Experimental observation of the breaking and recombination of single Cooper pairs

We observe the real-time breaking of single Cooper pairs by monitoring the radio-frequency impedance of a superconducting double quantum dot. The Cooper pair breaking rate in the microscale islands of our device decreases as temperature is reduced, saturating at 2 kHz for temperatures beneath 100 mK. In addition, we measure in real-time the quasiparticle recombination into Cooper pairs. Analysis of the recombination rates shows that, in contrast to bulk lms, a multi-stage recombination pathway is followed.A.J.F. would like to acknowledge the Hitachi Research fellowship, support from Hitachi Cambridge Laboratory and support from the EPSRC grant EP/H016872/1. B.W.L. is supported by a Royal Society University Research Fellowship. F.A.P. would like to thank the Leverhulme Trust for fi nancial support.This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from APS via http://dx.doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.90.14050

First-trimester or second-trimester screening, or both, for Down's syndrome

BACKGROUND: It is uncertain how best to screen pregnant women for the presence of fetal Down's syndrome: to perform first-trimester screening, to perform second-trimester screening, or to use strategies incorporating measurements in both trimesters.METHODS: Women with singleton pregnancies underwent first-trimester combined screening (measurement of nuchal translucency, pregnancy-associated plasma protein A [PAPP-A], and the free beta subunit of human chorionic gonadotropin at 10 weeks 3 days through 13 weeks 6 days of gestation) and second-trimester quadruple screening (measurement of alpha-fetoprotein, total human chorionic gonadotropin, unconjugated estriol, and inhibin A at 15 through 18 weeks of gestation). We compared the results of stepwise sequential screening (risk results provided after each test), fully integrated screening (single risk result provided), and serum integrated screening (identical to fully integrated screening, but without nuchal translucency).RESULTS: First-trimester screening was performed in 38,167 patients; 117 had a fetus with Down's syndrome. At a 5 percent false positive rate, the rates of detection of Down's syndrome were as follows: with first-trimester combined screening, 87 percent, 85 percent, and 82 percent for measurements performed at 11, 12, and 13 weeks, respectively; with second-trimester quadruple screening, 81 percent; with stepwise sequential screening, 95 percent; with serum integrated screening, 88 percent; and with fully integrated screening with first-trimester measurements performed at 11 weeks, 96 percent. Paired comparisons found significant differences between the tests, except for the comparison between serum integrated screening and combined screening.CONCLUSIONS: First-trimester combined screening at 11 weeks of gestation is better than second-trimester quadruple screening but at 13 weeks has results similar to second-trimester quadruple screening. Both stepwise sequential screening and fully integrated screening have high rates of detection of Down's syndrome, with low false positive rates

Tackle and ruck technical proficiency in rugby union and rugby league: A systematic scoping review

The aim of this review was to consolidate and synthesise rugby union (RU) and rugby league (RL) studies on tackle and RU studies on ruck technique for rugby stakeholders. Forty-nine studies were identified (20 in RL and 29 in RU). RL studies primarily focussed on identifying factors that impact tackling ability. Leaner, fitter players, with greater lower body strength, tended to have more proficient tackle technique. Experience and level of play were positively associated with tackling ability. These findings highlight the importance of developing tackle technique and physical qualities to allow players to progress to higher levels. Research in RU mostly focussed on identifying tackle and ruck techniques associated with performance measures and injury outcomes. Eleven tackle techniques and five ball-carrier techniques were associated with both performance measures and injury outcomes. These findings support national injury prevention programmes that advocate that safe contact technique is also effective technique

One-pot synthesis and negative ion mass spectrometric investigation of a densely functionalized cinnoline, 3-amino-5,7,8-trichloro-6-hydroxycinnoline-4-carbonitrile

Known densely substituted 3-amino-5,7,8-trichloro-6-hydroxycinnoline-4-carbonitrile was synthesized using a new synthetic protocol involving chloranil and malonitrile via quinone methide formation. This one-pot synthesis occurs under base mediated conditions in a polar medium. The method involves condensation of excess malononitrile with chloranil in ethanol at reflux to 2-(2,4,5-trichloro-3-hydroxy-6-oxocyclohexa-2,4-dien-1-ylidene) malononitrile. This is an atom efficient, simple and effective procedure for the preparation of a highly substituted cinnoline that can serve as a relay to antimalarial prototypes

New D1-D5-P geometries from string amplitudes

We derive the long range supergravity fields sourced by a D1-D5-P bound state from disk amplitudes for massless closed string emission. We suggest that since the parameter controlling the string perturbation expansion for this calculation decreases with distance from the bound state, the resulting asymptotic fields are valid even in the regime of parameters in which there is a classical black hole solution with the same charges. The supergravity fields differ from the black hole solution by multipole moments and are more general than those contained within known classes of solutions in the literature, whilst still preserving four supersymmetries. Our results support the conjecture that the black hole solution should be interpreted as a coarse-grained description rather than an exact description of the gravitational field sourced by D1-D5-P bound states in this regime of parameters.Comment: 48 pages, 2 figures, v2: typos correcte

An agency relationship under general conditions of uncertainty: A game theory application to the doctor-patient interaction

The supply of information, particularly of bad news, in an agency relationship is a sensitive issue. We employ a game theory approach to investigate conflicts in the particular case of the doctor–patient relationship when information affects the emotions of patients. The doctor does not know the type of agent and the patient does not know how much information he is given. Hence, the paper obtains results when there is conflict, rather than common interest in the objectives of the two parties. The perfect Bayesian equilibrium describes beliefs and strategies which guarantee adherence to the doctor’s recommendation. We show also that the patient may non-adhere to the recommendation not only when the doctor fails to identify the patient’s needs but also if he falsely believes that the doctor has not done so

Six-dimensional (1,0) effective action of F-theory via M-theory on Calabi-Yau threefolds

The six-dimensional effective action of F-theory compactified on a singular elliptically fibred Calabi-Yau threefold is determined by using an M-theory lift. The low-energy data are derived by comparing a circle reduction of a general six-dimensional (1,0) gauged supergravity theory with the effective action of M-theory on the resolved Calabi-Yau threefold. The derivation includes six-dimensional tensor multiplets for which the (anti-) self-duality constraints are imposed on the level of the five-dimensional action. The vector sector of the reduced theory is encoded by a non-standard potential due to the Green-Schwarz term in six dimensions. This Green-Schwarz term also contains higher curvature couplings which are considered to establish the full map between anomaly coefficients and geometry. F-/M-theory duality is exploited by moving to the five-dimensional Coulomb branch after circle reduction and integrating out massive vector multiplets and matter hypermultiplets. The associated fermions then generate additional Chern-Simons couplings at one-loop. Further couplings involving the graviphoton are induced by quantum corrections due to excited Kaluza-Klein modes. On the M-theory side integrating out massive fields corresponds to resolving the singularities of the Calabi-Yau threefold, and yields intriguing relations between six-dimensional anomalies and classical topology.Comment: 55 pages, v2: typos corrected, discussion of loop corrections improve

Slx8 removes Pli1-dependent protein-SUMO conjugates including SUMOylated Topoisomerase I to promote genome stability

Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Femtosecond control of electric currents at the interfaces of metallic ferromagnetic heterostructures

The idea to utilize not only the charge but also the spin of electrons in the operation of electronic devices has led to the development of spintronics, causing a revolution in how information is stored and processed. A novel advancement would be to develop ultrafast spintronics using femtosecond laser pulses. Employing terahertz (10$^{12}$ Hz) emission spectroscopy, we demonstrate optical generation of spin-polarized electric currents at the interfaces of metallic ferromagnetic heterostructures at the femtosecond timescale. The direction of the photocurrent is controlled by the helicity of the circularly polarized light. These results open up new opportunities for realizing spintronics in the unprecedented terahertz regime and provide new insights in all-optical control of magnetism.Comment: 3 figures and 2 tables in the main tex

Impact of socioeconomic deprivation on rate and cause of death in severe mental illness

Background: Socioeconomic status has important associations with disease-specific mortality in the general population. Although individuals with Severe Mental Illnesses (SMI) experience significant premature mortality, the relationship between socioeconomic status and mortality in this group remains under investigated.<p></p> Aims: To assess the impact of socioeconomic status on rate and cause of death in individuals with SMI (schizophrenia and bipolar disorder) relative to the local (Glasgow) and wider (Scottish) populations.<p></p> Methods: Cause and age of death during 2006-2010 inclusive for individuals with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder registered on the Glasgow Psychosis Clinical Information System (PsyCIS) were obtained by linkage to the Scottish General Register Office (GRO). Rate and cause of death by socioeconomic status, measured by Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD), were compared to the Glasgow and Scottish populations.<p></p> Results: Death rates were higher in people with SMI across all socioeconomic quintiles compared to the Glasgow and Scottish populations, and persisted when suicide was excluded. Differences were largest in the most deprived quintile (794.6 per 10,000 population vs. 274.7 and 252.4 for Glasgow and Scotland respectively). Cause of death varied by socioeconomic status. For those living in the most deprived quintile, higher drug-related deaths occurred in those with SMI compared to local Glasgow and wider Scottish population rates (12.3% vs. 5.9%, p = <0.001 and 5.1% p = 0.002 respectively). A lower proportion of deaths due to cancer in those with SMI living in the most deprived quintile were also observed, relative to the local Glasgow and wider Scottish populations (12.3% vs. 25.1% p = 0.013 and 26.3% p = <0.001). The proportion of suicides was significantly higher in those with SMI living in the more affluent quintiles relative to Glasgow and Scotland (54.6% vs. 5.8%, p = <0.001 and 5.5%, p = <0.001). Discussion and conclusions: Excess mortality in those with SMI occurred across all socioeconomic quintiles compared to the Glasgow and Scottish populations but was most marked in the most deprived quintiles when suicide was excluded as a cause of death. Further work assessing the impact of socioeconomic status on specific causes of premature mortality in SMI is needed