Persistent Current Research Articles

Field quality and surface resistance studies of a superconducting REBa2Cu3O7−x —Cu hybrid coating for the FCC beam screen

To ensure beam stability in the future circular collider study of the European Organization for Nuclear Research, RE(=Y, Gd, Eu)Ba2Cu3O 7−x high-temperature superconductor was proposed as a low-surface impedance coating for its beam screen. Unfortunately, persistent currents in the superconductor will degrade the magnetic field homogeneity inside the beam chamber, endangering the stability of the beam trajectory. To counteract this effect, we have explored the possibility of using a highly conductive hybrid coating made of Cu and REBa2Cu3O 7−x . This decreases the surface impedance when compared to that of pure copper, while maintaining high magnetic field quality inside the beam screen chamber. This work formulates guidelines for hybrid coating geometries to comply with the field quality criterion of a circular accelerator during operation with dipole magnets by means of finite elements numerical analysis. We produced hybrid coating samples with compliant geometries via photolithography. Scanning Hall microscopy and radio-frequency characterization have given the first experimental confirmation that these hybrid coatings offer high field quality and present a surface resistance lower than that of copper for the beam screen of the future circular hadron collider. The excellent agreement shown between experimental results and simulations validates that the numerical analysis performed throughout this work can be used as a prediction tool for future proposed geometries.

Isospin- and momentum-polarized orders in bilayer graphene

Electron bands in Bernal bilayer graphene flatten out in a transverse electric field, offering a promising platform for correlated electron physics. We discuss the spin/valley isospin magnetism resembling that seen in moir\'e bands. We predict that the isospin magnetism coexists with momentum-polarized phases occurring via a ``flocking transition'' in momentum space in which the electron distribution is spontaneously displaced in momentum space relative to the $K$ and ${K}^{\ensuremath{'}}$ valley centers. The momentum-polarized phases feature electronic nematicity manifest in the anisotropy of transport, and unusual observables such as persistent currents in the ground state. Momentum-polarized carriers ``sample'' the Berry curvature of the conduction band, resulting in a longitudinal and anomalous Hall conductivity that displays switching upon the flocking transition and other effects that do not occur in previously studied systems.

Klein–Gordon oscillator with magnetic and quantum flux fields in non-trivial topological space-time

The relativistic quantum motions of the oscillator field (via the Klein–Gordon oscillator equation) under a uniform magnetic field in a topologically non-trivial space-time geometry are analyzed. We solve the Klein–Gordon oscillator equation using the Nikiforov-Uvarov method and obtain the energy profile and the wave function. We discuss the effects of the non-trivial topology and the magnetic field on the energy eigenvalues. We find that the energy eigenvalues depend on the quantum flux field that shows an analogue of the Aharonov–Bohm effect. Furthermore, we obtain the persistent currents, the magnetization, and the magnetic susceptibility at zero temperature in the quantum system defined in a state and show that these magnetic parameters are modified by various factors.

A geometric approach to quantifying the neuromodulatory effects of persistent inward currents on individual motor unit discharge patterns

Objective. All motor commands flow through motoneurons, which entrain control of their innervated muscle fibers, forming a motor unit (MU). Owing to the high fidelity of action potentials within MUs, their discharge profiles detail the organization of ionotropic excitatory/inhibitory as well as metabotropic neuromodulatory commands to motoneurons. Neuromodulatory inputs (e.g. norepinephrine, serotonin) enhance motoneuron excitability and facilitate persistent inward currents (PICs). PICs introduce quantifiable properties in MU discharge profiles by augmenting depolarizing currents upon activation (i.e. PIC amplification) and facilitating discharge at lower levels of excitatory input than required for recruitment (i.e. PIC prolongation). Approach. Here, we introduce a novel geometric approach to estimate neuromodulatory and inhibitory contributions to MU discharge by exploiting discharge non-linearities introduced by PIC amplification during time-varying linear tasks. In specific, we quantify the deviation from linear discharge (‘brace height’) and the rate of change in discharge (i.e. acceleration slope, attenuation slope, angle). We further characterize these metrics on a simulated motoneuron pool with known excitatory, inhibitory, and neuromodulatory inputs and on human MUs (number of MUs; Tibialis Anterior: 1448, Medial Gastrocnemius: 2100, Soleus: 1062, First Dorsal Interosseus: 2296). Main results. In the simulated motor pool, we found brace height and attenuation slope to consistently indicate changes in neuromodulation and the pattern of inhibition (excitation–inhibition coupling), respectively, whereas the paired MU analysis (ΔF) was dependent on both neuromodulation and inhibition pattern. Furthermore, we provide estimates of these metrics in human MUs and show comparable variability in ΔF and brace height measures for MUs matched across multiple trials. Significance. Spanning both datasets, we found brace height quantification to provide an intuitive method for achieving graded estimates of neuromodulatory and inhibitory drive to individual MUs. This complements common techniques and provides an avenue for decoupling changes in the level of neuromodulatory and pattern of inhibitory motor commands.

Pump-probe cavity optomechanics with a rotating atomic superfluid in a ring

Atomic superfluids confined in a ring provide a remarkable paradigm for quantized circulation. Very recently, a technique based on cavity optomechanics has been proposed [Kumar et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 127, 113601 (2021)] for sensing and manipulating the rotation of a bosonic ring condensate with minimal destruction, in situ and in real time. Here, we theoretically investigate other coherent interference effects that can be supported by the proposed configuration. Specifically, in the presence of a strong control beam, we analyze the influence of atomic rotation on the transmission spectrum of a weak probe laser through a cavity containing a ring condensate. We present a detailed study of the resulting narrow probe transmission profiles and group delay and show that they can be tuned by means of persistent currents. Our results explore a facet of rotating matter waves and are relevant to applications such as atomtronics, sensing, and information processing.

Riluzole for treating spasticity in patients with chronic traumatic spinal cord injury: Study protocol in the phase ib/iib adaptive multicenter randomized controlled RILUSCI trial.

Satisfactory treatment is often lacking for spasticity, a highly prevalent motor disorder in patients with spinal cord injury (SCI). Low concentrations of riluzole potently reduce the persistent sodium current, the post-SCI increase in which contributes to spasticity. The repurposing of this drug may therefore constitute a useful potential therapeutic option for relieving SCI patients suffering from chronic traumatic spasticity. RILUSCI is a phase 1b-2b trial designed to assess whether riluzole is a safe and biologically effective means of managing spasticity in adult patients with traumatic chronic SCI. In this multicenter double-blind trial, adults (aged 18-65 years) suffering from spasticity after SCI (target enrollment: 90 participants) will be randomly assigned to be given either a placebo or a recommended daily oral dose of riluzole for two weeks. The latter dose will be previously determined in phase 1b of the study by performing double-blind dose-finding tests using a Bayesian continuous reassessment method. The primary endpoint of the trial will be an improvement in the Modified Ashworth Score (MAS) or the Numerical Rating Score (NRS) quantifying spasticity. The secondary outcomes will be based on the safety and pharmacokinetics of riluzole as well as its impact on muscle spasms, pain, bladder dysfunction and quality of life. Analyses will be performed before, during and after the treatment and the placebo-controlled period. To the best of our knowledge, this clinical trial will be the first to document the safety and efficacy of riluzole as a means of reducing spasticity in patients with chronic SCI. The clinical trial, which is already in progress, was registered on the ClinicalTrials.gov website on August 9, 2016 under the registration number NCT02859792. Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Marseille.

Inhibitory interneurons show early dysfunction in a SOD1 mouse model of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

Few studies in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) measure effects of the disease on inhibitory interneurons synapsing onto motoneurons (MNs). However, inhibitory interneurons could contribute to dysfunction, particularly if altered before MN neuropathology, and establish a long-term imbalance of inhibition/excitation. We directly assessed excitability and morphology of glycinergic (GlyT2 expressing) ventral lumbar interneurons from SOD1G93AGlyT2eGFP (SOD1) and wild-type GlyT2eGFP (WT) mice on postnatal days 6-10. Patch clamp revealed dampened excitability in SOD1 interneurons, including depolarized persistent inward currents (PICs), increased voltage and current threshold for firing action potentials, along with a marginal decrease in afterhyperpolarization duration. Primary neurites of ventral SOD1 inhibitory interneurons were larger in volume and surface area than WT. GlyT2 interneurons were then divided into threesubgroups based on location: (1) interneurons within 100μm of the ventral white matter, where Renshaw cells (RCs) are located, (2) interneurons interspersed with MNs in lamina IX, and (3) interneurons in the intermediate ventral area including laminae VII and VIII. Ventral interneurons in the RC area were the most profoundly affected, exhibiting more depolarized PICs and larger primary neurites. Interneurons in lamina IX had depolarized PIC onset. In lamina VII-VIII, interneurons were least affected. In summary, inhibitory interneurons show very early region-specific perturbations poised to impact excitatory/inhibitory balance of MNs, modify motor output and provide early biomarkers of ALS. Therapeutics like riluzole that universally reduce CNS excitability could exacerbate the inhibitory dysfunction described here. KEY POINTS: Spinal inhibitory interneurons could contribute to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) pathology, but their excitability has never been directly measured. We studied the excitability and morphology of glycinergic interneurons in early postnatal transgenic mice (SOD1G93A GlyT2eGFP). Interneurons were less excitable and had marginally smaller somas but larger primary neurites in SOD1mice. GlyT2 interneurons were analysed according to their localization within the ventral spinal cord. Interestingly, the greatest differences were observed in the most ventrally located interneurons. We conclude that inhibitory interneurons show presymptomatic changes that may contribute to excitatory/inhibitory imbalance in ALS.

Imprinting Persistent Currents in Tunable Fermionic Rings

Persistent currents in annular geometries have played an important role in disclosing the quantum phase coherence of superconductors and mesoscopic electronic systems. Ultracold atomic gases in multiply connected traps also exhibit long-lived supercurrents, and have attracted much interest both for fundamental studies of superfluid dynamics and as prototypes for atomtronic circuits. Here, we report on the realization of supercurrents in homogeneous, tunable fermionic rings. We gain exquisite, rapid control over quantized persistent currents in all regimes of the BCS-BEC crossover through a universal phase-imprinting technique, attaining on-demand circulations $w$ as high as 9. High-fidelity read-out of the superfluid circulation state is achieved by exploiting an interferometric protocol, which also yields local information about the superfluid phase around the ring. In the absence of externally introduced perturbations, we find the induced metastable supercurrents to be as long-lived as the atomic sample. Conversely, we trigger and inspect the supercurrent decay by inserting a single small obstacle within the ring. For circulations higher than a critical value, the quantized current is observed to dissipate via the emission of vortices, i.e., quantized phase slips, which we directly image, in good agreement with numerical simulations. The critical circulation at which the superflow becomes unstable is found to depend starkly on the interaction strength, taking its maximum value for the unitary Fermi gas. Our results demonstrate fast and accurate control of quantized collective excitations in a macroscopic quantum system, and establish strongly interacting fermionic superfluids as excellent candidates for atomtronic applications.

Thermal discrete dipole approximation for near-field radiative heat transfer in many-body systems with arbitrary nonreciprocal bodies

The theoretical study of many-body effects in the context of near-field radiative heat transfer (NFRHT) has already led to the prediction of a plethora of thermal radiation phenomena. Special attention has been paid to nonreciprocal systems in which the lack of the Lorentz reciprocity has been shown to give rise to unique physical effects. However, most of the theoretical work in this regard has been carried out with the help of approaches that consider either point-like particles or highly symmetric bodies (such as spheres), which are not easy to realize and explore experimentally. In this work we develop a many-body approach based on the thermal discrete dipole approximation (TDDA) that is able to describe the NFRHT between nonreciprocal objects of arbitrary size and shape. We illustrate the potential and the relevance of this approach with the analysis of two related phenomena, namely the existence of persistent thermal currents and the photon thermal Hall effect, in a system with several magneto-optical bodies. Our many-body TDDA approach paves the way for closing the gap between experiment and theory that is hindering the progress of the topic of NFRHT in many-body systems.

Ranolazine Interacts Antagonistically with Some Classical Antiepileptic Drugs-An Isobolographic Analysis.

Ranolazine, an antianginal and antiarrhythmic drug blocking slow inactivating persistent sodium currents, is described as a compound with anticonvulsant potential. Since arrhythmia often accompanies seizures, patients suffering from epilepsy are frequently co-treated with antiepileptic and antiarrhythmic drugs. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of ranolazine on maximal-electroshock (MES)-induced seizures in mice as well as interactions between ranolazine and classical antiepileptic drugs in this model of epilepsy. Types of pharmacodynamic interactions were established by isobolographic analysis of obtained data. The main findings of the study were that ranolazine behaves like an antiseizure drug in the MES test. Moreover, ranolazine interacted antagonistically with carbamazepine, phenytoin, and phenobarbital in the proportions of 1:3 and 1:1. These interactions occurred pharmacodynamic, since ranolazine did not change the brain levels of antiepileptic drugs measured in the fluorescence polarization immunoassay. Ranolazine and its combinations with carbamazepine, phenytoin, and phenobarbital did not impair motor coordination evaluated in the chimney test. Unfortunately, an attempt to conduct a passive avoidance task (evaluating long-term memory) resulted in ranolazine-induced delayed lethality. In conclusion, ranolazine exhibits clear-cut anticonvulsant properties in the MES test but interacts antagonistically with some antiepileptic drugs. The obtained results need confirmation in clinical studies. The mechanisms of ranolazine-induced toxicity require specific explanation.

Mixed bubbles in a one-dimensional Bose-Bose mixture

We investigate a Bose-Bose mixture across the miscible-immiscible phase transition governed by quantum fluctuations in one dimension. We find the recently predicted so-called mixed bubbles as ground states close to the mean-field miscible-immiscible threshold. These bubbles form a pocket of miscibility, separated by one of the components. The collective excitations reflect the symmetry breaking resulting from the bubble formation. The partial miscibility of the system allows for persistent currents in an annular confinement. Intriguingly, the mixed bubble acts like an intrinsic weak link, connecting the rotational behavior of the mixed bubble state to current efforts in atomtronic applications.

Persistent current oscillations in a double-ring quantum gas

Vorticity in closed quantum fluid circuits is known to arise in the form of persistent currents. In this work, we develop a method to engineer transport of the quantized vorticity between density-coupled ring-shaped atomic Bose-Einstein condensates in experimentally accessible regimes. Introducing a tunable weak link between the rings, we observe and characterize the controllable periodic transfer of the current and investigate the role of temperature on suppressing these oscillations via a range of complementary state-of-the-art numerical methods. Our setup paves the way for precision measurements of local acceleration and rotation.

The effects of α-lactalbumin supplementation and handgrip contraction on soleus motoneuron excitability

We tested two strategies that hypothetically increase serotonin availability (α-lactalbumin consumption and a remote submaximal handgrip contraction) on estimates of persistent inward currents (PICs) amplitude of soleus muscle in healthy participants. With a randomised, double-blind, and cross-over design, 13 healthy participants performed triangular-shaped ramp contractions with their plantar flexors (20% of maximal torque), followed by a 30-s handgrip sustained contraction (40% of maximal force) and consecutive repeated triangular-shaped contractions. This was performed before and after the consumption of either 40g of α-lactalbumin, an isonitrogenous beverage (Zein) or an isocaloric beverage (Corn-starch). Soleus motor units discharge rates were analysed from high-density surface electromyography signals. PICs were estimated by calculating the delta frequency (ΔF) of motor unit train spikes using the paired motor unit technique. ΔF (0.19 pps; p = 0.001; d = 0.30) and peak discharge rate (0.20 pps; p < 0.001; d = 0.37) increased after the handgrip contraction, irrespective of the consumed supplement. No effects of α-lactalbumin were observed. Our results indicate that 40g of α-lactalbumin was unable to modify intrinsic motoneuron excitability. However, performing a submaximal handgrip contraction before the plantar flexion triangular contraction was capable of increasing ΔF and discharge rates on soleus motor units. These findings highlight the diffused effects of serotonergic input, its effects on motoneuron discharge behaviour, and suggest a cross-effector effect within human motoneurons.

Benthic foraminifera in high latitude contourite drift systems (North Atlantic: Björn, Gardar and Eirik drifts)

Benthic foraminifera colonize a wide range of marine environments including contourite drift systems. Contourites form elongated sedimentary bodies deposited under persistent contour-parallel bottom currents, and certain suspension-feeding foraminifera benefit from the entrained nutrient load. Their distribution patterns have been shown to be highly valuable for reconstructing ocean circulation at mid-latitudes. However, comparable faunal studies from the high-latitude North Atlantic, a crucial region for global ocean circulation and the widespread deposition of contourites drifts, are missing. This study examines foraminiferal faunas >250 μm from surface samples of the Björn and Gardar drifts in the Iceland Basin and the Eirik Drift south off Greenland. It serves as baseline for understanding the biogeographic patterns of benthic foraminifera from high latitude contourites.The results show that four types of suspension-feeding species characterize different hydrodynamic environments. Bottom currents <3 cm s−1 at the Björn Drift sustain assemblages rich in the finely branching, erect species Saccorhiza ramosa and Rhizammina algaeformis, which capture food particles with a pseudopodial net. The northern Gardar Drift displays intermediate flow velocities up to 10 cm s−1 and is determined by tubular branching and facultative suspension-feeding species such as Rhabdammina abyssorum. Assemblages with abundant Rhabdammina abyssorum and Hoeglundina elegans colonize the southern detached and finer grained Gardar Drift. The Eirik Drift off Greenland with flow velocities of 12 to 22 cm s−1 displays a fauna different from the contourites of the Iceland Basin. Assemblages with attached Cibicidoides wuellerstorfi and Heterolepa broeckhiana largely determine the benthic community. Also attached species, but composed primarily of Cibicides lobatulus, Cibicides refulgens, and Cibicidoides pachyderma, settle at the Greenland continental margin in high energy areas with velocities up to 40 cm s−1.

Facilitation-inhibition control of motor neuronal persistent inward currents in young and older adults.

A well-coordinated facilitation-inhibition control of motor neuronal persistent inward currents (PICs) via diffuse neuromodulation and local inhibition is essential to ensure motor units discharge at required times and frequencies. Present best estimates indicate that PICs are reduced in older adults; however, it is not yet known whether PIC facilitation-inhibition control is also altered with ageing. We investigated the responses of PICs to (i) a remote handgrip contraction, which is believed to diffusely increase serotonergic input onto motor neurones, and (ii) tendon vibration of the antagonist muscle, which elicits reciprocal inhibition, in young and older adults. High-density surface electromyograms were collected from soleus and tibialis anterior of 18 young and 26 older adults during triangular-shaped plantar and dorsiflexion contractions to 20% (handgrip experiments) and 30% (vibration experiments) of maximum torque (rise-decline rate of 2%/s). A paired-motor-unit analysis was used to calculate ∆F, which is assumed to be proportional to PIC strength. ΔF increased in both soleus (0.55peaks per second (pps), 16.0%) and tibialis anterior (0.42pps, 11.4%) after the handgrip contraction independent of age. Although antagonist tendon vibration reduced ΔF in soleus (0.28pps, 12.6%) independent of age, less reduction was observed in older (0.42pps, 10.7%) than young adults (0.72pps, 17.8%) in tibialis anterior. Our data indicate a preserved ability of older adults to amplify PICs following a remote handgrip contraction, during which increased serotonergic input onto the motor neurones is expected, in both lower leg muscles. However, PIC deactivation in response to reciprocal inhibition was impaired with ageing in tibialis anterior despite being preserved in soleus. KEY POINTS: Motor neuronal persistent inward currents (PICs) are facilitated via diffuse neuromodulation and deactivated by local inhibition to ensure motor units discharge at required times and frequencies, allowing normal motor behaviour. PIC amplitudes appear to be reduced with ageing; however, it is not known whether PIC facilitation-inhibition control is also altered. Remote handgrip contraction, which should diffusely increase serotonergic input onto motor neurones, facilitated PICs similarly in both soleus and tibialis anterior of young and older adults. Antagonist tendon vibration, which induces reciprocal inhibition, reduced PICs in soleus in both young and older adults but had less effect in tibialis anterior in older adults. Data from lower-threshold motor units during low-force contractions suggest that PIC facilitation is preserved with ageing in soleus and tibialis anterior. However, the effect of reciprocal inhibition on the contribution of PICs to motor neurone discharge seems reduced in tibialis anterior but preserved in soleus.

Vanishing and Nonvanishing Persistent Currents of Various Conserved Quantities.

For every conserved quantity written as a sum of local terms, there exists a corresponding current operator that satisfies the continuity equation. The expectation values of current operators at equilibrium define the persistent currents that characterize spontaneous flows in the system. In this Letter, we consider quantum many-body systems on a finite one-dimensional lattice and discuss the scaling of the persistent currents as a function of the system size. We show that, when the conserved quantities are given as the Noether charges associated with internal symmetries or the Hamiltonian itself, the corresponding persistent currents can be bounded by a correlation function of two operators at a distance proportional to the system size, implying that they decay at least algebraically as the system size increases. In contrast, the persistent currents of accidentally conserved quantities can be nonzero even in the thermodynamic limit and even in the presence of the time-reversal symmetry. We discuss "the current of energy current" in S=1/2 XXZ spin chain as an example and obtain an analytic expression of the persistent current.

Generation of Josephson vortices in stacked toroidal Bose-Einstein condensates

Coupled coaxially stacked toroidal condensates with persistent currents suggest an appealing physical platform for the investigation of various phenomena related to interacting superflows from Josephson effects in the regime of weak interactions to the quantum Kelvin-Helmholtz instability for merging rings. We suggest experimentally accessible methods to prepare states with different topological charges in two coupled coaxial ring-shaped atomic Bose-Einstein condensates. Our results open up the way to direct observation of rotational Josephson vortices in atomic Bose-Einstein condensates.

Multiple intrinsic membrane properties are modulated in a switch from single- to dual-network activity.

Neural network flexibility includes changes in neuronal participation between networks, such as the switching of neurons between single- and dual-network activity. We previously identified a neuron that is recruited to burst in time with an additional network via modulation of its intrinsic membrane properties, instead of being recruited synaptically into the second network. However, the modulated intrinsic properties were not determined. Here, we use small networks in the Jonah crab (Cancer borealis) stomatogastric nervous system (STNS) to examine modulation of intrinsic properties underlying neuropeptide (Gly1-SIFamide)-elicited neuronal switching. The lateral posterior gastric neuron (LPG) switches from exclusive participation in the fast pyloric (∼1 Hz) network, due to electrical coupling, to dual-network activity that includes periodic escapes from the fast rhythm via intrinsically generated oscillations at the slower gastric mill network frequency (∼0.1 Hz). We isolated LPG from both networks by pharmacology and hyperpolarizing current injection. Gly1-SIFamide increased LPG intrinsic excitability and rebound from inhibition and decreased spike frequency adaptation, which can all contribute to intrinsic bursting. Using ion substitution and channel blockers, we found that a hyperpolarization-activated current, a persistent sodium current, and calcium or calcium-related current(s) appear to be primary contributors to Gly1-SIFamide-elicited LPG intrinsic bursting. However, this intrinsic bursting was more sensitive to blocking currents when LPG received rhythmic electrical coupling input from the fast network than in the isolated condition. Overall, a switch from single- to dual-network activity can involve modulation of multiple intrinsic properties, while synaptic input from a second network can shape the contributions of these properties.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Neuropeptide-elicited intrinsic bursting was recently determined to switch a neuron from single- to dual-network participation. Here we identified multiple intrinsic properties modulated in the dual-network state and candidate ion channels underlying the intrinsic bursting. Bursting at the second network frequency was more sensitive to blocking currents in the dual-network state than when neurons were synaptically isolated from their home network. Thus, synaptic input can shape the contributions of modulated intrinsic properties underlying dual-network activity.

Generation of high-winding-number superfluid circulation in Bose-Einstein condensates

We experimentally and numerically demonstrate a method to deterministically generate multiply-quantized superfluid circulation about an obstacle in highly oblate Bose-Einstein condensates (BECs). Our method involves spiraling a blue-detuned laser beam, which acts as a repulsive optical potential, around and towards the center of the BEC. This optical potential serves first as a repulsive stirrer to initiate superflow within the BEC, and then as a pinning potential that transports the center of the superfluid circulation to the center of the condensate. By changing the rate at which the beam moves along the spiral trajectory, we selectively control the net circulation introduced into the BEC. We experimentally achieve pinned superflow with winding numbers as high as 11, which persists for at least 4 s. At the end of the spiral trajectory, with the pinning beam on at full power, the BEC has a toroidal geometry with a high winding-number persistent current. Alternatively, the beam power can be ramped off, allowing controlled placement of a cluster of singly-quantized vortices of the same circulation. This technique can serve as a building block in future experimental architectures to create on-demand vortex distributions and superfluid circulation in BECs.

Molecular Identification of Pro-Excitogenic Receptor and Channel Phenotypes of the Deafferented Lumbar Motoneurons in the Early Phase after SCT in Rats.

Spasticity impacts the quality of life of patients suffering spinal cord injury and impedes the recovery of locomotion. At the cellular level, spasticity is considered to be primarily caused by the hyperexcitability of spinal α-motoneurons (MNs) within the spinal stretch reflex circuit. Here, we hypothesized that after a complete spinal cord transection in rats, fast adaptive molecular responses of lumbar MNs develop in return for the loss of inputs. We assumed that early loss of glutamatergic afferents changes the expression of glutamatergic AMPA and NMDA receptor subunits, which may be the forerunners of the developing spasticity of hindlimb muscles. To better understand its molecular underpinnings, concomitant expression of GABA and Glycinergic receptors and serotoninergic and noradrenergic receptors, which regulate the persistent inward currents crucial for sustained discharges in MNs, were examined together with voltage-gated ion channels and cation-chloride cotransporters. Using quantitative real-time PCR, we showed in the tracer-identified MNs innervating extensor and flexor muscles of the ankle joint multiple increases in transcripts coding for AMPAR and 5-HTR subunits, along with a profound decrease in GABAAR, GlyR subunits, and KCC2. Our study demonstrated that both MNs groups similarly adapt to a more excitable state, which may increase the occurrence of extensor and flexor muscle spasms.