Selectivity of SPR fiber sensors in absorptive media: An experimental evaluation

Conventional surface plasmon resonance (SPR) fiber sensors show selective behavior when resonance wavelengths are tuned to absorption peaks of the surrounding medium, as it is experimentally shown and evaluated in this paper by using a doubly-deposited uniform-waist tapered optical fiber (DLUWT) and a dye as a test material. This behavior is clearly distinguishable from the usual response to nonabsorbing media and can be used to develop a new concept of SPR transducers. At the same time, the obtained results, which are in accordance with the theoretical predictions permit to increase the basic knowledge on surface plasma waves excitation in optical fibers.     

Gender differences in compensation in academic medicine: the results from four neurological specialties within the University of California Healthcare System

This study demonstrates the continued existence of gender disparity with respect to salary in four neurologic specialties in the largest public healthcare system of the Western United States without the bias of self-report. We extracted physician salary information from the publicly available UC pay system database and obtained Scopus (http://www.scopus.com/home.url) and Web of Science publication counts and h-indices via searching individual faculty by name and specialty. Faculty gender, institution, specialty, ranking, chairmanship, degrees, and salary data were collected through review of departmental websites and individual faculty profiles. All faculty members (n = 433) from the departments of ophthalmology, otolaryngology, neurosurgery and neurology in the UC pay system database in 2008 were selected for analysis. We found that female faculty members in the 2008 UC healthcare system were significantly underrepresented from the highest salary brackets, representing only 12.5 and 2.6 % of those earning $300,001–$400,000 and over $400,000, respectively (p < 0.01). The female-to-male salary ratio in 2008 for all UC physicians earning over $100,000 was 0.698 (p < 0.00001). Multivariate regression modeling demonstrated a 12 % salary deficit (95 % CI 2–21 %, p = 0.02) for women in the UC healthcare system after controlling for institution, professorial rank, chairmanship, specialty, Scopus publication count, and Scopus h-index. Despite recent efforts at educational equality in the training of physicians, gender disparities still persist within academic medicine.     

Obtaining of Ni–P–TiO2 Composite Coatings with TiO2 Sol and Surfactants and Their Properties

The influence of surfactants and TiO₂ sol on mechanical, catalytic, and corrosive properties of electroless Ni–P coatings was investigated. Additives of the surfactants caused the decrease of internal stresses in the Ni–P coatings and smoothing of their surfaces. Incorporation of the TiO₂ particles facilitated the rise of microhardness of the Ni–P coatings from 545 ± 11 Hv up to 614 ± 17 Hv. Additives of the surfactants accelerated hydrogen evolution reaction on the composite Ni–P–TiO₂ coatings in acid and alkaline media, and increased photocatalytic activity in methylene blue decomposition. Incorporation of the TiO₂ particles and application of the surfactants resulted in an improvement in the corrosion resistance of original Ni–P coatings in 0.5 M H₂SO₄.     

Interfacial Electron Transfer Barrier at Compact TiO2/CH3NH3PbI3 Heterojunction

Low‐temperature solution‐processed CH₃NH₃PbI₃ interfaced with TiO₂ has recently been demonstrated as a highly successful type‐II light harvesting heterojunction with ≈20% efficiency. Therefore, an efficient ultrafast photoexcited electron transfer from CH₃NH₃PbI₃ to TiO₂ is expected. However, by probing the photoexcited charge carrier dynamics in CH₃NH₃PbI₃/quartz, CH₃NH₃PbI₃/TiO₂ (compact), and CH₃NH₃PbI₃/PCBM in a comparative study, an electron transfer potential barrier between CH₃NH₃PbI₃ and the compact TiO₂ (prepared with the spray pyrolysis method) formed by surface states is uncovered. Consequently, the CH₃NH₃PbI₃ photoluminescence intensity and lifetime is enhanced when interfaced to compact TiO₂. The electron accumulation within CH₃NH₃PbI₃ needed to overcome this interfacial potential barrier results in the undesirable large current–voltage hysteresis observed for CH₃NH₃PbI₃/TiO₂ planar heterojunctions. The findings in this study indicate that careful surface engineering to reduce this potential barrier is key to pushing perovskite solar cell efficiencies toward the theoretical limit.     

Detonation Spraying of Ti–Al Intermetallics: Phase and Microstructure Development of the Coatings

The goal of this work was to study the phase and microstructure changes involved in the process of coating formation by detonation spraying of Ti₃Al, TiAl, and TiAl₃ intermetallics. The O₂/C₂H₂ ratio was varied between 1.1 and 2.0, and the explosive charge was 30–40% of the barrel volume. In most experiments air was used as a carrier gas; selected experiments were performed with argon. We found that depending on the spraying parameters, TiAl₃ essentially retains in the coatings or partially decomposes forming TiAl and Ti₃Al as minor phases. Detonation sprayed Ti₃Al reacts with nitrogen and oxygen partially transforming into titanium nitrides TiN/Ti₂N and titanium oxynitrides TiN_xO_y. TiAl partially decomposes forming Ti₃Al, which further reacts with oxygen and nitrogen as the particle temperature and the content of oxygen in the explosive mixture increase. The in situ formed titanium nitrides and oxynitrides show a reinforcing effect increasing the hardness of the coatings.     

The effect of colloidal solution of molybdenum nanoparticles on the microbial composition in rhizosphere of Cicer arietinum L.

The use of colloidal solutions of metals as micronutrients enhances plant resistance to unfavorable environmental conditions and ensures high yields of food crops due to the active penetration of nanoelements into the plant cells.Microbiological examination of rhizosphere soil have revealed that combined use of colloidal solution of nanoparticles of molybdenum (CSNM, 8 mg/l), and microbial preparation for pre-sowing inoculation of chickpea seeds stimulates the development of ‘agronomically valuable’ microflora. It was shown that combined seed treatment with colloidal solution of Mo nanoparticles with microbial preparation have stimulated nodule formation per plant by four times compared to controls. Single treatment with CSNM increased the number of nodules by two times, while the treatment of microbial preparation have not significantly affected the number of nodules per plant.

PACS

Colloids, 82.70.Dd; Ecology, 87.23.-n     

Structural and luminescence properties of silica powders and transparent glass‐ceramics containing LaF3:Eu3+ nanocrystals

In this work, silica powders and transparent glass‐ceramic materials containing LaF₃:Eu³⁺ nanocrystals were synthesized using the low‐temperature sol‐gel technique. Prepared samples were characterized by TG/DSC analysis as well as X‐ray diffraction and IR spectroscopy. The transformation from liquid sols toward bulk powders and xerogels was also examined and analyzed. The optical behavior of prepared Eu³⁺‐doped sol‐gel samples were evaluated based on photoluminescence excitation (PLE: λ_em = 611 nm) and emission (PL: λ_exc = 393 nm, λ_exc = 397 nm) spectra as well as luminescence decay analysis. The series of luminescence lines located within reddish‐orange spectral scope were registered and identified as the intra‐configurational 4f⁶‐4f⁶ transitions originated from Eu³⁺ optically active ions (⁵D₀ → ⁷F_J, J = 0‐4). Moreover, the R/O‐ratio was also calculated to estimate the symmetry in local framework around Eu³⁺ ions. The luminescence spectra and double‐exponential character of decay curves recorded for fabricated nanocrystalline sol‐gel samples (τ₁(⁵D₀) = 2.07 ms, τ₂(⁵D₀) = 8.07 ms and τ₁(⁵D₀) = 0.79 ms, τ₂(⁵D₀) = 9.76 ms for powders and glass‐ceramics, respectively) indicated the successful migration of optically active Eu³⁺ ions from amorphous silica framework to low phonon energy LaF₃ nanocrystal phase.     

MineCap: super incremental learning for detecting and blocking cryptocurrency mining on software-defined networking

Annals of Telecommunications - Covert mining of cryptocurrency implies the use of valuable computing resources and high energy consumption. In this paper, we propose MineCap, a dynamic online...     

Adrenomedullin as a pancreatic hormone

Adrenomedullin (AM) is a multiregulatory peptide which is expressed in a wide range of tissues. In the pancreas, AM was first found in mammals, including man, and its colocalization with the pancreatic polypeptide (PP) was established in islet F cells. In addition, three different AM receptors have been characterized in B-cells. AM has been also located in the pancreatic cells of other vertebrate classes. The frequency and distribution of AM cells vary between different animals; they can be found scattered among the exocrine tissue, in the islets, or in ductal epithelia. The colocalization of AM with other hormones presents different patterns, although in birds, as in mammals, it seems to colocalize only with PP. The best-determined pancreatic AM function is the inhibition of insulin secretion in B-cells, which seems to be linked to a recently discovered binding protein, factor H. In relation to this physiological role, clinical data show that AM is raised in some groups of both types I and II diabetic patients and AM might have triggered the disease in a subset of them. On the other hand, AM pancreatic cells are also involved in the response to septic shock by increasing AM circulating levels. A third putative function is the inhibition of amylase secretion by the exocrine pancreatic cells. AM has been found in embryonic mammalian pancreas from the earliest stages of the development, colocalizing with all pancreatic hormones, although in adults only coexpression with PP is kept. AM may play a role in the growth and morphogenesis of the pancreas.