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Generation of high harmonics is the only available way to obtain coherent extreme ultraviolet (EUV) and soft X-ray radiation in laboratory conditions. We present a system for high harmonics generation and study of its parameters. Capillary waveguide filled with Ar gas is used to convert the pumping laser radiation from a Ti:Sapphire mode-locked femtosecond laser system. In the capillary the laser interacts with the gas and generates high harmonics of orders from 13 to 31 with good spatial coherence. In the relatively low-intensity regime (I ~1014 W/cm2) we determined the optimum pressure for the generation of high harmonics with our system to be 36 mbar of Ar gas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is well-known that the classical definition of topological entropy for group and semigroup actions is frequently zero in some rather interesting situations, e.g. smooth actions of ℤk+ (k >1) on manifolds. Different definitions have been considered by several authors. In the present article we describe the one proposed in 1995 by K.H.Hofmann and the author which produces topological entropy not trivially zero for such smooth actions. We discuss this particular approach, and also some of the main properties of the topological entropy defined in this way, its advantages and disadvantages compared with the classical definition. We also discuss some recent results, obtained jointly with Andrzej Biś, Dikran Dikranjan and Anna Giordano Bruno, of a similar definition of metric entropy, i.e. entropy with respect to an invariant measure for a group or a semigroup action, and some of its properties.

In this work we report experimental investigations of an intentionally introduced pulse front tilt on femtosecond laser pulses by using an inverted field interferometer. The results obtained using two low-dispersion diffraction gratings are in good qualitative agreement with the data from a previously developed analytical model and from an independent second-order correlation measurement with an inverted-field correlator. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Point mutations in the α-synuclein coding gene may lead to the development of Parkinson's disease (PD). PD is often accompanied by other psychiatric conditions, such as anxiety, depression, and drug use disorders, which typically emerge in adulthood. Some of these point mutations, such as SNCA and A30T, have been linked to behavioral effects that are not commonly associated with PD, especially regarding alcohol consumption patterns. In this study, we investigated whether the familial PD point mutation A53T is associated with changes in alcohol consumption behavior and emotional states at ages not yet characterized by α-synuclein accumulation. The affective and alcohol-drinking phenotypes remained unaltered in female PDGF-hA53T-synuclein-transgenic (A53T) mice during both early and late adulthood. Brain region-specific activation of ceramide-producing enzymes, acid sphingomyelinase (ASM), and neutral sphingomyelinase (NSM), known for their neuroprotective properties, was observed during early adulthood but not in late adulthood. In males, the A53T mutation was linked to a reduction in alcohol consumption in both early and late adulthood. However, male A53T mice displayed increased anxiety- and depression-like behaviors during both early and late adulthood. Enhanced ASM activity in the dorsal mesencephalon and ventral hippocampus may potentially contribute to these adverse behavioral effects of the mutation in males during late adulthood. In summary, the A53T gene mutation was associated with diverse changes in emotional states and alcohol consumption behavior long before the onset of PD, and these effects varied by sex. These alterations in behavior may be linked to changes in brain ceramide metabolism., (© 2024 The Authors. Journal of Neurochemistry published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of International Society for Neurochemistry.)

It is well-known that the wave of a freely propagating Gaussian beam experiences an additional π phase shift compared to a plane wave. This phase shift, known as the Gouy phase, has significant consequences in, e.g., nonlinear optics, since the nonlinear processes require high peak intensity and phase matching of the focused beams. Hence, determining and controlling the Gouy phase is crucial in many fields of modern optics and photonics. Here, we develop an analytical model for the Gouy phase of long-range Bessel-Gaussian beams obtained by annihilating highly charged optical vortices. The model accounts for the influence of the relevant experimental parameters (topological charge, radius-to-width ratio of the initial ring-shaped beam, and focal length of the Fourier-transforming lens). We find an evolution of the Gouy phase varying nearly linearly with propagation distance and confirm this result experimentally.

Noakes and Stoyanov [Mathematics 9, 2434 (2021)] introduced a method of recovering strictly convex planar obstacles from their set of traveling times. We provide an extension of this construction for obstacles on Riemannian surfaces under some general curvature conditions. It is required that no smooth geodesic intersects more than two obstacles.

Introduction and Methods: Based on the limited research focusing on the severity of cognitive deterioration in schizophrenia with preceding toxoplasmosis, we sampled 89 demographically matched paranoid schizophrenia patients (mean age 38.97 years) with (n = 42) and without (n = 47) seroprevalence of IgG type anti T. gondii antibodies as marker of past infection. They underwent examination of verbal memory (10 words Luria test), logical memory and visual memory (BVRT), processing speed (TMT-A/DSST) and executive functions (TMT-B/verbal fluency). We compared the results of both groups, taking into account the normative values for the Bulgarian population where available. We also compared the two groups in terms of clinical severity as evidenced by positive, negative and disorganization sub-scores of the PANSS., Results: While both groups were expectedly under the population norms for verbal and logical memory, seropositive patients showed significantly bigger impairment in verbal memory (Luria Smax = 72.85 vs 78.51; p = 0.029), psychomotor speed (TMT-A 50.98 s vs 44.64 s; p = 0.017), semantic verbal fluency (27.12 vs 30.02; p = 0.011) and literal verbal fluency (17.17 vs 18.78; p = 0.014) compared to the seronegative ones. In addition to that, they gave less correct answers on the BVRT (2.98 vs 4.09; p = 0.006) while making markedly more errors (13.95 vs 10.21; p = 0.002). Despite not reaching statistical significance, past toxoplasmosis was associated with higher score on the PANSS disorganization sub-scale (16.50 points vs 14.72 points) and with lower educational attainment., Conclusion: Our results suggest a more profound neuropathological insult(s) resulting in greater cognitive impairment in schizophrenia cases that are exposed to T. gondii infection., (© 2022 The Authors.)

Many applications ranging from nonlinear optics to material processing would benefit from pulsed ultrashort (quasi-)non-diffracting Gauss-Bessel beams (GBBs). Here we demonstrate a straightforward yet efficient method for generating such zeroth- and first-order GBBs using a single reflective spatial light modulator. Even in the sub-8-fs range there are no noticeable consequences for the measured pulse duration. The only effect is a weak "coloring" of the outer-lying satellite rings of the beams due to the spectrum spanning over more than 300 nm. The obtained beams have diffraction half-angles below 40 μrad and reach propagation distances in excess of 1.5 m.

We demonstrate an alternative approach for generating zeroth- and first-order long range non-diffracting Gauss-Bessel beams (GBBs). Starting from a Gaussian beam, the key point is the creation of a bright ring-shaped beam with a large radius-to-width ratio, which is subsequently Fourier-transformed by a thin lens. The phase profile required for creating zeroth-order GBBs is flat and helical for first-order GBBs with unit topological charge (TC). Both the ring-shaped beam and the required phase profile can be realized by creating highly charged optical vortices by a spatial light modulator and annihilating them by using a second modulator of the same type. The generated long-range GBBs are proven to have negligible transverse evolution up to 2 m and can be regarded as non-diffracting. The influences of the charge state of the TCs, the propagation distance behind the focusing lens, and the GBB profiles on the relative intensities of the peak/rings are discussed. The method is much more efficient as compared to this using annular slits in the back focal plane of lenses. Moreover, at large propagation distances the quality of the generated GBBs significantly surpasses this of GBBs created by low angle axicons. The developed analytical model reproduces the experimental data. The presented method is flexible, easily realizable by using a spatial light modulator, does not require any special optical elements and, thus, is accessible in many laboratories.