The influence of hyperoxia on regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF), regional cerebral blood volume (rCBV) and cerebral blood flow velocity in the middle cerebral artery (CBFVMCA) in human volunteers

Conflicting results reported on the effects of hyperoxia on cerebral hemodynamics have been attributed mainly to methodical and species differences. In the present study contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) perfusion measurement was used to analyze the influence of hyperoxia (fraction of inspired oxygen (FiO2) = 1.0) on regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) and regional cerebral blood volume (rCBV) in awake, normoventilating volunteers (n = 19). Furthermore, the experiment was repeated in 20 volunteers for transcranial Doppler sonography (TCD) measurement of cerebral blood flow velocity in the middle cerebral artery (CBFV(MCA)). When compared to normoxia (FiO2 = 0.21), hyperoxia heterogeneously influenced rCBV (4.95 +/- 0.02 to 12.87 +/- 0.08 mL/100g (FiO2 = 0.21) vs. 4.50 +/- 0.02 to 13.09 +/- 0.09 mL/100g (FiO2 = 1.0). In contrast, hyperoxia diminished rCBF in all regions (68.08 +/- 0.38 to 199.58 +/- 1.58 mL/100g/min (FiO2 = 0.21) vs. 58.63 +/- 0.32 to 175.16 +/- 1.51 mL/100g/min (FiO2 = 1.0)) except in parietal and left frontal gray matter. CBFV(MCA) remained unchanged regardless of the inspired oxygen fraction (62 +/- 9 cm/s (FiO2 = 0.21) vs. 64 +/- 8 cm/s (FiO2 = 1.0)). Finding CBFV(MCA) unchanged during hyperoxia is consistent with the present study's unchanged rCBF in parietal and left frontal gray matter. In these fronto-parietal regions predominantly fed by the middle cerebral artery, the vasoconstrictor effect of oxygen was probably counteracted by increased perfusion of foci of neuronal activity controlling general behavior and arousal.     

A study of the structural phase transition in strontium titanate single crystal by coherent and incoherent second optical harmonic generation

The surface phase transition in a SrTiO₃ crystal was studied by second optical harmonic generation. Nonlinear optical response singularities were observed at temperature T*=145 K, which was 40 K higher than the T_c structural phase transition temperature in the crystal volume. Nonlinear critical opalescence in the crystal volume caused by the presence of point defects was studied. The second harmonic field and the intensity of critical opalescence were calculated based on the phenomenological model of nonlinear optical processes with the use of the Landau theory of phase transitions.     

Dynamical precursor of nematic order in a dense fluid of hard ellipsoids of revolution

We investigate hard ellipsoids of revolution in a parameter regime where no long range nematic order is present but already finite-size domains are formed which show orientational order. Domain formation leads to a substantial slowing down of a collective rotational mode which separates well from the usual microscopic frequency regime. A dynamic coupling of this particular mode into all other modes provides a general mechanism which explains an excess peak in spectra of molecular fluids. Using molecular dynamics simulation on up to 4096 particles and on solving the molecular mode coupling equation we investigate dynamic properties of the peak and prove its orientational origin. Received 19 September 2001 and Received in final form 19 March 2002     

Energy-filtered electron microscopy for imaging core–shell nanostructures

CuAg core–shell nanoparticles are synthesized by ultra-high vacuum thermal evaporation. We show on this system how the Energy-Filtered Transmission Electron Microscopy (EFTEM) technique allows one to improve the characterization by precisely pointing out the formation of core–shell arrangements in bimetallic nanoparticle assemblies. A criterion to measure the shell thickness from EFTEM images on unique core–shell nanoparticles is defined, that can be used for core–shell nanoparticles of any sizes, with shell thicknesses over 1 nm. It is based on the intensity variation along a line drawn across a core–shell nanoparticle on a EFTEM image. This criterion has been validated by a close comparison of the shell thickness measurements performed in this work and the ones obtained by acoustic micro-Raman spectroscopy. Using this criterion, we report a strong correlation between the size of the Cu cores and the formation of the core–shell arrangements in the nanoparticle assembly studied in this work. The influence of the Cu core shape is also evidenced. The characterisation of such systems using High Resolution TEM (HRTEM) is also discussed.     

Spectrally selective organic photodiodes

We report on the fabrication of spectrally selective organic photodiodes (OPDs) and present a green sensitive OPD, whose spectral response peaks in the green region between 470 nm and 560 nm, as well as a red sensitive OPD whose spectral response peaks in the red region between 610 nm to 720 nm. We show that the spectral sensitivity of OPDs can be tuned by either choosing organic semiconductors with the appropriate photoresponse or by utilizing adequate device architectures with integrated optical filters. The results demonstrate the great flexibility of organic semiconductor materials. (© 2008 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Gauge Fixing for Logarithmic Connections Over Curves and the Riemann-Hilbert Problem

Let be a compact Riemann surface of genus g, X={x₁, ..., x_n} a finite set of points, and ¹(log X) be the sheaf of 1-forms,holomorphic over \X and generated near x_j by dz_j/z_j for a coordinatez_j centred at x_j.     

Heat Kernel Estimates and LP Spectral Independence of Elliptic Operators

Let be an open subset of R^d, and let T_p for p[1, ) be consistentC₀-semigroups given by kernels that satisfy an upper heat kernelestimate. Denoting their generators by A_p, we show that thespectrum (A_p) is independent of p[1, ). We also treat the caseof weighted L^p-spaces for weights that satisfy a subexponentialgrowth condition. An example shows that independence of thespectrum may fail for an exponential weight. 1991 MathematicsSubject Classification 47D06, 47A10, 35P05.     

Two-photon decay in strong central fields observed for the case of He-like gold

The photon energy differential shape of the second order matrix element for the two-photon (2E1) decay of the 1s2s¹S₀ level in He-like gold has been measured. The results are in agreement with a recent fully relativistic calculation. The corresponding 2E1 matrix element deviates from those in lighter He-like systems due to the strong central field in a heavy two-electron ion.     

Nonlinear eigenvalue problems for quasilinear equations in unbounded domains

We prove the existence of a solution of the nonlinear equation in IR^N and in exterior domains, respectively. We concentrate to the case when p ≥ N and the nonlinearity f(x, · ) is “superlinear” and “subcritical”.     

Gauge symmetries and percolation in ±J Ising spin glasses

We consider the ±J spin glass on a finite graph G=(V,E), with i.i.d. couplings. Our approach considers the Z ₂ local gauge invariance of the system. We see the gauge group as a graph theoretic linear code ? over GF(2). The gauge is fixed by choosing a convenient linear supplement of ?. Assuming some relation between the disorder parameter p and the inverse temperature of the thermal bath β _pb , we study percolation in the random interaction random cluster model, and extend the results to dilute spin glasses. Received: 5 May 1997 / Revised version: 9 April 1998