SEARCH · Engineering Papers
Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.
Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.
The present invention relates to probes and primers beneficial for conducting amplification assays, such as those including loop-mediated isothermal amplification reactions. Also described herein are methods for detecting targets using such probes and/or primers.
The present invention relates to probes and primers beneficial for conducting amplification assays, such as those including loop-mediated isothermal amplification reactions. Also described herein are methods for detecting targets using such probes and/or primers.
A method of pulse shaping using spectral filtering, positive chirp, and self-phase modulation to control the accumulated higher-order phase terms of the spectral phase. This pulse shaping method has particular advantage in fiber chirped pulse amplification (FCPA) systems, where there are two effects: (1) an offsetting of the fourth order phase via nonlinear phase accumulation, allowing for a higher Strehl ratio (i.e., a cleaner pulse), higher peak power pulse and (2) enabling power scaling to higher pulse energies without the increased nonlinear phase accumulation leading to pulse breakup. This technique can be used both in a passive system with no amplification to clean up an existing pulse, and in an amplifier system to enable higher performance operation (shorter pulses, cleaner pulses, higher energy pulses).
Transparent conducting oxides (TCOs) show unprecedented optical nonlinearities in the near infrared wavelength range, where the real part of their linear refractive index approaches zero. More specifically, the Kerr nonlinearities of these materials have sparked widespread attention due to their magnitude and speed. However, due to the absorptive nature of these nonlinear processes, it is of fundamental interest to further investigate the imaginary component of the nonlinear index. The present work studies the nonlinear optical absorption properties of aluminium‐doped zinc oxide (AZO) thin films in their near‐zero‐index (NZI) spectral window. It is found that the imaginary part of the refractive index is reduced under optical excitation such that the field penetration depth more than doubles. An optically induced shift of the NZI bandwidth of ≈120 nm for a pump intensity of 1.3 TW cm −2 is also demonstrated. Looking into the optically induced spectral redistribution of the probe signal, local net gain is recorded, which is ascribed to a nonlinear adiabatic energy transfer. The present study adds key information about the fundamental interplay between real and imaginary nonlinear indices in NZI media, while advancing parametric amplification as viable direction for loss compensation.
The radial X-ray camera, which is used to measure magnetohydrodynamic phenomenon and monitor edge localised mode events, is a key diagnostic system for physics studies in the international thermonuclear experimental reactor (ITER) tokamak. Considering the special requirements of physics measurements and spatial resolution, 144 detector channels are required. The board card of the pre-amplifier is designed to improve the integration, on which 16 signal channels have been integrated. In order to suppress the noise and improve the stability of the pre-amplifier, the target impedance analysis method is applied in the design of the power supply, the trans-impedance amplifier and a two-stage active low pass filter are applied in the design. Simulation with Cadence OrCAD and ANSYS SIwave has been adopted to optimize the characteristics of the pre-amplifier. A test of the pre-amplifier shows its good performance for ITER application. After optimization of the pre-amplifier, the band width is 270 kHz, the amplification is 10{sup 7} V/A, and the noise attenuation is − 30 dB, the noise of the pre-amplifier is reduced to 10 mV (noise of the power supply is included).
In this work, the efficient restoration of a dissipated signal over a 300 km long-haul optical fiber is investigated. A hybrid system is proposed including a dispersion compensation fiber (DCF) and a fiber Bragg grating (FBG). Two 150 km standard single mode fibers with a chromatic dispersion of 17 ps/nm km are used in the simulation. Sufficient optical amplification power is supplied using an erbium-doped fiber amplifier to overcome the signal attenuation down the link, yet the signal is totally distorted. The only major reason left interpreting the total data loss would be the chromatic dispersion (CD). A DCF and a-tanh-apodized-linearly-chirped fiber Bragg grating (ACFBG) are implemented individually in a symmetric or a distributed setting in an attempt to compensate for the CD that led mainly to the signal degradation. The proposed hybrid scheme is then tested in a pre, post, symmetric and distributed installations. Several lengths of DCFs and ACFBGs at various parameters are examined. A comparison between the mentioned schemes is performed, seeking the most remarkable, resilient, and cost-effective technique.
In the past 25 years, virology has had major technology breakthroughs stemming first from the introduction of nucleic acid amplification testing, but more recently from the use of next-generation sequencing, digital PCR, and the possibility of single virion genomics. These technologies have and will improve diagnosis and disease state monitoring in clinical settings, aid in environmental monitoring, and reveal the vast genetic potential of viruses. Using the principle of limiting dilution, digital PCR amplifies single molecules of DNA in highly partitioned endpoint reactions and reads each of those reactions as either positive or negative based on the presence or absence of target fluorophore. In this review, digital PCR will be highlighted along with current studies, advantages/disadvantages, and future perspectives with regard to digital PCR, viral load testing, and the possibility of single virion genomics.
In a weak measurement, the average output 〈o〉 of a probe that measures an observable A{sup -hat} of a quantum system undergoing both a preparation in a state ρ{sub i} and a postselection in a state E{sub f} is, to a good approximation, a function of the weak value A{sub w}=Tr[E{sub f}A{sup -hat} ρ{sub i}]/Tr[E{sub f}ρ{sub i}], a complex number. For a fixed coupling λ, when the overlap Tr[E{sub f}ρ{sub i}] is very small, A{sub w} diverges, but 〈o〉 stays finite, often tending to zero for symmetry reasons. This paper answers the questions: what is the weak value that maximizes the output for a fixed coupling? What is the coupling that maximizes the output for a fixed weak value? We derive equations for the optimal values of A{sub w} and λ, and provide the solutions. The results are independent of the dimensionality of the system, and they apply to a probe having a Hilbert space of arbitrary dimension. Using the Schrödinger–Robertson uncertainty relation, we demonstrate that, in an important case, the amplification 〈o〉 cannot exceed the initial uncertainty σ{sub o} in the observable o{sup -hat}, we provide an upper limit for the more general case, and a strategy to obtain 〈o〉≫σ{sub o}. - Highlights: •We have provided a general framework to find the extremal values of a weak measurement. •We have derived the location of the extremal values in terms of preparation and postselection. •We have devised a maximization strategy going beyond the limit of the Schrödinger–Robertson relation.
Highlights: • Ferromagnetic measurement device exploits symmetry breaking to measure a spin. • Quantum interaction results in loss of phase coherence of test object. • Dynamics lead to sizeable correlation with, and enhancement of, microscopic object. • No reliable registration of pointer readings is observed after decoupling spin. - Abstract: A quantum measuring instrument is constructed that utilises symmetry breaking to enhance a microscopic signal. The entire quantum system consists of a system–apparatus–environment triad that is composed of a small set of spin-1/2 particles. The apparatus is a ferromagnet that measures the z-component of a single spin. A full quantum many-body calculation allows for a careful examination of the loss of phase coherence, the formation and amplification of system–apparatus correlations, the irreversibility of registration, the fault tolerance, and the bias of the device.
Highlights: • miR-218 expression is downregulated in prostate cancer. • miR-218 inhibits prostate tumor cells proliferation partially through promoting apoptosis. • miR-218 targets TPD52 by binding to its 3′-UTR. • miR-218 suppresses prostate cancer cell growth through inhibiting TPD52 expression. - Abstract: The tumor protein D52 (TPD52) is an oncogene overexpressed in prostate cancer (PC) due to gene amplification. Although the oncogenic effect of TPD52 is well recognized, how its expression is regulated is still not clear. This study tried to explore the regulative role of miR-218, a tumor suppressing miRNA on TPD52 expression and prostate cancer cell proliferation. We found the expression of miR-218 was significantly lower in PC specimens. Based on gain and loss of function analysis, we found miR-218 significantly inhibit cancer cell proliferation by inducing apoptosis. These results strongly suggest that miR-218 plays a tumor suppressor role in PC cells. In addition, our data firstly demonstrated that miR-218 directly regulates oncogenic TPD52 in PC3 cells and the miR-218-TPD52 axis can regulate growth of this prostate cancer cell line. Knockdown of TPD52 resulted in significantly increased cancer cell apoptosis. Clearly understanding of oncogenic TPD52 pathways regulated by miR-218 might be helpful to reveal new therapeutic targets for PC.
Breast cancer, representing approximately 30% of all gynecological cancer cases diagnosed yearly, is a leading cause of cancer-related mortality for women. Amplification of FGFR1 is frequently observed in breast cancers and is associated with poor prognosis. Though FGFRs have long been considered as anti-cancer drug targets, and a cluster of FGFR antagonists are currently under clinical trials, the precise cellular responses under the treatment of FGFR antagonists remains unclear. Here, we show that PD166866, an FGFR1-selective inhibitor, inhibits proliferation and triggers anoikis in FGFR1-amplified breast cancer cell lines. Notably, we demonstrate that PD166866 induces autophagy in FGFR1-amplified breast cancer cell lines, while blockage of autophagy by Atg5 knockdown further enhances the anti-proliferative activities of PD166866. Moreover, mechanistic study reveals that PD166866 induces autophagy through repressing Akt/mTOR signaling pathway. Together, the present study provides new insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying the anti-tumor activities of FGFR antagonists, and may further assist the FGFRs-based drug discovery. -- Highlights: •FGFR1 antagonist inhibits cell viability in FGFR1-amplified breast cancer cells. •FGFR1 antagonist induces autophagy in FGFR1-amplified breast cancer cells. •FGFR1 antagonist-induced autophagy is protective. •FGFR1 antagonist induces autophagy by inhibiting Akt/mTOR pathway.
Resistance of cancer cells to chemoradiotherapy is a major clinical problem in pancreatic cancer treatment. Therefore, understanding the molecular basis of cellular resistance and identifying novel targets are essential for improving treatment efficacy for pancreatic cancer patients. Previous studies have demonstrated a significant role for Pim-3 in pancreatic cancer survival against gemcitabine-induced genotoxic stress. Here, we observed that radiation treatment enhanced Pim-3 expression in human pancreatic cancer cells in vitro. Stable overexpression of Pim-3 in pancreatic cancer cells significantly protected cells against radiation treatment by attenuating G2/M phase cell cycle arrest and DNA damage response. Silencing of Pim-3 expression significantly elevated the phosphorylation of histone variant H2AX, a marker of DNA double strand breaks, and decreased the activation of ataxia-telangiectasia-mutated (ATM) kinase, along with its downstream targets, eventually enhancing the radiosensitivity of human pancreatic cancer cells in vitro and in vivo. Hence, we demonstrated a novel function for Pim-3 in human pancreatic cancer cell survival against radiation. Targeting Pim-3 may be a promising way to improve treatment efficacy in combination with radiotherapy in human pancreatic cancer. - Highlights: • This is first study to demonstrate that Pim-3 is endogenously induced by ionizing radiation in pancreatic cancer cells, and Pim-3 overexpression enhanced radioresistance of pancreatic cancer cells both in vitro and in vivo. • This is first study to provide evidence that radioresistance induced by Pim-3 is mainly attributed to Pim-3 induces activation of ATM, which subsequently activates checkpoint 1, leading to amplification of DNA repair through cell cycle arrest and DNA repair pathways. • This is first study to indicate that targeting Pim-3 may be a promising strategy to provide better treatment efficacy in combination with radiotherapy in human pancreatic cancer.
Detection of single molecules, particles, and rapid redox events is a challenge of electrochemical investigations and requires either an amplification strategy or significant averaging for the electrochemical current to exceed the noise level. We consider the minimum number of electrons required to reach the limit of quantification in these electrochemical measurements. A survey of the literature indicates that the state-of-the-art limit in current detection for different types of measurements (e.g. voltammetry, single-molecule redox cycling, ion channel recordings of single molecules, metal nanoparticle collision, and phase nucleation) is independent of the nature of the measurement and increases linearly with reciprocal response time, Δt -1 , over ~5 orders of magnitude (from ~10 to ~10 6 s -1 ). This paper demonstrates that the practical limit of quantification requires cumulative measurement of ~2100 electrons during Δt and is determined by statistics of counting electrons, that is, the shot noise in the current.
When applied to wave propagation modeling in anisotropic media, Perfectly Matched Layers (PML) exhibit instabilities. Incoming waves are amplified instead of being absorbed. Overcoming this difficulty is crucial as in many seismic imaging applications, accounting accurately for the subsurface anisotropy is mandatory. In this study, we present the SMART layer method as an alternative to PML approach. This method is based on the decomposition of the wavefield into components propagating inward and outward the domain of interest. Only outgoing components are damped. We show that for elastic and acoustic wave propagation in Transverse Isotropic media, the SMART layer is unconditionally dissipative: no amplification of the wavefield is possible. The SMART layers are not perfectly matched, therefore less accurate than conventional PML. However, a reasonable increase of the layer size yields an accuracy similar to PML. Finally, we illustrate that the selective damping strategy on which is based the SMART method can prevent the generation of spurious S-waves by embedding the source in a small zone where only S-waves are damped.
E1, an ATP-dependent DNA helicase, is the only enzyme encoded by papillomaviruses (PVs). It is essential for replication and amplification of the viral episome in the nucleus of infected cells. To do so, E1 assembles into a double-hexamer at the viral origin, unwinds DNA at the origin and ahead of the replication fork and interacts with cellular DNA replication factors. Biochemical and structural studies have revealed the assembly pathway of E1 at the origin and how the enzyme unwinds DNA using a spiral escalator mechanism. E1 is tightly regulated in vivo, in particular by post-translational modifications that restrict its accumulation in the nucleus. Here we review how different functional domains of E1 orchestrate viral DNA replication, with an emphasis on their interactions with substrate DNA, host DNA replication factors and modifying enzymes. These studies have made E1 one of the best characterized helicases and provided unique insights on how PVs usurp different host-cell machineries to replicate and amplify their genome in a tightly controlled manner. - Highlights: • The papillomavirus E1 helicase orchestrates replication of the viral DNA genome. • E1 assembles into a double-hexamer at the viral origin with the help of E2. • E1 interacts with cellular DNA replication factors. • E1 unwinds DNA using a spiral escalator mechanism. • Nuclear accumulation of E1 is regulated by post-translational modifications.
Water samples from Lake Ontario, Canada were tested for lytic activity against the freshwater haptophyte algae Chrysochromulina parva. A filterable lytic agent was isolated and identified as a virus via transmission electron microscopy and molecular methods. The virus, CpV-BQ1, is icosahedral, ca. 145 nm in diameter, assembled within the cytoplasm, and has a genome size of ca. 485 kb. Sequences obtained through PCR-amplification of DNA polymerase (polB) genes clustered among sequences from the family Phycodnaviridae, whereas major capsid protein (MCP) sequences clustered among sequences from either the Phycodnaviridae or Mimiviridae. Based on quantitative molecular assays, C. parva's abundance in Lake Ontario was relatively stable, yet CpV-BQ1's abundance was variable suggesting complex virus-host dynamics. This study demonstrates that CpV-BQ1 is a member of the proposed order Megavirales with characteristics of both phycodnaviruses and mimiviruses indicating that, in addition to its complex ecological dynamics, it also has a complex evolutionary history. - Highlights: • A virus infecting the algae C. parva was isolated from Lake Ontario. • Virus characteristics demonstrated that this novel virus is an NCLDV. • The virus's polB sequence suggests taxonomic affiliation with the Phycodnaviridae. • The virus's capsid protein sequences also suggest Mimiviridae ancestry. • Surveys of host and virus natural abundances revealed complex host–virus dynamics.
In lower-order vertebrates, Müller glia exhibit characteristics of retinal progenitor cells, while in higher vertebrates, such as mammals, the regenerative capacity of Müller glia is limited. Recently, we reported that Lin28b promoted the trans-differentiation of Müller cells to rod photoreceptor and bipolar cells in the retina of retinitis pigmentosa rat model, whereas it is unclear whether Lin28b can stimulate the reprogramming of Müller glia in vitro for transplantation into a damaged retina. In the present study, Long-Evens rat Müller glia were infected with Adeno-Lin28b or Adeno-GFP. Over-expression of Lin28b in isolated rat Müller glia resulted in the suppression of GFAP expression, enhancement of cell proliferation and a significant increase of the expression of retinal progenitor markers 5 days after infection. Moreover, Lin28b caused a significant reduction of the Let-7 family of microRNAs. Following sub-retinal space transplantation, Müller glia-derived retinal progenitors improved b-wave amplification of 30d Royal College of Surgeons retinitis pigmentosa model (RCS-P+) rats, as detected by electroretinography (ERG) recordings. Taken together, these data suggest that the up-regulation of Lin28b expression facilitated the reprogramming of Müller cells toward characteristics of retinal progenitors. - Highlights: • Lin28b reprograms Müller glia to retinal progenitors. • Let-7 micrRNAs are suppressed by Lin28b. • Transplantation of reprogrammed Müller glia restores retinal function.
Optical parametric chirped-pulse amplification (OPCPA) [Dubietis et al. , Opt. Commun. 88 , 437 (1992)] implemented by multikilojoule Nd:glass pump lasers is a promising approach to produce ultraintense pulses ( ${>}10^{23}~\text{W}/\text{cm}^{2}$ ). Technologies are being developed to upgrade the OMEGA EP Laser System with the goal to pump an optical parametric amplifier line (EP OPAL) with two of the OMEGA EP beamlines. The resulting ultraintense pulses (1.5 kJ, 20 fs, $10^{24}~\text{W}/\text{cm}^{2}$ ) would be used jointly with picosecond and nanosecond pulses produced by the other two beamlines. A midscale OPAL pumped by the Multi-Terawatt (MTW) laser is being constructed to produce 7.5-J, 15-fs pulses and demonstrate scalable technologies suitable for the upgrade. MTW OPAL will share a target area with the MTW laser (50 J, 1 to 100 ps), enabling several joint-shot configurations. We report on the status of the MTW OPAL system, and the technology development required for this class of all-OPCPA laser system for ultraintense pulses.