242 research outputs found
Life history parameters in acellular extrinsic fiber cementum microstructure
Life-history parameters such as pregnancies, skeletal trauma, and renal disease have previously been identified from hypomineralized growth layers (incremental lines) of acellular extrinsic fiber cementum (AEFC). The precise periodicity of these growth layers remains vaguely approximated, so causal life-history explanations using tooth cementum cannot yet be rigorously calculated or tested. On the other hand, we show how life history parameters in AEFC can be identified by two contrasting elemental detection methods. Based on our results we reject the possibility of accurate estimation of pregnancies and other life history parameters from cementum using scanning electron microscopy alone. Here, we propose a new methodological approach for cementum research, Time-of-Flight Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (ToF-SIMS), to measure degree and distribution of mineralization of cementum growth layers. Our results show that Tof-SIMS can significantly increase our knowledge of cementum composition and is therefore a powerful new tool for life history researchers
A spherical perfect lens
It has been recently proved that a slab of negative refractive index material
acts as a perfect lens in that it makes accessible the sub-wavelength image
information contained in the evanescent modes of a source. Here we elaborate on
perfect lens solutions to spherical shells of negative refractive material
where magnification of the near-field images becomes possible. The negative
refractive materials then need to be spatially dispersive with and . We concentrate on lens-like solutions for the
extreme near-field limit. Then the conditions for the TM and TE polarized modes
become independent of and respectively.Comment: Revtex4, 9 pages, 2 figures (eps
Temperature range of superconducting fluctuations above T_c in YBa_2Cu_3O_{7-\delta} single crystals
Microwave absorption measurements in magnetic fields from zero up to 16 T
were used to determine the temperature range of superconducting fluctuations
above the superconducting critical temperature T_c in YBa_2Cu_3O_{7-\delta}.
Measurements were performed on deeply underdoped, slightly underdoped, and
overdoped single crystals. The temperature range of the superconducting
fluctuations above T_c is determined by an experimental method which is free
from arbitrary assumptions about subtracting the nonsuperconducting
contributions to the total measured signal, and/or theoretical models to
extract the unknown parameters. The superconducting fluctuations are detected
in the ab-plane, and c-axis conductivity, by identifying the onset temperature
T'. Within the sensitivity of the method, this fluctuation regime is found only
within a fairly narrow region above T_c. Its width increases from 7 K in the
overdoped sample (T_c = 89 K), to at most 23 K in the deeply underdoped sample
(T_c = 57 K), so that T' falls well below the pseudogap temperature T*.
Implications of these findings are discussed in the context of other
experimental probes of superconducting fluctuations in the cuprates
Structural and functional studies reveal the molecular basis of substrate promiscuity of a glycosyltransferase originating from a major agricultural pest
Rapid generation of hypomorphic mutations
Hypomorphic mutations are a valuable tool for both genetic analysis of gene function and for synthetic biology applications. However, current methods to generate hypomorphic mutations are limited to a specific organism, change gene expression unpredictably, or depend on changes in spatial-temporal expression of the targeted gene. Here we present a simple and predictable method to generate hypomorphic mutations in model organisms by targeting translation elongation. Adding consecutive adenosine nucleotides, so-called polyA tracks, to the gene coding sequence of interest will decrease translation elongation efficiency, and in all tested cell cultures and model organisms, this decreases mRNA stability and protein expression. We show that protein expression is adjustable independent of promoter strength and can be further modulated by changing sequence features of the polyA tracks. These characteristics make this method highly predictable and tractable for generation of programmable allelic series with a range of expression levels
Functional characterisation of a nicotinic acetylcholine receptor alpha subunit from the brown dog tick, Rhipicephalus sanguineus
Open Access funded by Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council Under a Creative Commons license This work was supported by a Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (UK) Industrial CASE studentship award (BBSSM200411428) to K.L. with co-funding from Pfizer Animal Health, UK. We thank Dr. Andy Ball for help with rearing of ticks.Peer reviewedPublisher PD
Near-field examination of perovskite-based superlenses and superlens-enhanced probe-object coupling
A planar slab of negative index material works as a superlens with
sub-diffraction-limited imaging resolution, since propagating waves are focused
and, moreover, evanescent waves are reconstructed in the image plane. Here, we
demonstrate a superlens for electric evanescent fields with low losses using
perovskites in the mid-infrared regime. The combination of near-field
microscopy with a tunable free-electron laser allows us to address precisely
the polariton modes, which are critical for super-resolution imaging. We
spectrally study the lateral and vertical distributions of evanescent waves
around the image plane of such a lens, and achieve imaging resolution of
wavelength/14 at the superlensing wavelength. Interestingly, at certain
distances between the probe and sample surface, we observe a maximum of these
evanescent fields. Comparisons with numerical simulations indicate that this
maximum originates from an enhanced coupling between probe and object, which
might be applicable for multifunctional circuits, infrared spectroscopy, and
thermal sensors.Comment: 20 pages, 6 figures, published as open access article in Nature
Communications (see http://www.nature.com/ncomms/
Electrical control over single hole spins in nanowire quantum dots
Single electron spins in semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) are a versatile
platform for quantum information processing, however controlling decoherence
remains a considerable challenge. Recently, hole spins have emerged as a
promising alternative. Holes in III-V semiconductors have unique properties,
such as strong spin-orbit interaction and weak coupling to nuclear spins, and
therefore have potential for enhanced spin control and longer coherence times.
Weaker hyperfine interaction has already been reported in self-assembled
quantum dots using quantum optics techniques. However, challenging fabrication
has so far kept the promise of hole-spin-based electronic devices out of reach
in conventional III-V heterostructures. Here, we report gate-tuneable hole
quantum dots formed in InSb nanowires. Using these devices we demonstrate Pauli
spin blockade and electrical control of single hole spins. The devices are
fully tuneable between hole and electron QDs, enabling direct comparison
between the hyperfine interaction strengths, g-factors and spin blockade
anisotropies in the two regimes
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