144 research outputs found
Bottom-up Photonic Crystal Lasers
The directed growth of IIIâV nanopillars is used to demonstrate bottom-up photonic crystal lasers. Simultaneous formation of both the photonic band gap and active gain region is achieved via catalyst-free selective-area metalâorganic chemical vapor deposition on masked GaAs substrates. The nanopillars implement a GaAs/InGaAs/GaAs axial double heterostructure for accurate, arbitrary placement of gain within the cavity and lateral InGaP shells to reduce surface recombination. The lasers operate single-mode at room temperature with low threshold peak power density of ~625 W/cm^2. Cavity resonance and lasing wavelength is lithographically defined by controlling pillar pitch and diameter to vary from 960 to 989 nm. We envision this bottom-up approach to pillar-based devices as a new platform for photonic systems integration
Harnessing high-dimensional hyperentanglement through a biphoton frequency comb
Quantum entanglement is a fundamental resource for secure information
processing and communications, where hyperentanglement or high-dimensional
entanglement has been separately proposed towards high data capacity and error
resilience. The continuous-variable nature of the energy-time entanglement
makes it an ideal candidate for efficient high-dimensional coding with minimal
limitations. Here we demonstrate the first simultaneous high-dimensional
hyperentanglement using a biphoton frequency comb to harness the full potential
in both energy and time domain. The long-postulated Hong-Ou-Mandel quantum
revival is exhibited, with up to 19 time-bins, 96.5% visibilities. We further
witness the high-dimensional energy-time entanglement through Franson revivals,
which is observed periodically at integer time-bins, with 97.8% visibility.
This qudit state is observed to simultaneously violate the generalized Bell
inequality by up to 10.95 deviations while observing recurrent
Clauser-Horne-Shimony-Holt S-parameters up to 2.76. Our biphoton frequency comb
provides a platform in photon-efficient quantum communications towards the
ultimate channel capacity through energy-time-polarization high-dimensional
encoding
The Central Component of Gravitational Lens Q0957+561
In 1981, a faint radio source (G') was detected near the center of the
lensing galaxy of the famous "twin quasar" Q0957+561. It is still unknown
whether this central radio source is a third quasar image or an active nucleus
of the lensing galaxy, or a combination of both. In an attempt to resolve this
ambiguity, we observed Q0957+561 at radio wavelengths of 13cm, 18cm, and 21cm,
using the Very Long Baseline Array in combination with the phased Very Large
Array and the Green Bank Telescope. We measured the spectrum of G' for the
first time and found it to be significantly different from the spectra of the
two bright quasar images. This finding suggests that the central component is
primarily or entirely emission from the foreground lens galaxy, but the
spectrum is also consistent with the hypothesis of a central quasar image
suffering free-free absorption. In addition, we confirm the previously-reported
VLBI position of G' just north of the optical center of the lens galaxy. The
position slightly favors the hypothesis that G' originates in the lens, but is
not conclusive. We discuss the prospects for further clarification of this
issue.Comment: 18 pages, accepted for publication in A
Photon-efficient quantum key distribution using timeâenergy entanglement with high-dimensional encoding
Conventional quantum key distribution (QKD) typically uses binary encoding based on photon polarization or time-bin degrees of freedom and achieves a key capacity of at most one bit per photon. Under photon-starved conditions the rate of detection events is much lower than the photon generation rate, because of losses in long distance propagation and the relatively long recovery times of available single-photon detectors. Multi-bit encoding in the photon arrival times can be beneficial in such photon-starved situations. Recent security proofs indicate high-dimensional encoding in the photon arrival times is robust and can be implemented to yield high secure throughput. In this work we demonstrate entanglement-based QKD with high-dimensional encoding whose security against collective Gaussian attacks is provided by a high-visibility Franson interferometer. We achieve unprecedented key capacity and throughput for an entanglement-based QKD system because of four principal factors: Franson interferometry that does not degrade with loss; error correction coding that can tolerate high error rates; optimized timeâenergy entanglement generation; and highly efficient WSi superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors. The secure key capacity yields as much as 8.7 bits per coincidence. When optimized for throughput we observe a secure key rate of 2.7 Mbit s[superscript â1] after 20 km fiber transmission with a key capacity of 6.9 bits per photon coincidence. Our results demonstrate a viable approach to high-rate QKD using practical photonic entanglement and single-photon detection technologies.United States. Army Research Office (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. Information in a Photon (InPho) Program Grant W911NF-10-1-0416
Evaluating changes in radiation treatment volumes from post-operative to same-day planning MRI in High-grade gliomas
Testing gravitational-wave searches with numerical relativity waveforms: Results from the first Numerical INJection Analysis (NINJA) project
The Numerical INJection Analysis (NINJA) project is a collaborative effort
between members of the numerical relativity and gravitational-wave data
analysis communities. The purpose of NINJA is to study the sensitivity of
existing gravitational-wave search algorithms using numerically generated
waveforms and to foster closer collaboration between the numerical relativity
and data analysis communities. We describe the results of the first NINJA
analysis which focused on gravitational waveforms from binary black hole
coalescence. Ten numerical relativity groups contributed numerical data which
were used to generate a set of gravitational-wave signals. These signals were
injected into a simulated data set, designed to mimic the response of the
Initial LIGO and Virgo gravitational-wave detectors. Nine groups analysed this
data using search and parameter-estimation pipelines. Matched filter
algorithms, un-modelled-burst searches and Bayesian parameter-estimation and
model-selection algorithms were applied to the data. We report the efficiency
of these search methods in detecting the numerical waveforms and measuring
their parameters. We describe preliminary comparisons between the different
search methods and suggest improvements for future NINJA analyses.Comment: 56 pages, 25 figures; various clarifications; accepted to CQ
Use of a health information exchange system in the emergency care of children
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Children may benefit greatly in terms of safety and care coordination from the information sharing promised by health information exchange (HIE). While information exchange capability is a required feature of the certified electronic health record, we known little regarding how this technology is used in general and for pediatric patients specifically.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Using data from an operational HIE effort in central Texas, we examined the factors associated with actual system usage. The clinical and demographic characteristics of pediatric ED encounters (n = 179,445) were linked to the HIE system user logs. Based on the patterns of HIE system screens accessed by users, we classified each encounter as: no system usage, basic system usage, or novel system usage. Using crossed random effects logistic regression, we modeled the factors associated with basic and novel system usage.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Users accessed the system for 8.7% of encounters. Increasing patient comorbidity was associated with a 5% higher odds of basic usage and 15% higher odds for novel usage. The odds of basic system usage were lower in the face of time constraints and for patients who had not been to that location in the previous 12 months.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>HIE systems may be a source to fulfill users' information needs about complex patients. However, time constraints may be a barrier to usage. In addition, results suggest HIE is more likely to be useful to pediatric patients visiting ED repeatedly. This study helps fill an existing gap in the study of technological applications in the care of children and improves knowledge about how HIE systems are utilized.</p
A mathematical model of the metabolic and perfusion effects on cortical spreading depression
Cortical spreading depression (CSD) is a slow-moving ionic and metabolic
disturbance that propagates in cortical brain tissue. In addition to massive
cellular depolarization, CSD also involves significant changes in perfusion and
metabolism -- aspects of CSD that had not been modeled and are important to
traumatic brain injury, subarachnoid hemorrhage, stroke, and migraine.
In this study, we develop a mathematical model for CSD where we focus on
modeling the features essential to understanding the implications of
neurovascular coupling during CSD. In our model, the sodium-potassium--ATPase,
mainly responsible for ionic homeostasis and active during CSD, operates at a
rate that is dependent on the supply of oxygen. The supply of oxygen is
determined by modeling blood flow through a lumped vascular tree with an
effective local vessel radius that is controlled by the extracellular potassium
concentration. We show that during CSD, the metabolic demands of the cortex
exceed the physiological limits placed on oxygen delivery, regardless of
vascular constriction or dilation. However, vasoconstriction and vasodilation
play important roles in the propagation of CSD and its recovery. Our model
replicates the qualitative and quantitative behavior of CSD --
vasoconstriction, oxygen depletion, extracellular potassium elevation,
prolonged depolarization -- found in experimental studies.
We predict faster, longer duration CSD in vivo than in vitro due to the
contribution of the vasculature. Our results also help explain some of the
variability of CSD between species and even within the same animal. These
results have clinical and translational implications, as they allow for more
precise in vitro, in vivo, and in silico exploration of a phenomenon broadly
relevant to neurological disease.Comment: 17 pages including 9 figures, accepted by PLoS On
Recommended practices for computerized clinical decision support and knowledge management in community settings: a qualitative study
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The purpose of this study was to identify recommended practices for computerized clinical decision support (CDS) development and implementation and for knowledge management (KM) processes in ambulatory clinics and community hospitals using commercial or locally developed systems in the U.S.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Guided by the Multiple Perspectives Framework, the authors conducted ethnographic field studies at two community hospitals and five ambulatory clinic organizations across the U.S. Using a Rapid Assessment Process, a multidisciplinary research team: gathered preliminary assessment data; conducted on-site interviews, observations, and field surveys; analyzed data using both template and grounded methods; and developed universal themes. A panel of experts produced recommended practices.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The team identified ten themes related to CDS and KM. These include: 1) workflow; 2) knowledge management; 3) data as a foundation for CDS; 4) user computer interaction; 5) measurement and metrics; 6) governance; 7) translation for collaboration; 8) the meaning of CDS; 9) roles of special, essential people; and 10) communication, training, and support. Experts developed recommendations about each theme. The original Multiple Perspectives framework was modified to make explicit a new theoretical construct, that of Translational Interaction.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>These ten themes represent areas that need attention if a clinic or community hospital plans to implement and successfully utilize CDS. In addition, they have implications for workforce education, research, and national-level policy development. The Translational Interaction construct could guide future applied informatics research endeavors.</p
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