258 research outputs found
Theory for the coupling between longitudinal phonons and intrinsic Josephson oscillations in layered superconductors
In this publication a microscopic theory for the coupling of intrinsic
Josephson oscillations in layered superconductors with longitudinal
c-axis-phonons is developed. It is shown that the influence of lattice
vibrations on the c-axis transport can be fully described by introducing an
effective longitudinal dielectric function. Resonances in the
I-V-characteristic appear at van Hove singularities of both acoustical and
optical longitudinal phonon branches. This provides a natural explanation of
the recently discovered subgap structures in the I-V-characteristic of highly
anisotropic cuprate superconductors. The effect of the phonon dispersion on the
damping of these resonances and the coupling of Josephson oscillations in
different resistive junctions due to phonons are discussed in detail.Comment: submitted to Phys. Rev. B, corrections following referee repor
Ground state laser cooling using electromagnetically induced transparency
A laser cooling method for trapped atoms is described which achieves ground
state cooling by exploiting quantum interference in a driven Lambda-shaped
arrangement of atomic levels. The scheme is technically simpler than existing
methods of sideband cooling, yet it can be significantly more efficient, in
particular when several motional modes are involved, and it does not impose
restrictions on the transition linewidth. We study the full quantum mechanical
model of the cooling process for one motional degree of freedom and show that a
rate equation provides a good approximation.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures; v2: minor modifications to abstract, text and
figure captions; v3: few references added and rearranged; v4: One part
significantly changed, 1 figure removed, new equations; v5: typos corrected,
to appear in PR
R/V MARIA S. MERIAN Cruise Report MSM57, Gas Hydrate Dynamics at the Continental Margin of Svalbard, Reykjavik – Longyearbyen – Reykjavik, 29 July – 07 September 2016
Multiband model of high Tc superconductors
We propose an extension to other high T_{c } compounds of a model introduced
earlier for YBCO. In the ''self-doped'' compounds we assume that the doping
part (namely the BiO, HgO, TlO planes in BSCCO, HBCCO, TBCCO respectively) is
metallic, which leads to a multiband model. This assumption is supported by
band structure calculations. Taking a repulsive pairing interaction between
these doping bands and the CuO_{2} bands leads to opposite signs for the order
parameter on these bands and to nodes whenever the Fermi surfaces of these
bands cross. We show that in BSCCO the low temperature dependence of the
penetration depth is reasonably accounted for. In this case the nodes are not
located near the 45^{o} direction, which makes the experimental determination
of the node locations an important test for our model. The situation in HBCCO
and TBCCO is rather analogous to BSCCO. We consider the indications given by
NMR and find that they rather favor a metallic character for the doping bands.
Finally we discuss the cases of NCCO and LSCO which are not ''self-doped'' and
where our model does not give nodes.Comment: 11 pages, revtex, 1 figure
Parathyroid hormone PTH(1–34) increases the volume, mineral content, and mechanical properties of regenerated mineralizing tissue after distraction osteogenesis in rabbits
Background and purpose Parathyroid hormone (PTH) has attracted considerable interest as a bone anabolic agent. Recently, it has been suggested that PTH can also enhance bone repair after fracture and distraction osteogenesis. We analyzed bone density and strength of the newly regenerated mineralized tissue after intermittent treatment with PTH in rabbits, which undergo Haversian bone remodeling similar to that in humans
PR1-Specific T Cells Are Associated with Unmaintained Cytogenetic Remission of Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia After Interferon Withdrawal
Interferon-alpha (IFN) induces complete cytogenetic remission (CCR) in 20-25% CML patients and in a small minority of patients; CCR persists after IFN is stopped. IFN induces CCR in part by increasing cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) specific for PR1, the HLA-A2-restricted 9-mer peptide from proteinase 3 and neutrophil elastase, but it is unknown how CCR persists after IFN is stopped.We reasoned that PR1-CTL persist and mediate CML-specific immunity in patients that maintain CCR after IFN withdrawal. We found that PR1-CTL were increased in peripheral blood of 7/7 HLA-A2+ patients during unmaintained CCR from 3 to 88 months after IFN withdrawal, as compared to no detectable PR1-CTL in 2/2 IFN-treated CML patients not in CCR. Unprimed PR1-CTL secreted IFNgamma and were predominantly CD45RA+/-CD28+CCR7+CD57-, consistent with functional naïve and central memory (CM) T cells. Similarly, following stimulation, proliferation occurred predominantly in CM PR1-CTL, consistent with long-term immunity sustained by self-renewing CM T cells. PR1-CTL were functionally anergic in one patient 6 months prior to cytogenetic relapse at 26 months after IFN withdrawal, and in three relapsed patients PR1-CTL were undetectable but re-emerged 3-6 months after starting imatinib.These data support the hypothesis that IFN elicits CML-specific CM CTL that may contribute to continuous CCR after IFN withdrawal and suggest a role for T cell immune therapy with or without tyrosine kinase inhibitors as a strategy to prolong CR in CML
Serum-Dependent Selective Expression of EhTMKB1-9, a Member of Entamoeba histolytica B1 Family of Transmembrane Kinases
Entamoeba histolytica transmembrane kinases (EhTMKs) can be grouped into six distinct families on the basis of motifs and sequences. Analysis of the E. histolytica genome revealed the presence of 35 EhTMKB1 members on the basis of sequence identity (≥95%). Only six homologs were full length containing an extracellular domain, a transmembrane segment and an intracellular kinase domain. Reverse transcription followed by polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) of the kinase domain was used to generate a library of expressed sequences. Sequencing of randomly picked clones from this library revealed that about 95% of the clones were identical with a single member, EhTMKB1-9, in proliferating cells. On serum starvation, the relative number of EhTMKB1-9 derived sequences decreased with concomitant increase in the sequences derived from another member, EhTMKB1-18. The change in their relative expression was quantified by real time PCR. Northern analysis and RNase protection assay were used to study the temporal nature of EhTMKB1-9 expression after serum replenishment of starved cells. The results showed that the expression of EhTMKB1-9 was sinusoidal. Specific transcriptional induction of EhTMKB1-9 upon serum replenishment was further confirmed by reporter gene (luciferase) expression and the upstream sequence responsible for serum responsiveness was identified. EhTMKB1-9 is one of the first examples of an inducible gene in Entamoeba. The protein encoded by this member was functionally characterized. The recombinant kinase domain of EhTMKB1-9 displayed protein kinase activity. It is likely to have dual specificity as judged from its sensitivity to different kinase inhibitors. Immuno-localization showed EhTMKB1-9 to be a surface protein which decreased on serum starvation and got relocalized on serum replenishment. Cell lines expressing either EhTMKB1-9 without kinase domain, or EhTMKB1-9 antisense RNA, showed decreased cellular proliferation and target cell killing. Our results suggest that E. histolytica TMKs of B1 family are functional kinases likely to be involved in serum response and cellular proliferation
O-Antigen Delays Lipopolysaccharide Recognition and Impairs Antibacterial Host Defense in Murine Intestinal Epithelial Cells
Although Toll-like receptor (TLR) 4 signals from the cell surface of myeloid cells, it is restricted to an intracellular compartment and requires ligand internalization in intestinal epithelial cells (IECs). Yet, the functional consequence of cell-type specific receptor localization and uptake-dependent lipopolysaccharide (LPS) recognition is unknown. Here, we demonstrate a strikingly delayed activation of IECs but not macrophages by wildtype Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica sv. (S.) Typhimurium as compared to isogenic O-antigen deficient mutants. Delayed epithelial activation is associated with impaired LPS internalization and retarded TLR4-mediated immune recognition. The O-antigen-mediated evasion from early epithelial innate immune activation significantly enhances intraepithelial bacterial survival in vitro and in vivo following oral challenge. These data identify O-antigen expression as an innate immune evasion mechanism during apical intestinal epithelial invasion and illustrate the importance of early innate immune recognition for efficient host defense against invading Salmonella
Astrocytic Mechanisms Explaining Neural-Activity-Induced Shrinkage of Extraneuronal Space
Neuronal stimulation causes ∼30% shrinkage of the extracellular space (ECS) between neurons and surrounding astrocytes in grey and white matter under experimental conditions. Despite its possible implications for a proper understanding of basic aspects of potassium clearance and astrocyte function, the phenomenon remains unexplained. Here we present a dynamic model that accounts for current experimental data related to the shrinkage phenomenon in wild-type as well as in gene knockout individuals. We find that neuronal release of potassium and uptake of sodium during stimulation, astrocyte uptake of potassium, sodium, and chloride in passive channels, action of the Na/K/ATPase pump, and osmotically driven transport of water through the astrocyte membrane together seem sufficient for generating ECS shrinkage as such. However, when taking into account ECS and astrocyte ion concentrations observed in connection with neuronal stimulation, the actions of the Na+/K+/Cl− (NKCC1) and the Na+/HCO3− (NBC) cotransporters appear to be critical determinants for achieving observed quantitative levels of ECS shrinkage. Considering the current state of knowledge, the model framework appears sufficiently detailed and constrained to guide future key experiments and pave the way for more comprehensive astroglia–neuron interaction models for normal as well as pathophysiological situations
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