518 research outputs found
Coherent response to optical excitation in a rare-earth ion doped crystal
We investigate coherent propagation through a large optical density
Tm:YAG crystal. Using an ultra-stable laser, fiber filtering and site
selection, we investigate the transmitted pulse temporal profile. The plane
wave condition is satisfied by selection of the illuminated spot central area.
We pay special attention to -pulse transmission in the prospect of
implementing optical quantum storage protocols
Light storage protocols in Tm:YAG
We present two quantum memory protocols for solids: A stopped light approach
based on spectral hole burning and the storage in an atomic frequency comb.
These procedures are well adapted to the rare-earth ion doped crystals. We
carefully clarify the critical steps of both. On one side, we show that the
slowing-down due to hole-burning is sufficient to produce a complete mapping of
field into the atomic system. On the other side, we explain the storage and
retrieval mechanism of the Atomic Frequency Comb protocol. This two important
stages are implemented experimentally in Tm- doped
yttrium-aluminum-garnet crystal
A solid state light-matter interface at the single photon level
Coherent and reversible mapping of quantum information between light and
matter is an important experimental challenge in quantum information science.
In particular, it is a decisive milestone for the implementation of quantum
networks and quantum repeaters. So far, quantum interfaces between light and
atoms have been demonstrated with atomic gases, and with single trapped atoms
in cavities. Here we demonstrate the coherent and reversible mapping of a light
field with less than one photon per pulse onto an ensemble of 10 millions atoms
naturally trapped in a solid. This is achieved by coherently absorbing the
light field in a suitably prepared solid state atomic medium. The state of the
light is mapped onto collective atomic excitations on an optical transition and
stored for a pre-programmed time up of to 1 mu s before being released in a
well defined spatio-temporal mode as a result of a collective interference. The
coherence of the process is verified by performing an interference experiment
with two stored weak pulses with a variable phase relation. Visibilities of
more than 95% are obtained, which demonstrates the high coherence of the
mapping process at the single photon level. In addition, we show experimentally
that our interface allows one to store and retrieve light fields in multiple
temporal modes. Our results represent the first observation of collective
enhancement at the single photon level in a solid and open the way to multimode
solid state quantum memories as a promising alternative to atomic gases.Comment: 5 pages, 5 figures, version submitted on June 27 200
Magnetic properties of the frustrated AFM spinel ZnCr_2O_4 and the spin-glass Zn_{1-x}Cd_xCr_2O_4 (x=0.05,0.10)
The -dependence (2- 400 K) of the electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR),
magnetic susceptibility, , and specific heat, , of the
antiferromagnetic (AFM) spinel ZnCrO and the spin-glass
(SG) ZnCdCrO () is reported. These
systems behave as a strongly frustrated AFM and SG with K and -400 K K. At high-
the EPR intensity follows the and the -value is -independent.
The linewidth broadens as the temperature is lowered, suggesting the existence
of short range AFM correlations in the paramagnetic phase. For
ZnCrO the EPR intensity and decreases below 90 K and 50
K, respectively. These results are discussed in terms of nearest-neighbor
Cr (S %) spin-coupled pairs with an exchange coupling of 50 K. The appearance of small resonance modes for K,
the observation of a sharp drop in and a strong peak in
at K confirms, as previously reported, the existence of long range
AFM correlations in the low- phase. A comparison with recent neutron
diffraction experiments that found a near dispersionless excitation at 4.5 meV
for and a continuous gapless spectrum for ,
is also given.Comment: 17 pages, 8 figures, 1 Table. Submitted to Physical Review
Spin-Glass State in
Magnetic susceptibility, magnetization, specific heat and positive muon spin
relaxation (\musr) measurements have been used to characterize the magnetic
ground-state of the spinel compound . We observe a spin-glass
transition of the S=1/2 spins below characterized
by a cusp in the susceptibility curve which suppressed when a magnetic field is
applied. We show that the magnetization of depends on the
magnetic histo Well below , the muon signal resembles the dynamical
Kubo-Toyabe expression reflecting that the spin freezing process in results Gaussian distribution of the magnetic moments. By means of
Monte-Carlo simulati we obtain the relevant exchange integrals between the spins in this compound.Comment: 6 pages, 16 figure
Une approche a contrario pour la détection de changements dans des images IRM multimodales 3D
La détection de changements significatifs entre deux images demeure un problème délicat. Dans ce contexte, une méthodologie récemment proposée dans [DMM03] émerge : l'approche a contrario. Il s'agit d'une approche non paramétrique présentant l'avantage de prendre en compte dans le processus de décision l'information contextuelle et différentes valeurs de seuil de détection. Nous étendons ici cette approche de manière à traiter des images multimodales desquelles sont extraites différentes images de mesure. Pour cela, deux règles de fusion sont développées de manière à combiner l'information provenant des images de mesure et celle provenant des différents seuils de détection. De plus, une nouvelle règle de décision, basée sur des tests de permutation, est proposée. La méthodologie a contrario est décrite dans la Section 1. Nous proposerons ensuite un nouveau cadre statistique dans la section 2. Enfin, la section 3 illustre l'application de la méthode pour de la détection de changements dans des images IRM dans le contexte de la sclérose en plaques
On the solutions of the Schrodinger equation with some molecular potentials: wave function ansatz
Making an ansatz to the wave function, the exact solutions of the %
-dimensional radial Schrodinger equation with some molecular potentials like
pseudoharmonic and modified Kratzer potentials are obtained. The restriction on
the parameters of the given potential, and are also given,
where depends on a linear combination of the angular momentum quantum
number and the spatial dimensions and is a parameter in
the ansatz to the wave function. On inserting D=3, we find that the bound state
eigensolutions recover their standard analytical forms in literature.Comment: 14 page
Alemtuzumab improves preexisting disability in active relapsing-remitting MS patients
To characterize effects of alemtuzumab treatment on measures of disability improvement in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) with inadequate response (≥1 relapse) to prior therapy.
Comparison of Alemtuzumab and Rebif Efficacy in Multiple Sclerosis (CARE-MS) II, a 2-year randomized, rater-blinded, active-controlled, head-to-head, phase 3 trial, compared efficacy and safety of alemtuzumab 12 mg with subcutaneous interferon-β-1a (SC IFN-β-1a) 44 μg in patients with RRMS. Prespecified and post hoc disability outcomes based on Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS), Multiple Sclerosis Functional Composite (MSFC), and Sloan low-contrast letter acuity (SLCLA) are reported, focusing on improvement of preexisting disability in addition to slowing of disability accumulation.
Alemtuzumab-treated patients were more likely than SC IFN-β-1a-treated patients to show improvement in EDSS scores ( < 0.0001) on all 7 functional systems. Significantly more alemtuzumab patients demonstrated 6-month confirmed disability improvement. The likelihood of improved vs stable/worsening MSFC scores was greater with alemtuzumab than SC IFN-β-1a ( = 0.0300); improvement in MSFC scores with alemtuzumab was primarily driven by the upper limb coordination and dexterity domain. Alemtuzumab-treated patients had more favorable changes from baseline in SLCLA (2.5% contrast) scores ( = 0.0014) and MSFC + SLCLA composite scores ( = 0.0097) than SC IFN-β-1a-treated patients.
In patients with RRMS and inadequate response to prior disease-modifying therapies, alemtuzumab provides greater benefits than SC IFN-β-1a across several disability outcomes, reflecting improvement of preexisting disabilities.
This study provides Class I evidence (based on rater blinding and a balance in baseline characteristics between arms) that alemtuzumab modifies disability measures favorably compared with SC IFN-β-1a.Sanofi Genzyme, Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceutical
A 17 year-old girl with a demyelinating disease requiring mechanical ventilation: a case report
MOG encephalomyelitis: international recommendations on diagnosis and antibody testing
Over the past few years, new-generation cell-based assays have demonstrated a robust association of autoantibodies to full-length human myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG-IgG) with (mostly recurrent) optic neuritis, myelitis and brainstem encephalitis, as well as with acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM)-like presentations. Most experts now consider MOG-IgG-associated encephalomyelitis (MOG-EM) a disease entity in its own right, immunopathogenetically distinct from both classic multiple sclerosis (MS) and aquaporin-4 (AQP4)-IgG-positive neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders (NMOSD). Owing to a substantial overlap in clinicoradiological presentation, MOG-EM was often unwittingly misdiagnosed as MS in the past. Accordingly, increasing numbers of patients with suspected or established MS are currently being tested for MOG-IgG. However, screening of large unselected cohorts for rare biomarkers can significantly reduce the positive predictive value of a test. To lessen the hazard of overdiagnosing MOG-EM, which may lead to inappropriate treatment, more selective criteria for MOG-IgG testing are urgently needed. In this paper, we propose indications for MOG-IgG testing based on expert consensus. In addition, we give a list of conditions atypical for MOG-EM ('red flags') that should prompt physicians to challenge a positive MOG-IgG test result. Finally, we provide recommendations regarding assay methodology, specimen sampling and data interpretation
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