Spin Squeezing via One-Axis Twisting with Coherent Light

We propose a new method of spin squeezing of atomic spin, based on the interactions between atoms and off-resonant light which are known as paramagnetic Faraday rotation and fictitious magnetic field of light. Since the projection process, squeezed light, or special interactions among the atoms are not required in this method, it can be widely applied to many systems. The attainable range of the squeezing parameter is S^{-2/5}, where S is the total spin, which is limited by additional fluctuations imposed by coherent light and the spherical nature of the spin distribution.Comment: 4 pages,6 figure

The performance of thin NaI(Tl) scintillator plate for dark matter search

A thin (0.05cm) and wide area (5cmX5cm) NaI(Tl) scintillator was developed. The performance of the thin NaI(Tl) plate, energy resolution, single photoelectron energy and position sensitivity were tested. An excellent energy resolution of 20% (FWHM) at 60keV was obtained. The single photoelectron energy was calculated to be approximately 0.42 0.02keV. Position information in the 5cmx5cm area of the detector was also obtained by analyzing the ratio of the number of photons collected at opposite ends of the detector. The position resolution was obtained to be 1cm (FWHM) in the 5cmx5cm area.Comment: 10 pages. Accepted to Journal of Physical Society of Japa

Involvement of (pro)renin receptor in the glomerular filtration barrier

(Pro)renin receptor-bound prorenin not only causes the generation of angiotensin II via the nonproteolytic activation of prorenin, it also activates the receptor’s own intracellular signaling pathways independent of the generated angiotensin II. Within the kidneys, the (pro)renin receptor is not only present in the glomerular mesangium, it is also abundant in podocytes, which play an important role in the maintenance of the glomerular filtration barrier. Recent in vivo studies have demonstrated that the overexpression of the (pro)renin receptor to a degree similar to that observed in hypertensive rat kidneys leads to slowly progressive nephropathy with proteinuria. In addition, the handle region peptide, which acts as a decoy peptide and competitively inhibits the binding of prorenin to the receptor, is more beneficial than an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor with regard to alleviating proteinuria and glomerulosclerosis in experimental animal models of diabetes and essential hypertension. Thus, the (pro)renin receptor may be upregulated in podocytes under hypertensive conditions and may contribute to the breakdown of the glomerular filtration barrier

Cross sections for the excitation of isovector charge-exchange resonances in 208Tl

The Glauber approximation for the treatment of heavy-ion scattering, has already been shown to give reliable predictions for the reaction cross section in the particular case of intermediate energy charge-exchange processes. In the present work, we couple a Glauber-type model to microscopic Random Phase Approximation calculations of the charge-exchange excitations of $^{208}$Pb. The aim is to solve the longstanding question whether the very elusive charge-exchange isovector monopole has been really identified in the past experiments, or other multipoles were prevalent in the observed spectra.Comment: text + 4 figures; accepted for publication in Phys. Rev.

Complete Set of Polarization Transfer Observables for the 12C(p,n)^{12}{\rm C}(p,n) Reaction at 296 MeV and 0∘^{\circ}

A complete set of polarization transfer observables has been measured for the $^{12}{\rm C}(p,n)$ reaction at $T_p=296 {\rm MeV}$ and $\theta_{\rm lab}=0^{\circ}$. The total spin transfer $\Sigma(0^{\circ})$ and the observable $f_1$ deduced from the measured polarization transfer observables indicate that the spin--dipole resonance at $E_x \simeq 7 {\rm MeV}$ has greater $2^-$ strength than $1^-$ strength, which is consistent with recent experimental and theoretical studies. The results also indicate a predominance of the spin-flip and unnatural-parity transition strength in the continuum. The exchange tensor interaction at a large momentum transfer of $Q \simeq 3.6 {\rm fm}^{-1}$ is discussed.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure

Higher viral load and infectivity increase risk of aerosol transmission for Delta and Omicron variants of SARS-CoV-2.

Airborne transmission of SARS-CoV-2 is an important route of infection. For the wildtype (WT) only a small proportion of those infected emitted large quantities of the virus. The currently prevalent variants of concern, Delta (B1.617.2) and Omicron (B.1.1.529), are characterized by higher viral loads and a lower minimal infective dose compared to the WT. We aimed to describe the resulting distribution of airborne viral emissions and to reassess the risk estimates for public settings given the higher viral load and infectivity. We reran the Monte Carlo modelling to estimate viral emissions in the fine aerosol size range using available viral load data. We also updated our tool to simulate indoor airborne transmission of SARS-CoV-2 by including a CO2 calculator and recirculating air cleaning devices. We also assessed the consequences of the lower critical dose on the infection risk in public settings with different protection strategies. Our modelling suggests that a much larger proportion of individuals infected with the new variants are high, very high or super-emitters of airborne viruses: for the WT, one in 1,000 infected was a super-emitter; for Delta one in 30; and for Omicron one in 20 or one in 10, depending on the viral load estimate used. Testing of the effectiveness of protective strategies in view of the lower critical dose suggests that surgical masks are no longer sufficient in most public settings, while correctly fitted FFP2 respirators still provide sufficient protection, except in high aerosol producing situations such as singing or shouting. From an aerosol transmission perspective, the shift towards a larger proportion of very high emitting individuals, together with the strongly reduced critical dose, seem to be two important drivers of the aerosol risk, and are likely contributing to the observed rapid spread of the Delta and Omicron variants of concern. Reducing contacts, always wearing well-fitted FFP2 respirators when indoors, using ventilation and other methods to reduce airborne virus concentrations, and avoiding situations with loud voices seem critical to limiting these latest waves of the COVID-19 pandemic

Antigen targeting to endosomal pathway in dendritic cell vaccination activates regulatory T cells and attenuates tumor immunity

Lymphoma cells are malignant cells of the T- or B-cell lineage that often express many surface markers inappropriately, yet are not recognized as abnormal by the immune system. We modeled this situation by inoculating ovalbumin-expressing E.G7-OVA lymphoma cells into mice that expressed ovalbumin as a self antigen in pancreatic islets, and investigated the efficacy of dendritic cell (DC) vaccination in these mice. Although vaccination with DC-expressing ovalbumin induced strong cytotoxic T-cell immunity, which led to clearance of E.G7-OVA lymphoma cells in naive C57BL/6 mice, DC vaccination was ineffective in mice expressing ovalbumin as a self antigen. Antigen modification to increase its processing via the endosomal processing pathway dramatically increased CD4 T-cell activation but paradoxically, impaired the protective effect of DC vaccination even in naive mice. Depletion of CD25(+) T cells (regulatory T cells [Tregs]) prior to vaccination restored the efficacy of DC vaccination and allowed eradication of lymphoma also in mice expressing ovalbumin as a self antigen. We conclude that lymphoma cells may be eradicated using DC vaccination if activation of CD25(+) Tregs is simultaneously inhibited, and that intentionally enhanced endosomal antigen processing in DC vaccines may shift the balance from CD4 T-cell help toward stimulation of Tregs.</p

WIMPs search by means of the highly segmented scintillator

The highly sensitive method to search for WIMPs dark matter particles is proposed. An array of thin NaI(Tl) plate has the great selectivity for distinguishing the WIMPs events and background ones. The principle of signal selection for WIMPs is described. The high sensitivity for SD (spin-dependent) type WIMPs is expected by applying multi-layer system of NaI(Tl) detector.Comment: 11 pages, added some sentences to make the arguments clea