Identifying capacitive and inductive loss in lumped element superconducting hybrid titanium nitride/aluminum resonators

We present a method to systematically locate and extract capacitive and inductive losses in superconducting resonators at microwave frequencies by use of mixed-material, lumped element devices. In these devices, ultra-low loss titanium nitride was progressively replaced with aluminum in the inter-digitated capacitor and meandered inductor elements. By measuring the power dependent loss at 50 mK as the Al-TiN fraction in each element is increased, we find that at low electric field, i.e. in the single photon limit, the loss is two level system in nature and is correlated with the amount of Al capacitance rather than the Al inductance. In the high electric field limit, the remaining loss is linearly related to the product of the Al area times its inductance and is likely due to quasiparticles generated by stray radiation. At elevated temperature, additional loss is correlated with the amount of Al in the inductance, with a power independent TiN-Al interface loss term that exponentially decreases as the temperature is reduced. The TiN-Al interface loss is vanishingly small at the 50 mK base temperature.Comment: 10 pages, 5 figure

Targeting the profits of illicit drug trafficking through proceeds of crime action

This study sought to identify the disruptive effect of proceeds of crime action on criminal activity, and to identify factors associated with successful proceeds of crime action. Executive summary Illicit drug trafficking is a source of funds for further trafficking and for supporting the lifestyles of criminals. Drug trafficking has been closely linked with organised crime and with social harms. This project had two main aims: • To identify the disruptive effect of proceeds of crime action on criminal activity. The project attempted to measure the disruptive effect by developing an economic model that estimated the multiplier impact of the reinvestment of the profits of drug trafficking. • The project also attempted to identify factors associated with successful proceeds of crime action. There are two main audiences for the findings of this study. Senior police, police intelligence, policymakers and researchers will be interested primarily in measuring the disruptive effect of proceeds of crime action. Police responsible for managing proceeds of crime investigations and senior investigators will be interested in the practical applications of findings relating to success factors in financial investigations. The results of the project should improve agencies’ ability to target trafficking and increase the seizure of proceeds of crime. The proposed index of the disruptive effect of proceeds of crime action—the Proceeds of Crime Drug Disruption Index (POCDDI)—will also allow agencies to provide both the Government and the community with a more accurate assessment of the value of their proceeds of crime initiatives

Comparing charge transfer tuning effects by chemical substitution and uniaxial pressure in the organic charge transfer complex tetramethoxypyrene-tetracyanoquinodimethane

In the search for novel organic charge transfer salts with variable charge transfer degree we study the effects of two modifications to the recently synthesized donor-acceptor Tetramethoxypyrene (TMP)-Tetracyanoquinodimethane (TCNQ). One is of chemical nature by substituting the acceptor TCNQ molecules by F4TCNQ molecules. The second consists in simulating the application of uniaxial pressure along the stacking axis of the system. In order to test the chemical substitution, we have grown single crystals of TMP-F4TCNQ and analyzed its electronic structure via electronic transport measurements, ab initio density functional theory (DFT) calculations and UV/VIS/IR absorption spectroscopy. This system shows an almost ideal geometrical overlap of nearly planar molecules alternately stacked (mixed stack) and this arrangement is echoed by a semiconductor-like transport behavior with an increased conductivity along the stacking direction. This is in contrast to TMP-TCNQ which shows a less pronounced anisotropy and a smaller conductivity response. Our bandstructure calculations confirm the one-dimensional behavior of TMP-F4TCNQ with pro- nounced dispersion only along the stacking axis. Infrared measurements illustrating the CN vibration frequency shift in F4TCNQ suggest however no improvement on the degree of charge transfer in TMP-F4TCNQ with respect to TMP-TCNQ. In both complexes about 0.1 is transferred from TMP to the acceptor. Concerning the pressure effect, our DFT calculations on designed TMP-TCNQ and TMP-F4TCNQ structures under different pressure conditions show that application of uniaxial pressure along the stacking axis of TMP-TCNQ may be the route to follow in order to obtain a much more pronounced charge transfer

Coherence in a transmon qubit with epitaxial tunnel junctions

We developed transmon qubits based on epitaxial tunnel junctions and interdigitated capacitors. This multileveled qubit, patterned by use of all-optical lithography, is a step towards scalable qubits with a high integration density. The relaxation time T1 is .72-.86mu sec and the ensemble dephasing time T2 is slightly larger than T1. The dephasing time T2 (1.36mu sec) is nearly energy-relaxation-limited. Qubit spectroscopy yields weaker level splitting than observed in qubits with amorphous barriers in equivalent-size junctions. The qubit's inferred microwave loss closely matches the weighted losses of the individual elements (junction, wiring dielectric, and interdigitated capacitor), determined by independent resonator measurements

Lymphatic expression of CLEVER-1 in breast cancer and its relationship with lymph node metastasis

BACKGROUND Mechanisms regulating breast cancer lymph node metastasis are unclear. Staining of CLEVER-1 (common lymphatic endothelial and vascular endothelial receptor-1) in human breast tumors was used, along with in vitro techniques, to assess involvement in the metastatic process. METHODS 148 sections of primary invasive breast cancers, with 10 yr follow-up, were stained with anti-CLEVER-1. Leukocyte infiltration was assessed, along with involvement of specific subpopulations by staining with CD83 (mature dendritic cells, mDC), CD209 (immature DC, iDC) and CD68 (macrophage, Mϕ). In vitro expression of CLEVER-1 on lymphatic (LEC) and blood endothelial cells (BEC) was examined by flow cytometry. RESULTS In vitro results showed that although both endothelial cell types express CLEVER-1, surface expression was only evident on LEC. In tumour sections CLEVER-1 was expressed in blood vessels (BV, 61.4% of samples), lymphatic vessels (LV, 18.2% of samples) and in Mϕ/DCs (82.4% of samples). However, only CLEVER-1 expression in LV was associated with LN metastasis (p = 0.027) and with Mϕ indices (p = 0.021). Although LV CLEVER-1 was associated with LN positivity there was no significant correlation with recurrence or overall survival, BV CLEVER-1 expression was, however, associated with increased risk of recurrence (p = 0.049). The density of inflammatory infiltrate correlated with CLEVER-1 expression in BV (p < 0.001) and LV (p = 0.004). CONCLUSIONS The associations between CLEVER-1 expression on endothelial vessels and macrophage/leukocyte infiltration is suggestive of its regulation by inflammatory conditions in breast cancer, most likely by macrophage-associated cytokines. Its upregulation on LV, related surface expression, and association with LN metastasis suggest that it may be an important mediator of tumor cell metastasis to LN

Did melting glaciers cause volcanic eruptions in eastern California? Probing the mechanics of dike formation

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/94661/1/jgrb14086.pd

Radiation imaging apparatus

A radiation imaging system using a charge multiplier and a position sensitive anode in the form of periodically arranged sets of interconnected anode regions for detecting the position of the centroid of a charge cloud arriving thereat from the charge multiplier. Various forms of improved position sensitive anodes having single plane electrode connections are disclosed. Various analog and digital signal processing systems are disclosed, including systems which use the fast response of microchannel plates, anodes and preamps to perform scintillation pulse height analysis digitally

Cylindroma of the breast: a case report and review of the literature

Cylindroma of the breast is a very rare lesion which is morphological and immunophenotypically identical to benign dermal cylindroma. We report a breast cylindroma in a previously healthy 62 year old female detected through a national breast screening program. The patient had no significant family or past medical history, and specifically no history of breast or skin diseases. The tumor consisted of well circumscribed islands of epithelial cells surrounded by a dense membrane material, and focally containing hyaline globules. At low power the islands of tumour cells formed a "jig-saw" pattern, which is typical of cylindroma, but was present within normal breast parenchyma and no had direct connection with the overlying skin. Two distinct cell populations, smaller peripheral basaloid cells and larger central cells with vesicular chromatin, were highlighted by immunohistochemistry for p63 and cytokeratin-7 respectively. Immunohistochemistry for ER, PR, and Her2/neu was negative in tumour cells. We discuss the nine previously reported cases and the distinction of breast cylindroma from adenoid cystic carcinoma, the main differential diagnosis

A phaseonium magnetometer: A new optical magnetometer based on index enhanced media

An optical magnetometer based on quantum coherence and interference effects in atoms is proposed. The sensitivity of this device is potentially superior to the present state-of-the-art devices. Optimum operating conditions are derived, and a comparison to standard optical pumping magnetometers is made