Comparative genomic mapping of uncharacterized canine retinal ESTs to identify novel candidate genes for hereditary retinal disorders

Purpose: To identify the genomic location of previously uncharacterized canine retina-expressed expressed sequence tags (ESTs), and thus identify potential candidate genes for heritable retinal disorders. Methods: A set of over 500 retinal canine ESTs were mapped onto the canine genome using the RHDF ₅₀₀₀₋₂ radiation hybrid (RH) panel, and the resulting map positions were compared to their respective localization in the CanFam2 assembly of the canine genome sequence. Results: Unique map positions could be assigned for 99% of the mapped clones, of which only 29% showed significant homology to known RefSeq sequences. A comparison between RH map and sequence assembly indicated some areas of discrepancy. Retinal expressed genes were not concentrated in particular areas of the canine genome, and also were located on the canine Y chromosome (CFAY). Several of the EST clones were located within areas of conserved synteny to human retinal disease loci. Conclusions: RH mapping of canine retinal ESTs provides insight into the location of potential candidate genes for hereditary retinal disorders, and, by comparison with the assembled canine genome sequence, highlights inconsistencies with the current assembly. Regions of conserved synteny between the canine and the human genomes allow this information to be extrapolated to identify potential positional candidate genes for mapped human retinal disorders. Furthermore, these ESTs can help identify novel or uncharacterized genes of significance for better understanding of retinal morphology, physiology, and pathology.10 page(s

Sensitisation waves in a bidomain fire-diffuse-fire model of intracellular Ca²⁺ dynamics

We present a bidomain threshold model of intracellular calcium (Ca²⁺) dynamics in which, as suggested by recent experiments, the cytosolic threshold for Ca²⁺ liberation is modulated by the Ca²⁺ concentration in the releasing compartment. We explicitly construct stationary fronts and determine their stability using an Evans function approach. Our results show that a biologically motivated choice of a dynamic threshold, as opposed to a constant threshold, can pin stationary fronts that would otherwise be unstable. This illustrates a novel mechanism to stabilise pinned interfaces in continuous excitable systems. Our framework also allows us to compute travelling pulse solutions in closed form and systematically probe the wave speed as a function of physiologically important parameters. We find that the existence of travelling wave solutions depends on the time scale of the threshold dynamics, and that facilitating release by lowering the cytosolic threshold increases the wave speed. The construction of the Evans function for a travelling pulse shows that of the co-existing fast and slow solutions the slow one is always unstable

Coupled-Cluster Approach to Electron Correlations in the Two-Dimensional Hubbard Model

We have studied electron correlations in the doped two-dimensional (2D) Hubbard model by using the coupled-cluster method (CCM) to investigate whether or not the method can be applied to correct the independent particle approximations actually used in ab-initio band calculations. The double excitation version of the CCM, implemented using the approximate coupled pair (ACP) method, account for most of the correlation energies of the 2D Hubbard model in the weak ($U/t \simeq 1$) and the intermediate $U/t$ regions ($U/t \simeq 4$). The error is always less than 1% there. The ACP approximation gets less accurate for large $U/t$ ($U/t \simeq 8$) and/or near half-filling. Further incorporation of electron correlation effects is necessary in this region. The accuracy does not depend on the system size and the gap between the lowest unoccupied level and the highest occupied level due to the finite size effect. Hence, the CCM may be favorably applied to ab-initio band calculations on metals as well as semiconductors and insulators.Comment: RevTeX3.0, 4 pages, 4 figure

Process Analysis and Trial Tests for Hot-Rolled Stainless Steel/Carbon Steel Clad Plates

The trials of 304 stainless steel-clad plate made of plain Q345B carbon steel were performed on hot-rolling line of the Hesteel Group. After the two runs of pilot production, the key process parameters for the stainless steel/carbon steel clad plate were found to meet the GB/T 8165-2008 requirements. The interface shear strength of the clad plate was higher than 360 MPa, the yield strength of the final product was over 257 MPa, the clad plate tensile strength and elongation exceeded 351 MPa and 39.8%, respectively. The interpenetration of stainless steel and plain carbon steel layers was established to be complete, with the adequate composite interface. The tensile and shear properties of stainless steel-clad plates produced by the rolling process were at the same level as those obtained via the explosive method as an alternative, while their production cost were somewhat reduced.Проведено промышленное испытание листа, плакированного нержавеющей сталью 304 с обычной углеродистой сталью Q345B, с использованием линии горячей прокатки группы Hesteel. После двух этапов опытного производства было установлено, что основные техниРефераты ческие показатели производства листа удовлетворяют требованиям GB/T 8165 2008. Прочностьпри сдвиге на поверхности раздела плакированного листа превышала 360 МПа, предел текучести конечного продукта превышал 257 МПа, прочность при растяжении испытуемого материала превышала 351 МПа, а удлинение плакированного листа превышало 39,8%. Показано, что степень амальгамации слоя нержавеющей стали и нелегированной углеродистой стали была высокой, а поверхность раздела композита ровной и совершенной. Свойства при растяжении и сдвиге плакированных нержавеющей сталью листов, изготовленных с помощью процесса взрывной прокатки, соответствовали таковым, изготовленным путем взрывного процесса. Однако эффективность процесса взрывной прокатки существенно выше, чем взрывного процесса, при этом производственные затраты были гораздо меньше.Проведено промислове випробування листа, плакованого нержавіючої сталлю 304 зі звичайною вуглецевою сталлю Q345B, з використанням лінії гарячої прокатки групи Hesteel. Після двох етапів дослідного виробництва було встановлено, що основні технічні показники виробництва листа задовольняють вимогам GB/T 8165-2008. Міцність при зсуві на поверхні розділу плакованого листа перевищувала 360 МПа, межа плинності кінцевого продукту перевищував 257 МПа, міцність при розтягузі випробуваного матеріалу перевищувала 351 МПа, а подовження плакованого листа перевищувало 39,8%. Показано, що ступінь амальгамування шару нержавіючої сталі і нелегованої вуглецевої сталі була високою, а поверхня розділу композиту рівною і досконалою. Властивості при розтязі і зсуві плакованих нержавіючої сталлю листів, виготовлених за допомогою процесу вибуховий прокатки, відповідали таким, виготовленим шляхом вибухового процесу. Однак ефективність процесу вибуховий прокатки істотно вище, ніж вибухового процесу, при цьому виробничі витрати були набагато менше

Size-dependent Correlation Effects in Ultrafast Optical Dynamics of Metal Nanoparticles

We study the role of collective surface excitations in the electron relaxation in small metal particles. We show that the dynamically screened electron-electron interaction in a nanoparticle contains a size-dependent correction induced by the surface. This leads to new channels of quasiparticle scattering accompanied by the emission of surface collective excitations. We calculate the energy and temperature dependence of the corresponding rates, which depend strongly on the nanoparticle size. We show that the surface-plasmon-mediated scattering rate of a conduction electron increases with energy, in contrast to that mediated by a bulk plasmon. In noble-metal particles, we find that the dipole collective excitations (surface plasmons) mediate a resonant scattering of d-holes to the conduction band. We study the role of the latter effect in the ultrafast optical dynamics of small nanoparticles and show that, with decreasing nanoparticle size, it leads to a drastic change in the differential absorption lineshape and a strong frequency dependence of the relaxation near the surface plasmon resonance. The experimental implications of our results in ultrafast pump-probe spectroscopy are also discussed.Comment: 29 pages including 6 figure

Dynamics of entanglement for coherent excitonic states in a system of two coupled quantum dots and cavity QED

The dynamics of the entanglement for coherent excitonic states in the system of two coupled large semiconductor quantum dots ($R/a_{B}\gg 1$) mediated by a single-mode cavity field is investigated. Maximally entangled coherent excitonic states can be generated by cavity field initially prepared in odd coherent state. The entanglement of the excitonic coherent states between two dots reaches maximum when no photon is detected in the cavity. The effects of the zero-temperature environment on the entanglement of excitonic coherent state are also studied using the concurrence for two subsystems of the excitonsComment: 7 pages, 6 figure

Coherent Phonon Dynamics in Short-Period InAs/GaSb Superlattices

We have performed ultrafast pump-probe spectroscopy studies on a series of InAs/GaSb-based short-period superlattice (SL) samples with periods ranging from 46 \AA to 71 \AA. We observe two types of oscillations in the differential reflectivity with fast ($\sim$ 1- 2 ps) and slow ($\sim$ 24 ps) periods. The period of the fast oscillations changes with the SL period and can be explained as coherent acoustic phonons generated from carriers photoexcited within the SL. This mode provides an accurate method for determining the SL period and assessing interface quality. The period of the slow mode depends on the wavelength of the probe pulse and can be understood as a propagating coherent phonon wavepacket modulating the reflectivity of the probe pulse as it travels from the surface into the sample.Comment: 6 pages, 4 figure

Asymptotic Analysis of Coagulation–Fragmentation Equations of Carbon Nanotube Clusters

The possibility of the existence of single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) in organic solvents in the form of clusters is discussed. A theory is developed based on abundletmodel for clusters describing the distribution function of clusters by size. The phenomena have a unified explanation in the framework of the bundlet model of a cluster, in accordance with which the free energy of an SWNT involved in a cluster is combined from two components: a volume one, proportional to the number of moleculesnin a cluster, and a surface one, proportional ton1/2. During the latter stage of the fusion process, the dynamics were governed mainly by the displacement of the volume of liquid around the fusion site between the fused clusters. The same order of magnitude for the average cluster-fusion velocity is deduced if the fusion process starts with several fusion sites. Based on a simple kinetic model and starting from the initial state of pure monomers, micellization of rod-like aggregates at high critical micelle concentration occurs in three separated stages. A convenient relation is obtained for <n> at transient stage. At equilibrium, another relation determines dimensionless binding energy α. A relation with surface dilatational viscosity is obtained

From thermal rectifiers to thermoelectric devices

We discuss thermal rectification and thermoelectric energy conversion from the perspective of nonequilibrium statistical mechanics and dynamical systems theory. After preliminary considerations on the dynamical foundations of the phenomenological Fourier law in classical and quantum mechanics, we illustrate ways to control the phononic heat flow and design thermal diodes. Finally, we consider the coupled transport of heat and charge and discuss several general mechanisms for optimizing the figure of merit of thermoelectric efficiency.Comment: 42 pages, 22 figures, review paper, to appear in the Springer Lecture Notes in Physics volume "Thermal transport in low dimensions: from statistical physics to nanoscale heat transfer" (S. Lepri ed.

Electric current circuits in astrophysics

Cosmic magnetic structures have in common that they are anchored in a dynamo, that an external driver converts kinetic energy into internal magnetic energy, that this magnetic energy is transported as Poynting fl ux across the magnetically dominated structure, and that the magnetic energy is released in the form of particle acceleration, heating, bulk motion, MHD waves, and radiation. The investigation of the electric current system is particularly illuminating as to the course of events and the physics involved. We demonstrate this for the radio pulsar wind, the solar flare, and terrestrial magnetic storms