Image of Veselago lens based upon two-dimensional photonic crystal with triangular lattice

The construction of the multi-focal Veselago lens predicted earlier is proposed on the basis of a uniaxial photonic crystal consisting of cylindrical air holes in silicon that make a triangular lattice in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the crystal. The object and image are in air. The period of the crystal should be $0.44\mu{\rm m}$ to work at the wavelength $1.5\mu{\rm m}$. The lens does not provide superlensing but the half-width of the image is $0.5\lambda$. The lens is shown to have wave guiding properties depending on the substrate material.Comment: 15 pages, 10 figure

Individual and joint trajectories of change in bone, lean mass and physical performance in older men.

BackgroundDeclines in bone, muscle and physical performance are associated with adverse health outcomes in older adults. However, few studies have described concurrent age-related patterns of change in these factors. The purpose of this study was to characterize change in four properties of muscle, physical performance, and bone in a prospective cohort study of older men.MethodsUsing repeated longitudinal data from up to four visits across 6.9 years from up to 4681 men (mean age at baseline 72.7 yrs. ±5.3) participating in the Osteoporotic Fractures in Men (MrOS) Study, we used group-based trajectory models (PROC TRAJ in SAS) to identify age-related patterns of change in four properties of muscle, physical performance, and bone: total hip bone mineral (BMD) density (g/m2) and appendicular lean mass/ht2 (kg/m2), by DXA; grip strength (kg), by hand dynamometry; and walking speed (m/s), by usual walking pace over 6 m. We also described joint trajectories in all pair-wise combinations of these measures. Mean posterior probabilities of placement in each trajectory (or joint membership in latent groups) were used to assess internal reliability of the model. The number of trajectories for each individual factor was limited to three, to ensure that the pair-wise determination of joint trajectories would yield a tractable number of groups as well as model fit considerations.ResultsThe patterns of change identified were generally similar for all measures, with three district groups declining over time at roughly similar rates; joint trajectories revealed similar patterns with no cross-over or convergence between groups. Mean posterior probabilities for all trajectories were similar and consistently above 0.8 indicating reasonable model fit to the data.ConclusionsOur description of trajectories of change with age in bone mineral density, grip strength, walking speed and appendicular lean mass found that groups identified by these methods appeared to have little crossover or convergence of change with age, even when considering joint trajectories of change in these factors

Onset of dielectric modes at 110K and 60K due to local lattice distortions in non-superconducting YBa_{2}Cu_{3}O_{6.0} crystals

We report the observation of two dielectric transitions at 110K and 60K in the microwave response of non-superconducting YBa_{2}Cu_{3}O_{6.0} crystals. The transitions are characterized by a change in polarizability and presence of loss peaks, associated with overdamped dielectric modes. An explanation is presented in terms of changes in polarizability of the apical O atoms in the Ba-O layer, affected by lattice softening at 110K, due to change in buckling of the Cu-O layer. The onset of another mode at 60K strongly suggests an additional local lattice change at this temperature. Thus microwave dielectric measurements are sensitive indicators of lattice softening which may be relevant to superconductivity.Comment: 5 pages, 3 ps format figure

Non-linear microwave impedance of short and long Josephson Junctions

The non-linear dependence on applied $ac$ field ($b_{\omega}$) or current ($i_{\omega}$) of the microwave (ac) impedance $R_{\omega}+iX_{\omega}$ of both short and long Josephson junctions is calculated under a variety of excitation conditions. The dependence on the junction width is studied, for both field symmetric (current anti-symmetric) and field anti-symmetric (current symmetric) excitation configurations.The resistance shows step-like features every time a fluxon (soliton) enters the junction, with a corresponding phase slip seen in the reactance. For finite widths the interference of fluxons leads to some interesting effects which are described. Many of these calculated results are observed in microwave impedance measurements on intrinsic and fabricated Josephson junctions in the high temperature superconductors, and new effects are suggested. When a $$ field ($b_{dc}$) or current ($i_{dc}$) is applied, interesting phase locking effects are observed in the ac impedance $Z_{\omega}$. In particular an almost periodic dependence on the dc bias is seen similar to that observed in microwave experiments at very low dc field bias. These results are generic to all systems with a $\cos (\phi)$ potential in the overdamped limit and subjected to an ac drive.Comment: 7 pages, 11 figure

Discovery of new genes and deletion editing in Physarum mitochondria enabled by a novel algorithm for finding edited mRNAs

Gene finding is complicated in organisms that exhibit insertional RNA editing. Here, we demonstrate how our new algorithm Predictor of Insertional Editing (PIE) can be used to locate genes whose mRNAs are subjected to multiple frameshifting events, and extend the algorithm to include probabilistic predictions for sites of nucleotide insertion; this feature is particularly useful when designing primers for sequencing edited RNAs. Applying this algorithm, we successfully identified the nad2, nad4L, nad6 and atp8 genes within the mitochondrial genome of Physarum polycephalum, which had gone undetected by existing programs. Characterization of their mRNA products led to the unanticipated discovery of nucleotide deletion editing in Physarum. The deletion event, which results in the removal of three adjacent A residues, was confirmed by primer extension sequencing of total RNA. This finding is remarkable in that it comprises the first known instance of nucleotide deletion in this organelle, to be contrasted with nearly 500 sites of single and dinucleotide addition in characterized mitochondrial RNAs. Statistical analysis of this larger pool of editing sites indicates that there are significant biases in the 2 nt immediately upstream of editing sites, including a reduced incidence of nucleotide repeats, in addition to the previously identified purine-U bias

Bio-nanotechnology application in wastewater treatment

The nanoparticles have received high interest in the field of medicine and water purification, however, the nanomaterials produced by chemical and physical methods are considered hazardous, expensive, and leave behind harmful substances to the environment. This chapter aimed to focus on green-synthesized nanoparticles and their medical applications. Moreover, the chapter highlighted the applicability of the metallic nanoparticles (MNPs) in the inactivation of microbial cells due to their high surface and small particle size. Modifying nanomaterials produced by green-methods is safe, inexpensive, and easy. Therefore, the control and modification of nanoparticles and their properties were also discussed

Experimental Prototype Model of IDVR for Bidirectional Voltage Compensation

Interline Dynamic Voltage Restorer (IDVR) is an optimum solution to compensate voltage sag in multiple lines. The IDVR consisting of two or more DVRs connected to different feeders in a power system sharing a common DC link energy. This paper presents the hardware implementation of novel bidirectional voltage sag compensation by the IDVR in multiple feeders at same instance.  A two line feeder power system with IDVR installed is considered. The IDVR is implemented using two VSI with filter. The control system of IDVR is developed using DSPACE 1103.