Spatial gradient of dynamic nuclear spin polarization induced by breakdown of quantum Hall effect

We studied spatial distribution of dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP) in a Hall-bar device in a breakdown regime of the quantum Hall effect (QHE). We detected nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) signals from the polarized nuclear spins by measuring the Hall voltage $V_{xy}$ using three pairs of voltage probes attached to the conducting channel of the Hall bar. We find that the amplitude of the NMR signal depends on the position of the Hall voltage probes and that the largest NMR signal is obtained from the pair of probes farthest from the electron-injecting electrode. Combined with results on pump-and-probe measurements, we conclude that the DNP induced by QHE breakdown develops along the electron-drift direction.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures, accepted for publication in PR

Dynamic nuclear polarization and Knight shift measurements in a breakdown regime of integer quantum Hall effect

Nuclear spins are polarized electrically in a breakdown regime of an odd-integer quantum Hall effect (QHE). Electron excitation to the upper Landau subband with the opposite spin polarity flips nuclear spins through the hyperfine interaction. The polarized nuclear spins reduce the spin-splitting energy and accelerate the QHE breakdown. The Knight shift of the nuclear spins is also measured by tuning electron density during the irradiation of radio-frequency magnetic fields.Comment: 3 pages, 2 figures, EP2DS-1

Bazedoxifene, a selective estrogen receptor modulator, reduces cerebral aneurysm rupture in Ovariectomized rats.

BackgroundEstrogen deficiency is thought to be responsible for the higher frequency of aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage in post- than premenopausal women. Estrogen replacement therapy appears to reduce this risk but is associated with significant side effects. We tested our hypothesis that bazedoxifene, a clinically used selective estrogen receptor (ER) modulator with fewer estrogenic side effects, reduces cerebral aneurysm rupture in a new model of ovariectomized rats.MethodsTen-week-old female Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to ovariectomy, hemodynamic changes, and hypertension to induce aneurysms (ovariectomized aneurysm rats) and treated with vehicle or with 0.3 or 1.0 mg/kg/day bazedoxifene. They were compared with sham-ovariectomized rats subjected to hypertension and hemodynamic changes (HT rats). The vasoprotective effects of bazedoxifene and the mechanisms underlying its efficacy were analyzed.ResultsDuring 12 weeks of observation, the incidence of aneurysm rupture was 52% in ovariectomized rats. With no effect on the blood pressure, treatment with 0.3 or 1.0 mg/kg/day bazedoxifene lowered this rate to 11 and 17%, almost the same as in HT rats (17%). In ovariectomized rats, the mRNA level of ERα, ERβ, and the tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-2 was downregulated in the cerebral artery prone to rupture at 5 weeks after aneurysm induction; the mRNA level of interleukin-1β and the matrix metalloproteinase-9 was upregulated. In HT rats, bazedoxifene restored the mRNA level of ERα and ERβ and decreased the level of interleukin-1β and matrix metalloproteinase-9. These findings suggest that bazedoxifene was protective against aneurysmal rupture by alleviating the vascular inflammation and degradation exacerbated by the decrease in ERα and ERβ.ConclusionsOur observation that bazedoxifene decreased the incidence of aneurysmal rupture in ovariectomized rats warrants further studies to validate this response in humans

Hyperhomocysteinemia induced by excessive methionine intake promotes rupture of cerebral aneurysms in ovariectomized rats.

BackgroundHyperhomocysteinemia (HHcy) is associated with inflammation and a rise in the expression of matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) in the vascular wall. However, the role of HHcy in the growth and rupture of cerebral aneurysms remains unclear.MethodsThirteen-week-old female Sprague-Dawley rats were subject to bilateral ovariectomy and ligation of the right common carotid artery and fed an 8 % high-salt diet to induce cerebral aneurysms. Two weeks later, they underwent ligation of the bilateral posterior renal arteries. They were divided into two groups and methionine (MET) was or was not added to their drinking water. In another set of experiments, the role of folic acid (FA) against cerebral aneurysms was assessed.ResultsDuring a 12-week observation period, subarachnoid hemorrhage due to aneurysm rupture was observed at the anterior communicating artery (AcomA) or the posterior half of the circle of Willis. HHcy induced by excessive MET intake significantly increased the incidence of ruptured aneurysms at 6-8 weeks. At the AcomA of rats treated with MET, we observed the promotion of aneurysmal growth and infiltration by M1 macrophages. Furthermore, the mRNA level of MMP-9, the ratio of MMP-9 to the tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-2, and the level of interleukin-6 were higher in these rats. Treatment with FA abolished the effect of MET, suggesting that the inflammatory response and vascular degradation at the AcomA is attributable to HHcy due to excessive MET intake.ConclusionsWe first demonstrate that in hypertensive ovariectomized rats, HHcy induced by excessive MET intake may be associated with the propensity of the aneurysm wall to rupture

Profiling the mouse brain endothelial transcriptome in health and disease models reveals a core blood-brain barrier dysfunction module.

Blood vessels in the CNS form a specialized and critical structure, the blood-brain barrier (BBB). We present a resource to understand the molecular mechanisms that regulate BBB function in health and dysfunction during disease. Using endothelial cell enrichment and RNA sequencing, we analyzed the gene expression of endothelial cells in mice, comparing brain endothelial cells with peripheral endothelial cells. We also assessed the regulation of CNS endothelial gene expression in models of stroke, multiple sclerosis, traumatic brain injury and seizure, each having profound BBB disruption. We found that although each is caused by a distinct trigger, they exhibit strikingly similar endothelial gene expression changes during BBB disruption, comprising a core BBB dysfunction module that shifts the CNS endothelial cells into a peripheral endothelial cell-like state. The identification of a common pathway for BBB dysfunction suggests that targeting therapeutic agents to limit it may be effective across multiple neurological disorders

Repair Inspection Technique Based on Elastic-Wave Tomography Applied for Deteriorated Concrete Structures

Applying elastic wave tomography as an innovative NDT method, the evaluation of velocity distribution in three-dimensional (3D) before and after the repair is introduced in this study. The increase in the velocity with penetration of the repair material according to the repair effect is identified visually and quantitatively. The 3D tomography technique is newly proposed for one-side access inspection, using drill hammering to generate an elastic wave. Accordingly, the elastic wave velocity distribution result enables to visualize the internal quality of concrete after patch repair is successfully done. In addition, an attempt for reinforced concrete (RC) slab panels is made to confirm the effectiveness of the repair by comparing the velocity distribution of elastic waves obtained from acoustic emission (AE) tomography analysis, before and after the repair. Thus, the velocity recoveries due to injection are found in all the slab panels, and it is confirmed that the elastic wave velocities obtained using this technique can serve as an indicator for examining the state of crack and void filling with injected material. Further, a good correlation is found between the low-velocity region before repair and the amount of injection. These results show the potential of the AE tomography technique to be used as a method for estimating the effect of injection repair

Coherent manipulation of nuclear spins in the breakdown regime of integer quantum Hall states

We demonstrate a new method for electrical manipulation of nuclear spins utilizing dynamic nuclear polarization induced by quantum Hall effect breakdown. Nuclear spins are polarized and detected through the hyperfine interaction between a nuclear spin system and a two-dimensional electron system located at an interface of GaAs/AlGaAs single heterostructure. Coherent oscillations between the nuclear-spin quantum states are observed by measuring the longitudinal voltage of the conductor.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figure

Holographic Penta and Hepta Quark State in Confining Gauge Theories

We study a new embedding solutions of D5 brane in an asymptotic AdS${}_5\times S^5$ space-time, which is dual to a confining $SU(N_c)$ gauge theory. The D5 brane is wrapped on $S^5$ as in the case of the vertex of holographic baryon. However, the solution given here is different from the usual baryon vertex in the point that it couples to $k$-anti-quarks and $N_c+k$ quarks on the opposite two points of $S^5$, the north and south poles, respectively. The total quark number of this state is preserved as $N_c$ when minus one is assigned to anti-quark, then it forms a color singlet like the baryon. However, this includes anti-quarks and quarks, whose number is larger than that of the baryon. When we set as $N_c=3$, we find the so called penta and hepta-quark states. We study the dynamical properties of these states by solving the vertex and string configurations for such states. The mass spectra of these states and the tension of the stretched vertex are estimated, and they are compared with that of the baryon.Comment: 24 pages, 6 figure