Simplified landscapes for optimization of shaken lattice interferometry

Motivated by recent results using shaken optical lattices to perform atom interferometry, we explore splitting of an atom cloud trapped in a phase-modulated ("shaken") optical lattice. Using a simple analytic model we are able to show that we can obtain the simplest case of $\pm2\hbar k_\mathrm{L}$ splitting via single-frequency shaking. This is confirmed both via simulation and experiment. Furthermore, we are able to split with a relative phase $\theta$ between the two split arms of $0$ or $\pi$ depending on our shaking frequency. Addressing higher-order splitting, we determine that $\pm6\hbar k_\mathrm{L}$ splitting is sufficient to be able to accelerate the atoms in counter-propagating lattices. Finally, we show that we can use a genetic algorithm to optimize $\pm4\hbar k_\mathrm{L}$ and $\pm6\hbar k_\mathrm{L}$ splitting to within $\approx0.1\%$ by restricting our optimization to the resonance frequencies corresponding to single- and two-photon transitions between Bloch bands

Analgesic Effects of GpTx-1, PF-04856264 and CNV1014802 in a Mouse Model of NaV1.7-Mediated Pain

Loss-of-function mutations of NaV1.7 lead to congenital insensitivity to pain, a rare condition resulting in individuals who are otherwise normal except for the inability to sense pain, making pharmacological inhibition of NaV1.7 a promising therapeutic strategy for the treatment of pain. We characterized a novel mouse model of NaV1.7-mediated pain based on intraplantar injection of the scorpion toxin OD1, which is suitable for rapid in vivo profiling of NaV1.7 inhibitors. Intraplantar injection of OD1 caused spontaneous pain behaviors, which were reversed by co-injection with NaV1.7 inhibitors and significantly reduced in NaV1.7−/− mice. To validate the use of the model for profiling NaV1.7 inhibitors, we determined the NaV selectivity and tested the efficacy of the reported NaV1.7 inhibitors GpTx-1, PF-04856264 and CNV1014802 (raxatrigine). GpTx-1 selectively inhibited NaV1.7 and was effective when co-administered with OD1, but lacked efficacy when delivered systemically. PF-04856264 state-dependently and selectively inhibited NaV1.7 and significantly reduced OD1-induced spontaneous pain when delivered locally and systemically. CNV1014802 state-dependently, but non-selectively, inhibited NaV channels and was only effective in the OD1 model when delivered systemically. Our novel model of NaV1.7-mediated pain based on intraplantar injection of OD1 is thus suitable for the rapid in vivo characterization of the analgesic efficacy of NaV1.7 inhibitors

Development of a human factors roadmap for the successful implementation of industrial human-robot collaboration

The concept of industrial human-robot collaboration (HRC) is becoming increasingly integrated into manufacturing production lines as a means for enhancing productivity and product quality. However, developments have focused primarily on the technology and, until recently, little research has been geared to understand the key human factors (HF) that need to be considered to enable successful implementation of industrial HRC. Recent work by the authors has led to the identification of key organisational and individual level HF. The purpose of this paper is to draw together the evidence from their studies and propose a HF roadmap for the successful implementation of industrial HRC. The roadmap will have profound implications as it enables automation specialists and manufacturing system engineers to understand the key HF that need to be considered optimise the efficiency and productivity of the collaboration between humans and industrial robots

Pioglitazone Prevents Capillary Rarefaction in Streptozotocin-Diabetic Rats Independently of Glucose Control and Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Expression

Background/Aims: Reduction of capillary network density occurs early in the development of metabolic syndrome and may be relevant for the precipitation of diabetes. Agonists of the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)-gamma transcription factor are vasculoprotective, but their capacity for structural preservation of the microcirculation is unclear. Methods: Male Wistar rats were rendered diabetic by streptozotocin and treated with pioglitazone in chow for up to 12 weeks. Capillary density was determined in heart and skeletal muscle after platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule-1 (PECAM-1) immunostaining. Hallmarks of apoptosis and angiogenesis were determined. Results: Capillary density deteriorated progressively in the presence of hyperglycemia (from 971/mm(2) to 475/mm(2) in quadriceps muscle during 13 weeks). Pioglitazone did not influence plasma glucose, left ventricular weight, or body weight but nearly doubled absolute and relative capillary densities compared to untreated controls (1.2 vs. 0.6 capillaries/myocyte in heart and 1.5 vs. 0.9 capillaries/myocyte in quadriceps muscle) after 13 weeks of diabetes. No antiapoptotic or angiogenic influence of pioglitazone was detected while a reduced expression of hypoxia-inducible factor-3 alpha and PPAR coactivator-1 alpha (PGC-1 alpha) mRNA as well as vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) protein possibly occurred as a consequence of improved vascularization. Conclusion: Pioglitazone preserves microvascular structure in diabetes independently of improvements in glycemic control and by a mechanism unrelated to VEGF-mediated angiogenesis. Copyright (C) 2012 S. Karger AG, Base

Universal Negative Poisson Ratio of Self Avoiding Fixed Connectivity Membranes

We determine the Poisson ratio of self-avoiding fixed-connectivity membranes, modeled as impenetrable plaquettes, to be sigma=-0.37(6), in statistical agreement with the Poisson ratio of phantom fixed-connectivity membranes sigma=-0.32(4). Together with the equality of critical exponents, this result implies a unique universality class for fixed-connectivity membranes. Our findings thus establish that physical fixed-connectivity membranes provide a wide class of auxetic (negative Poisson ratio) materials with significant potential applications in materials science.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures, LaTeX (revtex) Published version - title changed, one figure improved and one reference change

Measurement of proton electromagnetic form factors in e+e−→ppˉe^+e^- \to p\bar{p} in the energy region 2.00-3.08 GeV

The process of $e^+e^- \rightarrow p\bar{p}$ is studied at 22 center-of-mass energy points ($\sqrt{s}$) from 2.00 to 3.08 GeV, exploiting 688.5~pb$^{-1}$ of data collected with the BESIII detector operating at the BEPCII collider. The Born cross section~($\sigma_{p\bar{p}}$) of $e^+e^- \rightarrow p\bar{p}$ is measured with the energy-scan technique and it is found to be consistent with previously published data, but with much improved accuracy. In addition, the electromagnetic form-factor ratio ($|G_{E}/G_{M}|$) and the value of the effective ($|G_{\rm{eff}}|$), electric ($|G_E|$) and magnetic ($|G_M|$) form factors are measured by studying the helicity angle of the proton at 16 center-of-mass energy points. $|G_{E}/G_{M}|$ and $|G_M|$ are determined with high accuracy, providing uncertainties comparable to data in the space-like region, and $|G_E|$ is measured for the first time. We reach unprecedented accuracy, and precision results in the time-like region provide information to improve our understanding of the proton inner structure and to test theoretical models which depend on non-perturbative Quantum Chromodynamics

Clinical implications of increased lymph vessel density in the lymphatic metastasis of early-stage invasive cervical carcinoma: a clinical immunohistochemical method study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Cervical cancer is the most common malignant gynecological cancer, and lymphatic metastasis can occur in the early stage of tumor growth. Lymphatic vessel endothelial hyaluronan receptor-1 (LYVE-1), a marker for lymphatic endothelium, provides powerful tools for studying tumor lymphangiogenesis. The purpose of this study is to investigate the clinical implications of lymphangiogenesis in the metastasis of early-stage invasive cervical carcinoma.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We used immunohistochemical (IHC) staining with the antibody against LYVE-1 to measure lymph vessel density in 41 cases of early-stage invasive cervical carcinoma and 12 cases of normal cervical samples. We then analyzed the correlation between lymph vessel density and clinicopathological features of the tumors.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>(1) The majority of peritumoral lymphatics were enlarged, dilated, and irregular. In contrast, intratumoral lymph vessels were small and collapsed. The peritumoral lymphatic vessel density (PLVD) was significantly higher than the intratumoral lymphatic vessel density (ILVD) (<it>P </it>< 0.01). (2) Both ILVD and PLVD were significantly higher than the LVD of the control cervixes (<it>P </it>< 0.01). (3) Both ILVD and PLVD were significantly associated with lymph node metastasis (ILVD, <it>P </it>< 0.05; PLVD, <it>P </it>< 0.01) and lymphatic vessel invasion (ILVD, <it>P </it>< 0.05; PLVD, <it>P </it>< 0.01). Both the ILVD and PLVD in patients with histological grade HG2 and HG3 were significantly higher than those with HG1 (<it>P </it>< 0.05).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Tumor lymphangiogenesis in early-stage invasive cervical carcinoma may play an important role in the process of lymphatic metastasis.</p

Search for the decay J/ψ→γ+invisibleJ/\psi\to\gamma + \rm {invisible}

We search for $J/\psi$ radiative decays into a weakly interacting neutral particle, namely an invisible particle, using the $J/\psi$ produced through the process $\psi(3686)\to\pi^+\pi^-J/\psi$ in a data sample of $(448.1\pm2.9)\times 10^6$ $\psi(3686)$ decays collected by the BESIII detector at BEPCII. No significant signal is observed. Using a modified frequentist method, upper limits on the branching fractions are set under different assumptions of invisible particle masses up to 1.2 $\mathrm{\ Ge\kern -0.1em V}/c^2$. The upper limit corresponding to an invisible particle with zero mass is 7.0$\times 10^{-7}$ at the 90\% confidence level