Boosting infrared energy transfer in 3D nanoporous gold antennas

The applications of plasmonics to energy transfer from free-space radiation to molecules are currently limited to the visible region of the electromagnetic spectrum due to the intrinsic optical properties of bulk noble metals that support strong electromagnetic field confinement only close to their plasma frequency in the visible/ultraviolet range. In this work, we show that nanoporous gold can be exploited as a plasmonic material for the mid-infrared region to obtain strong electromagnetic field confinement, co-localized with target molecules into the nanopores and resonant with their vibrational frequency. The effective optical response of the nanoporous metal enables the penetration of optical fields deep into the nanopores, where molecules can be loaded thus achieving a more efficient light–matter coupling if compared to bulk gold. In order to realize plasmonic resonators made of nanoporous gold, we develop a nanofabrication method based on polymeric templates for metal deposition and we obtain antenna arrays resonating at mid-infrared wavelengths selected by design. We then coat the antennas with a thin (3 nm) silica layer acting as the target dielectric layer for optical energy transfer. We study the strength of the light–matter coupling at the vibrational absorption frequency of silica at 1240 cm−1 through the analysis of the experimental Fano lineshape that is benchmarked against identical structures made of bulk gold. The boost in the optical energy transfer from free-space mid-infrared radiation to molecular vibrations in nanoporous 3D nanoantenna arrays can open new application routes for plasmon-enhanced physical–chemical reactions

A Human Torque Teno Virus Encodes a MicroRNA That Inhibits Interferon Signaling

Rodney P. Kincaid, James M. Burke, Jennifer C. Cox, Christopher S. Sullivan, The University of Texas at Austin, Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Austin, Texas, United States of AmericaEthel-Michele de Villiers, Division for the Characterization of Tumorviruses, Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum, Heidelberg, GermanyTorque teno viruses (TTVs) are a group of viruses with small, circular DNA genomes. Members of this family are thought to ubiquitously infect humans, although causal disease associations are currently lacking. At present, there is no understanding of how infection with this diverse group of viruses is so prevalent. Using a combined computational and synthetic approach, we predict and identify miRNA-coding regions in diverse human TTVs and provide evidence for TTV miRNA production in vivo. The TTV miRNAs are transcribed by RNA polymerase II, processed by Drosha and Dicer, and are active in RISC. A TTV mutant defective for miRNA production replicates as well as wild type virus genome; demonstrating that the TTV miRNA is dispensable for genome replication in a cell culture model. We demonstrate that a recombinant TTV genome is capable of expressing an exogenous miRNA, indicating the potential utility of TTV as a small RNA vector. Gene expression profiling of host cells identifies N-myc (and STAT) interactor (NMI) as a target of a TTV miRNA. NMI transcripts are directly regulated through a binding site in the 3′UTR. SiRNA knockdown of NMI contributes to a decreased response to interferon signaling. Consistent with this, we show that a TTV miRNA mediates a decreased response to IFN and increased cellular proliferation in the presence of IFN. Thus, we add Annelloviridae to the growing list of virus families that encode miRNAs, and suggest that miRNA-mediated immune evasion can contribute to the pervasiveness associated with some of these viruses.This work was supported by grants RO1AI077746 from the National Institutes of Health, RP110098 from the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas, a Burroughs Wellcome Investigators in Pathogenesis Award to CSS, a UT Austin Powers Graduate Fellowship to RPK, a UT Austin Institute for Cellular and Molecular Biology fellowship, and the DKFZ for EMdV. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.Molecular BiosciencesMicrobiologyEmail: [email protected]

Dynamics of uniaxial hard ellipsoids

We study the dynamics of monodisperse hard ellipsoids via a new event-driven molecular dynamics algorithm as a function of volume fraction $\phi$ and aspect ratio $X_0$. We evaluate the translational $D_{trans}$ and the rotational $D_{rot}$ diffusion coefficient and the associated isodiffusivity lines in the $\phi-X_0$ plane. We observe a decoupling of the translational and rotational dynamics which generates an almost perpendicular crossing of the $D_{trans}$ and $D_{rot}$ isodiffusivity lines. While the self intermediate scattering function exhibits stretched relaxation, i.e. glassy dynamics, only for large $\phi$ and $X_0 \approx 1$, the second order orientational correlator $C_2(t)$ shows stretching only for large and small $X_0$ values. We discuss these findings in the context of a possible pre-nematic order driven glass transition.Comment: accepted by Phys. Rev. Let

Linac4 DTL Prototype: Theoretical Model, Simulation and Low Energy Measurements

A one meter long hot prototype of the LINAC4 DTL, built in a collaboration with INFN Legnaro, was delivered to CERN in 2008. It was then copper plated at CERN is and is presently prepared for high-power testing at the CERN test stand in SM18. In this paper we present 2D/3D simulations and the first RF low-power measurements to verify the electromagnetic properties of the cavity and to tune it before the high-power RF tests. In particular, the influence of the post couplers was studied in order to guarantee stabilization of the accelerating field during operation. We present an equivalent circuit model of the DTL, together with a comparison of 3D simulations and measurement results for the hot model

Complex phenotype in an Italian family with a novel mutation in SPG3A.

Mutations in the SPG3A gene represent a significant cause of autosomal dominant hereditary spastic paraplegia with early onset and pure phenotype. We describe an Italian family manifesting a complex phenotype, characterized by cerebellar involvement in the proband and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis-like syndrome in her father, in association with a new mutation in SPG3A. Our findings further widen the notion of clinical heterogeneity in SPG3A mutations

Predictions for Triple Stars with and without a Pulsar in Star Clusters

Though about 80 pulsar binaries have been detected in globular clusters so far, no pulsar has been found in a triple system in which all three objects are of comparable mass. Here we present predictions for the abundance of such triple systems, and for the most likely characteristics of these systems. Our predictions are based on an extensive set of more than 500 direct simulations of star clusters with primordial binaries, and a number of additional runs containing primordial triples. Our simulations employ a number N_{tot} of equal mass stars from N_{tot}=512 to N_{tot}=19661 and a primordial binary fraction from 0-50%. In addition, we validate our results against simulations with N=19661 that include a mass spectrum with a turn-off mass at 0.8 M_{sun}, appropriate to describe the old stellar populations of galactic globular clusters. Based on our simulations, we expect that typical triple abundances in the core of a dense cluster are two orders of magnitude lower than the binary abundances, which in itself already suggests that we don't have to wait too long for the first comparable-mass triple with a pulsar to be detected.Comment: 11 pages, minor changes to match MNRAS accepted versio

High-precision estimate of g4 in the 2D Ising model

We compute the renormalized four-point coupling in the 2d Ising model using transfer-matrix techniques. We greatly reduce the systematic uncertainties which usually affect this type of calculations by using the exact knowledge of several terms in the scaling function of the free energy. Our final result is g4=14.69735(3).Comment: 17 pages, revised version with minor changes, accepted for publication in Journal of Physics