Search results for "INTERFERENCE"
showing 10 items of 573 documents
Modulation of surface plasmon coupling-in by one-dimensional surface corrugation
2008
Surface plasmon-polaritons have recently attracted renewed interest in the scientific community for their potential in sub-wavelength optics, light generation and non-destructive sensing. Given that they cannot be directly excited by freely propagating light due to their intrinsical binding to the metal surface, the light-plasmon coupling efficiency becomes of crucial importance for the success of any plasmonic device. Here we present a comprehensive study on the modulation (enhancement or suppression) of such coupling efficiency by means of one-dimensional surface corrugation. Our approach is based on simple wave interference and enables us to make quantitative predictions which have been …
An siRNA-based functional genomics screen for the identification of regulators of ciliogenesis and ciliopathy genes
2015
Item does not contain fulltext Defects in primary cilium biogenesis underlie the ciliopathies, a growing group of genetic disorders. We describe a whole-genome siRNA-based reverse genetics screen for defects in biogenesis and/or maintenance of the primary cilium, obtaining a global resource. We identify 112 candidate ciliogenesis and ciliopathy genes, including 44 components of the ubiquitin-proteasome system, 12 G-protein-coupled receptors, and 3 pre-mRNA processing factors (PRPF6, PRPF8 and PRPF31) mutated in autosomal dominant retinitis pigmentosa. The PRPFs localize to the connecting cilium, and PRPF8- and PRPF31-mutated cells have ciliary defects. Combining the screen with exome sequen…
Multi-Functional Nanogels for Tumor Targeting and Redox-Sensitive Drug and siRNA Delivery
2016
(1) Background: A new family of nanosystems able to discern between normal and tumor cells and to release a therapeutic agent in controlled way were synthetized by e-beam irradiation. This technique permits to obtain biocompatible, sterile, carboxyl-functionalized polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP-co-acrylic acid) nanogels (NGs); (2) Methods: Here, we performed a targeting strategy based on the recognition of over-expressed proteins on tumor cells, like the folate receptor. The selective targeting was demonstrated by co-culture studies and flow cytometry analysis, using folate conjugated NGs. Moreover, nanoparticles were conjugated to a chemotherapeutic drug or to a pro-apoptotic siRNA through a gl…
Gadd45α modulates aversive learning through post‐transcriptional regulation of memory‐related mRNA s
2018
Abstract Learning is essential for survival and is controlled by complex molecular mechanisms including regulation of newly synthesized mRNAs that are required to modify synaptic functions. Despite the well‐known role of RNA‐binding proteins (RBPs) in mRNA functionality, their detailed regulation during memory consolidation is poorly understood. This study focuses on the brain function of the RBP Gadd45α (growth arrest and DNA damage‐inducible protein 45 alpha, encoded by the Gadd45a gene). Here, we find that hippocampal memory and long‐term potentiation are strongly impaired in Gadd45a‐deficient mice, a phenotype accompanied by reduced levels of memory‐related mRNAs. The majority of the Ga…
Single-shot two-frame π-shifted spatially multiplexed interference phase microscopy
2019
Single-shot, two-frame, π-shifted spatially multiplexed interference microscopy (π-SMIM) is presented as an improvement to previous SMIM implementations, introducing a versatile, robust, fast, and accurate method for cumbersome, noisy, and low-contrast phase object analysis. The proposed π-SMIM equips a commercially available nonholographic microscope with a high-speed (video frame rate) enhanced quantitative phase imaging (QPI) capability by properly placing a beam-splitter in the microscope embodiment to simultaneously (in a single shot) record two holograms mutually phase shifted by π radians at the expense of reducing the field of view. Upon subsequent subtractive superimposition of hol…
Beer-Lambert law for optical tissue diagnostics: current state of the art and the main limitations.
2021
Abstract. Significance: Beer–Lambert law (BLL) is a widely used tool for contact and remote determination of absorber concentration in various media, including living tissues. Originally proposed in the 18th century as a simple exponential expression, it has survived numerous modifications and updates. The basic assumptions of this law may not be fulfilled in real measurement conditions. This can lead to mistaken or misinterpreted results. In particular, the effects to be additionally taken into account in the tissue measurements include anisotropy, scattering, fluorescence, chemical equilibria, interference, dichroism, spectral bandwidth disagreements, stray radiation, and instrumental eff…
Drosophila DJ-1 mutants are sensitive to oxidative stress and show reduced lifespan and motor deficits.
2007
Parkinson's disease (PD) is a progressive movement disorder caused by the selective and massive loss of dopaminergic neurons (DA) in the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc). DJ-1 loss-of-function mutations are involved in inherited early-onset PD forms and result in dysfunction of the oxidative stress response. In mice models, DJ-1 loss provokes sensitivity to oxidative insults but does not produce neurodegeneration. Similar results have been found when analyzing Drosophila mutants for the DJ-1 orthologous genes, DJ-1alpha and DJ-1beta. Here, we report the analysis of two new mutations for the Drosophila DJ-1 genes. Both ubiquitous induction of DJ-1alpha knockdown by RNAi and loss of funct…
Measurement of the p(e,e′π+)n reaction close to threshold and at low Q2
2017
The cross section of the $p(e,e'\pi^+)n$ reaction has been measured for five kinematic settings at an invariant mass of $W = 1094$ MeV and for a four-momentum transfer of $Q^2 = 0.078$ (GeV/$c$)$^2$. The measurement has been performed at MAMI using a new short-orbit spectrometer (SOS) of the A1 collaboration, intended for detection of low-energy pions. The transverse and longitudinal cross section terms were separated using the Rosenbluth method and the transverse-longitudinal interference term has been determined from the left-right asymmetry. The experimental cross section terms are compared with the calculations of three models: DMT2001, MAID2007 and $\chi$MAID. The results show that we …
Rosenbluth Separation of the π^{0} Electroproduction Cross Section.
2016
We present deeply virtual $\pi^0$ electroproduction cross-section measurements at $x_B$=0.36 and three different $Q^2$--values ranging from 1.5 to 2 GeV$^2$, obtained from experiment E07-007 that ran in the Hall A at Jefferson Lab. The Rosenbluth technique was used to separate the longitudinal and transverse responses. Results demonstrate that the cross section is dominated by its transverse component, and thus is far from the asymptotic limit predicted by perturbative Quantum Chromodynamics. An indication of a non-zero longitudinal contribution is provided by the interference term $\sigma_{LT}$ also measured. Results are compared with several models based on the leading twist approach of G…
Expression of T-cadherin in tumor cells influences invasive potential of human hepatocellular carcinoma
2006
Overexpression of T-cadherin (T-cad) transcripts occurs in approximately 50% of human hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs). To elucidate T-cad functions in HCC, we examined T-cad protein expression in normal and tumoral human livers and hepatoma cell lines and investigated its influence on invasive potential of HCC using RNA interference silencing of T-cad expression in Mahlavu cells. Whereas T-cad expression was restricted to endothelial cells (EC) from large blood vessels in normal livers, it was up-regulated in sinusoidal EC from 8/15 invasive HCCs. Importantly, in three of them (38%) T-cad was detected in tumor cells within regions in which E-cadherin expression was absent. Among six hepato…