Theory of x-ray scattering from laser-driven electronic systems

We describe, within the framework of quantum electrodynamics, an interaction between a non-resonant hard x-ray pulse and an electronic system in the presence of a temporally periodic laser field driving electron dynamics in this system. We apply Floquet theory to describe the laser-driven electronic system, and then obtain the scattering probability of an arbitrary nonresonant x-ray pulse from such a system employing the density-matrix formalism. We show that the scattering probability can be connected to the time-dependent electron density of the driven electronic system only under certain conditions, in particular, if the bandwidth of the probe x-ray pulse is sufficiently narrow to spectroscopically resolve transitions to different final states. A special focus is laid on application of the theory to laser-driven crystals in a strongly nonperturbative regime. We show how the time-dependent electron density of a crystal can be reconstructed from energy-resolved scattering patterns. This is illustrated by a calculation of a diffraction signal from a driven MgO crystal.Comment: accepted to Phys Rev

High harmonic generation from Bloch electrons in solids

We study the generation of high harmonic radiation by Bloch electrons in a model transparent solid driven by a strong mid-infrared laser field. We solve the single-electron time-dependent Schr\"odinger equation (TDSE) using a velocity-gauge method [New J. Phys. 15, 013006 (2013)] that is numerically stable as the laser intensity and number of energy bands are increased. The resulting harmonic spectrum exhibits a primary plateau due to the coupling of the valence band to the first conduction band, with a cutoff energy that scales linearly with field strength and laser wavelength. We also find a weaker second plateau due to coupling to higher-lying conduction bands, with a cutoff that is also approximately linear in the field strength. To facilitate the analysis of the time-frequency characteristics of the emitted harmonics, we also solve the TDSE in a time-dependent basis set, the Houston states [Phys. Rev. B 33, 5494 (1986)], which allows us to separate inter-band and intra-band contributions to the time-dependent current. We find that the inter-band and intra-band contributions display very different time-frequency characteristics. We show that solutions in these two bases are equivalent under an unitary transformation but that, unlike the velocity gauge method, the Houston state treatment is numerically unstable when more than a few low lying energy bands are used

An Oxalate-Bridged Copper(II) Complex Combining Monodentate Benzoate, 2,2'-bipyridine and Aqua Ligands:Synthesis, Crystal Structure and Investigation of Magnetic Properties

A dinuclear copper(II) complex of formula [{Cu(bipy)(bzt)(OH2)}2(μ-ox)] (1) (where bipy = 2,2'-bipyridine, bzt = benzoate and ox = oxalate) was synthesised and characterised by diffractometric (powder and single-crystal XRD) and thermogravimetric (TG/DTG) analyses, spectroscopic techniques (IR, Raman, electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy (EPR) and electronic spectroscopy), magnetic measurements and density functional theory (DFT) calculations. The analysis of the crystal structure revealed that the oxalate ligand is in bis(bidentate) coordination mode between two copper(II) centres. The other four positions of the coordination environment of the copper(II) ion are occupied by one water molecule, a bidentate bipy and a monodentate bzt ligand. An inversion centre located on the ox ligand generates the other half of the dinuclear complex. Intermolecular hydrogen bonds and π-π interactions are responsible for the organisation of the molecules in the solid state. Molar magnetic susceptibility and field dependence magnetisation studies evidenced a weak intramolecular-ferromagnetic interaction (J = +2.9 cm-1) between the metal ions. The sign and magnitude of the calculated J value by density functional theory (DFT) are in agreement with the experimental data

Helicobacter pylori cag pathogenicity island-positive strains induce syndecan-4 expression in gastric epithelial cells

Helicobacter pylori is recognized as the main cause of gastritis and is associated with gastric carcinogenesis. Syndecan-4 represents the major source of heparan sulfate (HS) in the gastric cells. HS proteoglycans expressed on the cell surface constitute targets for H. pylori at the early stage of infection. The aim of this study was to determine whether H. pylori induction of syndecan-4 expression is affected by the virulence characteristics of the infecting strain, namely the cytotoxic-associated gene (cag) pathogenicity island (PAI). We observed that individuals infected with highly pathogenic H. pylori strains express syndecan-4 in the foveolar epithelium of the gastric mucosa. The association between the cagPAI status of the infecting strain and syndecan-4 expression was further demonstrated by infection of gastric epithelial cell lines with a panel of cagPAI+ and cagPAI- H. pylori strains, showing that expression of syndecan-4 was significantly increased in response to infection with the highly pathogenic strains. Moreover, infection of gastric cells with cagA and cagE mutant strains further confirmed that syndecan-4 induction is dependent on an intact cagPAI. The present study shows that highly pathogenic H. pylori strains induce syndecan-4 expression, both in human gastric mucosa and in gastric cell lines, in a cagPAI-dependent manner. © 2009 Federation of European Microbiological Societies

Exploring silk based biomaterials functionalized with antimicrobial peptides to prevent surgical site infections

Surgical site infections (SSI) often occur after invasive surgery, which is as a serious health problem, making it important to develop new biomaterials to prevent infections. Spider silk is a natural biomaterial with excellent biocompatibility, low immunogenicity and controllable biodegradability. Through recombinant DNA technology, spider silk-based materials can be bioengineered and functionalized with antimicrobial (AM) peptides 1. The aim of this study is to develop new materials by combining spider silk chimeric proteins with AM properties and silk fibroin extracted from Bombyx mori cocoons to prevent microbial infection. Here, spider silk domains derived from the dragline sequence of the spider Nephila clavipes (6 mer and 15 mer) were fused with the AM peptides Hepcidin and Human Neutrophil peptide 1 (HNP1). The spider silk domain maintained its self-assembly features allowing the formation of beta-sheets to lock in structures without any chemical cross-linking. The AM properties of the developed chimeric proteins showed that 6 mer + HNP1 protein had a broad microbicidal activity against pathogens. The 6 mer + HNP-1 protein was then assembled with different percentages of silk fibroin into multifunctional films. In vitro cell studies with a human fibroblasts cell line (MRC5) showed nontoxic and cytocompatible behavior of the films. The positive cellular response, together with structural properties, suggests that this new fusion protein plus silk fibroin may be good candidates as multifunctional materials to prevent SSI

Ethno Organizers : Research Report

The organizers of Ethno gatherings are probably the most influential in terms of the kinds of experiences that other attendees – participants, other musicians and local stakeholders – have at the international musical events they organize This study explores the motivations of Ethno organizers, and how they address the various obligations and responsibilities they have towards their participants, fellow artists, local communities and JM International (JMI) as the host institution. A software research tool, Sensemaker, captured organizers' stories and the meaning that they attach to those stories through a process known as 'distributed ethnography', where respondents are actively involved in the interpretation of meaning (sense-making)

Optical probing of ultrafast electronic decay in Bi and Sb with slow phonons

Illumination with laser sources leads to the creation of excited electronic states of particular symmetries, which can drive isosymmetric vibrations. Here, we use a combination of ultrafast stimulated and cw spontaneous Raman scattering to determine the lifetime of A(1g) and E-g electronic coherences in Bi and Sb. Our results both shed new light on the mechanisms of coherent phonon generation and represent a novel way to probe extremely fast electron decoherence rates. The E-g state, resulting from an unequal distribution of carriers in three equivalent band regions, is extremely short lived. Consistent with theory, the lifetime of its associated driving force reaches values as small as 2 (6) fs for Bi (Sb) at 300 K. DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.110.04740

Tocotrienols inhibit lipopolysaccharide-induced pro-inflammatory cytokines in macrophages of female mice

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Inflammation has been implicated in cardiovascular disease, and the important role of proteasomes in the development of inflammation and other macrophage functions has been demonstrated. Tocotrienols are potent hypocholesterolemic agents that inhibit β-hydroxy-β-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase activity, which is degraded via the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway. Our objective was to evaluate the effect of tocotrienols in reducing inflammation. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) was used as a prototype for inflammation in murine RAW 264.7 cells and BALB/c female mice.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The present results clearly demonstrate that α-, γ-, or δ-tocotrienol treatments inhibit the chymotrypsin-like activity of 20 S rabbit muscle proteasomes (> 50%; <it>P </it>< 0.05). Chymotrypsin, trypsin, and post-glutamase activities were decreased > 40% (<it>P </it>< 0.05) with low concentrations (< 80 μM), and then increased gradually with concentrations of (80 - 640 μM) in RAW 264.7 whole cells. Tocotrienols showed 9 - 33% (<it>P </it>< 0.05) inhibitions in TNF-α secretion in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells. Results of experiments carried out in BALB/c mice demonstrated that serum levels of TNF-α after LPS treatment were also reduced (20 - 48%; <it>P </it>< 0.05) by tocotrienols with doses of 1 and 10 μg/kg, and a corresponding rise in serum levels of corticosterone (19 - 41%; <it>P </it>< 0.05) and adrenocorticotropic hormone (81 - 145%; <it>P </it>< 0.02) was observed at higher concentrations (40 μM). Maximal inhibition of LPS-induced TNF-α was obtained with δ-tocotrienol (10 μg/kg). Low concentrations of δ-Tocotrienols (< 20 μM) blocked LPS-induced gene expression of TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6 and iNOS (> 40%), while higher concentrations (40 μM) increased gene expression of the latter in peritoneal macrophages (prepared from BALB/c mice) as compared to control group.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>These results represent a novel approach by using natural products, such as tocotrienols as proteasome modulators, which may lead to the development of new dietary supplements of tocotrienols for cardiovascular diseases, as well as others that are based on inflammation.</p