Split-sideband spectroscopy in slowly modulated optomechanics

Optomechanical coupling between the motion of a mechanical oscillator and a cavity represents a new arena for experimental investigation of quantum effects on the mesoscopic and macroscopic scale.The motional sidebands of the output of a cavity offer ultra-sensitive probes of the dynamics. We introduce a scheme whereby these sidebands split asymmetrically and show how they may be used as experimental diagnostics and signatures of quantum noise limited dynamics. We show split-sidebands with controllable asymmetry occur by simultaneously modulating the light-mechanical coupling $g$ and $\omega_M$ - slowly and out of-phase. Such modulations are generic but already occur in optically trapped set-ups where the equilibrium point of the oscillator is varied cyclically. We analyse recently observed, but overlooked, experimental split-sideband asymmetries; although not yet in the quantum regime, the data suggests that split sideband structures are easily accessible to future experiments

Can integrated microfinance and health programs reduce poverty-driven healthcare costs: a case of the Philippines

Microfinance primarily provides financial services to its members. Globally, it has had a significant role in alleviating poverty and improving health among the poor. Microfinance has also been found to be instrumental in facilitating access to health-related services. Hence the healthcare agenda is supported by combining microfinance and health activities. This thesis has two main parts. The first is a systematic review of relevant articles published since 1990, in the English language with no specific-country limit, exploring the contributions of microfinance and health initiatives in reducing healthcare costs. The second part explores evidence of the integration of microfinance and health programs in the Philippines, using a model cooperative. Secondary data was used to explore the design of health programs and how health initiatives could contribute to achieving Healthy Philippines 2022. The first study revealed that microfinance could contribute to reducing healthcare costs through collaboration and by using different schemes of microfinance-health models. The second study also indicated that the integrated microfinance and health program of the model microfinance institution (MFI) is anchored by collaborative and partnership efforts. The health program was designed to operate in three main structures – subsidised or outreach, microinsurance and health loans, and patronage funds, which potentially could reduce the costs for healthcare service utilisation. These studies showed that integrated microfinance and health programs facilitated the use of healthcare and health-related services among its members; however, improved data collection mechanisms are needed for outcome evaluation. This thesis supports the practice of an integrated microfinance and health program in the Philippines, which could potentially contribute to achieving the objectives of Healthy Philippines 2022, particularly in reducing healthcare costs. This thesis encountered limitations, so more studies to evaluate the integrated MFI health initiatives are recommended to further identify gaps, outcomes or impacts of the program

Nowhere to Run; Nowhere to Hide: The Reality of Being a Law Library Director in Times of Great Opportunity and Significant Challenges

This is an edited version of remarks presented at \u27Nowhere to Run, Nowhere to Hide\u27: The Reality of Being a Law Library Director in Times of Great Opportunity and Significant Challenges, January 5, 2015, at the Association of American Law Schools Annual Meeting, Washington, D.C

Automated track recognition and event reconstruction in nuclear emulsion

The major advantages of nuclear emulsion for detecting charged particles are its submicron position resolution and sensitivity to minimum ionizing particles. These must be balanced, however, against the difficult manual microscope measurement by skilled observers required for the analysis. We have developed an automated system to acquire and analyze the microscope images from emulsion chambers. Each emulsion plate is analyzed independently, allowing coincidence techniques to be used in order to reject background and estimate error rates. The system has been used to analyze a sample of high-multiplicity Pb-Pb interactions (charged particle multiplicities ∼1100) produced by the 158 GeV/c per nucleon 208Pb beam at CERN. Automatically measured events agree with our best manual measurements on 97% of all the tracks. We describe the image analysis and track reconstruction techniques, and discuss the measurement and reconstruction uncertainties

Capillary electrophoretic separation of nanoparticles

In the present work, CdSe nanocrystals (NCs) synthesized with a trioctylphosphine surface passivation layer were modified using amphiphilic molecules to form a surface bilayer capable of providing stable NCs aqueous solutions. Such modified nanocrystals were used as a test solute in order to analyze new electrophoretic phenomena, by applying a micellar plug as a separation tool for discriminating nanocrystals between micellar and micelle-free zones during electrophoresis. The distribution of NCs between both zones depended on the affinity of nanocrystals towards the micellar zone, and this relies on the kind of surface ligands attached to the NCs, as well as electrophoretic conditions applied. In this case, the NCs that migrated within a micellar zone can be focused using a preconcentration mechanism. By modifying electrophoretic conditions, NCs were forced to migrate outside the micellar zone in the form of a typical CZE peak. In this situation, a two-order difference in separation efficiencies, in terms of theoretical plates, was observed between focused NCs (N ~ 107) and a typical CZE peak for NCs (N ~ 105). By applying the amino-functionalized NCs the preconcentration of NCs, using a micellar plug, was examined, with the conclusion that preconcentration efficiency, in terms of the enhancement factor for peak height (SEFheight) can be, at least 20. The distribution effect was applied to separate CdSe/ZnS NCs encapsulated in silica, as well as surface-modified with DNA, which allows the estimation of the yield of conjugation of biologically active molecules to a particle surface