1,005 research outputs found
Stimulation of endothelial adenosine Al receptors enhances adhesion of neutrophils in the intact guinea pig coronary system
Objective: The primary aim was to determine the action of pathophysiologically relevant adenosine concentrations (0.1-1 ÎĽM) on adhesion of neutrophils to coronary endothelium. Further aims were to evaluate the nature and localisation of the adenosine receptor involved. and to assess the effect of endogenous adenosine.
Methods: Adhesion was studied in isolated perfused guinea pig hearts by determining the number of cells emerging in the coronary effluent after intracoronary bolus injections of 600 000 neutrophils prepared from guinea pig or human blood. The system was characterised by the use of the proadhesive stimulus thrombin.
Results: A 5 rnin infusion of adenosine (0.1-0.3 ÎĽM) or the A1 receptor agonist N6-cyclopentyladenosine (CPA, 0.01 ÎĽM) significantly increased adhesion from about 20% (control) to 30%. This effect was prevented by the A1 receptor antagonist dipropyl-8-cyclopentylxanthine (DPCPX. 0.1 ÎĽM). It was not diminished by cessation of adenosine infusion 90 s prior to neutrophil injection. At a higher concentration of adenosine (1 ÎĽM), adhesion did not seem to be enhanced. However, coinfusion of the A2 receptor antagonist 3,7-dimethyl-1-propargylxanthine (DMPX. 0.1 ÎĽM) with 1 ÎĽM adenosine unmasked the A1 action, adhesion rising to 39%. Adenosine had a quantitatively identical effect on adhesion of human neutrophils. Total ischaemia of 15 min duration raised adhesion of subsequently applied neutrophils to 35%. This effect was completely blocked by DPCPX, as well as by ischaemic preconditioning (3 X 3 min). Preconditioning raised initial postischaemic coronary effluent adenosine from about 0.8 ÎĽM to 1.5 ÎĽM.
Conclusions: The findings suggest a bimodal participation of adenosine in the development of postischaemic dysfunction by an endothelium dependent modulation of neutrophil adhesion. Stimulation occurs via endothelial A1 receptors at submicromolar adenosine levels, whereas cardioprotection by adenosine may in part relate to the use of pharmacologically high concentrations of adenosine or enhanced endogenous production after preconditioning
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Vibrational exciton nanoimaging of phases and domains in porphyrin nanocrystals.
Much of the electronic transport, photophysical, or biological functions of molecular materials emerge from intermolecular interactions and associated nanoscale structure and morphology. However, competing phases, defects, and disorder give rise to confinement and many-body localization of the associated wavefunction, disturbing the performance of the material. Here, we employ vibrational excitons as a sensitive local probe of intermolecular coupling in hyperspectral infrared scattering scanning near-field optical microscopy (IR s-SNOM) with complementary small-angle X-ray scattering to map multiscale structure from molecular coupling to long-range order. In the model organic electronic material octaethyl porphyrin ruthenium(II) carbonyl (RuOEP), we observe the evolution of competing ordered and disordered phases, in nucleation, growth, and ripening of porphyrin nanocrystals. From measurement of vibrational exciton delocalization, we identify coexistence of ordered and disordered phases in RuOEP that extend down to the molecular scale. Even when reaching a high degree of macroscopic crystallinity, identify significant local disorder with correlation lengths of only a few nanometers. This minimally invasive approach of vibrational exciton nanospectroscopy and -imaging is generally applicable to provide the molecular-level insight into photoresponse and energy transport in organic photovoltaics, electronics, or proteins
Quantum Monte Carlo calculations of H dissociation on Si(001)
We present quantum Monte Carlo calculations for various reaction pathways of
H with Si(001), using large model clusters of the surface. We obtain
reaction energies and energy barriers noticeably higher than those from
approximate exchange-correlation functionals. In improvement over previous
studies, our adsorption barriers closely agree with experimental data. For
desorption, the calculations give barriers for conventional pathways in excess
of the presently accepted experimental value, and pinpoint the role of coverage
effects and desorption from steps.Comment: 4 pages, 1 figur
Comparison of radiative energy flows in observational datasets and climate modeling
This study examines radiative flux distributions and local spread of values from three major observational datasets (CERES, ISCCP, and SRB) and compares them with results from climate modeling (CMIP3). Examinations of the spread and differences also differentiate among contributions from cloudy and clear-sky conditions. The spread among observational datasets is in large part caused by noncloud ancillary data. Average differences of at least 10 W m-2 each for clear-sky downward solar, upward solar, and upward infrared fluxes at the surface demonstrate via spatial difference patterns major differences in assumptions for atmospheric aerosol, solar surface albedo and surface temperature, and/or emittance in observational datasets. At the top of the atmosphere (TOA), observational datasets are less influenced by the ancillary data errors than at the surface. Comparisons of spatial radiative flux distributions at the TOA between observations and climate modeling indicate large deficiencies in the strength and distribution of model-simulated cloud radiative effects. Differences are largest for lower-altitude clouds over low-latitude oceans. Global modeling simulates stronger cloud radiative effects (CRE) by +30 W m-2 over trade wind cumulus regions, yet smaller CRE by about -30 W m-2 over (smaller in area) stratocumulus regions. At the surface, climate modeling simulates on average about 15 W m-2 smaller radiative net flux imbalances, as if climate modeling underestimates latent heat release (and precipitation). Relative to observational datasets, simulated surface net fluxes are particularly lower over oceanic trade wind regions (where global modeling tends to overestimate the radiative impact of clouds). Still, with the uncertainty in noncloud ancillary data, observational data do not establish a reliable reference. © 2016 American Meteorological Society
Measuring degree-degree association in networks
The Pearson correlation coefficient is commonly used for quantifying the
global level of degree-degree association in complex networks. Here, we use a
probabilistic representation of the underlying network structure for assessing
the applicability of different association measures to heavy-tailed degree
distributions. Theoretical arguments together with our numerical study indicate
that Pearson's coefficient often depends on the size of networks with equal
association structure, impeding a systematic comparison of real-world networks.
In contrast, Kendall-Gibbons' is a considerably more robust measure
of the degree-degree association
Statistical modeling of ground motion relations for seismic hazard analysis
We introduce a new approach for ground motion relations (GMR) in the
probabilistic seismic hazard analysis (PSHA), being influenced by the extreme
value theory of mathematical statistics. Therein, we understand a GMR as a
random function. We derive mathematically the principle of area-equivalence;
wherein two alternative GMRs have an equivalent influence on the hazard if
these GMRs have equivalent area functions. This includes local biases. An
interpretation of the difference between these GMRs (an actual and a modeled
one) as a random component leads to a general overestimation of residual
variance and hazard. Beside this, we discuss important aspects of classical
approaches and discover discrepancies with the state of the art of stochastics
and statistics (model selection and significance, test of distribution
assumptions, extreme value statistics). We criticize especially the assumption
of logarithmic normally distributed residuals of maxima like the peak ground
acceleration (PGA). The natural distribution of its individual random component
(equivalent to exp(epsilon_0) of Joyner and Boore 1993) is the generalized
extreme value. We show by numerical researches that the actual distribution can
be hidden and a wrong distribution assumption can influence the PSHA negatively
as the negligence of area equivalence does. Finally, we suggest an estimation
concept for GMRs of PSHA with a regression-free variance estimation of the
individual random component. We demonstrate the advantages of event-specific
GMRs by analyzing data sets from the PEER strong motion database and estimate
event-specific GMRs. Therein, the majority of the best models base on an
anisotropic point source approach. The residual variance of logarithmized PGA
is significantly smaller than in previous models. We validate the estimations
for the event with the largest sample by empirical area functions. etc
Highly site-specific H2 adsorption on vicinal Si(001) surfaces
Experimental and theoretical results for the dissociative adsorption of H_2
on vicinal Si(001) surfaces are presented. Using optical second-harmonic
generation, sticking probabilities at the step sites are found to exceed those
on the terraces by up to six orders of magnitude. Density functional theory
calculations indicate the presence of direct adsorption pathways for
monohydride formation but with a dramatically lowered barrier for step
adsorption due to an efficient rehybridization of dangling orbitals.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures, submitted to Phys. Rev. Lett. (1998). Other
related publications can be found at
http://www.fhi-berlin.mpg.de/th/paper.htm
Imaging Gold Nanoparticles in Living Cells Environments using Heterodyne Digital Holographic Microscopy
This paper describes an imaging microscopic technique based on heterodyne
digital holography where subwavelength-sized gold colloids can be imaged in
cell environment. Surface cellular receptors of 3T3 mouse fibroblasts are
labeled with 40 nm gold nanoparticles, and the biological specimen is imaged in
a total internal reflection configuration with holographic microscopy. Due to a
higher scattering efficiency of the gold nanoparticles versus that of cellular
structures, accurate localization of a gold marker is obtained within a 3D
mapping of the entire sample's scattered field, with a lateral precision of 5
nm and 100 nm in the x,y and in the z directions respectively, demonstrating
the ability of holographic microscopy to locate nanoparticles in living cells
environments
Characterizing the Adaptive Optics Off-Axis Point-Spread Function - I: A Semi-Empirical Method for Use in Natural-Guide-Star Observations
Even though the technology of adaptive optics (AO) is rapidly maturing,
calibration of the resulting images remains a major challenge. The AO
point-spread function (PSF) changes quickly both in time and position on the
sky. In a typical observation the star used for guiding will be separated from
the scientific target by 10" to 30". This is sufficient separation to render
images of the guide star by themselves nearly useless in characterizing the PSF
at the off-axis target position. A semi-empirical technique is described that
improves the determination of the AO off-axis PSF. The method uses calibration
images of dense star fields to determine the change in PSF with field position.
It then uses this information to correct contemporaneous images of the guide
star to produce a PSF that is more accurate for both the target position and
the time of a scientific observation. We report on tests of the method using
natural-guide-star AO systems on the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope and Lick
Observatory Shane Telescope, augmented by simple atmospheric computer
simulations. At 25" off-axis, predicting the PSF full width at half maximum
using only information about the guide star results in an error of 60%. Using
an image of a dense star field lowers this error to 33%, and our method, which
also folds in information about the on-axis PSF, further decreases the error to
19%.Comment: 29 pages, 9 figures, accepted for publication in the PAS
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