Effects of disorder on propagation losses and cavity Q-factors in photonic crystal slabs

A theoretical model of disorder for the etched holes or pillars in a generic two-dimensional photonic crystal slab is presented. This model is employed to calculate the effects of size disorder on propagation losses in linear photonic crystal waveguides as well as on quality (Q)-factors in photonic crystal nano-cavities. The main results obtained by the present theory and shown in this work are: (a) large single-mode bandwidth and low-loss (<0.1 dB/mm) propagation of light is predicted for increased-width membrane-type photonic crystal waveguides, (b) pillar-based lattices show reduced sensitivity to size fluctuations than hole-based ones, (c) the effects of disorder on cavity Q-factors are quantitatively evaluated. An extension of the model is also introduced in order to take into account the side-wall micro-roughness of the perfectly vertical holes, and preliminary results of this more general approach are discussed.     

Screening of rationally designed oligopeptides for Listeria monocytogenes detection by means of a high density colorimetric microarray

The aim of this work was to optimize, by means of molecular modeling software, biomimetic-based traps for pathogen detection suitable for analytical applications like screening or pre-analytical methods. The pathogen prototype system chosen was Listeria monocytogenes because of the large number of X ray and NMR structures available. 298 oligopeptides were computationally designed mimicking the binding pocket of the mammalian protein E-cadherin, the target of Listeria monocytogenes adhesion, internalin A. The contribution of individual peptides to bind was investigated using FRED, a protein-ligand docking program. Ten peptides were selected for experimental analysis taking as selection parameters the length, the position in the docking pocket and the score of simulated binding energy. A series of competition assays were carried out using high density colorimetric microarray using various bacteria species (Listeria monocytogenes, Listeria monocytogenes genetically modified without internalin A, Listeria innocua and Lactococcus lactis) in solution with computationally selected peptides. The data demonstrated that peptides could be able to distinguish Listeria monocytogenes with an EC₅₀ up to 10⁷cfu × mL^?1. In particular the peptide with the best calculated binding score gave the highest statistically unambiguous response toward Listeria monocytogenes compared to other bacteria, demonstrating that rationally simulated approach can be useful as preliminary screening in the choice of biomimetic ligands.     

Real points in the fibres of dominant maps defined overR

Letf: X → Y be a dominant map between real algebraic varieties of the same dimension. The object of this paper is the study of the map which sends every pointy ∈ Y to the number of real points inf ⁻¹ (y). We give a sufficient condition ony to ensure that the above map is locally constant iny. Moreover, we consider the subset ofY where this map is no more locally constant and we give the principal properties of this set.

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Sunto Siaf: X → Y un morfismo dominante tra varietà algebriche reali della stessa dimensione. In questo articolo si studia la mappa che associa ad ogni puntoy ∈ Y il numero di punti reali inf ⁻¹ (y); in particolare si dà una condizione sufficiente suy affinchè tale mappa sia costante in un suo intorno. Inoltre, si considera il sottoinsieme diY in cui tale mappa non è più localmente costante e si danno le principali proprietà di tale insieme.

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The work was written while both the authors were members of the G.N.S.A.G.A. of the Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche.     

On the divisor class groups of localizations,completions and veronesean subrings of z-graded krull domains

Summary LetR be aZ-graded, noetherian, integral domain. This paper deals mainly with the divisor class groups of localizations and completions with respect to an α-adic topology (α homogeneous) ofR. Some technical results are used to study the Veronesean subrings ofR.

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Riassunto SiaR un dominioZ-graduato, noetheriano. Questo articolo tratta principalmente il gruppo di classi di divisori di localizzazioni e completamenti rispetto ad una topologia α-adica (α omogeneo) diR. Alcuni risultati tecnici vengono applicati allo studio dei sottoanelli Veronesiani diR.

     

Boson Fields on the Circle as Generalized Wightman Fields

We define an operator-valued distribution on the circle with the expected properties (correlation functions, Hermiticity, etc.) of the logarithmic boson field in the cylinder compact picture. This is done starting from the known Krein space realization of the right and left movers on the light cone and considering its relation with the U(1)-current algebra. The relevance of this construction fortwo-dimensional conformal quantum field theory is discussed.     

On a problem on chamber systems

It is well known that a geometry belonging to a disconnected diagram is the direct sum of geometries corresponding to the connected components of the diagram. On the other hand, chamber systems with a disconnected diagram exist which do not split as direct products of components of smaller rank. Many finite examples of this kind are discussed in Groups of Lie Type and their Geometries (CUP, 1995, pp. 185–214), but none of them is simply connected. In this article, we construct a simply connected finite example.     

Can Monte Carlo detect the absence of ordering in a model liquid crystal?

We investigate the possibility of inferring the absence of an ordered phase using Monte Carlo simulations. The example we have chosen is that of a one dimensional Lebwohl-Lasher model, where an analytic solution is available. We argue that Monte Carlo can be of help even in this delicate sector notwithstanding the complications created by periodic boundary conditions.     

Sul teorema di unicità per le equazioni del campo elettromagnetico in un plasma

Sunto Si dimostrano alcuni teoremi di unicità per le equazioni non-lineari del campo elettromagnetico in un plasma in cui si tiene conto della pressione dei corpuscoli elettrici. I teoremi sono sempre dimostrati nel caso non stazionario, anzitutto supponendo che il plasma occupi tutto lo spazio, poi vengono estesi al caso di un dominio finito con opportune ipotesi alla frontiera. Infine si ottengono teoremi di unicità nel caso in cui, per effetto di campo magnetico, la pressione diventa anisotropa. A Bruno Finzi nel suo 70^mo compleanno Lavoro eseguito nell'ambito dell'attività dei gruppi di ricerca del C. N R. Entrata in Redazione il 19 gennaio 1970.     

Direct measurement of the counterion distribution within swollen polyelectrolyte films

The depth profile of the counterion concentration within thin polyelectrolyte films was measured in situ using contrast variant specular neutron reflectivity to characterize the initial swelling stage of the film dissolution. We find substantial counterion depletion near the substrate and enrichment near the periphery of the film extending into the solution. These observations challenge our understanding of the charge distribution in polyelectrolyte films and are important for understanding film dissolution in medical and technological applications.