682 research outputs found
Transmission channels for light in absorbing random media: from diffusive to ballistic-like transport
While the absorption of light is ubiquitous in nature and in applications,
the question remains how absorption modifies the transmission channels in
random media. We present a numerical study on the effects of optical absorption
on the maximal transmission and minimal reflection channels in a
two-dimensional disordered waveguide. In the weak absorption regime, where the
system length is less than the diffusive absorption length, the maximal
transmission channel is dominated by diffusive transport and it is equivalent
to the minimal reflection channel. Its frequency bandwidth is determined by the
underlying quasimode width. However, when the absorption is strong, light
transport in the maximal transmission channel undergoes a sharp transition and
becomes ballistic-like transport. Its frequency bandwidth increases with
absorption, and the exact scaling varies with the sample's realization. The
minimal reflection channel becomes different from the maximal transmission
channel and becomes dominated by absorption. Counterintuitively, we observe in
some samples that the minimum reflection eigenvalue increases with absorption.
Our results show that strong absorption turns open channels in random media
from diffusive to ballistic-like.Comment: 11 pages, 7 figure
Finite size effects, super-and sub-poissonian noise in a nanotube connected to leads
The injection of electrons in the bulk of carbon nanotube which is connected
to ideal Fermi liquid leads is considered. While the presence of the leads
gives a cancellation of the noise cross-correlations, the auto-correlation
noise has a Fano factor which deviates strongly from the Schottky behavior at
voltages where finite size effects are expected. Indeed, as the voltage is
increased from zero, the noise is first super-poissonian, then sub-poissonian,
and eventually it reaches the Schottky limit. These finite size effects are
also tested using a diagnosis of photo-assisted transport, where a small AC
modulation is superposed to the DC bias voltage between the injection tip and
the nanotube. When finite size effects are at play, we obtain a stepwise
behavior for the noise derivative, as expected for normal metal systems,
whereas in the absence of finite size effects, due to the presence of Coulomb
interactions, a smoothed staircase is observed. The present work shows that it
is possible to explore finite size effects in nanotube transport via a zero
frequency noise measurement
The Determination of Oxidation-Reduction Potentials from Equilibrium Data
The determination of the oxidation-reduction potentials is more reliable from equilibrium data than from electromotive force data. The potential of the ferric-ferrous electrode was calculated from the experimentally determined equilibrium constant of the reaction: 2Fe (ClO4)3 +2Hg⇔ 2Fe (ClO4)2+Hg2 (ClO4)2 The perchlorates, mercury, and perchloric acid are better suited for the determination of the equilibrium constant than the nitrates, silver and nitric acid employed by A. A. Noyes and Braun (J. Arn. Chem. Soc. 34, 1016, 1912). The true equilibrium constant of the reaction was determined by suitable experimental procedure and subsequent mathematical and graphical analysis
Scattering Theory of Non-Equilibrium Noise and Delta current fluctuations through a quantum dot
We consider the non-equilibrium zero frequency noise generated by a
temperature gradient applied on a device composed of two normal leads separated
by a quantum dot. We recall the derivation of the scattering theory for
non-equilibrium noise for a general situation where both a bias voltage and a
temperature gradient can coexist and put it in a historical perspective. We
provide a microscopic derivation of zero frequency noise through a quantum dot
based on a tight binding Hamiltonian, which constitutes a generalization of the
pioneering work of Caroli et al. for the current obtained in the context of the
Keldysh formalism. For a single level quantum dot, the obtained transmission
coefficient entering the scattering formula for the non-equilibrium noise
corresponds to a Breit-Wigner resonance. We compute the delta- noise as a
function of the dot level position, and of the dot level width, in the
Breit-Wigner case, for two relevant situations which were considered recently
in two separate experiments. In the regime where the two reservoir temperatures
are comparable, our gradient expansion shows that the delta- noise is
dominated by its quadratic contribution, and is minimal close to resonance. In
the opposite regime where one reservoir is much colder, the gradient expansion
fails and we find the noise to be typically linear in temperature before
saturating. In both situations, we conclude with a short discussion of the case
where both a voltage bias and a temperature gradient are present, in order to
address the potential competition with thermoelectric effects.Comment: 19 pages, 9 figure
Controlling Light Through Optical Disordered Media : Transmission Matrix Approach
We experimentally measure the monochromatic transmission matrix (TM) of an
optical multiple scattering medium using a spatial light modulator together
with a phase-shifting interferometry measurement method. The TM contains all
information needed to shape the scattered output field at will or to detect an
image through the medium. We confront theory and experiment for these
applications and we study the effect of noise on the reconstruction method. We
also extracted from the TM informations about the statistical properties of the
medium and the light transport whitin it. In particular, we are able to isolate
the contributions of the Memory Effect (ME) and measure its attenuation length
Theory of non-equilibrium noise in general multi-terminal superconducting hydrid devices: application to multiple Cooper pair resonances
We consider the out-of-equilibrium behavior of a general class of mesoscopic
devices composed of several superconducting or/and normal metal leads separated
by quantum dots. Starting from a microscopic Hamiltonian description, we
provide a non-perturbative approach to quantum electronic transport in the
tunneling amplitudes between dots and leads: using the equivalent of a path
integral formulation, the lead degrees of freedom are integrated out in order
to compute both the current and the current correlations (noise) in this class
of systems, in terms of the dressed Green's function matrix of the quantum
dots. In order to illustrate the efficiency of this formalism, we apply our
results to the "all superconducting Cooper pair beam splitter", a device
composed of three superconducting leads connected via two quantum dots, where
crossed Andreev reflection operates Cooper pair splitting. Commensurate voltage
differences between the three leads allow to obtain expressions for the current
and noise as a function of the Keldysh Nambu Floquet dressed Green's function
of the dot system. This voltage configuration allows the occurrence of
non-local processes involving multiple Cooper pairs which ultimately lead to
the presence of non-zero DC currents in an out-of-equilibrium situation. We
investigate in details the results for the noise obtained numerically in the
specific case of opposite voltages, where the transport properties are
dominated by the so called "quartet processes", involving the coherent exchange
of two Cooper pairs among all three superconducting terminals. We show that
these processes are noiseless in the non-resonant case, and that this property
is also observed for other voltage configurations. When the dots are in a
resonant regime, the noise characteristics change qualitatively, with the
appearance of giant Fano factors.Comment: 18 pages, 12 figure
Focusing and Compression of Ultrashort Pulses through Scattering Media
Light scattering in inhomogeneous media induces wavefront distortions which
pose an inherent limitation in many optical applications. Examples range from
microscopy and nanosurgery to astronomy. In recent years, ongoing efforts have
made the correction of spatial distortions possible by wavefront shaping
techniques. However, when ultrashort pulses are employed scattering induces
temporal distortions which hinder their use in nonlinear processes such as in
multiphoton microscopy and quantum control experiments. Here we show that
correction of both spatial and temporal distortions can be attained by
manipulating only the spatial degrees of freedom of the incident wavefront.
Moreover, by optimizing a nonlinear signal the refocused pulse can be shorter
than the input pulse. We demonstrate focusing of 100fs pulses through a 1mm
thick brain tissue, and 1000-fold enhancement of a localized two-photon
fluorescence signal. Our results open up new possibilities for optical
manipulation and nonlinear imaging in scattering media
From music to mathematics and backwards: introducing algebra, topology and category theory into computational musicology
International audienceDespite a long historical relationship between mathematics and music, the interest of mathematicians is a recent phenomenon. In contrast to statistical methods and signal-based approaches currently employed in MIR (Music Information Research), the research project described in this paper stresses the necessity of introducing a structural multidisciplinary approach into computational musicology making use of advanced mathematics. It is based on the interplay between three main mathematical disciplines: algebra, topology and category theory. It therefore opens promising perspectives on important prevailing challenges, such as the automatic classification of musical styles or the solution of open mathematical conjectures, asking for new collaborations between mathematicians, computer scientists, musicologists, and composers. Music can in fact occupy a strategic place in the development of mathematics since music-theoretical constructions can be used to solve open mathematical problems. The SMIR project also differs from traditional applications of mathematics to music in aiming to build bridges between different musical genres, ranging from contemporary art music to popular music, including rock, pop, jazz and chanson. Beyond its academic ambition, the project carries an important societal dimension stressing the cultural component of 'mathemusical' research, that naturally resonates with the underlying philosophy of the “Imagine Maths”conference series. The article describes for a general public some of the most promising interdisciplinary research lines of this project
Human Ape2 protein has a 3′–5′ exonuclease activity that acts preferentially on mismatched base pairs
DNA damage, such as abasic sites and DNA strand breaks with 3′-phosphate and 3′-phosphoglycolate termini present cytotoxic and mutagenic threats to the cell. Class II AP endonucleases play a major role in the repair of abasic sites as well as of 3′-modified termini. Human cells contain two class II AP endonucleases, the Ape1 and Ape2 proteins. Ape1 possesses a strong AP-endonuclease activity and weak 3′-phosphodiesterase and 3′–5′ exonuclease activities, and it is considered to be the major AP endonuclease in human cells. Much less is known about Ape2, but its importance is emphasized by the growth retardation and dyshematopoiesis accompanied by G2/M arrest phenotype of the APE2-null mice. Here, we describe the biochemical characteristics of human Ape2. We find that Ape2 exhibits strong 3′–5′ exonuclease and 3′-phosphodiesterase activities and has only a very weak AP-endonuclease activity. Mutation of the active-site residue Asp 277 to Ala in Ape2 inactivates all these activities. We also demonstrate that Ape2 preferentially acts at mismatched deoxyribonucleotides at the recessed 3′-termini of a partial DNA duplex. Based on these results we suggest a novel role for human Ape2 as a 3′–5′ exonuclease
Operative and middle-term results of cardiac surgery in nonagenarians: A bridge toward routine practice
Background: Age >90 years represents in many centers an absolute contraindication to cardiac surgery. Nonagenarians are a rapidly growing subset of the population posing an expanding clinical problem. To provide helpful information in regard to this complex decision, we analyzed the operative and 5-year results of coronary and valvular surgical procedures in these patients. Methods and Results: We retrospectively reviewed 127 patients aged ≥90 years who underwent cardiac surgery within our hospital group in the period 1998 to 2008. Kaplan-Meier and multiple logistic regression analyses were performed. A longer follow-up than most published studies and the largest series published thus far are presented. Mean age was 92 years (range, 90 to 103 years). Mean logistic EuroSCORE was 21.3±6.1. Sixty patients had valvular surgery (including 11 valve repairs), 49 patients had coronary artery bypass grafting, and 18 had valvular plus coronary artery bypass grafting surgery (55 left mammary artery grafts implanted). Forty-five patients (35.4%) were operated on nonelectively. Operative mortality was 13.4% (17 cases). Fifty-four patients (42.5%) had a complicated postoperative course. There were no statistically significant differences in the rate and type of complications between patient strata on the basis of type of surgery performed. Nonelective priority predicted a complicated postoperative course. Predictors of operative mortality were nonelective priority and previous myocardial infarction. Kaplan-Meier survival estimates at 5 years were comparable between patient groups on the basis of procedure performed. Conclusions: Although the rate of postoperative complications remains high, cardiac surgery in nonagenarians can achieve functional improvement at the price of considerable operative and follow-up mortality rates. Cardiac operations in these very elderly subjects are supported if appropriate selection is made and if the operation is performed earlier and electively. Our results should contribute to the development of guidelines for cardiac operations in nonagenarians. © 2010 American Heart Association. All rights reserved
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