Controlling single-photon detector ID210 with bright light

We experimentally demonstrate that a single-photon detector ID210 commercially available from ID Quantique is vulnerable to blinding and can be fully controlled by bright illumination. In quantum key distribution, this vulnerability can be exploited by an eavesdropper to perform a faked-state attack giving her full knowledge of the key without being noticed. We consider the attack on standard BB84 protocol and a subcarrier-wave scheme, and outline a possible countermeasure.Comment: 6 pages, 5 figure

External control of the Drosophila melanogaster egg to imago development period by specific combinations of 3D low-frequency electric and magnetic fields

We report that the duration of the egg-to-imago development period of the Drosophila melanogaster, and the imago longevity, are both controllable by combinations of external 3-dimensional (3D) low-frequency electric and magnetic fields (LFEMFs). Both these periods may be reduced or increased by applying an appropriate configuration of external 3D LFEMFs. We report that the longevity of D. melanogaster imagoes correlates with the duration of the egg-to-imago development period of the respective eggs. We infer that metabolic processes in both eggs and imago are either accelerated (resulting in reduced time periods) or slowed down (resulting in increased time periods). We propose that external 3D LFEMFs induce electric currents in live systems as well as mechanical vibrations on sub-cell, whole-cell and cell-group levels. These external fields induce media polarization due to ionic motion and orientation of electric dipoles that could moderate the observed effects. We found that the longevity of D. melanogaster imagoes is affected by action of 3D LFEMFs on the respective eggs in the embryonic development period (EDP). We interpret this effect as resulting from changes in the regulation mechanism of metabolic processes in D. melanogaster eggs, inherited by the resulting imagoes. We also tested separate effects of either 3D electric or 3D magnetic fields, which were significantly weaker

Computational modeling of In vitro swelling of mitochondria: A biophysical approach

Swelling of mitochondria plays an important role in the pathogenesis of human diseases by stimulating mitochondria-mediated cell death through apoptosis, necrosis, and autophagy. Changes in the permeability of the inner mitochondrial membrane (IMM) of ions and other substances induce an increase in the colloid osmotic pressure, leading to matrix swelling. Modeling of mitochondrial swelling is important for simulation and prediction of in vivo events in the cell during oxidative and energy stress. In the present study, we developed a computational model that describes the mechanism of mitochondrial swelling based on osmosis, the rigidity of the IMM, and dynamics of ionic/neutral species. The model describes a new biophysical approach to swelling dynamics, where osmotic pressure created in the matrix is compensated for by the rigidity of the IMM, i.e., osmotic pressure induces membrane deformation, which compensates for the osmotic pressure effect. Thus, the effect is linear and reversible at small membrane deformations, allowing the membrane to restore its normal form. On the other hand, the membrane rigidity drops to zero at large deformations, and the swelling becomes irreversible. As a result, an increased number of dysfunctional mitochondria can activate mitophagy and initiate cell death. Numerical modeling analysis produced results that reasonably describe the experimental data reported earlier.National Institute of General Medical Sciences of the National Institutes of Health [SC1GM128210]; Puerto Rico Institute for Functional Nanomaterials (National Science Foundation Grant) [1002410]; National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Puerto Rico Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) [NNX15AK43A

Monitoring of acid deposition in central Yakutia

The results of monitoring acid precipitations showed that subacid-alkalescent precipitations, acidity of which varies in close limits (pH 5.89-7.36) prevail in Yakutsk region. Acidity of solid precipitation is very similar to acidity of rain precipitations and comprises 6.70-7.22 for operating pH of rain precipitations (6.85 in average) and 5.89-7.36 for solid precipitations (6.71 in average). The most considerable deviations of acidity-alkalinity of solid precipitation from the average value are observed at the beginning and in the middle of winter period. According to the monitoring results we made an evaluation of the value of chemical components fall-out in atmospheric precipitations. Annual inflow of H^+ ions from atmosphere to the earth surface is much less then critical load for the forest and water ecosystems. Maximal values of sulfur compounds (0.51g/m^2) and nitrogen (2.07g/m^2) fall-out at the monitoring station fall on June and exceed ecostandard and parameters of ecological emergency situation in a volume of nitrogen precipitations

Volt-ampere characteristics of porcine retinal Muller cell intermediate filaments

In the current study we reported current-voltage (I/V) characteristics of Muller cell (MC) intermediate filaments (IFs) isolated from porcine retina. It was found that the measured I/V dependences demonstrate behavior of a semiconductor in contact with metal (Au) electrodes. The analysis of the temperature dependence of the experimental I/V curves produced estimates of the parameter values characterizing the electrical conductivity properties of the studied MC IFs. The I/V characteristics and the parameter values allowed to describe the MC IFs as a semiconducting material. The observed properties clarify the mechanism of high-contrast daylight vision of vertebrate eyes. This mechanism was extensively discussed earlier, and is directly dependent on the electric conductivity properties of MC IFs. Significance Statement: Retinal cones and rods are physically connected to glial Muller cells by intermediate filaments (IFs). Electric conductivity of IFs allows for a simple quantum mechanical description of light energy transmission through the retina, providing a convincing mechanism that achieves high-contrast vision in vertebrate eyes. Note that classic light transmission is hindered by light scattering on the retinal structures. Electric conductivity of IFs also opens the possibility for energy exchange within and between other cell types by way of IFs and microtubules, and the possibility that such structures may be used for signaling e.g. in the nervous system.Institute for Functional Nanomaterials (NSF Grant) [1002410]PR NASA EPSCoR (NASA Cooperative Agreement) [NNX15AK43A]info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Spin polarized state filter based on semiconductor-dielectric-iron-semiconductor multi-nanolayer device

Presently we report spin-polarized state transport in semiconductor-dielectric-iron-semiconductor (SDIS) four-nanolayer sandwich devices. The exchange-resonance spectra in such devices are quite specific, differing also from spectra observed earlier in other three-nanolayer devices. The theoretical model developed earlier is extended and used to interpret the available experimental results. A detailed ab initio analysis of the magnetic-field dependence of the output magnetic moment is also performed. The model predicts an exchange spectrum comprising a series of peaks, with the spectral structure determined by several factors, discussed in the paper. Published by Elsevier Ltd.DoE [DE-F602-o8ER46526]eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio