Quantum phase transitions (QPTs) are usually associated with many-body systems in the thermodynamic limit when their ground states show abrupt changes at zero temperature with variation of a ...parameter in the Hamiltonian. Recently it has been realized that a QPT can also occur in a system composed of only a two-level atom and a single-mode bosonic field, described by the quantum Rabi model (QRM). Here we report an experimental demonstration of a QPT in the QRM using a
Yb
ion in a Paul trap. We measure the spin-up state population and the average phonon number of the ion as two order parameters and observe clear evidence of the phase transition via adiabatic tuning of the coupling between the ion and its spatial motion. An experimental probe of the phase transition in a fundamental quantum optics model without imposing the thermodynamic limit opens up a window for controlled study of QPTs and quantum critical phenomena.
Dysbiotic oral microbiota has been associated with multiple sclerosis. However, the role and mechanism of oral microbiota in the development of multiple sclerosis are still elusive. Here, we ...demonstrated that ligature-induced periodontitis (LIP) aggravated experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) in mice, and this was likely dependent on the expansion of T helper 17 (Th17) cells. LIP increased the splenic richness of Enterobacter sp., which was able to induce the expansion of splenic Th17 cells and aggravate EAE in mice. LIP also led to enrichment of Erysipelotrichaceae sp. in the gut and increased Th17 cells in the large intestinal lamina propria of EAE mice. Fecal microbiota transplantation from EAE mice with LIP also promoted EAE symptoms. In conclusion, periodontitis exacerbates EAE, likely through ectopic colonization of oral pathobionts and expansion of Th17 cells.
We experimentally realize a universal set of single-bit and two-bit geometric quantum gates by adiabatically controlling solid-state spins in a diamond defect. Compared with the nonadiabatic ...approach, the adiabatic scheme for geometric quantum computation offers a unique advantage of inherent robustness to parameter variations, which is explicitly demonstrated in our experiment by showing that the single-bit gates remain unchanged when the driving field amplitude varies by a factor of 2 or the detuning fluctuates in a range comparable to the inverse of the gate time. The reported adiabatic control technique and its convenient implementation offer a paradigm for achieving quantum computation through robust geometric quantum gates, which is important for quantum information systems with parameter-fluctuation noise such as those from the inhomogeneous coupling or the spectral diffusion.
The synchronization of geodesic acoustic modes (GAMs) and magnetic fluctuations is identified in the edge plasmas of the HL-2A tokamak. Mesoscale electric fluctuations (MSEFs) having components of a ...dominant GAM, and m/n=6/2 potential fluctuations are found at the same frequency as that of the magnetic fluctuations of m/n=6/2 (m and n are poloidal and toroidal mode numbers, respectively). The temporal evolutions of the MSEFs and the magnetic fluctuations clearly show the frequency entrainment and the phase lock between the GAM and the m/n=6/2 magnetic fluctuations. The results indicate that GAMs and magnetic fluctuations can transfer energy through nonlinear synchronization. Such nonlinear synchronization may also contribute to low-frequency zonal flow formation, reduction of turbulence level, and thus confinement regime transitions.
The measurement of the energy spectrum of cosmic ray helium nuclei from 70 GeV to 80 TeV using 4.5 years of data recorded by the Dark Matter Particle Explorer (DAMPE) is reported in this work. A ...hardening of the spectrum is observed at an energy of about 1.3 TeV, similar to previous observations. In addition, a spectral softening at about 34 TeV is revealed for the first time with large statistics and well controlled systematic uncertainties, with an overall significance of 4.3σ. The DAMPE spectral measurements of both cosmic protons and helium nuclei suggest a particle charge dependent softening energy, although with current uncertainties a dependence on the number of nucleons cannot be ruled out.
In this study, the effect of strain rate on the tensile deformation behavior of Fe–22Mn–0.6C–(1.5Al) (wt%) twinning-induced plasticity (TWIP) steel was investigated. The experimental results ...indicated that the work hardening exponent (n), ultimate tensile strength (σu) and the uniform elongation (δu) decreased with increasing strain rates (from 10−4 to 100s−1). This phenomenon exhibited negative strain rate sensitivity (NSRS), and the strain rate sensitivity value (m) was observed to be higher in the aluminum added FeMnC TWIP steel. In order to gain an in-depth understanding of this sensitivity and the subsequent effect of aluminum, the present research focused on the deformation twins and conducted comparative studies on their influence in terms of fractions (F), thickness (t) and spacing (s). Additionally, a twin boundary affected zone (TBAZ) model was proposed, where the relation between higher strain rates were directly applicable to the reduction of interfaces between the matrix and deformation twins. These result indicated that fewer sessile dislocations could be accommodated at high strain rates, thus weakening the work hardening ability. Finally, model calculations were performed to validate the findings, where TBAZ region fractions in FeMnC–Al were observed to be higher than that in FeMnC, corresponding to the increased strain rate sensitivity.
Microstructure and voids evolution of a selective laser melted (SLM) AlSi10Mg alloy during tension were systematically investigated. The SLM AlSi10Mg sample is featured with a multi-level ...heterogeneous microstructure that is composed of melt pools (MPs), columnar Al grains and sub-cells. According to the Si morphologies and thermal history, the MP could be divided into three regions, including the fine structure zone (FSZ), remelted zone (RMZ) and heat-affected zone (HAZ), respectively. The Si segregation phenomenon on sub-cells boundaries is observed and may attributed to the constitutional supercooling. The tensile deformation behaviors of the vertical sample (V-sample) vary from the horizontal sample (H-sample) for that heterogeneous microstructure arises strain localization in V-sample. In addition, the voids have no obvious effect on the uniform plastic deformation, while they may affect the non-uniform deformation during tension. The combined effects of strain localization and void contribute to the earlier break in V-samples than in H-samples.
Aims
Diseases caused by pathogenic fungi was a major constrain in increasing productivity and improving quality of Panax notoginseng. The aim of this research was to evaluate the inhibitory activity ...of essential oils (EOs) from Asteraceae family, Chrysanthemum indicum and Laggera pterodonta, against pathogenic fungi of P. notoginseng.
Methods and Results
The antifungal activity was investigated using multiple methods, disclosing that the EOs from C. indicum and L. pterodonta are active against hypha growth of different fungi but with different degrees of potency. Checkerboard testing indicated that the combination of EOs with hymexazol had synergistic effect against Pythium aphanidermatum, and exhibited additive effects against bulk of targeted pathogenic fungi. Besides, we found that the baseline sensitivity of Fusarium oxysporum to L. pterodonta EOs was higher than those of C. indicum by means of mycelium growth rate method. Finally, the practicability of those EOs as plant pesticide was confirmed by in vivo model showing that EOs can significantly inhibit the occurrence of root rot of P. notoginseng caused by F. oxysporum.
Conclusion
Those studies suggest that the EOs from C. indicum and L. pterodonta had the potential to develop into new pollution‐free pesticides for the protection of precious Chinese herbal medicines.
Significance and Impact of the Study
This study provided a new way of biological control for overcoming the frequent diseases occurrence of P. notoginseng.
•A simplified theoretical model is proposed to predict tip cracking and non-tip cracking by decoupling the S-shape fissure into three cracking models.•The specimens prepared by 3D-printed transparent ...resin material are employed to approximate the counterparts of rock-like materials for their similarities in fracture pattern.•Minimal research found that non-tip-cracking occurs in S-shape fissure by tested on a lab. The cracking behavior of S-shape fissures is different from that of straight fissures with respect to the occurrence of non-tip-cracking.
Non-tip cracking for kinked fissures has been investigated in our previous study. This paper reveals that non-tip cracking also occurs for smooth fissures without kinks. 3D printed photosensitive resin specimens with a smooth S-shape fissure are tested under uniaxial compression. The influence of geometry and orientation of the S-shape fissure on the specimen deformation and strength behaviour, especially the non-tip-cracking failure is investigated. Results show that two cracking patterns, tip-cracking and non-tip cracking, occurs in a similar trend with that observed for kinked fissures. The non-tip cracking is sensitive to the inclination angle β and the ratio between the amplitude and ratio of the amplitude to the half length of the S-shape fissure, i.e., the effective curvature A/a, as it only occurs when β equals to 30°, 45°, 60° and the A/a is equal to or greater than 2/7.5. A simplified piecewise linear crack model is proposed to predict the occurrence of the non-tip cracking failure. The S-shape fissure is approximated by three straight segments and the three failure models A, B and C corresponding to their equivalent straight segments are identified based on the maximum circumferential stress criterion. The cracking pattern of the S-shape fissure is governed by model A and C failure and the predicted cracking patterns match well with the respective experimental ones. The results from the present research complement the traditional fracture mechanics by extending the understanding about non-tip cracking failure.
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