Dielectric properties in microwave remote plasma sustained in argon : expanding plasma conditions

International audienceThis work is devoted to the study of the relative permittivity in argon expanding plasma produced below a microwave discharge sustained in a quartz tube and working at 2.45 GHz. We discuss results and explain the microwave propagation within the reactor, outside the quartz tube. It is shown that at low pressures (133 Pa) and at powers ranging from 100W to 400 W, the wave frequency remains lower than the plasma frequency anywhere in the expanding plasma. Under these conditions, the real part of the relative permittivity is negative and the wave is reflected. Surprisingly, in these conditions, the plasma is produced inside and outside the quartz tube, below the wave launcher. This effect can be explained considering a surface wave propagating at the surface of the quartz tube then into the reactor, on the external surface of the expanding plasma below the quartz tube

Plasma chemistry and diagnostic in an ArN2H2 microwave expanding plasma used for nitriding treatments

International audienceThis paper reports on mass spectrometry analysis performed downstream a microwave discharge in Ar-N 2 -H 2 gas mixture in nitriding conditions. Investigations are focused on the main simple radicals NH 2, NH and N, and on the molecular species NH 3 and N 2 H 2 produced. Because of wall desorptions due to catalytic effects, we must develop a specific method taking into account both wall desorption and dissociative ionization effects, in order to correct the mass spectrometer signal intensity. The relative concentrations of the previous species are studied in various gas mixtures. Correlations are made between the plasma chemistry and plasma parameters (electron density and energy electron distribution function), measured by means of Langmuir probes spatially resolved within the plasma expansion. These results show the efficiency of ternary gas mixtures (Ar-N 2 -H 2) to produce electrons and N x H y species used in plasma nitriding process

Self-cleaning on a higher order mode in ytterbium-doped multimode fiber with parabolic profile

We experimentally demonstrate polarization-dependent Kerr spatial beam self-cleaning into the LP11 mode of an Ytterbium-doped multimode optical fiber with parabolic gain and refractive index profiles

On the multiplicity of the second eigenvalue of the Laplacian in non simply connected domains--with some numerics--

We revisit an interesting example proposed by Maria Hoffmann-Ostenhof, the second author and Nikolai Nadirashvili of a bounded domain in R2 for which the second eigenvalue of the Dirichlet Laplacian has multiplicity three. We also analyze carefully the first eigenvalues of the Laplacian in the case of the disk with two symmetric cracks placed on a smaller concentric disk in function of their size.Comment: 9 figure

The ins and outs of nanoparticle technology in neurodegenerative diseases and cancer.

As we enter the twenty-first century, several therapies based on using nanoparticles (NPs) ranging in size 1 - 1000 nm have been successfully brought to the clinic to treat cancer, pain and infectious diseases. These therapies bring together the ability of NPs to target the delivery of drugs more precisely, to improve solubility, to prevent degradation, to improve their therapeutic index and to reduce the immune response. NPs come in all shapes and sizes, designed specifically for biomedical applications such as solid lipid polymers, liposomes, dendrimers, nanogels, and quantum dots. These NPs offer many attractive characteristics such as biological stability and biocompatibility, thus incorporating different biological or drug molecules. Among the major therapeutic challenges from neurological diseases through to cancer is the development of nanomaterials that are able to be effective against the disease. In the case of neurodegeneration, one of the most difficult areas to penetrate for drug discovery in the body is the central nervous system, protected by the blood-brain-barrier. Whilst in the case of cancer, the biggest problem is how to specifically target a tumor with sufficient drug without causing side effects or inducing resistance. A new generation of intelligent NPs are emerging for the treatment of human disease such as neurological disorders and cancer. The use of natural alternative therapy is an encouraging idea in drug discovery. To this end as we gain more knowledge into the biological function of exosomes, this will allow us to harness their potential as natural NPs in future therapeutics

Retinoid acid receptors in human colorectal cancer: An unexpected link with patient outcome.

International audienceThe status of the three retinoic acid receptors (RARs) α, β and γ in human colorectal cancer (CRC) has not as yet been examined. RARs are in part responsible for the actions of the retinoids (vitamin A and its derivatives), which are essential for human health and survival due to their extensive involvement in numerous cellular processes, in particular in epithelial morphology. The present study examined the expression of the three RARs in CRC using immunohistochemical analysis of paraffin-embedded tissue sections. RAR expression in tumor (T) and adjacent non-tumor (NT) specimens from stage I (n=6), stage II (n=34), stage III (n=26) and stage IV (n=14) CRC patients was compared with that in normal mucous membranes (n=10) from control individuals. The findings were correlated with tumor grade, treatment response (progression during treatment, remission, chemoresistance) and survival as clinicopathological parameters. RARα and γ expression was decreased with CRC stage in the T tissues (P=0.016 and P=0.052, respectively), suggesting that they may be used as predictive markers. RARβ expression in the NT tissues was associated with a more favorable prognosis (P=0.04). These results provide important information on the tumor microenvironment (the area adjacent to tumor cells)

Dissipative light bullets in externally driven multimode Kerr cavity with parabolic 3D potential

We study the formation of dissipative light bullets in externally driven multimode GRIN fiber cavity with chirped pulse pumping. Numerical simulations show the generation of stable bullets, with a spatiotemporal shape controlled via the pump chirp

Dissipative Kerr solitons, breathers and chimera states in coherently driven passive cavities with parabolic potential

We analyze the stability and dynamics of dissipative Kerr solitons in the presence of a parabolic potential. This potential stabilizes oscillatory and chaotic regimes, favoring the generation of static DKSs. Furthermore, the potential induces the emergence of new dissipative structures, such as asymmetric breathers and chimera-like states. Based on a mode decomposition of these states, we unveil the underlying modal interactions

No evidence for a putative involvement of platelet-activating factor in systemic lupus erythematosus without active nephritis.

BACKGROUND: Platelet-activating factor (PAF) seems to be implicated in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients with associated renal diseases. AIMS: In this study, we ensured the role of PAF in SLE patients without renal complications. METHODS: Blood PAF and acetylhydrolase activity, plasma soluble phospholipase A(2), and the presence of antibodies against PAF were investigated in 17 SLE patients without active nephritis and in 17 healthy controls. RESULTS: Blood PAF levels were not different (p=0.45) between SLE patients (6.7+/-2.8 pg/ml) and healthy subjects (9.6+/-3.1 pg/ml). Plasma acetylhydrolase activity (the PAF-degrading enzyme) was significantly (p=0.03) elevated in SLE patients (57.8+/-6.4 nmol/min/ml) as compared with controls (37.9+/-2.6 nmol/min/ml). Plasma soluble phospholipase A(2) (the key enzyme for PAF formation) was not different (p=0.6) between SLE patients (59.1+/-5.1 U/ml) and controls (54.7+/-2.4 U/ml). Antibodies against PAF were detected only in 3/17 SLE patients. Flow cytometry analysis did not highlight PAF receptors on circulating leukocytes of SLE patients. CONCLUSION: This clinical study highlights no evidence for a putative important role of PAF in SLE patients without active nephritis