A new technique for the acceleration of iterative image restoration algorithms is proposed. The method is based on the principles of vector extrapolation and does not require the minimization of a cost function. The algorithm is derived and its performance illustrated with Richardson-Lucy (R-L) and maximum entropy (ME) deconvolution algorithms and the Gerchberg-Saxton magnitude and phase retrieval algorithms. Considerable reduction in restoration times is achieved with little image distortion or computational overhead per iteration. The speedup achieved is shown to increase with the number of iterations performed and is easily adapted to suit different algorithms. An example R-L restoration achieves an average speedup of 40 times after 250 iterations and an ME method 20 times after only 50 iterations. An expression for estimating the acceleration factor is derived and confirmed experimentally. Comparisons with other acceleration techniques in the literature reveal significant improvements in speed and stability.

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Canonical Notch signaling relies on regulated proteolysis of the receptor Notch to generate a nuclear effector that induces the transcription of Notch-responsive genes. In higher organisms, one Notch-responsive gene that is activated in many different cell types encodes the Notch-regulated ankyrin repeat protein (NRARP), which acts as a negative feedback regulator of Notch responses. Here, we showed that NRARP inhibited the growth of Notch-dependent T cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) cell lines and bound directly to the core Notch transcriptional activation complex (NTC), requiring both the transcription factor RBPJ and the Notch intracellular domain (NICD), but not Mastermind-like proteins or DNA. The crystal structure of an NRARP-NICD1-RBPJ-DNA complex, determined to 3.75 Å resolution, revealed that the assembly of NRARP-NICD1-RBPJ complexes relied on simultaneous engagement of RBPJ and NICD1, with the three ankyrin repeats of NRARP extending the Notch1 ankyrin repeat stack. Mutations at the NRARP-NICD1 interface disrupted entry of the proteins into NTCs and abrogated feedback inhibition in Notch signaling assays in cultured cells. Forced expression of NRARP reduced the abundance of NICD in cells, suggesting that NRARP may promote the degradation of NICD. These studies establish the structural basis for NTC engagement by NRARP and provide insights into a critical negative feedback mechanism that regulates Notch signaling.

This paper presents a method for measuring spectral volumes (x, y, λ) using a scanning approach utilising inexpensive components and assesses the performance of an instrument based on the technique described. The system uses a diffraction grating for spectral dispersion, a slit scanning system for spatial resolution and a CCD detector to allow images of samples to be examined in different wavebands. The system described has a spectral range of 650 nm to 1100 nm at a resolution of better than 5 nm. The image size is 150 × 242 pixels and an interchangeable imaging lens enables investigation of samples at different scales. With a 58 mm camera lens objects up to 50 mm × 50 mm may be imaged at a spatial resolution of up to 2 line-pairs per millimetre (0.5 millimetre). Spectral reflection images of kiwifruit are shown as an example application of the instrument.

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