Superradiant lasing from J-aggregated molecules adsorbed onto colloidal silver

Cataloged from PDF version of article.The picosecond time-resolved emission spectrum of the cyanine dye 1,18-diethyl-3,38- bis-~3-sulfopropyl!-5,58,6,68-tetrachlorobenzimidazolocarbocyanine ~also known as BIC! adsorbed onto colloidal silver was examined as a function of laser pulse energy at room temperature. BIC is found to aggregate on colloidal silver, and the number of coherently responding molecules involved in the one-exciton state ~i.e., the coherence length! was estimated to involve 8–9 molecules. Lasing at a remarkably low incident pulse energy threshold was found for this system and explained in terms of a mechanism involving superradiant states created in coherently coupled adsorbed molecules that emit photons which stimulate emission from other spatially distributed superradiant states. © 1998 American Institute of Physics

The behavior of the I-V-T characteristics of inhomogeneous (Ni/Au)-Al0.3Ga0.7N/AlN/GaN heterostructures at high temperatures

Cataloged from PDF version of article.We investigated the behavior of the forward bias current-voltage-temperature (I-V-T) characteristics of inhomogeneous (Ni/Au)-Al0.3Ga0.7N/AlN/GaN heterostructures in the temperature range of 295-415 K. The experimental results show that all forward bias semilogarithmic I-V curves for the different temperatures have a nearly common cross point at a certain bias voltage, even with finite series resistance. At this cross point, the sample current is temperature independent. We also found that the values of series resistance (R-s) that were obtained from Cheung's method are strongly dependent on temperature and the values abnormally increased with increasing temperature. Moreover, the ideality factor (n), zero-bias barrier height (Phi(B0)) obtained from I-V curves, and R-s were found to be strongly temperature dependent and while Phi(B0) increases, n decreases with increasing temperature. Such behavior of Phi(B0) and n is attributed to Schottky barrier inhomogeneities by assuming a Gaussian distribution (GD) of the barrier heights (BHs) at the metal/semiconductor interface. We attempted to draw a Phi(B0) versus q/2kT plot in order to obtain evidence of the GD of BHs, and the values of (Phi) over bar (B0)=1.63 eV and sigma(0)=0.217 V for the mean barrier height and standard deviation at a zero bias, respectively, were obtained from this plot. Therefore, a modified ln(I-0/T-2)-q(2)sigma(2)(0)/2(kT)(2) versus q/kT plot gives Phi(B0) and Richardson constant A(*) as 1.64 eV and 34.25 A/cm(2) K-2, respectively, without using the temperature coefficient of the barrier height. The Richardson constant value of 34.25 A/cm(2) K-2 is very close to the theoretical value of 33.74 A/cm(2) K-2 for undoped Al0,3Ga0,7N. Therefore, it has been concluded that the temperature dependence of the forward I-V characteristics of the (Ni/Au)-Al0.3Ga0.7/AlN/GaN heterostructures can be successfully explained based on the thermionic emission mechanism with the GD of BHs. (c) 2007 American Institute of Physics

Nutritional status in Turkish cystic fibrosis patients

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The use of design representations for design communication : insights from practice

This research aims to reveal the factors which motivate designers to use particular design representations in their communication with different stakeholders. The study describes the types of design representations preferred by designers, why they prefe

The use of design representations for design communication : insights from practice

This research aims to reveal the factors which motivate designers to use particular design representations in their communication with different stakeholders. The study describes the types of design representations preferred by designers, why they prefe

Co-constructing stories : a participatory design technique to elicit in-depth user feedback and suggestions about design concepts

In this paper we introduce a participatory design technique for early, formative concept evaluations to elicit in-depth user feedback and suggestions, revealing attitudes and motivations of users. The technique is motivated by the link between memories, experiences and dreams, and is based on the assumption that users can make better judgments about novel design concepts if they link them to their past experiences. The technique involves user sessions consisting of two main phases, one focusing on recollecting past experiences in related contexts, and one focusing on envisioning future experiences that can be enabled by the use of the concept. In both phases, designer-user dialogue is established through storytelling. Storytelling is used by the designer to set the stage and to present the concept and by the user to communicate his past and anticipated future experiences. The technique results in joint stories about novel concepts. In this paper we explain the technique in detail. We discuss its theoretical background and relation to other user research methods. We share the insights that we gathered through first pilots. The paper concludes with a discussion about the use of this technique in the design process and future research

Evaluation of a candidate breast cancer associated SNP in ERCC4 as a risk modifier in BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation carriers. Results from the Consortium of Investigators of Modifiers of BRCA1/BRCA2 (CIMBA)

Background: In this study we aimed to evaluate the role of a SNP in intron 1 of the ERCC4 gene (rs744154), previously reported to be associated with a reduced risk of breast cancer in the general population, as a breast cancer risk modifier in BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation carriers. Methods: We have genotyped rs744154 in 9408 BRCA1 and 5632 BRCA2 mutation carriers from the Consortium of Investigators of Modifiers of BRCA1/2 (CIMBA) and assessed its association with breast cancer risk using a retrospective weighted cohort approach. Results: We found no evidence of association with breast cancer risk for BRCA1 (per-allele HR: 0.98, 95% CI: 0.93–1.04, P=0.5) or BRCA2 (per-allele HR: 0.97, 95% CI: 0.89–1.06, P=0.5) mutation carriers. Conclusion: This SNP is not a significant modifier of breast cancer risk for mutation carriers, though weak associations cannot be ruled out. A Osorio1, R L Milne2, G Pita3, P Peterlongo4,5, T Heikkinen6, J Simard7, G Chenevix-Trench8, A B Spurdle8, J Beesley8, X Chen8, S Healey8, KConFab9, S L Neuhausen10, Y C Ding10, F J Couch11,12, X Wang11, N Lindor13, S Manoukian4, M Barile14, A Viel15, L Tizzoni5,16, C I Szabo17, L Foretova18, M Zikan19, K Claes20, M H Greene21, P Mai21, G Rennert22, F Lejbkowicz22, O Barnett-Griness22, I L Andrulis23,24, H Ozcelik24, N Weerasooriya23, OCGN23, A-M Gerdes25, M Thomassen25, D G Cruger26, M A Caligo27, E Friedman28,29, B Kaufman28,29, Y Laitman28, S Cohen28, T Kontorovich28, R Gershoni-Baruch30, E Dagan31,32, H Jernström33, M S Askmalm34, B Arver35, B Malmer36, SWE-BRCA37, S M Domchek38, K L Nathanson38, J Brunet39, T Ramón y Cajal40, D Yannoukakos41, U Hamann42, HEBON37, F B L Hogervorst43, S Verhoef43, EB Gómez García44,45, J T Wijnen46,47, A van den Ouweland48, EMBRACE37, D F Easton49, S Peock49, M Cook49, C T Oliver49, D Frost49, C Luccarini50, D G Evans51, F Lalloo51, R Eeles52, G Pichert53, J Cook54, S Hodgson55, P J Morrison56, F Douglas57, A K Godwin58, GEMO59,60,61, O M Sinilnikova59,60, L Barjhoux59,60, D Stoppa-Lyonnet61, V Moncoutier61, S Giraud59, C Cassini62,63, L Olivier-Faivre62,63, F Révillion64, J-P Peyrat64, D Muller65, J-P Fricker65, H T Lynch66, E M John67, S Buys68, M Daly69, J L Hopper70, M B Terry71, A Miron72, Y Yassin72, D Goldgar73, Breast Cancer Family Registry37, C F Singer74, D Gschwantler-Kaulich74, G Pfeiler74, A-C Spiess74, Thomas v O Hansen75, O T Johannsson76, T Kirchhoff77, K Offit77, K Kosarin77, M Piedmonte78, G C Rodriguez79, K Wakeley80, J F Boggess81, J Basil82, P E Schwartz83, S V Blank84, A E Toland85, M Montagna86, C Casella87, E N Imyanitov88, A Allavena89, R K Schmutzler90, B Versmold90, C Engel91, A Meindl92, N Ditsch93, N Arnold94, D Niederacher95, H Deißler96, B Fiebig97, R Varon-Mateeva98, D Schaefer99, U G Froster100, T Caldes101, M de la Hoya101, L McGuffog49, A C Antoniou49, H Nevanlinna6, P Radice4,5 and J Benítez1,3 on behalf of CIMB

A bright future for colloidal quantum dot lasers

A

Superpulsed low-level laser therapy protects skeletal muscle of mdx mice against damage, inflammation and morphological changes delaying dystrophy progression.

Aim: To evaluate the effects of preventive treatment with low-level laser therapy (LLLT) on progression of dystrophy in mdx mice. Methods: Ten animals were randomly divided into 2 experimental groups treated with superpulsed LLLT (904 nm, 15 mW, 700 Hz, 1 J) or placebo-LLLT at one point overlying the tibialis anterior muscle (bilaterally) 5 times per week for 14 weeks (from 6th to 20th week of age). Morphological changes, creatine kinase (CK) activity and mRNA gene expression were assessed in animals at 20th week of age. Results: Animals treated with LLLT showed very few morphological changes in skeletal muscle, with less atrophy and fibrosis than animals treated with placebo-LLLT. CK was significantly lower (p = 0.0203) in animals treated with LLLT (864.70 U.l−1, SEM 226.10) than placebo (1708.00 U.l−1, SEM 184.60). mRNA gene expression of inflammatory markers was significantly decreased by treatment with LLLT (p<0.05): TNF-α (placebo-control = 0.51 µg/µl [SEM 0.12], - LLLT = 0.048 µg/µl [SEM 0.01]), IL-1β (placebo-control = 2.292 µg/µl [SEM 0.74], - LLLT = 0.12 µg/µl [SEM 0.03]), IL-6 (placebo-control = 3.946 µg/µl [SEM 0.98], - LLLT = 0.854 µg/µl [SEM 0.33]), IL-10 (placebo-control = 1.116 µg/µl [SEM 0.22], - LLLT = 0.352 µg/µl [SEM 0.15]), and COX-2 (placebo-control = 4.984 µg/µl [SEM 1.18], LLLT = 1.470 µg/µl [SEM 0.73]). Conclusion: Irradiation of superpulsed LLLT on successive days five times per week for 14 weeks decreased morphological changes, skeletal muscle damage and inflammation in mdx mice. This indicates that LLLT has potential to decrease progression of Duchenne muscular dystrophy

Growth and spectral characteristics of single crystal layer of KY(WO4)2 doped with Ho3+ions

We report on growth and characterization of Ho3+ doped KY(WO4)2 layers having high structural homogeneity and optical quality. The obtained samples of KGd0.028Yb0.047Y0.875 (WO4)2 layer doped with 5.0 at.% of Ho3+ content with a thickness of 140 μm have been prepared using liquid phase epitaxy method, the samples can be used as gain medium of planar waveguide lasers, emitting in the spectral range of about 2 mm