10,117 research outputs found
Local Density of States and Angle-Resolved Photoemission Spectral Function of an Inhomogeneous D-wave Superconductor
Nanoscale inhomogeneity seems to be a central feature of the d-wave
superconductivity in the cuprates. Such a feature can strongly affect the local
density of states (LDOS) and the spectral weight functions. Within the
Bogoliubov-de Gennes formalism we examine various inhomogeneous configurations
of the superconducting order parameter to see which ones better agree with the
experimental data. Nanoscale large amplitude oscillations in the order
parameter seem to fit the LDOS data for the underdoped cuprates. The
one-particle spectral function for a general inhomogeneous configuration
exhibits a coherent peak in the nodal direction. In contrast, the spectral
function in the antinodal region is easily rendered incoherent by the
inhomogeneity. This throws new light on the dichotomy between the nodal and
antinodal quasiparticles in the underdoped cuprates.Comment: 5 pages, 9 pictures. Phys. Rev. B (in press
NMR analysis of the dynamic exchange of the NS2B cofactor between open and closed conformations of the West Nile Virus NS2B-NS3 protease
BACKGROUND The two-component NS2B-NS3 proteases of West Nile and dengue viruses are essential for viral replication and established targets for drug development. In all crystal structures of the proteases to date, the NS2B cofactor is located far from the substrate binding site (open conformation) in the absence of inhibitor and lining the substrate binding site (closed conformation) in the presence of an inhibitor. METHODS In this work, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy of isotope and spin-labeled samples of the West Nile virus protease was used to investigate the occurrence of equilibria between open and closed conformations in solution. FINDINGS In solution, the closed form of the West Nile virus protease is the predominant conformation irrespective of the presence or absence of inhibitors. Nonetheless, dissociation of the C-terminal part of the NS2B cofactor from the NS3 protease (open conformation) occurs in both the presence and the absence of inhibitors. Low-molecular-weight inhibitors can shift the conformational exchange equilibria so that over 90% of the West Nile virus protease molecules assume the closed conformation. The West Nile virus protease differs from the dengue virus protease, where the open conformation is the predominant form in the absence of inhibitors. CONCLUSION Partial dissociation of NS2B from NS3 has implications for the way in which the NS3 protease can be positioned with respect to the host cell membrane when NS2B is membrane associated via N- and C-terminal segments present in the polyprotein. In the case of the West Nile virus protease, discovery of low-molecular-weight inhibitors that act by breaking the association of the NS2B cofactor with the NS3 protease is impeded by the natural affinity of the cofactor to the NS3 protease. The same strategy can be more successful in the case of the dengue virus NS2B-NS3 protease.The project was funded by the Australian Research Council (http://www.arc.gov.au), grant DP0877540
Analysis of PM eddy current loss in rotor-PM and stator-PM flux-switching machines by air-gap field modulation theory
Dirac Cosmology and the Acceleration of the Contemporary Universe
A model is suggested to unify the Einstein GR and Dirac Cosmology. There is
one adjusted parameter in our model. After adjusting the parameter
in the model by using the supernova data, we have calculated the gravitational
constant and the physical quantities of , and by using the present day quantities as the initial conditions and
found that the equation of state parameter equals to -0.83, the
ratio of the density of the addition creation and the
ratio of the density of the matter including multiplication creation, radiation
and normal matter at present. The results are self-consistent
and in good agreement with present knowledge in cosmology. These results
suggest that the addition creation and multiplication creation in Dirac
cosmology play the role of the dark energy and dark matter.Comment: 13 pages, 8 figure
Hydrostatic pressure effects on the static magnetism in Eu(FeCo)As
The effects of hydrostatic pressure on the static magnetism in
Eu(FeCo)As are investigated by complementary
electrical resistivity, ac magnetic susceptibility and single-crystal neutron
diffraction measurements. A specific pressure-temperature phase diagram of
Eu(FeCo)As is established. The structural phase
transition, as well as the spin-density-wave order of Fe sublattice, is
suppressed gradually with increasing pressure and disappears completely above
2.0 GPa. In contrast, the magnetic order of Eu sublattice persists over the
whole investigated pressure range up to 14 GPa, yet displaying a non-monotonic
variation with pressure. With the increase of the hydrostatic pressure, the
magnetic state of Eu evolves from the canted antiferromagnetic structure in the
ground state, via a pure ferromagnetic structure under the intermediate
pressure, finally to a possible "novel" antiferromagnetic structure under the
high pressure. The strong ferromagnetism of Eu coexists with the
pressure-induced superconductivity around 2 GPa. The change of the magnetic
state of Eu in Eu(FeCo)As upon the application
of hydrostatic pressure probably arises from the modification of the indirect
Ruderman-Kittel-Kasuya-Yosida (RKKY) interaction between the Eu moments
tuned by external pressure.Comment: 9 pages, 6 figure
Iron and zinc binding activity of Escherichia coli topoisomerase I homolog YrdD
YrdD, a homolog of the C-terminal zinc-binding region of Escherichia coli topoisomerase I, is highly conserved among proteobacteria and enterobacteria. However, the function of YrdD remains elusive. Here we report that YrdD purified from E. coli cells grown in LB media contains both zinc and iron. Supplement of exogenous zinc in the medium abolishes the iron binding of YrdD in E. coli cells, indicating that iron and zinc may compete for the same metal binding sites in the protein. While the zinc-bound YrdD is able to bind single-stranded (ss) DNA and protect ssDNA from the DNase I digestion in vitro, the iron-bound YrdD has very little or no binding activity for ssDNA, suggesting that the zinc-bound YrdD may have an important role in DNA repair by interacting with ssDNA in cells. © 2014 Springer Science+Business Media
Effect of hyporheic exchange on macroinvertebrate community in the Weihe River basin, China
The effect of hyporheic exchange on macroinvertebrates is a significant topic in ecohydraulics. A field study was conducted during May and June 2017 to investigate the impacts of magnitude and patterns of hyporheic exchange on the sediment macroinvertebrate community in theWeihe River basin. The results demonstrate that upwelling flows cause resuspension of riverbed sediment, increasing the proportion of swimmer groups (such as Baetidae) in the macroinvertebrate community. However, large resuspension of river bed sediment results in a reduced abundance of macroinvertebrates. By controlling the transport processes of dissolved oxygen (DO), dissolved organic carbon (DOC), nutrients, temperature, and different patterns of hyporheic exchange strongly influence the structure of macroinvertebrate communities. Downwelling is more likely to produce rich invertebrate communities than upwelling. The magnitude for the hyporheic flux of 150-200 mm/d was optimal for the macroinvertebrate community in theWeihe River Basin. Above or below this rate results in a decline in community abundance and diversity. We suggest that research is conducted to better understand the effects of hyporheic exchange across bedforms on macroinvertebrate communities. The study supports any activities to preserve the ecological functions and health of rivers dominated by fine-grained sediments
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