Photon-Assisted Quasiparticle Transport and Andreev Transport through an Interacting Quantum Dot

Resonant tunneling through a quantum dot coupled to superconducting reservoirs in the presence of time-dependent external voltage has been studied. A general formula of the current is derived based on the nonequilibrium Green's function technique. Using this formula photon-assisted quasiparticle transport has been investigated for the quantum dot connected to superconductors. In addition, resonant Andreev transport through a strongly correlated quantum dot connected to a normal metallic lead and a superconducting lead is studied.Comment: 9 pages(1 column) with 3 figure

Semi-analytic simulations of microring resonators with scattering elements

This thesis presents theoretical and numerical simulation results of a microring resonator with a scattering element inserted. The spectral reflection of the scattering element can be engineered to realize wavelength-selective reflection for the integrated microring. In particular, a Fabry-Perot element can be used to produce reflection spectrum with a comb of peaks, whereas a carefully designed distributed Bragg grating can be inserted to realize single peak reflection at the design wavelength. Furthermore, a grating etalon can be used to obtain an ultra-narrow transmission filter or sharp cut-off mirror. The thesis will present semi-analytical solutions to easily anticipate the resultant reflection from the ring for a given scattering element. The results are presented graphically to facilitate understanding of the effects of various design parameters. The structures are candidates for compact planar wavelength-selective mirrors, filters, and switches for dense photonic integrated circuits

Chemopreventive glucosinolate accumulation in various broccoli and collard tissues: Microfluidic-based targeted transcriptomics for by-product valorization

Floret, leaf, and root tissues were harvested from broccoli and collard cultivars and extracted to determine their glucosinolate and hydrolysis product profiles using high performance liquid chromatography and gas chromotography. Quinone reductase inducing bioactivity, an estimate of anti-cancer chemopreventive potential, of the extracts was measured using a hepa1c1c7 murine cell line. Extracts from root tissues were significantly different from other tissues and contained high levels of gluconasturtiin and glucoerucin. Targeted gene expression analysis on glucosinolate biosynthesis revealed that broccoli root tissue has elevated gene expression of AOP2 and low expression of FMOGS-OX homologs, essentially the opposite of what was observed in broccoli florets, which accumulated high levels of glucoraphanin. Broccoli floret tissue has significantly higher nitrile formation (%) and epithionitrile specifier protein gene expression than other tissues. This study provides basic information of the glucosinolate metabolome and transcriptome for various tissues of Brassica oleracea that maybe utilized as potential byproducts for the nutraceutical market

Radio Protective Effects of Ginseng Extract in Gamma-Rays Induced Chromosomal Damages of Human Lymphocyte

Ginsan, a polysaccharide extracted from Panax ginseng and subsequently referred as ginseng, posses various biological properties as an anticancer and antioxidant agent. Ginseng also approved effective against radiation effects through its immunomodulating actions in whole body irradiated mouse. But its protective effects on radiation induced DNA damage are not thoroughly investigated, mainly in human. This experiment aimed to assess the effects of ginseng at 2 working doses in suppressing radiation effects of human peripheral blood lymphocyte (PBL) i.e. chromosome aberration and micronuclei yields. The treatment times were 24 hours before, subsequently (0 hour) or 3 hours after and irradiation with gamma rays at doses of 0.5 - 2.0 Gy (dose rate of 3.16 Gy/min). Treated and untreated blood cultivation and metaphase spreading technique was done according to standard procedures. Results showed that without ginseng treatments, radiation significantly increased dicentrics and micronuclei frequencies. Different with the results in mouse study, however, our results indicated that none of the experimental concentrations of ginseng crude water extract tested had an effect on baseline chromosomal aberration and micronuclei (MN) yields in PBL. A protective effect was only seen in chromosome aberration yields of sample irradiated with 2.0 Gy and treated with ginseng 3 h post irradiation rather than 24 h pre-irradiation in one volunteer. Opposite results that ginseng suspected to be a weak radiosensitizer was found in some cases. This may be due to discrepancies exist in route of treatment and its fundamental mechanisms of protective action between both studies. Even though in general it was not effective, the possible mechanism involved in radioprotective influence of ginseng is discussed

Nanopores of carbon nanotubes as practical hydrogen storage media

We report on hydrogen desorption mechanisms in the nanopores of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs). The as-grown MWCNTs show continuous walls that do not provide sites for hydrogen storage under ambient conditions. However, after treating the nanotubes with oxygen plasma to create nanopores in the MWCNTs, we observed the appearance of a new hydrogen desorption peak in the 300–350 K range. Furthermore, the calculations of density functional theory and molecular dynamics simulations confirmed that this peak could be attributed to the hydrogen that is physically adsorbed inside nanopores whose diameter is approximately 1 nm. Thus, we demonstrated that 1 nm nanopores in MWCNTs offer a promising route to hydrogen storage media for onboard practical applications