Metal nanoparticles are attractive for plasmon-enhanced generation of hot carriers, which may be harnessed in photochemical reactions. In this work, we analyze the coherent femtosecond dynamics of ...photon absorption, plasmon formation, and subsequent hot-carrier generation through plasmon dephasing using first-principles simulations. We predict the energetic and spatial hot-carrier distributions in small metal nanoparticles and show that the distribution of hot electrons is very sensitive to the local structure. Our results show that surface sites exhibit enhanced hot-electron generation in comparison to the bulk of the nanoparticle. Although the details of the distribution depend on particle size and shape, as a general trend, lower-coordinated surface sites such as corners, edges, and {100} facets exhibit a higher proportion of hot electrons than higher-coordinated surface sites such as {111} facets or the core sites. The present results thereby demonstrate how hot carriers could be tailored by careful design of atomic-scale structures in nanoscale systems.
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IJS, KILJ, NUK, PNG, UL, UM
•We tackle distributed detection of a target via a Wireless Sensor Network.•Both target average emitted power and position are unknown.•GLRT, Bayesian and hybrid approaches are ...considered.•Generalizations of Locally-Optimum Detection are obtained.•All the proposed rules are compared in terms of performance and complexity.
In this paper we tackle distributed detection of a non-cooperative target with a Wireless Sensor Network (WSN). When the target is present, sensors observe an unknown random signal with amplitude attenuation depending on the distance between the sensor and the target (unknown) positions, embedded in white Gaussian noise. The Fusion Center (FC) receives sensors decisions through error-prone Binary Symmetric Channels (BSCs) and is in charge of performing a (potentially) more-accurate global decision. The resulting problem is a one-sided testing with nuisance parameters present only under the target-present hypothesis. We first focus on fusion rules based on Generalized Likelihood Ratio Test (GLRT), Bayesian and hybrid approaches. Then, aimed at reducing the computational complexity, we develop fusion rules based on generalizations of the well-known Locally-Optimum Detection (LOD) framework. Finally, all the proposed rules are compared in terms of performance and complexity.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZRSKP
AbstractThe seismic response of buckling-restrained braces has often been modeled as elastic plastic with kinematic hardening or, even more simplistically, as elastic perfectly plastic. The use of ...these models has not raised particular criticism because of the lack of models able to represent isotropic hardening with acceptable accuracy and reliability. In recent years, the effect of isotropic hardening has been included in some more refined models of the seismic response of buckling-restrained braces. One of these refined models is considered in this paper to assess the effectiveness of some common models in which the effect of the isotropic hardening is not taken into account. A comparison is made on single-story and multistory structures subjected to natural and artificial accelerograms.
While direct hot-carrier transfer can increase photocatalytic activity, it is difficult to discern experimentally and competes with several other mechanisms. To shed light on these aspects, here, we ...model from first-principles hot-carrier generation across the interface between plasmonic nanoparticles and a CO molecule. The hot-electron transfer probability depends nonmonotonically on the nanoparticle–molecule distance and can be effective at long distances, even before a strong chemical bond can form; hot-hole transfer on the other hand is limited to shorter distances. These observations can be explained by the energetic alignment between molecular and nanoparticle states as well as the excitation frequency. The hybridization of the molecular orbitals is the key predictor for hot-carrier transfer in these systems, emphasizing the necessity of ground state hybridization for accurate predictions. Finally, we show a nontrivial dependence of the hot-carrier distribution on the excitation energy, which could be exploited when optimizing photocatalytic systems.
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IJS, KILJ, NUK, PNG, UL, UM
Electronic excitations can be efficiently analyzed in terms of the underlying Kohn–Sham (KS) electron–hole transitions. While such a decomposition is readily available in the linear-response ...time-dependent density-functional theory (TDDFT) approaches based on the Casida equations, a comparable analysis is less commonly conducted within the real-time-propagation TDDFT (RT-TDDFT). To improve this situation, we present here an implementation of a KS decomposition tool within the local-basis-set RT-TDDFT code in the free GPAW package. Our implementation is based on postprocessing of data that is readily available during time propagation, which is important for retaining the efficiency of the underlying RT-TDDFT to large systems. After benchmarking our implementation on small benzene derivatives by explicitly reconstructing the Casida eigenvectors from RT-TDDFT, we demonstrate the performance of the method by analyzing the plasmon resonances of icosahedral silver nanoparticles up to Ag561. The method provides a clear description of the splitting of the plasmon in small nanoparticles due to individual single-electron transitions as well as the formation of a distinct d-electron-screened plasmon resonance in larger nanoparticles.
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Strong light-matter interactions in both the single-emitter and collective strong coupling regimes attract significant attention due to emerging applications in quantum and nonlinear optics as well ...as opportunities for modifying material-related properties. Exploration of these phenomena is theoretically demanding, as polaritons exist at the intersection between quantum optics, solid state physics, and quantum chemistry. Fortunately, nanoscale polaritons can be realized in small plasmon-molecule systems, enabling treatment with ab initio methods. Here, we show that time-dependent density-functional theory calculations access the physics of nanoscale plasmon-molecule hybrids and predict vacuum Rabi splitting. By considering a system comprising a few-hundred-atom aluminum nanoparticle interacting with benzene molecules, we show that cavity quantum electrodynamics holds down to resonators of a few cubic nanometers in size, yielding a single-molecule coupling strength exceeding 200 meV due to a massive vacuum field of 4.5 V · nm
. In a broader perspective, ab initio methods enable parameter-free in-depth studies of polaritonic systems for emerging applications.
Cryptococcus neoformans is a facultative intracellular pathogen and its interaction with macrophages is a key event determining the outcome of infection. Urease is a major virulence factor in C. ...neoformans but its role during macrophage interaction has not been characterized. Consequently, we analyzed the effect of urease on fungal-macrophage interaction using wild-type, urease-deficient and urease-complemented strains of C. neoformans. The frequency of non-lytic exocytosis events was reduced in the absence of urease. Urease-positive C. neoformans manifested reduced and delayed intracellular replication with fewer macrophages displaying phagolysosomal membrane permeabilization. The production of urease was associated with increased phagolysosomal pH, which in turn reduced growth of urease-positive C. neoformans inside macrophages. Interestingly, the ure1 mutant strain grew slower in fungal growth medium which was buffered to neutral pH (pH 7.4). Mice inoculated with macrophages carrying urease-deficient C. neoformans had lower fungal burden in the brain than mice infected with macrophages carrying wild-type strain. In contrast, the absence of urease did not affect survival of yeast when interacting with amoebae. Because of the inability of the urease deletion mutant to grow on urea as a sole nitrogen source, we hypothesize urease plays a nutritional role involved in nitrogen acquisition in the environment. Taken together, our data demonstrate that urease affects fitness within the mammalian phagosome, promoting non-lytic exocytosis while delaying intracellular replication and thus reducing phagolysosomal membrane damage, events that could facilitate cryptococcal dissemination when transported inside macrophages. This system provides an example where an enzyme involved in nutrient acquisition modulates virulence during mammalian infection.
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DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Xylosandrus crassiusculus
is an invasive ambrosia beetle comprising two differentiated genetic lineages, named cluster 1 and cluster 2. These lineages invaded different parts of the world at ...different periods of time. We tested whether they exhibited different climatic niches using Schoener’s D and Hellinger’s I indices and modeled their current potential geographical ranges using the Maxent algorithm. The resulting models were projected according to future and recent past climate datasets for Europe and the Mediterranean region. The future projections were performed for the periods 2041–2070 and 2071–2100 using 3 SSPs and 5 GCMs. The genetic lineages exhibited different climate niches. Parts of Europe, the Americas, Sub-Saharan Africa, Asia, and Oceania were evaluated as suitable for cluster 1. Parts of Europe, South America, Central and South Africa, Asia, and Oceania were considered as suitable for cluster 2. Models projection under future climate scenarios indicated a decrease in climate suitability in Southern Europe and an increase in North Eastern Europe in 2071–2100. Most of Southern and Western Europe was evaluated as already suitable for both clusters in the early twentieth century. Our results show that large climatically suitable regions still remain uncolonized and that climate change will affect the geographical distribution of climatically suitable areas. Climate conditions in Europe were favorable in the twentieth century, suggesting that the recent colonization of Europe is rather due to an increase in propagule pressure via international trade than to recent environmental changes.
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EMUNI, FIS, FZAB, GEOZS, GIS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, MFDPS, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, SBMB, SBNM, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK, VKSCE, ZAGLJ
Plasmon-induced hot-carrier transfer from a metal nanostructure to an acceptor is known to occur via two key mechanisms: (i) indirect transfer, where the hot carriers are produced in the metal ...nanostructure and subsequently transferred to the acceptor, and (ii) direct transfer, where the plasmons decay by directly exciting carriers from the metal to the acceptor. Unfortunately, an atomic-level understanding of the direct-transfer process, especially with regard to its quantification, remains elusive even though it is estimated to be more efficient compared to the indirect-transfer process. This is due to experimental challenges in separating direct from indirect transfer as both processes occur simultaneously at femtosecond time scales. Here, we employ time-dependent density-functional theory simulations to isolate and study the direct-transfer process at a model metal–acceptor (Ag147–Cd33Se33) interface. Our simulations show that, for a 10 fs Gaussian laser pulse tuned to the plasmon frequency, the plasmon formed in the Ag147–Cd33Se33 system decays within 10 fs and induces the direct transfer with a probability of about 40%. We decompose the direct-transfer process further and demonstrate that the direct injection of both electrons and holes into the acceptor, termed direct hot-electron transfer (DHET) and direct hot-hole transfer (DHHT), takes place with similar probabilities of about 20% each. Finally, effective strategies to control and tune the probabilities of DHET and DHHT processes are proposed. We envision our work to provide guidelines toward the design of metal–acceptor interfaces that enable more efficient plasmonic hot-carrier devices.
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IJS, KILJ, NUK, PNG, UL, UM
•The DYB is proposed as a brace member to obtain an improved steel CBF.•The benefits of the mechanical features of DYB on the frame response is studied.•A method for the design of the components of ...the new CBF is formulated.•The design method is consistent with the architecture of EC8.•The behaviour factor is calibrated to fulfil the performance requirements of EC8.
The steel Concentric Braced Frame (CBF) is a popular structural type for buildings in seismic areas. In fact, it can conveniently provide the building with large strength and stiffness. Furthermore, the simplicity of fabrication that derives from the use of shear connections between beams and columns appeals to structural designers. Unfortunately, the dissipation capacity of steel braces is limited and the structural type is low redundant and thus prone to storey collapse mechanisms. To improve the seismic performance of the CBF double-stage BRBs (DYBs) could be used instead of conventional steel braces. The DYB exhibits high dissipative and stable cyclic response and, if inserted into a steel frame, promote the spread of damage owing to the shape of its hysteresis loop. Despite its qualities, in literature there are no design methods that allow its use. Hence, in this paper, a design method for steel frames with DYBs is formulated in compliance with the principles of the European seismic code. The behaviour factor q is calibrated to meet the performance objectives of Eurocode 8. The calibration is performed by nonlinear dynamic analysis conducted with OpenSees on 75 frames with different features. The numerical model is calibrated on the results of the experimental tests performed by Pan and his co-workers at Tsinghua University in Beijing (China). The deduced results confirm the effectiveness of the frame with DYBs, which can be designed with q values greater than those used for traditional steel braced frames.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
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