Primordial black hole production during preheating in a chaotic inflationary model

In this paper we review the production of primordial black holes (PBHs) during preheating after a chaotic inflationary model. All relevant equations of motion are solved numerically in a modified version of HLattice, and we then calculate the mass variance to determine structure formation during preheating. It is found that production of PBHs can be a generic result of the model, even though the results seem to be sensitive to the values of the smoothing scale. We consider a constraint for overproduction of PBHs that could uncover some stress between inflation-preheating models and observations.Comment: 6 pages, 5 figures. Prepared for the conference proceedings of the 9th Mexican School on Gravitation and Mathematical Physics : Cosmology for the XXI Century: Inflation, Dark Matter and Dark Energ

Excitation Enhancement of a Quantum Dot Coupled to a Plasmonic Antenna

Plasmonic antennas are key elements to control the luminescence of quantum emitters. However, the antenna's influence is often hidden by quenching losses. Here, the luminescence of a quantum dot coupled to a gold dimer antenna is investigated. Detailed analysis of the multiply excited states quantifies the antenna's influence on the excitation intensity and the luminescence quantum yield separately

Eternal Sunshine of the Solar Panel

The social dynamics of residential solar panel use within a theoretical population are studied using a compartmental model. In this study we consider three solar power options commonly available to consumers: the community block, leasing, and buying. In particular we are interested in studying how social influence affects the dynamics within these compartments. As a result of this research a threshold value is determined, beyond which solar panels persist in the population. In addition, as is standard in this type of study, we perform equilibrium analysis, as well as uncertainty and sensitivity analyses on the threshold value. We also perform uncertainty analysis on the population levels of each compartment. The analysis shows that social influence plays an important role in the adoption of residential solar panels

Roughness Analysis In Strained Silicon-on-insulator Wires And Films

Strained silicon is used to enhance performance in state-of-the-art CMOS. Under device operating conditions, the effect of strain is to reduce the carrier scattering at the channel by a smoother semiconductor surface. This has never been completely understood. This paper gives first evidence of the variation in surface roughness under realistic strained conditions. At the nanoscale, the SiO2/Si interface roughness is dependent on the scale of observation (self-affinity). To date, there is no experimental study of the SiO2/Si interface roughness scaling with strain. This work presents the effect of uniaxial and biaxial strains on the surface roughness of strained silicon-on-insulator films and wires using atomic force microscopy. Levels of strain ranging from 0% to 2.3%, encompassing those used in present CMOS devices have been investigated. It is shown that the silicon surface is affected by uniaxial and biaxial strains differently. Three surface roughness parameters have been analyzed: root mean square roughness, correlation length, and the Hurst exponent, which is used to describe the scaling behavior of a self-affine surface. The results show that the root mean square roughness decreases (up to ∼ 40%) with increasing tensile strain, whereas the correlation length increases (up to ∼ 63nm/%) with increasing tensile strain. The Hurst exponent also varies with strain and with the undulation wavelength regime (between ∼ 0.8 and 0.2). This dependency explains why some models used to determine the carrier mobility from experiments fit the data better with a Gaussian form, whereas other models fit the data better with an exponential form.11612EPSRC; Engineering and Physical Sciences Research CouncilSong, Y., Zhou, H., Xu, Q., Luo, J., Yin, H., Yan, J., Zhong, H., (2011) J. Electron. Mater., 40, p. 1584Lee, M.L., Fitzgerald, E.A., Bulsara, M.T., Currie, M.T., Lochtefeld, A., (2005) J. Appl. 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Sexual identity of enterocytes regulates autophagy to determine intestinal health, lifespan and responses to rapamycin

Pharmacological attenuation of mTOR presents a promising route for delay of age-related disease. Here we show that treatment of Drosophila with the mTOR inhibitor rapamycin extends lifespan in females, but not in males. Female-specific, age-related gut pathology is markedly slowed by rapamycin treatment, mediated by increased autophagy. Treatment increases enterocyte autophagy in females, via the H3/H4 histone-Bchs axis, whereas males show high basal levels of enterocyte autophagy that are not increased by rapamycin feeding. Enterocyte sexual identity, determined by transformerFemale expression, dictates sexually dimorphic cell size, H3/H4-Bchs expression, basal rates of autophagy, fecundity, intestinal homeostasis and lifespan extension in response to rapamycin. Dimorphism in autophagy is conserved in mice, where intestine, brown adipose tissue and muscle exhibit sex differences in autophagy and response to rapamycin. This study highlights tissue sex as a determining factor in the regulation of metabolic processes by mTOR and the efficacy of mTOR-targeted, anti-aging drug treatments

Contributos do projeto de arquitetura para uma restruturação dos modos de vida rurais na aldeia Urzal, em Mafra

Dissertação de Mestrado Integrado em Arquitetura, com a especialização em Arquitetura apresentada na Faculdade de Arquitetura da Universidade de Lisboa para obtenção do grau de Mestre.O presente trabalho desenvolve uma abordagem à problemática do futuro que se adivinha naquilo que subsiste das aldeias portuguesas sem que estas tenham de se resignar a transformarem-se num simples escape para os citadinos, levantando questões e apresentando propostas para solucionar os seus problemas, articulando-as com os núcleos urbanos. O estudo circunscrever-se-á a uma zona de intervenção, tendo como objectivo principal reabilitar e revitalizar a Aldeia Urzal, inserida na Freguesia de Carvoeira do Concelho de Mafra, Distrito de Lisboa. Pretende-se, assim, estudar os modos de vida rurais e a sua arquitectura, a estrutura socioeconómica e sociológica do lugar, a estrutura da paisagem, entre outras temáticas, de modo a entender as transformações dos espaços rurais até aos dias de hoje. Em primeiro lugar, evidenciam-se as principais razões que fundamentaram o não-ordenamento do território e a edificação sem articulação com o meio, que conduzirão a danos irreversíveis ao território e às próprias condições de bem-estar dos habitantes. Em alternativa à presente situação, sugere-se uma proposta arquitectónica adequada para restaurar a identidade local através de uma renovação do conceito de aldeia assim como a implementação de novas funções com base nas especificidades do lugar, visando estabelecer, se possível definitivamente, uma ética ecológica na construção e na concepção arquitectónicas.ABSTRACT: The follow work is focusing on the future issues that can be made traced for what survives of Portuguese villages without they having to resign themselves to becoming a simple escape for citizens, raising questions and presenting proposals to solve their problems, hinged with the great urban nucleus. The study will be circumscribed in an intervention area, with the main goal being the rehabilitation and revitalization of Urzal Village, which is part of the parish of Carvoeira, municipality of Mafra, district of Lisbon. It is intended to study the rural life way and its architecture, socio-economic and sociological structure of the place, landscape structure, among other issues, in order to understand the transformations in rural areas nowadays. Firstly, emphasize the main reasons for the non-territorial planning and building without articulation with the environment, leading to irreversible damage to the land's ornamentation and the inhabitant’s own conditions of well-being. On the other hand, an appropriate architectural proposal is suggested to restore local identity through a renewal of the village concept as well as the implementation of new functions based on local specificities, aiming to establish, if possible definitively, an ecological ethic in construction and conception.N/