451 research outputs found
Highly tunable low-threshold optical parametric oscillation in radially poled whispering gallery resonators
Whispering gallery resonators (WGR's), based on total internal reflection,
possess high quality factors in a broad spectral range. Thus, nonlinear optical
processes in such cavities are ideally suited for the generation of broadband
or tunable electromagnetic radiation. Experimentally and theoretically, we
investigate the tunability of optical parametric oscillation in a radially
structured WGR made of lithium niobate. With a 1.04 /mum pump wave, the signal
and idler waves are tuned from 1.78 to 2.5 \mum - including the point of
degeneracy - by varying the temperature between 20 and 62 {\deg}C. A weak
off-centering of the radial domain structure extends considerably the tuning
capabilities. The oscillation threshold lies in the mW-power range.Comment: 4 pages, 5 figure
Quantum Criticality of an Ising-like Spin-1/2 Antiferromagnetic Chain in Transverse Magnetic Field
We report on magnetization, sound velocity, and magnetocaloric-effect
measurements of the Ising-like spin-1/2 antiferromagnetic chain system
BaCoVO as a function of temperature down to 1.3 K and applied
transverse magnetic field up to 60 T. While across the N\'{e}el temperature of
K anomalies in magnetization and sound velocity confirm the
antiferromagnetic ordering transition, at the lowest temperature the
field-dependent measurements reveal a sharp softening of sound velocity
and a clear minimum of temperature at T,
indicating the suppression of the antiferromagnetic order. At higher fields,
the curve shows a broad minimum at T, accompanied by a
broad minimum in the sound velocity and a saturation-like magnetization. These
features signal a quantum phase transition which is further characterized by
the divergent behavior of the Gr\"{u}neisen parameter . By contrast, around the critical field, the
Gr\"{u}neisen parameter converges as temperature decreases, pointing to a
quantum critical point of the one-dimensional transverse-field Ising model.Comment: Phys. Rev. Lett., to appea
A surprising discovery:five pedagogical skills outdoor and experiential educators might offer more mainstream educators in this time of change
Immigration into the mainstream: Conflicting ideological streams, strategic reasoning and party competition
DISC1 genetics, biology and psychiatric illness
Psychiatric disorders are highly heritable, and in many individuals likely arise from the combined effects of genes and the environment. A substantial body of evidence points towards DISC1 being one of the genes that influence risk of schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and depression, and functional studies of DISC1 consequently have the potential to reveal much about the pathways that lead to major mental illness. Here, we review the evidence that DISC1 influences disease risk through effects upon multiple critical pathways in the developing and adult brain
Architecture of the yeast elongator complex
The highly conserved eukaryotic Elongator complex performs specific chemical modifications on wobble base uridines of tRNAs, which are essential for proteome stability and homeostasis. The complex is formed by six individual subunits (Elp1-6) that are all equally important for its tRNA modification activity. However, its overall architecture and the detailed reaction mechanism remain elusive. Here, we report the structures of the fully assembled yeast Elongator and the Elp123 sub-complex solved by an integrative structure determination approach showing that two copies of the Elp1, Elp2, and Elp3 subunits form a two-lobed scaffold, which binds Elp456 asymmetrically. Our topological models are consistent with previous studies on individual subunits and further validated by complementary biochemical analyses. Our study provides a structural framework on how the tRNA modification activity is carried out by Elongator
Prox1 Is Required for Granule Cell Maturation and Intermediate Progenitor Maintenance During Brain Neurogenesis
The transcription factor Prox1 plays a crucial role in intermediate progenitor maintenance and hippocampal neuron differentiation during adult neurogenesis in the dentate gyrus region of the hippocampus
The Mast Cell Degranulator Compound 48/80 Directly Activates Neurons
Background
Compound 48/80 is widely used in animal and tissue models as a “selective” mast cell activator. With this study we demonstrate that compound 48/80 also directly activates enteric neurons and visceral afferents.
Methodology/Principal Findings
We used in vivo recordings from extrinsic intestinal afferents together with Ca++ imaging from primary cultures of DRG and nodose neurons. Enteric neuronal activation was examined by Ca++ and voltage sensitive dye imaging in isolated gut preparations and primary cultures of enteric neurons. Intraluminal application of compound 48/80 evoked marked afferent firing which desensitized on subsequent administration. In egg albumen-sensitized animals, intraluminal antigen evoked a similar pattern of afferent activation which also desensitized on subsequent exposure to antigen. In cross-desensitization experiments prior administration of compound 48/80 failed to influence the mast cell mediated response. Application of 1 and 10 µg/ml compound 48/80 evoked spike discharge and Ca++ transients in enteric neurons. The same nerve activating effect was observed in primary cultures of DRG and nodose ganglion cells. Enteric neuron cultures were devoid of mast cells confirmed by negative staining for c-kit or toluidine blue. In addition, in cultured enteric neurons the excitatory action of compound 48/80 was preserved in the presence of histamine H1 and H2 antagonists. The mast cell stabilizer cromolyn attenuated compound 48/80 and nicotine evoked Ca++ transients in mast cell-free enteric neuron cultures.
Conclusions/Significance
The results showed direct excitatory action of compound 48/80 on enteric neurons and visceral afferents. Therefore, functional changes measured in tissue or animal models may involve a mast cell independent effect of compound 48/80 and cromolyn
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