2,728 research outputs found
Electron Spin Injection at a Schottky Contact
We investigate theoretically electrical spin injection at a Schottky contact
between a spin-polarized electrode and a non-magnetic semiconductor. Current
and electron density spin-polarizations are discussed as functions of barrier
energy and semiconductor doping density. The effect of a spin-dependent
interface resistance that results from a tunneling region at the
contact/semiconductor interface is described. The model can serve as a guide
for designing spin-injection experiments with regard to the interface
properties and device structure.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure
670 nm laser light and EGCG complementarily reduce amyloid-β aggregates in human neuroblastoma cells: basis for treatment of Alzheimer's disease?
Objective: The aim of the present study is to present the results of in vitro experiments with possible relevance in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Background Data: Despite intensive research efforts, there is no treatment for AD. One root cause of AD is the extra- and intracellular deposition of amyloid-beta (A{beta}) fibrils in the brain. Recently, it was shown that extracellular A{beta} can enter brain cells, resulting in neurotoxicity. Methods: After internalization of A{beta}(42) into human neuroblastoma (SH-EP) cells, they were irradiated with moderately intense 670-nm laser light (1000 Wm(-2)) and/or treated with epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). Results: In irradiated cells, A{beta}(42) aggregate amounts were significantly lower than in nonirradiated cells. Likewise, in EGCG-treated cells, A{beta}(42) aggregate amounts were significantly lower than in non-EGCG-treated cells. Except for the cells simultaneously laden with A{beta}(42) and EGCG, there was a significant increase in cell numbers in response to laser irradiation. EGCG alone had no effect on cell proliferation. Laser irradiation significantly increased ATP levels in A{beta}(42)-free cells, when compared to nonirradiated cells. Laser-induced clearance of Aβ(42) aggregates occurred at the expense of cellular ATP. Conclusions: Irradiation with moderate levels of 670-nm light and EGCG supplementation complementarily reduces A{beta} aggregates in SH-EP cells. Transcranial penetration of moderate levels of red to near-infrared (NIR) light has already been amply exploited in the treatment of patients with acute stroke; the blood-brain barrier (BBB) penetration of EGCG has been demonstrated in animals. We hope that our approach will inspire a practical therapy for AD
Optoelectric spin injection in semiconductor heterostructures without ferromagnet
We have shown that electron spin density can be generated by a dc current
flowing across a junction with an embedded asymmetric quantum well. Spin
polarization is created in the quantum well by radiative electron-hole
recombination when the conduction electron momentum distribution is shifted
with respect to the momentum distribution of holes in the spin split valence
subbands. Spin current appears when the spin polarization is injected from the
quantum well into the -doped region of the junction. The accompanied
emission of circularly polarized light from the quantum well can serve as a
spin polarization detector.Comment: 2 figure
Vortex pinning in high-Tc materials via randomly oriented columnar defects, created by GeV proton-induced fission fragments
Extensive work has shown that irradiation with 0.8 GeV protons can produce
randomly oriented columnar defects (CD's) in a large number of HTS materials,
specifically those cuprates containing Hg, Tl, Pb, Bi, and similar heavy
elements. Absorbing the incident proton causes the nucleus of these species to
fission, and the recoiling fission fragments create amorphous tracks, i.e.,
CD's. The superconductive transition temperature Tc decreases linearly with
proton fluence and we analyze how the rate depends on the family of
superconductors. In a study of Tl-2212 materials, adding defects decreases the
equilibrium magnetization Meq(H) significantly in magnitude and changes its
field dependence; this result is modeled in terms of vortex pinning. Analysis
of the irreversible magnetization and its time dependence shows marked
increases in the persistent current density and effective pinning energy, and
leads to an estimate for the elementary attempt time for vortex hopping, tau ~
4x10^(-9) s.Comment: Submitted to Physica C; presentation at ISS-2001. PDF file only, 13
pp. tota
Genetic partitioning of interleukin-6 signalling in mice dissociates Stat3 from Smad3-mediated lung fibrosis
Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a fatal disease that is unresponsive to current therapies and characterized by excessive collagen deposition and subsequent fibrosis. While inflammatory cytokines, including interleukin (IL)-6, are elevated in IPF, the molecular mechanisms that underlie this disease are incompletely understood, although the development of fibrosis is believed to depend on canonical transforming growth factor (TGF)-β signalling. We examined bleomycin-induced inflammation and fibrosis in mice carrying a mutation in the shared IL-6 family receptor gp130. Using genetic complementation, we directly correlate the extent of IL-6-mediated, excessive Stat3 activity with inflammatory infiltrates in the lung and the severity of fibrosis in corresponding gp130757F mice. The extent of fibrosis was attenuated in B lymphocyte-deficient gp130757F;µMT−/− compound mutant mice, but fibrosis still occurred in their Smad3−/− counterparts consistent with the capacity of excessive Stat3 activity to induce collagen 1α1 gene transcription independently of canonical TGF-β/Smad3 signalling. These findings are of therapeutic relevance, since we confirmed abundant STAT3 activation in fibrotic lungs from IPF patients and showed that genetic reduction of Stat3 protected mice from bleomycin-induced lung fibrosis
Probing Anomalous Wtb Coupling via Single Top Production at TeV Energy e Colliders
Results of complete tree level calculations of the single top production
reaction at the Next Linear Collider, including
the contribution of anomalous operators to the Wtb coupling are presented. The
sensitivity for probing the structure of the Wtb coupling in a model
independent way is analyzed and found to be significantly higher than for
comparable measurements at the Tevatron.Comment: 10 Latex pages including 1 ps-figure and 3 eps-figure
Thermodynamic properties of the d-density wave order in cuprates
We solve a popular effective Hamiltonian of competing -density wave and
d-wave superconductivity orders self-consistently at the mean-field level for a
wide range of doping and temperature. The theory predicts a temperature
dependence of the -density wave order parameter seemingly inconsistent with
the neutron scattering and SR experiments of the cuprates. We further
calculate thermodynamic quantities, such as chemical potential, entropy and
specific heat. Their distinct features can be used to test the existence of the
-density wave order in cuprates.Comment: changed to 4 pages and 4 figures. More reference added. Accepted by
Phys. Rev.
Spin-Polarized Electron Transport at Ferromagnet/Semiconductor Schottky Contacts
We theoretically investigate electron spin injection and spin-polarization
sensitive current detection at Schottky contacts between a ferromagnetic metal
and an n-type or p-type semiconductor. We use spin-dependent continuity
equations and transport equations at the drift-diffusion level of
approximation. Spin-polarized electron current and density in the semiconductor
are described for four scenarios corresponding to the injection or the
collection of spin polarized electrons at Schottky contacts to n-type or p-type
semiconductors. The transport properties of the interface are described by a
spin-dependent interface resistance, resulting from an interfacial tunneling
region. The spin-dependent interface resistance is crucial for achieving spin
injection or spin polarization sensitivity in these configurations. We find
that the depletion region resulting from Schottky barrier formation at a
metal/semiconductor interface is detrimental to both spin injection and spin
detection. However, the depletion region can be tailored using a doping density
profile to minimize these deleterious effects. For example, a heavily doped
region near the interface, such as a delta-doped layer, can be used to form a
sharp potential profile through which electrons tunnel to reduce the effective
Schottky energy barrier that determines the magnitude of the depletion region.
The model results indicate that efficient spin-injection and spin-polarization
detection can be achieved in properly designed structures and can serve as a
guide for the structure design.Comment: RevTex
Critical temperature oscillations in magnetically coupled superconducting mesoscopic loops
We study the magnetic interaction between two superconducting concentric
mesoscopic Al loops, close to the superconducting/normal phase transition. The
phase boundary is measured resistively for the two-loop structure as well as
for a reference single loop. In both systems Little-Parks oscillations,
periodic in field are observed in the critical temperature Tc versus applied
magnetic field H. In the Fourier spectrum of the Tc(H) oscillations, a weak
'low frequency' response shows up, which can be attributed to the inner loop
supercurrent magnetic coupling to the flux of the outer loop. The amplitude of
this effect can be tuned by varying the applied transport current.Comment: 9 pages, 7 figures, accepted for publication in Phys. Rev.
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