Phonon-mediated spin dynamics in a two-electron double quantum dot under a phonon temperature gradient

We have theoretically studied phonon-mediated spin-flip processes of electrons in a GaAs double quantum dot (DQD) holding two spins, under a phonon temperature gradient over the DQD. Transition rates of inter-dot phonon-assisted tunnel processes and intra-dot spin-flip processes involving spin triplet states are formalized by the electron-phonon interaction accompanied with the spin-orbit interaction. The calculations of the spin-flip rates and the occupation probabilities of the spin-states in the two-electron DQD with respect to the phonon temperature difference between the dots are quantitatively consistent with our previous experiment. This theoretical study on the temperature gradient effect onto spins in coupled QDs would be essential for understanding spin-related thermodynamic physics

Half-Integer Shapiro Steps in a Short Ballistic InAs Nanowire Josephson Junction

We report on half-integer Shapiro steps observed in an InAs nanowire Josephson junction. We observed the Shapiro steps of the short ballistic InAs nanowire Josephson junction and found anomalous half-integer steps in addition to the conventional integer steps. The half-integer steps disappear as the temperature increases or transmission of the junction decreases. These experimental results agree closely with numerical calculation of the Shapiro response for the skewed current phase relation in a short ballistic Josephson junction

Equal-Spin Andreev Reflection in Junctions of Spin-Resolved Quantum Hall Bulk State and Spin-Singlet Superconductor

The recent development of superconducting spintronics has revealed the spin-triplet superconducting proximity effect from a spin-singlet superconductor into a spin-polarized normal metal. In addition recently superconducting junctions using semiconductors are in demand for highly controlled experiments to engineer topological superconductivity. Here we report experimental observation of Andreev reflection in junctions of spin-resolved quantum Hall (QH) states in an InAs quantum well and the spin-singlet superconductor NbTi. The measured conductance indicates a sub-gap feature and two peaks on the outer side of the sub-gap feature in the QH plateau-transition regime increases. The observed structures can be explained by considering transport with Andreev reflection from two channels, one originating from equal-spin Andreev reflection intermediated by spin-flip processes and second arising from normal Andreev reflection. This result indicates the possibility to induce the superconducting proximity gap in the the QH bulk state, and the possibility for the development of superconducting spintronics in semiconductor devices

Identification of Myocardial Damage in Systemic Sclerosis: A Nuclear Cardiology Approach

Myocardial involvement is an important prognostic factor in patients with systemic sclerosis, and early diagnosis and staging of the disease have been sought after. Since myocardial damage is characterized by connective tissue disease, including fibrosis and diffuse vascular lesions or microcirculation, nuclear myocardial perfusion imaging has been a promising option for evaluating myocardial damages in early stages. In addition to the conventional stress-rest perfusion imaging, the current use of quantitative electrocardiographic gated imaging has contributed to more precise evaluation of cardiac perfusion, ventricular wall motion, and diastolic function, all of which have enhanced diagnostic ability of evaluating myocardial dysfunction. Abnormal sympathetic imaging with Iodine-123 metaiodobenzylguanidine might be another option for identifying myocardial damage. This paper deals with approaches from nuclear cardiology to detect perfusion and functional abnormality as an early sign of myocardial involvement as well as possible prognostic values in patients with abnormal imaging results. The role of nuclear cardiology in the era of multiple imaging modalities is discussed

Dominant non-local superconducting proximity effect due to electron-electron interaction in a ballistic double nanowire

Cooper pair splitting (CPS) can induce non-local correlation between two normal conductors coupling to a superconductor. CPS into a double one-dimensional electron gas is an appropriate platform for extracting large amount of entangled electron pairs and one of the key ingredients for engineering Majorana Fermions with no magnetic field. Here we study CPS using a Josephson junction of a gate-tunable ballistic InAs double nanowire. The measured switching current into the two nanowires significantly larger than sum of that into the respective nanowires, indicating the inter-wire superconductivity dominant compared to the intra-wire superconductivity. From dependence on the number of propagating channels in the nanowires, the observed CPS is assigned to one-dimensional electron-electron interaction. Our results will pave the way for utilizing one-dimensional electron-electron interaction to reveal physics of high-efficient CPS and engineer Majorana Fermions in double nanowire systems via CPS

The relationship between stress-induced myocardial ischemia and coronary artery atherosclerosis measured by hybrid SPECT/CT camera

Objective: The coronary artery calcium (CAC) score and myocardial perfusion imaging can now be detected simultaneously using a hybrid SPECT/CT camera. However, there has been little evaluation on the relationship between stress-induced ischemia and coronary artery calcification in a Japanese population. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between these parameters and to elucidate the diagnostic value of the CAC score as an adjunct to myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) for the assessment of coronary artery disease (CAD) in an intermediate-risk population. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 105 patients (63% men, mean age 71 years) with CAD or suspected CAD who underwent MPI using SPECT/CT. CAC scanning was performed using a SPECT/CT camera. Results: There was a significant difference in the CAC score between patients with ischemia (n = 42) and those without ischemia (n = 63) (1353 ± 1524 vs. 332 ± 554, p 1000; 3.0 ± 2.0). Higher age is related roughly with higher CAC score with no statistical significance (r 2 = 0.1) (80 years old; 1258 ± 1546, ns). The location of calcification was not related to the ischemic area. In a population with a predominately intermediate likelihood of CAD, a calcium score of zero has a possibility of excluding inducible ischemia on MPI. In part, ischemic MPI is associated with a high likelihood of subclinical atherosclerosis as detected by CAC. Conclusion: Hybrid SPECT/CT might be useful for diagnostic assessment and coronary artery with known or suspected CAD. © 2011 The Japanese Society of Nuclear Medicine

Diagnostic utility of 123I-BMIPP imaging in patients with Takotsubo cardiomyopathy

Objective: Takotsubo cardiomyopathy is a cardiac syndrome with an acute onset defined by chest symptoms and ST segment elevation on electrocardiograms. Takotsubo cardiomyopathy is sometimes misdiagnosed as acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Therefore a non-invasive diagnostic method is needed to be established for setting up appropriate strategies. The purpose of this study was to detect myocardial metabolic abnormalities and to determine the diagnostic usefulness of 123I-beta-methy-iodophenyl pentadecanoic acid (123I-BMIPP) imaging in patients with takotsubo cardiomyopathy. Methods and results: We examined 16 patients with takotsubo cardiomyopathy and 12 with AMI in the left anterior descending artery. All patients were studied with resting 123I-BMIPP imaging. Total defect score (TDS) of 123I-BMIPP and perfusion were semi-quantitatively determined with single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) imaging using a 17-segment 5-point model. TDS of 123I-BMIPP were 4.8 ± 2.7 in patients with Takotsubo cardiomyopathy and 22.4 ± 10.7 in AMI. The ratio of summed BMIPP defect score of non-apical to apical segments in Takotsubo cardiomyopathy was smaller than that of the patients with AMI (0.1 ± 0.1 vs. 1.1 ± 0.7, p < 0.0001), indicating that 123I-BMIPP abnormalities were exclusively observed the in apical area. The ratio of summed perfusion defect scores of non-apical to apical segments in takotsubo cardiomyopathy did not differ significantly from that of AMI (0.52 ± 0.6 vs. 0.57 ± 0.3, p = NS). Summed BMIPP defect score in the apical area of takotsubo cardiomyopathy was larger than that of perfusion defect score (3.9 ± 2.7 vs. 1.8 ± 1.8, p = 0.04). Conclusion: Impaired metabolic metabolism exclusively in the apical region was observed by 123I-BMIPP SPECT images in takotsubo cardiomyopathy. These typical metabolic SPECT features of the disease can be utilized on differential diagnosis of takotsubo cardiomyopathy. © 2013.This is the author\u27s version of a work accepted for publication by Japanese College of Cardiology. Changes resulting from the publishing process, including peer review, editing, corrections, structural formatting and other quality control mechanisms, may not be reflected in this document. Changes may have been made to this work since it was submitted for publication. The definitive version has been published in Journal of Cardiology, 64 (1), pp. 49-56,2014 July, 10.1016/j.jjcc.2013.10.01