Far field subwavelength source resolution using Phase Conjugating Lens Assisted With Evanescent-to-Propagating Spectrum Conversion

The imaging properties of a phase conjugating lens operating in the far field zone of the imaged source and augmented with scatterers positioned in the source near field region are theoretically studied in this paper. The phase conjugating lens consists of a double sided 2D assembly of straight wire elements, individually interconnected through phase conjugation operators. The scattering elements are straight wire segments which are loaded with lumped impedance loads at their centers. We analytically and numerically analyze all stages of the imaging process; i) evanescent-to-propagating spectrum conversion; ii) focusing properties of infinite or finite sized phase conjugating lens; iii) source reconstruction upon propagating-to-evanescent spectrum conversion. We show that the resolution that can be achieved depends critically on the separation distance between the imaged source and scattering arrangement, as well as on the topology of the scatterers used. Imaged focal widths of up to one-seventh wavelength are demonstrated. The results obtained indicate the possibility of such an arrangement as a potential practical means for realising using conventional materials devices for fine feature extraction by electromagnetic lensing at distances remotely located from the source objects under investigation

High-resolution 14C dating of a 25,000-year lake-sediment record from equatorial East Africa

We dated a continuous, ~22-m long sediment sequence from Lake Challa (Mt. Kilimanjaro area, Kenya/Tanzania) to produce a solid chronological framework for multi-proxy reconstructions of climate and environmental change in equatorial East Africa over the past 25,000 years. The age model is based on a total of 168 AMS 14C dates on bulk-organic matter, combined with a 210Pb chronology for recent sediments and corrected for a variable old-carbon age offset. This offset was estimated by i) pairing bulk-organic 14C dates with either 210Pb-derived time markers or 14C dates on grass charcoal, and ii) wiggle-matching high-density series of bulk-organic 14C dates. Variation in the old-carbon age offset through time is relatively modest, ranging from ~450 yr during glacial and late glacial time to ~200 yr during the early and mid-Holocene, and increasing again to ~250 yr today. The screened and corrected 14C dates were calibrated sequentially, statistically constrained by their stratigraphical order. As a result their constrained calendar-age distributions are much narrower, and the calibrated dates more precise, than if each 14C date had been calibrated on its own. The smooth-spline age-depth model has 95% age uncertainty ranges of ~50–230 yr during the Holocene and ~250–550 yr in the glacial section of the record. The d13C values of paired bulk-organic and grass-charcoal samples, and additional 14C dating on selected turbidite horizons, indicates that the old-carbon age offset in Lake Challa is caused by a variable contribution of old terrestrial organic matter eroded from soils, and controlled mainly by changes in vegetation cover within the crater basin.

MicroRNA-155 Promotes Resolution of Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1{alpha} Activity

The hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) is a key regulator of the transcriptional response to hypoxia. While the mechanism underpinning HIF activation is well understood, little is known about its resolution. Both the protein and the mRNA levels of HIF-1a (but not HIF-2a) were decreased in intestinal epithelial cells exposed to prolonged hypoxia. Coincident with this, microRNA (miRNA) array analysis revealed multiple hypoxia-inducible miRNAs. Among these was miRNA-155 (miR-155), which is predicted to target HIF-1a mRNA. We confirmed the hypoxic upregulation of miR-155 in cultured cells and intestinal tissue from mice exposed to hypoxia. Furthermore, a role for HIF-1a in the induction of miR-155 in hypoxia was suggested by the identification of hypoxia response elements in the miR-155 promoter and confirmed experimentally. Application of miR-155 decreased the HIF-1a mRNA, protein, and transcriptional activity in hypoxia, and neutralization of endogenous miR-155 reversed the resolution of HIF-1a stabilization and activity. Based on these data and a mathematical model of HIF-1a suppression by miR-155, we propose that miR-155 induction contributes to an isoform-specific negative-feedback loop for the resolution of HIF-1a activity in cells exposed to prolonged hypoxia, leading to oscillatory behavior of HIF-1a-dependent transcription.

Exoplanets or Dynamic Atmospheres? The Radial Velocity and Line Shape Variations of 51 Pegasi and tau Bootis

The stars 51 Pegasi and tau Bootis show radial velocity variations that have been interpreted as resulting from companions with roughly Jovian mass and orbital periods of a few days. Gray and Gray & Hatzes reported that the radial velocity signal of 51 Peg is synchronous with variations in the shape of the line lambda 6253 Fe I; thus, they argue that the velocity signal arises not from a companion of planetary mass but from dynamic processes in the atmosphere of the star, possibly nonradial pulsations. Here we seek confirming evidence for line shape or strength variations in both 51 Peg and tau Boo, using R = 50,000 observations taken with the Advanced Fiber Optic Echelle. Because of our relatively low spectral resolution, we compare our observations with Gray's line bisector data by fitting observed line profiles to an expansion in terms of orthogonal (Hermite) functions. To obtain an accurate comparison, we model the emergent line profiles from rotating and pulsating stars, taking the instrumental point-spread function into account. We describe this modeling process in detail. We find no evidence for line profile or strength variations at the radial velocity period in either 51 Peg or in tau Boo. For 51 Peg, our upper limit for line shape variations with 4.23 day periodicity is small enough to exclude with 10 sigma confidence the bisector curvature signal reported by Gray & Hatzes; the bisector span and relative line depth signals reported by Gray are also not seen, but in this case with marginal (2 sigma ) confidence. We cannot, however, exclude pulsations as the source of 51 Peg's radial velocity variation because our models imply that line shape variations associated with pulsations should be much smaller than those computed by Gray & Hatzes; these smaller signals are below the detection limits both for Gray & Hatzes's data and for our own. tau Boo's large radial velocity amplitude and v sin i make it easier to test for pulsations in this star. Again we find no evidence for periodic line shape changes, at a level that rules out pulsations as the source of the radial velocity variability. We conclude that the planet hypothesis remains the most likely explanation for the existing data.

Mapping biological to clinical phenotypes during the development (21 days) and resolution (21 days) of experimental gingivitis

Aim: To characterize and map temporal changes in the biological and clinical phenotype during a 21-day experimental gingivitis study. Materials and Methods: Experimental gingivitis was induced over 21 days in healthy human volunteers (n = 56), after which normal brushing was resumed (resolution phase). Gingival and plaque indices were assessed. Gingival crevicular fluid was collected from four paired test and contra-lateral control sites in each volunteer during induction (Days 0, 7, 14 and 21) and resolution (Days 28 and 42) of experimental gingivitis. Fluid volumes were measured and a single analyte was quantified from each site-specific, 30s sample. Data were evaluated by analysis of repeated measurements and paired sample tests. Results: Clinical indices and gingival crevicular fluid volumes at test sites increased from Day 0, peaking at Day 21 (test/control differences all p

Low flow water quality in rivers; septic tank systems and high-resolution phosphorus signals

Rural point sources of phosphorus (P), including septic tank systems, provide a small part of the overall phosphorus budget to surface waters in agricultural catchments but can have a disproportionate impact on the low flow P concentration of receiving rivers. This has particular importance as the discharges are approximately constant into receiving waters and these have restricted dilution capacity during ecologically sensitive summer periods. In this study, a number of identified high impact septic systems were replaced with modern sequential batch reactors in three rural catchments during a monitoring period of 4 years. Sub-hourly P monitoring was conducted using bankside-analysers. Results show that strategic replacement of defective septic tank systems with modern systems and polishing filters decreased the low flow P concentration of one catchment stream by 0.032 mg TP L- 1 (0.018 mg TRP L- 1) over the 4 years. However two of the catchment mitigation efforts were offset by continued new-builds that increased the density of septic systems from 3.4 km- 2 to 4.6 km- 2 and 13.8 km- 2 to 17.2 km- 2 and subsequently increased low flow P concentrations. Future considerations for septic system mitigation should include catchment carrying capacity as well as technology changes.