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Functional Imaging of the Outer Retinal Complex using High Fidelity Imaging Retinal Densitometry
We describe a new technique, high fidelity Imaging Retinal Densitometry (IRD), which probes the functional integrity of the outer retinal complex. We demonstrate the ability of the technique to map visual pigment optical density and synthesis rates in eyes with and without macular disease. A multispectral retinal imaging device obtained precise measurements of retinal reflectance over space and time. Data obtained from healthy controls and 5 patients with intermediate AMD, before and after photopigment bleaching, were used to quantify visual pigment metrics. Heat maps were plotted to summarise the topography of rod and cone pigment kinetics and descriptive statistics conducted to highlight differences between those with and without AMD. Rod and cone visual pigment synthesis rates in those with AMD (v = 0.043 SD 0.019 min-1 and v = 0.119 SD 0.046 min-1, respectively) were approximately half those observed in healthy controls (v = 0.079 SD 0.024 min-1 for rods and v = 0.206 SD 0.069 min-1 for cones). By mapping visual pigment kinetics across the central retina, high fidelity IRD provides a unique insight into outer retinal complex function. This new technique will improve the phenotypic characterisation, diagnosis and treatment monitoring of various ocular pathologies, including AMD
Flow Phase Diagram for the Helium Superfluids
The flow phase diagram for He II and He-B is established and discussed
based on available experimental data and the theory of Volovik [JETP Letters
{\bf{78}} (2003) 553]. The effective temperature - dependent but scale -
independent Reynolds number , where
and are the mutual friction parameters and the superfluid Reynolds
number characterizing the circulation of the superfluid component in units of
the circulation quantum are used as the dynamic parameters. In particular, the
flow diagram allows identification of experimentally observed turbulent states
I and II in counterflowing He II with the turbulent regimes suggested by
Volovik.Comment: 2 figure
Instability of vortex array and transitions to turbulent states in rotating helium II
We consider superfluid helium inside a container which rotates at constant
angular velocity and investigate numerically the stability of the array of
quantized vortices in the presence of an imposed axial counterflow. This
problem was studied experimentally by Swanson {\it et al.}, who reported
evidence of instabilities at increasing axial flow but were not able to explain
their nature. We find that Kelvin waves on individual vortices become unstable
and grow in amplitude, until the amplitude of the waves becomes large enough
that vortex reconnections take place and the vortex array is destabilized. The
eventual nonlinear saturation of the instability consists of a turbulent tangle
of quantized vortices which is strongly polarized. The computed results compare
well with the experiments. Finally we suggest a theoretical explanation for the
second instability which was observed at higher values of the axial flow
Investigating The Possible Anomaly Between Nebular and Stellar Oxygen Abundances in the Dwarf Irregular Galaxy WLM
We obtained new optical spectra of 13 H II regions in WLM with EFOSC2; oxygen
abundances are derived for nine H II regions. The temperature-sensitive [O III]
4363 emission line was measured in two bright H II regions HM7 and HM9. The
direct oxygen abundances for HM7 and HM9 are 12+log(O/H) = 7.72 +/- 0.04 and
7.91 +/- 0.04, respectively. We adopt a mean oxygen abundance of 12+log(O/H) =
7.83 +/- 0.06. This corresponds to [O/H] = -0.83 dex, or 15% of the solar
value. In H II regions where [O III] 4363 was not measured, oxygen abundances
derived with bright-line methods are in general agreement with direct values of
the oxygen abundance to an accuracy of about 0.2 dex. In general, the present
measurements show that the H II region oxygen abundances agree with previous
values in the literature. The nebular oxygen abundances are marginally
consistent with the mean stellar magnesium abundance ([Mg/H] = -0.62). However,
there is still a 0.62 dex discrepancy in oxygen abundance between the nebular
result and the A-type supergiant star WLM15 ([O/H] = -0.21). Non-zero reddening
values derived from Balmer line ratios were found in H II regions near a second
H I peak. There may be a connection between the location of the second H I
peak, regions of higher extinction, and the position of WLM15 on the eastern
side of the galaxy.Comment: Accepted, Ap.J.; 19 pages (AASTeX 5.2) with 6 figures. Full paper
with color figures at http://www.astro.umn.edu/~hlee
A Spitzer/IRAC Census of the Asymptotic Giant Branch Populations in Local Group Dwarfs. I. WLM
We present Spitzer/IRAC observations at 3.6 and 4.5 microns along with
optical data from the Local Group Galaxies Survey to investigate the evolved
stellar population of the Local Group dwarf irregular galaxy WLM. These
observations provide a nearly complete census of the asymptotic giant branch
(AGB) stars. We find 39% of the infrared-detected AGB stars are not detected in
the optical data, even though our 50% completeness limit is three magnitudes
fainter than the red giant branch tip. An additional 4% of the
infrared-detected AGBs are misidentified in the optical, presumably due to
reddening by circumstellar dust. We also compare our results with those of a
narrow-band optical carbon star survey of WLM, and find the latter study
sensitive to only 18% of the total AGB population. We detect objects with
infrared fluxes consistent with them being mass-losing AGB stars, and derive a
present day total mass-loss rate from the AGB stars of 0.7-2.4 x 10^(-3) solar
masses per year. The distribution of mass-loss rates and bolometric
luminosities of AGBs and red supergiants are very similar to those in the LMC
and SMC and the empirical maximum mass-loss rate observed in the LMC and SMC is
in excellent agreement with our WLM data.Comment: Accepted by ApJ, 34 pages, 13 figures, version with high-resolution
figures available at: http://webusers.astro.umn.edu/~djackson
The Expression and Localization of N-Myc Downstream-Regulated Gene 1 in Human Trophoblasts
The protein N-Myc downstream-regulated gene 1 (NDRG1) is implicated in the regulation of cell proliferation, differentiation, and cellular stress response. NDRG1 is expressed in primary human trophoblasts, where it promotes cell viability and resistance to hypoxic injury. The mechanism of action of NDRG1 remains unknown. To gain further insight into the intracellular action of NDRG1, we analyzed the expression pattern and cellular localization of endogenous NDRG1 and transfected Myc-tagged NDRG1 in human trophoblasts exposed to diverse injuries. In standard conditions, NDRG1 was diffusely expressed in the cytoplasm at a low level. Hypoxia or the hypoxia mimetic cobalt chloride, but not serum deprivation, ultraviolet (UV) light, or ionizing radiation, induced the expression of NDRG1 in human trophoblasts and the redistribution of NDRG1 into the nucleus and cytoplasmic membranes associated with the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and microtubules. Mutation of the phosphopantetheine attachment site (PPAS) within NDRG1 abrogated this pattern of redistribution. Our results shed new light on the impact of cell injury on NDRG1 expression patterns, and suggest that the PPAS domain plays a key role in NDRG1's subcellular distribution. © 2013 Shi et al
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