Monte Carlo Study of a Simple Model Bulk-Ice-Ih System: P-T Melting Behavior at Constant Volume

An NVT Metropolis Monte Carlo computer simulation is used to examine the P-T behavior of a constant-density model periodic ice-Ih sample near melting. The ice unit cell with density 0.904 g/cm3 consists of 192 rigid water molecules interacting via the revised central-force potentials (RSL2) of Stillinger and Rahman [J. Chem. Phys. 68, 666 (1978)] with a cutoff. Intramolecular parameters are determined from a minimization of the total potential energy of the ice-Ih structure at 0 K. In the P-T plot, emergence of the liquid-solid coexistence region is signaled by a change in sign of dP/dT (when expansion occurs upon freezing) and gives an approximate value for the onset of constant-density melting. In this simulation, the expected pressure slope reversal occurs near 280 K. Internal energy, specific heat, and two-dimensional structure factors for the constant-density H2O system are also monitored at 14 temperatures from 100 to 370 K and support the P-T analysis

Electrostatic tuning of magnetism at the conducting (111) (La0.3_{0.3}Sr0.7_{0.7})(Al0.65_{0.65}Ta0.35_{0.35})/SrTiO3_3 interface

We present measurements of the low temperature electrical transport properties of the two dimensional carrier gas that forms at the interface of $(111)$ (La$_{0.3}$Sr$_{0.7}$)(Al$_{0.65}$Ta$_{0.35}$)/SrTiO$_3$ (LSAT/STO) as a function of applied back gate voltage, $V_g$. As is found in (111) LaAlO$_3$/SrTiO$_3$ interfaces, the low-field Hall coefficient is electron-like, but shows a sharp reduction in magnitude below $V_g \sim$ 20 V, indicating the presence of hole-like carriers in the system. This same value of $V_g$ correlates approximately with the gate voltage below which the magnetoresistance evolves from nonhysteretic to hysteretic behavior at millikelvin temperatures, signaling the onset of magnetic order in the system. We believe our results can provide insight into the mechanism of magnetism in SrTiO$_3$ based systems.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figure

Room-Temperature Power-Stabilized Narrow-Linewidth Tunable Erbium-Doped Fiber Ring Laser Based on Cascaded Mach-Zehnder Interferometers with Different Free Spectral Range for Strain Sensing

An automatically power-stabilized (with power fluctuation <0.155 dB), narrow-linewidth (0.0171 nm), wavelength-tunable (10.69 nm) erbium-doped fiber laser has been proposed by cascading two fiber Mach-Zehnder interferometers (MZI) without using any temperature controlling device. One of the MZIs (here called the 1st MZI) is composed of two 3 dB couplers to form interference patterns while the other MZI (here termed the 2nd MZI) is constructed with a tapered seven-core fiber (SCF) and based on the principle of supermode interference. For the two MZIs, the free spectral range (FSR), the passband bandwidth and the extinction ratio (ER) at 1560 nm are 0.37 nm, 0.19 nm, 16.6 dB and 13.93 nm, 7.93 nm, 10.1 dB, respectively. Due to the major difference between the two FSR values, the 1st MZI and the 2nd MZI respectively play a role in controlling the laser linewidth and suppressing the homogeneous broadening effect to reach to a satisfactory level of power stability. The 2nd MZI is also used to fine tune the laser wavelength by applying strain to the tapered SCF (TSCF) over the spectral range of 1570.22-1559.33 nm, with an incremental step of 0.37 nm being used. The side-mode suppression ratio (SMSR) of the tunable fiber laser can be up to 45 dB. By appropriately adjusting the polarization controller, dual wavelength lasing can also be achieved. For single wavelength lasing, the 3 dB laser linewidth is 0.0171 nm. The power fluctuation, without a temperature controlling device being used and operating at room temperature, is found to be less than 0.155 dB over 1 hour while the central wavelength drift is less than 0.19 nm

Tuning Fermi-surface properties through quantum confinement in metallic meta-lattices: New metals from old atoms

We describe a new class of nanoscale structured metals wherein the effects of quantum confinement are combined with dispersive metallic electronic states to induce modifications to the fundamental low-energy microscopic properties of a three-dimensional metal: the density of states, the distribution of Fermi velocities, and the collective electronic response.Comment: 4 pages, 5 figures, to appear in Phys. Rev. Let

Relaxing the Irrevocability Requirement for Online Graph Algorithms

Online graph problems are considered in models where the irrevocability requirement is relaxed. Motivated by practical examples where, for example, there is a cost associated with building a facility and no extra cost associated with doing it later, we consider the Late Accept model, where a request can be accepted at a later point, but any acceptance is irrevocable. Similarly, we also consider a Late Reject model, where an accepted request can later be rejected, but any rejection is irrevocable (this is sometimes called preemption). Finally, we consider the Late Accept/Reject model, where late accepts and rejects are both allowed, but any late reject is irrevocable. For Independent Set, the Late Accept/Reject model is necessary to obtain a constant competitive ratio, but for Vertex Cover the Late Accept model is sufficient and for Minimum Spanning Forest the Late Reject model is sufficient. The Matching problem has a competitive ratio of 2, but in the Late Accept/Reject model, its competitive ratio is 3/2

Evidence of increased hypoxia signaling in fetal liver from maternal nutrient restriction in mice.

BACKGROUND: Intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) is a pregnancy condition where fetal growth is reduced, and offspring from IUGR pregnancies are at increased risk for type II diabetes as adults. The liver is susceptible to fetal undernutrition experienced by IUGR infants and animal models of growth restriction. This study aimed to examine hepatic expression changes in a maternal nutrient restriction (MNR) mouse model of IUGR to understand fetal adaptations that influence adult metabolism. METHODS: Liver samples of male offspring from MNR (70% of ad libitum starting at E6.5) or control pregnancies were obtained at E18.5 and differential expression was assessed by RNAseq and western blots. RESULTS: Forty-nine differentially expressed (FDR \u3c 0.1) transcripts were enriched in hypoxia-inducible pathways including Fkbp5 (1.6-fold change), Ccng2 (1.5-fold change), Pfkfb3 (1.5-fold change), Kdm3a (1.2-fold change), Btg2 (1.6-fold change), Vhl (1.3-fold change), and Hif-3a (1.3-fold change) (FDR \u3c 0.1). Fkbp5, Pfkfb3, Kdm3a, and Hif-3a were confirmed by qPCR, but only HIF-2a (2.2-fold change, p = 0.002) and HIF-3a (1.3 p = 0.03) protein were significantly increased. CONCLUSION: Although a moderate impact, these data support evidence of fetal adaptation to reduced nutrients by increased hypoxia signaling in the liver