Mode quality factor based on far-field emission for square resonators

The quality factors of modes in square resonators are calculated based on the far-field emission of the analytical field distribution. The obtained quality factors are in reasonable agreement with those calculated by the finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) technique and Pade approximation method. The emission power in the square diagonal directions for whispering-gallery-like modes in square resonators is zero due to the interference cancellation caused by the odd field distributions relative to the diagonal mirror planes, so they have larger quality factors than the modes with even field distribution.

Comparison of free spectral range and quality factor for two-dimensional square and circular microcavities

Free spectral range of whispering-gallery (WG)-like modes in a two-dimensional (2D) square microcavity is found to be twice that in a 2D circular microcavity. The quality factor of the WG-like mode with the low mode number in a 2D square microcavity, calculated by the finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) technique and the Pade approximation method, is found to exceed that of the WG mode in 2D circular microcavity with the same cavity dimension and close mode wavelength.

Finite-difference time-domain analysis of deformed square cavity filters with a traveling-wave-like filtering response by mode coupling

An add-drop filter based on a perfect square resonator can realize a maximum of only 25% power dropping because the confined modes are standing-wave modes. By means of mode coupling between two modes with inverse symmetry properties, a traveling-wave-like filtering response is obtained in a two-dimensional single square cavity filter with cut or circular corners by finite-difference time-domain simulation. The optimized deformation parameters for an add-drop filter can be accurately predicted as the overlapping point of the two coupling modes in an isolated deformed square cavity. More than 80% power dropping can be obtained in a deformed square cavity filter with a side length of 3.01 mu m. The free spectral region is decided by the mode spacing between modes, with the sum of the mode indices differing by 1. (c) 2007 Optical Society of America.

Investigation of mode characteristics for a square cavity with a pedestal by a three-dimensional finite-difference time-domain technique

Mode characteristics of a strongly confined square cavity suspended in air via a pedestal on the substrate are investigated by a three-dimensional finite-difference time-domain technique. The mode wavelengths and mode quality factors (Q factors) are calculated as the functions of the size of the pedestal and the slope angle 0 of the sidewalls of the square slab, respectively For the square slab with side length of 2 mu m, thickness of 0.2 mu m, and refractive index of 3.4, on a square pedestal with refractive index of 3.17, the Q factor of the whispering-gallery (WG)-like mode transverse-electric TE(3.5)o first increases with the side length b of the square pedestal and then quickly decreases as b > 0.4 mu m, but the Q factor of the WG-like mode TE(4.6)o drops down quickly as b > 0.2 mu m, owing to their different symmetries. The results indicate that the pedestal can also result in mode selection in the WG-like modes. In addition, the numerical results show that the Q factors decrease 50% as the slope angle of the sidewalls varies from 90 degrees to 80 degrees. The mode characteristics of WG-like modes in the square cavity with a rectangular pedestal are also discussed. The results show that the nonsquare pedestal largely degrades the WG-like modes. (c) 2006 Optical Society of America

WG-like modes selectivity in a square cavity with posts

We investigate the characteristics of Whispering-Gallery(WG)-like modes in a square cavity with posts by employing the two-dimentional (2D) finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) technique combined with the effective index method. The results indicate that the posts can result in mode selection in the WG-like modes. The WG-like modes with odd mode numbers are not much sensitive to the sizes of the posts. However, the quality factor (i.e. Q-factor) of the WG-like modes with even mode numbers decreases sharply with the increasing size of the posts. The decreasing Q-factor is attributed to mode leakage and scattering loss due to the presence of the post. The mode selection increases with the mode spacing of square cavity twice in an optimized strucure.

High Q-factor TM modes in three-dimensional semiconductor microresonators

We have investigated the mode characteristics for three-dimensional (3D) semiconductor microresonators by finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) technique. The results show that the quality-factors (Q-factors) of TM-like modes are much larger than those of TE-like modes as the vertical waveguidng formed by semiconductor materials.

非洲爪蟾早期胚胎发育中PEDF和PEDF-R的功能以及vestigial-like家族表达图式的研究

PEDF 蛋白（Pigment epithelium-derived factor）又名“色素上皮源因子”或 “色素上皮衍生因子”，为一个多功能性分泌糖蛋白，前人研究表明PEDF 蛋白 具有神经保护性、免疫调节、抑制新生血管生成以及抑制肿瘤恶化等多种功能。 PEDF-R 是PEDF 的受体， 属于PNPLA2 （ Patatin-like phopholipase domain-containing 2 family）蛋白家族的一个新成员，PEDF 蛋白与其结合后会激 活PEDF-R 的磷脂酶A2 活性。本研究中，我们描述了非洲爪蟾PEDF 和PEDF-R 基因的表达图式及其在胚胎发育中的可能功能。RT-PCR 结果显示PEDF 是非母 源性表达，而PEDF-R 则是母源性表达的。原位杂交实验表明它们均在神经系统 中特异表达，但PEDF-R 的表达区域更加广泛，在鳃弓、眼泡和耳泡中也有表达。 通过mRNA 过表达和Morpholino(MO)阻断蛋白合成等手段发现，PEDF 功能获 得和功能缺失后胚胎几乎不受影响。然而PEDF-R 过表达后胚胎向注射一侧弯 曲，TUNEL 凋亡检测实验发现这些胚胎在注射一侧发生了凋亡。这两个基因神 经表达的特异性表明它们可能在早期神经发育中有重要功能。TUNEL 结果暗示 着PEDF-R 可能是一个与凋亡信号通路相关的受体。PEDF 功能获得和缺失并未 导致胚胎明显的表型，这表明PEDF 在非洲爪蟾中可能还存在其他的受体来行使 与PEDF-R 不同功能的途径。 果蝇的vestigial 基因编码一个转录辅助因子，在果蝇中只有一个成员，即 vestigial(vg)基因。在脊椎动物中有四个vestigial 同源基因，即vestigial-like 1,2,3,4_(vgl-1,2,3,4)。Vestigial 蛋白能作为辅助因子与果蝇中的Scalloped(Sd)蛋白 或者哺乳动物中的TEF 蛋白结合成复合体，通过Sd/TEF 蛋白的TEA/ATTS 结构 域与DNA 结合，从而调节下游基因的转录。本研究中，我们克隆了非洲爪蟾 vestigial-like 家族的四个成员，并对其在爪蟾胚胎发育过程中的表达进行研究。 RT-PCR 显示vgl-2 和vgl-3 是合子型表达的，vgl-1、vgl-4 则是母源性表达。原位 杂交显示：vgl-1 主要在神经管背部、耳泡和眼泡中表达；vgl-2 则是在肌肉、第 一二鳃弓、脊索中特异表达；vgl-3 神经胚时期在后脑有强的表达信号，从神经 胚后期到尾芽期后脑部位的表达几乎消失了，而在胚胎的头部以及神经管中开始 有微弱的表达；vgl-4 的表达较广泛，在神经管、眼泡、耳泡、肌肉以及脊索中 均有表达。在爪蟾中这四个成员的表达图式各不相同，提示它们有可能与其行使 组织特异性基因调控的功能相关，上述结果将有助于对vestigial-like 家族基因在 胚胎发育中的功能研究。

非洲爪蟾早期胚胎发育中PEDF和PEDF-R的功能以及vestigial-like家族表达图式的研究

PEDF 蛋白（Pigment epithelium-derived factor）又名“色素上皮源因子”或 “色素上皮衍生因子”，为一个多功能性分泌糖蛋白，前人研究表明PEDF 蛋白 具有神经保护性、免疫调节、抑制新生血管生成以及抑制肿瘤恶化等多种功能。 PEDF-R 是PEDF 的受体， 属于PNPLA2 （ Patatin-like phopholipase domain-containing 2 family）蛋白家族的一个新成员，PEDF 蛋白与其结合后会激 活PEDF-R 的磷脂酶A2 活性。本研究中，我们描述了非洲爪蟾PEDF 和PEDF-R 基因的表达图式及其在胚胎发育中的可能功能。RT-PCR 结果显示PEDF 是非母 源性表达，而PEDF-R 则是母源性表达的。原位杂交实验表明它们均在神经系统 中特异表达，但PEDF-R 的表达区域更加广泛，在鳃弓、眼泡和耳泡中也有表达。 通过mRNA 过表达和Morpholino(MO)阻断蛋白合成等手段发现，PEDF 功能获 得和功能缺失后胚胎几乎不受影响。然而PEDF-R 过表达后胚胎向注射一侧弯 曲，TUNEL 凋亡检测实验发现这些胚胎在注射一侧发生了凋亡。这两个基因神 经表达的特异性表明它们可能在早期神经发育中有重要功能。TUNEL 结果暗示 着PEDF-R 可能是一个与凋亡信号通路相关的受体。PEDF 功能获得和缺失并未 导致胚胎明显的表型，这表明PEDF 在非洲爪蟾中可能还存在其他的受体来行使 与PEDF-R 不同功能的途径。 果蝇的vestigial 基因编码一个转录辅助因子，在果蝇中只有一个成员，即 vestigial(vg)基因。在脊椎动物中有四个vestigial 同源基因，即vestigial-like 非洲爪蟾早期胚胎发育中PEDF 和PEDF-R 的功能以及vestigial-like 家族表达图式的研究 2 1,2,3,4_(vgl-1,2,3,4)。Vestigial 蛋白能作为辅助因子与果蝇中的Scalloped(Sd)蛋白 或者哺乳动物中的TEF 蛋白结合成复合体，通过Sd/TEF 蛋白的TEA/ATTS 结构 域与DNA 结合，从而调节下游基因的转录。本研究中，我们克隆了非洲爪蟾 vestigial-like 家族的四个成员，并对其在爪蟾胚胎发育过程中的表达进行研究。 RT-PCR 显示vgl-2 和vgl-3 是合子型表达的，vgl-1、vgl-4 则是母源性表达。原位 杂交显示：vgl-1 主要在神经管背部、耳泡和眼泡中表达；vgl-2 则是在肌肉、第 一二鳃弓、脊索中特异表达；vgl-3 神经胚时期在后脑有强的表达信号，从神经 胚后期到尾芽期后脑部位的表达几乎消失了，而在胚胎的头部以及神经管中开始 有微弱的表达；vgl-4 的表达较广泛，在神经管、眼泡、耳泡、肌肉以及脊索中 均有表达。在爪蟾中这四个成员的表达图式各不相同，提示它们有可能与其行使 组织特异性基因调控的功能相关，上述结果将有助于对vestigial-like 家族基因在 胚胎发育中的功能研究。

Insulin-like growth factor-binding protein-3 plays an important role in regulating pharyngeal skeleton and inner ear formation and differentiation

Insulin-like growth factor-binding protein (IGFBP)-3 is the major insulin-like growth factor (IGF) carrier protein in the bloodstream. IGFBP-3 prolongs the half-life of circulating IGFs and prevents their potential hypo-glycemic effect. IGFBP-3 is also expressed in many peripheral tissues in fetal and adult stages. In vitro, IGFBP-3 can inhibit or potentiate IGF actions and even possesses IGF-independent activities, suggesting that local IGFBP-3 may also have paracrine/autocrine function(s). The in vivo function of IGFBP-3, however, is unclear. In this study, we elucidate the developmental role of IGFBP-3 using the zebrafish model. IGFBP-3 mRNA expression is first detected in the migrating cranial neural crest cells and subsequently in pharyngeal arches in zebrafish embryos. IGFBP-3 mRNA is also persistently expressed in the developing inner ears. To determine the role of IGFBP-3 in these tissues, we ablated the IGFBP-3 gene product using morpholino-modified antisense oligonucleotides (MOs). The IGFBP-3 knocked down embryos had delayed pharyngeal skeleton morphogenesis and greatly reduced pharyngeal cartilage differentiation. Knockdown of IGFBP-3 also significantly decreased inner ear size and disrupted hair cell differentiation and semicircular canal formation. Furthermore, reintroduction of a MO-resistant form of IGFBP-3 "rescued" the MO-induced defects. These findings suggest that IGFBP-3 plays an important role in regulating pharyngeal cartilage and inner car development and growth in zebrafish.

Molecular cloning and characterization of a putative lipopolysaccharide-induced TNF-alpha factor (LITAF) gene homologue from Zhikong scallop Chlamys farreri

LPS-induced TNF-alpha factor (LITAF) is a novel transcriptional factor that was first discovered in LPS-stimulated human macrophage cell line THP-1. LITAF can bind to TNF-a promoter to regulate its expression. The first scallop LITAF (named as CfLITAF) was cloned from Zhikong scallop Chlamys farreri by Expressed Sequence Tag (EST) and Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) techniques. The cDNA of CfLITAF was of 1240 bp and consisted of a 5' untranslated region (UTR) of 112 bp, a 3' UTR of 678 bp and an open reading frame (ORF) of 450 bp encoding a polypeptide of 149 amino acids with an estimated molecular mass of 16.08 kDa and theoretical isoelectric point of 6.77. A typical conserved LITAF-domain was identified in CfLITAF by SMART analysis. Homology analysis of the deduced amino acid sequence of CfLITAF with other known sequences by using the BLAST program revealed that CfLITAF was homologous to the LITAF from human and rat (Identity = 46%), cattle, horse, mouse and chicken (Identity = 48%), western clawed frog (Identity = 42%), and zebrafish (Identity = 50%). The mRNA expression of CfLITAF in different tissues including haemocytes, muscle, mantle, heart, gill and gonad, and the temporal expression in haemocytes challenged by LPS or peptidoglycan (PGN) were measured by Real-time RT-PCR. CfLITAF mRNA transcripts could be detected in all tissues examined and be up-regulated in haemocytes after LPS challenge. No significant changes were observed after PGN stimulation. All these data indicated the existence of LITAF in scallop and also provided clue on the presence of TNF-alpha-like molecules in invertebrates. (C) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Dynamic stress intensity factor of a functionally graded material under antiplane shear loading

The dynamic response of a finite crack in an unbounded Functionally Graded Material (FGM) subjected to an antiplane shear loading is studied in this paper. The variation of the shear modulus of the functionally graded material is modeled by a quadratic increase along the direction perpendicular to the crack surface. The dynamic stress intensity factor is extracted from the asymptotic expansion of the stresses around the crack tip in the Laplace transform plane and obtained in the time domain by a numerical Laplace inversion technique. The influence of graded material property on the dynamic intensity factor is investigated. It is observed that the magnitude of dynamic stress intensity factor for a finite crack in such a functionally graded material is less than in the homogeneous material with a property identical to that of the FGM crack plane.

Forced Dissociation of Selectin-ligand Complexes Using Steered Molecular Dynamics Simulation

Selectin-ligand interactions are crucial to such biological processes as inflammatory cascade or tumor metastasis. How transient formation and dissociation of selectin-ligand bonds in blood flow are coupled to molecular conformation at atomic level, however, has not been well understood. In this study, steered molecular dynamics (SMD) simulations were used to elucidate the intramolecular and intermolecular conformational evolutions involved in forced dissociation of three selectin-ligand systems: the construct consisting of P-selectin lectin (Lec) and epidermal growth factor (EGF)-like domains (P-LE) interacting with synthesized sulfoglycopeptide or SGP-3, P-LE with sialyl Lewis X (sLeX), and E-LE with sLeX. SMD simulations were based on newly built-up force field parameters including carbohydrate units and sulfated tyrosine(s) using an analogy approach. The simulations demonstrated that the complex dissociation was coupled to the molecular extension. While the intramolecular unraveling in P-LESGP-3 system mainly resulted from the destroy of the two anti-parallel sheets of EGF domain and the breakage of hydrogen-bond cluster at the Lec-EGF interface, the intermolecular dissociation was mainly determined by separation of fucose (FUC) from Ca2+ ion in all three systems. Conformational changes during forced dissociations depended on pulling velocities and forces, as well as on how the force was applied. This work provides an insight into better understanding of conformational changes and adhesive functionality of selectin-ligand interactions under external forces.

Anomalous scattering factor determined by semicircle fitting near the K-absorption edge of Ge

It is shown that the locus of the f' + if '' plot in the complex plane, f' being determined from measured f '' by using the dispersion relation, looks like a semicircle very near the absorption edge of Ge. The semicircular locus is derived from a quantum theory of X-ray resonant scattering when there is a sharp isolated peak in f '' just above the K-absorption edge. Using the semicircular behavior, an approach is proposed to determine the anomalous scattering factors in a crystal by fitting known calculated values based on an isolated-atom model to a semicircular focus. The determined anomalous scattering factors f' show excellent agreement with the measured values just below the absorption edge. In addition, the phase determination of a crystal structure factor has been considered by using the semicircular behavior.

ISOLATION AND PROPERTIES OF A BLOOD-COAGULATION FACTOR-X ACTIVATOR FROM THE VENOM OF KING COBRA (OPHIOPHAGUS HANNAH)

A specific blood coagulation factor X activator was purified from the venom of Ophiophagus hannah by gel filtration and two steps of FPLC Mono-Q column ion-exchange chromatography. It showed a single protein band both in sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and alkaline polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The mol. wt was estimated to be 62,000 in non-reducing conditions and 64,500 in reducing conditions by SDS-PAGE. The isoelectric point was found to be pH 5.6. The enzyme had weak amidolytic activities toward CBS 65-25, but it showed no activities on S-2266, S-2302, thrombin substrate S-2238, plasmin substrate S-2251 or factor Xa substrate S-2222. It had no arginine esterase activity toward substrate benzoylarginine ethylester (BAEE). The enzyme activated factor X in vitro and the effect was absolutely Ca2+ dependent, with a Hill coefficient of 6.83. It could not activate prothrombin nor had any effect on fibrinogen and thus appeared to act specifically on factor X. The procoagulant activity of the enzyme was almost completely inhibited by serine protease inhibitors like PMSF, TPCK and soybean trypsin inhibitor; partially inhibited by L-cysteine. Metal chelator EDTA did not inhibit its procoagulant activity. These results suggest that the factor X activator from O. hannah venom is a serine protease.

Cloning and characterization of a blood coagulation factor IX-binding protein from the venom of Trimeresurus stejnegeri

A blood coagulation factor IX-binding protein (TSV-FIX-BP) was isolated from the snake venom of Trimeresurus stejnegeri. On SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, TSV-FIX-BP showed a single band with an apparent molecular weight of 23,000 under non-reducing conditions. and two distinct bands with apparent molecular weights of 14,800 and 14,000 under reducing conditions. cDNA clones containing the coding sequences of TSV-FIX-BP were isolated and sequenced to determine the structure of the precusors of TSV-FIX-BP subunits. The deduced amino acid sequences of two subunits of TSV-FIX-BP were confirmed by N-terminal protein sequencing and trypsin-digested peptide mass fingerprinting. TSV-FIX-BP was a nonenzymatic C-type lectin-like anti-coagulant. The anti-coagulant activity of TSV-FIX-BP was mainly caused by its dose dependent interaction with blood coagulation factor IX but not with blood coagulation factor X. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.