Tunable Localization and Oscillation of Coupled Plasmon Waves in Graded Plasmonic Chains

The localization (confinement) of coupled plasmon modes, named as gradons, has been studied in metal nanoparticle chains immersed in a graded dielectric host. We exploited the time evolution of various initial wavepackets formed by the linear combination of the coupled modes. We found an important interplay between the localization of plasmonic gradons and the oscillation in such graded plasmonic chains. Unlike in optical superlattices, gradient cannot always lead to Bloch oscillations, which can only occur for wavepackets consisting of particular types of gradons. Moreover, the wavepackets will undergo different forms of oscillations. The correspondence can be applied to design a variety of optical devices by steering among various oscillations.Comment: Sumitted to Journal of Applied Physic

Optimal Geo-Indistinguishable Mechanisms for Location Privacy

We consider the geo-indistinguishability approach to location privacy, and the trade-off with respect to utility. We show that, given a desired degree of geo-indistinguishability, it is possible to construct a mechanism that minimizes the service quality loss, using linear programming techniques. In addition we show that, under certain conditions, such mechanism also provides optimal privacy in the sense of Shokri et al. Furthermore, we propose a method to reduce the number of constraints of the linear program from cubic to quadratic, maintaining the privacy guarantees and without affecting significantly the utility of the generated mechanism. This reduces considerably the time required to solve the linear program, thus enlarging significantly the location sets for which the optimal mechanisms can be computed.Comment: 13 page

Monte Carlo Simulation of the Short-time Behaviour of the Dynamic XY Model

Dynamic relaxation of the XY model quenched from a high temperature state to the critical temperature or below is investigated with Monte Carlo methods. When a non-zero initial magnetization is given, in the short-time regime of the dynamic evolution the critical initial increase of the magnetization is observed. The dynamic exponent $\theta$ is directly determined. The results show that the exponent $\theta$ varies with respect to the temperature. Furthermore, it is demonstrated that this initial increase of the magnetization is universal, i.e. independent of the microscopic details of the initial configurations and the algorithms.Comment: 14 pages with 5 figures in postscrip

Search for Compact Extragalactic Radio Sources Near Massive Star Forming Regions

We have used the Very Large Array to search for compact milliarcsecond-size radio sources near methanol masers in high-mass star-forming regions. Such sources are required for Very Long Baseline Interferometry phase-referencing observations. We conducted pointed observations of 234 compact sources found in the NVSS survey and find 92 sources with unresolved components and synchrotron spectral indexes. These sources are likely the cores of AGNs and, thus, good candidates for astrometric calibrators.Comment: 23 pages, lots of figures, accepted in ApJ

Collider Interplay for Supersymmetry, Higgs and Dark Matter

We discuss the potential impacts on the CMSSM of future LHC runs and possible electron-positron and higher-energy proton-proton colliders, considering searches for supersymmetry via MET events, precision electroweak physics, Higgs measurements and dark matter searches. We validate and present estimates of the physics reach for exclusion or discovery of supersymmetry via MET searches at the LHC, which should cover the low-mass regions of the CMSSM parameter space favoured in a recent global analysis. As we illustrate with a low-mass benchmark point, a discovery would make possible accurate LHC measurements of sparticle masses using the MT2 variable, which could be combined with cross-section and other measurements to constrain the gluino, squark and stop masses and hence the soft supersymmetry-breaking parameters m_0, m_{1/2} and A_0 of the CMSSM. Slepton measurements at CLIC would enable m_0 and m_{1/2} to be determined with high precision. If supersymmetry is indeed discovered in the low-mass region, precision electroweak and Higgs measurements with a future circular electron-positron collider (FCC-ee, also known as TLEP) combined with LHC measurements would provide tests of the CMSSM at the loop level. If supersymmetry is not discovered at the LHC, is likely to lie somewhere along a focus-point, stop coannihilation strip or direct-channel A/H resonance funnel. We discuss the prospects for discovering supersymmetry along these strips at a future circular proton-proton collider such as FCC-hh. Illustrative benchmark points on these strips indicate that also in this case FCC-ee could provide tests of the CMSSM at the loop level.Comment: 47 pages, 26 figure

Critical role of canonical transient receptor potential channel 7 in initiation of seizures

Status epilepticus (SE) is a life-threatening disease that has been recognized since antiquity but still causes over 50,000 deaths annually in the United States. The prevailing view on the pathophysiology of SE is that it is sustained by a loss of normal inhibitory mechanisms of neuronal activity. However, the early process leading to the initiation of SE is not well understood. Here, we show that, as seen in electroencephalograms, SE induced by the muscarinic agonist pilocarpine in mice is preceded by a specific increase in the gamma wave, and genetic ablation of canonical transient receptor potential channel (TRPC) 7 significantly reduces this pilocarpine-induced increase of gamma wave activity, preventing the occurrence of SE. At the cellular level, TRPC7 plays a critical role in the generation of spontaneous epileptiform burst firing in cornu ammonis (CA) 3 pyramidal neurons in brain slices. At the synaptic level, TRPC7 plays a significant role in the long-term potentiation at the CA3 recurrent collateral synapses and Schaffer collateral-CA1 synapses, but not at the mossy fiber-CA3 synapses. Taken together, our data suggest that epileptiform burst firing generated in the CA3 region by activity-dependent enhancement of recurrent collateral synapses may be an early event in the initiation process of SE and that TRPC7 plays a critical role in this cellular event. Our findings reveal that TRPC7 is intimately involved in the initiation of seizures both in vitro and in vivo. To our knowledge, this contribution to initiation of seizures is the first identified functional role for the TRPC7 ion channel.Fil: Phelan, K. D.. University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences; Estados UnidosFil: Shwe, U. T.. University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences; Estados UnidosFil: Abramowitz, J.. National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences; Estados Unidos. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Birnbaumer, Lutz. National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences; Estados UnidosFil: Zheng, F.. University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences; Estados Unido