1,096 research outputs found
Isotope shifts of 6s5d D-states in neutral Barium
Laser spectroscopy of the low lying P and D states in atomic barium
has been performed. This work contributes substantially to the development of
an effective laser cooling and trapping for heavy alkaline earth elements and
aims in particular for a better understanding of the atomic wave function of
these systems. Isotope shifts and hyperfine structures are ideal probes for the
wave functions at the position of the nucleus. This is essential input for a
theoretical evaluation of the sensitivity to fundamental symmetry breaking
properties like permanent electric dipole moments. We report the first isotope
shift measurements of the D-P transitions. A deviation of
the King plot from its expected behavior has been observed. Further we have
optically resolved the hyperfine structure of the D states.Comment: 7 pages, 7 figure
Magneto optical trapping of Barium
First laser cooling and trapping of the heavy alkaline earth element barium
has been achieved based on the strong 6s S - 6s6p P
transition for the main cooling. Due to the large branching into metastable
D-states several additional laser driven transitions are required to provide a
closed cooling cycle. A total efficiency of for slowing
a thermal atomic beam and capturing atoms into a magneto optical trap was
obtained. Trapping lifetimes of more than 1.5 s were observed. This lifetime is
shortened at high laser intensities by photo ionization losses. The developed
techniques will allow to extend significantly the number of elements that can
be optically cooled and trapped.Comment: 4 pages, 5 figure
Absolute frequency measurement of the 7s S 7s7p P transition in Ra
Transition frequencies were determined for transitions in Ra in an atomic
beam and for reference lines in Te molecules in a vapor cell. The absolute
frequencies were calibrated against a GPS stabilized Rb-clock by means of an
optical frequency comb. The 7s^2\,^1S(F = 1/2)-7s7p\,^1P(F = 3/2)
transition in Ra was determined to be MHz. The
measurements provide input for designing efficient and robust laser cooling of
Ra atoms in preparation of a search for a permanent electric dipole moment in
Ra isotopes.Comment: Accepted for publication in the rapid communication of Physical
review
Radium single-ion optical clock
We explore the potential of the electric quadrupole transitions
7s\,^2S_{1/2} - 6d\,^2D_{3/2}, 6d\,^2D_{5/2} in radium isotopes as
single-ion optical frequency standards. The frequency shifts of the clock
transitions due to external fields and the corresponding uncertainties are
calculated. Several competitive Ra candidates with 223 - 229 are
identified. In particular, we show that the transition
7s\,^2S_{1/2}\,(F=2,m_F=0) - 6d\,^2D_{3/2}\,(F=0,m_F=0) at 828 nm in
Ra, with no linear Zeeman and electric quadrupole shifts, stands
out as a relatively simple case, which could be exploited as a compact, robust,
and low-cost atomic clock operating at a fractional frequency uncertainty of
. With more experimental effort, the Ra clocks
could be pushed to a projected performance reaching the level.Comment: 20 pages, 1 figur
Investigation of transcriptional targeting and DNA lesion resolution of Activation Induced Deaminase by cofactor analysis
Activation Induced Deaminase (AID) is a crucial protein in B cells, required for a
functional humoral immune system. The regulation and the molecular mechanism of
AID is the focus of my thesis.
As an enzyme, AID induces mutations and recombination in immunoglobulin genes,
leading to increased antibody affinity for antigen and alterations in antibody-effector
function. Catalytically, AID deaminates cytosine to uracil in single-stranded DNA, a
DNA lesion that leads to a mismatch in double-stranded DNA. AID can be controlled
via multiple pathways, including: a) targeting AID to the correct locus and b) regulating
the processing of the AID-induced lesion. Proteins proposed to be involved in targeting
AID include members of the transcription and chromatin regulation machinery, whereas
a variety of DNA repair and DNA metabolism proteins have been shown to be involved
in AID-induced lesion-processing. The physical and functional interactions of AID with
these co-factors are not well characterised. In this thesis I determined the molecular
details and biology of candidates for AID interaction.
First, I used a novel technique to uncover and characterise interacting partners of
endogenous chromatin-bound AID from B cells. The presented work shows that the
RNA polymerase II elongation associated protein PAF1 binds directly to AID, while
knocking down members of the PAF complex in B cells inhibits AID-induced
immunoglobulin diversification.
Secondly, I was able to identify a novel interaction of the DNA repair regulator PCNA
with AID, both in vitro and in vivo. Importantly, PCNA function was proven to be
susceptible to interference by AID and thus influencing lesion resolution.
Taken together, this thesis highlights the importance of cofactors for defining the AID
molecular pathway, relevant to all known functions of AID within and possibly beyond
the B cell reaction
Determination of transition frequencies in a single Ba ion
Transition frequencies between low-lying energy levels in a single trapped
Ba ion have been measured with laser spectroscopy referenced to
an optical frequency comb. By extracting the frequencies of one-photon and
two-photon components of the line shape using an eight-level optical Bloch
model, we achieved 0.1 MHz accuracy for the 5d D - 6p
P and 6s S - 5d D transition
frequencies, and 0.2 MHz for the 6s S - 6p P
transition frequency.Comment: 5 pages, 7 figures, submitted to Phys. Rev.
Multiparametric Spectroscopic Photoacoustic Imaging of Breast Cancer Development in a Transgenic Mouse Model
licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/). Reproduction is permitted for personal, noncommercial use, provided that the article is in whole, unmodified, and properly cited. Received: 2014.06.16; Accepted: 2014.07.29; Published: 2014.08.15 Objective: To evaluate the potential of multiparametric spectroscopic photoacoustic imaging using oxygen saturation, total hemoglobin, and lipid content to differentiate among four different breast histologies (normal, hyperplasia, ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), and invasive breast carcinoma) in a transgenic mouse model of breast cancer development. Materials and Methods: Animal studies were approved by the Institutional Administrative Panel on Laboratory Animal Care. Mammary glands (n=251) of a transgenic mouse model of breast cancer development (FVB/N-Tg(MMTV-PyMT)634Mul) were imaged using B-mode ultrasound and spectroscopic photoacoustic imaging, analyzed for oxygen saturation, total hemoglobin, and lipid content, and processed for histological analysis. Statistical analysis was performed using one-way ANOVA, two-sample t-tests, logistic regression, and ROC analysis. Results: Eighty-two normal, 12 hyperplastic, 96 DCIS, and 61 invasive breast carcinoma mammary glands were analyzed. Based on spectroscopic photoacoustic imaging, the oxygen saturation o
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