3,985 research outputs found
On the efficient numerical solution of lattice systems with low-order couplings
We apply the Quasi Monte Carlo (QMC) and recursive numerical integration
methods to evaluate the Euclidean, discretized time path-integral for the
quantum mechanical anharmonic oscillator and a topological quantum mechanical
rotor model. For the anharmonic oscillator both methods outperform standard
Markov Chain Monte Carlo methods and show a significantly improved error
scaling. For the quantum mechanical rotor we could, however, not find a
successful way employing QMC. On the other hand, the recursive numerical
integration method works extremely well for this model and shows an at least
exponentially fast error scaling
The varied functions of local vocational advisory councils
Citizen involvement in public education has been a tradition in our country
Tumor cell-selective apoptosis induction through targeting of KV10.1 via bifunctional TRAIL antibody
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The search for strategies to target ion channels for therapeutic applications has become of increasing interest. Especially, the potassium channel K<sub>V</sub>10.1 (Ether-á-go-go) is attractive as target since this surface protein is virtually not detected in normal tissue outside the central nervous system, but is expressed in approximately 70% of tumors from different origins.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We designed a single-chain antibody against an extracellular region of K<sub>V</sub>10.1 (scFv62) and fused it to the human soluble TRAIL. The K<sub>V</sub>10.1-specific scFv62 antibody -TRAIL fusion protein was expressed in CHO-K1 cells, purified by chromatography and tested for biological activity.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Prostate cancer cells, either positive or negative for K<sub>V</sub>10.1 were treated with the purified construct. After sensitization with cytotoxic drugs, scFv62-TRAIL induced apoptosis only in K<sub>V</sub>10.1-positive cancer cells, but not in non-tumor cells, nor in tumor cells lacking K<sub>V</sub>10.1 expression. In co-cultures with K<sub>V</sub>10.1-positive cancer cells the fusion protein also induced apoptosis in bystander K<sub>V</sub>10.1-negative cancer cells, while normal prostate epithelial cells were not affected when present as bystander.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>K<sub>V</sub>10.1 represents a novel therapeutic target for cancer. We could design a strategy that selectively kills tumor cells based on a K<sub>V</sub>10.1-specific antibody.</p
Optical Response of Grating-Coupler-Induced Intersubband Resonances: The Role of Wood's Anomalies
Grating-coupler-induced collective intersubband transitions in a
quasi-two-dimensional electron system are investigated both experimentally and
theoretically. Far-infrared transmission experiments are performed on samples
containing a quasi-two-dimensional electron gas quantum-confined in a parabolic
quantum well. For rectangular shaped grating couplers of different periods we
observe a strong dependence of the transmission line shape and peak height on
the period of the grating, i.e. on the wave vector transfer from the diffracted
beams to the collective intersubband resonance. It is shown that the line shape
transforms with increasing grating period from a Lorentzian into a strongly
asymmetric line shape. Theoretically, we treat the problem by using the
transfer-matrix method of local optics and apply the modal-expansion method to
calculate the influence of the grating. The optically uniaxial
quasi-two-dimensional electron gas is described in the long-wavelength limit of
the random-phase approximation by a local dielectric tensor, which includes
size quantization effects. Our theory reproduces excellently the experimental
line shapes. The deformation of the transmission line shapes we explain by the
occurrence of both types of Wood's anomalies.Comment: 28 pages, 7 figures. Physical Review B , in pres
Lunar ephemeris selenographic coordinates of the earth and sun for 1975 and 1976
Ephemeris data are presented for 1975 and 1976 to provide a time history of lunar coordinates and related geometric information. A Manned Spacecraft Center modification of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory ephemeris tape was used to calculate and plot coordinates of the earth, moon, and sun. The ephemeris is referenced to the mean vernal equinox at the nearest beginning of a Besselian year. Therefore the reference equinox changes from one year to the next between 30 June and 1 July. The apparent discontinuity in the data is not noticeable in the graphical presentation, but can be observed in the digital output. The mean equator of epoch is used in all cases
The role of toll-like receptors (TLRs) in bacteria-induced maturation of murine dendritic cells (DCs) - Peptidoglycan and lipoteichoic acid are inducers of DC maturation and require TLR2
Toll-like receptors (TLRs) have been found to be key elements in pathogen recognition by the host immune system. Dendritic cells (DCs) are crucial for both innate immune responses and initiation of acquired immunity. Here we focus on the potential involvement of TLR ligand interaction in DC maturation. TLR2 knockout mice and mice carrying a TLR4 mutation (C3H/HeJ) were investigated for DC maturation induced by peptidoglycan (PGN), lipopolysaccharide (LPS), or lipoteichoic acids (LTAs). All stimuli induced maturation of murine bone marrow-derived DCs in control mice. TLR2− /− mice lacked maturation upon stimulation with PGN, as assessed by expression of major histocompatibility complex class II, CD86, cytokine, and chemokine production, fluorescein isothiocyanate-dextran uptake, and mixed lymphocyte reactions, while being completely responsive to LPS. A similar lack of maturation was observed in C3H/HeJ mice upon stimulation with LPS. DC maturation induced by LTAs from two different types of bacteria was severely impaired in TLR2− /−, whereas C3H/HeJ mice responded to LTAs in a manner similar to wild-type mice. We demonstrate that DC maturation is induced by stimuli from Gram-positive microorganisms, such as PGN and LTA, with similar efficiency as by LPS. Finally, we provide evidence that TLR2 and TLR4 interaction with the appropriate ligand is essential for bacteria-induced maturation of DCs
Hybridization of electron subbands in a double quantum well at quantizing magnetic field
We employ magnetocapacitance and far-infrared spectroscopy techniques to
study the spectrum of the double-layer electron system in a parabolic quantum
well with a narrow tunnel barrier in the centre. For gate-bias-controlled
asymmetric electron density distributions in this soft two-subband system we
observe both individual subband gaps and double layer gaps at integer filling
factor . The bilayer gaps are shown to be either trivial common for two
subbands or caused by hybridization of electron subbands in magnetic field. We
describe the observed hybrid gaps at and within a simple model
for the modified bilayer spectrum.Comment: REVTeX, 24 pages, 9 figures included. Submitted to Phys. Rev.
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