Parametric amplification of few-cycle carrier-envelope phase-stable pulses at 2.1 microm

We demonstrate an optical parametric chirped-pulse amplifier producing infrared 20 fs (3-optical-cycle) pulses with a stable carrier-envelope phase. The amplifier is seeded with self-phase-stabilized pulses obtained by optical rectification of the output of an ultrabroadband Ti:sapphire oscillator. Energies of -80 microJ with a well-suppressed background of parametric superfluorescence and up to 400 microJ with a superfluorescence background are obtained from a two-stage parametric amplifier based on periodically poled LiNbO3 and LiTaO3 crystals. The parametric amplifier is pumped by an optically synchronized 1 kHz, 30 ps, 1053 nm Nd:YLF amplifier seeded by the same Ti:sapphire oscillator.     

The Nash problem for a toric pair and the minimal log-discrepancy

This Note formulates the Nash problem for a pair consisting of a toric variety and an invariant ideal and gives an affirmative answer to the problem. We also prove that the minimal log-discrepancy is computed by a divisor corresponding to a Nash component, if the minimal log-discrepancy is finite. On the other hand there exists a Nash component such that the corresponding divisor has negative log-discrepancy, if the minimal log-discrepancy is ?∞.     

A Novel DNA Helical Wire Containing HgII‐Mediated T:T and T:G Pairs

Numerous applications of metal‐mediated base pairs (metallo‐base‐pairs) to nucleic acid based nanodevices and genetic code expansion have been extensively studied. Many of these metallo‐base‐pairs are formed in DNA and RNA duplexes containing Watson–Crick base pairs. Recently, a crystal structure of a metal–DNA nanowire with an uninterrupted one‐dimensional silver array was reported. We now report the crystal structure of a novel DNA helical wire containing Hg^II‐mediated T:T and T:G base pairs and water‐mediated C:C base pairs. The Hg‐DNA wire does not contain any Watson–Crick base pairs. Crystals of the Hg‐DNA wire, which is the first DNA wire structure driven by Hg^II ions, were obtained by mixing the short oligonucleotide d(TTTGC) and Hg^II ions. This study demonstrates the potential of metallo‐DNA to form various structural components that can be used for functional nanodevices.     

Chiral copper-catalyzed enantioselective Michael difluoromethylation of arylidene meldrum's acids with (difluoromethyl)zinc reagents

The catalytic enantioselective difluoromethylation of arylidene Meldrum's acids with (difluoromethyl)zinc reagent, easily prepared through zinc/iodide exchange reaction of difluoroiodomethane and diethylzinc with co-solvent such as pyridines, by a chiral phosphoramidite-Cu catalyst is shown to provide highly enantioselective sp [3]-difluoromethyl Michael addition product in good yields and high levels of enantioselectivity.     

Permittivity enhancement of transparent poly(vinylidene fluoride) nanocomposite films by loading titania-coated barium titanate nanoparticles

Barium titanate (BT) nanoparticles are coated by titania and modified by fluoroalkylsilane. The BT nanoparticles are incorporated into polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) films to obtain highly dielectric and transparent nanocomposite films at low filler loadings. Incorporation of BT nanoparticles having average sizes of 12 and 22 nm is performed. Incorporation of BT nanoparticles enhances the permittivity of PVDF films. Higher transparency of nanocomposite films is achieved by incorporating 12-nm nanoparticles compared to that by 22-nm nanoparticles. The polarisation mechanism in the nanocomposite films is examined using the Vo–Shi model. The result indicates that even a slight increase in the thickness of titania-coating layer on the BT nanoparticles increase the permittivity of the nanocomposite films. Comparison of the measured and calculated permittivities showed that the incorporation of BT nanoparticles coated with titania provides a practical approach to create transparent nanocomposite films having high permittivity.

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Relationship between ambient light and glucose metabolism in healthy subjects

Synapse density is an essential indicator of development and functioning of the central nervous system. It is estimated indirectly through the accumulation of pre and postsynaptic proteins in tissue sections. 3D reconstruction of the electron microscopic images in serial sections is one of the most definitive means of estimating the formation of active synapses in the brain. It is tedious and highly skill-dependent. Confocal imaging of whole mounts or thick sections of the brain provides a natural alternative for rapid gross estimation of the synapse density in large areas. The optical resolution and other deep-tissue imaging aberrations limit the quantitative scope of this technique. Here we demonstrate a simple sample preparation method that could enhance the clarity of the confocal images of the neuropil regions of the ventral nerve cord of Drosophila larvae, providing a clear view of synapse distributions. We estimated the gross volume occupied by the synaptic junctions using 3D object counter plug-in of Fiji/ImageJ®. It gave us a proportional estimate of the number of synaptic junctions in the neuropil region. The method is corroborated by correlated super-resolution imaging analysis and through genetic perturbation of synaptogenesis in the larval brain. The method provides a significant improvement in the relative estimate of region-specific synapse density in the central nervous system. Also, it reduced artifacts in the super-resolution images obtained using the stimulated emission depletion microscopy technique.     

Thermodynamic properties of the clathrate-type silver-oxide Ag6O8AgHF2

We report normal-state and superconducting properties of the clathrate-type silver-oxide Ag₆O₈AgHF₂. We present electrical resistivity, DC- and AC-susceptibility and specific-heat measurements of single crystalline Ag₆O₈AgHF₂. In the normal state, Ag₆O₈AgHF₂ exhibits metallic conductivity and a phase transition near 110 K, possibly a structural phase transition as observed in the related compound Ag₆O₈AgNO₃. The onset of superconductivity of our samples is observed around 1.2–1.5 K, and the H–T phase diagram is determined for the first time. The upper critical field H_c2(0) is estimated to be about 2000–2200 Oe and the coherence length ξ_GL(0) to be 40 nm.     

Novel internal target for electron scattering off unstable nuclei

A novel internal target has been developed, which will make electron scattering off short-lived radioactive nuclei possible in an electron storage ring. An "ion trapping" phenomenon in the electron storage ring was successfully utilized for the first time to form the target for electron scattering. Approximately 7 x 10(6) stable 133Cs ions were trapped along the electron beam axis for 85 ms at an electron beam current of 80 mA. The collision luminosity between the stored electrons and trapped Cs ions was determined to be 2.4(8) x 10(25) cm(-2) s(-1) by measuring elastically scattered electrons.     

Search for the Decay K L0-->pi0nu nu[over

We performed a search for the K L0-->pi0nu nu[over] decay at the KEK 12-GeV proton synchrotron. No candidate events were observed. An upper limit on the branching ratio for the decay was set to be 6.7 x 10(-8) at the 90% confidence level.     

Multiple coulomb excitation of 167Er

The ground-state rotational band in ¹⁶⁷Er has been investigated through multiple Coulomb excitation with a 160 MeV ³⁵Cl beam. Excited states up to $\text{25}\text{2}{}^{\mathrm{+}}$ were established by measuring γγ coincidences and γ-ray angular distributions. Gamma-gamma angular correlations were also measured. Nuclear lifetimes of levels up to spin $\text{23}\text{2}$ have been determined from Doppler-broadened γ-ray lineshapes, and B(M1) and B(E2) values of intra-band transitions deduced. Considerable signature dependence was observed for level energies and M1 transition probabilities. A Coriolis band-mixing calculation was carried our for comparison with the experimental results. The measured M1 transition probabilities are compared to calculations based on a particle-rotor model, a cranking model, and a microscopic model with quantum-number projection.