7,184 research outputs found
The monitoring system for the aerogel Cherenkov counter of the BELLE detector
We report on a design and performances of a monitoring system developed for
the aerogel Cherenkov counters (ACC) of the BELLE detector. The system consists
of blue LEDs, a diffuser box, and optical distributors which distribute the LED
light to the ACC modules. The employed LED (NSPB series) has been observed to
have high reliability on the long term stability and the temprature dependence.
The diffuser box is employed to reduce the intrinsic non-uniformity of the LED
light intensity. The overall performances of the present monitoring system on
uniformity and intensity of the light output have been found to satisfy all the
requirements for the monitoring.Comment: 24 pages, LaTeX, 13 eps figures, to be published in Nucl. Instrum.
and Meth. A. Postscript file (4.5 MB) is available at
http://www-hep.phys.saga-u.ac.jp/~murakami/paper/xxx_accmon.p
Ni-Cr textured substrates with reduced ferromagnetism for coated conductor applications
A series of biaxially textured Ni(1-x)Cr(x) materials, with compositions x =
0, 7, 9, 11, and 13 at % Cr, have been studied for use as substrate materials
in coated conductor applications with high temperature superconductors. The
magnetic properties were investigated, including the hysteretic loss in a Ni-7
at % Cr sample that was controllably deformed; for comparison, the loss was
also measured in a similarly deformed pure Ni substrate. Complementary X-ray
diffraction studies show that thermo-mechanical processing produces nearly
complete {100} cube texturing, as desired for applications.Comment: PDF only; 19 pp., incl 10 figure
Fat transforms ascorbic acid from inhibiting to promoting acid-catalysed N-nitrosation
<b>Background</b>: The major potential site of acid nitrosation is the proximal stomach, an anatomical site prone to
a rising incidence of metaplasia and adenocarcinoma. Nitrite, a pre-carcinogen present in saliva, can be
converted to nitrosating species and N-nitroso compounds by acidification at low gastric pH in the presence
of thiocyanate.
<b>Aims</b>: To assess the effect of lipid and ascorbic acid on the nitrosative chemistry under conditions simulating
the human proximal stomach.
<b>Methods</b>: The nitrosative chemistry was modelled in vitro by measuring the nitrosation of four secondary
amines under conditions simulating the proximal stomach. The N-nitrosamines formed were measured by gas
chromatography–ion-trap tandem mass spectrometry, while nitric oxide and oxygen levels were measured
amperometrically.
<b>Results</b>: In absence of lipid, nitrosative stress was inhibited by ascorbic acid through conversion of nitrosating
species to nitric oxide. Addition of ascorbic acid reduced the amount of N-nitrosodimethylamine formed by
fivefold, N-nitrosomorpholine by .1000-fold, and totally prevented the formation of N-nitrosodiethylamine
and N-nitrosopiperidine. In contrast, when 10% lipid was present, ascorbic acid increased the amount of Nnitrosodimethylamine,
N-nitrosodiethylamine and N-nitrosopiperidine formed by approximately 8-, 60- and
140-fold, respectively, compared with absence of ascorbic acid.
<b>Conclusion</b>: The presence of lipid converts ascorbic acid from inhibiting to promoting acid nitrosation. This
may be explained by nitric oxide, formed by ascorbic acid in the aqueous phase, being able to regenerate
nitrosating species by reacting with oxygen in the lipid phase
Mitochondrial Mislocalization Underlies Aβ42-Induced Neuronal Dysfunction in a Drosophila Model of Alzheimer's Disease
The amyloid-β 42 (Aβ42) is thought to play a central role in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, the molecular mechanisms by which Aβ42 induces neuronal dysfunction and degeneration remain elusive. Mitochondrial dysfunctions are implicated in AD brains. Whether mitochondrial dysfunctions are merely a consequence of AD pathology, or are early seminal events in AD pathogenesis remains to be determined. Here, we show that Aβ42 induces mitochondrial mislocalization, which contributes to Aβ42-induced neuronal dysfunction in a transgenic Drosophila model. In the Aβ42 fly brain, mitochondria were reduced in axons and dendrites, and accumulated in the somata without severe mitochondrial damage or neurodegeneration. In contrast, organization of microtubule or global axonal transport was not significantly altered at this stage. Aβ42-induced behavioral defects were exacerbated by genetic reductions in mitochondrial transport, and were modulated by cAMP levels and PKA activity. Levels of putative PKA substrate phosphoproteins were reduced in the Aβ42 fly brains. Importantly, perturbations in mitochondrial transport in neurons were sufficient to disrupt PKA signaling and induce late-onset behavioral deficits, suggesting a mechanism whereby mitochondrial mislocalization contributes to Aβ42-induced neuronal dysfunction. These results demonstrate that mislocalization of mitochondria underlies the pathogenic effects of Aβ42 in vivo
Quantum transport in a curved one-dimensional quantum wire with spin-orbit interactions
The one-dimensional effective Hamiltonian for a planar curvilinear quantum
wire with arbitrary shape is proposed in the presence of the Rashba spin-orbit
interaction. Single electron propagation through a device of two straight lines
conjugated with an arc has been investigated and the analytic expressions of
the reflection and transmission probabilities have been derived. The effects of
the device geometry and the spin-orbit coupling strength on the
reflection and transmission probabilities and the conductance are investigated
in the case of spin polarized electron incidence. We find that no spin-flip
exists in the reflection of the first junction. The reflection probabilities
are mainly influenced by the arc angle and the radius, while the transmission
probabilities are affected by both spin-orbit coupling and the device geometry.
The probabilities and the conductance take the general behavior of oscillation
versus the device geometry parameters and . Especially the electron
transportation varies periodically versus the arc angle . We also
investigate the relationship between the conductance and the electron energy,
and find that electron resonant transmission occurs for certain energy.
Finally, the electron transmission for the incoming electron with arbitrary
state is considered. For the outgoing electron, the polarization ratio is
obtained and the effects of the incoming electron state are discussed. We find
that the outgoing electron state can be spin polarization and reveal the
polarized conditions.Comment: 7 pages, 8 figure
Behaviour in Magnetic Fields of Fast Conventional and Fine-Mesh Photomultipliers
The performance of both conventional and fine-mesh Hamamatsu photomultipliers
has been measured inside moderate magnetic fields. This has allowed the test of
effective shielding solutions for photomultipliers, to be used in
time-of-flight detectors based on scintillation counters. Both signal amplitude
reduction or deterioration of the timing properties inside magnetic fields have
been investigated
Quantum Conductance Steps in Solutions of Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes
We have prepared solutions of multiwalled carbon nanotubes in Aroclor 1254, a
mixture of polychlorinated biphenyls. The solutions are stable at room
temperature. Transport measurements were performed using a scanning--tunneling
probe on a sample prepared by spin--coating of the solution on gold substrates.
Conductance steps were clearly seen. An histogram of a high number of traces
shows maximum peaks at integer values of the conductance quantum , demonstrating ballistic transport at room temperature along the carbon
nanotube over distances longer than .Comment: 4 pages and 2 figure
Different mechanics of snap-trapping in the two closely related carnivorous plants Dionaea muscipula and Aldrovanda vesiculosa
The carnivorous aquatic Waterwheel Plant (Aldrovanda vesiculosa L.) and the
closely related terrestrial Venus Flytrap (Dionaea muscipula SOL. EX J. ELLIS)
both feature elaborate snap-traps, which shut after reception of an external
mechanical stimulus by prey animals. Traditionally, Aldrovanda is considered as
a miniature, aquatic Dionaea, an assumption which was already established by
Charles Darwin. However, videos of snapping traps from both species suggest
completely different closure mechanisms. Indeed, the well-described snapping
mechanism in Dionaea comprises abrupt curvature inversion of the two trap
lobes, while the closing movement in Aldrovanda involves deformation of the
trap midrib but not of the lobes, which do not change curvature. In this paper,
we present the first detailed mechanical models for these plants, which are
based on the theory of thin solid membranes and explain this difference by
showing that the fast snapping of Aldrovanda is due to kinematic amplification
of the bending deformation of the midrib, while that of Dionaea unambiguously
relies on the buckling instability that affects the two lobes.Comment: accepted in Physical Review
Five-Year Optical and Near Infrared Observations of the Extremely Slow Nova V1280 Scorpii
We present optical (, , , and ) and near
infrared (, and ) photometric and spectroscopic observations
of a classical nova V1280 Scorpii for five years from 2007 to 2011. Our
photometric observations show a declining event in optical bands shortly after
the maximum light which continues 250 days. The event is most probably
caused by a dust formation. The event is accompanied by a short ( 30
days) re-brightening episode ( 2.5 mag in ), which suggests a
re-ignition of the surface nuclear burning. After 2008, the band
observations show a very long plateau at around = 10.5 for more than 1000
days until April 2011 ( 1500 days after the maximum light). The nova had
taken a very long time ( 50 months) before entering the nebular phase
(clear detection of both [\ion{O}{iii}] 4959 and 5007) and is still continuing
to generate the wind caused by H-burning. The finding suggests that V1280 Sco
is going through the historically slowest evolution. The interval from the
maximum light (2007 February 16) to the beginning of the nebular phase is
longer than any previously known slow novae: V723 Cas (18 months), RR Pic (10
months), or HR Del (8 months). It suggests that the mass of a white dwarf in
the V1280 Sco system might be 0.6 M_\mathrm{\sun} or smaller. The distance,
based on our measurements of the expansion velocity combined with the directly
measured size of the dust shell, is estimated to be 1.1 0.5 kpc.Comment: 17 pages, 14 figures, accepted for publication in A&
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