Engineering the optical properties of silicon using sub-wavelength structures

In most integrated optics platforms, including silicon-on-insulator, only minor modifications in refractive index are possible. The geometry of the waveguiding structure is thus the only degree of freedom for the design of devices. The use of sub-wavelength gratings (SWGs), i.e. structures that are small enough to suppress diffraction effects, enables local engineering of both refractive index and dispersion, thereby opening new possibilities for device design. Here we present some of the recent advances in refractive index and dispersion engineering using silicon SWGs, focussing on ultra-broadband and compact multimode interference couplers and directional couplersThis work was supported by the Spanish Ministerio de Ciencia (project TEC2009-10152), the European Mirthe project (FP7-2010-257980), and the Universidad de Málaga - Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucìa Tech

Nodulação e desenvolvimento de plantas de soja iac-19 com aplicaçãodos herbicidas diclosulam e flumetsulam

In order to study the influence of the herbicides diclosulam and flumetsulam on soybean IAC-19 growth and nodulation, an experiment was carried out in pots, in greenhouse, using sandy-loam and clay soils. The seeds were inoculated with Bradyrhizobium japonicum. The treatments were: no herbicide and no innoculation, no herbicide with innoculation, diclosulam at 16,8, 33,6 and 50,4 g/ha; flumetsulam at 60, 120 and 180 g/ha, applied in pre-emergence, all innoculated. Nodulation was evaluated at 41 days after treatment (DAT). Plants height were also measured. At the end of the crop cycle fresh and dry weight of pods and grains were obtained. Both herbicides showed to be very selective to the soybean at the low and recommended rates. Flumetsulan, at 180 g/ha caused some plant stunting and reduced roots dry weight, at 41 DAT. Soybean plants grew better in the sandy-loam soil, due to its physical characteristics. The herbicides were tolerated by the bacteria, with no reduction in number, fresh or nodules dry weight.      Estudou-se o efeito dos herbicidas diclosulam e flumetsulam na nodulação e no desenvolvimento de plantas de soja IAC-19, em vasos, em casa-de-vegetação, utilizando-se solos arenobarrento e argiloso. As sementes de soja foram inoculadas com as estirpes recomendadas de Bradyrhizobium japonicum (SEMIA 5079, CPAC – 15, SEMIA 5080 E CPAC-7). Foi utlizado inoculante turfoso comercial na base de 10 gramas de inoculante por quilograma de semente de soja. Os tratamentos foram: sem herbicida e sem inoculação, sem herbicida e com inoculação, diclosulam nas doses de 16,8, 33,6 (dose recomendada) e 50,4 g/ha e, flumetsulam, nas doses de 60, 120 (dose recomendada) 180 g/ha, todos em i.a. e aplicados em préemergência e com inoculação das sementes de soja. A avaliação da nodulação foi feita aos 41 dias após a aplicação, quando se mediu também a altura das plantas e avaliou-se a massa fresca e seca de parte aérea e de raízes. No final do ciclo mediu-se a massa fresca e seca de vagens e grãos. Observou-se seletividade dos herbicidas à soja, nas doses avaliadas.. As plantas se desenvolveram melhor no solo areno-barrento que no argiloso em função de características físicas deste solo. Houve tolerância aos herbicidas pelas bactérias, nos dois tipos de solo, não havendo redução do número ou da massa fresca e seca de nódulos

Re-inventing Multimode Interference Couplers Using Subwavelength Gratings

We use the concept of subwavelength grating (SWG) refractive-index-engineering to propose and experimentally demonstrate a reduced size, slotted 2x2 MMI coupler. We also present an ultra-broadband 2x2 MMI coupler which is based on SWG dispersion engineering.This work was supported in part by the Spanish Ministerio de Ciencia (project TEC2009-10152), a Formación del Profesorado Universitario scholarship (AP-2006-03355), the European Mirthe project (FP7-2010-257980) and “Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

Efeito de sulfentrazone no sistema integrado palha de cana-de-açúcar, herbicida e vinhaça no desenvolvimento inicial da tiririca (Cyperus rotundus)

The objective of this work was to evaluate the interactions among sugarcane mulch residue, the herbicide sulfentrazone and different application methods of vinasse, a sugarcane industry residue, on the initial development of purple nutsedge (Cyperus rotundus L.). A greenhouse experiment was set up using pots with soil, in randomized complete blocks, with four replications and the following treatments were studied: control (C), straw alone (P), vinasse alone (V), herbicide alone (H), straw + vinasse (PV), straw + herbicide (PH), herbicide + vinasse applied before the herbicide (HVa), herbicide + vinasse applied after the herbicide (HVd), herbicide + vinasse applied together (HVj), straw + herbicide + vinasse applied before the herbicide (PHVa), straw + herbicide + vinasse applied after the herbicide (PHVd) and straw + herbicide + vinasse applied together (PHVj). Sulfentrazone was applied at the rate of 700 g ha-1, and in the treatments HVj, sulfentrazone was diluted in water until ¼ of the necessary volume, the remaining ¾ being completed with vinasse. In the statistical analysis the F test was used while the Scheffé test was employed to study the following contrasts: C x H, C x P, Cx V, C x treatments with H, C x treatments with S; C x treatments with V; without herbicide x with herbicide; without straw x with straw, without vinasse x with vinasse, HVa x HVd; HVa x HVj, HVa x HVj; HVa x SHVa, HVd x SHVd, HVj x SHVj, SHVa x SHVd, SHVd x SHVj and SHVd x SHVj. It was uses the Duncan’s test for the umidity straw avaliation. It was concluded that sulfentrazone applied alone or on the sugar cane mulch residue or with vinasse applied before, after or in mixture with herbicide controlled the initial development of purple nutsedge. Sugar cane mulch residue reduced the initial development of purple nutsedge but the height of plants was increased due to etiolation. Vinasse applied on the soil without sugar cane mulch residue and without sulfentrazone stimulated the development of this weed. There wasn’t difference among appling vinasse before, after or in mixture with sulfentrazone in the treatments with or without straw.      O objetivo do trabalho foi avaliar o efeito da interação palha de cana-de-açúcar, do herbicida sulfentrazone e de diferentes meios de aplicação de vinhaça no desenvolvimento inicial da tiririca (C. rotundus). O experimento foi instalado em vasos com terra, em casa de vegetação, e disposto em blocos ao acaso, com quatro repetições, sendo avaliados, vinte oito dias após a instalação do experimento, os tratamentos: controle (C); apenas palha (P); apenas vinhaça (V); apenas o herbicida (H), palha + vinhaça (PV); palha + herbicida (PH); herbicida + vinhaça aplicada antes do herbicida (HVa); herbicida + vinhaça aplicada depois do herbicida (HVd); herbicida + vinhaça aplicada junto com o herbicida (HVj); palha + herbicida + vinhaça aplicada antes do herbicida (PHVa); palha + herbicida + vinhaça aplicada depois do herbicida (PHVd); e palha + herbicida + vinhaça aplicada junto com o herbicida (PHVj). Sulfentrazone foi aplicado na dose de 700 g ha-1 e nos tratamentos HVj foi diluído com água até ¼ do volume necessário e completado com vinhaça. Na análise estatística empregou-se o teste F e quando houve significância das variáveis, o teste de Scheffé foi usado para avaliar os contrastes: C x H; C x P; C x V; C x H; C x tratamentos com palha; C x tratamentos com vinhaça; sem H x com H; sem P x com P; sem V x com V; HVa x HVd; HVa x HVj; HVd x HVj; HVa x PHVa; HVd x PHVd; HVj x PHVj; PHVa x PHVd; PHVa x PHVj e PHVd x PHVj. Para avaliar o nível de umidade da palha foi empregado o teste de Duncan a 5% de probabilidade. Concluiu-se que sulfentrazone, tanto em aplicação isolada como sobre palha ou associado à vinhaça aplicada antes, depois ou em mistura com o produto, controlou o desenvolvimento inicial da tiririca. A deposição da palha sobre o solo reduziu o desenvolvimento inicial da tiririca, mas aumentou a altura das plantas devido ao estiolamento. A vinhaça aplicada sobre o solo descoberto e sem herbicida estimulou o desenvolvimento da tiririca; entretanto, associada à palha e ao sulfentrazone, reduziu o crescimento. Não houve diferença entre aplicação de vinhaça antes, depois e mesmo em mistura com sulfentrazone nos tratamentos sem ou com palha

National survey of prevention and management of CMV infection in pediatric kidney transplantation in comparison to clinical practice guidelines

BackgroundCytomegalovirus (CMV) is one of the most frequent opportunistic infections in kidney transplant (KT) recipients and is a risk factor for patient and graft survival after KT. Center-to-center variation, optimal prevention and treatment strategies in pediatric KT are currently unknown. This survey aimed to assess current CMV prevention and treatment strategies used among French pediatric KT centers.MethodsA web-based survey was sent to all 13 French pediatric kidney transplantation centers.ResultsTwelve (92%) centers responded to the survey. All centers used prophylaxis for the donor-positive/recipient-negative (D+/R-) group. For R + patients, 54% used prophylaxis, 37% used a pre-emptive strategy. In the low-risk group, D-/R-, 50% used a pre-emptive approach and 50% had no specific prevention strategy. The antiviral used by all centers for prophylaxis was valganciclovir (VGCV). The duration of prophylaxis varied from 3 to 7 months and the duration of viral load monitoring varied from 6 months to indefinitely. No center used a hybrid/sequential approach. For the treatment of CMV DNAemia, VGCV or intravenous GCV were used. Therapeutic drug monitoring of VGCV was performed in 5 centers (42%). Five centers reported drug resistance. Eight centers (67%) administered VGCV during the treatment of acute graft rejection.ConclusionsThere is uniformity in CMV management in some areas among pediatric KT centers in France but not in others which remain diverse and are not up to date with current guidelines, suggesting unnecessary variation which could be reduced with better evidence to inform practice

Front Pediatr

INTRODUCTION: Primary infection or reactivation of Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in pediatric kidney transplantation. Valganciclovir (VGC) treatment is recommended for prophylaxis of cytomegalovirus infection, but its role for the prevention of EBV infection remains controversial. PATIENTS AND METHODS: All pediatric kidney transplant recipients aged 4.5 log/ml. Outcomes were compared between patients receiving VGC prophylaxis (group P+) and those not receiving VGC prophylaxis (group P-). RESULTS: A total of 79 patients were included, 57 (72%) in the P+ group and 22 (28%) in the P- group; 25 (31%) were at risk of primary infection and 54 (69%) at risk of reactivation. During the first year post-transplant, the occurrence of severe EBV infection was not different between the P+ group (n = 13, 22.8%) and the P- group (n = 5, 22.7%) (p = 0.99). Among patients at risk of primary infection, the rate of severe EBV infection was not different between the two groups (42.1% in P+ vs. 33.3% in P-). A higher frequency of neutropenia was found in the P+ group (66.6%) than in the P- group (33.4%) (p < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Our observational study suggests no effect of VGC for the prevention of EBV infection in pediatric kidney transplant recipients, irrespective of their EBV status. Adverse effects revealed an increased risk of neutropenia

First direct measurement of 22^{22}Mg(α\alpha,p)25^{25}Al and implications for X-ray burst model-observation comparisons

Type-I X-ray burst (XRB) light curves are sensitive to the model's nuclear input and consequently affects the model-observation comparisons. $^{22}$Mg($\alpha$,p)$^{25}$Al is among the most important reactions which directly impact the XRB light curve. We report the first direct measurement of $^{22}$Mg($\alpha$,p)$^{25}$Al using the Active Target Time Projection Chamber. XRB light curve model-observation comparison for the source $\tt{GS 1826-24}$ using new reaction rate implies a less-compact neutron star than previously inferred. Additionally, our result removes an important uncertainty in XRB model calculations that previously hindered extraction of the neutron star compactness

Social Class

Discussion of class structure in fifth-century Athens, historical constitution of theater audiences, and the changes in the comic representation of class antagonism from Aristophanes to Menander