Frequency dependent steering with backward leaky waves via photonic crystal interface layer

Cataloged from PDF version of article.A Photonic Crystal (PC) with a surface defect layer (made of dimers) is studied in the microwave regime. The dispersion diagram is obtained with the Plane Wave Expansion Method. The dispersion diagram reveals that the dimer-layer supports a surface mode with negative slope. Two facts are noted: First, a guided (bounded) wave is present, propagating along the surface of the dimer-layer. Second, above the light line, the fast traveling mode couple to the propagating spectra and as a result a directive (narrow beam) radiation with backward characteristics is observed and measured. In this leaky mode regime, symmetrical radiation patterns with respect to the normal to the PC surface are attained. Beam steering is observed and measured in a 70 degrees angular range when frequency ranges in the 11.88-13.69GHz interval. Thus, a PC based surface wave structure that acts as a frequency dependent leaky wave antenna is presented. Angular radiation pattern measurements are in agreement with those obtained via numerical simulations that employ the Finite Difference Time Domain Method (FDTD). Finally, the backward radiation characteristics that in turn suggest the existence of a backward leaky mode in the dimer-layer are experimentally verified using a halved dimer-layer structure. (C) 2009 Optical Society of Americ

Multiple Projection Optical Diffusion Tomography with Plane Wave Illumination

We describe a new data collection scheme for optical diffusion tomography in which plane wave illumination is combined with multiple projections in the slab imaging geometry. Multiple projection measurements are performed by rotating the slab around the sample. The advantage of the proposed method is that the measured data can be much more easily fitted into the dynamic range of most commonly used detectors. At the same time, multiple projections improve image quality by mutually interchanging the depth and transverse directions, and the scanned (detection) and integrated (illumination) surfaces. Inversion methods are derived for image reconstructions with extremely large data sets. Numerical simulations are performed for fixed and rotated slabs

Cultivation of Agaricus bisporus on wheat straw and waste tea leaves based composts and locally available casing materials Part III: Dry matter, protein, and carbohydrate contents of Agaricus bisporus

This study was performed to determine the effects of composts and casing materials on dry matter, protein, and carbohydrate contents of the fruit bodies of Agaricus bisporus. Results showed that Agaricus bisporus cultivated on group I and group II casing soil groups showed remarkably higher dry matter and carbohydrate contents compared to other casing groups. No significant differences were found among casing soil groups in terms of protein content of Agaricus bisporus cultivated on wheatstraw. But, there were significant differences between casing soil groups in terms of protein content of Agaricus bisporus cultivated on waste tea leaves

Yield response of mushroom (Agaricus bisporus) on wheat straw and waste tea leaves based composts using supplements of some locally available peats and their mixture with some secondary casing materials

The study was conducted to investigate yields of mushroom (Agaricus bisporus) on wheat straw and waste tea leaves based composts. Mixtures (50:50, v/v) of some locally available peats including peat ofBolu (PB), peat of Agacbasi (PA), peat of Caykara (PC) and their mixture (80:20; v/v) with which piece of mosaic and sand were used. Also, some activator materials such as wheat bran, wheat chaff, chickenmanure, pigeon manure, and poplar leaves were used for A. bisporus cultivation. The results on wheat straw based composts provided the highest mushroom yield (23.01%) that was obtained on wheat strawand pigeon manure based compost using a mixture of PA with PC (50+50; v/v) as casing material. For waste tea leaves based composts, the highest mushroom yield (24.90%) were recorded on wheat straw and pigeon manure based compost using a mixture of PC with sand (80+20; v/v) as casing material

The inhibition of FGF receptor 1 activity mediates sorafenib-induced antiproliferative effects in human mesothelioma tumor-initiating cells

Tumor-initiating cells (TICs), the subset of cells within tumors endowed with stem-like features, being highly resistant to conventional cytotoxic drugs, are the major cause of tumor relapse. The identification of molecules able to target TICs remains a significant challenge in cancer therapy. Using TIC-enriched cultures (MM1, MM3 and MM4), from 3 human malignant pleural mesotheliomas (MPM), we tested the effects of sorafenib on cell survival and the intracellular mechanisms involved. Sorafenib inhibited cell-cycle progression in all the TIC cultures, but only in MM3 and MM4 cells this effect was associated with induction of apoptosis via the down-regulation of Mcl-1. Although sorafenib inhibits the activity of several tyrosine kinases, its effects are mainly ascribed to Raf inhibition. To investigate the mechanisms of sorafenib-mediated antiproliferative activity, TICs were treated with EGF or bFGF causing, in MM3 and MM4 cells, MEK, ERK1/2, Akt and STAT3 phosphorylation. These effects were significantly reduced by sorafenib in bFGF-treated cells, while a slight inhibition occurred after EGF stimulation, suggesting that sorafenib effects are mainly due to FGFR inhibition. Indeed, FGFR1 phosphorylation was inhibited by sorafenib. A different picture was observed in MM1 cells, which, releasing high levels of bFGF, showed an autocrine activation of FGFR1 and a constitutive phosphorylation/activation of MEK-ERK1/2. A powerful inhibitory response to sorafenib was observed in these cells, indirectly confirming the central role of sorafenib as FGFR inhibitor. These results suggest that bFGF signaling may impact antiproliferative response to sorafenib of MPM TICs, which is mainly mediated by a direct FGFR targeting

Genetic and phenotypic characterization of NKX6‐2‐related spastic ataxia and hypomyelination

Background and purpose Hypomyelinating leukodystrophies are a heterogeneous group of genetic disorders with a wide spectrum of phenotypes and a high rate of genetically unsolved cases. Bi‐allelic mutations in NKX6‐2 were recently linked to spastic ataxia 8 with hypomyelinating leukodystrophy. Methods Using a combination of homozygosity mapping, exome sequencing, and detailed clinical and neuroimaging assessment a series of new NKX6‐2 mutations in a multicentre setting is described. Then, all reported NKX6‐2 mutations and those identified in this study were combined and an in‐depth analysis of NKX6‐2‐related disease spectrum was provided. Results Eleven new cases from eight families of different ethnic backgrounds carrying compound heterozygous and homozygous pathogenic variants in NKX6‐2 were identified, evidencing a high NKX6‐2 mutation burden in the hypomyelinating leukodystrophy disease spectrum. Our data reveal a phenotype spectrum with neonatal onset, global psychomotor delay and worse prognosis at the severe end and a childhood onset with mainly motor phenotype at the milder end. The phenotypic and neuroimaging expression in NKX6‐2 is described and it is shown that phenotypes with epilepsy in the absence of overt hypomyelination and diffuse hypomyelination without seizures can occur. Conclusions NKX6‐2 mutations should be considered in patients with autosomal recessive, very early onset of nystagmus, cerebellar ataxia with hypotonia that rapidly progresses to spasticity, particularly when associated with neuroimaging signs of hypomyelination. Therefore, it is recommended that NXK6‐2 should be included in hypomyelinating leukodystrophy and spastic ataxia diagnostic panels

Cultivation of Agaricus bisporus on some compost formulas and locally available casing materials. Part II: Waste tea leaves based compost formulas and locally available casing materials

Three compost formulas (formula I, formula II, and formula III) based waste tea leaves and using some activator materials such as wheat bran, chicken manure and pigeon manure were studied for Agaricusbisporus cultivation. Some locally available peats such as peat of Bolu, peat of Agacbasi, peat of Caykara and theirs mixture (80:20; volume : volume) with perlite were used. Temperature values of allcompost formulas during composting process were measured to determine the compostability level. According to results, compost temparature steadily increased until the 8th, 9th, and 9th day ofcomposting for formula I, formula II, and formula III, respectively. The maximum compost temperature values were measured for all compost formulas at the second turning stage of composting process.The highest compost temperature values were measured prepared from a mixture of waste tea leaves and wheat bran (formula I). The best mushroom yield was obtained by a mixture of waste tea leaves andpigeon manure with the peat of Caykara and perlite mixture as casing material. Peat of Caykara gave higher mushroom yield than those of other peats

Loss of UGP2 in brain leads to a severe epileptic encephalopathy, emphasizing that bi-allelic isoform-specific start-loss mutations of essential genes can cause genetic diseases.

Developmental and/or epileptic encephalopathies (DEEs) are a group of devastating genetic disorders, resulting in early-onset, therapy-resistant seizures and developmental delay. Here we report on 22 individuals from 15 families presenting with a severe form of intractable epilepsy, severe developmental delay, progressive microcephaly, visual disturbance and similar minor dysmorphisms. Whole exome sequencing identified a recurrent, homozygous variant (chr2:64083454A > G) in the essential UDP-glucose pyrophosphorylase (UGP2) gene in all probands. This rare variant results in a tolerable Met12Val missense change of the longer UGP2 protein isoform but causes a disruption of the start codon of the shorter isoform, which is predominant in brain. We show that the absence of the shorter isoform leads to a reduction of functional UGP2 enzyme in neural stem cells, leading to altered glycogen metabolism, upregulated unfolded protein response and premature neuronal differentiation, as modeled during pluripotent stem cell differentiation in vitro. In contrast, the complete lack of all UGP2 isoforms leads to differentiation defects in multiple lineages in human cells. Reduced expression of Ugp2a/Ugp2b in vivo in zebrafish mimics visual disturbance and mutant animals show a behavioral phenotype. Our study identifies a recurrent start codon mutation in UGP2 as a cause of a novel autosomal recessive DEE syndrome. Importantly, it also shows that isoform-specific start-loss mutations causing expression loss of a tissue-relevant isoform of an essential protein can cause a genetic disease, even when an organism-wide protein absence is incompatible with life. We provide additional examples where a similar disease mechanism applies

An investigation on pin head formation time of Agaricus bisporus on wheat straw and waste tea leaves based composts using some locally available peat materials and secondary casing materials

This study was designed to determine pin head formation time of Agaricus bisporus on wheat straw and waste tea leaves based composts. Locally available peat materials such as peat of Bolu (PB), peat of Agacbasi (PA), peat of Caykara (PC), and their mixture (80:20; v:v) with piece of mosaic (PM), perlite (P), and sand (S) were used as secondary casing materials. Also, some activator materials such aswheat bran, chicken manure, and pigeon manure were used for A. bisporus cultivation. For wheat straw based composts, the fastest pin head formation times were observed with a mixture of PA with PMcasing material on wheat straw and chicken manure based compost and with PA casing material on wheat straw and pigeon manure based compost. For waste tea leaves based composts, the fastest pinhead formation times were obtained with a mixture of PA with PM and PC with PM on waste tea leaves and chicken manure based compost. Generally, when peat materials were used in combination witheach other, the period of pin head formation times shortened compared to their individual use. A mixture of forest soil with sand (80 + 20; in volume) gave the worst results in terms of pin head formation times for both composts. In secondary casing materials, PM gave the best results in terms of pin head formation time for both composts

Cultivation of Agaricus bisporus on some compost formulas and locally available casing materials. Part I: Wheat straw based compost formulas and locally available casing materials

Three compost formulas; wheat straw based and using different activator materials such as wheat brain, chicken manure, and pigeon manure were used for Agaricus bisporus cultivation. Locallyavailable casing materials such as peat of Bolu, peat of Agacbasi, peat of Caykara, and their mixture (80:20; v:v) with perlite were used. Temperature degrees of all of compost formulas were measuredduring composting at various depth in order to determine the compostability level. Results showed that inner compost temparature increased until the 8th and 9th day of composting for formula I, formula II, and formula III composts, respectively. The maximum inner compost temperature degrees were measured for all compost formulas at the second turning stage of composting. The highest mushroom yield (1707.2 g) was recorded by wheat straw mixed with pigeon manure with the peat of Caykara and perlite mixture as casing material