Effects of nonorthogonality in the time-dependent current through tunnel junctions

A theoretical technique which allows to include contributions from non-orthogonality of the electron states in the leads connected to a tunneling junction is derived. The theory is applied to a single barrier tunneling structure and a simple expression for the time-dependent tunneling current is derived showing explicit dependence of the overlap. The overlap proves to be necessary for a better quantitative description of the tunneling current, and our theory reproduces experimental results substantially better compared to standard approaches.Comment: 4 pages, 1 table, 1 figur

Hypoxia regulates microRNA expression in the human carotid body

10.1016/j.yexcr.2017.02.027Experimental Cell Research3522412-41

Hypoxia Regulates MicroRNA Expression in the Human Carotid Body

10.1007/978-3-319-91137-3_3Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology107125-3

Effects of volatile anesthetics on carotid body response to hypoxia in animals.

This study was a systematic review of the anesthetic effect on carotid body response to hypoxia. We undertook a systematic literature search (electronic plus manual) for full-paper articles in English that used methodologies enabling any anesthetic effect to be located to the carotid body. We found just 7 articles that met our inclusion criteria, incorporating 16 separate studies. Anesthetic (mean dose +/- SD 0.70 +/- 0.33 MAC) significantly depressed carotid body response by 24% (p = 0.041). There were no differences between individual agents (halothane, enflurane, isoflurane) and no influence of the use of neuromuscular blockade or of species (although the data were sufficiently sparse to interpret such sub-group analysis with caution)

Assessing the Policy Environment for Active Mobility in Cities—Development and Feasibility of the PASTA Cycling and Walking Policy Environment Score

The importance of setting a policy focus on promoting cycling and walking as sustainable and healthy modes of transport is increasingly recognized. However, to date a science-driven scoring system to assess the policy environment for cycling and walking is lacking. In this study, spreadsheet-based scoring systems for cycling and walking were developed, including six dimensions (cycling/walking culture, social acceptance, perception of traffic safety, advocacy, politics and urban planning). Feasibility was tested using qualitative data from pre-specified sections of semi-standardized interview and workshop reports from a European research project in seven cities, assessed independently by two experts. Disagreements were resolved by discussions of no more than 75 minutes per city. On the dimension “perception of traffic safety”, quantitative panel data were used. While the interrater agreement was fair, feasibility was confirmed in general. Validity testing against social norms towards active travel, modal split and network length was encouraging for the policy area of cycling. Rating the policy friendliness for cycling and walking separately was found to be appropriate, as different cities received the highest scores for each. Replicating this approach in a more standardized way would pave the way towards a transparent, evidence-based system for benchmarking policy approaches of cities towards cycling and walking