1,701 research outputs found
Reciprocal space mapping of magnetic order in thick epitaxial MnSi films
We report grazing incidence small angle neutron scattering (GISANS) and
complementary off-specular neutron reflectometry (OSR) of the magnetic order in
a single-crystalline epitaxial MnSi film on Si(111) in the thick film limit.
Providing a means of direct reciprocal space mapping, GISANS and OSR reveal a
magnetic modulation perpendicular to the films under magnetic fields parallel
and perpendicular to the film, where additional polarized neutron reflectometry
(PNR) and magnetization measurements are in excellent agreement with the
literature. Regardless of field orientation, our data does not suggest the
presence of more complex spin textures, notably the formation of skyrmions.
This observation establishes a distinct difference with bulk samples of MnSi of
similar thickness under perpendicular field, in which a skyrmion lattice
dominates the phase diagram. Extended x-ray absorption fine structure
measurements suggest that small shifts of the Si positions within the
unstrained unit cell control the magnetic state, representing the main
difference between the films and thin bulk samples
Effect of Ca-substitution on the magnetic and dielectric properties of Mn-Zn ferrites
Spinel Mn-Zn ferrites with composition MnxZn0.4Ca0.6-2xFe2+xO4,where x = 0.10, 0.15, 0.20, 0.25 and 0.30 have been prepared by conventional ceramic technique sintered at 1300 °C for 4 hours. The influence of Ca-substitution on various properties of Mn-Zn ferrites have been studied in this work. Investigations were carried out by the measurements of Curie temperature, permeability, loss tangent, Q-factor, dielectric constant and AC resistivity of the samples. Curie temperature (Tc), the real part of initial permeability (µ´), loss tangent (tan ?), and AC resistivity have been found to be decreased while the Q-factor increases with the increase in Ca-content. The frequency characteristics of the dielectric constant and AC resistivity have been found to be decreased as the frequency increases. Maxwell-Wagner interfacial type of dielectric polarization was observed with the addition of Ca-content over the entire range of frequency considered
Laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding – should a second chance be given?
Background:
Obesity is a chronic relapsing-remitting disease and a global pandemic, being associated with multiple comorbidities. Laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB) is one of the safest surgical procedures used for the treatment of obesity, and even though its popularity has been decreasing over time, it still remains an option for a certain group of patients, producing considerable weight loss and improvement in obesity-associated comorbidities.
Methods:
The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of weight loss following LAGB on obesity-associated comorbidities, and to identify factors that could predict better response to surgery, and patient sub-groups exhibiting greatest benefit. A total of 99 severely obese patients (81.2% women, mean age 44.19 ± 10.94 years, mean body mass index (BMI) 51.84 ± 8.77 kg/m2) underwent LAGB in a single institution. Results obtained 1, 2, and 5 years postoperatively were compared with the pre-operative values using SPPS software version 20.
Results:
A significant drop in BMI was recorded throughout the follow-up period, as well as in A1c and triglycerides, with greatest improvement seen 2 years after surgery (51.8 ± 8.7 kg/m2 vs 42.3 ± 9.2 kg/m2, p < 0.05, 55.5 ± 19.1 mmol/mol vs 45.8 ± 13.7 mmol/mol, p < 0.05, and 2.2 ± 1.7 mmol/l vs 1.5 ± 0.6 mmol/l). Better outcomes were seen in younger patients, with lower duration of diabetes before surgery, and lower pre-operative systolic blood pressure.
Conclusions:
Younger age, lower degree of obesity, and lower severity of comorbidities at the time of surgery can be important predictors of successful weight loss, making this group of patients the ideal candidates for LAGB
Engineering integrated pure narrow-band photon sources
Engineering and controlling well defined states of light for quantum
information applications is of increasing importance as the complexity of
quantum systems grows. For example, in quantum networks high multi-photon
interference visibility requires properly devised single mode sources. In this
paper we propose a spontaneous parametric down conversion source based on an
integrated cavity-waveguide, where single narrow-band, possibly distinct,
spectral modes for the idler and the signal fields can be generated. This mode
selection takes advantage of the clustering effect, due to the intrinsic
dispersion of the nonlinear material. In combination with a CW laser and fast
detection, our approach provides a means to engineer a source that can
efficiently generate pure photons, without filtering, that is compatible with
long distance quantum communication. Furthermore, it is extremely flexible and
could easily be adapted to a wide variety of wavelengths and applications.Comment: 13 pages, 7 figure
Experimental delayed-choice entanglement swapping
Motivated by the question, which kind of physical interactions and processes
are needed for the production of quantum entanglement, Peres has put forward
the radical idea of delayed-choice entanglement swapping. There, entanglement
can be "produced a posteriori, after the entangled particles have been measured
and may no longer exist". In this work we report the first realization of
Peres' gedanken experiment. Using four photons, we can actively delay the
choice of measurement-implemented via a high-speed tunable bipartite state
analyzer and a quantum random number generator-on two of the photons into the
time-like future of the registration of the other two photons. This effectively
projects the two already registered photons onto one definite of two mutually
exclusive quantum states in which either the photons are entangled (quantum
correlations) or separable (classical correlations). This can also be viewed as
"quantum steering into the past"
Tunable Indistinguishable Photons From Remote Quantum Dots
Single semiconductor quantum dots have been widely studied within devices
that can apply an electric field. In the most common system, the low energy
offset between the InGaAs quantum dot and the surrounding GaAs material limits
the magnitude of field that can be applied to tens of kVcm^-1, before carriers
tunnel out of the dot. The Stark shift experienced by the emission line is
typically 1 meV. We report that by embedding the quantum dots in a quantum well
heterostructure the vertical field that can be applied is increased by over an
order of magnitude whilst preserving the narrow linewidths, high internal
quantum efficiencies and familiar emission spectra. Individual dots can then be
continuously tuned to the same energy allowing for two-photon interference
between remote, independent, quantum dots
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Anomalous diffusion of Ga and As from semi-insulating GaAs substrate into MOCVD grown ZnO films as a function of annealing temperature and its effect on charge compensation
The diffusion behavior of arsenic (As) and gallium (Ga) atoms from semi-insulating GaAs (SI-GaAs) into ZnO films upon post-growth annealing vis-`a-vis the resulting charge compensation was investigated with the help of x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and secondary ion mass spectroscopy. The films, annealed at 600 °C and 700 °C showed p-type conductivity with a hole concentration of 1.1 × 10¹⁸ cm⁻³ and 2.8 × 10¹⁹ cm⁻³ respectively, whereas those annealed at 800 °C showed n-type conductivity with a carrier concentration of 6.5 × 10¹⁶ cm⁻³. It is observed that at lower temperatures, large fraction of As atoms diffused from the SI-GaAs substrates into ZnO and formed acceptor related complex, (AsZₙ–2VZₙ), by substituting Zn atoms (AsZₙ) and thereby creating two zinc vacancies (VZₙ). Thus as-grown ZnO which was supposed to be n-type due to nonstoichiometric nature showed p-type behavior. On further increasing the annealing temperature to 800 °C, Ga atoms diffused more than As atoms and substitute Zn atoms thereby forming shallow donor complex, GaZₙ. Electrons from donor levels then compensate the p-type carriers and the material reverts back to n-type. Thus the conversion of carrier type took place due to charge compensation between the donors and acceptors in ZnO and this compensation is the possible origin of anomalous conduction in wide band gap materials.This is the publisher’s final pdf. The published article can be found at AIP Advances
Amplitude and phase modulation of time-energy entangled two-photon states
We experimentally demonstrate amplitude and phase modulation of a time-energy
entangled two-photon wave function. The entangled photons are produced by
spontaneous parametric down-conversion, spectrally dispersed in an prism
compressor, modulated in amplitude and/or phase, and detected in coincidence by
sum-frequency generation. First, we present a Fourier optical analysis of the
optical setup yielding an analytic expression for the resulting field
distribution at the exit plane of the shaping apparatus. We then introduce
amplitude and/or phase shaping and present results which can only be obtained
through a combination of the two. Specifically, we use a shaper-based
interferometer to measure the two-photon interference of an almost
bandwidth-limited two-photon wave function.Comment: 7 pages, 4 figure
Systematic review of studies generating individual participant data on the efficacy of drugs for treating soil-transmitted helminthiases and the case for data-sharing
Preventive chemotherapy and transmission control (PCT) by mass drug administration is the cornerstone of the World Health Organization (WHO)’s policy to control soil-transmitted helminthiases (STHs) caused by Ascaris lumbricoides (roundworm), Trichuris trichiura (whipworm) and hookworm species (Necator americanus and Ancylostama duodenale) which affect over 1 billion people globally. Despite consensus that drug efficacies should be monitored for signs of decline that could jeopardise the effectiveness of PCT, systematic monitoring and evaluation is seldom implemented. Drug trials mostly report aggregate efficacies in groups of participants, but heterogeneities in design complicate classical meta-analyses of these data. Individual participant data (IPD) permit more detailed analysis of drug efficacies, offering increased sensitivity to identify atypical responses potentially caused by emerging drug resistance
The Effect of Epstein-Barr Virus Latent Membrane Protein 2 Expression on the Kinetics of Early B Cell Infection
Infection of human B cells with wild-type Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) in vitro leads to activation and proliferation that result in efficient production of lymphoblastoid cell lines (LCLs). Latent Membrane Protein 2 (LMP2) is expressed early after infection and previous research has suggested a possible role in this process. Therefore, we generated recombinant EBV with knockouts of either or both protein isoforms, LMP2A and LMP2B (Δ2A, Δ2B, Δ2A/Δ2B) to study the effect of LMP2 in early B cell infection. Infection of B cells with Δ2A and Δ2A/Δ2B viruses led to a marked decrease in activation and proliferation relative to wild-type (wt) viruses, and resulted in higher percentages of apoptotic B cells. Δ2B virus infection showed activation levels comparable to wt, but fewer numbers of proliferating B cells. Early B cell infection with wt, Δ2A and Δ2B viruses did not result in changes in latent gene expression, with the exception of elevated LMP2B transcript in Δ2A virus infection. Infection with Δ2A and Δ2B viruses did not affect viral latency, determined by changes in LMP1/Zebra expression following BCR stimulation. However, BCR stimulation of Δ2A/Δ2B cells resulted in decreased LMP1 expression, which suggests loss of stability in viral latency. Long-term outgrowth assays revealed that LMP2A, but not LMP2B, is critical for efficient long-term growth of B cells in vitro. The lowest levels of activation, proliferation, and LCL formation were observed when both isoforms were deleted. These results suggest that LMP2A appears to be critical for efficient activation, proliferation and survival of EBV-infected B cells at early times after infection, which impacts the efficient long-term growth of B cells in culture. In contrast, LMP2B did not appear to play a significant role in these processes, and long-term growth of infected B cells was not affected by the absence of this protein. © 2013 Wasil et al
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