3,249 research outputs found
Systematics in the Pb^(208)-Th^(232), Pb^(207)-U^(235), and Pb^(206)-U^(238) Systems
In a study of cogenetic zircons it was found that the measured Pb^(208)/Th^(232) and Pb^(207)/U^(235) ratios formed a linear array in the corresponding coupled Pb-U-Th evolution diagram, which has an upper intersection on the concordia curve at the same time point as that determined by the Pb^(206)/U^(238), Pb^(207)/U^(235) array. Although the U-Pb data lie in the accessible region for nonfractionating daughter loss, the Th-Pb results lie outside the corresponding region. The zircon concentrates analyzed were shown to be multiphase assemblages with variable U and Th contents and variable Th/U ratios, even within single crystals. The zircons contain local domains of high radioactivity which appear to be highly discordant. A relationship between discordance and the average concentration of U and Th in a sample is given. The degree of discordance increases with the concentration of U and Th and with the increasing Th/U ratio, causing preferential loss of Pb^(208) and the departure from the region accessible to a single phase without fractionation. The theoretical aspects of the (equation image) diagram from the viewpoint of single-phase and multiphase assemblages are discussed, and it is shown that the variability of the Th/U ratio is of fundamental importance in understanding the evolution of the Th-U-Pb system. The existence of these systematics in nature may provide an additional independent dating system and a further means of studying transport from natural systems
Quantum-kinetic theory of photocurrent generation via direct and phonon-mediated optical transitions
A quantum-kinetic theory of direct and phonon mediated indirect optical
transitions is developed within the framework of the non-equilibrium Green's
function formalism. After validation against the standard Fermi-Golden-Rule
approach in the bulk case, it is used in the simulation of photocurrent
generation in ultra-thin crystalline silicon p-i-n-junction devices.Comment: 12 pages, 11 figure
One dimensional chain of quantum molecule motors as a mathematical physics model for muscle fibre
A quantum chain model of many molecule motors is proposed as a mathematical
physics theory on the microscopic modeling of classical force-velocity relation
and tension transients of muscle fibre. We proposed quantum many-particle
Hamiltonian to predict the force-velocity relation for the slow release of
muscle fibre which has no empirical relation yet, it is much more complicate
than hyperbolic relation. Using the same Hamiltonian, we predicted the
mathematical force-velocity relation when the muscle is stimulated by
alternative electric current. The discrepancy between input electric frequency
and the muscle oscillation frequency has a physical understanding by Doppler
effect in this quantum chain model. Further more, we apply quantum physics
phenomena to explore the tension time course of cardiac muscle and insect
flight muscle. Most of the experimental tension transients curves found their
correspondence in the theoretical output of quantum two-level and three-level
model. Mathematically modeling electric stimulus as photons exciting a quantum
three-level particle reproduced most tension transient curves of water bug
Lethocerus Maximus.Comment: 16 pages, 12 figures, Arguments are adde
Computational study of an InGaN/GaN nanocolumn light-emitting diode
A comprehensive three-dimensional analysis of the operation of an In0.4Ga0.6N/GaN nanocolumn light-emitting diode is presented. Focus is put on the investigation of the nature and location of the emitting states. Calculations of strain and polarization-induced internal fields show that the strong lateral dependence of the potential gives rise to states confined to the periphery and to the center of the nanocolumn. However, lateral confinement of states near the column center is weak such that a quantum-well-like treatment of the remaining bound states seems appropriate where coherence is lost in the lateral directions. Within this picture, a coupled and self-consistent three-dimensional simulation of carrier transport and luminescence is presented, thus accounting for screening and lateral transport effects. Results are compared to a planar quantum-well device
Coronal Emission Measures and Abundances for Moderately Active K Dwarfs Observed by Chandra
We have used Chandra to resolve the nearby 70 Oph (K0 V+K5 V) and 36 Oph (K1
V+K1 V) binary systems for the first time in X-rays. The LETG/HRC-S spectra of
all four of these stars are presented and compared with an archival LETG
spectrum of another moderately active K dwarf, Epsilon Eri. Coronal densities
are estimated from O VII line ratios and emission measure distributions are
computed for all five of these stars. We see no substantial differences in
coronal density or temperature among these stars, which is not surprising
considering that they are all early K dwarfs with similar activity levels.
However, we do see significant differences in coronal abundance patterns.
Coronal abundance anomalies are generally associated with the first ionization
potential (FIP) of the elements. On the Sun, low-FIP elements are enhanced in
the corona relative to high-FIP elements, the so-called "FIP effect." Different
levels of FIP effect are seen for our stellar sample, ranging from 70 Oph A,
which shows a prominent solar-like FIP effect, to 70 Oph B, which has no FIP
bias at all or possibly even a weak inverse FIP effect. The strong abundance
difference exhibited by the two 70 Oph stars is unexpected considering how
similar these stars are in all other respects (spectral type, age, rotation
period, X-ray flux). It will be difficult for any theoretical explanation for
the FIP effect to explain how two stars so similar in all other respects can
have coronae with different degrees of FIP bias. Finally, for the stars in our
sample exhibiting a FIP effect, a curious difference from the solar version of
the phenomenon is that the data seem to be more consistent with the high-FIP
elements being depleted in the corona rather than a with a low-FIP enhancementComment: 35 pages, 8 figures, AASTEX v5.0 plus EPSF extensions in mkfig.sty;
accepted by Ap
Thiol-gelatin-norbornene bioink for laser‐based high‐definition bioprinting
Two-photon polymerization (2PP) is a lithography-based 3D printing method allowing the fabrication of 3D structures with sub-micrometer resolution. This work focuses on the characterization of gelatin-norbornene (Gel-NB) bioinks which enables the embedding of cells via 2PP. The high reactivity of the thiol-ene system allows 2PP processing of cell-containing materials at remarkably high scanning speeds (1000 mm s(-1)) placing this technology in the domain of bioprinting. Atomic force microscopy results demonstrate that the indentation moduli of the produced hydrogel constructs can be adjusted in the 0.2-0.7 kPa range by controlling the 2PP processing parameters. Using this approach gradient 3D constructs are produced and the morphology of the embedded cells is observed in the course of 3 weeks. Furthermore, it is possible to tune the enzymatic degradation of the crosslinked bioink by varying the applied laser power. The 3D printed Gel-NB hydrogel constructs show exceptional biocompatibility, supported cell adhesion, and migration. Furthermore, cells maintain their proliferation capacity demonstrated by Ki-67 immunostaining. Moreover, the results demonstrate that direct embedding of cells provides uniform distribution and high cell loading independently of the pore size of the scaffold. The investigated photosensitive bioink enables high-definition bioprinting of well-defined constructs for long-term cell culture studies
A modified expression of the major hydrolase activator in Hypocrea jecorina (Trichoderma reesei) changes enzymatic catalysis of biopolymer degradation
AbstractHypocrea jecorina (anamorph Trichoderma reesei) is a saprophytic fungus that produces hydrolases, which are applied in different types of industries and used for the production of biofuel. A recombinant Hypocrea strain, which constantly expresses the main transcription activator of hydrolases (Xylanase regulator 1), was found to grow faster on xylan and its monomeric backbone molecule d-xylose. This strain also showed improved ability of clearing xylan medium on plates. Furthermore, this strain has a changed transcription profile concerning genes encoding for hydrolases and enzymes associated with degradation of (hemi)celluloses. We demonstrated that enzymes of this strain from a xylan cultivation favoured break down of hemicelluloses to the monomer d-xylose compared to the parental strain, while the enzymes of the latter one formed more xylobiose. Applying supernatants from cultivation on carboxymethylcellulose in enzymatic conversion of hemicelluloses, the enzymes of the recombinant strain were clearly producing more of both, d-xylose and xylobiose, compared to the parental strain. Altogether, these results point to a changed hydrolase expression profile, an enhanced capability to form the xylan-monomer d-xylose and the assumption that there is a disordered induction pattern if the Xylanase regulator 1 is de-regulated in Hypocrea
Increasing the carbon efficiency of citric acid production
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Metabolic engineering of rice endosperm towards higher vitamin B1 accumulation
Rice is a major food crop to approximately half of the human population. Unfortunately, the starchy endosperm, which is the remaining portion of the seed after polishing, contains limited amounts of micronutrients. Here, it is shown that this is particularly the case for thiamin (vitamin B1). Therefore, a tissue-specific metabolic engineering approach was conducted, aimed at enhancing the level of thiamin specifically in the endosperm. To achieve this, three major thiamin biosynthesis genes, THIC, THI1 and TH1, controlled by strong endosperm-specific promoters, were employed to obtain engineered rice lines. The metabolic engineering approaches included ectopic expression of THIC alone, in combination with THI1 (bigenic) or combined with both THI1 and TH1 (trigenic). Determination of thiamin and thiamin biosynthesis intermediates reveals the impact of the engineering approaches on endosperm thiamin biosynthesis. The results show an increase of thiamin in polished rice up to threefold compared to WT, and stable upon cooking. These findings confirm the potential of metabolic engineering to enhance de novo thiamin biosynthesis in rice endosperm tissue and aid in steering future biofortification endeavours
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