Hubbard gap modulation in vanadium dioxide nanoscale tunnel junctions.

We locally investigate the electronic transport through individual tunnel junctions containing a 10 nm thin film of vanadium dioxide (VO2) across its thermally induced phase transition. The insulator-to-metal phase transition in the VO2 film collapses the Hubbard gap (experimentally determined to be 0.4 ± 0.

Mapping leakage currents in a nanostructure fabricated via local anodic oxidation.

The functionality of nanostructures fabricated via local anodic oxidation is limited by undesired leakage currents. We use low-temperature scanning gate microscopy to pin down the spatial position where leakage currents are most likely to occur. We show that leakage currents do not flow homogeneously along the complete barrier but at distinct weak points such as crossings of two oxide lines.

Investigation of prolactin-related vasoinhibin in sera from patients with diabetic retinopathy.

Objective: In vitro experiments and in vivo studies on rodents demonstrate that N-terminal 14, 15, 16, 17, and 18 kDa fragments prolactin-related vasoinhibin (PRL-V) of human PRL are natural inhibitors of neovascularization in the retina and elsewhere. These N-terminal PRL fragments belong to a family of peptides named vasoinhibins, which act as endogenous regulators of angiogenesis and vascular function. These observations led to the hypothesis that PRL-V could play a role in the pathophysiology of diabetic retinopathy in humans.

[4 weeks' administration of omeprazole: effect on acid behavior and basal hormone levels].

We have assessed the effect of omeprazole (30 mg daily) on gastric acid secretion as well as on basal hormone levels (fasting gastrin; TSH, T3, T4, TBG; insulin, glucagon, C-peptide; prolactin, testosterone, 17-beta-oestradiol, dihydroepiandrosterone, cortisol and PTH) in 8 healthy volunteers before and after a 28 day treatment. On day 29, i. e.