Selfsimilar Domain Growth, Localized Structures and Labyrinthine Patterns in Vectorial Kerr Resonators

We study domain growth in a nonlinear optical system useful to explore different scenarios that might occur in systems which do not relax to thermodynamic equilibrium. Domains correspond to equivalent states of different circular polarization of light. We describe three dynamical regimes: a coarsening regime in which dynamical scaling holds with a growth law dictated by curvature effects, a regime in which localized structures form, and a regime in which polarization domain walls are modulationally unstable and the system freezes in a labyrinthine pattern.Comment: 13 pages, 6 figure

Characterization of the rat Na+/nucleoside cotransporter 2 and transport of nucleoside-derived drugs using electrophysiological methods.

The Na(+)-dependent nucleoside transporter 2 (CNT2) mediates active transport of purine nucleosides and uridine as well as therapeutic nucleoside analogs. We used the two-electrode voltage-clamp technique to investigate rat CNT2 (rCNT2) transport mechanism and study the interaction of nucleoside-derived drugs with the transporter expressed in Xenopus laevis oocytes. The kinetic parameters for sodium, natural nucleosides, and nucleoside derivatives were obtained as a function of membrane potential. For natural substrates, apparent affinity (K(0.5)) was in the low micromolar range (12-34) and was voltage independent for hyperpolarizing membrane potentials, whereas maximal current (I(max)) was voltage dependent. Uridine and 2'-deoxyuridine analogs modified at the 5-position were substrates of rCNT2. Lack of the 2'-hydroxyl group decreased affinity but increased I(max). Increase in the size and decrease in the electronegativity of the residue at the 5-position affected the interaction with the transporter by decreasing both affinity and I(max). Fludarabine and formycin B were also transported with higher I(max) than uridine and moderate affinity (102 +/- 10 and 66 +/- 6 microM, respectively). Analysis of the pre-steady-state currents revealed a half-maximal activation voltage of about -39 mV and a valence of about -0.8. K(0.5) for Na(+) was 2.3 mM at -50 mV and decreased at hyperpolarizing membrane potentials. The Hill coefficient was 1 at all voltages. Direct measurements of radiolabeled nucleoside fluxes with the charge associated showed a ratio of two positive inward charges per nucleoside, suggesting a stoichiometry of two Na(+) per nucleoside. This discrepancy in the number of Na(+) molecules that bind rCNT2 may indicate a low degree of cooperativity between the Na(+) binding sites

Pressure-induced band anticrossing in two adamantine ordered-vacancy compounds: CdGa2S4 and HgGa2S4

[EN] This paper reports a joint experimental and theoretical study of the electronic band structure of two ordered-vacancy compounds with defect-chalcopyrite structure: CdGa2S4 and HgGa2S4. High-pressure optical-absorption experiments (up to around 17 GPa) combined with first-principles electronic band-structure calculations provide compelling evidence of strong nonlinear pressure dependence of the bandgap in both compounds. The nonlinear pressure dependence is well accounted for by the band anticrossing model that was previously established mostly for selenides with defect chalcopyrite structure. Therefore, our results on two sulfides with defect chalcopyrite structure under compression provide definitive evidence that the nonlinear pressure dependence of the direct bandgap is a common feature of adamantine ordered-vacancy compounds and does not depend on the type of anion.This work was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities, the Spanish Research Agency (AEI), the European Fund for Regional Development (ERDF, FEDER) under grants PID2019-106383GB-C41/42 and RED2018-102612-T (MALTA Consolider-Team Network), and the Generalitat Valenciana under grant Prometeo/2018/123 (EFIMAT). This work also has received partial funding from the Horizon-2020 Spreading Excellence and Widening Participation research and innovation programme of the European Union under the grant #810652 (NanoMedTwin project). A.L. and D.E. would like to thank the Generalitat Valenciana for the Ph.D. fellowship GRISOLIAP/2019/025).Liang, A.; Shi, L.; Gallego-Parra, S.; Gomis, O.; Errandonea, D.; Tiginyanu, I.; Ursaki, V.... (2021). Pressure-induced band anticrossing in two adamantine ordered-vacancy compounds: CdGa2S4 and HgGa2S4. Journal of Alloys and Compounds. 886:1-8. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jallcom.2021.1612261888

Self-folding nano- and micropatterned hydrogel tissue engineering scaffolds by single step photolithographic process

Current progress in tissue engineering is focused on the creation of environments in which cultures of relevant cells can adhere, grow and form functional tissue. We propose a method for controlled chemical and topographical cues through surface patterning of self-folding hydrogel films. This provides a conversion of 2D patterning techniques into a viable method of manufacturing a 3D scaffold. While similar bilayers have previously been demonstrated, here we present a faster and high throughput process for fabricating self-folding hydrogel devices incorporating controllable surface nanotopographies by serial hot embossing of sacrificial layers and photolithography

Results from the application of new active methodologies for the toxicology subject learning

Con el fin de adaptar la asignatura de Toxicología (tercer curso) a los nuevos planes de estudio europeos del Grado de Farmacia, se han introducido nuevas metodologías activas basadas principalmente en el trabajo personal y en la participación del alumno en el proceso de enseñanza aprendizaje. La introducción de las nuevas metodologías activas tiene como objetivos un aumento de la capacidad de síntesis, análisis y esquematización por parte del alumnado, un aumento de la participación y del trabajo en grupo y la formación en competencias como el manejo de fuentes bibliográficas y la búsqueda de información. El fin último es mejorar la calidad de la docencia aumentando el interés de los alumnos por los conocimientos adquiridos mediante una forma de enseñanza más participativa, dinámica y práctica que además relacione los contenidos teóricos con la práctica en un futuro profesional aportando al alumno una visión más cercana a la realidad. Para incentivar la participación de forma voluntaria por parte del alumno se ha propuesto la realización de una de dos posibles actividades independientes, pero complementarias: 1) preparación de tres temas inéditos en pregrado y 2) resolución de dos problemas (ABP) para lo que tuvieron que aplicar conocimientos adquiridos en clases teóricas. Éstas se realizaron de forma tutorizada y supervisada por los profesores del Área. Además se contó positivamente la asistencia a clases teóricas y a dos conferencias impartidas por expertos en las áreas de Toxicología Forense y de Toxicología Alimentaria. La valoración de la experiencia ha sido positiva ya que se consiguió un aumento de la asistencia a clase y de la participación por parte de los alumnos, todo ello además se vio reflejado en una mejora de las calificaciones obtenidas.In order to adapt the subject of Toxicology to the new curricula in Europe, new active methodologies have introduced. They are mainly based in personal work and student participation in the process of teaching-learning. The introduction of new active methodologies aims to increase the capacity for synthesis, analysis and schematize in our students, as well as to increase its participation and group work and training in skills such as handling and searching bibliographical sources information. The ultimate goal is to improve the quality of teaching by increasing students' interest for knowledge gained through a more participatory form of education, dynamic and practical. In addition, students would be asked to interrelating theory contents with future professional practice by providing students a closer vision to reality. To encourage voluntary participation by the student, it was proposed to perform one of two independent but complementary activities: a) preparation of three new lessons in undergraduate classes; and 2) resolution of two problems (ABP) for what they had to apply theoretical knowledge acquired. These were carried out tutored and supervised by teachers of the area. In addition, attendance to theory classes and to lectures given by experts in the fields of Forensic Toxicology and Food was positively marked. The assessment of the experience was positive because an increase in class attendance and participation by students was achieved, which was also reflected in an improvement in grades

Search for direct production of charginos and neutralinos in events with three leptons and missing transverse momentum in √s = 7 TeV pp collisions with the ATLAS detector

A search for the direct production of charginos and neutralinos in final states with three electrons or muons and missing transverse momentum is presented. The analysis is based on 4.7 fb−1 of proton–proton collision data delivered by the Large Hadron Collider and recorded with the ATLAS detector. Observations are consistent with Standard Model expectations in three signal regions that are either depleted or enriched in Z-boson decays. Upper limits at 95% confidence level are set in R-parity conserving phenomenological minimal supersymmetric models and in simplified models, significantly extending previous results

Jet size dependence of single jet suppression in lead-lead collisions at sqrt(s(NN)) = 2.76 TeV with the ATLAS detector at the LHC

Measurements of inclusive jet suppression in heavy ion collisions at the LHC provide direct sensitivity to the physics of jet quenching. In a sample of lead-lead collisions at sqrt(s) = 2.76 TeV corresponding to an integrated luminosity of approximately 7 inverse microbarns, ATLAS has measured jets with a calorimeter over the pseudorapidity interval |eta| < 2.1 and over the transverse momentum range 38 < pT < 210 GeV. Jets were reconstructed using the anti-kt algorithm with values for the distance parameter that determines the nominal jet radius of R = 0.2, 0.3, 0.4 and 0.5. The centrality dependence of the jet yield is characterized by the jet "central-to-peripheral ratio," Rcp. Jet production is found to be suppressed by approximately a factor of two in the 10% most central collisions relative to peripheral collisions. Rcp varies smoothly with centrality as characterized by the number of participating nucleons. The observed suppression is only weakly dependent on jet radius and transverse momentum. These results provide the first direct measurement of inclusive jet suppression in heavy ion collisions and complement previous measurements of dijet transverse energy imbalance at the LHC.Comment: 15 pages plus author list (30 pages total), 8 figures, 2 tables, submitted to Physics Letters B. All figures including auxiliary figures are available at http://atlas.web.cern.ch/Atlas/GROUPS/PHYSICS/PAPERS/HION-2011-02