Direct interpretation of near-field optical images

The interpretation of the detection process in near-field optical microscopy is reviewed on the basis of a discussion about the possibility of establishing direct comparisons between experimental images and the solutions of Maxwell equations or the electromagnetic local density of states. On the basis of simple physical arguments, it is expected that the solutions of Maxwell equations should agree with images obtained by collecting mode near-field microscopes, while the electromagnetic local density of states should be considered to provide a practical interpretation of illumination mode near-field microscopes.
We review collecting mode near-field microscope images where the conditions to obtain good agreement with the solutions of Maxwell equations have indeed been identified. In this context of collecting mode near-field microscopes, a fundamentally different functionality between dielectric and gold-coated tips has been clearly identified experimentally by checking against the solutions of Maxwell equations. It turns out that dielectric tips detect a signal proportional to the optical electric field intensity, whereas gold-coated tips detect a signal proportional to the optical magnetic field intensity. The possible implications of this surprising phenomenon are discussed.     

Porous fibers surface decorated with nanofillers: From melt-spun PP/PVA blend fibers with silica nanoparticles

Biphasic polypropylene (PP)-polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) fibers containing silica nanoparticles with various surface hydrophobicity were melt-spun. The localization of nanoparticles relates on the thermodynamic factors, and the design promotes a surface-decorated fibrous scaffold with nanoparticles after selective extraction. The influence of silica nanoparticles on the melt flow index was observed, and the interface-located Aerosil R972 silica nanoparticles lead to an increase in viscosity. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) demonstrates the preponderant interfacial localization of Aerosil R972 nanoparticles within the biphasic fibers. The porous morphology of the obtained fibers was investigated by SEM, selective extraction experiment, X-ray diffraction analysis, and dynamical mechanical analysis. The specific interface area of PP₇₀-PVA₃₀ fibers with a draw ratio (DR) of 2 is 3.2 m² g⁻¹ and is further enlarged with the increase of DR. The incorporation of nanoparticles contributes to the increase of interconnectivity of the PVA phase. The further increment of DR modifies the crystalline structure, and results in better mechanical properties. The Aerosil R972-containing fibers with the DR of 3 provide almost completely accessible PVA phase, with enough mechanical strength to be transformed into textile products, and retains a good mechanical property after selective extraction. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2020 , 137, 48470.     

20 Gbit/s high-performance integrated MQW TANDEM modulators andamplifier for soliton generation and coding

We report on the integration of two InGaAsP-InGaAsP MQW electroabsorption ridge modulators and an amplifier on the same active layer. The two modulators are separated by a 500-μm ridge waveguide optical amplifier, in order to prevent electrical crosstalk, and to compensate for optical losses. The first modulator is used as a soliton generator, and the second codes the generated pulses. The amplifier showed 8.2-dB gain for 120-mA injected current. This allowed a low fiber to fiber insertion loss of 9 dB for the tandem. We present here for the first time to our knowledge, a 20 Gbit/s operation for a tandem-amplifier device, together with transmission experiments     

Gonadotrophin hormone releasing hormone agonist in cases of severe paraphilia: a lifetime treatment?

Six patients with severe paraphilia were treated with a long-acting gonadotrophin hormone releasing hormone analogue (GnRH-a). In five cases, the antiandrogen treatment ended their deviant sexual behaviour and markedly decreased their sexual fantasies and activities without significant side-effects. The beneficial effects of this treatment were maintained for 7 years in the patient where there was the longest follow-up. Two patients abruptly withdrew front their antiandrogen treatment at the end of the first and third year, respectively. Both relapsed within 8-10 weeks. One of them asked for resumption of antiandrogen treatment. In another case, in order to phase out antiandrogen treatment, testosterone (T) was added to the GnRH-a. In spite of normal T levels, and of resumption of normal sexual activities and deviant fantasies, deviant sexual behaviour did not return. A smoother phasing out of GnRH-a treatment is thought to be better than an abrupt withdrawal. However, the duration of antiandrogen treatment necessary to ensure a complete disappearance of deviant sexual behaviour remains uncertain, but is at least 4 years.     

40 Gbit/s OTDM soliton transmission over transoceanic distances

40 Gbit/s soliton transmission is achieved in a recirculating loop over 10000 km, for the first time to the authors' knowledge. With a single carrier wavelength. Propagation has been tested with and without polarisation multiplexing thanks to low polarisation dependency electroabsorption modulators for in-line control and for the time demultiplexing receiver     

Response of large and small vessels to alpha and beta adrenoceptor stimulation in heart failure: effect of angiotensin converting enzyme inhibition

Understanding sexual fantasies is important to the scientific study of human sexuality. A sexual fantasy refers to a private or covert experience in which the imagination of desirable sexual activity with a partner is sexually arousing to the individual. Prior sexual experiences of an individual appear to increase the incidence of sexual fantasies, as well as the variety of sexual themes in a fantasy, which permit a greater elaboration of the fantasy theme when compared to less sexually experienced individuals. The present study was an investigation of the factors or sexual themes that emerge in a college male population, as well as a comparison of college men with human samples obtained in other studies: a sample of men and women and a sample of sexually variant men. In this study, 116 male students, all of whom identified themselves as heterosexual, completed the Wilson Sex Fantasy Questionnaire (WSFQ). Results indicated that the present sample had significantly more exploratory, intimate, impersonal, and total sexual fantasies than sexual fantasies reported by female respondents in another study using the WSFQ and significantly more intimate, impersonal, and total sexual fantasizing when compared with a male sample in another study. The men in this study also evidenced less deviant areas of sexual fantasizing when compared with a group of sexually variant men in another study. A principal components analysis extracted four factors, which accounted for 45% of the total variance. The four sexual fantasy topic areas for the most part replicated prior findings by Wilson (1988) but are also more heterogeneous, indicating that male college students engage in a variety of sexual fantasies but seem to favor more intimate, less deviant or exploratory sexual themes that are in line with nonclinical samples and different from several clinical samples of sexually variant men.