Ultimate low system dark count rate for superconducting nanowire single-photon detector

The dark count rate (DCR) is a key parameter of single-photon detectors. By introducing a bulk optical band-pass filter mounted on a fiber-to-fiber optical bench cooled at 3 K and blocking down to 5 micrometer, we suppressed the DCR of a superconducting nanowire single-photon detector by more than three orders of magnitude. The DCR is limited by the blackbody radiation through a signal passband of 20 nm bandwidth. The figure of merit, system detection efficiency, and DCR were 2.7 x 10^11, 2.3 %, and 0.001 Hz, respectively. Narrowing the bandwidth to 100 GHz suppresses the DCR to 0.0001 Hz and the figure of merit increases to 1.8 x 10^12.Comment: to appear in Optics Letter

CARDIOPROTECTIVE MECHANISMS OF LIFESTYLE MODIFICATIONS AND PHARMACOTHERAPIES ON CARDIAC REMODELING AND DYSFUNCTION IN HYPERTENSIVE HEART DISEASE: AN OVERVIEW

2011-08The incidence of cardiovascular events in hypertensive patients is clearly related to a left ventricular mass during treatment, and a regression of left ventricular hypertrophy is associated with a better prognosis. This is the case even independently of changes in other risk factors, including blood pressure. Evidence indicates that lifestyle modifications such as dietary salt restriction and weight loss are effective means in preventing the development of hypertension and reducing blood pressure and left ventricular mass in hypertensive patients. Salt restriction may also reduce the long-term risk of cardiovascular events. It has been recognized that the primary targets of current antihypertensive drugs are the renin-angiotensinaldosterone system, calcium homeostasis, the ionic transport mechanisms in the kidneys, and the sympathetic nervous system. Clinical as well as experimental studies have demonstrated the cardioprotective effects of antihypertensive drugs independently of their blood pressure lowering effects. Hypertension is often complicated by other disease states including diabetes, dyslipidemia, and ischemic heart disease. Some of the drugs used for the treatment of such complications are also shown to produce cardioprotective effects in addition to their original effects. We ought to better understand these pleiotropic effects for the most effective treatments of hypertension and its complications.departmental bulletin pape

Ultimate low system dark-count rate for superconducting nanowire single-photon detector

journal articl

<地域研究>中心市街地活性化法の現状と高崎市をモデルケースとした経済効果の分析について

departmental bulletin pape

脱原発政策をめぐる政治過程 : ドイツの政治過程と日本政治への示唆

departmental bulletin pape

Polydopamine-clay functionalized <i>Calotropis gigantea</i> fiber: A recyclable oil-absorbing material with large lumens

<p>A facile route was used for improving the oil-absorbing performance of <i>Calotropis gigantea</i> fiber (CGF) via a convenient oxidative polymerization of dopamine in the presence of attapulgite (APT) and subsequent instant immersion in an ethanolic solution of 1H,1H,2H,2H-perfluorooctyltriethoxysilane (PFS). The scanning electron microscope (SEM) coupled with element mapping indicated that the CGF had been successfully modified by polydopamine–APT–PFS, by which a roughened surface with higher contact angle against water can be formed. Consequently, the resulting fiber showed a significant enhancement in the oil-absorbing capacity, with 99.2 g/g for blend oil, 97.7 g/g for soybean oil, and 88.4 g/g for kerosene, respectively. Compared with previous methods, this approach is convenient for the construction of a novel material with tailored morphology and functionality, and the resulting fiber shows its promising application as a highly efficient and recyclable oil-absorbing material for oily wastewater treatment.</p

zQ175 mice show abnormal brain metabolites in the striatum measured by (1)H MRS.

<p>Metabolite values with an LC Model fit of a Cramér-Rao lower bound (CRLB) above 20% were excluded. Following metabolites, including creatine (Cr), phosphocreatine (PCr), gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), glutamine (GLN), glutamate (GLU), inositol (INS), N-acetylaspartate (NAA), taurine (TAU), N-acetyl-L-aspartyl-L-glutamic acid (NAAG), were measured in the striatum of mice. Quantification of brain metabolites in the mouse striatum in indicated genotypes and ages in both male and female homozygous zQ175 mice. n = 8 (4 males and 4 females). *<i>p</i><0.05 compared to the values of wild type (WT) mice by standard Student’s <i>t</i>-tests. The spectrum was obtained by the standard PRESS sequence (TE = 15 ms, TR = 5 s, 256 averages). After an initial scout image, a 4 mm x 4 mm voxel was placed in the mouse striatum. First and second order shim coil currents were adjusted by using FASTMAP, the line after which width of water was approximately 15 Hz. Adjustment of the LC Model quantification process was made with respect to the water relaxation time and concentration.</p

zQ175 mice displayed progressive motor deficits on balance beam and decreased locomotor activity in the Open Field chambers.

<p>(<b>A,B</b>) Mice were trained and tested on a 5 mm balance beam (A) or 11 mm beam (B), and latency to cross the beam was recorded. n = 16, 8 male and 8 female homozygous zQ175 mice. *<i>p</i><0.05 versus age matched wild type (WT) mice by repeated two-way (Age and Genotype) <i>ANOVA</i>. (<b>C-E)</b> Locomotor activity was assessed in the Open Field apparatus; total activity (C), central activity (D), and rearing frequency (E) were recorded automatically during a 1 h testing period. n = 16, 8 males and 8 females. *<i>p</i><0.05 versus age-matched wild type (WT) mice by one-way <i>ANOVA</i> with Fisher’s <i>posthoc</i> tests. (<b>F</b>) Time staying on the rotarod was recorded and averaged among three trials. n = 16, 8 males and 8 females. *<i>p</i><0.05 versus age-matched wild type (WT) mice by one-way <i>ANOVA</i> with Fisher’s <i>posthoc</i> tests.</p

Mutant huntingtin aggregates are detected in zQ175 mouse brain.

<p>Immunofluorescent staining was performed in the brain sections of zQ175 mice at indicated ages- 6 months (A) and 12 months (B). Representative pictures were taken in both striatum and cortex area. EM48-positive mutant huntingtin aggregates (red fluorescent signal) and neuronal marker NeuN (green color) were labeled. Scale bar = 200 μm. (C) Neurons with nuclear EM 48 positive mutant Htt aggregates were quantified in both striatum and cortex regions at 6 month and 12 month old mice. Percentage of neurons with nuclear mutant Htt aggregates was presented. n = 3.</p

MRI detected significant brain atrophy, particularly in the striatum and neocortex and white matter abnormality in zQ175 mice.

<p><b>(A)</b> Representative T2-weighted coronal MRI images from mice at indicated genptype. Note that the whole brain atrophy and regional brain atrophy in neocortex (Cx) and striatum (Str) in zQ175 mice. (<b>B-D</b>) <i>In vivo</i> longitudinal MRI quantification of volumes of whole brain (B), striatum (C), and neocortex (D) at indicated ages. n = 16 (8 male and 8 female homozygous zQ175 mice). *<i>p</i><0.05 compared to the values of age-matched control mice by one-way ANOVA with Fisher’s <i>posthoc</i> tests.</p