Green's functions technique for calculating the emission spectrum in a quantum dot-cavity system

We introduce the Green's functions technique as an alternative theory to the quantum regression theorem formalism for calculating the two-time correlation functions in open quantum systems. In particular, we investigate the potential of this theoretical approach by its application to compute the emission spectrum of a dissipative system composed by a single quantum dot inside of a semiconductor cavity. We also describe a simple algorithm based on the Green's functions technique for calculating the emission spectrum of the quantum dot as well as of the cavity which can easily be implemented in any numerical linear algebra package. We find that the Green's functions technique demonstrates a better accuracy and efficiency in the calculation of the emission spectrum and it allows to overcome the inherent theoretical difficulties associated to the direct application of the quantum regression theorem approach

Analytical description of optical vortices generated by discretized vortex-producing lenses

In this article, a general analytical treatment (any topological charge - any number of discretization levels) for the diffraction of a Gaussian beam through a discretized vortex-producing lens is presented. In the proposal, the field is expressed as a sum of Kummer beams with different amplitudes and topological charges, which are focalized at different planes on the propagation axis. Likewise, it is demonstrated that characteristics of diffracted light can be modified by tuning the parameters of the setup. Vortex lines are analyzed to understand the internal mechanism of measurable topological charges that appear in specific planes, apparently violating topological charge conservation. Conservation of the topological charge is verified and theoretical predictions are supported by experiments.Fil: Rumi, Gonzalo Agustín. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Centro de Investigaciones Ópticas. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Gobernación. Comisión de Investigaciones Científicas. Centro de Investigaciones Ópticas. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Centro de Investigaciones Ópticas; ArgentinaFil: Actis, Daniel Guillermo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Centro de Investigaciones Ópticas. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Gobernación. Comisión de Investigaciones Científicas. Centro de Investigaciones Ópticas. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Centro de Investigaciones Ópticas; ArgentinaFil: Amaya Robayo, Dafne Cecilia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Centro de Investigaciones Ópticas. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Gobernación. Comisión de Investigaciones Científicas. Centro de Investigaciones Ópticas. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Centro de Investigaciones Ópticas; ArgentinaFil: Gomez, Jorge A.. Politécnico Colombiano Jaime Isaza Cadavid; ColombiaFil: Rueda, Edgar. Universidad de Antioquia; ColombiaFil: Lencina, Alberto Germán. Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires; Argentin

Parameter identification of periodical signals: Application to measurement and analysis of ocean wave forces

This article presents an approach based on state observers to identify the parameters of an unknown periodic force exerted on a mechanical system. This approach comprises two stages and can be executed in real time by using only displacement measurements. The first stage goal is the estimation of the coefficients of a Fourier series that approximates the periodic force. From the estimated coefficients, the phase and the amplitude of the signal can be simultaneously computed; and from the estimated force, in a second stage, the frequencies of the signal can be estimated. To perform the tasks at each stage, two state observers were designed. To show the applicability of the proposed approach, the reconstruction of a wave force affecting a marine structure as well as the computation of the amplitude and phase of its spectral components was taken as case of study. The performance of the state observer was examined by means of simulations and off-line tests carried out with experimental data. Such data were obtained by executing laboratory tests and measuring waves in the Caribbean sea

CYK-4 functions independently of its centralspindlin partner ZEN-4 to cellularize oocytes in germline syncytia

International audienceThroughout metazoans, germ cells undergo incomplete cytokinesis to form syncytia connected by intercellular bridges. Gamete formation ultimately requires bridge closure, yet how bridges are reactivated to close is not known. The most conserved bridge component is centralspindlin, a complex of the Rho family GTPase-activating protein (GAP) CYK-4/MgcRacGAP and the microtubule motor ZEN-4/kinesin-6. Here, we show that oocyte production by the syncytial Caenorhabditis elegans germline requires CYK-4 but not ZEN-4, which contrasts with cytokinesis, where both are essential. Longitudinal imaging after conditional inactivation revealed that CYK-4 activity is important for oocyte cellularization, but not for the cytokinesis-like events that generate syncytial compartments. CYK-4's lipid-binding C1 domain and the GTPase-binding interface of its GAP domain were both required to target CYK-4 to intercellular bridges and to cellularize oocytes. These results suggest that the conserved C1-GAP region of CYK-4 constitutes a targeting module required for closure of intercellular bridges in germline syncytia

Hemoglobin Mass, Blood Volume and VO₂max of Trained and Untrained Children and Adolescents Living at Different Altitudes

Introduction: To a considerable extent, the magnitude of blood volume (BV) and hemoglobin mass (Hbmass) contribute to the maximum O(2)-uptake (VO(2)max), especially in endurance-trained athletes. However, the development of Hbmass and BV and their relationships with VO(2)max during childhood are unknown. The aim of the present cross-sectional study was to investigate Hbmass and BV and their relationships with VO(2)max in children and adolescents. In addition, the possible influence of endurance training and chronic hypoxia was evaluated. Methods: A total of 475 differently trained children and adolescents (girls n = 217, boys n = 258; untrained n = 171, endurance trained n = 304) living at two different altitudes (∼1,000 m, n = 204, ∼2,600 m, n = 271) and 9–18 years old participated in the study. The stage of puberty was determined according to Tanner; Hbmass and BV were determined by CO rebreathing; and VO(2)max was determined by cycle ergometry and for runners on the treadmill. Results: Before puberty, there was no association between training status and Hbmass or BV. During and after puberty, we found 7–10% higher values in the trained groups. Living at a moderate altitude had a uniformly positive effect of ∼7% on Hbmass in all groups and no effect on BV. The VO(2)max before, during and after puberty was strongly associated with training (pre/early puberty: boys +27%, girls +26%; mid puberty: +42% and +45%; late puberty: +43% and +47%) but not with altitude. The associated effects of training in the pre/early pubertal groups were independent of Hbmass and BV, while in the mid- and late pubertal groups, 25% of the training effect could be attributed to the elevated Hbmass. Conclusions: The associated effects of training on Hbmass and BV, resulting in increased VO(2)max, can only be observed after the onset of puberty

Accurate reconstruction of insertion-deletion histories by statistical phylogenetics

The Multiple Sequence Alignment (MSA) is a computational abstraction that represents a partial summary either of indel history, or of structural similarity. Taking the former view (indel history), it is possible to use formal automata theory to generalize the phylogenetic likelihood framework for finite substitution models (Dayhoff's probability matrices and Felsenstein's pruning algorithm) to arbitrary-length sequences. In this paper, we report results of a simulation-based benchmark of several methods for reconstruction of indel history. The methods tested include a relatively new algorithm for statistical marginalization of MSAs that sums over a stochastically-sampled ensemble of the most probable evolutionary histories. For mammalian evolutionary parameters on several different trees, the single most likely history sampled by our algorithm appears less biased than histories reconstructed by other MSA methods. The algorithm can also be used for alignment-free inference, where the MSA is explicitly summed out of the analysis. As an illustration of our method, we discuss reconstruction of the evolutionary histories of human protein-coding genes.Comment: 28 pages, 15 figures. arXiv admin note: text overlap with arXiv:1103.434

The phylogenetically-related pattern recognition receptors EFR and XA21 recruit similar immune signaling components in monocots and dicots

During plant immunity, surface-localized pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) recognize pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs). The transfer of PRRs between plant species is a promising strategy for engineering broad-spectrum disease resistance. Thus, there is a great interest in understanding the mechanisms of PRR-mediated resistance across different plant species. Two well-characterized plant PRRs are the leucine-rich repeat receptor kinases (LRR-RKs) EFR and XA21 from Arabidopsis thaliana (Arabidopsis) and rice, respectively. Interestingly, despite being evolutionary distant, EFR and XA21 are phylogenetically closely related and are both members of the sub-family XII of LRR-RKs that contains numerous potential PRRs. Here, we compared the ability of these related PRRs to engage immune signaling across the monocots-dicots taxonomic divide. Using chimera between Arabidopsis EFR and rice XA21, we show that the kinase domain of the rice XA21 is functional in triggering elf18-induced signaling and quantitative immunity to the bacteria Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato (Pto) DC3000 and Agrobacterium tumefaciens in Arabidopsis. Furthermore, the EFR:XA21 chimera associates dynamically in a ligand-dependent manner with known components of the EFR complex. Conversely, EFR associates with Arabidopsis orthologues of rice XA21-interacting proteins, which appear to be involved in EFR-mediated signaling and immunity in Arabidopsis. Our work indicates the overall functional conservation of immune components acting downstream of distinct LRR-RK-type PRRs between monocots and dicots

The read-across hypothesis and environmental risk assessment of pharmaceuticals

This article is made available through the Brunel Open Access Publishing Fund. Copyright © 2013 American Chemical Society.Pharmaceuticals in the environment have received increased attention over the past decade, as they are ubiquitous in rivers and waterways. Concentrations are in sub-ng to low μg/L, well below acute toxic levels, but there are uncertainties regarding the effects of chronic exposures and there is a need to prioritise which pharmaceuticals may be of concern. The read-across hypothesis stipulates that a drug will have an effect in non-target organisms only if the molecular targets such as receptors and enzymes have been conserved, resulting in a (specific) pharmacological effect only if plasma concentrations are similar to human therapeutic concentrations. If this holds true for different classes of pharmaceuticals, it should be possible to predict the potential environmental impact from information obtained during the drug development process. This paper critically reviews the evidence for read-across, and finds that few studies include plasma concentrations and mode of action based effects. Thus, despite a large number of apparently relevant papers and a general acceptance of the hypothesis, there is an absence of documented evidence. There is a need for large-scale studies to generate robust data for testing the read-across hypothesis and developing predictive models, the only feasible approach to protecting the environment.BBSRC Industrial Partnership Award BB/ I00646X/1 and BBSRC Industrial CASE Partnership Studentship BB/I53257X/1 with AstraZeneca Safety Health and Environment Research Programme