Spontaneous hot-electron light emission from electron-fed optical antennas

Nanoscale electronics and photonics are among the most promising research areas providing functional nano-components for data transfer and signal processing. By adopting metal-based optical antennas as a disruptive technological vehicle, we demonstrate that these two device-generating technologies can be interfaced to create an electronically-driven self-emitting unit. This nanoscale plasmonic transmitter operates by injecting electrons in a contacted tunneling antenna feedgap. Under certain operating conditions, we show that the antenna enters a highly nonlinear regime in which the energy of the emitted photons exceeds the quantum limit imposed by the applied bias. We propose a model based upon the spontaneous emission of hot electrons that correctly reproduces the experimental findings. The electron-fed optical antennas described here are critical devices for interfacing electrons and photons, enabling thus the development of optical transceivers for on-chip wireless broadcasting of information at the nanoscale

Aubry sets for weakly coupled systems of Hamilton--Jacobi equations

We introduce a notion of Aubry set for weakly coupled systems of Hamilton--Jacobi equations on the torus and characterize it as the region where the obstruction to the existence of globally strict critical subsolutions concentrates. As in the case of a single equation, we prove the existence of critical subsolutions which are strict and smooth outside the Aubry set. This allows us to derive in a simple way a comparison result among critical sub and supersolutions with respect to their boundary data on the Aubry set, showing in particular that the latter is a uniqueness set for the critical system. We also highlight some rigidity phenomena taking place on the Aubry set.Comment: 35 pages v.2 the introduction has been rewritten and shortened. Some proofs simplified. Corrections and references added. Corollary 5.3 added stating antisymmetry of the Ma\~n\'e matrix on points of the Aubry set. Section 6 contains a new example

Proteomic and functional analyses of the virion transmembrane proteome of cyprinid herpesvirus 3

Virion transmembrane proteins (VTPs) mediate key functions in the herpesvirus infectious cycle. Cyprinid herpesvirus 3 (CyHV-3) is the archetype of fish alloherpesviruses. The present study was devoted to CyHV-3 VTPs. Using mass spectrometry approaches, we identified 16 VTPs of the CyHV-3 FL strain. Mutagenesis experiments demonstrated that eight of these proteins are essential for viral growth in vitro (ORF32, ORF59, ORF81, ORF83, ORF99, ORF106, ORF115, and ORF131), and eight are non-essential (ORF25, ORF64, ORF65, ORF108, ORF132, ORF136, ORF148, and ORF149). Among the non-essential proteins, deletion of ORF25, ORF132, ORF136, ORF148, or ORF149 affects viral replication in vitro, and deletion of ORF25, ORF64, ORF108, ORF132, or ORF149 impacts plaque size. Lack of ORF148 or ORF25 causes attenuation in vivo to a minor or major extent, respectively. The safety and efficacy of a virus lacking ORF25 were compared to those of a previously described vaccine candidate deleted for ORF56 and ORF57 (Δ56-57). Using quantitative PCR, we demonstrated that the ORF25 deleted virus infects fish through skin infection and then spreads to internal organs as reported previously for the wild-type parental virus and the Δ56-57 virus. However, compared to the parental wild-type virus, the replication of the ORF25 deleted virus was reduced in intensity and duration to levels similar to those observed for the Δ56-57 virus. Vaccination of fish with a virus lacking ORF25 was safe but had low efficacy at the doses tested. This characterization of the virion transmembrane proteome of CyHV-3 provides a firm basis for further research on alloherpesvirus VTPs. IMPORTANCE Virion transmembrane proteins play key roles in the biology of herpesviruses. Cyprinid herpesvirus 3 (CyHV-3) is the archetype of fish alloherpesviruses and the causative agent of major economic losses in common and koi carp worldwide. In this study of the virion transmembrane proteome of CyHV-3, the major findings were: (i) the FL strain encodes 16 virion transmembrane proteins; (ii) eight of these proteins are essential for viral growth in vitro; (iii) seven of the non-essential proteins affect viral growth in vitro, and two affect virulence in vivo; and (iv) a mutant lacking ORF25 is highly attenuated but induces moderate immune protection. This study represents a major breakthrough in understanding the biology of CyHV-3 and will contribute to the development of prophylactic methods. It also provides a firm basis for the further research on alloherpesvirus virion transmembrane proteins

The cross-fertilization of jurisprudence and the principle of proportionality : process and result from a canadian perspective

Modern comparative constitutionalism traces back at least to the practice of some states in the post-World War II era of adopting democratic regimes as well as constitutionally entrenched bills of rights. It has since been fueled by the proliferation of international human rights instruments, which has increased with the end of the Cold War. Significant attention was first paid to comparative constitutional structure, but many states have now reached another stage. As notably witnessed by the works of the Council of Europe and especially those of the Venice Commission in the domain of constitutional justice, the question now is no longer about constitutionalism, including whether rights should be constitutionally protected, as much as it is about constitutional justice: how to effectively implement constitutions. Both on a regional and a global level, mutual inspiration is increasingly drawn from the case-law of peer Courts of other countries and even other continents, which gives rise to a cross-fertilisation phenomenon. One constitutional principle that emerges from, and which is still being forged by, such cross-fertilisation is the principle according to which the limitation of human rights and freedoms must be proportional to states’ objectives, that is, the principle of proportionality. More specifically, our topic is about both the historical process of jurisprudential cross-fertilisation and its functional result as far as the principle of proportionality is concerned. We speak from a Canadian perspective. The aim here is to be able to distinguish between what is common and what is distinctive about the Canadian approach

A CMOS compatible ultracompact silicon photonic optical add-drop multiplexer with misaligned Sidewall Bragg gratings

We experimentally and via simulations demonstrate ultracompact single-stage and cascaded optical add-drop multiplexers using misaligned sidewall Bragg grating in a Mach-Zehnder interferometer for the silicon-on-insulator platform. The single-stage configuration has a device footprint of 400 μm × 90 μm, and the cascaded configuration has a footprint of 400 μm × 125 μm. The proposed designs have 3-dB bandwidths of 6 nm and extinction ratios of 25 dB and 51 dB, respectively, and have been fabricated for the transverse electric mode. A minimum lithographic feature size of 80 nm is used in our design, which is within the limitation of 193 nm deep ultraviolet lithography

Caractérisation de sources de résistance à la fusariose chez le blé dur

National audienceFacing the increasing problem of Fusarium head blight with durum wheat caused by different species of Fusarium, a study was undertaken with the help of the Ministry in charge for agriculture. This study made it possible to assess the resistance of different sub-species of Triticum turgidum. The populations with the most resistant accessions belong to the sub-species T. turgidum dicoccum. Going deeper into this study showed that this resistance was a type 2 one: slow progression of necrosis after contamination of one spikelet per spike. One accession, TRI2215, exhibited very high level of resistance, but it is very high and very late accession, this will make this accession difficult to be used in breeding. This justifies a QTL search for Fusarium resistance. The analysis of the determinant for Fusarium aggressiveness confirmed that a great part was linked with the production of mycotoxins. Several phenol compounds seemed to play a part in the resistance of the plant. A qualitative analysis of the Fusarium flora on the spikes allowed identifying six major Fusarium species and to associate them with the different mycotoxins. A close genus, Microdochium, did not produce mycotoxins. We also showed that the amount of mycotoxins in an organ was related to the fungus DNA in the organ.Face au problème croissant chez le blé dur de la fusariose des épis causée par différentes espèces de Fusarium sp., une étude a été entreprise, avec le concours du Ministère chargé de l’Agriculture. Cette étude a permis d’évaluer la résistance de différentes sous-espèces de Triticum turgidum. Les populations contenant le plus d’individus résistants sont issues de la sous-espèce T. turgidum dicoccum. Une étude plus approfondie a permis de montrer cette résistance était de type 2 : faible progression des symptômes après la contamination d’un épillet par épi. Un géniteur, TRI2215, montre un niveau de résistance particulièrement intéressant, mais est très haut et très tardif, ce qui le rendra difficile à utiliser. C’est pourquoi une recherche de QTL a été entreprise sur ce géniteur. L’analyse des déterminants de l’agressivité des Fusarium confirme qu’elle vient en grande partie des mycotoxines. Différents composés phénoliques semblent aussi jouer un rôle dans la résistance de la plante. Une analyse qualitative de la flore fusarienne des épis a permis d’identifier six espèces majeures de Fusarium et de les associer avec les différentes mycotoxines, et qu’un genre proche, Microdochium, ne produisait pas de mycotoxines. Il a montré aussi que la quantité de mycotoxines dans un organe était proportionnelle à la quantité d’ADN du champignon dans l’organe

Filamentation of high-angle nondiffracting beams and applications to ultrafast laser processing

International audienceWe report on filamentation of nondiffracting beams and show that the intense light-matter interaction regime achieved on long distances allows for an enhanced control on ultrashort laser deep ablation

Experimental parametric study of 128 Gb/s PAM-4 transmission system using a multi-electrode silicon photonic Mach Zehnder modulator

We present an experimental study and analysis of a travelling wave series push-pull silicon photonic multi-electrode Mach-Zehnder modulator (ME-MZM) and compare its performance with a single-electrode travelling wave Mach-Zehnder modulator (TWMZM). Utilizing the functionality of the ME-MZM structure plus digital-signal-processing, we report: 1) the C-band transmission of 84 Gb/s OOK modulated data below the KP4 forward error correction threshold with 2 Vpp drive voltage over a distance of 2 km; 2) the transmission of a 128 Gb/s optical 4-level pulse amplitude modulated signal over 1 km of fiber; and 3) the generation of a 168 Gb/s PAM-4 signal using two electrical OOK signals. By comparing the transmission system performance measurements for the ME-MZM with measurements performed using a similar series push-pull TWMZM, we show that the ME-MZM provides a clear advantage in achieving higher baud PAM-4 generation and transmission compared to a TWMZM

Exo-ALK Proof of Concept: Exosomal Analysis of ALK Alterations in Advanced NSCLC Patients

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