is a key early event in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer ' s disease (AD), but the long presymptomatic phase and poor correlation between A beta deposition and clinical symptoms remain puzzling. To elucidate the dependency of downstream pathologies on A beta, we analyzed the trajectories of cerebral A beta accumulation, A beta seeding activity, and neurofilament light chain (NfL) in the CSF (a biomarker of neurodegeneration) in A beta-precursor protein transgenic mice. We find that A beta deposition increases linearly until it reaches an apparent plateau at a late age, while A beta seeding activity increases more rapidly and reaches a plateau earlier, coinciding with the onset of a robust increase of CSF NfL. Short-term inhibition of A beta generation in amyloid-laden mice reduced A beta deposition and associated glial changes, but failed to reduce A beta seeding activity, and CSF NfL continued to increase although at a slower pace. When short-term or long-term inhibition of A beta generation was started at pre-amyloid stages, CSF NfL did not increase despite some A beta deposition, microglial activation, and robust brain A beta seeding activity. A dissociation of A beta load and CSF NfL trajectories was also found in familial AD, consistent with the view that A beta aggregation is not kinetically coupled to neurotoxicity. Rather, neurodegeneration starts when A beta seeding activity is saturated and before A beta deposition reaches critical (half-maximal) levels, a phenomenon reminiscent of the two pathogenic phases in prion disease. The poor correlation between brain A beta deposition and clinical symptoms in Alzheimer ' s disease remains puzzling. Here, the authors show a temporal dissociation of A beta deposition and neurodegeneration

Teaching Intelligence Testing in APA-Accredited Programs: A National Survey

We surveyed instructors at APA-accredited clinical and school psychology programs across the United States and Canada to determine typical teaching practices in individual intelligence testing courses. The most recent versions of the Wechsler scales (Wechsler, 1989, 1991, 1997) and the Stanford-Binet (Thorndike, Hagan & Sattler, 1986) remain the primary tests taught in this course. Course instructors emphasized having students administer intelligence tests; however, relatively few instructors reported assessing students' final level of competence with regard to their test administration skills. The intelligence testing course appears quite time-intensive for instructors, and many teach the course with the aid of a teaching assistant. When compared with previous findings, current results suggest a good measure of stability over time regarding the core issues addressed and skills taught in the intelligence testing course.Yeshttps://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/manuscript-submission-guideline

The Regulation of Sulfur Metabolism in Mycobacterium tuberculosis

Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) has evolved into a highly successful human pathogen. It deftly subverts the bactericidal mechanisms of alveolar macrophages, ultimately inducing granuloma formation and establishing long-term residence in the host. These hallmarks of Mtb infection are facilitated by the metabolic adaptation of the pathogen to its surrounding environment and the biosynthesis of molecules that mediate its interactions with host immune cells. The sulfate assimilation pathway of Mtb produces a number of sulfur-containing metabolites with important contributions to pathogenesis and survival. This pathway is regulated by diverse environmental cues and regulatory proteins that mediate sulfur transactions in the cell. Here, we discuss the transcriptional and biochemical mechanisms of sulfur metabolism regulation in Mtb and potential small molecule regulators of the sulfate assimilation pathway that are collectively poised to aid this intracellular pathogen in its expert manipulation of the host. From this global analysis, we have identified a subset of sulfur-metabolizing enzymes that are sensitive to multiple regulatory cues and may be strong candidates for therapeutic intervention

Genome-Wide Analysis of Protein-Protein Interactions and Involvement of Viral Proteins in SARS-CoV Replication

Analyses of viral protein-protein interactions are an important step to understand viral protein functions and their underlying molecular mechanisms. In this study, we adopted a mammalian two-hybrid system to screen the genome-wide intraviral protein-protein interactions of SARS coronavirus (SARS-CoV) and therefrom revealed a number of novel interactions which could be partly confirmed by in vitro biochemical assays. Three pairs of the interactions identified were detected in both directions: non-structural protein (nsp) 10 and nsp14, nsp10 and nsp16, and nsp7 and nsp8. The interactions between the multifunctional nsp10 and nsp14 or nsp16, which are the unique proteins found in the members of Nidovirales with large RNA genomes including coronaviruses and toroviruses, may have important implication for the mechanisms of replication/transcription complex assembly and functions of these viruses. Using a SARS-CoV replicon expressing a luciferase reporter under the control of a transcription regulating sequence, it has been shown that several viral proteins (N, X and SUD domains of nsp3, and nsp12) provided in trans stimulated the replicon reporter activity, indicating that these proteins may regulate coronavirus replication and transcription. Collectively, our findings provide a basis and platform for further characterization of the functions and mechanisms of coronavirus proteins