Manipulation and Detection of a Trapped Yb+ Ion Hyperfine Qubit

We demonstrate the use of trapped ytterbium ions as quantum bits for quantum information processing. We implement fast, efficient state preparation and state detection of the first-order magnetic field-insensitive hyperfine levels of 171Yb+, with a measured coherence time of 2.5 seconds. The high efficiency and high fidelity of these operations is accomplished through the stabilization and frequency modulation of relevant laser sources.Comment: 10 pages, 9 figures, 1 tabl

Experimental studies of the NaCs 12(0+) [7¹Σ+] state

We present results from experimental studies of the 11(0+) and 12(0+) electronic states of the NaCs molecule. An optical-optical double resonance method is used to obtain Doppler-free excitation spectra. Selected data from the 11(0+) and 12(0+) high-lying electronic states are used to obtain Rydberg-Klein-Rees and Inverse Perturbation Approach potential energy curves. Interactions between these two electronic states are evident in the patterns observed in the bound-bound and bound-free fluorescence spectra. A model, based on two separate interaction mechanisms, is presented to describe how the wavefunctions of the two states mix. The electronic parts of the wavefunctions interact via spin-orbit coupling, while the individual rotation-vibration levels interact via a second mechanism, which is likely to be non-adiabatic coupling. A modified version of the BCONT program was used to simulate resolved fluorescence from both upper states. Parameters of the model that describe the two interaction mechanisms were varied until simulations were able to adequately reproduce experimental spectra.National Science Foundation (U.S.) (grant no. PHY-0968898)National Science Foundation (U.S.) (grant no. PHY-1403060)National Science Foundation (U.S.) (grant no. CHE–1361865

Global analysis of data on the spin-orbit coupled A1Σu+A^{1}\Sigma_{u}^{+} and b3Πub^{3}\Pi_{u} states of Cs2

We present experimentally derived potential curves and spin-orbit interaction functions for the strongly perturbed $A^{1}\Sigma_{u}^{+}$ and $b^{3}\Pi_{u}$ states of the cesium dimer. The results are based on data from several sources. Laser-induced fluorescence Fourier transform spectroscopy (LIF FTS) was used some time ago in the Laboratoire Aim\'{e} Cotton primarily to study the $X ^{1}\Sigma_{g}^{+}$ state. More recent work at Tsinghua University provides information from moderate resolution spectroscopy on the lowest levels of the $b^{3}\Pi_{0u}^{\pm}$ states as well as additional high resolution data. From Innsbruck University, we have precision data obtained with cold Cs$_{2}$ molecules. Recent data from Temple University was obtained using the optical-optical double resonance polarization spectroscopy technique, and finally, a group at the University of Latvia has added additional LIF FTS data. In the Hamiltonian matrix, we have used analytic potentials (the Expanded Morse Oscillator form) with both finite-difference (FD) coupled-channels and discrete variable representation (DVR) calculations of the term values. Fitted diagonal and off-diagonal spin-orbit functions are obtained and compared with {\it ab initio} results from Temple and Moscow State universities

Measurement of isotope shift in Eu II

The isotope shift between singly-charged ^Eu and ^Eu in the 4f^7(^8S^o)6s^9S_4-4f^7(^8S^o)6p_1/2>(J=4) transition at 4129 A has been measured using fast ion beam-laser technique. This Eu line has attracted interest in connection with efforts of obtaining a cosmochronometer based on observed Th/Eu abundance ratios. Knowledge of the isotope shift is of importance in order to check that contaminations from line blends do not contribute to the line intensity of Eu II. The measured value of the isotope shift -0.1527(2) cm-1 (= -4578 MHz) is consistent with the old spectroscopic value of Krebs and Winkler -0.1503(25) cm-1 using a Fabry Perot interferometer, while the accuracy is improved substantially.Comment: 12 pages, in press for Physica Scripta, in swete

The Imaging Magnetograph eXperiment (IMaX) for the Sunrise balloon-borne solar observatory

The Imaging Magnetograph eXperiment (IMaX) is a spectropolarimeter built by four institutions in Spain that flew on board the Sunrise balloon-borne telesocope in June 2009 for almost six days over the Arctic Circle. As a polarimeter IMaX uses fast polarization modulation (based on the use of two liquid crystal retarders), real-time image accumulation, and dual beam polarimetry to reach polarization sensitivities of 0.1%. As a spectrograph, the instrument uses a LiNbO3 etalon in double pass and a narrow band pre-filter to achieve a spectral resolution of 85 mAA. IMaX uses the high Zeeman sensitive line of Fe I at 5250.2 AA and observes all four Stokes parameters at various points inside the spectral line. This allows vector magnetograms, Dopplergrams, and intensity frames to be produced that, after reconstruction, reach spatial resolutions in the 0.15-0.18 arcsec range over a 50x50 arcsec FOV. Time cadences vary between ten and 33 seconds, although the shortest one only includes longitudinal polarimetry. The spectral line is sampled in various ways depending on the applied observing mode, from just two points inside the line to 11 of them. All observing modes include one extra wavelength point in the nearby continuum. Gauss equivalent sensitivities are four Gauss for longitudinal fields and 80 Gauss for transverse fields per wavelength sample. The LOS velocities are estimated with statistical errors of the order of 5-40 m/s. The design, calibration and integration phases of the instrument, together with the implemented data reduction scheme are described in some detail.Comment: 17 figure

Reliability of the Cutting Alignment Scoring Tool (CAST) to Assess Trunk and Limb Alignment During a 45-Degree Side-Step Cut

# Background Three-dimensional (3D) motion analysis is considered the gold standard for evaluating human movement. However, its clinical utility is limited due to cost, operating expertise, and lengthy data processing time. Numerous qualitative scoring systems have been introduced to assess trunk and lower extremity biomechanics during functional tasks. However, the reliability of qualitative scoring systems to evaluate cutting movements is understudied. Purpose/Hypotheses: To assess the inter-rater and intra-rater reliability of the Cutting Alignment Scoring Tool (CAST) among sports medicine providers and to evaluate rater agreement of each component of the CAST. The hypotheses were: 1) there would be good–to-excellent inter-rater and intra-rater reliability among sports medicine providers, 2) there would be good to almost perfect agreement for cut width and trunk lean variables and moderate to good agreement for valgus variables of the CAST. # Study Design Repeated Measures # Methods Ten videos of a 45-degree side-step cut performed by adolescent athletes were independently rated on two occasions by six raters (2 medical doctors, 2 physical therapists, and 2 athletic trainers). The variables assessed include trunk lean to the opposite direction of the cut, increased cut width, knee valgus at initial load acceptance (static), and knee valgus throughout the task (dynamic). Variables were scored as either present, which were given a score of “1”, or not present, which were given a score of “0”. Video sequence was randomized in each rating session, and a two-week wash out period was given. # Results The cumulative inter-rater and intra-rater reliabilities were good (ICC: 0.808 and ICC: 0.753). Almost perfect kappa coefficients were recorded for cut width (k=0.949). Moderate kappa coefficients were found for trunk lean (k= 0.632) and fair kappa coefficients were noted for dynamic and static valgus (k=0.462 and k= 0.533 respectively). # Conclusion These findings suggest that the CAST is a reliable tool to evaluate trunk and LE alignment during a cutting task by sports medicine providers. # Level of Evidence Level 2 Diagnosi

Human Cytomegalovirus Induces TGF-β1 Activation in Renal Tubular Epithelial Cells after Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition

Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) infection is associated epidemiologically with poor outcome of renal allografts due to mechanisms which remain largely undefined. Transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1), a potent fibrogenic cytokine, is more abundant in rejecting renal allografts that are infected with either HCMV or rat CMV as compared to uninfected, rejecting grafts. TGF-β1 induces renal fibrosis via epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of renal epithelial cells, a process by which epithelial cells acquire mesenchymal characteristics and a migratory phenotype, and secrete molecules associated with extracellular matrix deposition and remodeling. We report that human renal tubular epithelial cells infected in vitro with HCMV and exposed to TGF-β1 underwent morphologic and transcriptional changes of EMT, similar to uninfected cells. HCMV infected cells after EMT also activated extracellular latent TGF-β1 via induction of MMP-2. Renal epithelial cells transiently transfected with only the HCMV IE1 or IE2 open reading frames and stimulated to undergo EMT also induced TGF-β1 activation associated with MMP-2 production, suggesting a role for these viral gene products in MMP-2 production. Consistent with the function of these immediate early gene products, the antiviral agents ganciclovir and foscarnet did not inhibit TGF-β1 production after EMT by HCMV infected cells. These results indicate that HCMV infected renal tubular epithelial cells can undergo EMT after exposure to TGF-β1, similar to uninfected renal epithelial cells, but that HCMV infection by inducing active TGF-β1 may potentiate renal fibrosis. Our findings provide in vitro evidence for a pathogenic mechanism that could explain the clinical association between HCMV infection, TGF-β1, and adverse renal allograft outcome

Bodily tides near spin-orbit resonances

Spin-orbit coupling can be described in two approaches. The method known as "the MacDonald torque" is often combined with an assumption that the quality factor Q is frequency-independent. This makes the method inconsistent, because the MacDonald theory tacitly fixes the rheology by making Q scale as the inverse tidal frequency. Spin-orbit coupling can be treated also in an approach called "the Darwin torque". While this theory is general enough to accommodate an arbitrary frequency-dependence of Q, this advantage has not yet been exploited in the literature, where Q is assumed constant or is set to scale as inverse tidal frequency, the latter assertion making the Darwin torque equivalent to a corrected version of the MacDonald torque. However neither a constant nor an inverse-frequency Q reflect the properties of realistic mantles and crusts, because the actual frequency-dependence is more complex. Hence the necessity to enrich the theory of spin-orbit interaction with the right frequency-dependence. We accomplish this programme for the Darwin-torque-based model near resonances. We derive the frequency-dependence of the tidal torque from the first principles, i.e., from the expression for the mantle's compliance in the time domain. We also explain that the tidal torque includes not only the secular part, but also an oscillating part. We demonstrate that the lmpq term of the Darwin-Kaula expansion for the tidal torque smoothly goes through zero, when the secondary traverses the lmpq resonance (e.g., the principal tidal torque smoothly goes through nil as the secondary crosses the synchronous orbit). We also offer a possible explanation for the unexpected frequency-dependence of the tidal dissipation rate in the Moon, discovered by LLR

Molecular characterization of occult hepatitis B virus infection in patients with end-stage liver disease in Colombia.

ABSTARCT: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) occult infection (OBI) is a risk factor to be taken into account in transfusion, hemodialysis and organ transplantation. The aim of this study was to identify and characterize at the molecular level OBI cases in patients with end-stage liver disease. METHODS: Sixty-six liver samples were obtained from patients with diagnosis of end-stage liver disease submitted to liver transplantation in Medellin (North West, Colombia). Samples obtained from patients who were negative for the surface antigen of HBV (n = 50) were tested for viral DNA detection by nested PCR for ORFs S, C, and X and confirmed by Southern-Blot. OBI cases were analyzed by sequencing the viral genome to determine the genotype and mutations; additionally, viral genome integration events were examined by the Alu-PCR technique. RESULTS: In five cases out of 50 patients (10%) the criteria for OBI was confirmed. HBV genotype F (subgenotypes F1 and F3), genotype A and genotype D were characterized in liver samples. Three integration events in chromosomes 5q14.1, 16p13 and 20q12 affecting Receptor-type tyrosine-protein phosphatase T, Ras Protein Specific Guanine Nucleotide Releasing Factor 2, and the zinc finger 263 genes were identified in two OBI cases. Sequence analysis of the viral genome of the 5 OBI cases showed several punctual missense and nonsense mutations affecting ORFs S, P, Core and X. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first characterization of OBI in patients with end-stage liver disease in Colombia. The OBI cases were identified in patients with HCV infection or cryptogenic cirrhosis. The integration events (5q14.1, 16p13 and 20q12) described in this study have not been previously reported. Further studies are required to validate the role of mutations and integration events in OBI pathogenesis

Analysis of the long range potential of iodine in the B 3Π +ou state

A quantum mechanical potential energy curve (IPA potential) of the iodine B 3Π+ou state was determined. The analysis of the outer branch of this potential (which encompasses 99.96 % of the depth well from υ = 0 to υ = 80) was carried out by means of the multipole expansion of the interaction energies truncated up to the C10/R10 v term ; the exchange energies Vex(R) being neglected and hyperfine effects ignored. In the analysed region (from 7 to 12 A) the estimated Vex(R) are small and may even be cancelled by the contribution of the neglected term C12 /R12υ; moreover, the dissociation limit energy De and the Cn coefficients are not depending of the number of turning points considered. The values of De and Cn are respectively found to be equal to De = 4 381.2492 ± 0.001 cm-1 C5 = 3.161 (33) × 105cm-1 Å 5 C6 = 1.506(43) × 106 cm-1 Å6 C8 = 0.248(14) × 108 cm-1 Å8 C10 ≤ 0.042(3) × 1010 cm-1 Å10, the quoted uncertainties being those resulting from fits using the calculated IPA potential.Le potentiel quantique de l'état B 3Π+ou de l'iode, s'étendant depuis le niveau fondamental υ = 0 jusqu'au niveau υ = 80 (soit 99,96 % du puits de potentiel), a été déterminé à l'aide d'une méthode variationnelle (IPA). L'analyse de la branche externe de ce potentiel fait appel au développement multipolaire de l'énergie d'interaction limité au terme C 10/R10ν; l'énergie d'échange V ex(R) et les effets hyperfins étant négligés. Dans la région analysée (entre 7 et 12 Å), l'énergie d'échange Vex( R) estimée est faible et pourrait même être contrebalancée par la contribution du terme C12/R12ν; de plus, l'énergie de la limite de dissociation De ainsi que les valeurs des coefficients Cn sont pratiquement insensibles au nombre de points tournants considérés. Les valeurs de De et de Cn sont trouvées respectivement égales à : De = 4 381,249 2 ± 0,001 cm-1 C5 = 3,161(33) × 10 5 cm-1 Å5 C6 = 1,506(43) × 106 cm-1 Å6 C8 = 0,248(14) × 108 cm-1 Å8 C1o ≤ 0,042(3) × 1010cm-1 Å10 , où les incertitudes sont celles correspondant uniquement aux erreurs d'ajustement obtenues à partir des points tournants calculés par la méthode IPA