1,046 research outputs found
Mice with Reduced NMDA Receptor Expression Display Behaviors Related to Schizophrenia
AbstractN-methyl-D-aspartate receptors (NMDARs) represent a subclass of glutamate receptors that play a critical role in neuronal development and physiology. We report here the generation of mice expressing only 5% of normal levels of the essential NMDAR1 (NR1) subunit. Unlike NR1 null mice, these mice survive to adulthood and display behavioral abnormalities, including increased motor activity and stereotypy and deficits in social and sexual interactions. These behavioral alterations are similar to those observed in pharmacologically induced animal models of schizophrenia and can be ameliorated by treatment with haloperidol or clozapine, antipsychotic drugs that antagonize dopaminergic and serotonergic receptors. These findings support a model in which reduced NMDA receptor activity results in schizophrenic-like behavior and reveals how pharmacological manipulation of monoaminergic pathways can affect this phenotype
Electronic structure and magnetism of equiatomic FeN
In order to investigate the phase stability of equiatomic FeN compounds and
the structure-dependent magnetic properties, the electronic structure and total
energy of FeN with NaCl, ZnS and CsCl structures and various magnetic
configurations are calculated using the first-principles TB-LMTO-ASA method.
Among all the FeN phases considered, the antiferromagnetic NaCl structure with
q=(00pi) is found to have the lowest energy at the theoretical equilibrium
volume. However, the FM NaCl phase lies only 1mRyd higher. The estimated
equilibrium lattice constant for nonmagnetic ZnS-type FeN agrees quite well
with the experimental value, but for the AFM NaCl phase the estimated value is
6.7% smaller than that observed experimentally. For ZnS-type FeN, metastable
magnetic states are found for volumes larger than the equilibrium value. On the
basis of an analysis of the atom- and orbital-projected density of states and
orbital-projected Crystal Orbital Hamilton Population, the iron-nitrogen
interactions in NM ZnS, AFM NaCl and FM CsCl structures are discussed. The
leading Fe-N interactions is due to the d-p iron-nitrogen hybridization, while
considerable s-p and p-p hybridizations are also observed in all three phases.
The iron magnetic moment in FeN is found to be highly sensitive to the
nearest-neighboring Fe-N distance. In particular, the magnetic moment shows an
abrupt drop from a value of about 2 muB to zero with the reduction of the Fe-N
distance for the ZnS and CsCl structures.Comment: 12 pages, 6 figure
Field-dependent AC susceptibility of itinerant ferromagnets
Whereas dc measurements of magnetic susceptibility, , fail to
distinguish between local and weak itinerant ferromagnets, radio-frequency (rf)
measurements of in the ferromagnetic state show dramatic differences
between the two. We present sensitive tunnel-diode resonator measurements of
in the weak itinerant ferromagnet ZrZn at a frequency of 23 MHz.
Below Curie temperature, K, the susceptibility is seen to
increase and pass through a broad maximum at approximately 15 K in zero applied
dc magnetic field. Application of a magnetic field reduces the amplitude of the
maximum and shifts it to lower temperatures. The existence and evolution this
maximum with applied field is not predicted by either the Stoner or
self-consistent renormalized (SCR) spin fluctuations theories. For temperatures
below both theories derive a zero-field limit expression for . We
propose a semi-phenomenological model that considers the effect of the internal
field from the polarized fraction of the conduction band on the remaining,
unpolarized conduction band electrons. The developed model accurate describes
the experimental data
Spontaneous separation of two-component Fermi gases in a double-well trap
The two-component Fermi gas in a double-well trap is studied using the
density functional theory and the density profile of each component is
calculated within the Thomas-Fermi approximation. We show that the two
components are spatially separate in the two wells once the repulsive
interaction exceeds the Stoner point, signaling the occurrence of the
ferromagnetic transition. Therefore, the double-well trap helps to explore
itinerant ferromagnetism in atomic Fermi gases, since the spontaneous
separation can be examined by measuring component populations in one well.Comment: 6 pages, 6 figures, to appear in ep
Performance of a 229 Thorium solid-state nuclear clock
The 7.8 eV nuclear isomer transition in 229 Thorium has been suggested as an
etalon transition in a new type of optical frequency standard. Here we discuss
the construction of a "solid-state nuclear clock" from Thorium nuclei implanted
into single crystals transparent in the vacuum ultraviolet range. We
investigate crystal-induced line shifts and broadening effects for the specific
system of Calcium fluoride. At liquid Nitrogen temperatures, the clock
performance will be limited by decoherence due to magnetic coupling of the
Thorium nucleus to neighboring nuclear moments, ruling out the commonly used
Rabi or Ramsey interrogation schemes. We propose a clock stabilization based on
counting of flourescence photons and present optimized operation parameters.
Taking advantage of the high number of quantum oscillators under continuous
interrogation, a fractional instability level of 10^{-19} might be reached
within the solid-state approach.Comment: 28 pages, 9 figure
New angles on top quark decay to a charged Higgs
To properly discover a charged Higgs Boson () requires its spin and
couplings to be determined. We investigate how to utilize \ttbar spin
correlations to analyze the couplings in the decay . Within the framework of a general Two-Higgs-Doublet Model, we
obtain results on the spin analyzing coefficients for this decay and study in
detail its spin phenomenology, focusing on the limits of large and small values
for . Using a Monte Carlo approach to simulate full hadron-level
events, we evaluate systematically how the decay
mode can be used for spin analysis. The most promising observables are obtained
from azimuthal angle correlations in the transverse rest frames of
. This method is particularly useful for determining the coupling
structure of in the large limit, where differences from the
SM are most significant.Comment: 28 pages, 13 figures. Uses JHEP forma
Leptin fails to blunt the lipopolysaccharide-induced activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis in rats
Copyright @ 2013 The authors. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License.Obesity is a risk factor for sepsis morbidity and mortality, whereas the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis plays a protective role in the body's defence against sepsis. Sepsis induces a profound systemic immune response and cytokines serve as excellent markers for sepsis as they act as mediators of the immune response. Evidence suggests that the adipokine leptin may play a pathogenic role in sepsis. Mouse endotoxaemic models present with elevated leptin levels and exogenously added leptin increased mortality whereas human septic patients have elevated circulating levels of the soluble leptin receptor (Ob-Re). Evidence suggests that leptin can inhibit the regulation of the HPA axis. Thus, leptin may suppress the HPA axis, impairing its protective role in sepsis.We hypothesised that leptin would attenuate the HPA axis response to sepsis.We investigated the direct effects of an i.p. injection of 2 mg/kg leptin on the HPA axis response to intraperitoneally injected 25 μg/kg lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in the male Wistar rat. We found that LPS potently activated the HPA axis, as shown by significantly increased plasma stress hormones, ACTH and corticosterone, and increased plasma interleukin 1β (IL1β) levels, 2 h after administration. Pre-treatment with leptin, 2 h before LPS administration, did not influence the HPA axis response to LPS. In turn, LPS did not affect plasma leptin levels. Our findings suggest that leptin does not influence HPA function or IL1b secretion in a rat model of LPS-induced sepsis, and thus that leptin is unlikely to be involved in the acute-phase endocrine response to bacterial infection in rats.The section is funded by grants from the MRC, BBSRC, NIHR and an Integrative Mammalian Biology (IMB) Capacity Building Award, and by a FP7-HEALTH-2009-241592 EuroCHIP grant and is supported by the NIHR
Imperial Biomedical Research Centre Funding Scheme. This work is supported by a BBSRC Doctoral Training-Strategic Skills Award grant (BB/F017340/1)
Pauli's Principle in Probe Microscopy
Exceptionally clear images of intramolecular structure can be attained in
dynamic force microscopy through the combination of a passivated tip apex and
operation in what has become known as the "Pauli exclusion regime" of the
tip-sample interaction. We discuss, from an experimentalist's perspective, a
number of aspects of the exclusion principle which underpin this ability to
achieve submolecular resolution. Our particular focus is on the origins,
history, and interpretation of Pauli's principle in the context of interatomic
and intermolecular interactions.Comment: This is a chapter from "Imaging and Manipulation of Adsorbates using
Dynamic Force Microscopy", a book which is part of the "Advances in Atom and
Single Molecule Machines" series published by Springer
[http://www.springer.com/series/10425]. To be published late 201
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BOILER MATERIALS FOR ULTRASUPERCRITICAL COAL POWER PLANTS
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the Ohio Coal Development Office (OCDO) have recently initiated a project aimed at identifying, evaluating, and qualifying the materials needed for the construction of the critical components of coal-fired boilers capable of operating at much higher efficiencies than current generation of supercritical plants. This increased efficiency is expected to be achieved principally through the use of ultrasupercritical steam conditions (USC). The project goal initially was to assess/develop materials technology that will enable achieving turbine throttle steam conditions of 760 C (1400 F)/35 MPa (5000 psi), although this goal for the main steam temperature had to be revised down to 732 C (1350 F), based on a preliminary assessment of material capabilities. The project is intended to build further upon the alloy development and evaluation programs that have been carried out in Europe and Japan. Those programs have identified ferritic steels capable of meeting the strength requirements of USC plants up to approximately 620 C (1150 F) and nickel-based alloys suitable up to 700 C (1300 F). In this project, the maximum temperature capabilities of these and other available high-temperature alloys are being assessed to provide a basis for materials selection and application under a range of conditions prevailing in the boiler. This report provides a quarterly status report for the period of July 1 to September 30, 2004
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