Photon-assisted electron transmission resonance through a quantum well with spin-orbit coupling

Using the effective-mass approximation and Floquet theory, we study the electron transmission over a quantum well in semiconductor heterostructures with Dresselhaus spin-orbit coupling and an applied oscillation field. It is demonstrated by the numerical evaluations that Dresselhaus spin-orbit coupling eliminates the spin degeneracy and leads to the splitting of asymmetric Fano-type resonance peaks in the conductivity. In turn, the splitting of Fano-type resonance induces the spin- polarization-dependent electron-current. The location and line shape of Fano-type resonance can be controlled by adjusting the oscillation frequency and the amplitude of external field as well. These interesting features may be a very useful basis for devising tunable spin filters.Comment: 10pages,4figure

Tunnel splitting and quantum phase interference in biaxial ferrimagnetic particles at excited states

The tunneling splitting in biaxial ferrimagnetic particles at excited states with an explicit calculation of the prefactor of exponent is obtained in terms of periodic instantons which are responsible for tunneling at excited states and is shown as a function of magnetic field applied along an arbitrary direction in the plane of hard and medium axes. Using complex time path-integral we demonstrate the oscillation of tunnel splitting with respect to the magnitude and the direction of the magnetic field due to the quantum phase interference of two tunneling paths of opposite windings . The oscillation is gradually smeared and in the end the tunnel splitting monotonously increases with the magnitude of the magnetic field when the direction of the magnetic field tends to the medium axis. The oscillation behavior is similar to the recent experimental observation with Fe$_8$ molecular clusters. A candidate of possible experiments to observe the effect of quantum phase interference in the ferrimagnetic particles is proposed.Comment: 15 pages, 5 figures, acceptted to be pubblished in Physical Review

The first non-mammalian CXCR5 in a teleost fish: molecular cloning and expression analysis in grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella)

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Chemokines, a group of small and structurally related proteins, mediate chemotaxis of various cell types via chemokine receptors. In mammals, seven different CXC chemokine receptors denoted as CXCR1 to CXCR7 have been reported. However, the chemokine receptor CXCR5 has not been reported in other vertebrates.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>In the present study, the genomic sequence of CXCR5 was isolated from the grass carp <it>Ctenopharyngodon idella</it>. The cDNA sequence of grass carp CXCR5 (gcCXCR5) consists of 1518 bp with a 43 bp 5' untranslated region (UTR) and a 332 bp 3' UTR, with an open reading frame of 1143 bp encoding 381 amino acids which are predicted to have seven transmembrane helices. The characteristic residues (DRYLAIVHA) and conserved cysteine residues are located in the extracellular regions and in the third to seventh transmembrane domains. The deduced amino acid sequence shows 37.6-66.6% identities with CXCR5 of mammals, avian and other fish species. The grass carp gene consists of two exons, with one intervening intron, spaced over 2081 bp of genomic sequence. Phylogenetic analysis clearly demonstrated that the gcCXCR5 is clustered with those in other teleost fish and then in chicken and mammals. Real-time PCR analysis showed that gcCXCR5 was expressed in all tested organs/tissues and its expression level was the highest in trunk kidney, followed by in the spleen. The expression of gcCXCR5 was significantly modulated by immunostimulants such as peptidoglycan (PGN), lipopolysaccharide (LPS), polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid sodium salt (Poly I:C) and phytohaemagglutinin (PHA).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The cDNA and genomic sequences of CXCR5 have been successfully characterized in a teleost fish, the grass carp. The CXCR5 has in general a constitutive expression in organs/tissues examined, whereas its expression was significantly up-regulated in immune organs and down-regulated in brain, indicating its potential role in immune response and central nervous system.</p

Array of Surface-Confined Glow Discharges in Atmospheric Pressure Helium: Modes and Dynamics

Array of atmospheric pressure surface discharges confined by a two-dimensional hexagon electrode mesh is studied for its discharge modes and temporal evolution so as to a theoretical underpinning to their growing applications in medicine, aerodynamic control, and environmental remediation. Helium plasma surface-confined by one hexagon-shaped rim electrode is shown to evolve from a Townsend mode to a normal and abnormal glow mode, and its evolution develops from the rim electrodes as six individual microdischarges merging in the middle of the hexagon mesh element. Within one hexagon element, microdischarges remain largely static with the mesh electrode being the instantaneous cathode, but move towards the hexagon center when the electrode is the instantaneous anode. On the entire array electrode surface, plasma ignition is found to beat an unspecific hexagon element and then spreads to ignite surrounding hexagon elements. The spreading of microdischarges is in the form of an expanding circle at a speed of about 3 104 m/s, and their quenching starts in the location of the initial plasma ignition. Plasma modes influence how input electrical power is used to generate and accelerate electrons and as such the reaction chemistry, whereas plasma dynamics are central to understand and control plasma instabilities. The present study provides an important aspect of plasma physics of the atmospheric surface-confined discharge array and a theoretical underpinning to its future technological innovation

Molecular Characterization of the Ghrelin and Ghrelin Receptor Genes and Effects on Fat Deposition in Chicken and Duck

Ghrelin (GHRL) and its receptor (GHSR) are involved in various bioactivities. In this study, the complete cDNA and 5′ flanking region of the duck GHRL (dGHRL) gene and a 3717 bp fragment of the duck GHSR (dGHSR) gene were obtained. A total of 19, 8, 43, and 48 SNPs identified in 2751, 1358, 3671, and 3567 bp of the chicken GHRL (cGHRL), chicken GHSR (cGHSR), dGHRL, and dGHSR genes, respectively. Both cGHRL and dGHRL were expressed predominantly in the proventriculus, whereas the highest mRNA levels of cGHSR and dGHSR were detected in the breast muscle and pituitary. Association analysis showed that C-2047G, A-2355C, and A-2220C of the cGHRL gene were significantly associated with abdominal fat weight (AFW; P = .01), crude protein content of leg muscle (CPCLM; P = .02), and CPCLM (P = .0009), respectively. C-1459T of the cGHSR gene was also significantly associated with CPCLM (P = .0004). C-729T of dGHRL and A3427T of dGHSR were both significantly associated with subcutaneous fat thickness (SFT; P = .04). It was indicated by this study that the GHRL and GHSR genes were related to fat deposition in both chicken and duck