In vivo studies on the toxic effects of microcystins on mitochondrial electron transport chain and ion regulation in liver and heart of rabbit

This study examined the toxic effects of microcystins on mitochondria of liver and heart of rabbit in vivo. Rabbits were injected i.p. with extracted microcystins (mainly MC-RR and -LR) at two doses, 12.5 and 50 MCLReq. mu g/kg bw, and the changes in mitochondria of liver and heart were studied at 1, 3,12, 24 and 48 h after injection. MCs induced damage of mitochondrial morphology and lipid peroxidation in both liver and heart. MCs influenced respiratory activity through inhibiting NADH dehydrogenase and enhancing succinate dehydrogenase (SDH). MCs altered Na+-K+-ATPase and Ca2+-Mg2+-ATPase activities of mitochondria and consequently disrupted ionic homeostasis, which might be partly responsible for the loss of mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP). MCs were highly toxic to mitochondria with more serious damage in liver than in heart. Damage of mitochondria showed reduction at 48 h in the low dose group, suggesting that the low dose of MCs might have stimulated a compensatory response in the rabbits. (C) 2008 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Phenylene vinylene-based electroluminescent polymers with electron transport block in the main chain

We report a new route for the design of soluble phenylene vinylene (PV) based electroluminescent polymers bearing electron-deficient oxadizole (OXD) and triazole (TZ) moieties in the main chains with the aryloxy linkage. Both series of the PV-based polymers were prepared by Wittig reaction. By properly adjusting the OXD and/or TZ content through copolymerization, we can achieve an enhanced balance of hole- and electron injections, such that the device efficiency is significantly improved. Light-emitting diodes fabricated from P1, P2, P3, P4, P5, P6, and P7 with the configuration of Indium-Tin Oxide (ITO)/Poly (styrene sulfonic acid) doped poly (ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT)/polymer/Ca/Al, emit bright green light with the maximum peak around 500 nm. For the device using the optimal polymer (P4) as emitting layer, a maximum brightness of 1300 cd/m(2) at 20 V and a maximum luminance efficiency of 0.325 cd/A can be obtained.

Ballistic Electron Transport In Hybrid Ferromagnet/Two-Dimensional Electron Gas Sandwich Nanostructure: Spin Polarization And Magnetoresistance Effect

We have theoretically investigated ballistic electron transport through a combination of magnetic-electric barrier based on a vertical ferromagnet/two-dimensional electron gas/ferromagnet sandwich structure, which can be experimentally realized by depositing asymmetric metallic magnetic stripes both on top and bottom of modulation-doped semiconductor heterostructures. Our numerical results have confirmed the existence of finite spin polarization even though only antisymmetric stray field B-z is considered. By switching the relative magnetization of ferromagnetic layers, the device in discussion shows evident magnetoconductance. In particular, both spin polarization and magnetoconductance can be efficiently enhanced by proper electrostatic barrier up to the optimal value relying on the specific magnetic-electric modulation. (C) 2009 American Institute of Physics. [DOI: 10.1063/1.3041477]

The photorefractive sensitivity and the effective electron transport length in two-centre holographic recording

In this paper the photorefractive sensitivity defined for single-centre holographic recording is modified to adapt two-centre holographic recording. Based on the time analytic solution of Kukhtarev equations for doubly doped crystals, the analytical expression of photorefractive sensitivity is given. For comparison with single-centre holographic recording and summing the electron competition effects between the deeper and shallower traps, an effective electron transport length is proposed, which varies with the intensity ratios of recording light to sensitive light. According to analyses in this paper, the lower photorefractive sensitivity in two-centre holographic recording is mainly due to the lower concentration of unionized dopants in the shallower centre and the lower effective electron transport length.

Rashba electron transport in one-dimensional quantum waveguides

The properties of Rashba wave function in the planar one-dimensional waveguide are studied, and the following results are obtained. Due to the Rashba effect, the plane waves of electron with the energy E divide into two kinds of waves with the wave vectors k(1)=k(0)+k(delta) and k(2)=k(0)-k(delta), where k(delta) is proportional to the Rashba coefficient, and their spin orientations are +pi/2 (spin up) and -pi/2 (spin down) with respect to the circuit, respectively. If there is gate or ferromagnetic contact in the circuit, the Rashba wave function becomes standing wave form exp(+/- ik(delta)l)sin[k(0)(l-L)], where L is the position coordinate of the gate or contact. Unlike the electron without considering the spin, the phase of the Rashba plane or standing wave function depends on the direction angle theta of the circuit. The travel velocity of the Rashba waves with the wave vector k(1) or k(2) are the same hk(0)/m*. The boundary conditions of the Rashba wave functions at the intersection of circuits are given from the continuity of wave functions and the conservation of current density. Using the boundary conditions of Rashba wave functions we study the transmission and reflection probabilities of Rashba electron moving in several structures, and find the interference effects of the two Rashba waves with different wave vectors caused by ferromagnetic contact or the gate. Lastly we derive the general theory of multiple branches structure. The theory can be used to design various spin polarized devices.

Electron transport properties of In0.53Ga0.47As/In0.52Al0.48As quantum wells with two occupied subbands

Magnetotransport properties of two-dimensional electron gas have been investigated for three In0.53Ga0.47As/In0.52Al0.48As quantum well samples having two occupied subbands with different well widths. When the intersubband scattering is considered, we have obtained the subband density, transport scattering time, quantum scattering time and intersubband scattering time, respectively, by analyzing the result of fast Fourier transform of the first derivative of Shubnikov-de Haas oscillations. It is found that the main scattering mechanism is due to small-angle scattering, such as ionized impurity scattering, for the first subband electrons.

Ballistic electron transport in hybrid ferromagnet/two-dimensional electron gas sandwich nanostructure: Spin polarization and magnetoresistance effect

We have theoretically investigated ballistic electron transport through a combination of magnetic-electric barrier based on a vertical ferromagnet/two-dimensional electron gas/ferromagnet sandwich structure, which can be experimentally realized by depositing asymmetric metallic magnetic stripes both on top and bottom of modulation-doped semiconductor heterostructures. Our numerical results have confirmed the existence of finite spin polarization even though only antisymmetric stray field B-z is considered. By switching the relative magnetization of ferromagnetic layers, the device in discussion shows evident magnetoconductance. In particular, both spin polarization and magnetoconductance can be efficiently enhanced by proper electrostatic barrier up to the optimal value relying on the specific magnetic-electric modulation. (C) 2009 American Institute of Physics. [DOI 10.1063/1.3041477]

Electron transport through hierarchical self-assembly of GaAs/AlxGa1-xAs quantum dots

The transmission of electrons through a hierarchical self-assembly of GaAs/AlxGa(1-)xAs quantum dots (QDs) is calculated using the coupled-channel recursion method. Our results reveal that the number of conductance peaks does not change when the barrier widths change, but the intensities decrease as the barrier widths increase. The conductance peaks will shift towards low Fermi energies as the transverse width of GaAs QD increases, as the thickness of GaAs quantum well increases, or as the height of GaAs QDs decreases. Our calculated results may be useful in the application of QDs to photoelectric devices. (c) 2005 American Institute of Physics.

Electron transport properties of MM-HEMT with varied channel indium contents

Transport properties of two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) are crucial to metamorphic high-electron-mobility transistors (MM-HEMT). We have investigated the variations of subband electron mobility and concentration versus temperature from Shubnikov-de Hass oscillations., and variable temperature Hall measurements. The results indicate that the electrical performance is the best when the In content is 0.65 in the channel for MM-HEMT. When the In content exceeds 0.65, a large lattice mismatch will cause dislocations and result in the decrease of mobility and the fall of performance in materials and devices.

Electron transport through coupled quantum dots

The transmission through coupled quantum dots (CQDs) is calculated using the coupled-channel recursion method. Our results reveal that the conductance peaks move to high energy as the CQDs radius decreases or the period increases. If we increase the transverse momentum the conductance peaks move to high energy. Applying this characteristic, we can design a switch device using CQDs by applying a static electric field perpendicular to transmission direction. The theoretical results qualitatively agree with the available experimental data. Our calculated results may be useful for the application of CQDs to photoelectric devices. (C) 2003 American Institute of Physics.

Electron transport through a double-quantum-dot structure with intradot and interdot Coulomb interactions

Electron transport through a double-quantum-dot structure with intradot and interdot Coulomb interactions is studied by a Green's function (GF) approach. The conductance is calculated by a Landauer-Buttiker formula for the interacting systems derived using the nonequilibrium Keldysh formalism and the GF's are solved by the equation-of-motion method. It is shown that the interdot-coupling dependence of the conductance peak splitting matches the recent experimental observations. Also, the breaking of the electron-hole symmetry is numerically demonstrated by the presence of the interdot repulsion. [S0163-1829(99)01640-9].

ELECTRON-TRANSPORT THROUGH GAALAS BARRIERS IN GAAS

We have analyzed electronic transport through a single, 200-angstrom-thick, Ga0.74Al0.36As barrier embedded in GaAs. At low temperatures and high electric field, the Fowler-Nordheim regime is observed, indicating that the barrier acts as insulating layers. At higher temperatures the thermionic regime provides an apparent barrier height, decreasing with the field, which is equal to the expected band offset when extrapolated to zero field. However, for some samples, the current is dominated by the presence of electron traps located in the barrier. A careful analysis of the temperature and field behavior of this current allows to deduce that the mechanism involved is field-enhanced emission from electron traps. The defects responsible are tentatively identified as DX centers, resulting from the contamination of the barrier by donor impurities.