The Photonic Lantern

Photonic lanterns are made by adiabatically merging several single-mode cores into one multimode core. They provide low-loss interfaces between single-mode and multimode systems where the precise optical mapping between cores and individual modes is unimportant.Comment: 45 pages; article unchanged, accepted for publication in Advances in Optics and Photonic

Three-Dimensional Integrable Models and Associated Tangle Invariants

In this paper we show that the Boltzmann weights of the three-dimensional Baxter-Bazhanov model give representations of the braid group, if some suitable spectral limits are taken. In the trigonometric case we classify all possible spectral limits which produce braid group representations. Furthermore we prove that for some of them we get cyclotomic invariants of links and for others we obtain tangle invariants generalizing the cyclotomic ones.Comment: Number of pages: 21, Latex fil

Modal noise mitigation in a photonic lantern fed near-IR spectrograph

Recently we have demonstrated the potential of a hybrid astrophotonic device, consisting of a multi-core fiber photonic lantern and a 3D waveguide reformatting component, to efficiently reformat the multimode point spread function of a telescope to a diffracted limited pseudo-slit. Here, we report on an investigation into the potential of this device to mitigate modal noise-one of the main hurdles of multi-mode fiber-fed spectrographs. The modal noise performance of the photonic reformatter and other fiber feeds was assessed using a bench-Top spectrograph based on an echelle grating. In a first method of modal noise quantification, we used broadband light as the input, and assessed the modal noise performance based on the variations in the normalized spectrum as the input coupling to the fiber feed is varied. In a second method, we passed the broadband light through an etalon to generate a source with spectrally narrow peaks. We then used the spectral stability of these peaks as the input coupling to the fiber feed was varied as a proxy for the modal noise. Using both of these approaches we found that the photonic reformatter could significantly reduce modal noise compared to the multi-mode fiber feed, demonstrating the potential of photonic reformatters to mitigate modal noise for applications such as near-IR radial velocity measurements of M-dwarf stars. </p

Sedentary behavior : a key component in the interaction between an integrated lifestyle approach and cardiac autonomic function in active young men

This study aimed to verify the association between autonomic cardiac function (CAF) and the integration of caloric expenditure by physical activity (PA) intensity, sedentary behavior (SB), and sleep quality (PSQI) in active young men. Thirty-five subjects were included, and caloric expenditure in moderate-to-vigorous and light-intensity PA, SB, and PSQI were assessed using questionnaires. Heart rate variability (HRV) was recorded for short periods of time in the supine and orthostatic positions. Multiple linear regression was realized unadjusted and adjusted for covariables, such as age, body mass index, and fat mass. No adjusted analysis indicated that, in the supine position, there were negative associations between the SB and the TP, HF, and NorHF indices, and positive associations between SB and NorLF and LF/HF. In the orthostatic position, an interaction between SB and NorLF was found. Significance of proportion with the TP, HF, and LF/HF indices was confirmed. When adjusted, for the supine position, negative interactions were documented between SB and the TP as well as the HF indices, and between PSQI and the LF/HF index, with interference under the HF and LF/HF indices. Finally, our findings indicate that the proposed approach interacts with CAF, and SB is significantly related to CAF in young active men

Assessment of oxidative metabolism

Oxidative metabolism is one of the central physiological processes that regulate multiple functions in a cell including cell death and survival, proliferation, gene transcription, and protein modification. There are multitudes of techniques that are used to evaluate oxidative activity. Here, we summarize how to measure oxidative activity by flow cytometry. This versatile technique allows the evaluation of the level of oxidative activity within heterogeneous populations of cells and in cell culture. Flow cytometry is a quick method that yields highly reproducible results with small sample volumes. Therefore, it is an ideal technique for evaluating changes in oxidative activity in samples from mice

NLRP3 Plays a Critical Role in the Development of Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis by Mediating Th1 and Th17 Responses

The interplay between innate and adaptive immunity is important in multiple sclerosis (MS). The inflammasome complex, which activates caspase-1 to process pro–IL-1β and pro–IL-18, is rapidly emerging as a pivotal regulator of innate immunity, with nucleotide-binding domain, leucine-rich repeat containing protein family, pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) (cryopyrin or NALP3) as a prominent player. Although the role of NLRP3 in host response to pathogen associated molecular patterns and danger associated molecular patterns is well documented, its role in autoimmune diseases is less well studied. To investigate the role of NLRP3 protein in MS, we used a mouse model of MS, experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). Nlrp3 expression was elevated in the spinal cords during EAE, and Nlrp3−/− mice had a dramatically delayed course and reduced severity of disease. This was accompanied by a significant reduction of the inflammatory infiltrate including macrophages, dendritic cells, CD4, and CD8+ T cells in the spinal cords of the Nlrp3−/− mice, whereas microglial accumulation remained the same. Nlrp3−/− mice also displayed improved histology in the spinal cords with reduced destruction of myelin and astrogliosis. Nlrp3−/− mice with EAE produced less IL-18, and the disease course was similar to Il18−/− mice. Furthermore, Nlrp3−/− and Il18−/− mice had similarly reduced IFN-γ and IL-17 production. Thus, NLRP3 plays a critical role in the induction of the EAE, likely through effects on capase-1–dependent cytokines which then influence Th1 and Th17

The eINTACT system dissects bacterial exploitation of plant osmosignalling to enhance virulence

Bacteria inject effector proteins into host cells to manipulate cellular processes that promote disease. Since bacteria deliver minuscule amounts of effectors only into targeted host cells, it is technically challenging to capture effector-dependent cellular changes from bulk-infected host tissues. Here, we report a new technique called effector-inducible isolation of nuclei tagged in specific cell types (eINTACT), which facilitates affinity-based purification of nuclei from Arabidopsis plant cells that have received Xanthomonas bacterial effectors. Analysis of purified nuclei reveals that the Xanthomonas effector XopD manipulates the expression of Arabidopsis abscisic acid signalling-related genes and activates OSCA1.1, a gene encoding a calcium-permeable channel required for stomatal closure in response to osmotic stress. The loss of OSCA1.1 causes leaf wilting and reduced bacterial growth in infected leaves, suggesting that OSCA1.1 promotes host susceptibility. eINTACT allows us to uncover that XopD exploits host OSCA1.1/abscisic acid osmosignalling-mediated stomatal closure to create a humid habitat that favours bacterial growth and opens up a new avenue for accurately elucidating functions of effectors from numerous gram-negative plant bacteria in native infection contexts.Fil: You, Yuan. Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen; AlemaniaFil: Koczyk, Grzegorz. Polish Academy of Sciences; ArgentinaFil: Nuc, Maria. Polish Academy of Sciences; ArgentinaFil: Morbitzer, Robert. Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen; AlemaniaFil: Holmes, Danalyn R.. Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen; AlemaniaFil: von Roepenack Lahaye, Edda. Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen; AlemaniaFil: Hou, Shiji. Huazhong Agricultural University; ChinaFil: Giudicatti, Axel Joel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Santa Fe. Instituto de Agrobiotecnología del Litoral. Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Instituto de Agrobiotecnología del Litoral; ArgentinaFil: Gris, Carine. Université de Toulouse; FranciaFil: Manavella, Pablo Andrés. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Santa Fe. Instituto de Agrobiotecnología del Litoral. Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Instituto de Agrobiotecnología del Litoral; ArgentinaFil: Noël, Laurent D.. Université de Toulouse; FranciaFil: Krajewski, Paweł. Polish Academy of Sciences; ArgentinaFil: Lahaye, Thomas. Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen; Alemani

The Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model: Group Summary Report

CONTENTS: 1. Synopsis, 2. The MSSM Spectrum, 3. The Physical Parameters, 4. Higgs Boson Production and Decays, 5. SUSY Particle Production and Decays, 6. Experimental Bounds on SUSY Particle Masses, 7. References.Comment: 121 pages, latex + epsfig, graphicx, axodraw, Report of the MSSM working group for the Workshop "GDR-Supersym\'etrie",France. Rep. PM/98-4