Inflation is the leading theory of the first instant of the universe. Inflation, which postulates that the universe underwent a period of rapid expansion an instant after its birth, provides ...convincing explanation for cosmological observations. Recent advancements in detector technology have opened opportunities to explore primordial gravitational waves generated by the inflation through “B-mode” (divergent-free) polarization pattern embedded in the cosmic microwave background anisotropies. If detected, these signals would provide strong evidence for inflation, point to the correct model for inflation, and open a window to physics at ultra-high energies. LiteBIRD is a satellite mission with a goal of detecting degree-and-larger-angular-scale B-mode polarization. LiteBIRD will observe at the second Lagrange point with a 400 mm diameter telescope and 2622 detectors. It will survey the entire sky with 15 frequency bands from 40 to 400 GHz to measure and subtract foregrounds. The US LiteBIRD team is proposing to deliver sub-Kelvin instruments that include detectors and readout electronics. A lenslet-coupled sinuous antenna array will cover low-frequency bands (40–235 GHz) with four frequency arrangements of trichroic pixels. An orthomode-transducer-coupled corrugated horn array will cover high-frequency bands (280–402 GHz) with three types of single frequency detectors. The detectors will be made with transition edge sensor (TES) bolometers cooled to a 100 milli-Kelvin base temperature by an adiabatic demagnetization refrigerator. The TES bolometers will be read out using digital frequency multiplexing with Superconducting QUantum Interference Device (SQUID) amplifiers. Up to 78 bolometers will be multiplexed with a single SQUID amplifier. We report on the sub-Kelvin instrument design and ongoing developments for the LiteBIRD mission.
LiteBIRD is a proposed CMB polarization satellite project to probe the inflationary B-mode signal. The satellite is designed to measure the tensor-to-scalar ratio with a 68 % confidence level ...uncertainty of
σ
r
<
10
-
3
, including statistical, instrumental systematic, and foreground uncertainties. LiteBIRD will observe the full sky from the second Lagrange point for 3 years. We have a focal plane layout for observing frequency coverage that spans 40–402 GHz to characterize the galactic foregrounds. We have two detector candidates, transition-edge sensor bolometers and microwave kinetic inductance detectors. In both cases, a telecentric focal plane consists of approximately
2
×
10
3
superconducting detectors. We will present the mission overview of LiteBIRD, the project status, and the TES focal plane layout.
Recent observations of the cosmic microwave background (CMB) have extended the measured power spectrum to higher multipoles l 1000, and there appears to be possible evidence for excess power on small ...angular scales. The primordial magnetic field (PMF) can strongly affect the CMB power spectrum and the formation of large-scale structure. In this paper, we calculate the CMB temperature anisotropies generated by including a power-law magnetic field at the photon last-scattering surface (PLSS). We then deduce an upper limit on the PMF based on our theoretical analysis of the power excess on small angular scales. We have taken into account several important effects such as the modified matter sound speed in the presence of a magnetic field. An upper limit to the field strength of "Bl" 4.7 nG at the present scale of 1 Mpc is deduced. This is obtained by comparing the calculated theoretical result including the Sunyaev-Zeldovich (SZ) effect with recent observed data on the small-scale CMB anisotropies from the Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP) the Cosmic Background Imager (CBI), and the Arcminute Cosmology Bolometer Array Receiver (ACBAR). We discuss several possible mechanisms for the generation and evolution of the PMF.
We evaluated the clinical efficacy and safety of teicoplanin according to the pharmacokinetics (PK) therapeutic level achieved in patients with renal dysfunction. Target trough concentration (C
min
) ...was ≥15–30 μg/ml which has been recommended in patients with normal renal function. Adult patients (estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) <60 ml/min/1.73 m
2
) who were treated by teicoplanin were included in the study. We adopted two types of regimen for the initial 3 days: the conventional regimen, and the enhanced loading regimen (10 mg/kg twice daily on the 1st day, followed by 6.7–10 mg/kg once daily for the 2nd and 3rd days. Two hundred and eighty-eight patients were evaluated for safety, and 106 patients with methicillin-resistant
Staphylococcus aureus
(MRSA) infections were evaluated for clinical efficacy. A significantly higher success rate was obtained in patients who achieved the target initial C
min
compared with those that did not (75.0 % vs 50.0 %,
p
= 0.008). In a multivariate analysis, initial C
min
≥15 μg/ml was an independent factor for clinical success (adjusted odds ratio: 4.20, 95 % confidence interval: 1.34–13.15). In patients with 15–30 μg/ml of maximal C
min
during therapy, nephrotoxicity occurred in 13.1 %, and hepatotoxicity in 2.6 %, and these incidences were not significantly higher compared with those patients with <15 μg/ml. In conclusion, achievement of C
min
of 15–30 μg/ml without delay was necessary to improve clinical outcomes for the treatment by teicoplanin in patients with renal dysfunction. Further investigation is required regarding the optimal loading regimen to achieve the therapeutic levels in those patients.
We measured the sputtering yield, surface roughness and surface damage of thin leucine films bombarded with Ar cluster ions and examined the usefulness of large gas cluster ions for the depth ...profiling of organic compounds. Ar cluster ion beams with a mean size of 2000
atoms/cluster and energies from 5 to 30
keV were used. Sputtering yields increased linearly with incident ion energy and were extremely high compared to inorganic materials. Surface damage was investigated by measuring positive secondary ions emitted from the leucine film before and after cluster ion irradiation. After irradiation the leucine surface became smoother. The yield ratio of protonated leucine ions to other fragment ions kept constant before and after Ar cluster ion irradiation. These results indicate that large gas cluster ions are useful for depth profiling of organic compounds.
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