Analysis of hybrid dielectric-plasmonic slot waveguide structures with 3D Fourier Modal Methods

Recently, plasmonic waveguides have been intensively studied as promising basic building blocks for the construction of extremely compact photonic devices with subwavelength characteristic dimensions. A number of different types of plasmonic waveguide structures have been recently proposed, theoretically analyzed, and their properties experimentally verified. The fundamental trade-off in the design of plasmonic waveguides for potential application in information technologies lies in the contradiction between their mode field confinement and propagation loss: the higher confinement, the higher loss, and vice versa. Various definitions of figures of merit of plasmonic waveguides have been also introduced for the characterization of their properties with a single quantity. In this contribution, we theoretically analyze one specific type of a plasmonic waveguide – the hybrid dielectric-loaded plasmonic waveguide, or – as we call it in this paper – the hybrid dielectric-plasmonic slot waveguide, which exhibits very strong field confinement combined with acceptable losses allowing their application in some integrated plasmonic devices. In contrast to the structures analyzed previously, our structure makes use of a single low-index dielectric only. We first define the effective area of this waveguide type, and using waveguide parameters close to the optimum we analyze several waveguide devices as directional couplers, multimode interference couplers (MMI), and the Mach-Zehnder interferometer based on the MMI couplers. For the full-vector 3D analysis of these structures, we use modelling tools developed in-house on the basis of the Fourier Modal Method (FMM). Our results thus serve to a dual purpose: they confirm that (i) these structures represent promising building blocks of plasmonic devices, and (ii) our FMM codes are capable of efficient 3D vector modelling of plasmonic waveguide devices

Physicochemical and Biological Characterisation of Diclofenac Oligomeric Poly(3-hydroxyoctanoate) Hybrids as β-TCP Ceramics Modifiers for Bone Tissue Regeneration

Nowadays, regenerative medicine faces a major challenge in providing new, functional materials that will meet the characteristics desired to replenish and grow new tissue. Therefore, this study presents new ceramic-polymer composites in which the matrix consists of tricalcium phosphates covered with blends containing a chemically bounded diclofenac with the biocompatible polymer-poly(3-hydroxyoctanoate), P(3HO). Modification of P(3HO) oligomers was confirmed by NMR, IR and XPS. Moreover, obtained oligomers and their blends were subjected to an in-depth characterisation using GPC, TGA, DSC and AFM. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the hydrophobicity and surface free energy values of blends decreased with the amount of diclofenac modified oligomers. Subsequently, the designed composites were used as a substrate for growth of the pre-osteoblast cell line (MC3T3-E1). An in vitro biocompatibility study showed that the composite with the lowest concentration of the proposed drug is within the range assumed to be non-toxic (viability above 70%). Cell proliferation was visualised using the SEM method, whereas the observation of cell penetration into the scaffold was carried out by confocal microscopy. Thus, it can be an ideal new functional bone tissue substitute, allowing not only the regeneration and restoration of the defect but also inhibiting the development of chronic inflammation

Проект узла синтеза изопропилбензола

Объектом исследования является синтез изопропилбензола реакцией алкилирования бензола пропиленом, с использованием в качестве катализатора комплексного соединение хлорида алюминия. Цель работы - спроектировать узел синтеза изопропилбензола.The object of the study is the synthesis of isopropylbenzene by the reaction of alkylation of benzene with propylene, using as a catalyst a complex compound of aluminum chloride. The aim of the work is to design a site for the synthesis of isopropylbenzene

Ionometric sensor for ammonium ions control in sewage waters

Цель работы заключалась в создании измерительного датчика для автоматизированного потенциометрического контроля содержания ионов аммония в проточных условиях. В результате исследования разработана конструкция электрода сравнения измерительного датчика, представляющая собой ионоселективный электрод, опущенный в буферную систему с катионитом. В работе представлен потенциометрический анализ модельных растворов ионов аммония, изучено мешающее влияние температуры, а также определена стабильность предложенной системы. The purpose of the work was to create a sensor for automated potentiometric monitoring of the ammonium ions content in flowing conditions. As a result of the study, the reference electrode design was developed. This is an ion-selective electrode lowered into a buffer system with cation exchanger. The work presents a potentiometric analysis of ammonium ions model solutions, the study of temperature interfering effect, and system's stability determination

Chronic social stress increases nitric oxide-dependent vasorelaxation in normotensive rats

The aim of this study was to examine oxidative load and endothelium-dependent vasorelaxation in the serotonin pre-constricted femoral artery (FA) of Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats exposed to chronic social stress produced by crowding in the presence or absence of ascorbic acid (AsA) in working solution. Adult male rats were randomly divided into control (living space: 480 cm2/rat) or stressed (living space: 200 cm2/rat) groups for 8 weeks. Blood pressure and heart rate, determined using tail-cuff plethysmography, were not influenced by stress vs. control. Conjugated dienes (CD) and concentrations of thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS) were measured in the left ventricle and liver (for assessment of oxidative load) and were found unchanged by chronic crowding. The nitric oxide (NO)-dependent component of endothelium-dependent relaxation was investigated in the FA using a wire myograph. In both the presence and absence of AsA, acetylcholine-induced relaxation of the FA of stressed rats significantly exceeded that of the controls, which was associated with an increase of the NO-dependent component. In conclusion, the data showed that chronic crowding did not produce oxidative stress in the organs investigated and indicate that elevation of NO production during chronic stress is an important way of adaptation, which may prevent normotensive rats from the development of stress-induced hypertension

20,000 years of societal vulnerability and adaptation to climate change in southwest Asia.

The Fertile Crescent, its hilly flanks and surrounding drylands has been a critical region for studying how climate has influenced societal change, and this review focuses on the region over the last 20,000 years. The complex social, economic, and environmental landscapes in the region today are not new phenomena and understanding their interactions requires a nuanced, multidisciplinary understanding of the past. This review builds on a history of collaboration between the social and natural palaeoscience disciplines. We provide a multidisciplinary, multiscalar perspective on the relevance of past climate, environmental, and archaeological research in assessing present day vulnerabilities and risks for the populations of southwest Asia. We discuss the complexity of palaeoclimatic data interpretation, particularly in relation to hydrology, and provide an overview of key time periods of palaeoclimatic interest. We discuss the critical role that vegetation plays in the human-climate-environment nexus and discuss the implications of the available palaeoclimate and archaeological data, and their interpretation, for palaeonarratives of the region, both climatically and socially. We also provide an overview of how modelling can improve our understanding of past climate impacts and associated change in risk to societies. We conclude by looking to future work, and identify themes of "scale" and "seasonality" as still requiring further focus. We suggest that by appreciating a given locale's place in the regional hydroscape, be it an archaeological site or palaeoenvironmental archive, more robust links to climate can be made where appropriate and interpretations drawn will demand the resolution of factors acting across multiple scales. This article is categorized under:Human Water > Water as Imagined and RepresentedScience of Water > Water and Environmental ChangeWater and Life > Nature of Freshwater Ecosystems

Therapeutic implications of improved molecular diagnostics for rare CNS-embryonal tumor entities: results of an international, retrospective study

BACKGROUND: Only few data are available on treatment-associated behavior of distinct rare CNS-embryonal tumor entities previously treated as "CNS-primitive neuroectodermal tumors" (CNS-PNET). Respective data on specific entities, including CNS neuroblastoma, FOXR2 activated (CNS NB-FOXR2), and embryonal tumor with multi-layered rosettes (ETMR) are needed for development of differentiated treatment strategies. METHODS: Within this retrospective, international study, tumor samples of clinically well-annotated patients with the original diagnosis of CNS-PNET were analyzed using DNA methylation arrays (n=307). Additional cases (n=66) with DNA methylation pattern of CNS NB-FOXR2 were included irrespective of initial histological diagnosis. Pooled clinical data (n=292) were descriptively analyzed. RESULTS: DNA methylation profiling of "CNS-PNET" classified 58(19%) cases as ETMR, 57(19%) as HGG, 36(12%) as CNS NB-FOXR2, and 89(29%) cases were classified into 18 other entities. Sixty-seven (22%) cases did not show DNA methylation patterns similar to established CNS tumor reference classes. Best treatment results were achieved for CNS NB-FOXR2 patients (5-year PFS: 63%±7%, OS: 85%±5%, n=63), with 35/42 progression-free survivors after upfront craniospinal irradiation (CSI) and chemotherapy. The worst outcome was seen for ETMR and HGG patients with 5-year PFS of 18%±6% and 22%±7%, and 5-year OS of 24%±6% and 25%±7%, respectively. CONCLUSION: The historically reported poor outcome of CNS-PNET patients becomes highly variable when tumors are molecularly classified based on DNA methylation profiling. Patients with CNS NB-FOXR2 responded well to current treatments and a standard-risk-CSI based regimen may be prospectively evaluated. The poor outcome of ETMR across applied treatment strategies substantiates the necessity for evaluation of novel treatments