Structural characterization of an ionic liquid in bulk and in nano-confined environment using data from MD simulations

This article contains data on structural characterization of the [C2Mim][NTf2] in bulk and in nano-confined environment obtained using MD simulations. These data supplement those presented in the paper “Insights from Molecular Dynamics Simulations on Structural Organization and Diffusive Dynamics of an Ionic Liquid at Solid and Vacuum Interfaces” [1], where force fields with three different charge methods and three charge scaling factors were used for the analysis of the IL in the bulk, at the interface with the vacuum and the IL film in the contact with a hydroxylated alumina surface. Here, we present details on the construction of the model systems in an extended detailed methods section. Furthermore, for best parametrization, structural and dynamic properties of IL in different environment are studied with certain features presented herein

ESPRAS Survey on Continuing Education in Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery in Europe

Background Specialty training in plastic, reconstructive and aesthetic surgery is a prerequisite for safe and effective provision of care. The aim of this study was to assess and portray similarities and differences in the continuing education and specialization in plastic surgery in Europe. Material and Methods A detailed questionnaire was designed and distributed utilizing an online survey administration software. Questions addressed core items regarding continuing education and specialization in plastic surgery in Europe. Participants were addressed directly via the European Leadership Forum (ELF) of the European Society of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery (ESPRAS). All participants had detailed knowledge of the organization and management of plastic surgical training in their respective country. Results The survey was completed by 29 participants from 23 European countries. During specialization, plastic surgeons in Europe are trained in advanced tissue transfer and repair and aesthetic principles in all parts of the human body and within several subspecialties. Moreover, rotations in intensive as well as emergency care are compulsory in most European countries. Board certification is only provided for surgeons who have had multiple years of training regulated by a national board, who provide evidence of individually performed operative procedures in several anatomical regions and subspecialties, and who pass a final oral and/or written examination. Conclusion Board certified plastic surgeons meet the highest degree of qualification, are trained in all parts of the body and in the management of complications. The standard of continuing education and qualification of European plastic surgeons is high, providing an excellent level of plastic surgical care throughout Europe

Modulation Instability in Two-dimensional Nonlinear Schrodinger Lattice Models with Dispersion and Long-range Interactions

"The problem of modulation instability of continuous wave and array soliton solutions in the framework of a two-dimensional continuum-discrete nonlinear Schrodinger lattice model which accounts for dispersion and ling-range interactIONS BETWEEN ELEMENTS, IS INVESTIGATED. APPLICATION OF THE LINEAR STABILITY ANALYSIS BASED ON AN ENERGETIC PRINCIPLE AND A VARIATIONAL APPROACH, WHICH WERE ORIGINALLY DEVELOPED FOR THE CONTINUUM NONLINEAR SCHRODINGER MODEL, IS PROPOSED. Analytical expressions for the corresponding instability thresholds and the growth rate spectra are calculated.

Localized gap modes in nonlinear dimerized Lieb lattices

Compact localized modes of ring type exist in many two-dimensional lattices with a flat linear band, such as the Lieb lattice. The uniform Lieb lattice is gapless, but gaps surrounding the flat band can be induced by various types of bond alternations (dimerizations) without destroying the compact linear eigenmodes. Here, we investigate the conditions under which such diffractionless modes can be formed and propagated also in the presence of a cubic on-site (Kerr) nonlinearity. For the simplest type of dimerization with a three-site unit cell, nonlinearity destroys the exact compactness, but strongly localized modes with frequencies inside the gap are still found to propagate stably for certain regimes of system parameters. By contrast, introducing a dimerization with a 12-site unit cell, compact (diffractionless) gap modes are found to exist as exact nonlinear solutions in continuation of flat band linear eigenmodes. These modes appear to be generally weakly unstable, but dynamical simulations show parameter regimes where localization would persist for propagation lengths much larger than the size of typical experimental waveguide array configurations. Our findings represent an attempt to realize conditions for full control of light propagation in photonic environments.Funding Agencies|Swedish Research Council [348-2013-6752]; Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development of the Republic of Serbia [III 45010]</p

Nonlinear compact localized modes in flux-dressed octagonal-diamond lattice

Tuning the values of artificial flux in the two-dimensional octagonal-diamond lattice drives topological phase transitions, including between singular and non-singular flatbands. We study the dynamical properties of nonlinear compact localized modes that can be continued from linear flatband modes. We show how the stability of the compact localized modes can be tuned by the nonlinearity strength or the applied artificial flux. Our model can be realized using ring resonator lattices or nonlinear waveguide arrays.11Nsciescopu

Localized modes in linear and nonlinear octagonal-diamond lattices with two flat bands

We consider a two-dimensional octagonal-diamond network with a fine-tuned diagonal coupling inside the diamond-shaped unit cell. Its linear spectrum exhibits coexistence of two dispersive bands (DBs) and two flat bands (FBs), touching one of the DBs embedded between them. Analogous to the kagome lattice, one of the FBs will constitute the ground state of the system for a proper sign choice of the Hamiltonian. The system is characterized by two different flat-band fundamental octagonal compactons, originating from the destructive interference of fully geometric nature. In the presence of a nonlinear amplitude (on-site) perturbation, the singleoctagon linear modes continue into one-parameter families of nonlinear compact modes with the same amplitude and phase structure. However, numerical stability analysis indicates that all strictly compact nonlinear modes are unstable, either purely exponentially or with oscillatory instabilities, for weak and intermediate nonlinearities and sufficiently large system sizes. Stabilization may appear in certain ranges for finite systems and, for the compacton originating from the band at the spectral edge, also in a regime of very large focusing nonlinearities. In contrast to the kagome lattice, the latter compacton family will become unstable already for arbitrarily weak defocusing nonlinearity for large enough systems. We show analytically the existence of a critical system size consisting of 12 octagon rings, such that the ground state for weak defocusing nonlinearity is a stable single compacton for smaller systems, and a continuation of a nontrivial, noncompact linear combination of single compacton modes for larger systems. Investigating generally the different nonlinear localized (noncompact) mode families in the semi-infinite gap bounded by this FB, we find that, for increasing (defocusing) nonlinearity the stable ground state will continuously develop into an exponentially localized mode with two main peaks in antiphase. At a critical nonlinearity strength a symmetry-breaking pitchfork bifurcation appears, so that the stable ground state is single peaked for larger defocusing nonlinearities. We also investigate numerically the mobility of localized modes in this regime and find that the considered modes are generally immobile both with respect to axial and diagonal phase-gradient perturbations.Programa ICM Millennium Institute for Research in Optics (MIRO) Comision Nacional de Investigacion Cientifica y Tecnologica (CONICYT) CONICYT FONDECYT 1191205 Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development of Republic of Serbia III4501