Spatio-Spectral Vector Beams

Increasing the complexity of a light field through the advanced manipulation of its degrees of freedom (DoF) provides new opportunities for fundamental studies and technologies. Correlating polarization with the light's spatial or spectral shape results in so-called spatial or spectral vector beams that are fully polarized and have a spatially or spectrally varying polarization structure. Here, we extend the general idea of vector beams by combining both approaches and structuring a novel state of light in three non-separable DoF's, i.e. space, wavelength, and polarization. We study in detail their complex polarization structure, show that the degree of polarization of the field is only unveiled when the field is narrowly defined in space and wavelength, and demonstrate the analogy to the loss of coherence in non-separable quantum systems. Such light fields allow fundamental studies on the non-separable nature of a classical light field and new technological opportunities, e.g. through applications in imaging or spectroscopy

Monocyte-derived alveolar macrophages autonomously determine severe outcome of respiratory viral infection

Various lung insults can result in replacement of resident alveolar macrophages (AM) by bone marrow monocyte–derived (BMo)–AM. However, the dynamics of this process and its long-term consequences for respiratory viral infections remain unclear. Using several mouse models and a marker to unambiguously track fetal monocyte–derived (FeMo)–AM and BMo-AM, we established the kinetics and extent of replenishment and their function to recurrent influenza A virus (IAV) infection. A massive loss of FeMo-AM resulted in rapid replenishment by self-renewal of survivors, followed by the generation of BMo-AM. BMo-AM progressively outcompeted FeMo-AM over several months, and this was due to their increased glycolytic and proliferative capacity. The presence of both naïve and experienced BMo-AM conferred severe pathology to IAV infection, which was associated with a proinflammatory phenotype. Furthermore, upon aging of naïve mice, FeMo-AM were gradually replaced by BMo-AM, which contributed to IAV disease severity in a cell-autonomous manner. Together, our results suggest that the origin rather than training of AM determines long-term function to respiratory viral infection and provide an explanation for the increased severity of infection seen in the elderly

Gene therapy of Csf2ra deficiency in mouse fetal monocyte precursors restores alveolar macrophage development and function

Tissue-resident macrophage-based immune therapies have been proposed for various diseases. However, generation of sufficient numbers that possess tissue-specific functions remains a major handicap. Here, we showed that fetal liver monocytes cultured with GM-CSF (CSF2-cFLiMo) rapidly differentiated into a long-lived, homogeneous alveolar macrophage-like population in vitro. CSF2-cFLiMo retained the capacity to develop into bona fide alveolar macrophages upon transfer into Csf2ra-/- neonates and prevented development of alveolar proteinosis and accumulation of apoptotic cells for at least 1 year in vivo. CSF2-cFLiMo more efficiently engrafted empty alveolar macrophage niches in the lung and protected mice from severe pathology induced by respiratory viral infection compared with transplantation of macrophages derived from BM cells cultured with M-CSF (CSF1-cBMM) in the presence or absence of GM-CSF. Harnessing the potential of this approach for gene therapy, we restored a disrupted Csf2ra gene in fetal liver monocytes and demonstrated their capacity to develop into alveolar macrophages in vivo. Altogether, we provide a platform for generation of immature alveolar macrophage-like precursors amenable for genetic manipulation, which will be useful to dissect alveolar macrophage development and function and for pulmonary transplantation therapy

Spectral Vector Beams for High-Speed Spectroscopic Measurements

Structured light harnessing multiple degrees of freedom has become a powerful approach to use complex states of light in fundamental studies and applications. Here, we investigate the light field of an ultrafast laser beam with a wavelength-depended polarization state, a beam we term spectral vector beam. We demonstrate a simple technique to generate and tune such structured beams and demonstrate their spectroscopic capabilities. By only measuring the polarization state using fast photodetectors, it is possible to track pulse-to-pulse changes in the frequency spectrum caused by, e.g. narrowband transmission or absorption. In our experiments, we reach read-out rates of around 6 MHz, which is limited by our technical ability to modulate the spectrum and can in principle reach GHz read-out rates. In simulations we extend the spectral range to more than 1000 nm by using a supercontinuum light source, thereby paving the way to various applications requiring high-speed spectroscopic measurements.Comment: 11 pages, 12 figure

Glucose enhancement of human memory: A comprehensive research review of the glucose memory facilitation effect

The brain relies upon glucose as its primary fuel. In recent years, a rich literature has developed from both human and animal studies indicating that increases in circulating blood glucose can facilitate cognitive functioning. This phenomenon has been termed the ‘glucose memory facilitation effect’. The purpose of this review is to discuss a number of salient studies which have investigated the influence of glucose ingestion on neurocognitive performance in individuals with (a) compromised neurocognitive capacity, as well as (b) normally functioning individuals (with a focus on research conducted with human participants). The proposed neurocognitive mechanisms purported to underlie the modulatory effect of glucose on neurocognitive performance will also be considered. Many theories have focussed upon the hippocampus, given that this brain region is heavily implicated in learning and memory. Further, it will be suggested that glucose is a possible mechanism underlying the phenomenon that enhanced memory performance is typically observed for emotionally laden stimuli

PPARgamma in dendritic cells and T cells drives pathogenic type-2 effector responses in lung inflammation

Type-2 immune responses are well-established drivers of chronic inflammatory diseases, such as asthma, and represent a large burden on public health systems. The transcription factor PPARγ is known to promote M2-macrophage and alveolar macrophage development. Here, we report that PPARγ plays a key role in both T cells and dendritic cells (DCs) for development of type-2 immune responses. It is predominantly expressed in mouse Th2 cells in vitro and in vivo as well as human Th2 cells from allergic patients. Using conditional knockouts, we show that PPARγ signaling in T cells, although largely dispensable for IL-4 induction, is critical for IL-33–driven Th2 effector function in type-2 allergic airway responses. Furthermore, we demonstrate that IL-4 and IL-33 promote up-regulation of PPARγ in lung-resident CD11b+ DCs, which enhances migration to draining lymph nodes and Th2 priming capacity. Thus, we uncover a surprising proinflammatory role for PPARγ and establish it as a novel, important mediator of DC–T cell interactions in type-2 immunity

Talbot self-imaging and two-photon interference in ring-core fibers

Wave propagation on the surface of cylinders exhibits interferometric self-imaging, much like the Talbot effect in the near-field diffraction at periodic gratings. We report the experimental observation of the cylindrical Talbot carpet in weakly guiding ring-core fibers for classical light fields. We further show that the ring-core fiber acts as a higher-order optical beamsplitter for single photons, whose output can be controlled by the relative phase between the input light fields. By also demonstrating high-quality two-photon interference between indistinguishable photons sent into the ring-core fiber, our findings open the door to applications in optical telecommunications as a compact beam multiplexer as well as in quantum information processing tasks as a scalable realization of a linear optical network.publishedVersionPeer reviewe

Metabolic Agents that Enhance ATP can Improve Cognitive Functioning: A Review of the Evidence for Glucose, Oxygen, Pyruvate, Creatine, and L-Carnitine

Over the past four or five decades, there has been increasing interest in the neurochemical regulation of cognition. This field received considerable attention in the 1980s, with the identification of possible cognition enhancing agents or “smart drugs”. Even though many of the optimistic claims for some agents have proven premature, evidence suggests that several metabolic agents may prove to be effective in improving and preserving cognitive performance and may lead to better cognitive aging through the lifespan. Aging is characterized by a progressive deterioration in physiological functions and metabolic processes. There are a number of agents with the potential to improve metabolic activity. Research is now beginning to identify these various agents and delineate their potential usefulness for improving cognition in health and disease. This review provides a brief overview of the metabolic agents glucose, oxygen, pyruvate, creatine, and L-carnitine and their beneficial effects on cognitive function. These agents are directly responsible for generating ATP (adenosine triphosphate) the main cellular currency of energy. The brain is the most metabolically active organ in the body and as such is particularly vulnerable to disruption of energy resources. Therefore interventions that sustain adenosine triphosphate (ATP) levels may have importance for improving neuronal dysfunction and loss. Moreover, recently, it has been observed that environmental conditions and diet can affect transgenerational gene expression via epigenetic mechanisms. Metabolic agents might play a role in regulation of nutritional epigenetic effects. In summary, the reviewed metabolic agents represent a promising strategy for improving cognitive function and possibly slowing or preventing cognitive decline

Monocyte-derived alveolar macrophages autonomously determine severe outcome of respiratory viral infection

Various lung insults can result in replacement of resident alveolar macrophages (AM) by bone marrow monocyte-derived (BMo)-AM. However, the dynamics of this process and its long-term consequences for respiratory viral infections remain unclear. Using several mouse models and a marker to unambiguously track fetal monocyte-derived (FeMo)-AM and BMo-AM, we established the kinetics and extent of replenishment and their function to recurrent influenza A virus (IAV) infection. A massive loss of FeMo-AM resulted in rapid replenishment by self-renewal of survivors, followed by the generation of BMo-AM. BMo-AM progressively outcompeted FeMo-AM over several months, and this was due to their increased glycolytic and proliferative capacity. The presence of both naïve and experienced BMo-AM conferred severe pathology to IAV infection, which was associated with a proinflammatory phenotype. Furthermore, upon aging of naïve mice, FeMo-AM were gradually replaced by BMo-AM, which contributed to IAV disease severity in a cell-autonomous manner. Together, our results suggest that the origin rather than training of AM determines long-term function to respiratory viral infection and provide an explanation for the increased severity of infection seen in the elderly.ISSN:2470-946