Numerical study of guided modes in arrays of metallic nanowires

We numerically investigate the band structure and guided modes within arrays of metallic nanowires. We show that bandgaps appear for a range of array geometries and that these can be used to guide light in these structures. Values of attenuation as low as 1.7 dB/cm are predicted for arrays of silver wires at communications wavelengths. This is more than 100 times smaller than the attenuation of the surface plasmon polariton modes on a single silver nanowire. © 2007 Optical Society of America

Models for guidance in kagome-structured hollow-core photonic crystal fibres

We demonstrate by numerical simulation that the general features of the loss spectrum of photonic crystal fibres (PCF) with a kagome structure can be explained by simple models consisting of thin concentric hexagons or rings of glass in air. These easily analysed models provide increased understanding of the mechanism of guidance in kagome PCF, and suggest ways in which the high-loss resonances in the loss spectrum may be shifted. © 2007 Optical Society of America

Epigenetic regulation of cyclooxygenase-2 by methylation of c8orf4 in pulmonary fibrosis

Fibroblasts derived from the lungs of patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and systemic sclerosis (SSc) produce low levels of prostaglandin (PG) E(2), due to a limited capacity to up-regulate cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2). This deficiency contributes functionally to the fibroproliferative state, however the mechanisms responsible are incompletely understood. In the present study, we examined whether the reduced level of COX-2 mRNA expression observed in fibrotic lung fibroblasts is regulated epigenetically. The DNA methylation inhibitor, 5-aza-2′-deoxycytidine (5AZA) restored COX-2 mRNA expression by fibrotic lung fibroblasts dose dependently. Functionally, this resulted in normalization of fibroblast phenotype in terms of PGE(2) production, collagen mRNA expression and sensitivity to apoptosis. COX-2 methylation assessed by bisulfite sequencing and methylation microarrays was not different in fibrotic fibroblasts compared with controls. However, further analysis of the methylation array data identified a transcriptional regulator, chromosome 8 open reading frame 4 (thyroid cancer protein 1, TC-1) (c8orf4), which is hypermethylated and down-regulated in fibrotic fibroblasts compared with controls. siRNA knockdown of c8orf4 in control fibroblasts down-regulated COX-2 and PGE(2) production generating a phenotype similar to that observed in fibrotic lung fibroblasts. Chromatin immunoprecipitation demonstrated that c8orf4 regulates COX-2 expression in lung fibroblasts through binding of the proximal promoter. We conclude that the decreased capacity of fibrotic lung fibroblasts to up-regulate COX-2 expression and COX-2-derived PGE(2) synthesis is due to an indirect epigenetic mechanism involving hypermethylation of the transcriptional regulator, c8orf4

Analysis of bolted flanged panel joint for GRP sectional tanks

Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Demography and disorders of German Shepherd Dogs under primary veterinarycare in the UK

The German Shepherd Dog (GSD) has been widely used for a variety of working roles. However, concerns for the health and welfare of the GSD have been widely aired and there is evidence that breed numbers are now in decline in the UK. Accurate demographic and disorder data could assist with breeding and clinical prioritisation. The VetCompassTM Programme collects clinical data on dogs under primary veterinary care in the UK. This study included all VetCompassTM dogs under veterinary care during 2013. Demographic, mortality and clinical diagnosis data on GSDs were extracted and reported

Enforced PGC-1α expression promotes CD8 T cell fitness, memory formation and antitumor immunity.

Memory CD8 T cells can provide long-term protection against tumors, which depends on their enhanced proliferative capacity, self-renewal and unique metabolic rewiring to sustain cellular fitness. Specifically, memory CD8 T cells engage oxidative phosphorylation and fatty acid oxidation to fulfill their metabolic demands. In contrast, tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) display severe metabolic defects, which may underlie their functional decline. Here, we show that overexpression of proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator 1-alpha (PGC-1α), the master regulator of mitochondrial biogenesis (MB), favors CD8 T cell central memory formation rather than resident memory generation. PGC-1α-overexpressing CD8 T cells persist and mediate more robust recall responses to bacterial infection or peptide vaccination. Importantly, CD8 T cells with enhanced PGC-1α expression provide stronger antitumor immunity in a mouse melanoma model. Moreover, TILs overexpressing PGC-1α maintain higher mitochondrial activity and improved expansion when rechallenged in a tumor-free host. Altogether, our findings indicate that enforcing mitochondrial biogenesis promotes CD8 T cell memory formation, metabolic fitness, and antitumor immunity in vivo

A soccer player with idiopathic osteonecrosis of the complete lateral talar dome: a case report

We report a 13-year-old soccer player with osteonecrosis of the talus and a large carticular fragment. The defect was revitalized with curettage and drilling and filled with autologous bone graft followed by the fixation of the carticular fragment with two conventional lag screws. Screw placement was such that they could be removed arthroscopically. Healing was uneventful. Eighteen months postoperative hardware was indeed removed arthroscopically. He returned to his former competitive level without restrictions or complaints

Search for sterile neutrino mixing in the MINOS long-baseline experiment

A search for depletion of the combined flux of active neutrino species over a 735 km baseline is reported using neutral-current interaction data recorded by the MINOS detectors in the NuMI neutrino beam. Such a depletion is not expected according to conventional interpretations of neutrino oscillation data involving the three known neutrino flavors. A depletion would be a signature of oscillations or decay to postulated noninteracting sterile neutrinos, scenarios not ruled out by existing data. From an exposure of 3.18×1020 protons on target in which neutrinos of energies between ~500¿¿MeV and 120 GeV are produced predominantly as ¿µ, the visible energy spectrum of candidate neutral-current reactions in the MINOS far detector is reconstructed. Comparison of this spectrum to that inferred from a similarly selected near-detector sample shows that of the portion of the ¿µ flux observed to disappear in charged-current interaction data, the fraction that could be converting to a sterile state is less than 52% at 90% confidence level (C.L.). The hypothesis that active neutrinos mix with a single sterile neutrino via oscillations is tested by fitting the data to various models. In the particular four-neutrino models considered, the mixing angles ¿24 and ¿34 are constrained to be less than 11° and 56° at 90% C.L., respectively. The possibility that active neutrinos may decay to sterile neutrinos is also investigated. Pure neutrino decay without oscillations is ruled out at 5.4 standard deviations. For the scenario in which active neutrinos decay into sterile states concurrently with neutrino oscillations, a lower limit is established for the neutrino decay lifetime t3/m3>2.1×10-12¿¿s/eV at 90% C.L