Decreased retinal sensitivity in depressive disorder: a controlled study.

OBJECTIVE: To compare pupil responses in depressed patients with a seasonal pattern, depressed patients without a seasonal pattern and healthy controls as a function of daylight hours on the testing day. METHOD: Patients suffering from a major depressive episode were included in wintertime. The pupil light reflex was measured at inclusion and in the following summer using a binocular pupillometer. A protocol of low (1 lux) and high (400 lux) intensity red and blue lights was used to assess rod, cone and melanopsin-containing intrinsic photosensitive retinal ganglion cell input to the pupil reflex. RESULTS: The mean group pupil responses associated with a melanopsin-mediated sustained pupil response at 400 lux blue light were significantly reduced in the depressed subjects (N = 39) as compared to the healthy controls (N = 24) (P = 0.023). Across all groups, a reduction in number of daylight hours was significantly associated with a reduction in sustained pupil response (P = 0.007). All groups showed an equal effect of daylight hours on the melanopsin-mediated sustained pupil response. CONCLUSION: The melanopsin-mediated sustained pupil contraction to offset of high-intensity blue light is reduced in depressed patients. These results further emphasize the interaction of light exposure with depression.

Safety of sublingual immunotherapy Timothy grass tablet in subjects with allergic rhinitis with or without conjunctivitis and history of asthma.

BACKGROUND: Patients with asthma may be more susceptible to adverse events (AEs) with sublingual immunotherapy tablet (SLIT-tablet) treatment, such as severe systemic reactions and asthma-related events. Using data from eight trials of grass SLIT-tablet in subjects with allergic rhinitis with/without conjunctivitis (AR/C), AE frequencies were determined in adults and children with and without reported asthma. METHODS: Data from randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials of Timothy grass SLIT-tablet MK-7243 (2800 BAU/75 000 SQ-T, Merck/ALK-Abelló) were pooled for post hoc analyses. Subjects with uncontrolled and severe asthma were excluded from the trials. Frequencies for treatment-emergent AEs (TEAEs), local allergic swelling (mouth or throat), systemic allergic reactions, and asthma-related treatment-related AEs (TRAEs) were calculated. RESULTS: Among adults (n = 3314) and children (n = 881), 24% and 31%, respectively, had reported asthma. No serious local allergic swellings or serious systemic allergic reactions occurred in subjects with asthma treated with SLIT-tablet. There was no evidence of increased TEAEs, systemic allergic reactions, or severe local allergic swellings in adults or children with asthma treated with grass SLIT-tablet versus subjects without asthma in or outside of pollen season. There were 6/120 asthma-related TRAEs assessed as severe with grass SLIT-tablet and 2/60 with placebo, without a consistent trend among subjects with and without asthma (5 and 3 events, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: In the AR/C subjects with reported well-controlled mild asthma included in these studies, grass SLIT-tablet did not increase TEAE frequency, severe local allergic swelling, or systemic allergic reactions versus subjects without asthma. There was no indication that treatment led to acute asthma worsening.

Open system of interacting fermions: statistical properties of cross sections and fluctuations.

Statistical properties of cross sections are studied for an open system of interacting fermions. The description is based on the effective non-Hermitian Hamiltonian that accounts for the existence of open decay channels preserving the unitarity of the scattering matrix. The intrinsic interaction is modeled by the two-body random ensemble of variable strength. In particular, the crossover region from isolated to overlapping resonances accompanied by the effect of the width redistribution creating superradiant and trapped states is studied in detail. The important observables, such as average cross section, its fluctuations, autocorrelation functions of the cross section, and scattering matrix, are very sensitive to the coupling of the intrinsic states to the continuum around the crossover. A detailed comparison is made of our results with standard predictions of statistical theory of cross sections, such as the Hauser-Feshbach formula for the average cross section and Ericson theory of fluctuations and correlations of cross sections. Strong deviations are found in the crossover region, along with the dependence on intrinsic interactions and the degree of chaos inside the system.

Decoherence and thermalization.

We present a rigorous analysis of the phenomenon of decoherence for general N-level systems coupled to reservoirs of free massless bosonic fields. We apply our general results to the specific case of the qubit. Our approach does not involve master equation approximations and applies to a wide variety of systems which are not explicitly solvable.

Beam wandering in the atmosphere: the effect of partial coherence.

The effect of a random phase screen on laser beam wander in a turbulent atmosphere is studied theoretically. The photon distribution function method is used to describe the photon kinetics of both weak and strong turbulence. By bringing together analytical and numerical calculations, we have obtained the variance of beam centroid deflections caused by scattering on turbulent eddies. It is shown that an artificial distortion of the initial coherence of the radiation can be used to decrease the wandering effect. The physical mechanism responsible for this reduction and the applicability of our approach are discussed.

The Fermi-Pasta-Ulam problem: fifty years of progress.

A brief review of the Fermi-Pasta-Ulam (FPU) paradox is given, together with its suggested resolutions and its relation to other physical problems. We focus on the ideas and concepts that have become the core of modern nonlinear mechanics, in their historical perspective. Starting from the first numerical results of FPU, both theoretical and numerical findings are discussed in close connection with the problems of ergodicity, integrability, chaos and stability of motion. New directions related to the Bose-Einstein condensation and quantum systems of interacting Bose-particles are also considered.

Irregular dynamics in a one-dimensional Bose system.

We study many-body quantum dynamics of delta-interacting bosons confined in a one-dimensional ring. Main attention is paid to the transition from the mean-field to the Tonks-Girardeau regime using an approach developed in the theory of interacting particles. We analyze, both analytically and numerically, how the Shannon entropy of the wave function and the momentum distribution depend on time for weak and strong interactions. We show that the transition from regular (quasiperiodic) to irregular ("chaotic") dynamics coincides with the onset of the Tonks-Girardeau regime. In the latter regime, the momentum distribution of the system reveals a statistical relaxation to a steady state distribution. The transition can be observed experimentally by studying the interference fringes obtained after releasing the trap and letting the boson system expand ballistically.

Relaxation and the Zeno effect in qubit measurements.

We consider a qubit interacting with its environment and continuously monitored by a detector represented by a point contact. Bloch-type equations describing the entire system of the qubit, the environment, and the detector are derived. Using these equations we evaluate the detector current and its noise spectrum in terms of the decoherence and relaxation rates of the qubit. Simple expressions are obtained that show how these quantities can be accurately measured. We demonstrate that due to interaction with the environment, the measurement can never localize a qubit even for infinite decoherence rate.

Quantum instability of a Bose-Einstein condensate with attractive interaction.

We study the quantum and the mean-field Gross-Pitaevskii (GP) dynamics of a Bose-Einstein condensate gas confined in a toroidal trap. According to GP, if the interatomic interaction is attractive, the rotational states of the system can be dynamically stable or unstable depending on the strength of the mean-field energy. The full quantum analysis, however, reveals that the condensate is always unstable. Quantum fluctuations are particularly important close to the GP stability borderline, even for systems with a relatively large number of condensate atoms.

Avoiding quantum chaos in quantum computation.

We study a one-dimensional chain of nuclear 1/2 spins in an external time-dependent magnetic field, considered as a possible candidate for experimental realization of quantum computation. According to the general theory of interacting particles, one of the most dangerous effects is quantum chaos that can destroy the stability of quantum operations. The standard viewpoint is that the threshold for the onset of quantum chaos due to an interaction between spins (qubits) strongly decreases with an increase of the number of qubits. Contrary to this opinion, we show that the presence of a nonhomogeneous magnetic field can strongly reduce quantum chaos effects. We give analytical estimates that explain this effect, together with numerical data supporting our analysis.

Dynamical fidelity of a solid-state quantum computation.

In this paper we analyze the dynamics in a spin model of quantum computer. Main attention is paid to the dynamical fidelity (associated with dynamical errors) of an algorithm that allows to create an entangled state for remote qubits. We show that in the regime of selective resonant excitations of qubits there is no danger of quantum chaos. Moreover, in this regime a modified perturbation theory gives an adequate description of the dynamics of the system. Our approach allows us to explicitly describe all peculiarities of the evolution of the system under time-dependent pulses corresponding to a quantum protocol. Specifically, we analyze, both analytically and numerically, how the fidelity decreases in dependence on the model parameters.

Delocalization border and onset of chaos in a model of quantum computation.

We study the properties of spectra and eigenfunctions for a chain of 1/2 spins (qubits) in an external time-dependent magnetic field and under the conditions of nonselective excitation (when the amplitude of the magnetic field is large). This model is known as a possible candidate for experimental realization of quantum computation. We present the theory for finding delocalization transitions and show that for the interaction between nearest qubits, the transition is very different from that in quantum chaos. We explain this phenomena by showing that in the considered region of parameters our model is close to an integrable one. According to a general opinion, the threshold for the onset of quantum chaos due to the interqubit interaction decreases with an increase of the number of qubits. Contrary to this expectation, for a magnetic field with constant gradient we have found that chaos border does not depend on the number of qubits. We give analytical estimates that explain this effect, together with numerical data supporting our analysis. Random models with long-range interactions have been studied as well. In particular, we show that in this case the delocalization and quantum chaos borders coincide.

Solid-state quantum computer based on scanning tunneling microscopy.

We propose a solid-state nuclear-spin quantum computer based on application of scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and well-developed silicon technology. It requires the measurement of tunneling-current modulation caused by the Larmor precession of a single electron spin. Our envisioned STM quantum computer would operate at the high magnetic field (approximately 10 T) and at low temperature approximately 1 K.

Magnetic resonance force microscopy quantum computer with tellurium donors in silicon.

We propose a magnetic resonance force microscopy (MRFM)-based nuclear spin quantum computer using tellurium impurities in silicon. This approach to quantum computing combines well-developed silicon technology and expected advances in MRFM. Our proposal does not use electrostatic gates to realize quantum logic operations.

Symmetry of quantum phase space in a degenerate Hamiltonian system.

The structure of the global "quantum phase space" is analyzed for the harmonic oscillator perturbed by a monochromatic wave in the limit when the perturbation amplitude is small. Usually, the phenomenon of quantum resonance was studied in nondegenerate [G. M. Zaslavsky, Chaos in Dynamic Systems (Harwood Academic, Chur, 1985)] and degenerate [Demikhovskii, Kamenev, and Luna-Acosta, Phys. Rev. E 52, 3351 (1995)] classically chaotic systems only in the particular regions of the classical phase space, such as the center of the resonance or near the separatrix. The system under consideration is degenerate, and even an infinitely small perturbation generates in the classical phase space an infinite number of the resonant cells which are arranged in the pattern with the axial symmetry of the order 2&mgr; (where &mgr; is the resonance number). We show analytically that the Husimi functions of all Floquet states (the quantum phase space) have the same symmetry as the classical phase space. This correspondence is demonstrated numerically for the Husimi functions of the Floquet states corresponding to the motion near the elliptic stable points (centers of the classical resonance cells). The derived results are valid in the resonance approximation when the perturbation amplitude is small enough, and the stochastic layers in the classical phase space are exponentially thin. The developed approach can be used for studying a global symmetry of more complicated quantum systems with chaotic behavior. (c) 2000 American Institute of Physics.

Quantum chaos of atoms in a resonant cavity.

A system of atoms interacting with a radiation field in a resonant cavity is studied under conditions when the dynamics in the classical limit is stochastic. This situation is called quantum chaos. Equations of motion are obtained for the quantum-mechanical expectation values which take into account the quantum correlation functions. It is shown that in a situation corresponding to quantum chaos, the quantum corrections grow exponentially, making the evolution of the system essentially quantal after a certain time tau( variant Planck's over 2pi ) has elapsed. Analytical and numerical analysis show that in this regime the time tau( variant Planck's over 2pi ) obeys the logarithmic law tau( variant Planck's over 2pi ) approximately ln N (N is the number of atoms), and not the law tau( variant Planck's over 2pi ) approximately N(alpha) (alpha is a certain constant of order unity), as would be the case in the absence of chaos.

Quantum chaos in the Wigner representation.

The dynamics of a familiar model of stochastic behavior-the quantum kicked rotator-is analyzed in the Wigner representation. Exact nonlocal maps defined on a discrete phase space are derived. The basic dynamics of a quantum kicked rotator can be described satisfactorily by means of a simplified map that incorporates only the discrete nature of the phase space.

Effectiveness research and assessment of clinical outcome: a review of Federal Government and medical community involvement.

Because of their concern about the increasing costs of health care, industry and government contractors for health care will attempt to control health-care costs for the foreseeable future. New proposals for cost containment include those that are focused on cost alone--for example, expenditure limits--and those that propose to control costs by limiting medical interventions to those of known efficacy. This latter attempt has come to be known as "effectiveness research." Herein, we briefly review the history of quality assurance and cost-containment efforts in the United States, giving special attention to the current initiative based on effectiveness research. Although the effectiveness research initiative has shortcomings (for example, it will not provide guidance when data are not available), it seems to be superior to the current peer review system because it encourages the development of a knowledge base and deemphasizes punitive measures as a way to ensure quality and control costs. The Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1989 (Public Law 101-239) establishes a federal agency, the Agency for Health Care Policy and Research, within the Public Health Service to focus on effectiveness research.

Effects of sample volume location, imaging view, heart rate and age on tricuspid velocimetry in normal subjects.

The effects of imaging view and sample volume location on tricuspid velocimetry and of heart rate and aging on mitral and tricuspid inflow were evaluated in 41 normal subjects aged 20 to 76 years. Pulsed Doppler recordings were obtained in the parasternal short-axis, right ventricular inflow and apical 4-chamber views at the level of the tricuspid and mitral anuli and 1 cm caudad and 1 cm cephalad to the tricuspid anulus in the 4-chamber apical view. The right ventricular filling pattern was not affected by imaging view. However, placement of the sample volume 1 cm cephalad resulted in a 16% reduction (p less than 0.01) in early velocity with a 9% increase in atrial filling fraction. Conversely, late velocity was 11% higher (p less than 0.05) at the anular level versus the other locations. Right and left ventricular filling velocities were modestly related (r = 0.50 to 0.63). Relations between age and tricuspid late velocity, velocity ratio and atrial filling fraction were weaker (r = 0.34 to 0.47; all p less than 0.05) than those between age and mitral variables (r = 0.59 to 0.74. Also, aging had a greater effect on mitral than tricuspid late velocity (i.e., a steeper slope; p less than 0.01). Tricuspid late velocity and atrial filling fraction were each modestly inversely related to RR interval (r = -0.48, r = -0.54; p less than 0.01). Thus, tricuspid velocity is affected by sample volume location, aging and heart rate, but not imaging view. Sample volume location, heart rate and age should be considered when evaluating right ventricular inflow parameters.