86 research outputs found
Coupled-resonator-induced transparency with a squeezed vacuum
We present the first experimental observation of quantum fluctuation spectra
in two coupled optical cavities with an injected squeezed vacuum light. The
quadrature components of the reflected squeezed vacuum spectra are measured by
phase sensitive homodyne detector. The experimental results demonstrate
coupled-resonator-induced transparency in the quantum regime, in which
electromagnetically-induced-transparency-like characteristic of the absorption
and dispersion properties of the coupled optical cavities determines the
line-shape of the reflected quantum noise spectra.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures, appear in Phys. Rev. Let
Multi-mode entanglement of N harmonic oscillators coupled to a non-Markovian reservoir
Multi-mode entanglement is investigated in the system composed of coupled
identical harmonic oscillators interacting with a common environment. We treat
the problem very general by working with the Hamiltonian without the
rotating-wave approximation and by considering the environment as a
non-Markovian reservoir to the oscillators. We invoke an -mode unitary
transformation of the position and momentum operators and find that in the
transformed basis the system is represented by a set of independent harmonic
oscillators with only one of them coupled to the environment. Working in the
Wigner representation of the density operator, we find that the covariance
matrix has a block diagonal form that it can be expressed in terms of multiples
of and matrices. This simple property allows to treat
the problem to some extend analytically. We illustrate the advantage of working
in the transformed basis on a simple example of three harmonic oscillators and
find that the entanglement can persists for long times due to presence of
constants of motion for the covariance matrix elements. We find that, in
contrast to what one could expect, a strong damping of the oscillators leads to
a better stationary entanglement than in the case of a weak damping.Comment: 21 pages, 4 figure
Neuromuscular Junction Defects in Mice with Mutation of dynein heavy chain 1
Disruptions in axonal transport have been implicated in a wide range of neurodegenerative diseases. Cramping 1 (Cra1/+) and Legs at odd angles (Loa/+) mice, with hypomorphic mutations in the dynein heavy chain 1 gene, which encodes the ATPase of the retrograde motor protein dynein, were originally reported to exhibit late onset motor neuron disease. Subsequent, conflicting reports suggested that sensory neuron disease without motor neuron loss underlies the phenotypes of Cra1/+ and Loa/+ mice. Here, we present behavioral and anatomical analyses of Cra1/+ mice. We demonstrate that Cra1/+ mice exhibit early onset, stable behavioral deficits, including abnormal hindlimb posturing and decreased grip strength. These deficits do not progress through 24 months of age. No significant loss of primary motor neurons or dorsal root ganglia sensory neurons was observed at ages where the mice exhibited clear symptomatology. Instead, there is a decrease in complexity of neuromuscular junctions. These results indicate that disruption of dynein function in Cra1/+ mice results in abnormal morphology of neuromuscular junctions. The time course of behavioral deficits, as well as the nature of the morphological defects in neuromuscular junctions, suggests that disruption of dynein function in Cra1/+ mice causes a developmental defect in synapse assembly or stabilization
Schizotypy and Behavioural Adjustment and the Role of Neuroticism
In the present study the relationship between behavioural adjustment following cognitive conflict and schizotypy was investigated using a Stroop colour naming paradigm. Previous research has found deficits with behavioural adjustment in schizophrenia patients. Based on these findings, we hypothesized that individual differences in schizotypy, a personality trait reflecting the subclinical expression of the schizophrenia phenotype, would be associated with behavioural adjustment. Additionally, we investigated whether such a relationship would be explained by individual differences in neuroticism, a non-specific measure of negative trait emotionality known to be correlated with schizotypy.
106 healthy volunteers (mean age: 25.1, 60% females) took part. Post-conflict adjustment was measured in a computer-based version of the Stroop paradigm. Schizotypy was assessed using the Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire (SPQ) and Neuroticism using the NEO-FFI.
We found a negative correlation between schizotypy and post-conflict adjustment (r = -.30, p<.01); this relationship remained significant when controlling for effects of neuroticism. Regression analysis revealed that particularly the subscale No Close Friends drove the effect.
Previous findings of deficits in cognitive control in schizophrenia patients were extended to the subclinical personality expression of the schizophrenia phenotype and found to be specific to schizotypal traits over and above the effects of negative emotionality
Mice with Mutation in Dynein Heavy Chain 1 Do Not Share the Same Tau Expression Pattern with Mice with SOD1-Related Motor Neuron Disease
Due to controversy about the involvement of Dync1h1 mutation in pathogenesis of motor neuron disease, we investigated expression of tau protein in transgenic hybrid mice with Dync1h1 (so-called Cra1/+), SOD1G93A (SOD1/+), double (Cra1/SOD1) mutations and wild-type controls. Total tau-mRNA and isoforms 0, 1 and 2 N expression was studied in frontal cortex, hippocampus, spinal cord and cerebellum of presymptomatic and symptomatic animals (age 70, 140 and 365 days). The most significant differences were found in brain cortex and cerebellum, but not in hippocampus and spinal cord. There were less changes in Cra1/SOD1 double heterozygotes compared to mice harboring single mutations. The differences in total tau expression and in profile of its isoforms between Cra1/+ and SOD1/+ transgenics indicate a distinct pathogenic entity of these two conditions
Biogenesis and functions of bacterial S-layers.
The outer surface of many archaea and bacteria is coated with a proteinaceous surface layer (known as an S-layer), which is formed by the self-assembly of monomeric proteins into a regularly spaced, two-dimensional array. Bacteria possess dedicated pathways for the secretion and anchoring of the S-layer to the cell wall, and some Gram-positive species have large S-layer-associated gene families. S-layers have important roles in growth and survival, and their many functions include the maintenance of cell integrity, enzyme display and, in pathogens and commensals, interaction with the host and its immune system. In this Review, we discuss our current knowledge of S-layer and related proteins, including their structures, mechanisms of secretion and anchoring and their diverse functions
Supervised embedding of textual predictors with applications in clinical diagnostics for pediatric cardiology
Spontaneous Parametric Down-Conversion Induced by Non-Degenerate Three-Wave Mixing in a Scanning MEMS Micro Mirror
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