Triple nitrogen-vacancy centre fabrication by C5N4Hn ion implantation.

Quantum information processing requires quantum registers based on coherently interacting quantum bits. The dipolar couplings between nitrogen vacancy (NV) centres with nanometre separation makes them a potential platform for room-temperature quantum registers. The fabrication of quantum registers that consist of NV centre arrays has not advanced beyond NV pairs for several years. Further scaling up of coupled NV centres by using nitrogen implantation through nanoholes has been hampered because the shortening of the separation distance is limited by the nanohole size and ion straggling. Here, we demonstrate the implantation of C5N4Hn from an adenine ion source to achieve further scaling. Because the C5N4Hn ion may be regarded as an ideal point source, the separation distance is solely determined by straggling. We successfully demonstrate the fabrication of strongly coupled triple NV centres. Our method may be extended to fabricate small quantum registers that can perform quantum information processing at room temperature.

Extracts from presumed "reduced harm" cigarettes induce equivalent or greater toxicity in antigen-presenting cells.

The tobacco industry has promoted certain cigarette products with claims that their use may be less harmful to the smoker as they purportedly deliver lower amounts of toxic chemicals compared to conventional cigarettes. This study was designed to compare the relative antigen presenting cellular toxicity of Eclipse, a presumed reduced exposure product (PREP) cigarette, when compared with the reference research 3R4F cigarettes (Kentucky University). Utilizing a murine macrophage cell line, murine bone marrow derived dendritic cells (DCs) and human monocyte-derived DCs incubated with extracts generated from Eclipse and Kentucky reference 3R4F cigarettes, we determined the relative toxic effects of the different cigarette smoke extracts on cellular viability, oxidative stress, T-helper-1 (Th-1) polarizing cytokine production and general gene expression. Eclipse and 3R4F cigarette smoke extracts induced equivalent oxidatively-mediated cellular heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) protein levels in macrophages and DCs. Cellular viability determination demonstrated greater induction of cell death by apoptosis and necrosis by Eclipse extracts in DCs. The production of the key Th-1 polarizing cytokine interleukin-12 (IL-12) by activated DCs or macrophages was suppressed to an equivalent or greater extent by Eclipse extracts. Microarray studies performed on bone marrow derived murine DCs incubated with Eclispe or 3R4F cigarette extracts showed identical genotoxic profiles. These studies imply that presumed reduced harm Eclipse cigarettes induce equivalent or greater antigen presenting cell dysfunction relative to 3R4F cigarettes and illustrate the importance of independent validation and testing of similar products claimed to be associated with reduced toxicity relative to other cigarettes.

Anesthetic effect of a combination of medetomidine-midazolam-butorphanol in cynomolgus monkeys (Macaca fascicularis).

The anesthetic effect of a combination of medetomidine, midazolam and butorphanol (Me-Mi-Bu) was evaluated in healthy cynomolgus monkeys. The Me-Mi-Bu combination was intramuscularly administered as follows: Dose 1, Me 0.015 mg/kg-Mi 0.1 mg/kg-Bu 0.15 mg/kg; Dose 2, Me 0.02 mg/kg-Mi 0.15 mg/kg-Bu 0.2 mg/kg; and Dose 3, Me 0.04 mg/kg-Mi 0.3 mg/kg-Bu 0.4 mg/kg. The combination rapidly induced immobilization, and lateral recumbency was reached within 15 min. The duration of anesthesia for each dose administered was follows: Dose 1, 47 ± 27 min; Dose 2, 113 ± 31 min; and Dose 3, 190 ± 24 min. The anesthetic effect of the combination was abolished by the α2-adrenoceptor antagonist atipamezole. No marked changes in the levels of hematologic or serum biochemical parameters were noted in cynomolgus monkeys administered the combination plus atipamezole. Taken together, these results suggest that the Me-Mi-Bu combination exhibits reversible anesthetic effect and may be useful for studies involving cynomolgus monkeys.

Effects of transport stress on serum alkaline phosphatase activity in beagle dogs.

Here, to determine the effects of transport stress on blood parameters in dogs, we investigated the changes in hematologic and serum chemical parameters in healthy beagle dogs transported from Beijing, China, to Osaka, Japan, to obtain the background data. Only the activity of serum alkaline phosphatase increased clearly upon arrival, a change attributed to transport stress, but the activity gradually reduced afterward. No marked changes in levels of other blood parameters were noted. Our findings here suggest that alkaline phosphatase is a useful tool for studying transport stress.