Multipolar Expansions for the Relativistic N-Body Problem in the Rest-Frame Instant Form

Dixon's multipoles for a system of N relativistic positive-energy scalar particles are evaluated in the rest-frame instant form of dynamics. The Wigner hyperplanes (intrinsic rest frame of the isolated system) turn out to be the natural framework for describing multipole kinematics. In particular, concepts like the {\it barycentric tensor of inertia} can be defined in special relativity only by means of the quadrupole moments of the isolated system.Comment: 46 pages, revtex fil

Comparison of the transcriptional landscapes between human and mouse tissues

Although the similarities between humans and mice are typically highlighted, morphologically and genetically, there are many differences. To better understand these two species on a molecular level, we performed a comparison of the expression profiles of 15 tissues by deep RNA sequencing and examined the similarities and differences in the transcriptome for both protein-coding and -noncoding transcripts. Although commonalities are evident in the expression of tissue-specific genes between the two species, the expression for many sets of genes was found to be more similar in different tissues within the same species than between species. These findings were further corroborated by associated epigenetic histone mark analyses. We also find that many noncoding transcripts are expressed at a low level and are not detectable at appreciable levels across individuals. Moreover, the majority lack obvious sequence homologs between species, even when we restrict our attention to those which are most highly reproducible across biological replicates. Overall, our results indicate that there is considerable RNA expression diversity between humans and mice, well beyond what was described previously, likely reflecting the fundamental physiological differences between these two organisms

Particulate matter air pollution causes oxidant-mediated increase in gut permeability in mice

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Exposure to particulate matter (PM) air pollution may be an important environmental factor leading to exacerbations of inflammatory illnesses in the GI tract. PM can gain access to the gastrointestinal (GI) tract via swallowing of air or secretions from the upper airways or mucociliary clearance of inhaled particles.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We measured PM-induced cell death and mitochondrial ROS generation in Caco-2 cells stably expressing oxidant sensitive GFP localized to mitochondria in the absence or presence of an antioxidant. C57BL/6 mice were exposed to a very high dose of urban PM from Washington, DC (200 μg/mouse) or saline via gastric gavage and small bowel and colonic tissue were harvested for histologic evaluation, and RNA isolation up to 48 hours. Permeability to 4kD dextran was measured at 48 hours.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>PM induced mitochondrial ROS generation and cell death in Caco-2 cells. PM also caused oxidant-dependent NF-κB activation, disruption of tight junctions and increased permeability of Caco-2 monolayers. Mice exposed to PM had increased intestinal permeability compared with PBS treated mice. In the small bowel, colocalization of the tight junction protein, ZO-1 was lower in the PM treated animals. In the small bowel and colon, PM exposed mice had higher levels of IL-6 mRNA and reduced levels of ZO-1 mRNA. Increased apoptosis was observed in the colon of PM exposed mice.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Exposure to high doses of urban PM causes oxidant dependent GI epithelial cell death, disruption of tight junction proteins, inflammation and increased permeability in the gut <it>in vitro </it>and <it>in vivo</it>. These PM-induced changes may contribute to exacerbations of inflammatory disorders of the gut.</p

Intrinsic response time of graphene photodetectors

Graphene-based photodetectors are promising new devices for high-speed optoelectronic applications. However, despite recent efforts, it is not clear what determines the ultimate speed limit of these devices. Here, we present measurements of the intrinsic response time of metal-graphene-metal photodetectors with monolayer graphene using an optical correlation technique with ultrashort laser pulses. We obtain a response time of 2.1 ps that is mainly given by the short lifetime of the photogenerated carriers. This time translates into a bandwidth of ~262 GHz. Moreover, we investigate the dependence of the response time on gate voltage and illumination laser power

Photocurrent measurements of supercollision cooling in graphene

The cooling of hot electrons in graphene is the critical process underlying the operation of exciting new graphene-based optoelectronic and plasmonic devices, but the nature of this cooling is controversial. We extract the hot electron cooling rate near the Fermi level by using graphene as novel photothermal thermometer that measures the electron temperature ($T(t)$) as it cools dynamically. We find the photocurrent generated from graphene $p-n$ junctions is well described by the energy dissipation rate $C dT/dt=-A(T^3-T_l^3)$, where the heat capacity is $C=\alpha T$ and $T_l$ is the base lattice temperature. These results are in disagreement with predictions of electron-phonon emission in a disorder-free graphene system, but in excellent quantitative agreement with recent predictions of a disorder-enhanced supercollision (SC) cooling mechanism. We find that the SC model provides a complete and unified picture of energy loss near the Fermi level over the wide range of electronic (15 to $\sim$3000 K) and lattice (10 to 295 K) temperatures investigated.Comment: 7pages, 5 figure

Generation of photovoltage in graphene on a femtosecond time scale through efficient carrier heating

Graphene is a promising material for ultrafast and broadband photodetection. Earlier studies addressed the general operation of graphene-based photo-thermoelectric devices, and the switching speed, which is limited by the charge carrier cooling time, on the order of picoseconds. However, the generation of the photovoltage could occur at a much faster time scale, as it is associated with the carrier heating time. Here, we measure the photovoltage generation time and find it to be faster than 50 femtoseconds. As a proof-of-principle application of this ultrafast photodetector, we use graphene to directly measure, electrically, the pulse duration of a sub-50 femtosecond laser pulse. The observation that carrier heating is ultrafast suggests that energy from absorbed photons can be efficiently transferred to carrier heat. To study this, we examine the spectral response and find a constant spectral responsivity between 500 and 1500 nm. This is consistent with efficient electron heating. These results are promising for ultrafast femtosecond and broadband photodetector applications.Comment: 6 pages, 4 figure

Microcavity-integrated graphene photodetector

There is an increasing interest in using graphene (1, 2) for optoelectronic applications. (3-19) However, because graphene is an inherently weak optical absorber (only ≈2.3% absorption), novel concepts need to be developed to increase the absorption and take full advantage of its unique optical properties. We demonstrate that by monolithically integrating graphene with a Fabry-Pérot microcavity, the optical absorption is 26-fold enhanced, reaching values >60%. We present a graphene-based microcavity photodetector with responsivity of 21 mA/W. Our approach can be applied to a variety of other graphene devices, such as electro-absorption modulators, variable optical attenuators, or light emitters, and provides a new route to graphene photonics with the potential for applications in communications, security, sensing and spectroscopy

Photoconductivity of biased graphene

Graphene is a promising candidate for optoelectronic applications such as photodetectors, terahertz imagers, and plasmonic devices. The origin of photoresponse in graphene junctions has been studied extensively and is attributed to either thermoelectric or photovoltaic effects. In addition, hot carrier transport and carrier multiplication are thought to play an important role. Here we report the intrinsic photoresponse in biased but otherwise homogeneous graphene. In this classic photoconductivity experiment, the thermoelectric effects are insignificant. Instead, the photovoltaic and a photo-induced bolometric effect dominate the photoresponse due to hot photocarrier generation and subsequent lattice heating through electron-phonon cooling channels respectively. The measured photocurrent displays polarity reversal as it alternates between these two mechanisms in a backgate voltage sweep. Our analysis yields elevated electron and phonon temperatures, with the former an order higher than the latter, confirming that hot electrons drive the photovoltaic response of homogeneous graphene near the Dirac point

Chalcogenide Glass-on-Graphene Photonics

Two-dimensional (2-D) materials are of tremendous interest to integrated photonics given their singular optical characteristics spanning light emission, modulation, saturable absorption, and nonlinear optics. To harness their optical properties, these atomically thin materials are usually attached onto prefabricated devices via a transfer process. In this paper, we present a new route for 2-D material integration with planar photonics. Central to this approach is the use of chalcogenide glass, a multifunctional material which can be directly deposited and patterned on a wide variety of 2-D materials and can simultaneously function as the light guiding medium, a gate dielectric, and a passivation layer for 2-D materials. Besides claiming improved fabrication yield and throughput compared to the traditional transfer process, our technique also enables unconventional multilayer device geometries optimally designed for enhancing light-matter interactions in the 2-D layers. Capitalizing on this facile integration method, we demonstrate a series of high-performance glass-on-graphene devices including ultra-broadband on-chip polarizers, energy-efficient thermo-optic switches, as well as graphene-based mid-infrared (mid-IR) waveguide-integrated photodetectors and modulators

Particulate matter Air Pollution induces hypermethylation of the p16 promoter Via a mitochondrial ROS-JNK-DNMT1 pathway

Exposure of human populations to chronically elevated levels of ambient particulate matter air pollution < 2.5 μm in diameter (PM2.5) has been associated with an increase in lung cancer incidence. Over 70% of lung cancer cell lines exhibit promoter methylation of the tumor suppressor p16, an epigenetic modification that reduces its expression. We exposed mice to concentrated ambient PM2.5 via inhalation, 8 hours daily for 3 weeks and exposed primary murine alveolar epithelial cells to daily doses of fine urban PM (5 µg/cm2). In both mice and alveolar epithelial cells, PM exposure increased ROS production, expression of the DNA methyltransferase 1 (DNMT1), and methylation of the p16 promoter. In alveolar epithelial cells, increased transcription of DNMT1 and methylation of the p16 promoter were inhibited by a mitochondrially targeted antioxidant and a JNK inhibitor. These findings provide a potential mechanism by which PM exposure increases the risk of lung cancer