384 research outputs found
Discrete Cylindrical Vector Beam Generation from an Array of Optical Fibers
A novel method is presented for the beam shaping of far field intensity
distributions of coherently combined fiber arrays. The fibers are arranged
uniformly on the perimeter of a circle, and the linearly polarized beams of
equal shape are superimposed such that the far field pattern represents an
effective radially polarized vector beam, or discrete cylindrical vector (DCV)
beam. The DCV beam is produced by three or more beams that each individually
have a varying polarization vector. The beams are appropriately distributed in
the near field such that the far field intensity distribution has a central
null. This result is in contrast to the situation of parallel linearly
polarized beams, where the intensity peaks on axis
Formation of Organic Color Centers in Air-Suspended Carbon Nanotubes Using Vapor-Phase Reaction
Organic color centers in single-walled carbon nanotubes have demonstrated
exceptional ability to generate single photons at room temperature in the
telecom range. Combining the color centers with pristine air-suspended tubes
would be desirable for improved performance, but all current synthetic methods
occur in solution which makes them incompatible. Here we demonstrate formation
of color centers in air-suspended nanotubes using vapor-phase reaction.
Functionalization is directly verified on the same nanotubes by
photoluminescence spectroscopy, with unambiguous statistics from more than a
few thousand individual nanotubes. The color centers show a strong
diameter-dependent emission intensity, which can be explained with a
theoretical model for chemical reactivity taking into account strain along the
tube curvature. We are also able to estimate the defect density by comparing
the experiments with simulations based on a one-dimensional diffusion equation,
whereas the analysis of diameter dependent peak energies gives insight to the
nature of the dopant states. Time-resolved measurements show a longer lifetime
for color center emission compared to E exciton states. Our results
highlight the influence of the tube structure on vapor-phase reactivity and
emission properties, providing guidelines for development of high-performance
near-infrared quantum light sources.Comment: 8 pages, 6 figure
Room-temperature quantum emission from interface excitons in mixed-dimensional heterostructures
The development of van der Waals heterostructures has introduced
unconventional phenomena that emerge at atomically precise interfaces. For
example, interlayer excitons in two-dimensional transition metal
dichalcogenides show intriguing optical properties at low temperatures. Here we
report on room-temperature observation of interface excitons in
mixed-dimensional heterostructures consisting of two-dimensional tungsten
diselenide and one-dimensional carbon nanotubes. Bright emission peaks
originating from the interface are identified, spanning a broad energy range
within the telecommunication wavelengths. The effect of band alignment is
investigated by systematically varying the nanotube bandgap, and we assign the
new peaks to interface excitons as they only appear in type-II
heterostructures. Room-temperature localization of low-energy interface
excitons is indicated by extended lifetimes as well as small excitation
saturation powers, and photon correlation measurements confirm single-photon
emission. With mixed-dimensional van der Waals heterostructures where band
alignment can be engineered, new opportunities for quantum photonics are
envisioned.Comment: 8 pages, 4 figure
Phonon-plasmon coupling in Si doped GaN nanowires
The vibrational properties of silicon doped GaN nanowires with diameters comprised between 40 and 100 nm are studied by Raman spectroscopy through excitation with two different wavelengths: 532 and 405 nm. Excitation at 532 nm does not allow the observation of the coupled phonon-plasmon upper mode for the intentionally doped samples. Yet, excitation at 405 nm results in the appearance of a narrow peak at frequencies close to that of the uncoupled A1(LO) mode for all samples. This behavior points to phonon-plasmon scattering mediated by large phonon wave-vector in these thin and highly doped nanowires
Hsp20 Functions as a Novel Cardiokine in Promoting Angiogenesis via Activation of VEGFR2
Heat shock proteins (Hsps) are well appreciated as intrinsic protectors of cardiomyocytes against numerous stresses. Recent studies have indicated that Hsp20 (HspB6), a small heat shock protein, was increased in blood from cardiomyopathic hamsters. However, the exact source of the increased circulating Hsp20 and its potential role remain obscure. In this study, we observed that the circulating Hsp20 was increased in a transgenic mouse model with cardiac-specific overexpression of Hsp20, compared with wild-type mice, suggesting its origin from cardiomyocytes. Consistently, culture media harvested from Hsp20-overexpressing cardiomyocytes by Ad.Hsp20 infection contained an increased amount of Hsp20, compared to control media. Furthermore, we identified that Hsp20 was secreted through exosomes, independent of the endoplasmic reticulum-Golgi pathway. To investigate whether extracellular Hsp20 promotes angiogenesis, we treated human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) with recombinant human Hsp20 protein, and observed that Hsp20 dose-dependently promoted HUVEC proliferation, migration and tube formation. Moreover, a protein binding assay and immunostaining revealed an interaction between Hsp20 and VEGFR2. Accordingly, stimulatory effects of Hsp20 on HUVECs were blocked by a VEGFR2 neutralizing antibody and CBO-P11 (a VEGFR inhibitor). These in vitro data are consistent with the in vivo findings that capillary density was significantly enhanced in Hsp20-overexpressing hearts, compared to non-transgenic hearts. Collectively, our findings demonstrate that Hsp20 serves as a novel cardiokine in regulating myocardial angiogenesis through activation of the VEGFR signaling cascade
CCR3 and Choroidal Neovascularization
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of irreversible blindness in the elderly in industrialized countries. The “wet” AMD, characterized by the development of choroidal neovacularization (CNV), could result in rapid and severe loss of central vision. The critical role of vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF-A) in CNV development has been established and VEGF-A neutralization has become the standard care for wet AMD. Recently, CCR3 was reported to play an important role in CNV development and that CCR3 targeting was reported to be superior to VEGF-A targeting in CNV suppression. We investigated the role of CCR3 in CNV development using the Matrigel induced CNV and found that in both rats and mice, CNV was well-developed in the control eyes as well as in eyes treated with CCR3 antagonist SB328437 or CCR3 neutralizing antibodies. No statistically significant difference in CNV areas was found between the control and SB328437 or CCR3-ab treated eyes. Immunostaining showed no specific expression of CCR3 in or near CNV. In contrast, both VEGF-A neutralizing antibodies and rapamycin significantly suppressed CNV. These results indicate that CCR3 plays no significant role in CNV development and question the therapeutic approach of CCR3 targeting to suppress CNV. On the other hand, our data support the therapeutic strategies of VEGF-A and mTOR (mammalian target of rapamycin) targeting for CNV
Enhanced Auditory Brainstem Response and Parental Bonding Style in Children with Gastrointestinal Symptoms
The electrophysiological properties of the brain and influence of parental bonding in childhood irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) are unclear. We hypothesized that children with chronic gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms like IBS may show exaggerated brainstem auditory evoked potential (BAEP) responses and receive more inadequate parental bonding. = 0.024). Multiple regression analysis in females also supported these findings.It is suggested that children with chronic GI symptoms have exaggerated brainstem responses to environmental stimuli and inadequate parental behaviors aggravate these symptoms
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