A high-speed multi-protocol quantum key distribution transmitter based on a dual-drive modulator

We propose a novel source based on a dual-drive modulator that is adaptable and allows Alice to choose between various practical quantum key distribution (QKD) protocols depending on what receiver she is communicating with. Experimental results show that the proposed transmitter is suitable for implementation of the Bennett and Brassard 1984 (BB84), coherent one-way (COW) and differential phase shift (DPS) protocols with stable and low quantum bit error rate. This could become a useful component in network QKD, where multi-protocol capability is highly desirable.Comment: 15 pages, 7 figure

Badania nad okresem póżnolateńskim i rzymskim

Zadanie pt. „Digitalizacja i udostępnienie w Cyfrowym Repozytorium Uniwersytetu Łódzkiego kolekcji czasopism naukowych wydawanych przez Uniwersytet Łódzki” nr 885/P-DUN/2014 dofinansowane zostało ze środków MNiSW w ramach działalności upowszechniającej naukę

Mechanisms of sterile inflammation in the testis

Causes of human male infertility are only partially known. In the numerous idiopathic cases, the underlying causes remain unknown. Sterile inflammation of the testis, which frequently proceeds asymptomatically and therefore stays undetected, may be involved. This scenario has often been associated with increased numbers of immune cells infiltrating the testis and fibrotic remodeling of the seminiferous tubular wall. The peritubular cells forming the tubular wall together with extracellular matrix are thus hypothesized to participate in these pro-inflammatory processes. Peritubular cells produce the small leucine-rich repeat proteoglycan and extracellular matrix molecule biglycan. Once secreted, it is usually found sequestered in the extracellular matrix serving a structural purpose, but in its soluble form it has been shown to act as inducer of (pro-)inflammatory signaling in immune cells by activating toll-like receptors 2 and 4. To recapitulate these findings, a systemic mouse model of male infertility and sterile inflammation was examined. Biglycan and associated receptor levels were increased in the mouse model. However, a biglycan knock-out in this mouse failed to rescue the inflammatory testicular phenotype. Besides activating toll-like receptors 2 and 4, which are expressed by peritubular cells, biglycan can also act via purinergic receptors P2RX4 and 7. Expression of P2RX4 and 7 in human peritubular cells could be confirmed and a functional assessment through calcium imaging pointed to P2RX4 as predominantly acting ion channel in these cells. Treatment of human peritubular cells with the physiological purinergic ligand ATP revealed an induction of cytokine production and secretion, whereas synthesis of characteristic peritubular features like smooth muscle cell markers and extracellular matrix molecules declined. Thus, ATP can act as a danger molecule via purinergic signaling in peritubular cells, thereby contributing to testicular inflammation. One possible signaling mechanism integrating purinergic activation and release of cytokines is represented by activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome. This macromolecular complex consisting of the sensor NLRP3, the adapter ASC and the effector caspase1 assembles in response to cellular damage and induces inflammation and pyroptotic cell death. Expression of the NLRP3 molecule was confirmed in human and mouse Sertoli cells as well as human peritubular cells. In both species, NLRP3 was additionally linked to subfertile pathologies. Together, these findings argue for an involvement of NLRP3 in inflammatory as well as non-inflammatory mechanisms in the testis. In summary, biglycan deficiency could not attenuate testicular inflammation in a mouse model, but ATP-induced signaling by purinergic receptors was identified as a pathway to promote sterile testicular inflammation via cytokine production and putative activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome in a human cellular model.Ursachen der männlichen Unfruchtbarkeit sind nur teilweise bekannt, in den zahlreichen idiopathischen Fällen bleiben sie unbekannt. Die sterile Entzündung des Hodens, die häufig asymptomatisch und dadurch unentdeckt verläuft, könnte eine mögliche Ursache sein. Oftmals wird dabei ein Anstieg der Anzahl an einwandernden Immunzellen im Hoden sowie die fibrotische Verdickung der Wand der Hodenkanälchen beobachtet. Die peritubulären Zellen, die diese Wand zusammen mit extrazellulärer Matrix bilden, tragen daher vermutlich zu entzündungsförderlichen Prozessen bei. Peritubuläre Zellen stellen das kleine Leucine-rich Repeat Proteoglykan und Extrazellulär-Matrixmolekül Biglycan her. In sezernierter Form wird es meist zu strukturellen Zwecken in der extrazellulären Matrix eingelagert, aber in seiner löslichen Form kann es durch Aktivierung von Toll-like Rezeptoren 2 und 4 proinflammatorische Signalkaskaden in Gang setzen. Um diese Erkenntnisse zu überprüfen, wurde ein systemisches Mausmodell für männliche Unfruchtbarkeit und sterile Entzündung untersucht. Die Menge an Biglycan und die Anzahl der damit verknüpften Rezeptoren waren in diesem Mausmodell erhöht. Jedoch konnte der infammatorische Phänotyp nicht durch einen zusätzlichen Biglycan-Knockout gerettet werden. Neben der Aktivierung der Toll-like Rezeptoren 2 und 4, die in peritubulären Zellen exprimiert werden, kann Biglycan auch mittels der purinergen Rezeptoren P2RX4 und 7 wirken. Die Expression von P2RX4 und 7 konnte in humanen peritubulären Zellen nachgewiesen werden und eine funktionelle Bewertung mittels Calcium Imaging deutete auf P2RX4 als vorwiegend aktiven Ionenkanal in diesen Zellen hin. Die Behandlung von peritubulären Zellen mit dem physiologischen purinergen Liganden ATP führte zu einem Anstieg in der Cytokinproduktion und -ausschüttung, während sich die Expression charakteristischer peritubulärer Merkmale wie Glattmuskelzellmarker und Extrazellulär-Matrixmoleküle verminderte. ATP kann daher über purinerge Signalwege als Gefahren-molekül in peritubulären Zellen wirken und so zur Entzündung des Hodens beitragen. Ein möglicher Signalweg der Umsetzung purinerger Aktionen bis zur Freisetzung von Cytokinen ist die Aktivierung des NLRP3 Inflammasoms. Dieser makromolekulare Komplex bestehend aus dem Sensor NLRP3, dem Adapter ASC und dem Effektor Caspase1 fügt sich aufgrund von Beschädigung der Zelle zusammen und vermittelt Entzündung und pyroptotischen Zelltod. Die Expression von NLRP3 konnte in humanen und murinen Sertoli-Zellen sowie in humanen peritubulären Zellen gezeigt werden. In beiden Spezies konnte NLRP3 zusätzlich mit subfertilen Pathologien verknüpft werden. Zusammen sprechen diese Erkenntnisse für eine Beteiligung von NLRP3 an entzündlichen wie nicht-entzündlichen Mechanismen im Hoden. Insgesamt konnte das Fehlen von Biglycan die sterile Entzündung des Hodens in einem Mausmodell nicht abschwächen. In einem humanen, zellulären Modell konnte jedoch ATP-vermitteltes Signaling über purinerge Rezeptoren als Signalweg, der die sterile Entzündung des Hodens durch Cytokinproduktion und vermeintliche Aktivierung des NLRP3 Inflammasoms begünstigt, identifiziert werden

The Assessment of language delays in preschoolers with the differential abilities scales

Language-delayed preschoolers are a heterogeneous population with diverse language skills and needs. Research has demonstrated the need for more psychometrically sound assessment instruments to accurately identify preschoolers with language delays and their specific subtypes in the general preschool population. Research has also demonstrated the Differential Ability Scales to be an effective and psychometrically sound assessment measure for differentiating among preschoolers across a broad range of skills and abilities. The purpose of this study was to examine the utility of the Differential Ability Scales in distinguishing language-delayed preschoolers and specific subtypes of language delays in the general preschool population. It was hypothesized that the response patterns of language-delayed preschoolers would significantly differ from those without language delays. It was further expected that the DAS would be effective in differentiating between preschoolers with expressive, receptive, pragmatic, articulation, and mixed speech delays. The present results indicated that language-delayed preschoolers had significantly lower GCA, Verbal, and Nonverbal cluster, and subtest scores on the DAS compared to preschoolers without language delays. These results also indicated that preschoolers with different types of language delays would have different response patterns across the DAS GCA, ability clusters, and subtests

Free-running InGaAs single photon detector with 1 dark count per second at 10% efficiency

We present a free-running single photon detector for telecom wavelengths based on a negative feedback avalanche photodiode (NFAD). A dark count rate as low as 1 cps was obtained at a detection efficiency of 10%, with an afterpulse probability of 2.2% for 20 {\mu}s of deadtime. This was achieved by using an active hold-off circuit and cooling the NFAD with a free-piston stirling cooler down to temperatures of -110${^o}$C. We integrated two detectors into a practical, 625 MHz clocked quantum key distribution system. Stable, real-time key distribution in presence of 30 dB channel loss was possible, yielding a secret key rate of 350 bps.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure

Concise Security Bounds for Practical Decoy-State Quantum Key Distribution

Due to its ability to tolerate high channel loss, decoy-state quantum key distribution (QKD) has been one of the main focuses within the QKD community. Notably, several experimental groups have demonstrated that it is secure and feasible under real-world conditions. Crucially, however, the security and feasibility claims made by most of these experiments were obtained under the assumption that the eavesdropper is restricted to particular types of attacks or that the finite-key effects are neglected. Unfortunately, such assumptions are not possible to guarantee in practice. In this work, we provide concise and tight finite-key security bounds for practical decoy-state QKD that are valid against general attacks.Comment: 5+3 pages and 2 figure

Fungsi Administrasi Kantor Lurah Sangele Kecamatan Pamona Puselemba dalam Menunjang Efektivitas Kerja Pegawai

Pada tataran organisasi pemerintah, pelaksanaan fungsi administrasi dimaksudkan untuk lebih memaksimal kegiatan perencanaan, pengorganisasian, penggerakan dan pengawasan dari organisasi pemerintah. Selain itu, hal yang tidak kalah penting juga adalah bahwa pelaksanaan fungsi administrasi juga dimaksudkan untuk lebih mengoptimalkan akan keberadaan fasilitas dan ruangan kerja agar individu (sebagai anggota organisasi) dapat bekerja lebih maksimal. Sehingga dengan demikian, efektivitas kerja pegawai pada organisasi pemerintah diharapkan dapat lebih meningkat terkait dengan pelaksanaan tugas pekerjaan organisasi secara menyeluruh. Sehubungan dengan hal tersebut, penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui bagaimana pelaksanaan Fungsi Administrasi Kantor Lurah Sangele Kecamatan Pamona Puselemba Dalam Menunjang Efektivitas Kerja Pegawai, serta faktor apa saja yang mempengaruhinya. Peneliti menggunakan metode deskriptif kualitatif dalam menjelaskan hasil penelitian menurut indikator yang sudah ditetapkan sebelumnya. Data yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini, masing-masing; data primer, yaitu data yang diperoleh dari hasil observasi dan wawancara serta data sekunder, yaitu data yang dikumpulkan melalui hasil studi pustaka dan melalui penelusuran dokumen-dokumen resmi yang ada kaitannya dengan permasalahan penelitian

Stereocomplexes Formed From Select Oligomers of Polymer d-lactic Acid (PDLA) and l-lactate May Inhibit Growth of Cancer Cells and Help Diagnose Aggressive Cancers—Applications of the Warburg Effect

It is proposed that select oligomers of polymer d-lactic acid (PDLA) will form a stereocomplex with l-lactate in vivo, producing lactate deficiency in tumor cells. Those cancer cells that utilize transport of lactate to maintain electrical neutrality may cease to multiply or die because of lactate trapping, and those cancer cells that benefit from utilization of extracellular lactate may be impaired. Intracellular trapping of lactate produces a different physiology than inhibition of LDH because the cell loses the option of shuttling pyruvate to an alternative pathway to produce an anion. Conjugated with stains or fluorescent probes, PDLA oligomers may be an agent for the diagnosis of tissue lactate and possibly cell differentiation in biopsy specimens. Preliminary experimental evidence is presented confirming that PDLA in high concentrations is cytotoxic and that l-lactate forms a presumed stereocomplex with PDLA. Future work should be directed at isolation of biologically active oligomers of PDLA