Persistence of nonlocality for bipartite quantum spin systems

Generic forms of the entangled states of two spin-1 (and spin-3/2) particles, along with the set of appropriate spin observables that together exhibit maximum nonlocality under the Hardy's nonlocality test are given; the maximum nonlocality is shown to be 0.09017. It is conjectured that this result holds good for a system of two spin-$j$ particles for all values of $j$. It is also shown that no maximally entangled state of two spin-$j$ particles responds to the Hardy's nonlocality test.Comment: Revised version in Revtex format, 20 pages, single column; few small corrections made, two small subsections added, two .eps figures adde

I-Min: An Intelligent Fermat Point Based Energy Efficient Geographic Packet Forwarding Technique for Wireless Sensor and Ad Hoc Networks

Energy consumption and delay incurred in packet delivery are the two important metrics for measuring the performance of geographic routing protocols for Wireless Adhoc and Sensor Networks (WASN). A protocol capable of ensuring both lesser energy consumption and experiencing lesser delay in packet delivery is thus suitable for networks which are delay sensitive and energy hungry at the same time. Thus a smart packet forwarding technique addressing both the issues is thus the one looked for by any geographic routing protocol. In the present paper we have proposed a Fermat point based forwarding technique which reduces the delay experienced during packet delivery as well as the energy consumed for transmission and reception of data packets.Comment: 11 Page

Enhanced Blue Emission from Transparent Oxyfluoride Glass Ceramics Containing Pr3+:BaF2 Nano-crystals

Transparent glass ceramics containing Pr3+:BaF2 nano-crystals in chemical composition of SiO2–BaF2–K2CO3–La2O3-Sb2O3 oxyfluoride glass systems have been prepared from melt quenching and with subsequent heat-treatment method. Luminescence and structural properties of these materials have been evaluated and the results are reported. Rietveld analysis of X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns and investigation of transmission electron microscopy (TEM) confirmed the presence of BaF2 nano-crystals dispersed in the heat treated glass matrices. Measured UV-Vis-NIR absorption spectra have exhibited nine bands of the transitions 3H4 3P2, (1I6, 3P1), 3P0, 1D2, 1G4, 3F3,3F2, 3H6 and 3H5 from all the samples with non-degenerated 1I6 and 3P1 levels in the glass ceramics. The photoluminescence spectra show an enhancement in the intensities upon ceramization indicating the incorporation of Pr3+ ions in BaF2 nano-crystals which possess low phonon energy (346 cm-1). This has further been corroborated from the observation of a significant 3-fold increase in the relative intensity ratio of blue (3P0 3H4) to red (1D2 3H4, 3P0 3H6)emissions from glass-ceramics compared with the glass. It is due to a significant decrease of multiphonon non-radiative relaxation from 3P0 to 1D2 level of Pr3+ in glass ceramics. Time resolved spectra exhibit 3P0 level decays faster than 1D2 level

Role of Yb3+ ions on enhanced similar to 2.9 mu m emission from Ho3+ ions in low phonon oxide glass system

The foremost limitation of an oxide based crystal or glass host to demonstrate mid-infrared emissions is its high phonon energy. It is very difficult to obtain radiative mid-infrared emissions from these hosts which normally relax non-radiatively between closely spaced energy levels of dopant rare earth ions. In this study, an intense mid-infrared emission around 2.9 mu m has been perceived from Ho3+ ions in Yb3+/Ho3+ co-doped oxide based tellurite glass system. This emission intensity has increased many folds upon Yb3+:985 nm excitation compared to direct Ho3+ excitations due to efficient excited state resonant energy transfer through Yb3+:F-2(5/2) -> Ho3+:I-5(5) levels. The effective bandwidth (FWHM) and cross-section (sigma(em)) of measured emission at 2.9 mu m are assessed to be 180 nm and 9.1 x 10(-21) cm(2) respectively which are comparable to other crystal/glass hosts and even better than ZBLAN fluoride glass host. Hence, this Ho3+/Yb3+ co-doped oxide glass system has immense potential for the development of solid state mid-infrared laser sources operating at 2.9 mu m region

Observation of multiple doubly degenerate bands in Tl-195

The High-spin states in 195Tl, populated through the 185,187Re(13C, xn) fusion evaporation reaction at the beam energy of 75 MeV, were studied using the Indian National Gamma Array (INGA). More than 50 new γ transitions have been placed in the proposed level scheme which is extended up to the excitation energy of ≈ 5.6 MeV and spin. Two pairs of degenerate bands based on two different quasi-particle configurations have been identified in this nucleus indicating the first observation of such bands in an odd-A nucleus in region and signify the first evidence of multiple chiral bands in a nucleus in this region. The total Routhian surface calculations predict triaxial shapes for both the configurations and thereby, support the experimental observation. The importance of multiple neutron holes in the orbital and the stability of shapes for these two configurations have been discussed.Financial support of Department of Science & Technology, Govt. of India for clover detectors of INGA (Grant No. IR/S2/PF-03/2003-II) is greatfully acknowledged. One of the authors (S. Bhattacharya) acknowledges with thanks the financial support received as Raja Ramanna Fellowship from the Department of Atomic Energy, Govt. of India. T.R and Md. A.A acknowledge with thanks the financial support received as research fellows from the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), Govt. of India

Localization of Dirac-like excitations in graphene in the presence of smooth inhomogeneous magnetic fields

The present article discusses magnetic confinement of the Dirac excitations in graphene in presence of inhomogeneous magnetic fields. In the first case a magnetic field directed along the z axis whose magnitude is proportional to $1/r$ is chosen. In the next case we choose a more realistic magnetic field which does not blow up at the origin and gradually fades away from the origin. The magnetic fields chosen do not have any finite/infinite discontinuity for finite values of the radial coordinate. The novelty of the two magnetic fields is related to the equations which are used to find the excited spectra of the excitations. It turns out that the bound state solutions of the two-dimensional hydrogen atom problem are related to the spectra of graphene excitations in presence of the $1/r$ (inverse-radial) magnetic field. For the other magnetic field profile one can use the knowledge of the bound state spectrum of a two-dimensional cut-off Coulomb potential to dictate the excitation spectra of the states of graphene. The spectrum of the graphene excitations in presence of the inverse-radial magnetic field can be exactly solved while the other case cannot be. In the later case we give the localized solutions of the zero-energy states in graphene.Comment: 9 pages, 6 figures, to appear in Journal of Physics: Condensed Matte

NLRP3 Inflammasome: Key Mediator of Neuroinflammation in Murine Japanese Encephalitis

Background: Japanese Encephalitis virus (JEV) is a common cause of acute and epidemic viral encephalitis. JEV infection is associated with microglial activation resulting in the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines including Interleukin-1 b (IL-1b) and Interleukin-18 (IL-18). The Pattern Recognition Receptors (PRRs) and the underlying mechanism by which microglia identify the viral particle leading to the production of these cytokines is unknown. Methodology/Principal Findings: For our studies, we have used murine model of JEV infection as well as BV-2 mouse microglia cell line. In this study, we have identified a signalling pathway which leads to the activation of caspase-1 as the key enzyme responsible for the maturation of both IL-1b and IL-18 in NACHT, LRR and PYD domains-containing protein-3 (NLRP3) dependent manner. Depletion of NLRP3 results in the reduction of caspase-1 activity and subsequent production of these cytokines. Conclusion/Significance: Our results identify a mechanism mediated by Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) production and potassium efflux as the two danger signals that link JEV infection to caspase-1 activation resulting in subsequent IL-1b an

RIG-I Mediates Innate Immune Response in Mouse Neurons Following Japanese Encephalitis Virus Infection

Neuroinflammation associated with Japanese encephalitis (JE) is mainly due to the activation of glial cells with subsequent release of proinflammatory mediators from them. The recognition of viral RNA, in part, by the pattern recognition receptor retinoic acid-inducible gene I (RIG-I) has been indicated to have a role in such processes. Even though neurons are also known to express this receptor, its role after JE virus (JEV) infections is yet to be elucidated.Upon infecting murine neuroblastoma cells and primary cortical neurons with JEV the expression profile of key proinflammatory cyto/chemokines were analyzed by qRT-PCR and bead array, both before and after ablation of RIG-I. Immunoblotting was performed to evaluate the levels of key molecules downstream to RIG-I leading to production of proinflammatory mediators. Changes in the intracellular viral antigen expression were confirmed by intracellular staining and immunoblotting. JEV infection induced neuronal expression of IL-6, IL-12p70, MCP-1, IP-10 and TNF-α in a time-dependent manner, which showed significant reduction upon RIG-I ablation. Molecules downstream to RIG-I showed significant changes upon JEV-infection, that were modulated following RIG-I ablation. Ablation of RIG-I in neurons also increased their susceptibility to JEV.In this study we propose that neurons are one of the potential sources of proinflammatory cyto/chemokines in JEV-infected brain that are produced via RIG-I dependent pathways. Ablation of RIG-I in neurons leads to increased viral load and reduced release of the cyto/chemokines