308 research outputs found
Testing collapse models with levitated nanoparticles: the detection challenge
We consider a nanoparticle levitated in a Paul trap in ultrahigh cryogenic
vacuum, and look for the conditions which allow for a stringent
noninterferometric test of spontaneous collapse models. In particular we
compare different possible techniques to detect the particle motion. Key
conditions which need to be achieved are extremely low residual pressure and
the ability to detect the particle at ultralow power. We compare three
different detection approaches based respectively on a optical cavity, optical
tweezer and a electrical readout, and for each one we assess advantages,
drawbacks and technical challenges
Probing modified gravity with magnetically levitated resonators
We present an experimental procedure, based on Meissner effect levitation of neodymium ferromagnets, as a method of measuring the gravitational interactions between milligram masses. The scheme consists of two superconducting lead traps, with a magnet levitating in each trap. The levitating magnets behave as harmonic oscillators and, by carefully driving the motion of one magnet on resonance with the other, we find that it should easily be possible to measure the gravitational field produced by a 4 mg sphere, with the gravitational attraction from masses as small as 30 ÎĽg predicted to be measurable within a realistic measurement time frame. We apply this acceleration sensitivity to one concrete example and show the abilities of testing models of modified Newtonian dynamics
Feedback cooling of the normal modes of a massive electromechanical system to submillikelvin temperature
We apply a feedback cooling technique to simultaneously cool the three
electromechanical normal modes of the ton-scale resonant-bar gravitational wave
detector AURIGA. The measuring system is based on a dc Superconducting Quantum
Interference Device (SQUID) amplifier, and the feedback cooling is applied
electronically to the input circuit of the SQUID. Starting from a bath
temperature of 4.2 K, we achieve a minimum temperature of 0.17 mK for the
coolest normal mode. The same technique, implemented in a dedicated experiment
at subkelvin bath temperature and with a quantum limited SQUID, could allow to
approach the quantum ground state of a kilogram-scale mechanical resonator.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure
Hairy cell leukemia in kidney transplantation: lesson from a rare disorder.
We report here on the diagnosis and successful treatment of a case of hairy cell leukemia (HCL) that arose 15 years after kidney transplantation in a 51-year-old patient. As soon as the diagnosis was made, HCL was treated with 2-CDA, obtaining complete hematological remission. Immunosuppression with the calcineurin inhibitor cyclosporin was maintained, and the graft was preserved. In kidney transplant recipients supported with immunosuppressive drugs, post-transplant lymphoproliferative diseases (PTLDs) are frequent and typically related to immunosuppression via a loss of control of infectious/EBV-related proliferative stimuli. To date, HCL has not been considered among PTLDs. Recently, however, the oncogenic mutation V600E of the BRAF protein kinase has been found to be a hallmark of HCL, and calcineurin inhibitors have been shown to interfere with signaling downstream of V600E BRAF early on by counteracting senescence-associated mechanisms that protect against the oncogenic potential of the mutated kinase. Such a biochemical link between the oncogene-dependent signaling and calcineurin inhibitor activities suggests that HCL in transplanted patients might be a peculiar type of PTLD based on the presence of a specific mutation. This mechanism might also be involved in other neoplasias bearing the same or similar mutations, such as melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancer
CXCL12 and [N33A]CXCL12 in 5637 and HeLa Cells: Regulating HER1 Phosphorylation via Calmodulin/Calcineurin
In the human neoplastic cell lines 5637 and HeLa, recombinant CXCL12 elicited, as expected, downstream signals via both G-protein-dependent and β-arrestin-dependent pathways responsible for inducing a rapid and a late wave, respectively, of ERK1/2 phosphorylation. In contrast, the structural variant [N33A]CXCL12 triggered no β-arrestin-dependent phosphorylation of ERK1/2, and signaled via G protein-dependent pathways alone. Both CXCL12 and [N33A]CXCL12, however, generated signals that transinhibited HER1 phosphorylation via intracellular pathways. 1) Prestimulation of CXCR4/HER1-positive 5637 or HeLa cells with CXCL12 modified the HB-EGF-dependent activation of HER1 by delaying the peak phosphorylation of tyrosine 1068 or 1173. 2) Prestimulation with the synthetic variant [N33A]CXCL12, while preserving CXCR4-related chemotaxis and CXCR4 internalization, abolished HER1 phosphorylation. 3) In cells knockdown of β-arrestin 2, CXCL12 induced a full inhibition of HER1 like [N33A]CXCL12 in non-silenced cells. 4) HER1 phosphorylation was restored as usual by inhibiting PCK, calmodulin or calcineurin, whereas the inhibition of CaMKII had no discernable effect. We conclude that both recombinant CXCL12 and its structural variant [N33A]CXCL12 may transinhibit HER1 via G-proteins/calmodulin/calcineurin, but [N33A]CXCL12 does not activate β-arrestin-dependent ERK1/2 phosphorylation and retains a stronger inhibitory effect. Therefore, we demonstrated that CXCL12 may influence the magnitude and the persistence of signaling downstream of HER1 in turn involved in the proliferative potential of numerous epithelial cancer. In addition, we recognized that [N33A]CXCL12 activates preferentially G-protein-dependent pathways and is an inhibitor of HER1
Initial operation of the International Gravitational Event Collaboration
The International Gravitational Event Collaboration, IGEC, is a coordinated
effort by research groups operating gravitational wave detectors working
towards the detection of millisecond bursts of gravitational waves. Here we
report on the current IGEC resonant bar observatory, its data analysis
procedures, the main properties of the first exchanged data set. Even though
the available data set is not complete, in the years 1997 and 1998 up to four
detectors were operating simultaneously. Preliminary results are mentioned.Comment: 8 pages, 2 figures, 3 tables; Proceeding of the GWDAW'99. Submitted
to the International Journal of Modern Physic
IGEC2: A 17-month search for gravitational wave bursts in 2005-2007
We present here the results of a 515 days long run of the IGEC2 observatory,
consisting of the four resonant mass detectors ALLEGRO, AURIGA, EXPLORER and
NAUTILUS. The reported results are related to the fourfold observation time
from Nov. 6 2005 until Apr. 14 2007, when Allegro ceased its operation. This
period overlapped with the first long term observations performed by the LIGO
interferometric detectors. The IGEC observations aim at the identification of
gravitational wave candidates with high confidence, keeping the false alarm
rate at the level of 1 per century, and high duty cycle, namely 57% with all
four sites and 94% with at least three sites in simultaneous observation. The
network data analysis is based on time coincidence searches over at least three
detectors: the four 3-fold searches and the 4-fold one are combined in a
logical OR. We exchanged data with the usual blind procedure, by applying a
unique confidential time offset to the events in each set of data. The
accidental background was investigated by performing sets of 10^8 coincidence
analyses per each detector configuration on off-source data, obtained by
shifting the time series of each detector. The thresholds of the five searches
were tuned so as to control the overall false alarm rate to 1/century. When the
confidential time shifts was disclosed, no gravitational wave candidate was
found in the on-source data. As an additional output of this search, we make
available to other observatories the list of triple coincidence found below
search thresholds, corresponding to a false alarm rate of 1/month.Comment: 10 pages, 8 figures Accepted for publication on Phys. Rev.
Results of the IGEC-2 search for gravitational wave bursts during 2005
The network of resonant bar detectors of gravitational waves resumed
coordinated observations within the International Gravitational Event
Collaboration (IGEC-2). Four detectors are taking part in this collaboration:
ALLEGRO, AURIGA, EXPLORER and NAUTILUS. We present here the results of the
search for gravitational wave bursts over 6 months during 2005, when IGEC-2 was
the only gravitational wave observatory in operation. The network data analysis
implemented is based on a time coincidence search among AURIGA, EXPLORER and
NAUTILUS, keeping the data from ALLEGRO for follow-up studies. With respect to
the previous IGEC 1997-2000 observations, the amplitude sensitivity of the
detectors to bursts improved by a factor about 3 and the sensitivity bandwidths
are wider, so that the data analysis was tuned considering a larger class of
detectable waveforms. Thanks to the higher duty cycles of the single detectors,
we decided to focus the analysis on three-fold observation, so to ensure the
identification of any single candidate of gravitational waves (gw) with high
statistical confidence. The achieved false detection rate is as low as 1 per
century. No candidates were found.Comment: 10 pages, to be submitted to Phys. Rev.
A Cross-correlation method to search for gravitational wave bursts with AURIGA and Virgo
We present a method to search for transient GWs using a network of detectors
with different spectral and directional sensitivities: the interferometer Virgo
and the bar detector AURIGA. The data analysis method is based on the
measurements of the correlated energy in the network by means of a weighted
cross-correlation. To limit the computational load, this coherent analysis step
is performed around time-frequency coincident triggers selected by an excess
power event trigger generator tuned at low thresholds. The final selection of
GW candidates is performed by a combined cut on the correlated energy and on
the significance as measured by the event trigger generator. The method has
been tested on one day of data of AURIGA and Virgo during September 2005. The
outcomes are compared to the results of a stand-alone time-frequency
coincidence search. We discuss the advantages and the limits of this approach,
in view of a possible future joint search between AURIGA and one
interferometric detector.Comment: 11 pages, 6 figures, submitted to CQG special issue for Amaldi 7
Proceeding
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