1,123 research outputs found
Enhanced Macroscopic Quantum Tunneling in BiSrCaCuO Intrinsic Josephson Junction Stacks
We have investigated macroscopic quantum tunneling in
BiSrCaCuO intrinsic Josephson junctions at millikelvin
temperatures using microwave irradiation. Measurements show that the escape
rate for uniformly switching stacks of N junctions is about times higher
than that of a single junction having the same plasma frequency. We argue that
this gigantic enhancement of macroscopic quantum tunneling rate in stacks is
boosted by current fluctuations which occur in the series array of junctions
loaded by the impedance of the environment.Comment: 4 pages and 5 figure
TRACTION CONCEPT «REHABILITATION» IN THE FRENCH MEDICINE SYSTEM
Given the increase on the planet of the number of people with congenital birth defects, technocratization of society, an increase in the number of persons with disabilities was expected at the beginning of the 21st century to one billion consequently, disability is a worldwide social phenomenon, which should be the focus of every country, its bodies of state power and administration, scientists and physicians, psychologists and educators, specialists in physical culture and sports. So, we see that under the concept «réadaptation» (f) in France, a set of tools and methods used by the relevant specialists to rehabilitate persons with disabilities, as well as simply patients, in order to return them to the maximum possible conditions of everyday life. The twentieth century in France is characterized by the creation of a number of organizations whose activities are aimed at working with such people.Given the increase on the planet of the number of people with congenital birth defects, technocratization of society, an increase in the number of persons with disabilities was expected at the beginning of the 21st century to one billion consequently, disability is a worldwide social phenomenon, which should be the focus of every country, its bodies of state power and administration, scientists and physicians, psychologists and educators, specialists in physical culture and sports. So, we see that under the concept «réadaptation» (f) in France, a set of tools and methods used by the relevant specialists to rehabilitate persons with disabilities, as well as simply patients, in order to return them to the maximum possible conditions of everyday life. The twentieth century in France is characterized by the creation of a number of organizations whose activities are aimed at working with such people
Enhancement of Josephson phase diffusion by microwaves
We report an experimental and theoretical study of the phase diffusion in
small Josephson junctions under microwave irradiation. A peculiar enhancement
of the phase diffusion by microwaves is observed. The enhancement manifests
itself by a pronounced current peak in the current-voltage characteristics. The
voltage position of the peak increases with the power of
microwave radiation as , while its current amplitude
weakly decreases with . As the microwave frequency increases, the peak
feature evolves into Shapiro steps with finite slope. Our theoretical analysis
taking into account the enhancement of incoherent superconducting current by
multi-photon absorption is in good agreement with experimental data.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figure
Metabolic syndrome: review
The psychosomatic component of the metabolic syndrome, historical aspect of the problem under study, physiological and biochemical mechanisms of pathogenesis are considered in the article. The symptomatic components of the metabolic syndrome and their interrelation are outlined, the ways of diagnosis and therapy and directions of modern research in this field are outlined
MAPK phosphorylation of connexin 43 promotes binding of cyclin E and smooth muscle cell proliferation
<p>Rationale: Dedifferentiation of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) leading to a proliferative cell phenotype significantly contributes to the development of atherosclerosis. Mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) phosphorylation of proteins including connexin 43 (Cx43) has been associated with VSMC proliferation in atherosclerosis.</p>
<p>Objective: To investigate whether MAPK phosphorylation of Cx43 is directly involved in VSMC proliferation.</p>
<p>Methods and Results: We show in vivo that MAPK-phosphorylated Cx43 forms complexes with the cell cycle control proteins cyclin E and cyclin-dependent kinase 2 (CDK2) in carotids of apolipoprotein-E receptor null (ApoE−/−) mice and in C57Bl/6 mice treated with platelet-derived growth factor–BB (PDGF). We tested the involvement of Cx43 MAPK phosphorylation in vitro using constructs for full-length Cx43 (Cx43) or the Cx43 C-terminus (Cx43CT) and produced null phosphorylation Ser>Ala (Cx43MK4A/Cx43CTMK4A) and phospho-mimetic Ser>Asp (Cx43MK4D/Cx43CTMK4D) mutations. Coimmunoprecipitation studies in primary VSMC isolated from Cx43 wild-type (Cx43+/+) and Cx43 null (Cx43−/−) mice and analytic size exclusion studies of purified proteins identify that interactions between cyclin E and Cx43 requires Cx43 MAPK phosphorylation. We further demonstrate that Cx43 MAPK phosphorylation is required for PDGF-mediated VSMC proliferation. Finally, using a novel knock-in mouse containing Cx43-MK4A mutation, we show in vivo that interactions between Cx43 and cyclin E are lost and VSMC proliferation does not occur after treatment of carotids with PDGF and that neointima formation is significantly reduced in carotids after injury.</p>
<p>Conclusions: We identify MAPK-phosphorylated Cx43 as a novel interacting partner of cyclin E in VSMC and show that this interaction is critical for VSMC proliferation. This novel interaction may be important in the development of atherosclerotic lesions.</p>
LAPW frozen-phonon calculation, shell model lattice dynamics and specific-heat measurement of SnO
An ab-initio Linear Augmented Plane-Wave (LAPW) calculation of the
zone-centered phonon frequencies of SnO has been performed. E symmetry has
been ascribed to the mode observed at 113 cm in Raman measurements,
discarding a previous B assignement. The other phonon modes measured by
Raman spectroscopy are also well reproduced. A new shell-model has also been
developed, that gives good agreement of the zone-centered frequencies compared
to the measured data and the LAPW results. Specific heat measurements have been
performed between 5 K and 110 K. Computation of the specific heat and the
M\"{o}ssbauer recoilless fraction with the improved shell-model shows a good
agreement with the experimental data as a function of temperature.Comment: 11 pages, 1 figure. to appear in Phys. Rev. B (November 1999
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