2,324 research outputs found
Theory and design of InGaAsBi mid-infrared semiconductor lasers: type-I quantum wells for emission beyond 3 m on InP substrates
We present a theoretical analysis and optimisation of the properties and
performance of mid-infrared semiconductor lasers based on the dilute bismide
alloy InGaAsBi, grown on conventional (001) InP
substrates. The ability to independently vary the epitaxial strain and emission
wavelength in this quaternary alloy provides significant scope for band
structure engineering. Our calculations demonstrate that structures based on
compressively strained InGaAsBi quantum wells (QWs)
can readily achieve emission wavelengths in the 3 -- 5 m range, and that
these QWs have large type-I band offsets. As such, these structures have the
potential to overcome a number of limitations commonly associated with this
application-rich but technologically challenging wavelength range. By
considering structures having (i) fixed QW thickness and variable strain, and
(ii) fixed strain and variable QW thickness, we quantify key trends in the
properties and performance as functions of the alloy composition, structural
properties, and emission wavelength, and on this basis identify routes towards
the realisation of optimised devices for practical applications. Our analysis
suggests that simple laser structures -- incorporating
InGaAsBi QWs and unstrained ternary
InGaAs barriers -- which are compatible with established
epitaxial growth, provide a route to realising InP-based mid-infrared diode
lasers.Comment: Submitted versio
DEPLETED SSZ TYPE MANTLE PERIDOTITES IN PROTEROZOIC EASTERN SAYAN OPHIOLITES IN SIBERIA
N.L. Dobretsov et al. [1985] first described the rock complexes in Eastern Sayan as ophiolites. Ophiolites formed in Dunzhugur island arc and were obducted onto Gargan block, a Neoarchean crystalline basement of the Tuva-Mongolian Massif (TMM), as a single nappe [Khain et al., 2002; Kuzmichev, 2004]. Zircons from plagiogranite were dated at 1021±5 Ma by multigrain TIMS and 1020±1 Ma by Pb-Pb single-grains evaporation method [Khain et al., 2002]. Later [Kuzmichev, Larionov, 2013] analysed 12 grains of detrital zircons from gravelstone of the Dunzhugur formation and obtained 206Pb/238U ages from 844±8 to 1048±12 Ma. Careful examination of these data shows that 206Pb/238U ages for concordant zircons only vary from 962±11 to 1048±12 Ma.N.L. Dobretsov et al. [1985] first described the rock complexes in Eastern Sayan as ophiolites. Ophiolites formed in Dunzhugur island arc and were obducted onto Gargan block, a Neoarchean crystalline basement of the Tuva-Mongolian Massif (TMM), as a single nappe [Khain et al., 2002; Kuzmichev, 2004]. Zircons from plagiogranite were dated at 1021±5 Ma by multigrain TIMS and 1020±1 Ma by Pb-Pb single-grains evaporation method [Khain et al., 2002]. Later [Kuzmichev, Larionov, 2013] analysed 12 grains of detrital zircons from gravelstone of the Dunzhugur formation and obtained 206Pb/238U ages from 844±8 to 1048±12 Ma. Careful examination of these data shows that 206Pb/238U ages for concordant zircons only vary from 962±11 to 1048±12 Ma
Charge and Orbital Ordering in Pr_{0.5} Ca_{0.5} MnO_3 Studied by ^{17}O NMR
The charge and orbital ordering in Pr_{0.5} Ca_{0.5} MnO_3 is studied for the
first time by ^{17}O NMR. This local probe is sensitive to spin, charge and
orbital correlations. Two transitions exist in this system: the charge and
orbital ordering at T_{CO} = 225 K and the antiferromagnetic (AF) transition at
T_N = 170 K. Both are clearly seen in the NMR spectra measured in a magnetic
field of 7T. Above T_{CO} there exists only one NMR line with a large isotropic
shift, whose temperature dependence is in accordance with the presence of
ferromagnetic (FM) correlations. This line splits into two parts below T_{CO},
which are attributed to different types of oxygen in the charge/orbital ordered
state. The interplay of FM and AF spin correlations of Mn ions in the charge
ordered state of Pr_{0.5} Ca_{0.5} MnO_3 is considered in terms of the hole
hopping motion that is slowed down with decreasing temperature. The developing
fine structure of the spectra evidences, that there still exist
charge-disordered regions at T_{CO} > T > T_N and that the static (t >
10^{-6}s) orbital order is established only on approaching T_N. The CE-type
magnetic correlations develop gradually below T_{CO}, so that at first the AF
correlations between checkerboard ab-layers appear, and only at lower
temperature - CE correlations within the ab-planes
Voltage-gated sodium channels as targets for pyrethroid insecticides
The pyrethroid insecticides are a very successful group of compounds that have been used extensively for the control of arthropod pests of agricultural crops and vectors of animal and human disease. Unfortunately, this has led to the development of resistance to the compounds in many species. The mode of action of pyrethroids is known to be via interactions with the voltage-gated sodium channel. Understanding how binding to the channel is affected by amino acid substitutions that give rise to resistance has helped to elucidate the mode of action of the compounds and the molecular basis of their selectivity for insects vs mammals and between insects and other arthropods. Modelling of the channel/pyrethroid interactions, coupled with the ability to express mutant channels in oocytes and study function, has led to knowledge of both how the channels function and potentially how to design novel insecticides with greater species selectivity
Comparison of DC Bead-irinotecan and DC Bead-topotecan drug eluting beads for use in locoregional drug delivery to treat pancreatic cancer
DC Bead is a drug delivery embolisation system that can be loaded with doxorubicin or irinotecan for the treatment of a variety of liver cancers. In this study we demonstrate that the topoisomerase I inhibitor topotecan hydrochloride can be successfully loaded into the DC Bead sulfonate-modified polyvinyl alcohol hydrogel matrix, resulting in a sustained-release drug eluting bead (DEBTOP) useful for therapeutic purposes. The in vitro drug loading capacity, elution characteristics and the effects on mechanical properties of the beads are described with reference to our previous work with irinotecan hydrochloride (DEBIRI). Results showed that drug loading was faster when the solution was agitated compared to static loading and a maximum loading of ca. 40–45 mg topotecan in 1 ml hydrated beads was achievable. Loading the drug into the beads altered the size, compressibility moduli and colour of the bead. Elution was shown to be reliant on the presence of ions to perform the necessary exchange with the electrostatically bound topotecan molecules. Topotecan was shown by MTS assay to have an IC50 for human pancreatic adenocarcinoma cells (PSN-1) of 0.22 and 0.27 lM compared to 28.1 and 19.2 lM for irinotecan at 48 and 72 h, respectively. The cytotoxic efficacy of DEBTOP on PSN-1 was compared to DEBIRI. DEPTOP loaded at 6 & 30 mg ml-1, like its free drug form, was shown to be more potent than DEBIRI of comparable doses at 24, 48 & 72 h using a slightly modified MTS assay. Using a PSN-1 mouse xenograft model, DEBIRI doses of 3.3–6.6 mg were shown to be well tolerated (even with repeat administration) and effective in reducing the tumour size. DEBTOP however, was lethal after 6 days at doses of 0.83–1.2 mg but demonstrated reasonable efficacy and tolerability (again with repeat injection possible) at 0.2–0.4 mg doses. Care must therefore be taken when selecting the dose of topotecan to be loaded into DC Bead given its greater potency and potential toxicity
Phase I Study of Celecoxib with Concurrent Irinotecan, Cisplatin, and Radiation Therapy for Patients with Unresectable Locally Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer
Purpose: Preclinical findings suggest that adding targeted therapies to combination radiation-chemotherapy can enhance treatment efficacy; however, this approach may enhance normal tissue toxicity. We investigated the maximum tolerated dose, dose-limiting toxicities, and response rate when the selective cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitor celecoxib is added to concurrent irinotecan, cisplatin, and radiation therapy for patients with inoperable stage II–III non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Methods and Materials: Eighteen patients were analyzed in a phase I clinical dose-escalation trial. Celecoxib was given daily beginning 5 days before radiation followed by maintenance doses for 12 weeks. Toxicity was graded with the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events V3.0 and response with the World Health Organization system. Primary endpoints were maximum tolerated dose of celecoxib and treatment toxicity; secondary endpoints were response and survival rates. Results: The maximum tolerated dose of celecoxib was not reached, in part owing to discontinuation of the drug supply. At doses of 200 or 400 mg/day, no patients experienced any dose-limiting toxicity (acute grade ≥4 esophagitis or pneumonitis, neutropenic fever or thrombocytopenia requiring transfusion, or acute grade ≥3 diarrhea). Grade 3 toxicities were leukopenia (five patients), fatigue (3), pneumonitis (2), dyspnea (1), pain (1), and esophageal stricture (1). Interestingly, pulmonary fibrosis (a late toxicity) was no more severe in the higher-dose (400-mg) group and may have been less common than in the lower-dose group. The clinical response rate was 100% (8 complete, 10 partial). Two-year rates were: overall survival 65%; local-regional control 69%; distant metastasis-free survival 71%; and disease-free survival 64%. Conclusion: Although preliminary, our results suggest that adding celecoxib to concurrent chemoradiation for inoperable NSCLC is safe and can improve outcome without increasing normal tissue toxicity
Internet of things
Manual of Digital Earth / Editors: Huadong Guo, Michael F. Goodchild, Alessandro Annoni .- Springer, 2020 .- ISBN: 978-981-32-9915-3Digital Earth was born with the aim of replicating the real world within the digital world. Many efforts have been made to observe and sense the Earth, both from space (remote sensing) and by using in situ sensors. Focusing on the latter, advances in Digital Earth have established vital bridges to exploit these sensors and their networks by taking location as a key element. The current era of connectivity envisions that everything is connected to everything. The concept of the Internet of Things(IoT)emergedasaholisticproposaltoenableanecosystemofvaried,heterogeneous networked objects and devices to speak to and interact with each other. To make the IoT ecosystem a reality, it is necessary to understand the electronic components, communication protocols, real-time analysis techniques, and the location of the objects and devices. The IoT ecosystem and the Digital Earth (DE) jointly form interrelated infrastructures for addressing today’s pressing issues and complex challenges. In this chapter, we explore the synergies and frictions in establishing an efficient and permanent collaboration between the two infrastructures, in order to adequately address multidisciplinary and increasingly complex real-world problems. Although there are still some pending issues, the identified synergies generate optimism for a true collaboration between the Internet of Things and the Digital Earth
Tunable anisotropy in inverse opals and emerging optical properties
Using self-assembly, nanoscale materials can be fabricated from the bottom up. Opals and inverse opals are examples of self-assembled nanomaterials made from crystallizing colloidal particles. As self-assembly requires a high level of control, it is challenging to use building blocks with anisotropic geometry to form complex opals, which limits the realizable structures. Typically, spherical colloids are employed as building blocks, leading to symmetric, isotropic superstructures. However, a significantly richer palette of directionally dependent properties are expected if less symmetric, anisotropic structures can be created, especially originating from the assembly of regular, spherical particles. Here we show a simple method to introduce anisotropy into inverse opals by subjecting them to a post-assembly thermal treatment that results in directional shrinkage of the silica matrix caused by condensation of partially hydrated sol-gel silica structures. In this way, we can tailor the shape of the pores, and the anisotropy of the final inverse opal preserves the order and uniformity of the self-assembled structure, while completely avoiding the need to synthesize complex oval-shaped particles and crystallize them into such target geometries. Detailed X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and infrared (IR) spectroscopy studies clearly identify increasing degrees of sol-gel condensation in confinement as a mechanism for the structure change. A computer simulation of structure changes resulting from the condensation-induced shrinkage further confirmed this mechanism. As an example of property changes induced by the introduction of anisotropy, we characterized the optical spectra of the anisotropic inverse opals and found that the optical properties can be controlled in a precise way using calcination temperature
Recurrent Connections Aid Occluded Object Recognition by Discounting Occluders
Recurrent connections in the visual cortex are thought to aid object
recognition when part of the stimulus is occluded. Here we investigate if and
how recurrent connections in artificial neural networks similarly aid object
recognition. We systematically test and compare architectures comprised of
bottom-up (B), lateral (L) and top-down (T) connections. Performance is
evaluated on a novel stereoscopic occluded object recognition dataset. The task
consists of recognizing one target digit occluded by multiple occluder digits
in a pseudo-3D environment. We find that recurrent models perform significantly
better than their feedforward counterparts, which were matched in parametric
complexity. Furthermore, we analyze how the network's representation of the
stimuli evolves over time due to recurrent connections. We show that the
recurrent connections tend to move the network's representation of an occluded
digit towards its un-occluded version. Our results suggest that both the brain
and artificial neural networks can exploit recurrent connectivity to aid
occluded object recognition.Comment: 13 pages, 5 figures, accepted at the 28th International Conference on
Artificial Neural Networks, published in Springer Lecture Notes in Computer
Science vol 1172
Persuasiveness of eWOM communications: Literature review and suggestions for future research
YesElectronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) plays an important part in consumer purchase decision. The way consumers perceive the persuasiveness of eWOM message can affect their attitude, and purchase intention, and hence sales. Thus, the topic of persuasiveness of eWOM communications has received much attention from scholars. The objective of this paper is to provide a brief review of the existing literature related to the effectiveness of eWOM communications and offer an overview of the determinants of eWOM persuasiveness. This paper contributes to the existing eWOM literature by reviewing the existing studies on eWOM communications, identifying gaps in the current research and providing directions for future research
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