Energy transfer between the flavin chromophores of electron-transferring flavoprotein fromMegasphaera elsdenii as inferred from time-resolved red-edge and blue-edge fluorescence spectroscopy

Both a mode-locked argon-ion laser and synchrotron radiation were used as excitation sources to obtain time-resolved polarized fluorescence of the two FAD cofactors in electron transferring flavoprotein fromMegasphaera elsdenii. Red-edge excited and blue-edge detected fluorescence anisotropy decay curves did not contain a fast relaxation process which was observed upon mainband excitation and detection. This relaxation was assigned to homo-energy transfer between the two FAD cofactors. Failure of energy transfer as observed with edge spectroscopy on this protein excludes restricted reorientational motion of the flavins as a possible mechanism of depolarization. From the global analysis of the fluorescence anisotropy decay surface obtained at multiple excitation and detection wavelengths, the distance between and the relative orientation of the flavins could be estimated. The methodology described has general applicability in other multichromophoric biopolymers and has the potential to acquire accurate geometrical parameters in these systems.     

Numerical propagation of partially coherent laser beams through optical systems

The propagation of partially coherent beams through optical systems is computed numerically in one transverse dimension. The optical system is divided into different elementary segments, through which the propagation of light can be calculated by appropriate operators, working on the coherence function or the Wigner distribution function respectively. For the necessary changes between these two functions describing the partially coherent beams, the use of the remarkable z-transform seems to be an advantage. With this algorithm the grid and the resolution in the spatial frequency domain can be arbitrarily chosen in contrast to the usual Fourier transform, the influence of phase aberrations on the focusability of Gauss-Schell model beams is discussed as an application example of the numerical model. With the help of this tool, practical beam guiding systems can be simulated for use with multimode laser radiation.     

Quantum optical ramsey fringes and complementarity

An interferometer in which an atom traverses two identical micromaser cavities in succession is proposed. Depending on the preparation of the cavity fields, the probability for finding the atom in a definite final state displays Ramsey fringes or not. If the initial cavity fields are such that the state of the atom between the cavities can be determined, then the Ramsey fringes disappear, as is required by the principle of complementarity.     

Laser stabilitron

We consider a new method for producing intensity stabilization of cw lasers. This method incorporates negative feedback from a nonlinear saturable absorber to provide wideband noise-reduction and may produce an output beam for which shot noise is below the quantum limit. This new method can be used with a large variety of cw lasers and is particularly applicable to frequency-stabilized lasers which are locked to absorption lines.Permanent address: Institute of Laser Physics, Novosibirsk 630090, Russia     

Projector Quantum Monte Carlo without minus-sign problem

Quantum Monte Carlo techniques often suffer from the so-called minus-sign problem. This paper explores a possibility to circumvent this fundamental problem by combining the Projector Quantum Monte Carlo method with the variational principle. Results are presented for the two-dimensional Hubbard model.     

On aq-deformation of the discrete Painlevé I equation andq-orthogonal polynomials

We present aq-analog of the discrete Painlevé I equation, and a special realization of it in terms ofq-orthogonal polynomials.     

Some aerodynamic and acoustic characteristicsof acute laryngitis

The purpose of the present study was to describe the effects ofacute laryngitis on some aerodynamic, acoustic, and perceptual measures. Eleven subjects with diagnosed acute laryngitis due to upper respiratory infection were recorded during a laryngitic episode and 1 week to 10 days after amelioration of the laryngitic condition. Fundamental frequency values, collapsed across the five vowels, were significantly reduced in the laryngitic compared with the normal speaking condition. The decrease in fundamental frequency associated with acute laryngitis suggests an increase in the mass of the vocal folds. In addition, aerodynamic values differed significantly for the laryngitic condition compared with the normal speaking condition, suggesting the presence of laryngeal hypofunction. Perceptual data indicated that speakers in the laryngitic condition were judged to have a hoarse voice when compared with the normal speaking condition.     

Quark models and polarized electroproduction of the Roper resonance

We calculate the recoil polarization observables for neutral pion electroproduction on the proton. In particular, for theN(938)→N ^*(1440) transition, we study these observables for several quark models of the resonant amplitudes. We find that the polarization response functions, unlike the unpolarized cross section, have encouragingly large sensitivity to the presence of the Roper. Furthermore, these observables can clearly reveal the presence of a longitudinal coupling.