Complete Standstill Research Articles

Slow-light propagation in a cylindrical dielectric waveguide with metamaterial cladding

Through rigorous analysis of all possible oscillatory guided modes propagating in a dielectric cylindrical waveguide with anisotropic metamaterial cladding, we demonstrate that slow or even stopped electromagnetic wave (or light) can propagate in the waveguide with specially selected parameters of the metamaterial. We propose a linearly tapered cylindrical waveguide which could lead the propagating light to a complete standstill and validate the structure by full-wave simulation based on the finite-difference time-domain method. For practical implementation, we present two possible realizations of the slow-light waveguide structure: one consists of silver and silicon dioxide multilayered thin films as the metamaterial cladding and the other consists of isotropic plasmonic material as the cladding. We demonstrate that slow-light can be supported in the practical structures by theoretical analysis.

Frozen time in hyperbolic spacetime motion

According to the Lorentz transformation and as clearly seen from the Minkowski diagram, hyperbolic spacetime motion of a test object relative to a stationary reference frame can be performed in a specific way such that time becomes frozen in the moving frame of the test object. In that case, time can be arranged to become frozen even at moderate relativistic velocities, in contrast to the minute traditional relativistic time dilation at such velocities. In the appendix, we give a simple illustration, in Minkowski form, of how time in a frame in hyperbolic motion can become frozen to a complete standstill relative to a stationary frame.

Vanishing heart: A case report of a patient a life without heart sounds and a complete cardiac standstill on echocardiography

Vanishing heart: A case report of a patient a life without heart sounds and a complete cardiac standstill on echocardiography

Innovative zoning to support equine influenza eradication from New South Wales, Australia

Following detection of equine influenza (EI) in New South Wales, a complete standstill was imposed the next morning on the movement of all horses and donkeys within the state. Premises' biosecurity guidelines became progressively more stringent with time in an effort to stop local spread. The standstill was highly effective as a primary response to stop EI becoming widespread across Australia, but did not prevent spread to properties contiguous to infected premises in areas of high horse density and small property size, nor transmission by fomites nor possible local airborne transmission. Within 2 weeks of the start of the outbreak, a zoning system of Purple (Special Restricted), Red (Restricted), Amber (Control), and Green (Protected) Zones was implemented, and progressively modified as disease distribution changed. The colour coding system proved to be an easy way to communicate zone changes, the approximate level of disease risk and the stringency of movement restrictions to the general public and should be adopted more generally in AUSVETPLAN.

Isolated Left Atrial Standstill Identified during Catheter Ablation

This report describes the incidental finding of complete left atrial standstill during successful ablation of a right-sided atrial tachycardia in a patient with severe dilated cardiomyopathy and a history of extensive catheter ablation within the left atrium.

Permanent Occlusion of Feeding Arteries and Draining Veins in Solid Mouse Tumors by Vascular Targeted Photodynamic Therapy (VTP) with Tookad

BackgroundAntiangiogenic and anti-vascular therapies present intriguing alternatives to cancer therapy. However, despite promising preclinical results and significant delays in tumor progression, none have demonstrated long-term curative features to date. Here, we show that a single treatment session of Tookad-based vascular targeted photodynamic therapy (VTP) promotes permanent arrest of tumor blood supply by rapid occlusion of the tumor feeding arteries (FA) and draining veins (DV), leading to tumor necrosis and eradication within 24–48 h.Methodology/Principal FindingsA mouse earlobe MADB106 tumor model was subjected to Tookad-VTP and monitored by three complementary, non-invasive online imaging techniques: Fluorescent intravital microscopy, Dynamic Light Scattering Imaging and photosensitized MRI. Tookad-VTP led to prompt tumor FA vasodilatation (a mean volume increase of 70%) with a transient increase (60%) in blood-flow rate. Rapid vasoconstriction, simultaneous blood clotting, vessel permeabilization and a sharp decline in the flow rates then followed, culminating in FA occlusion at 63.2 sec±1.5SEM. This blockage was deemed irreversible after 10 minutes of VTP treatment. A decrease in DV blood flow was demonstrated, with a slight lag from FA response, accompanied by frequent changes in flow direction before reaching a complete standstill. In contrast, neighboring, healthy tissue vessels of similar sizes remained intact and functional after Tookad-VTP.Conclusion/SignificanceTookad-VTP selectively targets the tumor feeding and draining vessels. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first mono-therapeutic modality that primarily aims at the larger tumor vessels and leads to high cure rates, both in the preclinical and clinical arenas.

Controllable optical black hole in left-handed materials

Halting and storing light by infinitely decelerating its speed, in the absence of any form of external control, is extremely di+/-cult to imagine. Here we present a theoretical prediction of a controllable optical black hole composed of a planar left-handed material slab. We reveal a criterion that the effective round-trip propagation length in one zigzag path is zero, which brings light to a complete standstill. Both theory and ab initio simulation demonstrate that this optical black hole has degrees flexible controllability for the speed of light. Surprisingly, the ab initio simulations reveal that our scheme has degrees flexible controllability for swallowing, holding, and releasing light.

Precision in affinity capillary electrophoresis for drug–protein binding studies

In order to achieve excellent precision in the estimation of binding constants by affinity capillary electrophoresis (ACE), electroosmotic flow (EOF) stability is the key parameter, especially when using proteins in binding assays. Appropriate rinsing protocols are mandatory. In our study, the capillary was rinsed after each run with 0.1 mol/L sodium hydroxide for 2.0 min, with water for 2.0 min followed by running electrolyte (phosphate buffer at pH 7.4) for 3.0 min (pressure = 3000 mbar each). Tryptophan-human serum albumin, warfarin-bovine serum albumin and quercetin-β-lactoglobulin were used as ACE models. Further improvements in precision have been obtained by avoiding a complete standstill of liquid within the capillary and flushing the capillary with buffer for 25 min after each 30 consecutive runs. The precision of measurements is further improved by the use of mobility ratios to report mobility changes (RSD% less than 0.5% in a long-term measurement, n = 300–600). Apart from the importance of a stable EOF, other ACE key parameters include protein concentration, drug plug length, applied voltage, and the choice of the regression method. In the present work, useful protocols and templates are provided in order to allow users a quick and efficient start with ACE methods. The comprehensive experimental part can serve as a checklist, which parameters need to be addressed for successfully applying ACE. Here, the suggested experimental design allows for the determination of binding constants within a couple of hours using standard instrumentation. This time could still be decreased by orders of magnitude using capillary arrays or miniaturized systems.

Genetics and Sinus Node Dysfunction.

Sinus node dysfunction (SND) is commonly encountered in the clinic. The clinical phenotype ranges from asymptomatic sinus bradycardia to complete atrial standstill. In some cases, sinus bradycardia is associated with other myocardial conditions such as congenital abnormalities, myocarditis, dystrophies, cardiomyopathies as well as fibrosis or other structural remodeling of the SA node.1-8 Although there are many etiologies for symptomatic slow heart rates, the only effective treatment available today is the implantation of a pacemaker. The predominant ion channel currents contributing to the pacemaker activity in the sinoatrial node (SAN) include currents flowing through hyperpolarization-activated, cyclic nucleotide-gated (HCN) channels,9 Ltype Ca, Ttype Ca,10 delayed rectifier K,11,12 and acetylcholine (ACh)-activated13,14 channels. However, their relative contribution remains a matter of debate and the cellular mechanisms contributing to abnormal sinus node function leading to bradycardia are not fully elucidated. Sodium channel current (INa), encoded by SCN5A, is responsible for the cardiac action potential (AP) upstroke and therefore has an important role in initiation and propagation of the cardiac action potential. Although it is largely absent in the sinus node, it plays an important role at the periphery of the sinus node in transmitting electrical activity from the sinus node to the rest of the atria. Mutations in genes encoding structural anchoring proteins (ANK2, Caveolin3, AKAP9) have been associated with the development of atrial as well as ventricular arrhythmias.15, 16, 17 Sinus node dysfunction has been associated with a variety of atrial tachyarrhythmias, atrial fibrillation (AF) in particular. In recent years, numerous publications have focused on the genetic basis for ion channels and structural protein remodeling, providing further insights in the mechanisms of sinus node dysfunction and its role in AF. In this review, we will focus on the genetic aspects of the various forms of sinus node dysfunction and their relation to AF.

Light-Air-Portals: Visual Notes on Differential Mobility

Light-Air-Portals: Visual Notes on Differential Mobility

Democracy and Human Rights in the European-Asian Dialogue: A Clash of Cooperation Cultures?

Whereas the European Union (EU) favors a formal, binding, output-oriented, and to some extent supranational approach to cooperation, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is based on informal, non-binding, process-oriented intergovernmental forms of cooperation. This article addresses the question of whether these differences between European and Asian cooperation norms or cultures can account for interregional cooperation problems in the areas of democracy and human rights within the institutional context of EU-ASEAN and the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM). The author argues that a clash of cooperation cultures basically occurs in both forms of interregional collaboration between Asia and Europe, with slight differences due to the institutional context: while disagreements over the question of democracy and human rights between the EU and ASEAN have led to a temporary and then a complete standstill in cooperation, the flexible institutional mechanisms of ASEM seem, at first glance, to mitigate the disruptive effects of such dialogues. Yet informality does not remove the issues from the agenda, as the recurrent disputes over Myanmar's participation and the nonintervention norm favored by the Asian side of ASEM clearly indicate. Antagonistic cooperation cultures thus play a significant role in explaining the obstructive nature of the interregional human rights and democracy dialogue between Asia and Europe.

Stopping light by an air waveguide with anisotropic metamaterial cladding

We present a detailed study of oscillating modes in a slab waveguide with air core and anisotropic metamaterial cladding. It is shown that, under specific dielectric configurations, slow and even stopped electromagnetic wave can be supported by such an air waveguide. We propose a linearly tapped waveguide structure that could lead the propagating light to a complete standstill. Both the theoretical analysis and the proposed waveguide have been validated by full-wave simulation based on finite-difference time-domain method.

Long‐term precision in capillary isoelectric focusing for protein analysis

In order to improve precision in protein analysis, a new rinsing procedure with 3M hydrochloric acid was investigated for linear polyacrylamide-coated capillaries used in isoelectric focusing. After each run the capillaries were rinsed with hydrochloric acid for 5 min, followed by water for 20 min (Deltap = 1030 mbar each). Myoglobin, beta-lactoglobulin, and ovalbumin were used as model proteins; the pH gradient was provided by Pharmalyte (pH 3-10). The resulting method was already successful in avoiding capillary blockages, even for long-series protein measurements. Further improvements in precision have been obtained by avoiding a complete standstill of liquid within the capillary when the separation system was idle. Pressure (Deltap = 300 mbar or more) and high voltage (30 kV) were therefore also applied during storage within a measurement series. The reproducibility of migration time and peak area are further improved with RSD% less than 10% in a long-term measurement (n = 86).

Cold SO2 molecules by Stark deceleration

We produce SO2 molecules with a centre of mass velocity near zero using a Stark decelerator. Since the initial kinetic energy of the supersonic SO2 molecular beam is high, and the removed kinetic energy per stage is small, 326 deceleration stages are necessary to bring SO2 to a complete standstill, significantly more than in other experiments. We show that in such a decelerator possible loss due to coupling between the motional degrees of freedom must be considered. Experimental results are compared with 3D Monte-Carlo simulations and the quantum state selectivity of the Stark decelerator is demonstrated.

‘Trapped rainbow’ storage of light in metamaterials

Light usually propagates inside transparent materials in well known ways. However, recent research has examined the possibility of modifying the way the light travels by taking a normal transparent dielectric and inserting tiny metallic inclusions of various shapes and arrangements. As light passes through these structures, oscillating electric currents are set up that generate electromagnetic field moments; these can lead to dramatic effects on the light propagation, such as negative refraction. Possible applications include lenses that break traditional diffraction limits and 'invisibility cloaks' (refs 5, 6). Significantly less research has focused on the potential of such structures for slowing, trapping and releasing light signals. Here we demonstrate theoretically that an axially varying heterostructure with a metamaterial core of negative refractive index can be used to efficiently and coherently bring light to a complete standstill. In contrast to previous approaches for decelerating and storing light, the present scheme simultaneously allows for high in-coupling efficiencies and broadband, room-temperature operation. Surprisingly, our analysis reveals a critical point at which the effective thickness of the waveguide is reduced to zero, preventing the light wave from propagating further. At this point, the light ray is permanently trapped, its trajectory forming a double light-cone that we call an 'optical clepsydra'. Each frequency component of the wave packet is stopped at a different guide thickness, leading to the spatial separation of its spectrum and the formation of a 'trapped rainbow'. Our results bridge the gap between two important contemporary realms of science-metamaterials and slow light. Combined investigations may lead to applications in optical data processing and storage or the realization of quantum optical memories.

Mare clausum? Sailing Seasons in the Mediterranean in Early Antiquity

The modern notion of navigation in antiquity is that it came to an almost complete standstill in the winter. A survey of pre-Roman sources reveals that this notion is only partially correct. While coastal navigation was brought to a standstill in the winter, open-water routes were open for navigation in summer and winter alike.

Treatment of Polypharmacy Overdose with Multimodality Extracorporeal Life Support

A 45-year-old woman presented to the emergency department of a tertiary referral hospital after taking an overdose of verapamil, doxepin, quetiapine, diazepam, temazepam, and clonazepam. She rapidly developed shock refractory to pharmacological support and was placed on percutaneous venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). She had a severe metabolic acidosis from a combination of shock and drug intoxication that improved with continuous venovenous haemodialysis. Forty-eight hours after presentation, while still on ECMO, the patient had complete cardiac standstill for three and a half hours, attributable to slow-release verapamil, that resolved after the commencement of plasmapheresis. The role of plasmapheresis in verapamil overdose requires further study.

Rapid Expansion of the World Economy

2004 will go down in history as a period of rapid expansion, even though the global economic growth rate slowed markedly during the course of the year. However, it did not come to a complete standstill despite the renewed increase in the price of oil and other energy commodities. Is there a threat of stronger price rises that would “force” the central banks to renounce their expansive course of monetary policy? Will the slowdown in the rate of global output expansion continue? If so, will this be only temporary, or can perhaps a return to a markedly faster rate of expansion be expected?

Influence of preservatives and topical steroids on ciliary beat frequency in vitro.

To measure the influence of topical steroids and the preservative potassium sorbate on the ciliary beat frequency (CBF) of human nasal mucosa in vitro. In vitro study of cultured ciliated cells of human nasal mucosa. Human nasal mucosa was removed endoscopically and cultured for 10 days. Cell cultures with ciliated cells grown on an object slide were exposed to benzalkonium chloride and topical steroids in an exposure chamber. The CBF was measured with a photometer. The preservative potassium sorbate did not influence CBF in different concentrations. The glucocorticoid budesonide spray containing potassium sorbate did not affect CBF at 10% dilution and showed moderate reversible decrease of CBF at 50% dilution. The glucocorticoid sprays fluticasone propionate and mometasone fuorate containing the preservative benzalkonium chloride caused a reversible decrease of CBF at 10% dilution and a complete irreversible standstill at 50% dilution. In vitro, the steroid sprays containing fluticasone or mometasone, both with benzalkonium chloride, caused slowing or standstill of CBF depending on the concentration. The isolated preservative potassium sorbate and the budesonide nasal spray containing this preservative did not have negative influence on CBF in vitro. Potassium sorbate can therefore be considered harmless to the motility of ciliated cells.

Access to Stock Markets for Small and Medium-Sized Growth Firms: The Temporary Success and Ultimate Failure of Germany's Neuer Markt

Germany’s Neuer Markt was the largest of numerous new stock markets introduced in Europe during the nineties of the last century to address small and medium sized innovative growth firms. We argue that access to public equity markets is particularly valuable for such firms. However, the conception of the Neuer Markt contained some regulatory flaws, and the Neuer Markt developed along with a tremendous stock price bubble that broke clamorously in early 2000. As a consequence, the reputation of the Neuer Markt suffered from an extraordinary decline in market value and numerous scandals and insolvencies. Primary markets came to an almost complete standstill, and the Neuer Markt had to be abandoned at the end of 2002. Thus, apart from the window of opportunity provided by the short-lived Neuer Markt, the question of how German innovative growth firms could enter public equity markets remains unresolved. From this state of affairs, we expect negative effects on innovation and growth in the German economy.