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Electron correlation in a quantum many-body state appears as peculiar scattering behaviour at its boundary, symbolic of which is Andreev reflection at a metal-superconductor interface. Despite being fundamental in nature, dictated by the charge conservation law, however, the process has had no analogues outside the realm of superconductivity so far. Here, we report the observation of an Andreev-like process originating from a topological quantum many-body effect instead of superconductivity. A narrow junction between fractional and integer quantum Hall states shows a two-terminal conductance exceeding that of the constituent fractional state. This remarkable behaviour, while theoretically predicted more than two decades ago but not detected to date, can be interpreted as Andreev reflection of fractionally charged quasiparticles. The observed fractional quantum Hall Andreev reflection provides a fundamental picture that captures microscopic charge dynamics at the boundaries of topological quantum many-body states. Andreev reflection is normally known to occur at a metal-superconductor interface. Here, Hashisaka et al. observe an Andreev-like process in a narrow junction between fractional and integer quantum Hall states originating from a topological quantum many-body effect instead of superconductivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We demonstrate a method for fabricating induced two-dimensional hole devices in (311)A GaAs. The method uses a metallic p+-GaAs capping layer as an in situ top gate that pins the Fermi energy close to the valence band, thereby allowing very small gate biases to be used to induce a two-dimensional hole system at a AlGaAs/GaAs interface. We present transport data from devices with different levels of background impurities. Modeling the mobility as a function of hole density gives a quantitative measure of the level of disorder and indicates that these systems can be used for a systematic study of the effects of disorder in strongly interacting low-dimensional systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quantum spin Hall insulators (QSHIs), also known as two-dimensional topological insulators, have emerged as an unconventional class of quantum states with insulating bulk and conducting edges originating from nontrivial inverted band structures and have been proposed as a platform for exploring spintronics applications and exotic quasiparticles related to the spin-helical edge modes. Despite theoretical proposals for various materials, however, experimental demonstrations of QSHIs have so far been limited to two systems--HgTe/CdTe and InAs/GaSb--both of which are lattice-matched semiconductor heterostructures. Here, we report transport measurements in yet another realization of a band-inverted heterostructure as a QSHI candidate--InAs/InxGa1-xSb with lattice mismatch. We show that the compressive strain in the InxGa1-xSb layer enhances the band overlap and energy gap. Consequently, high bulk resistivity, two orders of magnitude higher than for InAs/GaSb, is obtained deep in the band-inverted regime. The strain also enhances bulk Rashba spin-orbit splitting, leading to an unusual situation where the Fermi level crosses only one spin branch for electronlike and holelike bands over a wide density range. These properties make this system a promising platform for robust QSHIs with unique spin properties and demonstrate the strain to be an important ingredient for tuning spin-orbit interaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When the motion of electrons is restricted to a plane under a perpendicular magnetic field, a variety of quantum phases emerge at low temperatures, the properties of which are dictated by the Coulomb interaction and its interplay with disorder. At very strong magnetic field, the sequence of fractional quantum Hall liquid phases terminates in an insulating phase, which is widely believed to be due to the solidification of electrons into domains possessing Wigner crystal order. The existence of such Wigner crystal domains is signalled by the emergence of microwave pinning-mode resonances, which reflect the mechanical properties characteristic of a solid. However, the most direct manifestation of the broken translational symmetry accompanying the solidification-the spatial modulation of particles' probability amplitudes-has not been observed yet. Here, we demonstrate that nuclear magnetic resonance provides a direct probe of the density topography of electron solids in the integer and fractional quantum Hall regimes. The data uncover quantum and thermal fluctuations of lattice electrons resolved on the nanometre scale. Our results pave the way to studies of other exotic phases with non-trivial spatial spin/charge order. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The model of interacting fermion systems in one dimension known as a Tomonaga-Luttinger liquid (TLL) provides a simple and exactly solvable theoretical framework that predicts various intriguing physical properties. Evidence of a TLL has been observed as power-law behaviour in electronic transport on various types of one-dimensional conductor. However, these measurements, which rely on d.c. transport involving electron tunneling processes, cannot identify the long-awaited hallmark of charge fractionalization, in which an injection of elementary charge e from a non-interacting lead is divided into the non-trivial effective charge e* and the remainder, e−e* (refs 6, 7, 8). Here, we report time-resolved transport measurements on an artificial TLL composed of coupled integer quantum Hall edge channels, in which we successfully identify single charge fractionalization processes. A wave packet of charge q incident from a non-interacting region breaks up into several fractionalized charge wave packets at the edges of the artificial TLL, from which transport eigenmodes can be evaluated directly. These results are informative for elucidating the nature of TLLs and low-energy excitations in the edge channels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report a frequency-conversion technique for edge magnetoplasmons in a quantum Hall device. The nonlinear conductance of a quantum point contact (QPC) results in the generation of high harmonics of an input microwave and the mixing of two input frequencies. We controlled the conversion efficiency by tuning the nonlinear conductance via a gate voltage. The amplitudes of the frequency-converted waves agree well with those expected from the measured dc nonlinear conductance. We demonstrate the technique up to our instrumental limit of 12 GHz and show that formation of charge-density waves does not change the nonlinear characteristics of the QPC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Purpose: Transient receptor potential canonical 5 (TRPC5) channels are widely expressed, including in the CNS, where they potentiate fear responses. They also contribute to other non-selective cation channels that are stimulated by G-protein-coupled receptor agonists and lipid and redox factors. Steroids are known to modulate fear and anxiety states, and we therefore investigated whether TRPC5 exhibited sensitivity to steroids.Experimental Approach: Human TRPC5 channels were conditionally expressed in HEK293 cells and studied using intracellular Ca2+ measurement, whole-cell voltage-clamp and excised patch techniques. For comparison, control experiments were performed with cells lacking TRPC5 channels or expressing another TRP channel, TRPM2. Native TRPC channel activity was recorded from vascular smooth muscle cells.Key Results: Extracellular application of pregnenolone sulphate, pregnanolone sulphate, pregnanolone, progesterone or dihydrotestosterone inhibited TRPC5 activity within 1-2min. Dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate or 17β-oestradiol had weak inhibitory effects. Pregnenolone, and allopregnanolone, a progesterone metabolite and stereo-isomer of pregnanolone, all had no effects. Progesterone was the most potent of the steroids, especially against TRPC5 channel activity evoked by sphingosine-1-phosphate. In outside-out patch recordings, bath-applied progesterone and dihydrotestosterone had strong and reversible effects, suggesting relatively direct mechanisms of action. Progesterone inhibited native TRPC5-containing channel activity, evoked by oxidized phospholipid.Conclusions and Implications: Our data suggest that TRPC5 channels are susceptible to relatively direct and rapid stereo-selective steroid modulation, leading to channel inhibition. The study adds to growing appreciation of TRP channels as non-genomic steroid sensors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding how the orbital motion of electrons is coupled to the spin degree of freedom in nanoscale systems is central for applications in spin-based electronics and quantum computation. Here we demonstrate such spin-orbit coupling in a carbon-nanotube quantum dot in the general multielectron regime and in the presence of finite disorder. Also, we find a systematic dependence of the spin-orbit coupling on the electron occupation of the quantum dot. Such a dependence has not been seen in any other system and follows from the curvature-induced spin-orbit-split Dirac spectrum of the underlying graphene lattice. Our findings suggest that the spin-orbit coupling is a general property of carbon-nanotube quantum dots, which should provide a unique platform for the study of spin-orbit effects and their applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Purpose: The transient receptor potential melastatin-3 (TRPM3) channel forms calcium-permeable, non-selective, cationic channels that are stimulated by pregnenolone sulphate (PregS). Here, we aimed to define chemical requirements of this acute steroid action and potentially reveal novel stimulators with physiological relevance.Experimental Approach: We used TRPM3 channels over-expressed in HEK 293 cells, with intracellular calcium measurement and whole-cell patch-clamp recording techniques.Key Results: The stimulation of TRPM3 channels was confined to PregS and closely related steroids and not mimicked by other major classes of steroids, including progesterone. Relatively potent stimulation of TRPM3-dependent calcium entry was observed. A sulphate group positioned at ring A was important for strong stimulation but more striking was the requirement for a cis (beta) configuration of the side group, revealing previously unrecognized stereo-selectivity and supporting existence of a specific binding site. A cis-oriented side group on ring A was not the only feature necessary for high activity because loss of the double bond in ring B reduced potency and loss of the acetyl group at ring D reduced efficacy and potency. Weak steroid stimulators of TRPM3 channels inhibited effects of PregS, suggesting partial agonism. In silico screening of chemical libraries for non-steroid modulators of TRPM3 channels revealed the importance of the steroid backbone for stimulatory effects.Conclusions and Implications: Our data defined some of the chemical requirements for acute stimulation of TRPM3 channels by steroids, supporting the existence of a specific and unique steroid binding site. Epipregnanolone sulphate was identified as a novel TRPM3 channel stimulator. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two-dimensional (2D) electronic systems can exhibit dramatic drops in resistivity, ρxx, as the temperature T→0, which has renewed debate as to whether 2D systems may have a metallic ground state. The metallic behaviour is only observed in low-disorder systems, where interactions between the carriers are strong. However, the strength of the metallic behaviour is not universal, with decreases in resistivity ranging from a few per cent to an order of magnitude as T→0. Here, we compare the metallic behaviour in 2D systems dominated by long- and short-range disorder. We thereby highlight the pivotal role played by the type of disorder in determining the strength of metallic behaviour in these systems. In doing so, we resolve recent confusion in the literature that has arisen from the application of interaction-based theories of metallic behaviour to 2D systems whose disorder environments are inconsistent with the assumptions made by these theories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We measured an anisotropic magnetotransport that depends on directions of an in-plane field in a bilayer quantum Hall system. We found that the longitudinal resistance near the bilayer v = 1 quantum Hall state strongly varies when we changed an relative angle between the current and the in-plane field. It is a phenomenon peculiar to the bilayer v = 1 quantum Hail state, because this phenomenon does not appear in a monolayer system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Throughout the body there are smooth muscle cells controlling a myriad of tubes and reservoirs. The cells show enormous diversity and complexity compounded by a plasticity that is critical in physiology and disease. Over the past quarter of a century we have seen that smooth muscle cells contain -- as part of a gamut of ion-handling mechanisms -- a family of cationic channels with significant permeability to calcium, potassium and sodium. Several of these channels are sensors of calcium store depletion, G-protein-coupled receptor activation, membrane stretch, intracellular Ca2+, pH, phospholipid signals and other factors. Progress in understanding the channels has, however, been hampered by a paucity of specific pharmacological agents and difficulty in identifying the underlying genes. In this review we summarize current knowledge of these smooth muscle cationic channels and evaluate the hypothesis that the underlying genes are homologues of Drosophila TRP (transient receptor potential). Direct evidence exists for roles of TRPC1, TRPC4/5, TRPC6, TRPV2, TRPP1 and TRPP2, and more are likely to be added soon. Some of these TRP proteins respond to a multiplicity of activation signals -- promiscuity of gating that could enable a variety of context-dependent functions. We would seem to be witnessing the first phase of the molecular delineation of these cationic channels, something that should prove a leap forward for strategies aimed at developing new selective pharmacological agents and understanding the activation mechanisms and functions of these channels in physiological systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Local spin density functional theory calculations for double quantum dots are compared with experimental data to explain the evolution of addition energy spectra with the interdot distance. Realistic features such as finite thickness and nonidentical constituent dots are included in the calculation. We can thus evaluate the heteronuclear character of the diatomic artificial quantum molecules due to a small unavoidable mismatch introduced in their fabrication. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2003 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Technical advancements in molecular genetics have shown various mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) abnormalities in patients with mitochondrial myopathies. Recently, it has been revealed that, in these patients, the nuclear DNA carries sequences similar to those of the mtDNA (nuclear pseudogene) and it has several point mutations previously reported to be pathogenic. We verified the existence of the T3250C and T3291C mutations, which we have found in patients with mitochondrial myopathy, I [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mechanisms of Ca2+ mobilization induced by palmitoylcarnitine (Palcar) in rabbit aortic endothelial cells (ETCs) were examined using electrophysiological techniques. The results obtained were compared with those induced by acetylcholine (ACh). When a rabbit aortic muscle preparation with an intact endothelium was treated with 10 µM Palcar, the ACh-induced relaxation was markedly attenuated, whereas endothelium-independent relaxation caused by sodium nitroprusside was not affected. Under perforated-patch whole-cell-clamp conditions, the application of Palcar over the concentration range 0.3 and 10 µM elicited a slowly activating outward current ( I Palcar-out), whereas ACh induced a rapidly activating outward current ( I ACh). A potassium channel blocker, 4-aminopyridine, significantly inhibited both I Palcar-out and I ACh. Removal of external Ca2+ almost abolished I Palcar-out. Under the same conditions, however, I ACh remained transient. Addition of cation channel blockers SK&F96365 and La3+ inhibited I Palcar-out more effectively than I ACh. Application of staurosporine, an inhibitor of protein kinase C, affected neither I ACh nor I Palcar-out. In contrast, treatment of ETCs with pertussis toxin (PTX) reduced I ACh and almost abolished I Palcar-out. These findings demonstrate that, in ETCs, Palcar induces Ca2+ influx via the activation of PTX-sensitive GTP-binding protein, leading to the activation of Ca2+-dependent K+ current and hyperpolarization of the cell. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We studied the proportion of deleted mitochondrial DNA in blood cells from patients with Pearson syndrome. Patient 1 is a 17-year-old female with Kearns-Sayre syndrome who survived Pearson syndrome. Patient 2 is a 5-year-old boy with Pearson syndrome who recovered from refractory anaemia but continues to have thrombocytopenia and neutropenia. Patient 3 is a female neonate who died with severe acidosis and pancytopenia at 14 days of age. Southern blot analysis was performed with total DNA from three patients' blood cells and two samples of bone marrow cells from one patient. In peripheral blood, patients with a higher proportion of deleted mitochondrial DNA had lower blood cell counts. In patient 2, the percentage of mutant mitochondrial DNA in bone marrow cells decreased as anaemia improved. This indicates that the proportion of deleted mitochondrial DNA in peripheral blood and in bone narrow has a tendency to correlate to the severity of haematological manifestation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pearson marrow-pancreas syndrome, a fatal disease associated with mitochondrial DNA rearrangements, is characterized by refractory sideroblastic anaemia during infancy. Only a few neonates with Pearson syndrome have been reported with metabolic acidosis. A female neonate who exhibited severe metabolic acidosis and anaemia at birth is described here. Her condition progressively worsened, with pancytopenia and uncontrollable metabolic acidosis resulting in death at the age of 14 days. A 4988-base pair deletion of mtDNA was detected in the patient's leukocytes, liver and muscle. When a neonate exhibits severe metabolic acidosis of unknown cause, the possibility of Pearson syndrome should be considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A 12-year-old boy with growth hormone deficiency and partial diabetes insipidus resulting from transsphenoidal meningoencephalocele and with eye abnormalities is described. Fifteen other patients with transsphenoidal meningoencepalocele have been reported. Hypothalamic-pituitary dysfunctions were diagnosed by endocrinological studies in seven cases. It is important to recognize transsphenoidal meningoencephalocele as a cause of hypopituitarism, since some cases may have gone unrecognized. The association of hypothalamic-pituitary dysfunction and a midline craniocerebral anomaly has been reported in patients with cleft lip and/or palate, septo-optic dysplasia, the holoprosencephalies, and Kallmann syndrome. However, there was no evidence of transsphenoidal meningoencephalocele in these disorders and this may be a different form of midline craniocerebral and midfacial anomaly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have fabricated and characterized a single hole transistor in an undoped AlGaAs-GaAs heterostructure. Our device consists of a p-type quantum dot, populated using an electric field rather than modulation doping. Low temperature transport measurements reveal periodic conductance oscillations due to Coulomb blockade. We find that the low frequency charge noise is comparable to that in modulation-doped GaAs single electron transistors (SETs), and an order of magnitude better than in silicon SETs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We demonstrate low temperature operation of an electron-hole bilayer device based on a 40 nm thick layer of silicon in which electrons and holes can be simultaneously induced and contacted independently. The device allows the application of bias between the electrons and holes enhancing controllability over density and confining potential. We confirm that drag measurements are possible with the structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a method to make Pt nanometer-spaced electrodes that are free of metallic particles and stable at ambient conditions. The nanogaps are fabricated using feedback-controlled electromigration to form few-atom contacts. When performing this procedure at elevated temperatures (>420 K), the Pt contacts undergo self-breaking so that nanometer separated electrode pairs are formed. Once cooled down to lower temperatures, the nanogaps stabilize and can be characterized in detail. We find that current-voltage characteristics can be well fitted to a Simmons model for tunneling and gap-size fluctuations at room temperature determined from these fits stay within 0.6 Å for at least 50 h. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The authors have fabricated and studied a ballistic one-dimensional p-type quantum wire using an undoped AlGaAs/GaAs heterostructure. The absence of modulation doping eliminates remote ionized impurity scattering and allows high mobilities to be achieved over a wide range of hole densities and, in particular, at very low densities where carrier-carrier interactions are strongest. The device exhibits clear quantized conductance plateaus with highly stable gate characteristics. These devices provide opportunities for studying spin-orbit coupling and interaction effects in mesoscopic hole systems in the strong interaction regime where rs>10. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Examines the surface segregation of indium (In) atoms during molecular beam epitaxy. Influence of In surface segregation on the energy levels of indium gallium arsenide (InGaAs)/GaAS quantum wells; Dependence of In surface segregation on growth conditions; Effect of In desorption on In surface segregation.

Gel filtration of antral extract of adult rats revealed gastrin-17 and gastrin-34. Gel filtration of anterior pituitary extract showed CCK8 and gastrin-17, whereas posterior pituitary extract showed only a CCK8. Antral gastrin-like immunoreactivity (G-LI) increased after milk feeding and especially after weaning was started. Changes in diet may exert a profound influence on the ontogenic development of antral G-LI, but not pituitary CCK8/G-LI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transport of plasmons in graphene has been investigated by time-resolved electrical measurements. We demonstrate that the velocity v (or the refractive index ) and the characteristic impedance Z of the plasmon mode can be tuned through the carrier density. By exploiting the Z tunability, we present a gate-defined plasmonic waveguide. An important advantage of the gate-defined waveguide is dynamical switching of guiding characteristics with the gate voltages. One can tailor the patterns of gate electrodes to define two output waveguides branching off from a source waveguide, and the output waveguide can be switched by changing the gate voltages. Indeed, we show the routing in a Y-shaped channel: the path for the plasmon transmission can be selected by tuning Z of each path. These results can be well reproduced by simulation, encouraging the design of graphene-based plasmonic devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plasmons, which are collective charge oscillations, could provide a means of confining electromagnetic field to nanoscale structures. Recently, plasmonics using graphene have attracted interest, particularly because of the tunable plasmon dispersion, which will be useful for tunable frequency in cavity applications. However, the carrier density dependence of the dispersion is weak (proportional to n1/4) and it is difficult to tune the frequency over orders of magnitude. Here, by exploiting electronic excitation and detection, we carry out time-resolved measurements of a charge pulse travelling in a plasmon mode in graphene corresponding to the gigahertz range. We demonstrate that the plasmon velocity can be changed over two orders of magnitude by applying a magnetic field B and by screening the plasmon electric field with a gate metal; at high B, edge magnetoplasmons, which are plasmons localized at the sample edge, are formed and their velocity depends on B, n and the gate screening effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By using a back-gate operation, a high-quality two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) is formed in an undoped GaAs/AlGaAs inverted heterostructure. A high mobility of around 3×10[sup 6] cm[sup 2]/V s at 1.6 K is obtained for the structure without any compensating surface doping. The electron density is controllable down to 7×10[sup 9] cm[sup -2]. The relation between electron density and mobility is studied for samples both with and without a surface gate. The obtained results indicate that background impurities and an inhomogeneity of the electric field coming from the surface govern the mobility in a low-electron-density region and that the interface inhomogeneity becomes important at a high electron density. © 1998 American Institute of Physics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]