Quantum-limited estimation of the axial separation of two incoherent point sources

Improving axial resolution is crucial for three-dimensional optical imaging systems. Here we present a scheme of axial superresolution for two incoherent point sources based on spatial mode demultiplexing. A radial mode sorter is used to losslessly decompose the optical fields into a radial mode basis set to extract the phase information associated with the axial positions of the point sources. We show theoretically and experimentally that, in the limit of a zero axial separation, our scheme allows for reaching the quantum Cram\'er-Rao lower bound and thus can be considered as one of the optimal measurement methods. Unlike other superresolution schemes, this scheme does not require neither activation of fluorophores nor sophisticated stabilization control. Moreover, it is applicable to the localization of a single point source in the axial direction. Our demonstration can be useful to a variety of applications such as far-field fluorescence microscopy.Comment: Comments are welcom

Quantum-limited estimation of the axial separation of two incoherent point sources

Improving axial resolution is crucial for three-dimensional optical imaging systems. Here we present a scheme of axial superresolution for two incoherent point sources based on spatial mode demultiplexing. A radial mode sorter is used to losslessly decompose the optical fields into a radial mode basis set to extract the phase information associated with the axial positions of the point sources. We show theoretically and experimentally that, in the limit of a zero axial separation, our scheme allows for reaching the quantum Cramér–Rao lower bound and thus can be considered as one of the optimal measurement methods. Unlike other superresolution schemes, this scheme does not require either activation of fluorophores or sophisticated stabilization control. Moreover, it is applicable to the localization of a single point source in the axial direction. Our demonstration can be useful for a variety of applications such as far-field fluorescence microscopy

Proteomic, microarray, and signature-tagged mutagenesis analyses of anaerobic pseudomonas aeruginosa at pH 6.5, likely representing chronic, late-stage cystic fibrosis airway conditions

Patients suffering from cystic fibrosis (CF) commonly harbor the important pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa in their airways. During chronic late-stage CF, P. aeruginosa is known to grow under reduced oxygen tension and is even capable of respiring anaerobically within the thickened airway mucus, at a pH of 6.5. Therefore, proteins involved in anaerobic metabolism represent potentially important targets for therapeutic intervention. In this study, the clinically relevant "anaerobiome" or "proteogenome" of P. aeruginosa was assessed. First, two different proteomic approaches were used to identify proteins differentially expressed under anaerobic versus aerobic conditions. Microarray studies were also performed, and in general, the anaerobic transcriptome was in agreement with the proteomic results. However, we found that a major portion of the most upregulated genes in the presence of NO3– and NO2– are those encoding Pf1 bacteriophage. With anaerobic NO2–, the most downregulated genes are those involved postglycolytically and include many tricarboxylic acid cycle genes and those involved in the electron transport chain, especially those encoding the NADH dehydrogenase I complex. Finally, a signature-tagged mutagenesis library of P. aeruginosa was constructed to further screen genes required for both NO3– and NO2– respiration. In addition to genes anticipated to play important roles in the anaerobiome (anr, dnr, nar, nir, and nuo), the cysG and dksA genes were found to be required for both anaerobic NO3– and NO2– respiration. This study represents a major step in unraveling the molecular machinery involved in anaerobic NO3– and NO2– respiration and offers clues as to how we might disrupt such pathways in P. aeruginosa to limit the growth of this important CF pathogen when it is either limited or completely restricted in its oxygen supply. <br/