Unidirectional optical Bloch oscillations in asymmetric waveguide arrays

We present an analytical proof of the existence of unidirectional optical Bloch oscillations in a waveguide array system. It is shown that the presence of nonreciprocity in the system allows for a complete normal-mode dephasing in one of the propagation directions, resulting in a unidirectional breakdown in Bloch oscillations. A model system consisting of an array of transversely magnetized asymmetric Si/SiO2 waveguides with a magneto-optic cover layer is presented. Large index contrasts between film and cover are critical for practical realizations.     

Collinear laser spectroscopy with reverse-extracted bunched beams at TRIUMF

Collinear laser spectroscopy with reverse-extracted cooled bunched beams was performed at TRIUMF with radioactive ion beams. Surface-ionized ^78,78mRb ions were injected into TITAN??s cooler-buncher, and reverse-extracted to the laser beam line. There they were neutralised and excited with a counter-propagating laser beam. The fluorescence signal from the D ₂ line was recorded with a photomultiplier tube. The cooler provided typically 50 ion bunches per second, with each bunch containing approximately 10⁵ ions, temporally distributed with a 1.6 ??s width. A hardware gate was set on the signal, suppressing the background by four orders of magnitude.     

Neutron scattering study of water confined in periodic mesoporous organosilicas

A series of quasi-elastic neutron scattering measurements were performed using IN6 at the Institute Laue Langevin for a mesoporous organosilica material with phenyl functions, called phenyltriethoxysilane (PTES). The aim of the experiment was to study the diffusion dynamics of nano-scale water clusters inside the hydrophobic pores as a function of temperature and hydration. By fitting the Debye-Waller factor, the data show clearly the different behavior between water, both inside and outside the hydrophobic pores, which resembles bulk water. The mean thermal displacement 〈u²〉 of the external water increases with T almost linearly up to 353 K, while the internal water quickly reaches the maximum at T∼323 K, indicating the confinement by an averaged pore diameter of the porous organosilica.     

Resistive switching in Ag–TiO2 contacts

We study the electric pulse induced resistance switching of TiO₂–Ag contacts at room temperature, exploring both unipolar and bipolar switching modes. Initially we observed unipolar response. After hundred pulsing cycles the unipolar switching response vanishes but the device can still be operated in bipolar switching regime. The underlying mechanism for resistance switching is modeled in terms of formation and rupture of filament, and movement of oxygen vacancies.     

On the Fredholm and Weyl Spectra of Several Commuting Operators

In the paper the local structure of the Fredholm joint spectrum of commuting n-tuples of operators is considered. A connection between the spatial characteristics of operators and the algebraic invariants of the corresponding coherent sheaves is investigated. A new notion of Weyl joint spectrum of commuting n-tuple is introduced.     

The Forbes 400, the Pareto power-law and efficient markets

Statistical regularities at the top end of the wealth distribution in the United States are examined using the Forbes 400 lists of richest Americans, published between 1988 and 2003. It is found that the wealths are distributed according to a power-law (Pareto) distribution. This result is explained using a simple stochastic model of multiple investors that incorporates the efficient market hypothesis as well as the multiplicative nature of financial market fluctuations.     

Cyclic reservation schemes for efficient operation of multiple-queue single-server systems

We study two new cyclic reservation schemes for the efficient operation of systems consisting of a single server and multiple queues. The schemes are the Globally Gated regime and the Cyclic-Reservation Multiple-Access (CRMA). Both procedures possess mechanisms for prioritizing the queues and lend themselves to a closed-form analysis. The combination of these two properties allows for effective and efficient operation of the systems, for which we provide a thorough delay analysis and derive simple rules for optimal operation.     

Local release polymeric-controlled immunotherapy of cardiac transplants in rats

Systemic immunosuppression frequently results in severe side effects. To evaluate a method of limiting the adverse effects of immunosuppression, we implanted controlled release matrices containing cyclosporine-A (Cy) embedded (0.2 or 1 mg/kg/day released), steroid embedded (2%, 0.2% and 0.02% dexamethasone, Dex) or both (Cy 0.2 mg and Dex 0.2%) locally around the transplanted heart at the time of rat heterotopic (neck) heart transplants. Controls received empty (non-drug) matrix implants. To elucidate a local effect, additional groups received Cy (0.2 mg) or Dex (0.2%) matrix implanted in a subdermal distal leg pouch at the time of heart transplant, without a local neck implant. Rejection was determined by the lack of transplanted heart contractions. Recipient animals received no other form of immunosuppression. The Cy (0.2 mg) animals had whole-blood Cy levels monitored for 6 weeks following transplantation. Cy levels peaked at 7–10 days after transplant (119 ± 26 ng/ml) and decayed to <50 ng/ml by day 42. At no time did whole-blood Cy levels reach clinically significant levels. Additional animals had whole-blood, heart and kidney Cy levels measured at day 6 post-transplant. Both doses of local Cy demonstrated good survival benefit and were well absorbed locally, resulting in high Cy levels in heart tissue (>9,000 ng/mg). Furthermore, while low-dose Cy (0.2 mg) demonstrated significant survival benefit, these animals had clinically negligible blood Cy levels on day 6 (<100 ng/ml) and very low kidney Cy levels. Interestingly, the lowest dose of Dex demonstrated no survival benefit, while the mid- and high-Dex doses demonstrated good survival benefit: however, the high-Dex dose had poor wound healing. Cy and Dex combination did not increase efficacy, perhaps due to release problems from physicochemical interactions. Local immunosuppression with a controlled release matrix resulted in a significant survival advantage and was effective in delaying rejection. This approach may prove advantageous clinically, in extending transplantation and lessening immunosuppression side effects.     

Aetherische Oele

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