Degree of polarization of light scattered from correlated surface and bulk disorders.

Using a single scattering theory, we derive the expression of the degree of polarization of the light scattered from a layer exhibiting both surface and volume scattering. The expression puts forward the intimate connection between the degree of polarization and the statistical correlation between surface and volume disorders. It also permits a quantitative analysis of depolarization for uncorrelated, partially correlated and perfectly correlated disorders.

Switchable Ultra-Wideband All-Optical Quantum Dot Reflective Semiconductor Optical Amplifier.

A comprehensive study has been conducted on ultra-broadband optically pumped quantum dot (QD) reflective semiconductor optical amplifiers (QD-RSOAs). Furthermore, little work has been done on broadband QD-RSOAs with an optical pump. About 1 μm optical bandwidth, spanning 800 nm up to 1800 nm, is supported for the suggested device by superimposing nine groups of QDs.

An Optical Modeling Framework for Coronavirus Detection Using Graphene-Based Nanosensor.

The outbreak of the COVID-19 virus has faced the world with a new and dangerous challenge due to its contagious nature. Hence, developing sensory technologies to detect the coronavirus rapidly can provide a favorable condition for pandemic control of dangerous diseases. In between, because of the nanoscale size of this virus, there is a need for a good understanding of its optical behavior, which can give an extraordinary insight into the more efficient design of sensory devices.

Perfect depolarization in single scattering of light from uncorrelated surface and volume disorder.

We demonstrate that single scattering of -polarized waves from uncorrelated surface and volume disorder can lead to perfect depolarization. The degree of polarization vanishes in specific scattering directions that can be characterized based on simple geometric arguments. Depolarization results from a different polarization response of each source of disorder, which provides a clear physical interpretation of the depolarization mechanism.

Experimental studies of the transmission of light through low-coverage regular or random arrays of silica micropillars supported by a glass substrate.

The transmission of light through low-coverage regular and random arrays of glass-supported silica micropillars of diameters 10-40 µm and height 10 µm is studied experimentally. Angle-resolved measurements of the transmitted intensity are performed at visible wavelengths by either a goniospectrophotometer or a multimodal imaging (Mueller) polarimetric microscope. It is demonstrated that for the regular arrays, the angle-resolved measurements are capable of resolving many of the densely packed diffraction orders that are expected for periodic structures of lattice constants 20-80 µm, but they also display features ("halos" and fringes) that are due to the scattering and guiding of light in individual micropillars or in the supporting glass slides.

Efficacy of the Mnemonic Device "MARCH PAWS" as a Checklist for Pararescuemen During Tactical Field Care and Tactical Evacuation.

Background: The application of Tactical Combat Casualty Care (TCCC) represents evidence-based medicine to improve survival in combat. Over the past several years, US Air Force Pararescuemen (PJs) have expanded the mnemonic device "MARCH" to "MARCH PAWS" for use during tactical field care and tactical evacuation (TACEVAC). The mnemonic stands for massive bleeding, airway, respiration, circulation, head and hypothermia, pain, antibiotics, wounds, and splinting.

Critical dimension metrology of a plasmonic photonic crystal based on Mueller matrix ellipsometry and the reduced Rayleigh equation.

A computationally efficient algorithm based on the reduced Rayleigh equation, combined with an optimization scheme, is used to accurately retrieve the morphological parameters of a two-dimensional plasmonic photonic crystal from angle-resolved spectroscopic Mueller matrix ellipsometric measurements. The numerical method is successfully tested against experimental data and gives morphological parameters consistent with SEM and AFM measurements.

Experimental and numerical studies of the scattering of light from a two-dimensional randomly rough interface in the presence of total internal reflection: optical Yoneda peaks.

The scattering of polarized light from a dielectric film sandwiched between two different semi-infinite dielectric media is studied experimentally and theoretically. The illuminated interface is planar, while the back interface is a two-dimensional randomly rough interface. We consider here only the case in which the medium of incidence is optically more dense than the substrate, in which case effects due to the presence of a critical angle for total internal reflection occur.

Time-scale effects on the gain-loss asymmetry in stock indices.

The gain-loss asymmetry, observed in the inverse statistics of stock indices is present for logarithmic return levels that are over 2%, and it is the result of the non-Pearson-type autocorrelations in the index. These non-Pearson-type correlations can be viewed also as functionally dependent daily volatilities, extending for a finite time interval. A generalized time-window shuffling method is used to show the existence of such autocorrelations.

Leaky surface electromagnetic waves on a high-index dielectric grating.

We show theoretically that the periodically corrugated surface of a high-index dielectric medium can support a leaky surface electromagnetic wave. This wave is bound to the surface in the vacuum, but radiates into the dielectric. Despite this radiative damping, the surface wave can have a long lifetime.

Dispersion of polarization coupling, localized and collective plasmon modes in a metallic photonic crystal mapped by Mueller Matrix Ellipsometry.

We report a spectroscopic Mueller matrix experimental study of a plasmonic photonic crystal consisting of gold hemispheroidal particles (lateral radius 54 nm, height 25 nm) arranged on a square lattice (lattice constant 210 nm) and supported by a glass substrate. Strong polarization coupling is observed for ultraviolet wavelengths and around the surface plasmon resonance for which the off-block-diagonal Mueller matrix elements show pronounced anisotropies. Due to the Rayleigh anomalies, the block-diagonal Mueller matrix elements produce a direct image of the Brillouin Zone (BZ) boundaries of the lattice and resonances are observed at the M-point in the first and at the X-point in the second BZ.

Validity of pre-eclampsia registration in the medical birth registry of norway for women participating in the norwegian mother and child cohort study, 1999-2010.

Background: The Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study (MoBa), a prospective population-based pregnancy cohort, is a valuable database for studying causes of pre-eclampsia. Pre-eclampsia data in MoBa come from the Medical Birth Registry of Norway (MBRN); thus, we wanted to study the validity of MBRN pre-eclampsia registration for MoBa women.

Methods: We selected all MoBa pregnancies with pre-eclampsia registered in the MBRN (n = 4081) and a random control group (n = 2000) without pre-eclampsia registrations.

Numerical solutions of the Rayleigh equations for the scattering of light from a two-dimensional randomly rough perfectly conducting surface.

We present rigorous, nonperturbative, purely numerical solutions of the Rayleigh equations for the scattering of p- and s-polarized light from a two-dimensional randomly rough perfectly conducting surface. The solutions are used to calculate the reflectivity of the surface, the mean differential reflection coefficients, and the full angular distribution of the intensity of the scattered field. These results are compared with previously published rigorous numerical solutions of the Stratton-Chu equations, and very good agreement is found.

Coherent effects in the scattering of light from two-dimensional rough metal surfaces.

We investigate numerically multiple light-scattering phenomena for two-dimensional randomly rough metallic surfaces, where surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) mediate several surface scattering effects. The scattering problem is solved by numerical solution of the reduced Rayleigh equation for reflection. The multiple scattering phenomena of enhanced backscattering and enhanced forward scattering are observed in the same system, and their presence is due to the excitation of SPPs.

Satellite peaks in the scattering of light from the two-dimensional randomly rough surface of a dielectric film on a planar metal surface.

A nonperturbative, purely numerical, solution of the reduced Rayleigh equation for the scattering of p- and s-polarized light from a dielectric film with a two-dimensional randomly rough surface deposited on a planar metallic substrate, has been carried out. It is found that satellite peaks are present in the angular dependence of the elements of the mean differential reflection coefficient in addition to an enhanced backscattering peak. This result resolves a conflict between the results of earlier approximate theoretical studies of scattering from this system.

Persistent collective trend in stock markets.

Empirical evidence is given for a significant difference in the collective trend of the share prices during the stock index rising and falling periods. Data on the Dow Jones Industrial Average and its stock components are studied between 1991 and 2008. Pearson-type correlations are computed between the stocks and averaged over stock pairs and time.

Scattering of electromagnetic waves from two-dimensional randomly rough penetrable surfaces.

An accurate and efficient numerical simulation approach to electromagnetic wave scattering from two-dimensional, randomly rough, penetrable surfaces is presented. The use of the Müller equations and an impedance boundary condition for a two-dimensional rough surface yields a pair of coupled two-dimensional integral equations for the sources on the surface in terms of which the scattered field is expressed through the Franz formulas. By this approach, we calculate the full angular intensity distribution of the scattered field that is due to a finite incident beam of p-polarized light.

Effect of high perioperative oxygen fraction on surgical site infection and pulmonary complications after abdominal surgery: the PROXI randomized clinical trial.

Context: Use of 80% oxygen during surgery has been suggested to reduce the risk of surgical wound infections, but this effect has not been consistently identified. The effect of 80% oxygen on pulmonary complications has not been well defined.

Objective: To assess whether use of 80% oxygen reduces the frequency of surgical site infection without increasing the frequency of pulmonary complications in patients undergoing abdominal surgery.

Perioperative oxygen fraction - effect on surgical site infection and pulmonary complications after abdominal surgery: a randomized clinical trial. Rationale and design of the PROXI-Trial.

Background: A high perioperative inspiratory oxygen fraction may reduce the risk of surgical site infections, as bacterial eradication by neutrophils depends on wound oxygen tension. Two trials have shown that a high perioperative inspiratory oxygen fraction (FiO(2) = 0.80) significantly reduced risk of surgical site infections after elective colorectal surgery, but a third trial was stopped early because the frequency of surgical site infections was more than doubled in the group receiving FiO(2) = 0.

Characterization of nanostructured GaSb: comparison between large-area optical and local direct microscopic techniques.

Low energy ion-beam sputtering of GaSb results in self-organized nanostructures with the potential of structuring large surface areas. Characterization of such nanostructures by optical methods is studied and compared to direct (local) microscopic methods. The samples consist of densely packed GaSb cones on bulk GaSb, approximately 30, 50, and 300 nm in height, prepared by sputtering at normal incidence.

Transient dynamics increasing network vulnerability to cascading failures.

We study cascading failures in networks using a dynamical flow model based on simple conservation and distribution laws. It is found that considering the flow dynamics may imply reduced network robustness compared to previous static overload failure models. This is due to the transient oscillations or overshooting in the loads, when the flow dynamics adjusts to the new (remaining) network structure.

Random surfaces that suppress single scattering.

We present a method for numerically generating a one-dimensional random surface, defined by the equation x(3)=zeta(x(1)), that suppresses single-scattering processes in the scattering of light from the surface within a specified range of scattering angles. Rigorous numerical calculations of the scattering of light from surfaces generated by this approach show that the single-scattering contribution to the mean scattered intensity is indeed suppressed within that range of angles.

Validation of the lie/bet screen for pathological gambling on two normal population data sets.

The validity of the Lie/Bet Screen was tested on two community population samples, one adult (n=2,014) and one adolescent sample (n=3,237), in Norway. With positive responses on at least one of the questions on Lie/Bet Screen used as the cutoff point the screen showed high both sensitivity and specificity. The negative predictive value was also high, but the positive predictive value was comparatively lower.

Modularity and extreme edges of the internet.

We study the spectral properties of a diffusion process taking place on the Internet network focusing on the slowest decaying modes. These modes identify an underlying modular structure roughly corresponding to individual countries. For instance, in the slowest decaying mode the diffusion current flows from Russia to U.

Fast algorithm for generating long self-affine profiles.

We introduce a fast algorithm for generating long self-affine profiles. The algorithm, which is based on the fast wavelet transform, is faster than the conventional Fourier filtering algorithm. In addition to increased performance for large systems, the algorithm, named the wavelet filtering algorithm, a priori gives rise to profiles for which the long-range correlation extends throughout the entire system independently of the length scale.