A two-way photonic interface for linking Sr+ transition at 422 nm to the telecommunications C-band

We report a single-stage bi-directional interface capable of linking Sr+ trapped ion qubits in a long-distance quantum network. Our interface converts photons between the Sr+ emission wavelength at 422 nm and the telecoms C-band to enable low-loss transmission over optical fiber. We have achieved both up- and down-conversion at the single photon level with efficiencies of 9.4% and 1.1% respectively. Furthermore we demonstrate noise levels that are low enough to allow for genuine quantum operation in the future.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figure

Molecular Targeting of Carbonic Anhydrase IX in Mice with Hypoxic HT29 Colorectal Tumor Xenografts

Background: Carbonic anhydrase IX (CAIX) is a membrane spanning protein involved in the enzymatic regulation of tumor acid-base balance. CAIX has been shown to be elevated in a number of hypoxic tumor types. The purpose of this study was to determine the efficiency of intact and IgG fragments of cG250 to target CAIX in vivo in a hypoxic tumor model. Methodology/Principal Findings: Conventional biodistribution studies were performed with 111 In-DO3A-cG250, 111 In-DO3A-F(ab’)2-cG250 and 111 In-DO3A-Fab-cG250. Additional ex vivo analysis of the tumor was performed with markers for tumor hypoxia, blood perfusion and endogenous CAIX expression. All four data sets were digitally correlated to determine the optimal agent for determining hypoxia in a HT29 colon cancer xenograft. The HT29 human colorectal tumor xenografts show strong CAIX expression in hypoxic areas of poor blood perfusion. The intact IgG had an initial high focal uptake at the periphery of these hypoxic regions and penetration into the areas of highest CAIX expression over the 7-day study period. The lower molecular weight antibody fragments had a faster uptake into areas of high CAIX expression, but had a much lower absolute uptake at the optimal imaging times. Conclusions/Significance: For the clinical detection of hypoxia induced CAIX using cG250 antibody based agents, imagin

New World Origins of Southwest Pacific Gesneriaceae: Multiple Movements Across and Within the South Pacific

Coronanthereae is a tribe of ~20 species with a suite of unique morphological characters and a disjunct geographic distribution in the Southern Hemisphere. Three species are found in southern South America and the remainder in the southwest Pacific. It has been suggested, because of this distribution and disjunction, that Coronanthereae represents a relictual Gondwanan group from which the two major lineages in the family, the Old World Cyrtandroideae and the New World Gesnerioideae, originated. We tested this hypothesis by using phylogenetic analyses of nuclear and chloroplast DNA sequences, ancestral-area reconstruction, and molecular dating. The tribe is placed within the mostly Neotropical subfamily Gesnerioideae and comprises three lineages, treated here as subtribes. Two events of dispersal from South America explain the presence of the tribe in the South Pacific. Negriinae, newly recognized here, comprises arborescent genera: Australian Lenbrassia, New Caledonian Depanthus, and Negria from Lord Howe Island. Mitrariinae groups facultatively epiphytic Australian Fieldia with epiphytes from South America, a finding inconsistent with recent placement of Lenbrassia in synonymy of Fieldia. Coronantherinae consists of the arborescent Coronanthera from New Caledonia and the shrub Rhabdothamnus from New Zealand. Ancestral-area reconstruction and molecular dating of the clades support long-distance dispersal mechanisms, rather than Gondwanan vicariance, for explaining geographic distributions

A burst chasing x-ray polarimeter

Gamma-ray bursts are one of the most powerful explosions in the universe and have been detected out to distances of almost 13 billion light years. The exact origin of these energetic explosions is still unknown but the resulting huge release of energy is thought to create a highly relativistic jet of material and a power-law distribution of electrons. There are several theories describing the origin of the prompt GRB emission that currently cannot be distinguished. Measurements of the linear polarization would provide unique and important constraints on the mechanisms thought to drive these powerful explosions. We present the design of a sensitive, and extremely versatile gamma-ray burst polarimeter. The instrument is a photoelectric polarimeter based on a time-projection chamber. The photoelectric time-projection technique combines high sensitivity with broad band-pass and is potentially the most powerful method between 2 and 100 keV where the photoelectric effect is the dominant interaction process. We present measurements of polarized and unpolarized X-rays obtained with a prototype detector and describe the two mission concepts; the Gamma-Ray Burst Polarimeter (GRBP) for the U.S. Naval Academy satellite MidSTAR-2, and the Low Energy Polarimeter (LEP) onboard POET, a broadband polarimetry concept for a small explorer mission

Evolutionary history of barley cultivation in Europe revealed by genetic analysis of extant landraces

Background: Understanding the evolution of cultivated barley is important for two reasons. First, the evolutionary relationships between different landraces might provide information on the spread and subsequent development of barley cultivation, including the adaptation of the crop to new environments and its response to human selection. Second, evolutionary information would enable landraces with similar traits but different genetic backgrounds to be identified, providing alternative strategies for the introduction of these traits into modern germplasm. Results: The evolutionary relationships between 651 barley landraces were inferred from the genotypes for 24 microsatellites. The landraces could be divided into nine populations, each with a different geographical distribution. Comparisons with ear row number, caryopsis structure, seasonal growth habit and flowering time revealed a degree of association between population structure and phenotype, and analysis of climate variables indicated that the landraces are adapted, at least to some extent, to their environment. Human selection and/or environmental adaptation may therefore have played a role in the origin and/or maintenance of one or more of the barley landrace populations. There was also evidence that at least some of the population structure derived from geographical partitioning set up during the initial spread of barley cultivation into Europe, or reflected the later introduction of novel varieties. In particular, three closely-related populations were made up almost entirely of plants with the daylength nonresponsive version of the photoperiod response gene PPD-H1, conferring adaptation to the long annual growth season of northern Europe. These three populations probably originated in the eastern Fertile Crescent and entered Europe after the initial spread of agriculture. Conclusions: The discovery of population structure, combined with knowledge of associated phenotypes and environmental adaptations, enables a rational approach to identification of landraces that might be used as sources of germplasm for breeding programs. The population structure also enables hypotheses concerning the prehistoric spread and development of agriculture to be addressed

Pathways to achieving nature-positive and carbon–neutral land use and food systems in Wales

Land use and its management can play a vital role in carbon sequestration, but trade-offs may exist with other objectives including food security and nature recovery. Using an integrated model (the FABLE calculator), four pathways, co-created with colleagues at the Welsh Government, towards achieving climate and biodiversity targets in Wales were explored: status quo, improvements on current trends, land sparing and land sharing. We found that continuing as usual will not be sufficient to meet Wales’s climate and biodiversity targets. In contrast, the land use and agricultural sector became a net carbon sink in both the land sparing and land sharing pathways, through high afforestation targets, peatland restoration, reducing food waste and moving towards a healthier diet. Whilst both pathways released land for biodiversity, the gains were greater in the land sharing pathway, which was also less dependent on optimistic assumptions concerning productivity improvements. The results demonstrate that alternative approaches to achieving nature-positive and carbon–neutral land use and food systems may be possible, but they come with stringent and transformative requirements for policy changes, with an integrated approach necessary to maximise benefits for climate, food and nature

Illusions of Self‐Motion during Magnetic Resonance ‐Guided Focused Ultrasound Thalamotomy for Tremor

© 2024 The Authors. Annals of Neurology published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of American Neurological Association. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY), https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/Objective: Brain networks mediating vestibular perception of self‐motion overlap with those mediating balance. A systematic mapping of vestibular perceptual pathways in the thalamus may reveal new brain modulation targets for improving balance in neurological conditions. Methods: Here, we systematically report how magnetic resonance‐guided focused ultrasound surgery of the nucleus ventralis intermedius of the thalamus commonly evokes transient patient‐reported illusions of self‐motion. In 46 consecutive patients, we linked the descriptions of self‐motion to sonication power and 3‐dimensional (3D) coordinates of sonication targets. Target coordinates were normalized using a standard atlas, and a 3D model of the nucleus ventralis intermedius and adjacent structures was created to link sonication target to the illusion. Results: A total of 63% of patients reported illusions of self‐motion, which were more likely with increased sonication power and with targets located more inferiorly along the rostrocaudal axis. Higher power and more inferiorly targeted sonications increased the likelihood of experiencing illusions of self‐motion by 4 and 2 times, respectively (odds ratios = 4.03 for power, 2.098 for location). Interpretation: The phenomenon of magnetic vestibular stimulation is the most plausible explanation for these illusions of self‐motion. Temporary unilateral modulation of vestibular pathways (via magnetic resonance‐guided focused ultrasound) unveils the central adaptation to the magnetic field‐induced peripheral vestibular bias, leading to an explicable illusion of motion. Consequently, systematic mapping of vestibular perceptual pathways via magnetic resonance‐guided focused ultrasound may reveal new intracerebral targets for improving balance in neurological conditions. ANN NEUROL 2024Peer reviewe

Risk of Importing Zoonotic Diseases through Wildlife Trade, United States

Proactive changes are needed to protect the public from myriad serious diseases