Emergent global oscillations in heterogeneous excitable media: The example of pancreatic beta cells

Using the standard van der Pol-FitzHugh-Nagumo excitable medium model I demonstrate a novel generic mechanism, diversity, that provokes the emergence of global oscillations from individually quiescent elements in heterogeneous excitable media. This mechanism may be operating in the mammalian pancreas, where excitable beta cells, quiescent when isolated, are found to oscillate when coupled despite the absence of a pacemaker region.Comment: See home page http://lec.ugr.es/~julya

Time-resolved photoluminescence study of CdSe/CdMnS/CdS core/multi-shell nanoplatelets

We used photoluminescence spectroscopy to resolve two emission features in CdSe/CdMnS/CdS and CdSe/CdS core/multi-shell nanoplatelet heterostructures. The photoluminescence from the magnetic sample has a positive circular polarization with a maximum centered at the position of the lower energy feature. The higher energy feature has a corresponding signature in the absorption spectrum; this is not the case for the low-energy feature. We have also studied the temporal evolution of these features using a pulsed-excitation/time-resolved photoluminescence technique to investigate their corresponding recombination channels. A model was used to analyze the temporal dynamics of the photoluminescence which yielded two distinct timescales associated with these recombination channels. The above results indicate that the low-energy feature is associated with recombination of electrons with holes localized at the core/shell interfaces; the high-energy feature, on the other hand, is excitonic in nature with the holes confined within the CdSe cores. © 2016 Author(s)

Time resolved photoluminescence study of magnetic CdSe/CdMnS/CdS core/multi-shell nanoplatelets

Colloidal semiconductor nanoplatelets (NPLs) are quasi 2D-nanostructures that are grown and processed inexpensively using a solution based method and thus have recently attracted considerable attention. We observe two features in the photoluminescence spectrum, suggesting two possible recombination channels. Their intensity ratio varies with temperature and two distinct temperature regions are identified; a low temperature region (10K < T < 90K) and a high temperature region (90K < T < 200K). This ratio increases with increasing temperature, suggesting that one recombination channel involves holes that are weakly localized with a localization energy of 0.043meV. A possible origin of these localized states are energy-variations in the xy-plane of the nanoplatelet. The presence of positive photoluminescence circular polarization in the magnetically-doped core/multi-shell NPLs indicates a hole-dopant exchange interaction and therefore the incorporated magnetic Manganese ions act as a marker that determines the location of the localized hole states.1 Time-resolved measurements show two distinct timescales (τfast and τslow) that can be modeled using a rate equation model. We identify these timescales as closely related to the corresponding recombination times for the channels. The stronger hole localization of one of these channels leads to a decreased electron-hole wave function overlap and thus a decreased oscillator strength and an increased lifetime. We show that we can model and understand the magnetic interaction of doped 2D-colloidal nanoplatelets which opens a pathway to solution processable spin controllable light sources. Copyright © 2017 SPIE

Magneto-optical studies of CdSe/CdMnS/CdS core/multi-shell colloidal nanoplatelets

We studied the photoluminescence (PL)) from CdSe/CdMnS/CdS core/multi-shell colloidal nanoplatelets, a versatile platform to study the interplay of optical properties and nanomagnetism. The photoluminescence (PL) exhibits σ+ polarization in the applied magnetic field. Our measurement detects the presence of even a single magnetic monolayer shell. The PLL consists of a higher and a lower energy component; the latter exhibits a circular polarization peak. The time-resolved PL (trPL) shows a red shift as function of time delay. At early (later) times the trPL spectra coincide with the high (low) energy PL component. A model is proposed to interpret these results. © 2016 SPIE

Mirror Symmetry and Other Miracles in Superstring Theory

The dominance of string theory in the research landscape of quantum gravity physics (despite any direct experimental evidence) can, I think, be justified in a variety of ways. Here I focus on an argument from mathematical fertility, broadly similar to Hilary Putnam's 'no miracles argument' that, I argue, many string theorists in fact espouse. String theory leads to many surprising, useful, and well-confirmed mathematical 'predictions' - here I focus on mirror symmetry. These predictions are made on the basis of general physical principles entering into string theory. The success of the mathematical predictions are then seen as evidence for framework that generated them. I attempt to defend this argument, but there are nonetheless some serious objections to be faced. These objections can only be evaded at a high (philosophical) price.Comment: For submission to a Foundations of Physics special issue on "Forty Years Of String Theory: Reflecting On the Foundations" (edited by G. `t Hooft, E. Verlinde, D. Dieks and S. de Haro)

Search for supersymmetry with a dominant R-parity violating LQDbar couplings in e+e- collisions at centre-of-mass energies of 130GeV to 172 GeV

A search for pair-production of supersymmetric particles under the assumption that R-parity is violated via a dominant LQDbar coupling has been performed using the data collected by ALEPH at centre-of-mass energies of 130-172 GeV. The observed candidate events in the data are in agreement with the Standard Model expectation. This result is translated into lower limits on the masses of charginos, neutralinos, sleptons, sneutrinos and squarks. For instance, for m_0=500 GeV/c^2 and tan(beta)=sqrt(2) charginos with masses smaller than 81 GeV/c^2 and neutralinos with masses smaller than 29 GeV/c^2 are excluded at the 95% confidence level for any generation structure of the LQDbar coupling.Comment: 32 pages, 30 figure

Interaction of inflammatory cytokines and erythropoeitin in iron metabolism and erythropoiesis in anaemia of chronic disease

In chronic inflammatory conditions increased endogenous release of specific cytokines (TNFα, IL-1, IL-6, IFNγ and others) is presumed. It has been shown that those of monocyte lineage play a key role in cytokine expression and synthesis. This may be associated with changes in iron metabolism and impaired erythropoiesis and may lead to development of anaemia in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Firstly, increased synthesis of acute phase proteins, like ferritin, during chronic inflammation is proposed as the way by which the toxic effect of iron and thereby the synthesis of free oxy-radicals causing the damage on the affected joints, may be reduced. This is associated with a shift of iron towards the mononuclear phagocyte system which may participate in the development of anaemia of chronic disease. Secondly, an inhibitory action of inflammatory cytokines (TNFα, IL-1), on proliferation and differentiation of erythroid progenitors as well as on synthesis of erythropoietin has been shown, thereby also contributing to anaemia. Finally, chronic inflammation causes multiple, complex disturbances in the delicate physiologic equilibrium of interaction between cytokines and cells (erythroid progenitors, cells of mononuclear phagocyte system and erythropoietin producing cells) leading to development of anaemia of chronic disease (Fig. 1)

Emission dynamics of red emitting InGaN/GaN single quantum wells

Emission dynamics of two InGaN/GaN single quantum well red emitters were investigated through time-resolved photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy. A clear phase separation, where a higher energy (blue) emission and a lower energy (red) emission appear simultaneously, was observed. The maximum position of blue emission is consistent with the bandgap value of the InGaN quantum well. As the time after pulsed excitation increases, the higher energy emission decreased more rapidly than that of the lower energy emission. In addition, the temperature dependence of the peak position of lower energy emission showed an initial redshift followed by a blueshift, reflecting the thermal distribution and transfer of localized carriers within different potential minima

CMOS Chemical and Biochemical Sensors using Nanostructured Materials

A review of the recent progress in complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) biological and chemical optical sensors using nanostructured materials is presented. Fabrication details of a xerogel based glucose sensor and a photonic bandgap based chemical vapor sensor are also demonstrated