4,048 research outputs found
Gravitational-wave Detection With Matter-wave Interferometers Based On Standing Light Waves
We study the possibility of detecting gravitational-waves with matter-wave
interferometers, where atom beams are split, deflected and recombined totally
by standing light waves. Our calculation shows that the phase shift is
dominated by terms proportional to the time derivative of the gravitational
wave amplitude. Taking into account future improvements on current
technologies, it is promising to build a matter-wave interferometer detector
with desired sensitivity.Comment: 7 pages, 3 figures. To be published in General Relativity and
Gravitatio
Photoconductivity of biased graphene
Graphene is a promising candidate for optoelectronic applications such as
photodetectors, terahertz imagers, and plasmonic devices. The origin of
photoresponse in graphene junctions has been studied extensively and is
attributed to either thermoelectric or photovoltaic effects. In addition, hot
carrier transport and carrier multiplication are thought to play an important
role. Here we report the intrinsic photoresponse in biased but otherwise
homogeneous graphene. In this classic photoconductivity experiment, the
thermoelectric effects are insignificant. Instead, the photovoltaic and a
photo-induced bolometric effect dominate the photoresponse due to hot
photocarrier generation and subsequent lattice heating through electron-phonon
cooling channels respectively. The measured photocurrent displays polarity
reversal as it alternates between these two mechanisms in a backgate voltage
sweep. Our analysis yields elevated electron and phonon temperatures, with the
former an order higher than the latter, confirming that hot electrons drive the
photovoltaic response of homogeneous graphene near the Dirac point
Observation of Parametric Instability in Advanced LIGO
Parametric instabilities have long been studied as a potentially limiting
effect in high-power interferometric gravitational wave detectors. Until now,
however, these instabilities have never been observed in a kilometer-scale
interferometer. In this work we describe the first observation of parametric
instability in an Advanced LIGO detector, and the means by which it has been
removed as a barrier to progress
Short Segment Screw Fixation without Fusion for Unstable Thoracolumbar and Lumbar Burst Fracture : A Prospective Study on Selective Consecutive Patients
AGAMOUS Terminates Floral Stem Cell Maintenance in Arabidopsis by Directly Repressing WUSCHEL through Recruitment of Polycomb Group Proteins
Floral stem cells produce a defined number of floral organs before ceasing to be maintained as stem cells. Therefore, floral stem cells offer an ideal model to study the temporal control of stem cell maintenance within a developmental context. AGAMOUS (AG), a MADS domain transcription factor essential for the termination of floral stem cell fate, has long been thought to repress the stem cell maintenance gene WUSCHEL (WUS) indirectly. Here, we uncover a role of Polycomb Group (PcG) genes in the temporally precise repression of WUS expression and termination of floral stem cell fate. We show that AG directly represses WUS expression by binding to the WUS locus and recruiting, directly or indirectly, PcG that methylates histone H3 Lys-27 at WUS. We also show that PcG acts downstream of AG and probably in parallel with the known AG target KNUCKLES to terminate floral stem cell fate. Our studies identify core components of the network governing the temporal program of floral stem cells
How do stream organisms respond to, and influence, the concentration of titanium dioxide nanoparticles? A mesocosm study with algae and herbivores
The biologically active properties of many nanomaterials, coupled with their rapidly expanding production and use, has generated concern that certain types of nanoparticles could have unintended impacts when released into natural ecosystems. In the present study, the authors report the results of an experiment in which they grew three common species of stream algae as monocultures and together as polycultures in the biofilms of stream mesocosms that were exposed to 0, 0.1, or 1.0âppm nanoparticle titanium dioxide (nTiO 2 ). The nTiO 2 did not alter the growth trajectory of any algal biofilm over 10+ generations. However, Ti accrual in biofilms not only differed among the algal species but was also higher in polycultures than in the average monoculture. Variation in accrual among species compositions was readily predicted by differences in the total biomass achieved by the different biofilms. When biofilms were fed to the herbivorous snail Physa acuta at the end of the experiment, initial concentrations of nTiO 2 did not alter shortâterm rates of herbivory. However, because of differences in palatability among the algae, biofilm composition influenced the amount of nTiO 2 that accumulated in the herbivore tissue. The results have important implications for understanding how efficiently nTiO 2 is removed from surface waters and the potential transfer of nanomaterials to higher trophic levels. Environ. Toxicol. Chem. 2012; 31: 2414â2422. © 2012 SETACPeer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/93650/1/1962_ftp.pd
Graphene plasmonics
Two rich and vibrant fields of investigation, graphene physics and
plasmonics, strongly overlap. Not only does graphene possess intrinsic plasmons
that are tunable and adjustable, but a combination of graphene with noble-metal
nanostructures promises a variety of exciting applications for conventional
plasmonics. The versatility of graphene means that graphene-based plasmonics
may enable the manufacture of novel optical devices working in different
frequency ranges, from terahertz to the visible, with extremely high speed, low
driving voltage, low power consumption and compact sizes. Here we review the
field emerging at the intersection of graphene physics and plasmonics.Comment: Review article; 12 pages, 6 figures, 99 references (final version
available only at publisher's web site
A Case of Sparganosis That Presented as a Recurrent Pericardial Effusion
Sparganosis is caused by a larval tapeworm of the genus Spirometra, which commonly invades subcutaneous tissue, but less frequently invades muscle, intestines, spinal cord, and the peritoneopleural cavity. The authors managed a female patient who presented with a recurrent pericardiopleural effusion and peripheral eosinophilia. The anti-sparganum-specific IgG serum level was significantly higher than normal control levels. In this patient, sparganosis was caused by the ingestion of raw frogs in an effort to control her thyroid disease. The recurrent pericardiopleural effusion and peripheral eosinophilia were controlled by 3 consecutive doses of praziquantel (75 mg/kg/day). The patient is doing well 4 years after presentation. Sparganosis should be considered a rare, but possible cause of recurrent pericardial effusion and peripheral eosinophilia. Immunoserologic testing using enzyme linked immunosorbent assays can be helpful in diagnosing human sparganosis, especially in cases without a subcutaneous lump or mass. Praziquantel is an alternative treatment for sparganosis in surgically-unresectable cases
- âŠ