Cell types, network homeostasis, and pathological compensation from a biologically plausible ion channel expression model.

How do neurons develop, control, and maintain their electrical signaling properties in spite of ongoing protein turnover and perturbations to activity? From generic assumptions about the molecular biology underlying channel expression, we derive a simple model and show how it encodes an "activity set point" in single neurons. The model generates diverse self-regulating cell types and relates correlations in conductance expression observed in vivo to underlying channel expression rates. Synaptic as well as intrinsic conductances can be regulated to make a self-assembling central pattern generator network; thus, network-level homeostasis can emerge from cell-autonomous regulation rules. Finally, we demonstrate that the outcome of homeostatic regulation depends on the complement of ion channels expressed in cells: in some cases, loss of specific ion channels can be compensated; in others, the homeostatic mechanism itself causes pathological loss of function.

Development of a biotic index using the correlation of protozoan communities with chemical water quality

A method of comparing data on protozoan communities with chemical parameters is presented. Using data from an extensive survey of the River Hanjiang in China, each species of protozoa has been given a species pollution value (SPV) related to its occurrence in waters with different degrees of pollution. A comprehensive chemical index is calculated for each site based on water quality standards for eight chemical parameters. The index is calculated from the relationship between the observed levels of each chemical at a site, compared with the limits of the drinking water quality standards of the People's Republic of China. From the distribution of each species at sites with differing chemical index values, a SPV is calculated. The SPV for each species is obtained by summing the logarithmic value of 10 times the chemical pollution divided by the number of chemical parameters, then divided by the stations where the species occurs. The community pollution value (CPV), which is the average SPVs of all protozoa at a site, is used to evaluate water quality. The CPV has been shown to have a close correlation with the degree of water pollution. It is not necessary for all the protozoa in a sample to have SPVs listed in this paper, provided at least 56% of the protozoa in a sample have an SPV value, the CPV will be applicable.

The role of plants in channel-dyke and field irrigation systems for domestic wastewater treatment in an integrated eco-engineering system

Eight kinds of plants were tested in channel-dyke and field irrigation systems. The removal rates of TP, phosphate, TN, ammonia, CODcr and BOD, in the channel-dyke system with napiergrass (Pennisetum purpurem Schumach, x Pennisetum alopecuroides (L.) Spreng American) were 83.2, 82.3, 76.3, 96.2, 73.5 and 85.8%, respectively. The field irrigation systems with rice I-yuanyou No.1(88-132) (Oryza sativa L.) and rice II- suakoko8 (Oryza glaberrima) had high efficiency for N removal; the removal rate were 84.7 and 84.3%, respectively. The mass balance data revealed that napiergrass, rice I and II were the most important nutrient sinks, assimilating more than 50% of TP and TN. Plant uptake of N and P as percentage of total removal from wastewater correlated with biomass yield of and planting mode. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

PCDD/F-s, PCBs, HCHs and HCB in sediments and soils of Ya-Er lake area in China: Results on residual levels and correlation to the organic carbon and particle size

Sediments and soils collected from the Ya-Er Lake area in China were analysed for the polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs), polychlorinated biphenyl (PCBs), hexachlorocyclohexane (HCHs) and hexachlorobenzene (HCB). The results indicated the main pollution problems in the Ya-Er Lake area, which was heavily polluted by HCHs and chlorobenzenes, now is dominantly polluted by PCDD/Fs, PCBs and HCB. The occurrence of PCDD/Fs and PCBs with relatively high levels of HpCDDs, OCDD and low chlorinated-substituted PCBs, is attributed to the discharge of waste water and biodegradation. The vertical distributions of HCH-residues are related with the content of organic carbon and particle size. Copyright (C) 1996 Elsevier Science Ltd

Compact four-channel reconfigurable optical add-drop multiplexer using silicon photonic wire

We designed and fabricated a four-channel reconfigurable optical add-drop multiplexer based on silicon photonic wire waveguide, which is controlled through the thermo-optic effect. The effective footprint of the device is about 1000 x 500 mu m(2). The minimum insertion loss including the transmission loss and coupling loss is about 10.7 dB. The tuning bandwidth is about 17 nm, the average tuning efficiency about 6.11 mW/nm and the tuning speed about 24.5 kHz. (c) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Multi-channel micro neural probe fabricated with SOI

Silicon-on-insulator (SOI) substrate is widely used in micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS). With the buried oxide layer of SOI acting as an etching stop, silicon based micro neural probe can be fabricated with improved uniformity and manufacturability. A seven-record-site neural probe was formed by inductive-coupled plasma (ICP) dry etching of an SOI substrate. The thickness of the probe is 15 mu m. The shaft of the probe has dimensions of 3 mmx100 mu mx15 mu m with typical area of the record site of 78.5 mu m(2). The impedance of the record site was measured in-vitro. The typical impedance characteristics of the record sites are around 2 M Omega at 1 kHz. The performance of the neural probe in-vivo was tested on anesthetic rat. The recorded neural spike was typically around 140 mu V. Spike from individual site could exceed 700 mu V. The average signal noise ratio was 7 or more.

Four-channel reconfigurable optical add-drop multiplexer based on photonic wire waveguide

We designed and fabricated a four-channel reconfigurable optical add-drop multiplexer based on silicon photonic wire waveguide controlled through thermo-optic effect. The effective footprint of the device is about 1000 x 500 mu m(2). The minimum insertion loss is about 10.7 dB and the tuning bandwidth about 17 nm. The average tuning power efficiency is about 6.187 mW/nm and the tuning speed about 24.4 kHz. The thermo-optic polarization-rotation effect is firstly reported in this paper. (C) 2009 Optical Society of America

Design and Fabrication of a Photonic Crystal Channel Drop Filter Based on an Asymmetric Silicon-on-Insulator Slab

We report on the design and fabrication of a photonic crystal (PC) channel drop filter based on an asymmetric silicon-on-insulator (SOI) slab. The filter is composed of two symmetric stick-shape micro-cavities between two single-line-defect (W1) waveguides in a triangular lattice, and the phase matching condition for the filter to improve the drop efficiency is satisfied by modifying the positions and radii of the air holes around the micro-cavities. A sample is then fabricated by using electron beam lithography (EBL) and inductively coupled plasma (ICP) etching processes. The measured 0 factor of the filter is about 1140, and the drop efficiency is estimated to be 73% +/- 5% by fitting the transmission spectrum.

Correlations between antibunching and blinking of photoluminescence from a single CdSe quantum dot

The antibunching and blinking from a single CdSe/ZnS nanocrystal with an emission wavelength of 655 nm were investigated under different excitation powers. The decay process of the photoluminescence from nanocrystal was fitted into a stretched exponential, and the small lifetime and the small stretching exponent under a high excitation power were explained by using nonradiative multi-channel model. The probability of distributions for off-times from photoluminescence intermittence was fitted into the power law, and the power exponents were explained by using a tunneling model. For higher excitation power, the Auger-assisted tunneling model takes effect, where the tunneling rate increases and the observed lifetime decreases. For weak excitation power, the electron directly tunnels between the nanocrystal and trapping state without Auger assistance. The correlation between antibunching and blinking from the same nanocrystal was analyzed.

Four-channel reconfigurable optical add-drop multiplexer based on photonic wire waveguide: erratum

An erratum is presented to correct the calculation of the filtering bandwidth of the micro-ring resonator. (C) 2009 Optical Society of America

Silica-based 64-channel arrayed waveguide gratings with double functions

Silica-based 64-channel arrayed waveguide gratings (AWGs) with double functions and 0.4 nm (50 GHz) channel spacing have been designed and fabricated. On the same component, Gauss and flat-top output response spectra are obtained simultaneously. The test results show that when the insertion loss ranges from 3.5 dB to 6 dB,the crosstalk is better than -34 dB, the 1 dB bandwidth is 0.12 nm, the 3 dB bandwidth is 0,218 nm, and the polarization-dependent loss (PDL) is less than 0.5 dB for Gauss response. When the insertion loss ranges,from 5.8 dB to 7.8 dB, the crosstalk is better than -30 dB, the 1 dB bandwidth is 0.24 nm, the 3 dB bandwidth is 0.33 nm, and the PDL is less than 0.2 dB for flat-top response.

Narrow-channel-spacing 32-channel arrayed-waveguide-grating multiplexer with an innovative alignment method

A 32-channel 50-GHz spaced arrayed-waveguide grating with our innovative configuration has been designed and fabricated. The performance of the device has been fully tested by using a tunable laser light source, optical power meter, and polarization controller. The insertion loss (IS) of the device is 4.2 similar to 7.4 dB. The crosstalk is about -28 clB. The IS uniformity is less than 3.2 dB. With our configuration, the performance of the device has been enhanced effectively and the difficulty in alignment process has been decreased obviously. (c) 2005 Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers.

Birefringence of UV-written channel waveguides

The combination of the effective index method and the transfer matrix method is adopted to calculate the indices of quasi-TE and quasi-TM modes in a UV-written channel waveguide, and the difference between the indices is used to characterize its birefringence. The dimensions, the ratio of width to thickness, the original index of the core layer, the index of the cladding, and the index profile are all taken into account. The simulation results indicate that the birefringence decreases with increasing dimensions, ratio of width to thickness, and indices of the cladding; on the contrary, increases of the original index of the core layer and of the vertical index gradient intensified the birefringence. (c) 2005 Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers.

Correlation between Er3+ emission and Si clusters in Erbium-doped a-SiOx : H films

Erbium-doped hydrogenated amorphous silicon suboxide films containing silicon clusters (a-SiOx:H) were prepared. The samples exhibited photoluminescence (PL) peaks at around 750nm and 1.54 mu m, which could be assigned to the electron-hole recombination in silicon clusters and the intra-4f transition in Er3+, respectively. We compared annealing behaviors of Si clusters and Er3+ emission and found that Si clusters emission depends strongly upon crystallinity of Si clusters, whereas Er3+ emission is not sensitive to whether it is Si nanocrystals (nc-Si) or amorphous Si (a-Si) clusters. The erbium-doped a-SiOx:H films containing either a-Si clusters or nc-Si have the same kind of Er3+ -emitting centers. Based on these results, it is concluded that a-Si clusters can play the same role on Er3+ excitation as nc-Si. (c) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Full counting statistics of transport through two-channel Coulomb blockade systems

A mesoscopic Coulomb blockade system with two transport channels is studied in terms of full counting statistics. It is found that the shot noise and skewness are crucially affected by the quantum mechanical interference. In particular, the super-Poisson behavior can be induced as a consequence of constructive interference, and can be understood by the formation of effective fast-and-slow transport channels. Dephasing and finite temperature effects are carried out together with physical interpretations.