Orbiting Resonances and Bound States in Molecular Scattering

A family of orbiting resonances in molecular scattering is globally described by using a single pole moving in the complex angular momentum plane. The extrapolation of this pole at negative energies gives the location of the bound states. Then a single pole trajectory, that connects a rotational band of bound states and orbiting resonances, is obtained. These complex angular momentum singularities are derived through a geometrical theory of the orbiting. The downward crossing of the phase-shifts through pi/2, due to the repulsive region of the molecular potential, is estimated by using a simple hard-core model. Some remarks about the difference between diffracted rays and orbiting are also given.Comment: 18 pages, 3 figures, to appear in Physical Review

Resolution of the Klein Paradox

We present a resolution of the Klein paradox within the framework of one-particle relativistic quantum mechanics. Not only reflection becomes total but the vacuum remains neutral as well. This is accomplished by replacing the pair production process with virtual negative energy "incidence" within the barrier in a similar manner to what is done with image charges in electrostatic and virtual sources in optics.Comment: 9 pages, 8 figure

Relativistic precession and spin dynamics of an elliptic Rydberg wave packet

Time evolution of wave packets built from the eigenstates of the Dirac equation for a hydrogenic system is considered. We investigate the space and spin motion of wave packets which, in the non-relativistic limit, are stationary states with a probability density distributed uniformly along the classical, elliptical orbit (elliptic WP). We show that the precession of such a WP, due to relativistic corrections to the energy eigenvalues, is strongly correlated with the spin motion. We show also that the motion is universal for all hydrogenic systems with an arbitrary value of the atomic number Z.Comment: Latex2e, uses IOP style files (included), 10 pages, 5 jpg figures, 1 postscript figure. Relation between precession time and radiative liftime added (eq.(12)). Accepted for publication in J. Phys.

Effective Hamiltonian and unitarity of the S matrix

The properties of open quantum systems are described well by an effective Hamiltonian ${\cal H}$ that consists of two parts: the Hamiltonian $H$ of the closed system with discrete eigenstates and the coupling matrix $W$ between discrete states and continuum. The eigenvalues of ${\cal H}$ determine the poles of the $S$ matrix. The coupling matrix elements $\tilde W_k^{cc'}$ between the eigenstates $k$ of ${\cal H}$ and the continuum may be very different from the coupling matrix elements $W_k^{cc'}$ between the eigenstates of $H$ and the continuum. Due to the unitarity of the $S$ matrix, the \TW_k^{cc'} depend on energy in a non-trivial manner, that conflicts with the assumptions of some approaches to reactions in the overlapping regime. Explicit expressions for the wave functions of the resonance states and for their phases in the neighbourhood of, respectively, avoided level crossings in the complex plane and double poles of the $S$ matrix are given.Comment: 17 pages, 7 figure

Rotational Excitation of HC_3N by H_2 and He at low temperatures

Rates for rotational excitation of HC3N by collisions with He atoms and H2 molecules are computed for kinetic temperatures in the range 5-20K and 5-100K, respectively. These rates are obtained from extensive quantum and quasi-classical calculations using new accurate potential energy surfaces (PES)

Prospective, randomized, double‐blind assessment of topical bakuchiol and retinol for facial photoageing

Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/147746/1/bjd16918_am.pdfhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/147746/2/bjd16918.pd

Measurement of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate in living cells using an improved set of resonance energy transfer-based biosensors

Improved versions of inositol-1,4,5-trisphosphate (InsP3) sensors were created to follow intracellular InsP3 changes in single living cells and in cell populations. Similar to previous InsP3 sensors the new sensors are based on the ligand binding domain of the human type-I InsP3 receptor (InsP3R-LBD), but contain a mutation of either R265K or R269K to lower their InsP3 binding affinity. Tagging the InsP3R-LBD with N-terminal Cerulean and C-terminal Venus allowed measurement of Ins P3 in single-cell FRET experiments. Replacing Cerulean with a Luciferase enzyme allowed experiments in multi-cell format by measuring the change in the BRET signal upon stimulation. These sensors faithfully followed the agonist-induced increase in InsP3 concentration in HEK 293T cells expressing the Gq-coupled AT1 angiotensin receptor detecting a response to agonist concentration as low as 10 pmol/L. Compared to the wild type InsP3 sensor, the mutant sensors showed an improved off-rate, enabling a more rapid and complete return of the signal to the resting value of InsP3 after termination of M3 muscarinic receptor stimulation by atropine. For parallel measurements of intracellular InsP3 and Ca2+ levels in BRET experiments, the Cameleon D3 Ca2+ sensor was modified by replacing its CFP with luciferase. In these experiments depletion of plasma membrane PtdIns(4,5)P2 resulted in the fall of InsP3 level, followed by the decrease of the Ca2+-signal evoked by the stimulation of the AT1 receptor. In contrast, when type-III PI 4-kinases were inhibited with a high concentration of wortmannin or a more specific inhibitor, A1, the decrease of the Ca2+-signal preceded the fall of InsP3 level indicating an InsP3-, independent, direct regulation of capacitative Ca2+ influx by plasma membrane inositol lipids. Taken together, our results indicate that the improved InsP3 sensor can be used to monitor both the increase and decrease of InsP3 levels in live cells suitable for high-throughput BRET applications. © 2015, Public Library of Science. All rights reserved

Identification of Intracellular and Plasma Membrane Calcium Channel Homologues in Pathogenic Parasites

Ca2+ channels regulate many crucial processes within cells and their abnormal activity can be damaging to cell survival, suggesting that they might represent attractive therapeutic targets in pathogenic organisms. Parasitic diseases such as malaria, leishmaniasis, trypanosomiasis and schistosomiasis are responsible for millions of deaths each year worldwide. The genomes of many pathogenic parasites have recently been sequenced, opening the way for rational design of targeted therapies. We analyzed genomes of pathogenic protozoan parasites as well as the genome of Schistosoma mansoni, and show the existence within them of genes encoding homologues of mammalian intracellular Ca2+ release channels: inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptors (IP3Rs), ryanodine receptors (RyRs), two-pore Ca2+ channels (TPCs) and intracellular transient receptor potential (Trp) channels. The genomes of Trypanosoma, Leishmania and S. mansoni parasites encode IP3R/RyR and Trp channel homologues, and that of S. mansoni additionally encodes a TPC homologue. In contrast, apicomplexan parasites lack genes encoding IP3R/RyR homologues and possess only genes encoding TPC and Trp channel homologues (Toxoplasma gondii) or Trp channel homologues alone. The genomes of parasites also encode homologues of mammalian Ca2+ influx channels, including voltage-gated Ca2+ channels and plasma membrane Trp channels. The genome of S. mansoni also encodes Orai Ca2+ channel and STIM Ca2+ sensor homologues, suggesting that store-operated Ca2+ entry may occur in this parasite. Many anti-parasitic agents alter parasite Ca2+ homeostasis and some are known modulators of mammalian Ca2+ channels, suggesting that parasite Ca2+ channel homologues might be the targets of some current anti-parasitic drugs. Differences between human and parasite Ca2+ channels suggest that pathogen-specific targeting of these channels may be an attractive therapeutic prospect