Contemporaneous late cretaceous calc-alkaline and alkaline magmatism in Central Anatolia, Turkey: oxygen isotope constraints on petrogenesis

A wide variety of rock types were produced by the latest Cretaceous magmatism in the Central Anatolian Crystalline Complex. These rocks can be divided into three distinct units: (i) calc-alkaline, (ii) subalkaline/transitional, and (iii) alkaline. The calc-alkaline rocks are mainly metaluminous (I-type) ranging from monzodiorite to granite. The subalkaline/transitional rocks are also metaluminous (I-type) ranging from monzonite to granite. The alkaline rocks are mainly peralkaline (A-type), ranging from feldspathoid-bearing monzosyenite to granite. Whole-rock oxygen isotope data from the complex have a considerable range of δ18O values between 6.5‰ and 14.8‰. Initial 87Sr/86Sr versus 143Nd/144Nd ratios, and both ratios versus δ18O values diagrams show that the intrusive rocks are derived from a subduction-modified mantle and also have experienced fractional crystallisation coupled with crustal assimilation. Delamination of a thermal boundary layer, and/or slab breakoff is the likely mechanisms for the initiation of the diverse magmatism in the complex

Design of 100 GHz-class Mach-Zehnder modulators in a generic indium phosphide platform

We propose a push-pull electrode design for a Mach-Zehnder modulator in a generic indium phosphide platform. We calculate the frequency response of the modulator for a range of mask design parameters. We propose the design parameters for a 50Ω, velocity matched MZM with 95GHz bandwidth

GDNF and GFRα-1 Are Components of the Axolotl Pronephric Duct Guidance System

AbstractIn mammals, secretion of GDNF by the metanephrogenic mesenchyme is essential for branching morphogenesis of the ureteric bud and, thus, metanephric development. However, the expression pattern of GDNF and its receptor complex—the GPI-linked ligand-binding protein, GFRα-1, and the Ret tyrosine kinase signaling protein—indicates that it could operate at early steps in kidney development as well. Furthermore, the developing nephric systems of fish and amphibian embryos express components of the GDNF signaling system even though they do not make a metanephros. We provide evidence that GDNF signaling through GFRα-1 is sufficient to direct pathfinding of migrating pronephric duct cells in axolotl embryos by: (1) demonstrating that application of soluble GFRα-1 to an embryo lacking all GPI-linked proteins rescues PND migration in a dose-dependent fashion, (2) showing that application of excess soluble GFRα-1 to a normal embryo inhibits migration and that inhibition is dependent upon GDNF-binding activity, and (3) showing that the PND will migrate toward a GDNF-soaked bead in vivo, but will fail to migrate when GDNF is applied uniformly to the flank. These data suggest that PND pathfinding is accomplished by migration up a gradient of GDNF

Towards implementation of FMCW LiDAR with quadrature modulator architectures in generic InP photonic integration technology

Two architectures with quadrature modulation in a generic InP platform are proposed for realizing frequency-modulated continuous-wave (FMCW) LiDAR. Simulations are used to compare the architectures in terms of tolerance to optical imbalances, insertion loss, chip footprint, and ease of control. The parallel architecture is more resilient to imbalances (~0.82 dB power imbalance for 20 dB ER) than the cascaded architecture (~0.63 dB power imbalance for 20 dB ER)

Short-pulse, extreme-ultraviolet continuum emission from a table-top laser plasma light source

We have observed extreme-ultraviolet (XUV) “line-free” continuum emission from laser plasmas of high atomic number elements using targets irradiated with 248 nm laser pulses of 7 ps duration at a power density of ∼ 1013 W/cm2. Using both dispersive spectroscopy and streak camera detection, the spectral and temporal evolution of XUV continuum emission for several target atomic numbers has been measured on a time scale with an upper limit of several hundred picoseconds limited by amplified spontaneous emission

Indium phosphide photonic circuits on silicon electronics

The intimate integration of photonics and electronics in transceivers facilitates energy-efficiency, bandwidth acceleration and a route to radical miniaturization. We present and implement a wafer-to-wafer integration method which combines electronic and photonic foundry technologies

Vacuum-ultraviolet photoabsorption imaging system for laser plasma plume diagnostics

We describe a recently designed and constructed system based on a 1 m normal incidence vacuum monochromator with corrected (toroidal) optics that produces a wavelength tuneable and collimated vacuum-ultraviolet (VUV) (λ=30–100 nm) beam. The VUV continuum source is a laser-generated gold plasma. The primary function of the system is the measurement of time resolved “images” or spatial distributions of photoabsorption/photoionization in expanding laser plasma plumes. This is achieved by passing the beam through the sample of interest (in our case a second synchronised plasma) and recording the “footprint” of the attenuated beam on a charge coupled device. Using this VUV photoabsorption imaging or “shadowgraphy” technique we track and extract column density distributions in expanding plasma plumes. We can also measure the plume front velocity. We have characterized the system, particularly in relation to spectral and spatial resolution and the experimental results meet very well the expectations from ray tracing done at the design phase. We present first photoabsorption images and column density distributions of laser produced Ca plumes from the system

Adherence to Antiretroviral Prophylaxis for HIV Prevention: A Substudy Cohort within a Clinical Trial of Serodiscordant Couples in East Africa

Background: Randomized clinical trials of oral antiretroviral pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for HIV prevention have widely divergent efficacy estimates, ranging from 0% to 75%. These discrepancies are likely due to differences in adherence. To our knowledge, no studies to date have examined the impact of improving adherence through monitoring and/or intervention, which may increase PrEP efficacy, or reported on objective behavioral measures of adherence, which can inform PrEP effectiveness and implementation. Methods and Findings: Within the Partners PrEP Study (a randomized placebo-controlled trial of oral tenofovir and emtricitabine/tenofovir among HIV-uninfected members of serodiscordant couples in Kenya and Uganda), we collected objective measures of PrEP adherence using unannounced home-based pill counts and electronic pill bottle monitoring. Participants received individual and couples-based adherence counseling at PrEP initiation and throughout the study; counseling was intensified if unannounced pill count adherence fell to 80% adherence. Study limitations include potential shortcomings of the adherence measures and use of a convenience sample within the substudy cohort. Conclusions: The high PrEP adherence achieved in the setting of active adherence monitoring and counseling support was associated with a high degree of protection from HIV acquisition by the HIV-uninfected partner in heterosexual serodiscordant couples. Low PrEP adherence was associated with sexual behavior, alcohol use, younger age, and length of PrEP use. Please see later in the article for the Editors' Summar

Reconstructing promoter activity from Lux bioluminescent reporters

The bacterial Lux system is used as a gene expression reporter. It is fast, sensitive and non-destructive, enabling high frequency measurements. Originally developed for bacterial cells, it has also been adapted for eukaryotic cells, and can be used for whole cell biosensors, or in real time with live animals without the need for euthanasia. However, correct interpretation of bioluminescent data is limited: the bioluminescence is different from gene expression because of nonlinear molecular and enzyme dynamics of the Lux system. We have developed a computational approach that, for the first time, allows users of Lux assays to infer gene transcription levels from the light output. This approach is based upon a new mathematical model for Lux activity, that includes the actions of LuxAB, LuxEC and Fre, with improved mechanisms for all reactions, as well as synthesis and turn-over of Lux proteins. The model is calibrated with new experimental data for the LuxAB and Fre reactions from Photorhabdus luminescens --- the source of modern Lux reporters --- while literature data has been used for LuxEC. Importantly, the data show clear evidence for previously unreported product inhibition for the LuxAB reaction. Model simulations show that predicted bioluminescent profiles can be very different from changes in gene expression, with transient peaks of light output, very similar to light output seen in some experimental data sets. By incorporating the calibrated model into a Bayesian inference scheme, we can reverse engineer promoter activity from the bioluminescence. We show examples where a decrease in bioluminescence would be better interpreted as a switching off of the promoter, or where an increase in bioluminescence would be better interpreted as a longer period of gene expression. This approach could benefit all users of Lux technology