Interference in transport through double barriers in interacting quantum wires

We investigate interference effects of the backscattering current through a double-barrier structure in an interacting quantum wire attached to noninteracting leads. Depending on the interaction strength and the location of the barriers, the backscattering current exhibits different oscillation and scaling characteristics with the applied voltage in the strong and weak interaction cases. However, in both cases, the oscillation behaviors of the backscattering current are mainly determined by the quantum mechanical interference due to the existence of the double barriers.Comment: 6 pages, 3 fig

Magnetoelectric photocurrent generated by direct interband transitions in InGaAs/InAlAs two-dimensional electron gas

We report the observation of magnetoelectric photocurrent generated via direct interband transitions in an InGaAs/InAlAs two-dimensional electron gas by a linearly polarized incident light. The electric current is proportional to the in-plane magnetic field, which unbalances the velocities of the photoexcited carriers with opposite spins and consequently generates the electric current from a hidden spin photocurrent. The spin photocurrent can be evaluated from the measured electric current, and the conversion coefficient of spin photocurrent to electric current is self-consistently estimated to be 10-3-10 -2 per Tesla. The observed light-polarization dependence of the electric current is well explained by a theoretical model which reveals the wave vector angle dependence of the photoexcited carrier density. © 2010 The American Physical Society.published_or_final_versio

Spin relaxation in submonolayer and monolayer InAs structures grown in a GaAs matrix

Electron-spin dynamics in InAs/GaAs heterostructures consisting of a single layer of InAs (1/3-1 monolayer) embedded in (001) and (311)A GaAs matrix was studied by means of time-resolved Kerr rotation spectroscopy. The spin-relaxation time of the submonolayer InAs samples is significantly enhanced, compared with that of the monolayer InAs sample. The electron-spin-relaxation time and the effective g factor in submonolayer samples were found to be strongly dependent on the photogenerated carrier density. The contribution from both the D'yakonov-Perel' mechanism and Bir-Aronov-Pikus mechanism are discussed to interpret the temperature dependence of spin decoherence at various carrier densities. © 2009 The American Physical Society.published_or_final_versio

Dominant features in three-dimensional turbulence structure: comparison of non-uniform accelerating and decelerating flows

The results are presented from an experimental study to investigate three-dimensional turbulence structure profiles, including turbulence intensity and Reynolds stress, of different non-uniform open channel flows over smooth bed in subcritical flow regime. In the analysis, the uniform flow profiles have been used to compare with those of the non-uniform flows to investigate their time-averaged spatial flow turbulence structure characteristics. The measured non-uniform velocity profiles are used to verify the von Karman constant κ and to estimate sets of log-law integration constant B r and wake parameter П, where their findings are also compared with values from previous studies. From κ, B r and П findings, it has been found that the log-wake law can sufficiently represent the non-uniform flow in its non-modified form, and all κ, B r and П follow universal rules for different bed roughness conditions. The non-uniform flow experiments also show that both the turbulence intensity and Reynolds stress are governed well by exponential pressure gradient parameter β equations. Their exponential constants are described by quadratic functions in the investigated β range. Through this experimental study, it has been observed that the decelerating flow shows higher empirical constants, in both the turbulence intensity and Reynolds stress compared to the accelerating flow. The decelerating flow also has stronger dominance to determine the flow non-uniformity, because it presents higher Reynolds stress profile than uniform flow, whereas the accelerating flow does not

Effects of dietary lipid levels on growth, survival and lipid metabolism during early ontogeny of Pelteobagrus vachelli larvae

A feeding trial was conducted to investigate the effect of dietary lipid level on darkbarbel catfish (Pelteobagrus vachelli) larvae during ontogeny with regard to growth, survival and lipid utilization. Larvae were fed, from mouth opening to 20 days after hatching (DAH), with five isonitrogenous microdiets containing different lipid levels (58, 74, 111, 151 and 199 g kg(-1) diet). Live prey (newly hatched Artemia, unenriched) was used as the control diet. The activities of lipoprotein lipase (LPL), hepatic lipase (HL), pancreatic lipase (PL) and LPL gene expression at 3 DAH (mouth opening), 6 DAH, 11 DAH and 20 DAH were examined. The results showed that dietary lipid significantly affected survival and growth of darkbarbel catfish larvae. At the end of the feeding trial, larvae fed diets containing 111 to 151 g lipid kg(-1) had significantly higher survival. Specific growth rate (SGR) of larvae fed the diet containing the highest dietary lipid (199 g kg(-1)) was significantly (P<0.05) lower while no significant differences were observed among other groups fed formulated diets. LPL mRNA level generally increased first with increasing dietary lipid levels and then reached a plateau at different sampling ages. A similar pattern was observed for LPL activity only at 6 DAH and 20 DAH. High dietary lipid increased HL activity at 20 DAH. At 6 DAH, highest PL activity was observed at 199 g lipid kg(-1) diet. Higher dietary lipid resulted in earlier elevated activities of LPL, PL and HL The specific activities of the above three enzymes and LPL mRNA expression were detected at mouth opening and were significantly influenced by age. The activities of these enzymes increased first and then decreased or reached a plateau during development. The results suggest that dietary lipid could modify lipid utilization during ontogeny of darkbarbel catfish larvae. (C) 2009 Published by Elsevier B.V

Selective Constraints on Amino Acids Estimated by a Mechanistic Codon Substitution Model with Multiple Nucleotide Changes

Empirical substitution matrices represent the average tendencies of substitutions over various protein families by sacrificing gene-level resolution. We develop a codon-based model, in which mutational tendencies of codon, a genetic code, and the strength of selective constraints against amino acid replacements can be tailored to a given gene. First, selective constraints averaged over proteins are estimated by maximizing the likelihood of each 1-PAM matrix of empirical amino acid (JTT, WAG, and LG) and codon (KHG) substitution matrices. Then, selective constraints specific to given proteins are approximated as a linear function of those estimated from the empirical substitution matrices. Akaike information criterion (AIC) values indicate that a model allowing multiple nucleotide changes fits the empirical substitution matrices significantly better. Also, the ML estimates of transition-transversion bias obtained from these empirical matrices are not so large as previously estimated. The selective constraints are characteristic of proteins rather than species. However, their relative strengths among amino acid pairs can be approximated not to depend very much on protein families but amino acid pairs, because the present model, in which selective constraints are approximated to be a linear function of those estimated from the JTT/WAG/LG/KHG matrices, can provide a good fit to other empirical substitution matrices including cpREV for chloroplast proteins and mtREV for vertebrate mitochondrial proteins. The present codon-based model with the ML estimates of selective constraints and with adjustable mutation rates of nucleotide would be useful as a simple substitution model in ML and Bayesian inferences of molecular phylogenetic trees, and enables us to obtain biologically meaningful information at both nucleotide and amino acid levels from codon and protein sequences.Comment: Table 9 in this article includes corrections for errata in the Table 9 published in 10.1371/journal.pone.0017244. Supporting information is attached at the end of the article, and a computer-readable dataset of the ML estimates of selective constraints is available from 10.1371/journal.pone.001724

Effects of different weaning strategies on survival and growth in Chinese longsnout catfish (Leiocassis longirostris Gunther) larvae

The effects of different weaning strategies during the larval rearing of Chinese longsnout catfish were determined in two trials. In the first trial, the effect of abrupt-weaning from live prey (Artemia nauplii) to micro-diet at 5, 6, 7, 8, 10 dph, respectively was investigated. The second trial examined the effect of weaning with co-feeding at different ages (6, 8 and 10 dph). The survival, growth, digestive enzymes, coefficient of variation of final body weight (CVFBW) and body length (CVBL), digestive enzyme activities, fish body lysozyme and fish body glucose were significantly influenced by abrupt-introducing of microdiet (P<0.05). When weaning with live prey, only the fish body lysozyme significantly increased in the group introduced to microdiet on 8 and 10 dph (P<0.05). The study showed that abrupt-weaning of Chinese longsnout catfish should be obtained after 10 dph. Co-feeding could reduce the stress to larvae and therefore the weaning could start at 6 dph with co-feeding. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.The effects of different weaning strategies during the larval rearing of Chinese longsnout catfish were determined in two trials. In the first trial, the effect of abrupt-weaning from live prey (Artemia nauplii) to micro-diet at 5, 6, 7, 8, 10 dph, respectively was investigated. The second trial examined the effect of weaning with co-feeding at different ages (6, 8 and 10 dph)

Novel insights into the cardio-protective effects of FGF21 in lean and obese rat hearts

Aims: Fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) is a hepatic metabolic regulator with pleotropic actions. Its plasma concentrations are increased in obesity and diabetes; states associated with an increased incidence of cardiovascular disease. We therefore investigated the direct effect of FGF21 on cardio-protection in obese and lean hearts in response to ischemia. Methods and Results: FGF21, FGF21-receptor 1 (FGFR1) and beta-Klotho (βKlotho) were expressed in rodent, human hearts and primary rat cardiomyocytes. Cardiac FGF21 was expressed and secreted (real time RT-PCR/western blot and ELISA) in an autocrine-paracrine manner, in response to obesity and hypoxia, involving FGFR1-βKlotho components. Cardiac-FGF21 expression and secretion were increased in response to global ischemia. In contrast βKlotho was reduced in obese hearts. In isolated adult rat cardiomyocytes, FGF21 activated PI3K/Akt (phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/Akt), ERK1/2(extracellular signal-regulated kinase) and AMPK (AMP-activated protein kinase) pathways. In Langendorff perfused rat [adult male wild-type wistar] hearts, FGF21 administration induced significant cardio-protection and restoration of function following global ischemia. Inhibition of PI3K/Akt, AMPK, ERK1/2 and ROR-α (retinoic-acid receptor alpha) pathway led to significant decrease of FGF21 induced cardio-protection and restoration of cardiac function in response to global ischemia. More importantly, this cardio-protective response induced by FGF21 was reduced in obesity, although the cardiac expression profiles and circulating FGF21 levels were increased. Conclusion: In an ex vivo Langendorff system, we show that FGF21 induced cardiac protection and restoration of cardiac function involving autocrine-paracrine pathways, with reduced effect in obesity. Collectively, our findings provide novel insights into FGF21-induced cardiac effects in obesity and ischemia

Expression of Distal-less, dachshund, and optomotor blind in Neanthes arenaceodentata (Annelida, Nereididae) does not support homology of appendage-forming mechanisms across the Bilateria

The similarity in the genetic regulation of arthropod and vertebrate appendage formation has been interpreted as the product of a plesiomorphic gene network that was primitively involved in bilaterian appendage development and co-opted to build appendages (in modern phyla) that are not historically related as structures. Data from lophotrochozoans are needed to clarify the pervasiveness of plesiomorphic appendage forming mechanisms. We assayed the expression of three arthropod and vertebrate limb gene orthologs, Distal-less (Dll), dachshund (dac), and optomotor blind (omb), in direct-developing juveniles of the polychaete Neanthes arenaceodentata. Parapodial Dll expression marks premorphogenetic notopodia and neuropodia, becoming restricted to the bases of notopodial cirri and to ventral portions of neuropodia. In outgrowing cephalic appendages, Dll activity is primarily restricted to proximal domains. Dll expression is also prominent in the brain. dac expression occurs in the brain, nerve cord ganglia, a pair of pharyngeal ganglia, presumed interneurons linking a pair of segmental nerves, and in newly differentiating mesoderm. Domains of omb expression include the brain, nerve cord ganglia, one pair of anterior cirri, presumed precursors of dorsal musculature, and the same pharyngeal ganglia and presumed interneurons that express dac. Contrary to their roles in outgrowing arthropod and vertebrate appendages, Dll, dac, and omb lack comparable expression in Neanthes appendages, implying independent evolution of annelid appendage development. We infer that parapodia and arthropodia are not structurally or mechanistically homologous (but their primordia might be), that Dll’s ancestral bilaterian function was in sensory and central nervous system differentiation, and that locomotory appendages possibly evolved from sensory outgrowths

Inhibitory Effect of Polysaccharides from Scutellaria barbata D. Don on Invasion and Metastasis of 95-D Cells Lines via Regulation of C-MET and E-CAD Expressions

Purpose: To investigate the inhibitory effect of polysaccharides from Scutellaria barbata (PSB) on invasion and metastasis of lung cancer, and study the possible mechanism.Methods: PSB was extracted with water and by alcohol precipitation, and purified by DEAE-52 column chromatography. A highly invasive and metastatic lung carcinoma cell, 95-D cell line, was used for the study. Cell adhesion and invasion assays in vitro were performed to evaluate the anti-invasive and antimetastatic effects of PSB (50 - 200 μg/ml) on 95-D cell. Immunocytochemical staining and Western blot techniques were employed to study the regulatory effects of PSB on the expression of C-MET and ECAD.Results: The results indicate that PSB significantly inhibited cell invasion and migration of 95-D in a concentration-dependent manner (p &lt; 0.05). The adhesion of 95-D cells to fibronectin was also inhibited by PSB (p &lt; 0.05). The expression of C-MET and E-CAD in 95-D cells treated with PSB were significantly down-regulated and up-regulated, respectivelt (p &lt; 0.05).Conclusion: Treatment with PSB can significantly inhibit the invasion and metastasis of 95-D cells in vitro, probably through the regulation of C-MET and E-CAD.Keywords: Polysaccharide, Scutellaria barbata, 95-D cell lines, Invasion, Metastasi