Conditioned Unitary Transformation on biphotons

A conditioned unitary transformation ($90^o$ polarization rotation) is performed at single-photon level. The transformation is realized by rotating polarization for one of the photons of a polarization-entangled biphoton state (signal photon) by means of a Pockel's cell triggered by the detection of the other (idler) photon after polarization selection. As a result, polarization degree for the signal beam changes from zero to the value given by the idler detector quantum efficiency. This result is relevant to practical realization of various quantum information schemes and can be used for developing a new method of absolute quantum efficiency calibration

Simple Chemical Method for the Determination of Carbon Dioxide in Air

The determination of carbon dioxide in air was always an important practical problem. It became particularly important in recent decades because of the studies of the greenhouse effect Because of difficulties in the direct detection of the equivalence point for the interaction of low concentrations of CO 2 with reagents, the two-step titration method is most frequently used among chemical methods for the determination of CO 2 . Within this method, first an aliquot portion of a solution of barium hydroxide of known concentration is partially neutralized with carbon dioxide contained in a known volume of air, and next residual Ba(OH) 2 is titrated with a reference solution of acid Known instrumental methods In this work, we propose a chemical method for the determination of CO 2 in air, which differs from the method mentioned above by a lower cost and simple implementation, being highly competitive with them in accuracy. The method is based on the detection of the equivalence point in the neutralization of an aqueous solution of Ba(OH) 2 by CO 2 contained in air by measuring the electrical conductance of the solution. The accurate detection of the equivalence point in this case is caused by the fact that CO 2 interacts with Ba(OH) 2 in two reactions proceeding successively [9]: Ç ‡ +2 + 2éç -+ ëé 2 = Ç ‡ëé 3 ↓ + ç 2 é, Ç ‡ëé 3 + ëé 2 + ç 2 é = Ç ‡ 2+ + . From the equations of the reactions, it follows that, at the first step of CO 2 absorption, barium and hydroxyl ions are removed from the solution because of the formation of a barium carbonate precipitate, which leads to a decrease in the electrical conductance of the solu- Abstract -A method was proposed for the direct determination of carbon dioxide in air using a sorption tube specially constructed for this purpose. The method is based on measuring the volume of air consumed for the neutralization of a known amount of barium oxide hydrate in the tube by carbon dioxide contained in air. The equivalence point is detected by the minimum electrical conductance of the barium hydroxide solution. To verify the accuracy of the method, a technique based on the use of a calibration mixture of air with the CO 2 concentration varying by the inverse exponential law was developed. The method is suitable for the determination of CO 2 in air in a wide concentration range and for the verification and calibration of indirect methods for the determination of CO 2 . With an insignificant decrease in accuracy, the equivalence point can be detected by the change in the color of phenolphthalein. This significantly simplifies the method and allows its wide use in practice, e.g., in laboratory works in environmental science or for demonstration purposes in educational organizations

International Transport Corridors of Eurasia and the Silk Road Economic Belt

The paper discusses the interaction of Eurasian Economic Union and the Silk Road Economic Belt within the framework of transport routes and international transport corridors development. Today’s Eurasian international transport corridors are reviewed together with the discussion of rebuild and renovated transport infrastructure, considering corresponding realization issues. The paper gives the perspective of collaboration in the transport section of planned Big Eurasian Partnership, which is virtually realized within the framework of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization

Human ribosomal protein S13 regulates expression of its own gene at the splicing step by a feedback mechanism

The expression of ribosomal protein (rp) genes is regulated at multiple levels. In yeast, two genes are autoregulated by feedback effects of the protein on pre-mRNA splicing. Here, we have investigated whether similar mechanisms occur in eukaryotes with more complicated and highly regulated splicing patterns. Comparisons of the sequences of ribosomal protein S13 gene (RPS13) among mammals and birds revealed that intron 1 is more conserved than the other introns. Transfection of HEK 293 cells with a minigene-expressing ribosomal protein S13 showed that the presence of intron 1 reduced expression by a factor of four. Ribosomal protein S13 was found to inhibit excision of intron 1 from rpS13 pre-mRNA fragment in vitro. This protein was shown to be able to specifically bind the fragment and to confer protection against ribonuclease cleavage at sequences near the 5′ and 3′ splice sites. The results suggest that overproduction of rpS13 in mammalian cells interferes with splicing of its own pre-mRNA by a feedback mechanism

Twin-photon techniques for photo-detector calibration

The aim of this review paper is to enlighten some recent progresses in quantum optical metrology in the part of quantum efficiency measurements of photo-detectors performed with bi-photon states. The intrinsic correlated nature of entangled photons from Spontaneous Parametric Down Conversion phenomenon has opened wide horizons to a new approach for the absolute measurement of photo-detector quantum efficiency, outgoing the requirement for conventional standards of optical radiation; in particular the simultaneous feature of the creation of conjugated photons led to a well known technique of coincidence measurement, deeply understood and implemented for standard uses. On the other hand, based on manipulation of entanglement developed for Quantum Information protocols implementations, a new method has been proposed for quantum efficiency measurement, exploiting polarisation entanglement in addition to energy-momentum and time ones, that is based on conditioned polarisation state manipulation. In this review, after a general discussion on absolute photo-detector calibration, we compare these different methods, in order to give an accurate operational sketch of the absolute quantum efficiency measurement state of the art

The SBP2 protein central to selenoprotein synthesis contacts the human ribosome at expansion segment 7L of the 28S rRNA.

SBP2 is a pivotal protein component in selenoprotein synthesis. It binds the SECIS stem-loop in the 3' UTR of selenoprotein mRNA and interacts with both the specialized translation elongation factor and the ribosome at the 60S subunit. In this work, our goal was to identify the binding partners of SBP2 on the ribosome. Cross-linking experiments with bifunctional reagents demonstrated that the SBP2-binding site on the human ribosome is mainly formed by the 28S rRNA. Direct hydroxyl radical probing of the entire 28S rRNA revealed that SBP2 bound to 80S ribosomes or 60S subunits protects helix ES7L-E in expansion segment 7 of the 28S rRNA. Diepoxybutane cross-linking confirmed the interaction of SBP2 with helix ES7L-E. Additionally, binding of SBP2 to the ribosome led to increased reactivity toward chemical probes of a few bases in ES7L-E and in the universally conserved helix H89, indicative of conformational changes in the 28S rRNA in response to SBP2 binding. This study revealed for the first time that SBP2 makes direct contacts with a discrete region of the human 28S rRNA

A novel insight into the mechanism of mammalian selenoprotein synthesis

IThe amino acid selenocysteine is encoded by UGA, usually a stop codon, thus requiring a specialized machinery to enable its incorporation into selenoproteins. The machinery comprises the tRNASec, a 3′-UTR mRNA stemloop termed SElenoCysteine Insertion Sequence (SECIS), which is mandatory for recoding UGA as a Sec codon, the SECIS Binding Protein 2 (SBP2), and other proteins. Little is known about the molecular mechanism and, in particular, when, where, and how the SECIS and SBP2 contact the ribosome. Previous work by others used the isolated SECIS RNA to address this question. Here, we developed a novel approach using instead engineered minimal selenoprotein mRNAs containing SECIS elements derivatized with photoreactive groups. By cross-linking experiments in rabbit reticulocyte lysate, new information could be gained about the SBP2 and SECIS contacts with components of the translation machinery at various translation steps. In particular, we found that SBP2 was bound only to the SECIS in 48S pre-initiation and 80S pretranslocation complexes. In the complex where the Sec-tRNASec was accommodated to the A site but transpeptidation was blocked, SBP2 bound the ribosome and possibly the SECIS element as well, and the SECIS had flexible contacts with the 60S ribosomal subunit involving several ribosomal proteins. Altogether, our findings led to broadening our understanding about the unique mechanism of selenocysteine incorporation in mammals

A central fragment of ribosomal protein S26 containing the eukaryote-specific motif YxxPKxYxK is a key component of the ribosomal binding site of mRNA region 5′ of the E site codon

The eukaryotic ribosomal protein S26e (rpS26e) lacking eubacterial counterparts is a key component of the ribosomal binding site of mRNA region 5′ of the codon positioned at the exit site. Here, we determined the rpS26e oligopeptide neighboring mRNA on the human 80S ribosome using mRNA analogues bearing perfluorophenyl azide-derivatized nucleotides at designed locations. The protein was cross-linked to mRNA analogues in specific ribosomal complexes, in which the derivatized nucleotide was located at positions −3 to −9. Digestion of cross-linked rpS26e with various specific proteolytic agents followed by identification of the resulting modified oligopeptides made it possible to map the cross-links to fragment 60–71. This fragment contains the motif YxxPKxYxK conserved in eukaryotic but not in archaeal rpS26e. Analysis of X-ray structure of the Tetrahymena thermophila 40S subunit showed that this motif is not implicated in the intraribosomal interactions, implying its involvement in translation process in a eukaryote-specific manner. Comparison of the results obtained with data on positioning of ribosomal ligands on the 40S subunit lead us to suggest that this motif is involved in interaction with both the 5′-untranslated region of mRNA and the initiation factor eIF3 specific for eukaryotes, providing new insights into molecular mechanisms of translation in eukaryotes

Positioning of subdomain IIId and apical loop of domain II of the hepatitis C IRES on the human 40S ribosome

The 5′-untranslated region of the hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA contains a highly structured motif called IRES (Internal Ribosome Entry Site) responsible for the cap-independent initiation of the viral RNA translation. At first, the IRES binds to the 40S subunit without any initiation factors so that the initiation AUG codon falls into the P site. Here using an original site-directed cross-linking strategy, we identified 40S subunit components neighboring subdomain IIId, which is critical for HCV IRES binding to the subunit, and apical loop of domain II, which was suggested to contact the 40S subunit from data on cryo-electron microscopy of ribosomal complexes containing the HCV IRES. HCV IRES derivatives that bear a photoactivatable group at nucleotide A275 or at G263 in subdomain IIId cross-link to ribosomal proteins S3a, S14 and S16, and HCV IRES derivatized at the C83 in the apex of domain II cross-link to proteins S14 and S16

Secure radio communication systems using encoded signal in time, frequency and phase

The original algorithm of transfer 8-bit digital data with use of signal, discretely-encoded in the timing, frequency and phase using the matrix of Costas and of Walsh functions, providing high reserve of work and security from broadband and narrow-band interferences is developed. The algorithms of generation and processing of signals on the receiving side is realized in FPGA of type XC7k325T (Xilinx).A radio communication system on the SDR technology (software defined radio) on the basis of the AD 9361 transceiver (Analog Devices).Разработан оригинальный алгоритм передачи 8-бит цифровых данных с использованием сигнала, дискретно-кодированного по времени, частоте и фазе с помощью матрицы Костаса и функций Уолша. Обеспечивается высокая скрытность работы и защищенность от широкополосных и узкополосных помех. Алгоритмы формирования сигналов и обработки их на приемной стороне реализованы в ПЛИС типа XC7k325T (Xilinx). Система радиосвязи реализована по технологии SDR (программно определяемое радио) на основе трансивера AD 9361 (Analog Devices)