Nanoelectromechanical coupling in fullerene peapods probed via resonant electrical transport experiments

Fullerene peapods, that is carbon nanotubes encapsulating fullerene molecules, can offer enhanced functionality with respect to empty nanotubes. However, the present incomplete understanding of how a nanotube is affected by entrapped fullerenes is an obstacle for peapods to reach their full potential in nanoscale electronic applications. Here, we investigate the effect of C60 fullerenes on electron transport via peapod quantum dots. Compared to empty nanotubes, we find an abnormal temperature dependence of Coulomb blockade oscillations, indicating the presence of a nanoelectromechanical coupling between electronic states of the nanotube and mechanical vibrations of the fullerenes. This provides a method to detect the C60 presence and to probe the interplay between electrical and mechanical excitations in peapods, which thus emerge as a new class of nanoelectromechanical systems.Comment: 7 pages, 3 figures. Published in Nature Communications. Free online access to the published version until Sept 30th, 2010, see http://www.nature.com/ncomms/journal/v1/n4/abs/ncomms1034.htm

Komplímentskortur og rauðir úlfar; hlutverk komplíments í hreinsun mótefnafléttna.

Neðst á síðunni er hægt að nálgast greinina í heild sinni með því að smella á hlekkinn View/OpenA patient with C2 deficiency and SLE has been replenished with C2 containing fresh frozen plasma for close to 8 years. With each plasma infusion all clinical symptoms and signs disappear over a period of approximately 10 days and then reappear after 6-8 weeks. It has been documented that the function of the classical pathway of the complement system is restored with each infusion, CH50 and IIP normalizes and immunecomplex levels fall during each infusion. Furthermore C3d, as a marker of complement activation rises during the same period. The experience reported here supports the proposed theory that the complement system participates in the normal handling of immune complexes and the relation to clinical presentation of immune complex diseases is documented in this patient.Sjúklingur með C2 skort og rauða úlfa (SLE) hefur verið meðhöndlaður í tæp átta ár með fersku frosnu plasma sem bætir upp C2 skortinn. Við hverja plasmagjöf lagast öll sjúkdómseinkenni á um það bil 10 dögum en koma aftur fram sex til átta vikum síðar. Sýnt hefur verið fram á að starfsemi klassíska ferilsins er endurreist við hverja meðferð, CH50 og IIP mælast innan eðlilegra marka og magn mótefnafléttna minnkar meðan á plasmagjöf stendur. Jafnframt eykst magn C3d sem sýnir að komplímentræsing verður samfara plasmagjöf. Niðurstöður þær sem kynntar eru hér styðja þá tilgátu að komplímentkerfið taki þátt í eðlilegri meðhöndlun líkamans á mótefnafléttum. Tengsl óeðlilegrar starfsemi komplímentkerfisins og sjúkdómsmyndar mótefnafléttusjúkdóms er staðfest hjá þessum sjúklingi