Phonon-assisted tunneling in asymmetric resonant tunneling structures

Based on the dielectric continuum model, we calculated the phonon assisted tunneling (PAT) current of general double barrier resonant tunneling structures (DBRTSs) including both symmetric and antisymmetric ones. The results indicate that the four higher frequency interface phonon modes (especially the one which peaks at either interface of the emitter barrier) dominate the PAT processes, which increase the valley current and decrease the PVR of the DBRTSs. We show that an asymmetric structure can lead to improved performance.Comment: 1 paper and 5 figure

The entropy puzzle and the quark combination model

We use two available methods, the Duhem-Gibbs relation and the entropy formula in terms of particle phase space distributions, to calculate the entropy in a quark combination model. The entropy of the system extracted from the Duhem-Gibbs relation is found to increase in hadronization if the average temperature of the hadronic phase is lower than that of the quark phase. The increase of the entropy can also be confirmed from the entropy formula if the volume of the hadronic phase is larger than 2.5-3.0 times that of the quark phase. So whether the entropy increases or decreases during combination depends on the temperature before and after combination and on how much expansion the system undergoes during combination. The current study provides an example to shed light on the entropy issue in the quark combination model.Comment: RevTex 4, 4 pages, 2 tables, 4 figures, discussions and references added, to appear in PR

Next-to-leading order QCD predictions for A0γA^{0}\gamma associated production at the CERN Large Hadron Collider

We calculate the complete next-to-leading-order (NLO) QCD corrections (including SUSY QCD corrections) to the inclusive total cross sections of the associated production processes $pp\rightarrow A^{0}\gamma+X$ in the minimal supersymmetric standard model (MSSM) at the CERN Large Hadron Collider (LHC). Our results show that the enhancement of the total cross sections from the NLO QCD corrections can reach $15$ for 200 GeV$<m_{A}<500$ GeV and $\tan\beta=50$. The scale dependence of the total cross section is improved by the NLO corrections, which is less than 5%. We also show the Monte Carlo simulation results for the $\tau^{+}\tau^{-}+\gamma$ signature including the complete NLO QCD effects, and find an observable signature above the standard model (SM) background for a normal luminosity of 100 fb$^{-1}$ at the LHC.Comment: Published version in Phys.Rev.

Massive charged particle's tunneling from spherical charged black hole

We generalize the Parikh-Wilczek scheme to the tunneling of a massive charged particle from a general spherical charged black hole. We obtain that the tunneling probability depends on the energy, the mass and the charge of the particle. In particular, the modified Hawking temperature is related to the charge. Only at the leading order approximation can the standard Hawking temperature be reproduced. We take the Reissner-Nordstr\"{o}m black hole as an example to clarify our points of view, and find that the accumulation of Hawking radiation makes it approach an extreme black hole.Comment: 10 pages, no figures; v2: a minor typo corrected; v3: 11 pages, clarification and reference added, final version to be published in EPL; v4: minor modifications to match the published versio

Loss of Smyhc1 or Hsp90α1 Function Results in Different Effects on Myofibril Organization in Skeletal Muscles of Zebrafish Embryos

BACKGROUND: Myofibrillogenesis requires the correct folding and assembly of sarcomeric proteins into highly organized sarcomeres. Heat shock protein 90alpha1 (Hsp90alpha1) has been implicated as a myosin chaperone that plays a key role in myofibrillogenesis. Knockdown or mutation of hsp90alpha1 resulted in complete disorganization of thick and thin filaments and M- and Z-line structures. It is not clear whether the disorganization of these sarcomeric structures is due to a direct effect from loss of Hsp90alpha1 function or indirectly through the disorganization of myosin thick filaments. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: In this study, we carried out a loss-of-function analysis of myosin thick filaments via gene-specific knockdown or using a myosin ATPase inhibitor BTS (N-benzyl-p-toluene sulphonamide) in zebrafish embryos. We demonstrated that knockdown of myosin heavy chain 1 (myhc1) resulted in sarcomeric defects in the thick and thin filaments and defective alignment of Z-lines. Similarly, treating zebrafish embryos with BTS disrupted thick and thin filament organization, with little effect on the M- and Z-lines. In contrast, loss of Hsp90alpha1 function completely disrupted all sarcomeric structures including both thick and thin filaments as well as the M- and Z-lines. CONCLUSION/SIGNIFICANCE: Together, these studies indicate that the hsp90alpha1 mutant phenotype is not simply due to disruption of myosin folding and assembly, suggesting that Hsp90alpha1 may play a role in the assembly and organization of other sarcomeric structures

POLG DNA testing as an emerging standard of care before instituting valproic acid therapy for pediatric seizure disorders

AbstractPurposeTo review our clinical experience and determine if there are appropriate signs and symptoms to consider POLG sequencing prior to valproic acid (VPA) dosing in patients with seizures.MethodsFour patients who developed VPA-induced hepatotoxicity were examined for POLG sequence variations. A subsequent chart review was used to describe clinical course prior to and after VPA dosing.ResultsFour patients of multiple different ethnicities, age 3–18 years, developed VPA-induced hepatotoxicity. All were given VPA due to intractable partial seizures. Three of the patients had developed epilepsia partialis continua. The time from VPA exposure to liver failure was between 2 and 3 months. Liver failure was reversible in one patient. Molecular studies revealed homozygous p.R597W or p.A467T mutations in two patients. The other two patients showed compound heterozygous mutations, p.A467T/p.Q68X and p.L83P/p.G888S. Clinical findings and POLG mutations were diagnostic of Alpers–Huttenlocher syndrome.ConclusionOur cases underscore several important findings: POLG mutations have been observed in every ethnic group studied to date; early predominance of epileptiform discharges over the occipital region is common in POLG-induced epilepsy; the EEG and MRI findings varying between patients and stages of the disease; and VPA dosing at any stage of Alpers–Huttenlocher syndrome can precipitate liver failure. Our data support an emerging proposal that POLG gene testing should be considered in any child or adolescent who presents or develops intractable seizures with or without status epilepticus or epilepsia partialis continua, particularly when there is a history of psychomotor regression

Néel Spin Currents in Antiferromagnets

Ferromagnets are known to support spin-polarized currents that control various spin-dependent transport phenomena useful for spintronics. On the contrary, fully compensated antiferromagnets are expected to support only globally spin-neutral currents. Here, we demonstrate that these globally spin-neutral currents can represent the Néel spin currents, i.e., staggered spin currents flowing through different magnetic sublattices. The Néel spin currents emerge in antiferromagnets with strong intrasublattice coupling (hopping) and drive the spin-dependent transport phenomena such as tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR) and spin-transfer torque (STT) in antiferromagnetic tunnel junctions (AFMTJs). Using RuO2 and Fe4GeTe2 as representative antiferromagnets, we predict that the Néel spin currents with a strong staggered spin polarization produce a sizable fieldlike STT capable of the deterministic switching of the Néel vector in the associated AFMTJs. Our work uncovers the previously unexplored potential of fully compensated antiferromagnets and paves a new route to realize the efficient writing and reading of information for antiferromagnetic spintronics

Rapidity dependence of hadron production in central Au+Au collisions at sNN=200\sqrt{s_{NN}}= 200 GeV

The rapidity and transverse momentum spectra for identified hadrons in central Au+Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}= 200$ GeV are computed in a quark combination model. The data of rapidity distributions for $\pi^{\pm}$, $K^{\pm}$, $p(\bar{p})$ and net protons $(p-\bar{p})$ are well described. We also predict rapidity distributions for $K^{0}_{s}$, $\Lambda(\bar{\Lambda})$, $\mathrm{\Xi^{-}}$ ($\mathrm{\bar{\Xi}^{_+}}$) and $\mathrm{\Omega^{-}}+\mathrm{\bar{\Omega}}^{_+}$. The multiplicity ratios of charged antihadrons to hadrons as a function of rapidity are reproduced. The results for ${p}_{T}$ spectra of $\pi^{\pm}$, $K^{\pm}$, $p(\bar{p})$ and for the $p/\pi$ ratios in a broader ${p}_{T}$ range agree well with the data. Finally the rapidity dependence of transverse momentum distributions for hadrons are given.Comment: 10 pages,11figures,3 table

Beneficial Endophytic Bacterial Populations Associated With Medicinal Plant Thymus vulgaris Alleviate Salt Stress and Confer Resistance to Fusarium oxysporum

As a result of climate change, salinity has become a major abiotic stress that reduces plant growth and crop productivity worldwide. A variety of endophytic bacteria alleviate salt stress; however, their ecology and biotechnological potential has not been fully realized. To address this gap, a collection of 117 endophytic bacteria were isolated from wild populations of the herb Thymus vulgaris in Sheikh Zuweid and Rafah of North Sinai Province, Egypt, and identified based on their 16S rRNA gene sequences. The endophytes were highly diverse, including 17 genera and 30 species. The number of bacterial species obtained from root tissues was higher (n = 18) compared to stem (n = 14) and leaf (n = 11) tissue. The endophytic bacteria exhibited several plant growth-promoting activities in vitro, including auxin synthesis, diazotrophy, phosphate solubilization, siderophore production, and production of lytic enzymes (i.e., chitinase, cellulase, protease, and lipase). Three endophytes representing Bacillus species associated with T. vulgaris such as EGY05, EGY21, and EGY25 were selected based on their ex-situ activities for growth chamber assays to test for their ability to promote the growth of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) under various NaCl concentrations (50–200 mM). All three strains significantly... (See full abstract in article)