Dual-Core Photonic Crystal Fiber for Use in Fiber Filters

An asymmetrical dual-core photonic crystal fiber (DC-PCF), which possesses all circular air holes, is proposed. By setting appropriate geometrical parameters, the wavelength-selective coupling property is realized, and a compact optical filter with a short length of 1.83 mm based on the DC-PCF is designed. The spectral transmission characteristics of the filter are investigated by the beam propagation method. The results demonstrate that the optical filter possesses a bandwidth of ∼ 58 nm and small sidelobes. The proposed optical filter could be used in the integrated optical systems

The Adverse Impact of Tumor Microenvironment on NK-Cell

NK cells are considered an important component of innate immunity, which is the first line of defensing against tumors and viral infections in the absence of prior sensitization. NK cells express an array of germline-encoded receptors, which allow them to eliminate abnormal cells and were previously considered a homogenous population of innate lymphocytes, with limited phenotypic and functional diversity. Although their characteristics are related to their developmental origins, other factors, such as tumors and viral infections, can influence their phenotype. Here, we provide an overview of NK cells in the context of the tumor microenvironment, with a primary focus on their phenotypes, functions, and roles in tumor micro-environment. A comprehensive understanding of NK cells in the tumor microenvironment will provide a theoretical basis for the development of NK cell immunotherapy

Dissimilarity measures for content-based image retrieval

Dissimilarity measurement plays a crucial role in content-based image retrieval. In this paper, 16 core dissimilarity measures are introduced and evaluated. We carry out a systematic performance comparison on three image collections, Corel, Getty and Trecvid2003, with 7 different feature spaces. Two search scenarios are considered: single image queries based on the vector space model, and multi-image queries based on k-nearest neighbours search. A number of observations are drawn, which will lay a foundation for developing more effective image search technologies

Electromagnetic Structure of the Neutron from Annihilation Reactions

The investigation of the fundamental properties of the nucleon is one of the most important topics in the modern hadron physics. Its internal structure and dynamics can be studied through the measurement of electromagnetic form factors which represent the simplest structure observables and serve as a test ground for our understanding of the strong interaction. Since the first attempt to measure the time-like form factors of the neutron, only four experiments published results on its structure from annihilation reactions. Due to the lack of statistics and experimental challenges, no individual determination of the form factors of the neutron has been possible so far. Modern developments of electron-positron colliders and the associated detectors allow to measure the effective FF of the neutron with the process e+e−→nn¯ with unprecedented precision at the BESIII experiment, which is based at the BEPCII collider in Beijing, China. In this report, we review the published results of the form factors on the neutron in the time-like regime, describe the experimental setup, and discuss their impact on our understanding of the strong interaction. Future works at BESIII will help to improve the precision of the neutron FFs and, combined with theoretical progress in this field, help to illuminate the properties of the neutron structure

Experimental observation of wave localization at the Dirac frequency in a two-dimensional photonic crystal microcavity

Trapping light within cavities or waveguides in photonic crystals is an effective technology in modern integrated optics. Traditionally, cavities rely on total internal reflection or a photonic bandgap to achieve field confinement. Recent investigations have examined new localized modes that occur at a Dirac frequency that is beyond any complete photonic bandgap. We design Al2O3 dielectric cylinders placed on a triangular lattice in air, and change the central rod size to form a photonic crystal microcavity. It is predicted that waves can be localized at the Dirac frequency in this device without photonic bandgaps or total internal reflections. We perform a theoretical analysis of this new wave localization and verify it experimentally. This work paves the way for exploring localized defect modes at the Dirac point in the visible and infrared bands, with potential applicability to new optical devices

Effects of Black Pepper (Piper nigrum L.)

The chemical composition and antimicrobial mechanism of action of black pepper chloroform extract (BPCE) were investigated, as well as the potential antibacterial activities of BPCE against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. The results showed that 1H-Cycloprop[e]azulen-7-ol, decahydro-1,1,7-trimethyl-4-methylene-, [1ar-(1aα,4aα,7β,7a,β,7bα.)]- (8.39%) and 2-methylene-4,8,8-trimethyl-4-vinyl-bicyclo[5.2.0]nonane (6.92%) were identified as the two primary components of BPCE. The release of intracellular transaminases from bacteria after being incubated with BPCE revealed that the bacterial cell walls and membranes were degraded and that protein synthesis was inhibited to some extent. The inhibition of bacterial Na+/K+-ATPase activity upon the addition of BPCE also indicated an enhanced permeability of bacterial cell membranes. Moreover, an analysis of hexokinase and pyruvate kinase activities showed that BPCE affected the metabolic rate of glycolysis and disrupted the normal metabolism of bacteria. This phenomenon was supported by an observed accumulation of lactic acid (LA) in the treated bacterial cells. Overall, our results indicated that BPCE damaged bacterial cell walls and membranes, which was followed by a disruption of bacterial cell respiration