Coupling between counterpropagating cladding modes in fiber Bragg gratings

We present an experimental demonstration of energy transfer between counterpropagating cladding modes in a fiber Bragg grating (FBG). A strong FBG written in a standard photosensitive optical fiber is illuminated with a single cladding mode, and the power transferred between the forward propagating cladding mode and different backward propagating cladding modes is measured by using two auxiliary long period gratings. Resonances between cladding modes having 30 pm bandwidth and 8 dB rejection have been observed

Ultrastructural observations on foliar glandular trichomes of Stevia rebaudiana

Foliar glandular trichomes of Stevia rebaudiana (Bert.) Bert. were examined by transmission electron microscopy in order to detect changes occurring in their cells in association with the secretory process. In the foliar, 10-celled lipophilic glandular trichome of Stevia rebaudiana (Bert.) Bert., the six secretory cells forming three pairs of head cells are vacuolated, possess large nuclei and are rich in ribosomes, mitochondria, plastids and ER elements. Dictyosomes are relatively frequent in these cells. The plastids, which form starch grains, are leucoplasts in cells of the apical pair and chloroplasts in cells of the two subapical pairs. The basal cells and stalk cells possess some degree of vacuolation and are rich in ribosomes. Also in these cells, the nuclei are relatively large; ER elements, chloroplasts and dictyosomes are present in moderate number, and mitochondria are frequent. Wall ingrowths are found in head cells as well as in the stalk and basal cells. Plasmodesmata, in moderate number, occur more frequently in transverse walls of head cells, as well as in those between cells of the second subapical pair and stalk cells and between the latter and basal cells. Plasmodesmata connect mesophyll cells and basal cells. To form the secretory sheath, the cuticular membrane detaches from the outer walls of the apical secretory cells, along a line that appears to be the pectin layer

Behavioral and electroencephalographic analysis of seizures induced by intrahippocampal injection of granulitoxin, a neurotoxic peptide from the sea anemone Bunodosoma granulifera

In this study, the behavioral and electroencephalographic (EEG) analysis of seizures induced by the intrahippocampal injection in rats of granulitoxin, a neurotoxic peptide from the sea anemone Bunodosoma granulifera, was determined. The first alterations occurred during microinjection of granulitoxin (8 µg) into the dorsal hippocampus and consisted of seizure activity that began in the hippocampus and spread rapidly to the occipital cortex. This activity lasted 20-30 s, and during this period the rats presented immobility. During the first 40-50 min after its administration, three to four other similar short EEG seizure periods occurred and the rats presented the following behavioral alterations: akinesia, facial automatisms, head tremor, salivation, rearing, jumping, barrel-rolling, wet dog shakes and forelimb clonic movements. Within 40-50 min, the status epilepticus was established and lasted 8-12 h. These results are similar to those observed in the acute phase of the pilocarpine model of temporal lobe epilepsy and suggest that granulitoxin may be a useful tool not only to study the sodium channels, but also to develop a new experimental model of status epilepticus.Universidade Estadual do Ceará Departamento de Ciências Fisiológicas Laboratório de NeurofarmacologiaUniversidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP) Departamento de Neurologia e Neurocirurgia Laboratório de Neurologia ExperimentalUniversidade de Brasília Departamento de Biologia Celular Centro Brasileiro de Serviços e Pesquisas em ProteínasUNIFESP, Depto. de Neurologia e Neurocirurgia Laboratório de Neurologia ExperimentalSciEL

Highly sensitive optical hydrogen sensor using circular Pd-coated singlemode tapered fibre

A novel optical hydrogen sensor, based on the absorption change of the evanescent fields in a circular Pd-coated singlemode tapered fibre is presented. The proposed sensor is polarisation independent and its sensitivity is adjustable by means of the taper diameter, interaction length, and/or light wavelength. A simple light transmission measurement setup is used to test the sensor. The sensor is suitable for the detection of low hydrogen concentrations with high sensitivity and fast time response. Transmission changes as high as 60% are demonstrated

Simultaneous gain and phase profile determination on an interferometric BOTDA

24th International Conference on Optical Fibre Sensors, 96343Y, Curitiba, Brazil, September 28, 2015.Up to now, complex (phase and intensity) measurements in Brillouin Optical Time-Domain Analysis (BOTDA) systems required complex phase modulation methods and high-bandwidth (multi-GHz) detection. In this work, we propose a novel technique that is able to retrieve simultaneously both gain/loss and phase characteristics of the Brillouin interaction by just introducing a Sagnac Interferometer (SI) 011 a standard BOTDA sensing scheme. The technique is described analytically and demonstrated experimentally. With this technique, a reliability increase is produced since redundant measurements can be performed.European CommissionMinisterio de Economía y CompetitividadUniversidad de AlcaláComunidad de MadridGeneralitat Valencian

In vitro-generated Tc17 cells present a memory phenotype and serve as a reservoir of Tc1 cells in vivo

Indexación: Scopus.Memory CD8+ T cells are ideal candidates for cancer immunotherapy because they can mediate long-term protection against tumors. However, the therapeutic potential of different in vitro-generated CD8+ T cell effector subsets to persist and become memory cells has not been fully characterized. Type 1 CD8+ T (Tc1) cells produce interferon-γ and are endowed with high cytotoxic capacity, whereas IL-17-producing CD8+ T (Tc17) cells are less cytotoxic but display enhanced self-renewal capacity. We sought to evaluate the functional properties of in vitro-generated Tc17 cells and elucidate their potential to become long lasting memory cells. Our results show that in vitro-generated Tc17 cells display a greater in vivo persistence and expansion in response to secondary antigen stimulation compared to Tc1 cells. When transferred into recipient mice, Tc17 cells persist in secondary lymphoid organs, present a recirculation behavior consistent with central memory T cells, and can shift to a Tc1 phenotype. Accordingly, Tc17 cells are endowed with a higher mitochondrial spare respiratory capacity than Tc1 cells and express higher levels of memory-related molecules than Tc1 cells. Together, these results demonstrate that in vitro-generated Tc17 cells acquire a central memory program and provide a lasting reservoir of Tc1 cells in vivo, thus supporting the use of Tc17 lymphocytes in the design of novel and more effective therapies.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2018.00209/ful

Slow relaxations and history dependence of the transport properties of layered superconductors

We study numerically the time evolution of the transport properties of layered superconductors after different preparations. We show that, in accordance with recent experiments in BSCCO performed in the second peak region of the phase diagram (Portier et al, 2001), the relaxation strongly depends on the initial conditions and is extremely slow. We investigate the dependence on the pinning center density and the perturbation applied. We compare the measurements to recent findings in tapped granular matter and we interpret our results with a rather simple picture.Comment: 4 pages, 4 fig

The use of electrical impedance spectroscopy for monitoring the hydration products of Portland cement mortars with high percentage of pozzolans

In this paper, mortars and pastes containing large replacement of pozzolan were studied by mechanical strength, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), scanning electronic microscopy (SEM), mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP) and electrical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The effect of metakaolin (35%) and fly ash (60%) was evaluated and compared with an inert mineral addition (andalusite). The portlandite content was measured, finding that the pozzolanic reaction produced cementing systems with all portlandite fixed. The EIS measurements were analyzed by the equivalent electrical circuit (EEC) method. An EEC with three branches in parallel was applied. The dc resistance was related to the degree of hydration and allowed us to characterize plain and blended mortars. A constant phase element (CPE) quantified the electrical properties of the hydration products located in the solid¿solution interface and was useful to distinguish the role of inert and pozzolanic admixtures present in the cement matrix.The authors thank the Universitat Politecnica de Valencia (UPV, Vicerrectorado de Investigacion) for its support (project PAID-05-09 ref 4302) and Debra Westall (UPV) for revising the manuscript.Cruz González, JM.; Fita Fernández, IC.; Soriano Martinez, L.; Paya Bernabeu, JJ.; Borrachero Rosado, MV. (2013). The use of electrical impedance spectroscopy for monitoring the hydration products of Portland cement mortars with high percentage of pozzolans. Cement and Concrete Research. 50:51-61. doi:10.1016/j.cemconres.2013.03.019S51615