Versatile Near-Infrared Super-Resolution Imaging of Amyloid Fibrils with the Fluorogenic Probe CRANAD-2

CRANAD-2 is a fluorogenic curcumin derivative used for near-infrared detection and imaging in vivo of amyloid aggregates, which are involved in neurodegenerative diseases. We explore the performance of CRANAD-2 in two super-resolution imaging techniques, namely stimulated emission depletion (STED) and single-molecule localization microscopy (SMLM), with markedly different fluorophore requirements. By conveniently adapting the concentration of CRANAD-2, which transiently binds to amyloid fibrils, we show that it performs well in both techniques, achieving a resolution in the range of 45–55 nm. Correlation of SMLM with atomic force microscopy (AFM) validates the resolution of fine features in the reconstructed super-resolved image. The good performance and versatility of CRANAD-2 provides a powerful tool for near-infrared nanoscopic imaging of amyloids in vitro and in vivo.     

High-order accurate equations describing vibrations of thin bars

A method for deriving one-dimensional wave propagation equations in thin inhomogeneous anisotropic bars based on the mathematical homogenization theory for periodic media is used to obtain equations governing the longitudinal and transverse vibrations of a homogeneous circular bar. The equations are derived up to O(ε⁸) terms and take into account variable body forces and surface loads. Here, ε is the ratio of the bar’s typical thickness to the typical wavelength.     

Differential Entropy and Dynamics of Uncertainty

We analyze the functioning of Gibbs-type entropy functionals in the time domain, with emphasis on Shannon and Kullback-Leibler entropies of time-dependent continuous probability distributions. The Shannon entropy validity is extended to probability distributions inferred from L ²(R ⁿ ) quantum wave packets. In contrast to the von Neumann entropy which simply vanishes on pure states, the differential entropy quantifies the degree of probability (de)localization and its time development. The associated dynamics of the Fisher information functional quantifies nontrivial power transfer processes in the mean, both in dissipative and quantum mechanical cases. PACS NUMBERS: 05.45.+b, 02.50.-r, 03.65.Ta, 03.67.-a     

Upper bounds on correlation decay for one-dimensional long-range spin-glass models

Some recent results on one-dimensional spin-glass models with polynomially decreasing interactions are described.     

一维粗糙表面散射特征的数值分析

使用Monte Carlo模拟的方法得出了随机粗糙表面，在Kirchhoff近似的基础上，利用数值分析的方法分析了一维随机粗糙表面的散射特征，得出了一维随机粗糙表面散射分布曲线，我们还考虑了遮蔽效应的影响，并且讨论了Kirchhoff近似的有效性。     

The benefit of practice for sound localization without sight

An experiment was designed to determine whether normally sighted human subjects would be able to adapt to the handicapping effects of sudden deprivation of visual cues on horizontal plane sound localization. Two groups of sighted normal-hearing young adults participated. One group was allowed the benefit of sight. The other group was blindfolded. Measurements of accuracy and the time to respond were made daily over the course of five consecutive days, in a semi-reverberant sound proof booth that modeled listening in a small office. Sound localization was assessed using an array of eight speakers that surrounded the subject in space. Each day, one block of 120 trials was presented for each of three stimuli, two one-third octave noise bands, centred at 0.5 and 4 kHz, and broadband noise, to assess the utilization of interaural temporal difference cues, interaural level difference cues and binaural and spectral cues in combination. Blindfolded subjects were relatively less accurate than sighted subjects. Both groups showed gains with practice, the blindfolded group to a greater degree, largely due to improvements in the use of spectral cues. The blindfolded group took longer to respond than the sighted group, but showed greater decrements in response time with practice.     

The Convergence and Stability of Splitting Finite-Difference Schemes for Nonlinear Evolutionary Equations

We consider a splitting finite-difference scheme for an initial-boundary value problem for a two-dimensional nonlinear evolutionary equation. The problem is split into nonlinear and linear parts. The linear part is also split into locally one-dimensional equations. We prove the convergence and stability of the scheme in L ₂ and C norms. Printed in Lietuvos Matematikos Rinkinys, Vol. 45, No. 3, pp. 413–434, July–September, 2005.     

关于半群局部化的一个注记

证明了对于任何的半群Ｓ和其任何的子半群Ｔ，Ｓ在Ｔ的局部化总是存在的。     

抽运激光在光靶中的局域及其对X射线激光特性的影响

新型X射线靶设计为:由SiO2和TiO2组成具有12个周期的一维光子晶体,在它的中间嵌入光靶材料层作为缺陷层,SiO2,TiO2和光靶层的光学厚度分别为λ4、λ4和λ2,λ为抽运激光波长.与普通平板光靶相比,当抽运光垂直照射到这种光靶时,靶层内部的光强将提高2个数量级,所以抽运激光的阈值强度将降低2个数量级,这有利于X射线激光的小型化.在同样的抽运激光照射下,X射线激光的强度将提高4个数量级,转换效率也将提高约4个数量级.由于平均电离度随抽运激光强度的提高而提高,所以采用这种光靶有利于使X射线激光向短波长推进. 关键词： X射线激光 光子晶体 光波局域     

Generation of 3rd and 5th harmonics in a thin superconducting film by temperature oscillations and isothermal nonlinear current response

The generation of harmonics of the voltage response is considered when an AC current is applied through a superconducting film above T_c. It is shown that almost at all temperatures the mechanism of the temperature oscillations created by the AC current and the temperature dependence of the resistance dominates over the isothermal nonlinear electric conductivity. Only in a narrow critical region close to T_c the latter is essential for the generation of the harmonics. A detailed investigation of harmonics generation provides an accurate method for measuring the thermal boundary conductance between the film and the insulating substrate. The critical behaviour of the third harmonic will give a new method for the determination of the lifetime of metastable Cooper pairs above T_c. The comparison of the calculated fifth harmonics of the voltage with the experiment is proposed as an important test for the applicability of the employed theoretical models. Received 8 September 2001