Tailored chromatic diffraction efficiency of double-layer single-relief blazed gratings.

"Wavelength selectivity" is an important intrinsic property of diffractive optical elements that offers significant application potential. Here, we focus on tailored wavelength selectivity, the controlled efficiency distribution into different specific diffraction orders for selected wavelengths or wavelength ranges from UV to IR using interlaced double-layer single-relief blazed gratings composed of two materials. Dispersion characteristics of inorganic glasses, layer materials, polymers, nanocomposites, and high-index liquids are taken into account to investigate the impact of especially intersecting or partially overlapping dispersion curves on diffraction efficiency in different orders, providing a guideline for material choice depending on the required optical performance.

Hyperchromatic lens doublets with an extremely small equivalent Abbe number employing diffractive elements and refractive materials with exceptional dispersion properties.

Hyperchromatic systems are characterized by strong longitudinal chromatic aberrations that are quantitatively described by very small equivalent Abbe numbers. In this contribution, doublet systems are systematically studied with the aim of obtaining extreme values for the equivalent Abbe numbers. Both purely refractive combinations and hybrid systems of diffractive and refractive components are considered.

Compact double-pass Echelle spectrometer employing a crossed diffraction grating.

This contribution presents the design and implementation of a compact and robust Echelle-inspired cross-grating spectrometer which is arranged as a double pass setup. This allows use of the employed refractive elements for collimation of the incoming light and, after diffraction at the reflective crossed diffraction grating, for imaging the diffracted light onto the detector. The crossed diffraction grating combines the two dispersive functionalities of a classical Echelle spectrometer in a single element and is therefore formed by a superposition of two blazed linear gratings which are oriented perpendicularly.

Variable ring-shaped lithography for the fabrication of meso- and microscale binary optical elements.

This paper presents concept, optical design, and the implementation of a novel, to the best of our knowledge, lithographic exposure tool for the fabrication of rotationally symmetric meso- and microscale optical structures using a variable ring-shaped light distribution. Compared to the conventional lithographic technique of direct writing in Cartesian coordinates, which is intrinsically suboptimal for the fabrication of rotationally symmetric optical structures, this approach allows for fast exposure and avoids disturbing stitching effects. The diameter of the exposure ring varies between 1.

The Positive Switching Fluorescent Protein Padron2 Enables Live-Cell Reversible Saturable Optical Linear Fluorescence Transitions (RESOLFT) Nanoscopy without Sequential Illumination Steps.

Reversibly switchable fluorescent proteins (RSFPs) can be repeatedly transferred between a fluorescent on- and a nonfluorescent off-state by illumination with light of different wavelengths. Negative switching RSFPs are switched from the on- to the off-state with the same wavelength that also excites fluorescence. Positive switching RSFPs have a reversed light response, where the fluorescence excitation wavelength induces the transition from the off- to the on-state.

Amphibious vision - Optical design model of the hooded merganser eye.

A comprehensive schematic eye model of the hooded merganser is introduced for the first time to advance the understanding of amphibious vision. It is comprised of two different configurations, the first one modeling its visual system in air (unaccommodated state) and the second one representing the case where the eye is immersed in water (accommodated state). The model was designed using available data of former studies, image analysis and the implementation of feasible assumptions that serve as starting values.

Memory-guided obstacle crossing: more failures were observed for the trail limb versus lead limb.

During adaptive locomotion, vision is used to guide the lead limb; however, the individual must rely on knowledge of obstacle height and position, termed obstacle memory, to guide the trail limb. Previous research has demonstrated that visual sampling of the obstacle during approach was adequate to provide obstacle height information, but online visual update of distance to the obstacle was required to plan and implement appropriate foot placement. Our purpose was to determine whether obstacle height memory, coupled with a visible obstacle position cue, could successfully guide the foot during obstacle crossing.

Phosphorus recovery in aerated systems by MAP precipitation: optimizing operational conditions.

An attractive way of recovering essential phosphorus from digested sludge of a WWTP is the precipitation in the sludge directly, as part of the continuous treatment process. For optimizing the precipitation, 1 litre-batch tests were performed in a model system to examine the MAP-crystallization kinetics. Different parameters such as e.

Regulated and constitutive expression of anti-inflammatory cytokines by nontransforming herpesvirus saimiri vectors.

Herpesviral saimiri-(HVS) mediated expression of bovine growth hormone was one of the first applications of an episomal viral vector for gene therapy. Meanwhile, the long-term persistence of HVS vectors has been confirmed in a broad spectrum of infectable target cells in vitro and in vivo. Regulated gene expression is useful for many applications of gene therapy.

B- and T-cell markers in opsoclonus-myoclonus syndrome: immunophenotyping of CSF lymphocytes.

Background: Although many lines of evidence suggest an autoimmune etiology, the pathophysiology of opsoclonus-myoclonus syndrome (OMS) remains poorly understood and no immunologic abnormalities have correlated with neurologic severity. Conventional immunotherapies often do not prevent relapse or permanent sequelae.

Objective: To test the cellular immune hypothesis of OMS in a cross-sectional study and determine if CSF lymphocyte subset analysis provides biomarkers of disease activity.

Systemic lymphoma mimicking acute disseminated encephalomyelitis.

We describe a 10-year-old immunocompetent male whose initial presentation was consistent with the diagnosis of acute disseminated encephalomyelitis. He relapsed 3 months later, with new neurologic signs and lymphadenopathy. T-cell lymphoma was diagnosed by lymph node and stereotaxic brain biopsy.

L-carnitine reduces brain injury after hypoxia-ischemia in newborn rats.

Perinatal hypoxia-ischemia remains a significant cause of neonatal mortality and neurodevelopmental disability. Numerous lines of evidence indicate that cerebral ischemic insults disrupt normal respiratory activity in mitochondria. Carnitine (3-hydroxy-4-N-trimethylammonium-butyrate) has an essential role in fatty acid transport in the mitochondrion and in modulating potentially toxic acyl-CoA levels in the mitochondrial matrix.

Aspartate kinase 2. A candidate gene of a quantitative trait locus influencing free amino acid content in maize endosperm.

The maize (Zea mays) Oh545o2 inbred accumulates an exceptionally high level of free amino acids, especially lysine (Lys), threonine (Thr), methionine, and iso-leucine. In a cross between Oh545o2 and Oh51Ao2, we identified several quantitative trait loci linked with this phenotype. One of these is on the long arm of chromosome 2 and is linked with loci encoding aspartate (Asp) kinase 2 and Asp kinase (AK)-homoserine dehydrogenase (HSDH) 2.

Human alpha-tocopherol transfer protein: gene structure and mutations in familial vitamin E deficiency.

Familial vitamin E deficiency (AVED) causes ataxia and peripheral neuropathy that resembles Friedreich's ataxia. AVED is thought to be caused by a defect in the transport of vitamin E in liver cells, which is the probable function of alpha-tocopherol transfer protein (alphaTTP). We have cloned the cDNA and several genomic phage clones covering the entire human alphaTTP gene and determined the junctions between the five exons and four introns that composed the gene for human alphaTTP.

Reye syndrome: an international perspective.

An international perspective of Reye syndrome provides insights not noticeable with a parochial perspective. Sources of variation in Reye syndrome include geographic factors. The disappearance of Reye syndrome occurred globally, raising doubts about the importance of regional efforts to eliminate specific putative causes.