386 research outputs found
Gating-by-tilt of mechanosensitive membrane channels
We propose an alternative mechanism for the gating of biological membrane
channels in response to membrane tension that involves a change in the slope of
the membrane near the channel. Under biological membrane tensions we show that
the energy difference between the closed (tilted) and open (untilted) states
can far exceed kBT and is comparable to what is available under simple
ilational gating. Recent experiments demonstrate that membrane leaflet
asymmetries (spontaneous curvature) can strong effect the gating of some
channels. Such a phenomenon would be more easy to explain under gating-by-tilt,
given its novel intrinsic sensitivity to such asymmetry.Comment: 10 pages, 2 figure
Optimal design of nanoplasmonic materials using genetic algorithms as a multi-parameter optimization tool
An optimal control approach based on multiple parameter genetic algorithms is
applied to the design of plasmonic nanoconstructs with pre-determined optical
properties and functionalities. We first develop nanoscale metallic lenses that
focus an incident plane wave onto a pre-specified, spatially confined spot. Our
results illustrate the role of symmetry breaking and unravel the principles
that favor dimeric constructs for optimal light localization. Next we design a
periodic array of silver particles to modify the polarization of an incident,
linearly-polarized plane wave in a desired fashion while localizing the light
in space. The results provide insight into the structural features that
determine the birefringence properties of metal nanoparticles and their arrays.
Of the variety of potential applications that may be envisioned, we note the
design of nanoscale light sources with controllable coherence and polarization
properties that could serve for coherent control of molecular or electronic
dynamics in the nanoscale.Comment: 13 pages, 6 figures. submitted to J. Chem. Phy
Transport and optical response of molecular junctions driven by surface plasmon-polaritons
We consider a biased molecular junction subjected to external time-dependent
electromagnetic field. The field for two typical junction geometries (bowtie
antennas and metal nanospheres) is calculated within finite-difference
time-domain technique. Time-dependent transport and optical response of the
junctions is calculated within non-equilibrium Green's function approach
expressed in a form convenient for description of multi-level systems. We
present numerical results for a two-level (HOMO-LUMO) model, and discuss
influence of localized surface plasmon polariton modes on transport.Comment: 9 pages, 6 figure
Optical properties of metal nanoparticles with no center of inversion symmetry: observation of volume plasmons
We present theoretical and experimental studies of the optical response of
L-shaped silver nanoparticles. The scattering spectrum exhibits several plasmon
resonances that depend sensitively on the polarization of the incident
electromagnetic field. The physical origin of the resonances is traced to
different plasmon phenomena. In particular, a high energy band with unusual
properties is interpreted in terms of volume plasmon oscillations arising from
the asymmetry of a nanoparticle.Comment: 14 pages, 5 figures. Physical Review B, 2007, accepte
Vibrational Spectra of a Mechanosensitive Channel
We report the simulated vibrational spectra of a mechanosensitive membrane channel in different gating states. Our results show that while linear absorption is insensitive to structural differences, linear dichroism and sum-frequency generation spectroscopies are sensitive to the orientation of the transmembrane helices, which is changing during the opening process. Linear dichroism cannot distinguish an intermediate structure from the closed structure, but sum-frequency generation can. In addition, we find that two-dimensional infrared spectroscopy can be used to distinguish all three investigated gating states of the mechanosensitive membrane channel.
Measurement of decay rate and parameters at KEDR
Using the inclusive photon spectrum based on a data sample collected at the
peak with the KEDR detector at the VEPP-4M collider, we
measured the rate of the radiative decay as well
as mass and width. Taking into account an asymmetric photon
lineshape we obtained keV, MeV/, MeV.Comment: 6 pages, 3 figure
Precise measurement of and between 1.84 and 3.72 GeV at the KEDR detector
The present work continues a series of the KEDR measurements of the value
that started in 2010 at the VEPP-4M collider. By combining new data
with our previous results in this energy range we measured the values of
and at nine center-of-mass energies between 3.08 and 3.72
GeV. The total accuracy is about or better than at most of energy
points with a systematic uncertainty of about . Together with the
previous precise measurement at KEDR in the energy range 1.84-3.05 GeV, it
constitutes the most detailed high-precision measurement near the
charmonium production threshold.Comment: arXiv admin note: text overlap with arXiv:1610.02827 and substantial
text overlap with arXiv:1510.0266
Measurement of J/psi to eta_c gamma at KEDR
We present a study of the inclusive photon spectra from 5.9 million J/psi
decays collected with the KEDR detector at the VEPP-4M e+e- collider. We
measure the branching fraction of radiative decay J/psi to eta_c gamma, eta_c
width and mass. Our preliminary results are: M(eta_c) = 2979.4+-1.5+-1.9 MeV,
G(eta_c) = 27.8+-5.1+-3.3 MeV, B(J/psi to eta_c gamma) = (2.34+-0.15+-0.40)%.Comment: To be published in Proceedings of the PhiPsi09, Oct. 13-16, 2009,
Beijing, Chin
Measurement of B(J/psi->eta_c gamma) at KEDR
We present a study of the inclusive photon spectrum from 6.3 million J/psi
decays collected with the KEDR detector at the VEPP-4M e+e- collider. We
measure the branching fraction of the radiative decay J/psi -> eta_c gamma,
eta_c width and mass. Taking into account an asymmetric photon line shape we
obtain: M(eta_c) = (2978.1 +- 1.4 +- 2.0) MeV/c^2, Gamma(eta_c) = (43.5 +- 5.4
+- 15.8) MeV, B(J/psi->eta_c gamma) = (2.59 +- 0.16 +- 0.31)%$.Comment: 6 pages, 1 figure. To be published in the proceedings of the 4th
International Workshop on Charm Physics (Charm2010), October 21-24, 2010,
IHEP, Beijin
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