Spin states and persistent currents in a mesoscopic ring with an embedded magnetic impurity

Spin states and persistent currents are investigated theoretically in a mesoscopic ring with an embedded magnetic ion under a uniform magnetic field including the spin-orbit interactions. The magnetic impurity acts as a spin-dependent $\delta$-potential for electrons and results in gaps in the energy spectrum, consequently suppresses the oscillation of the persistent currents. The competition between the Zeeman splittings and the $s$-$d$ exchange interaction leads to a transition of the electron ground state in the ring. The interplay between the periodic potential induced by the Rashba and Dresselhaus spin-orbit interactions and the $\delta$-potential induced by the magnetic impurity leads to significant variation in the energy spectrum, charge density distribution, and persistent currents of electrons in the ring.Comment: 8 pages, 11 figure

Interacting electrons on a quantum ring: exact and variational approach

We study a system of interacting electrons on a one-dimensional quantum ring using exact diagonalization and the variational quantum Monte Carlo method. We examine the accuracy of the Slater-Jastrow -type many-body wave function and compare energies and pair distribution functions obtained from the two approaches. Our results show that this wave function captures most correlation effects. We then study the smooth transition to a regime where the electrons localize in the rotating frame, which for the ultrathin quantum ring system happens at quite high electron density.Comment: 19 pages, 10 figures. Accepted for publication in the New Journal of Physic

Coupling curvature to a uniform magnetic field; an analytic and numerical study

The Schrodinger equation for an electron near an azimuthally symmetric curved surface $\Sigma$ in the presence of an arbitrary uniform magnetic field $\mathbf B$ is developed. A thin layer quantization procedure is implemented to bring the electron onto $\Sigma$, leading to the well known geometric potential $V_C \propto h^2-k$ and a second potential that couples $A_N$, the component of $\mathbf A$ normal to $\Sigma$ to mean surface curvature, as well as a term dependent on the normal derivative of $A_N$ evaluated on $\Sigma$. Numerical results in the form of ground state energies as a function of the applied field in several orientations are presented for a toroidal model.Comment: 12 pages, 3 figure

Nitrogen transfer from forage legumes to nine neighbouring plants in a multi-species grassland

Legumes play a crucial role in nitrogen supply to grass-legume mixtures for ruminant fodder. To quantify N transfer from legumes to neighbouring plants in multi-species grasslands we established a grass-legume-herb mixture on a loamy-sandy site in Denmark. White clover (Trifolium repens L.), red clover (Trifolium pratense L.) and lucerne (Medicago sativa L.) were leaf-labelled with 15N enriched urea during one growing season. N transfer to grasses (Lolium perenne L. and xfestulolium), white clover, red clover, lucerne, birdsfoot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus L.), chicory (Cichorium intybus L.), plantain (Plantago lanceolata L.), salad burnet (Sanguisorba minor L.)and caraway (Carum carvi L.) was assessed. Neighbouring plants contained greater amounts of N derived from white clover (4.8 gm-2) compared with red clover (2.2 gm-2) and lucerne (1.1 gm-2). Grasses having fibrous roots received greater amounts of N from legumes than dicotyledonous plants which generally have taproots. Slurry application mainly increased N transfer from legumes to grasses. During the growing season the three legumes transferred approximately 40 kg N ha-1 to neighbouring plants. Below-ground N transfer from legumes to neighbouring plants differed among nitrogen donors and nitrogen receivers and may depend on root characteristics and regrowth strategies of plant species in the multi-species grassland

Axonal swellings are related to type 2 diabetes, but not to distal diabetic sensorimotor polyneuropathy

Aims/hypothesis Distal diabetic sensorimotor polyneuropathy (DSP) is a common complication of diabetes with many patients showing a reduction of intraepidermal nerve fibre density (IENFD) from skin biopsy, a validated and sensitive diagnostic tool for the assessment of DSP. Axonal swelling ratio is a morphological quantification altered in DSP. It is, however, unclear if axonal swellings are related to diabetes or DSP. The aim of this study was to investigate how axonal swellings in cutaneous nerve fibres are related to type 2 diabetes mellitus, DSP and neuropathic pain in a well-defined cohort of patients diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. Methods A total of 249 participants, from the Pain in Neuropathy Study (UK) and the International Diabetic Neuropathy Consortium (Denmark), underwent a structured neurological examination, nerve conduction studies, quantitative sensory testing and skin biopsy. The study included four groups: healthy control study participants without diabetes (n = 45); participants with type 2 diabetes without DSP (DSP−; n = 31); and participants with evidence of DSP (DSP+; n = 173); the last were further separated into painless DSP+ (n = 74) and painful DSP+ (n = 99). Axonal swellings were defined as enlargements on epidermal-penetrating fibres exceeding 1.5 μm in diameter. Axonal swelling ratio is calculated by dividing the number of axonal swellings by the number of intraepidermal nerve fibres. Results Median (IQR) IENFD (fibres/mm) was: 6.7 (5.2–9.2) for healthy control participants; 6.2 (4.4–7.3) for DSP−; 1.3 (0.5–2.2) for painless DSP+; and 0.84 (0.4–1.6) for painful DSP+. Swelling ratios were calculated for all participants and those with IENFD > 1.0 fibre/mm. When only those participants with IENFD > 1.0 fibre/mm were included, the axonal swelling ratio was higher in participants with type 2 diabetes when compared with healthy control participants (p < 0.001); however, there was no difference between DSP− and painless DSP+ participants, or between painless DSP+ and painful DSP+ participants. The axonal swelling ratio correlated weakly with HbA1c (r = 0.16, p = 0.04), but did not correlate with the Toronto Clinical Scoring System (surrogate measure of DSP severity), BMI or type 2 diabetes duration. Conclusions/interpretation In individuals with type 2 diabetes where IENFD is >1.0 fibre/mm, axonal swelling ratio is related to type 2 diabetes but is not related to DSP or painful DSP. Axonal swellings may be an early marker of sensory nerve injury in type 2 diabetes

MScanFit motor unit number estimation and muscle velocity recovery cycle recordings in diabetic polyneuropathy

OBJECTIVE: Motor Unit Number Estimation (MUNE) methods may be valuable in tracking motor unit loss in diabetic polyneuropathy (DPN). Muscle Velocity Recovery Cycles (MVRCs) provide information about muscle membrane properties. This study aimed to examine the utility of the MScanFit MUNE in detecting motor unit loss and to test whether the MVRCs could improve understanding of DPN pathophysiology. METHODS: Seventy-nine type-2 diabetic patients were compared to 32 control subjects. All participants were examined with MScanFit MUNE and MVRCs in anterior tibial muscle. Lower limb nerve conduction studies (NCS) in peroneal, tibial and sural nerves were applied to diagnose large fiber neuropathy. RESULTS: NCS confirmed DPN for 47 patients (DPN + ), with 32 not showing DPN (DPN-). MScanFit showed significantly decreased MUNE values and increased motor unit sizes, when comparing DPN + patients with controls (MUNE = 71.3 ± 4.7 vs 122.7 ± 3.8), and also when comparing DPN- patients (MUNE = 103.2 ± 5.1) with controls. MVRCs did not differ between groups. CONCLUSIONS: MScanFit is more sensitive in showing motor unit loss than NCS in type-2 diabetic patients, whereas MVRCs do not provide additional information. SIGNIFICANCE: The MScanFit results suggest that motor changes are seen as early as sensory, and the role of axonal membrane properties in DPN pathophysiology should be revisited

Detection of early motor involvement in diabetic polyneuropathy using a novel MUNE method - MScanFit MUNE

Objective Detection of motor involvement in diabetic polyneuropathy (DPN) by nerve conduction studies (NCS) does not occur until there is substantial loss of motor units, because collateral reinnervation maintains compound muscle action potential (CMAP) amplitude. Motor unit number estimation (MUNE) methods may therefore be more sensitive. This study was undertaken to test whether the novel method, MScanFit MUNE (MScan) can detect motor involvement in DPN despite normal NCS. Methods Fifty-two type-2 diabetic patients and 38 healthy controls were included. The median nerve was examined in all participants using standard NCS and a detailed CMAP scan, used for MScan. Additional lower extremity NCS in patients were used for DPN diagnosis. Results Of 52 diabetic patients, 21 had NCS-defined DPN while lower extremity NCS were normal in 31 patients. MScan motor unit number and size showed higher sensitivity and incidence of abnormality than motor NCS parameters, and a similar sensitivity to sensory NCS. Conclusions MScan is able to detect motor axonal damage at times when collateral reinnervation limits NCS changes. Significance MScan is a sensitive method to detect motor involvement in DPN, which our data suggests is present as early as sensory