New Experimental Limit on the Electric Dipole Moment of the Electron in a Paramagnetic Insulator

We report results of an experimental search for the intrinsic Electric Dipole Moment (EDM) of the electron using a solid-state technique. The experiment employs a paramagnetic, insulating gadolinium gallium garnet (GGG) that has a large magnetic response at low temperatures. The presence of the eEDM would lead to a small but non-zero magnetization as the GGG sample is subject to a strong electric field. We search for the resulting Stark-induced magnetization with a sensitive magnetometer. Recent progress on the suppression of several sources of background allows the experiment to run free of spurious signals at the level of the statistical uncertainties. We report our first limit on the eEDM of $(-5.57 \pm 7.98 \pm 0.12)\times$10$^{-25}$e$\cdot$cm with 5 days of data averaging.Comment: 9 pages, 9 figures, Revtex 4.

Design and Initial Characterization of a Small Near-Infrared Fluorescent Calcium Indicator

Near-infrared (NIR) genetically encoded calcium indicators (GECIs) are becoming powerful tools for neuroscience. Because of their spectral characteristics, the use of NIR GECIs helps to avoid signal loss from the absorption by body pigments, light-scattering, and autofluorescence in mammalian tissues. In addition, NIR GECIs do not suffer from cross-excitation artifacts when used with common fluorescent indicators and optogenetics actuators. Although several NIR GECIs have been developed, there is no NIR GECI currently available that would combine the high brightness in cells and photostability with small size and fast response kinetics. Here, we report a small FRET-based NIR fluorescent calcium indicator iGECInano. We characterize iGECInano in vitro, in non-neuronal mammalian cells, and primary mouse neurons. iGECInano demonstrates the improvement in the signal-to-noise ratio and response kinetics compared to other NIR GECIs.Peer reviewe

Optogenetic manipulation and photoacoustic imaging using a near-infrared transgenic mouse model

Optogenetic manipulation and optical imaging in the near-infrared range allow non-invasive light-control and readout of cellular and organismal processes in deep tissues in vivo. Here, we exploit the advantages of Rhodopseudomonas palustris BphP1 bacterial phytochrome, which incorporates biliverdin chromophore and reversibly photoswitches between the ground (740-800 nm) and activated (620-680 nm) states, to generate a loxP-BphP1 transgenic mouse model. The mouse enables Cre-dependent temporal and spatial targeting of BphP1 expression in vivo. We validate the optogenetic performance of endogenous BphP1, which in the activated state binds its engineered protein partner QPAS1, to trigger gene transcription in primary cells and living mice. We demonstrate photoacoustic tomography of BphP1 expression in different organs, developing embryos, virus-infected tissues and regenerating livers, with the centimeter penetration depth. The transgenic mouse model provides opportunities for both near-infrared optogenetics and photoacoustic imaging in vivo and serves as a source of primary cells and tissues with genomically encoded BphP1. Optogenetic tools can be used as in vivo imaging probes. Here the authors generate a loxP-BphP1 transgenic mouse to enable Cre-dependent temporal and spatial targeting of BphP1 expression in vivo; they show photoacoustic tomography of BphP1 expression in developing embryos and regenerating livers.Peer reviewe

A set of monomeric near-infrared fluorescent proteins for multicolor imaging across scales

Bright monomeric near-infrared (NIR) fluorescent proteins (FPs) are in high demand as protein tags for multicolor microscopy and in vivo imaging. Here we apply rational design to engineer a complete set of monomeric NIR FPs, which are the brightest genetically encoded NIR probes. We demonstrate that the enhanced miRFP series of NIR FPs, which combine high effective brightness in mammalian cells and monomeric state, perform well in both nanometer-scale imaging with diffraction unlimited stimulated emission depletion (STED) microscopy and centimeter-scale imaging in mice. In STED we achieve -40nm resolution in live cells. In living mice we detect -10(5) fluorescent cells in deep tissues. Using spectrally distinct monomeric NIR FP variants, we perform two-color live-cell STED microscopy and two-color imaging in vivo. Having emission peaks from 670nm to 720nm, the next generation of miRFPs should become versatile NIR probes for multiplexed imaging across spatial scales in different modalities.Peer reviewe

Design and preliminary results from a high temperature superconducting SQUID milliscope used for non-destructive evaluation

The authors present the design and preliminary results from a SQUID milliscope. The device was designed for nondestructive evaluation (NDE) as part of the Enhanced Surveillance Program at Los Alamos National Laboratory and uses a high temperature superconducting (HTS) SQUID sensor to map magnetic fields induced in the sample. Eddy currents are induced in the conducting sample by a wire coil designed to produce minimal magnetic field at the SQUID when no sample is present. The features of interest are characterized by anomalies in the induced magnetic field. The goal of the instrument is sensitivity to small features generally buried under several intervening layers ({approximately}1--10 mm) of conducting and/or non-conducting materials and robustness of design (i.e., the ability to operate in a noisy, unshielded environment). The device has primarily focused on specific NDE problems such as the ability to detect buried seams in conducting materials and quantify the width of these seams. The authors present the design of the instrument, and some data to demonstrate its capabilities

First results for a novel superconducting imaging-surface sensor array

A superconducting imaging-surface system was constructed using 12 coplanar thin-film SQUID magnetometers located parallel to and spaced 2 cm from a 25 cm diameter lead imaging-plane. Some measurements included two additional sensors on the back side of the superconducting imaging-plane to study the field symmetry for the system. Performance was measured in a shielded can and in the open laboratory environment. Data from this system has been used to: (1) understand the noise characteristics of the dewar-SQUID imaging plate arrangement, (2) to verify the imaging principle, (c) measure the background rejection factor of the imaging plane, and (4) compare superconducting materials for the imaging plane. A phantom source field was measured at the sensors as a function of phantom distance from the sensor array to verify the imaging theory. Both the shape and absolute values of the measured and predicted curves agree very well indicating the system is behaving as a gradiometer in accordance with theory. The output from SQUIDs located behind the imaging surface that sense background fields can be used for software or analog background cancellation. Fields arising from sources close to the imaging plane were shielded from the background sensors by more than a factor of 1000. Measurement of the symmetry of sensor sensitivity to uniform fields exactly followed theoretical predictions

Microtesla MRI of the human brain combined with MEG

One of the challenges in functional brain imaging is integration of complementary imaging modalities, such as magnetoencephalography (MEG) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). MEG, which uses highly sensitive superconducting quantum interference devices (SQUIDs) to directly measure magnetic fields of neuronal currents, cannot be combined with conventional high-field MRI in a single instrument. Indirect matching of MEG and MRI data leads to significant co-registration errors. A recently proposed imaging method - SQUID-based microtesla MRI - can be naturally combined with MEG in the same system to directly provide structural maps for MEG-localized sources. It enables easy and accurate integration of MEG and MRI/fMRI, because microtesla MR images can be precisely matched to structural images provided by high-field MRI and other techniques. Here we report the first images of the human brain by microtesla MRI, together with auditory MEG (functional) data, recorded using the same seven-channel SQUID system during the same imaging session. The images were acquired at 46 microtesla measurement field with pre-polarization at 30 mT. We also estimated transverse relaxation times for different tissues at microtesla fields. Our results demonstrate feasibility and potential of human brain imaging by microtesla MRI. They also show that two new types of imaging equipment - low-cost systems for anatomical MRI of the human brain at microtesla fields, and more advanced instruments for combined functional (MEG) and structural (microtesla MRI) brain imaging - are practical.Comment: 8 pages, 5 figures - accepted by JM