2,356 research outputs found
Polarization singularities from unfolding an optical vortex through a birefringent crystal
Optical vortices (nodal lines and phase singularities) are the generic singularities of scalar optics but are unstable in vector optics. We investigate experimentally and theoretically the unfolding of a uniformly polarized optical vortex beam on propagation through a birefringent crystal and characterize the output field in terms of polarization singularities (C lines and points of circular polarization; L surfaces and lines of linear polarization). The field is described both in the 2-dimensional transverse plane, and in three dimensions, where the third is abstract, representing an optical path length propagated through the crystal. Many phenomena of singular optics, such as topological charge conservation and singularity reconnections, occur naturally in the description
Polarization singularities from unfolding an optical vortex through a birefringent crystal
Optical vortices (nodal lines and phase singularities) are the generic singularities of scalar optics but are unstable in vector optics. We investigate experimentally and theoretically the unfolding of a uniformly polarized optical vortex beam on propagation through a birefringent crystal and characterize the output field in terms of polarization singularities (C lines and points of circular polarization; L surfaces and lines of linear polarization). The field is described both in the 2-dimensional transverse plane, and in three dimensions, where the third is abstract, representing an optical path length propagated through the crystal. Many phenomena of singular optics, such as topological charge conservation and singularity reconnections, occur naturally in the description
Influence of common lighting conditions and time-of-day on the effort-related cardiac response
Melanopic stimuli trigger diverse non-image-forming effects. However, evidence of a melanopic contribution to acute effects on alertness and performance is inconclusive, especially under common lighting situations. Effects on cognitive performance are likely mediated by effort-related physiological changes. We assessed the acute effects of lighting in three scenarios, at two times of day, on effort-related changes to cardiac contraction as indexed by the cardiac pre-ejection period (PEP). In a within-subject design, twenty-seven participants performed a cognitive task thrice during a morning and a late-afternoon session. We set the lighting at 500 lux in all three lighting scenarios, measured horizontally at the desk level, but with 54 lux, 128 lux, or 241 lux melanopic equivalent daylight illuminance at the eye level. Impedance cardiography and electrocardiography measurements were used to calculate PEP, for the baseline and task period. A shorter PEP during the task represents a sympathetic heart activation and therefore increased effort. Data were analysed with linear mixed-effect models. PEP changes depended on both the light scene and time of day (p = 0.01 and p = 0.002, respectively). The highest change (sympathetic activation) occurred for the medium one of the three stimuli (128 lux) during the late-afternoon session. However, effect sizes for the singular effects were small, and only for the combined effect of light and time of day middle-sized. Performance scores or self-reported scores on alertness and task demand did not change with the light scene. In conclusion, participants reached the same performance most efficiently at both the highest and lowest melanopic setting, and during the morning session. The resulting U-shaped relation between melanopic stimulus intensity and PEP is likely not dependent solely on intrinsic ipRGC stimuli, and might be moderated by extrinsic cone input. Since lighting situations were modelled according to current integrative lighting strategies and real-life indoor light intensities, the result has implications for artificial lighting in a work environment
Microstructured blood vessel surrogates reveal structural tropism of motile malaria parasites
Plasmodium sporozoites, the highly motile forms of the malaria parasite, are transmitted naturally by mosquitoes and traverse the skin to find, associate with, and enter blood capillaries. Research aimed at understanding how sporozoites select blood vessels is hampered by the lack of a suitable experimental system. Arrays of uniform cylindrical pillars can be used to study small cells moving in controlled environments. Here, an array system displaying a variety of pillars with different diameters and shapes is developed in order to investigate how Plasmodium sporozoites associate to the pillars as blood vessel surrogates. Investigating the association of sporozoites to pillars in arrays displaying pillars of different diameters reveals that the crescent-shaped parasites prefer to associate with and migrate around pillars with a similar curvature. This suggests that after transmission by a mosquito, malaria parasites may use a structural tropism to recognize blood capillaries in the dermis in order to gain access to the blood stream
Viscoelastic response of contractile filament bundles
The actin cytoskeleton of adherent tissue cells often condenses into filament
bundles contracted by myosin motors, so-called stress fibers, which play a
crucial role in the mechanical interaction of cells with their environment.
Stress fibers are usually attached to their environment at the endpoints, but
possibly also along their whole length. We introduce a theoretical model for
such contractile filament bundles which combines passive viscoelasticity with
active contractility. The model equations are solved analytically for two
different types of boundary conditions. A free boundary corresponds to stress
fiber contraction dynamics after laser surgery and results in good agreement
with experimental data. Imposing cyclic varying boundary forces allows us to
calculate the complex modulus of a single stress fiber.Comment: Revtex with 24 pages, 7 Postscript figures included, accepted for
publication in Phys. Rev.
Coupling biochemistry and mechanics in cell adhesion: a model for inhomogeneous stress fiber contraction
Biochemistry and mechanics are closely coupled in cell adhesion. At sites of
cell-matrix adhesion, mechanical force triggers signaling through the
Rho-pathway, which leads to structural reinforcement and increased
contractility in the actin cytoskeleton. The resulting force acts back to the
sites of adhesion, resulting in a positive feedback loop for mature adhesion.
Here we model this biochemical-mechanical feedback loop for the special case
when the actin cytoskeleton is organized in stress fibers, which are
contractile bundles of actin filaments. Activation of myosin II molecular
motors through the Rho-pathway is described by a system of reaction-diffusion
equations, which are coupled into a viscoelastic model for a contractile actin
bundle. We find strong spatial gradients in the activation of contractility and
in the corresponding deformation pattern of the stress fiber, in good agreement
with experimental findings.Comment: Revtex, 35 pages, 13 Postscript figures included, in press with New
Journal of Physics, Special Issue on The Physics of the Cytoskeleto
Index-antiguiding in narrow-ridge GaN-based laser diodes investigated by measurements of the current-dependent gain and index spectra and by self-consistent simulation
The threshold current density of narrow (1.5 {\mu}m) ridge-waveguide InGaN
multi-quantum-well laser diodes, as well as the shape of their lateral
far-field patterns, strongly depend on the etch depth of the ridge waveguide.
Both effects can be attributed to strong index-antiguiding. A value of the
antiguiding factor R = 10 is experimentally determined near threshold by
measurements of the current-dependent gain and refractive index spectra. The
device performances are simulated self-consistently solving the
Schr\"odinger-Poisson equations and the equations for charge transport and
waveguiding. Assuming a carrier-induced index change which matches the
experimentally determined antiguiding factor, both the measured high threshold
current and the shape of the far-field pattern of lasers with shallow ridges
can be reproduced theoretically.Comment: This is an author-created, un-copyedited version of an article
accepted for publication in the IEEE Journal of Quantum Electronics. IEEE is
not responsible for any errors or omissions in this version of the manuscript
or any version derived from i
The meta-substituted isomer of TMPyP enables more effective photodynamic bacterial inactivation than para-TMPyP in vitro
Porphyrinoid-based photodynamic inactivation (PDI) provides a promising approach to treating multidrug-resistant infections. However, available agents for PDI still have optimization potential with regard to effectiveness, toxicology, chemical stability, and solubility. The currently available photosensitizer TMPyP is provided with a para substitution pattern (para-TMPyP) of the pyridinium groups and has been demonstrated to be effective for PDI of multidrug-resistant bacteria. To further improve its properties, we synthetized a structural variant of TMPyP with an isomeric substitution pattern in a meta configuration (meta-TMPyP), confirmed the correct structure by crystallographic analysis and performed a characterization with NMR-, UV/Vis-, and IR spectroscopy, photostability, and singlet oxygen generation assay. Meta-TMPyP had a hypochromic shift in absorbance (4 nm) with a 55% higher extinction coefficient and slightly improved photostability (+6.9%) compared to para-TMPyP. Despite these superior molecular properties, singlet oxygen generation was increased by only 5.4%. In contrast, PDI, based on meta-TMPyP, reduced the density of extended spectrum β-lactamase-producing and fluoroquinolone-resistant Escherichia coli by several orders of magnitude, whereby a sterilizing effect was observed after 48 min of illumination, while para-TMPyP was less effective (p < 0.01). These findings demonstrate that structural modification with meta substitution increases antibacterial properties of TMPyP in PDI
Clinical and molecular characterization of isolated M1 disease in pediatric medulloblastoma: experience from the German HIT-MED studies
PURPOSE: To evaluate the clinical impact of isolated spread of medulloblastoma cells into cerebrospinal fluid without additional macroscopic metastases (M1-only).
METHODS: The HIT-MED database was searched for pediatric patients with M1-only medulloblastoma diagnosed from 2000 to 2019. Corresponding clinical and molecular data was evaluated. Treatment was stratified by age and changed over time for older patients.
RESULTS: 70 patients with centrally reviewed M1-only disease were identified. Clinical data was available for all and molecular data for 45/70 cases. 91% were non-WNT/non-SHH medulloblastoma (Grp3/4). 5-year PFS for 52 patients ≥ 4 years was 59.4 (± 7.1) %, receiving either upfront craniospinal irradiation (CSI) or SKK-sandwich chemotherapy (CT). Outcomes did not differ between these strategies (5-year PFS: CSI 61.7 ± 9.9%, SKK-CT 56.7 ± 6.1%). For patients < 4 years (n = 18), 5-year PFS was 50.0 (± 13.2) %. M1-persistence occurred exclusively using postoperative CT and was a strong negative predictive factor (p < 0.01). Patients with additional clinical or molecular high-risk (HR) characteristics had worse outcomes (5-year PFS 42.7 ± 10.6% vs. 64.0 ± 7.0%, p = 0.03). In n = 22 patients ≥ 4 years with full molecular information and without additional HR characteristics, risk classification by molecular subtyping had an effect on 5-year PFS (HR 16.7 ± 15.2%, SR 77.8 ± 13.9%; p = 0.01).
CONCLUSIONS: Our results confirm that M1-only is a high-risk condition, and further underline the importance of CSF staging. Specific risk stratification of affected patients needs attention in future discussions for trials and treatment recommendations. Future patients without contraindications may benefit from upfront CSI by sparing risks related to higher cumulative CT applied in sandwich regimen
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