712 research outputs found
Argonaute2 Is Essential for Mammalian Gastrulation and Proper Mesoderm Formation
Mammalian Argonaute proteins (EIF2C1−4) play an essential role in RNA-induced silencing. Here, we show that the loss of eIF2C2 (Argonaute2 or Ago2) results in gastrulation arrest, ectopic expression of Brachyury (T), and mesoderm expansion. We identify a genetic interaction between Ago2 and T, as Ago2 haploinsufficiency partially rescues the classic T/+ short-tail phenotype. Finally, we demonstrate that the ectopic T expression and concomitant mesoderm expansion result from disrupted fibroblast growth factor signaling, likely due to aberrant expression of Eomesodermin. Together, these data indicate that a factor best known as a key component of the RNA-induced silencing complex is required for proper fibroblast growth factor signaling during gastrulation, suggesting a possible micro-RNA function in the formation of a mammalian germ layer
Electronic Duality in Strongly Correlated Matter
Superconductivity develops from an attractive interaction between itinerant
electrons that creates electron pairs which condense into a macroscopic quantum
state--the superconducting state. On the other hand, magnetic order in a metal
arises from electrons localized close to the ionic core and whose interaction
is mediated by itinerant electrons. The dichotomy between local moment magnetic
order and superconductivity raises the question of whether these two states can
coexist and involve the same electrons. Here we show that the single
4f-electron of cerium in CeRhIn5 simultaneously produces magnetism,
characteristic of localization, and superconductivity that requires itinerancy.
The dual nature of the 4f-electron allows microscopic coexistence of
antiferromagnetic order and superconductivity whose competition is tuned by
small changes in pressure and magnetic field. Electronic duality contrasts with
conventional interpretations of coexisting spin-density magnetism and
superconductivity and offers a new avenue for understanding complex states in
classes of materials.Comment: 14 pages, 4 figure
The Nature of Heavy Quasiparticles in Magnetically Ordered Heavy Fermions
The optical conductivity of the heavy fermions UPd2Al3 and UPt3 has been
measured in the frequency range from 10 GHz to 1.2 THz (0.04 meV to 5 meV) at
temperatures 1 K < T < 300 K. In both compounds a well pronounced pseudogap of
less than a meV develops in the optical response at low temperatures; we relate
this to the antiferromagnetic ordering. From the energy dependence of the
effective electronic mass and scattering rate we derive the energies essential
for the heavy quasiparticle. We find that the enhancement of the mass mainly
occurs below the energy which is related to magnetic correlations between the
local magnetic moments and the itinerant electrons. This implies that the
magnetic order in these compounds is the pre-requisite to the formation of the
heavy quasiparticle and eventually of superconductivity.Comment: RevTeX, 4 pages, 3 figures, email:
[email protected]
Coexistence of antiferromagnetism and superconductivity in heavy-fermions systems
We report the novel pressure(P)-temperature(T) phase diagrams of
antiferromagnetism (AF) and superconductivity (SC) in CeRhIn, CeIn and
CeCuSi revealed by the NQR measurement. In the itinerant helical magnet
CeRhIn, we found that the N\'eel temperature is reduced at
1.23 GPa with an emergent pseudogap behavior. The coexistence of AF and SC is
found in a narrow P range of 1.63 - 1.75 GPa, followed by the onset of SC with
line-node gap over a wide P window 2.1 - 5 GPa. In CeIn, the localized
magnetic character is robust against the application of pressure up to
1.9 GPa, beyond which the system evolves into an itinerant regime in which the
resistive superconducting phase emerges. We discuss the relationship between
the phase diagram and the magnetic fluctuations. In CeCuSi, the SC and
AF coexist on a microscopic level once its lattice parameter is expanded. We
remark that the underlying marginal antiferromagnetic state is due to
collective magnetic excitations in the superconducting state in CeCuSi.
An interplay between AF and SC is discussed on the SO(5) scenario that unifies
AF and SC. We suggest that the SC and AF in CeCuSi have a common
mechanism.Comment: 6 pages, 5 figures, proceeding of ISSP200
Разработка отклонителя для управления направлением скважин при ударно-вращательном бурении
Die Kombination einer Membran mit einer katalytischen Reaktion in einem Membranreaktor ist eines der Konzepte multifunktionaler Reaktoren zur Prozessintensivierung. Eine industriell besonders interessante Anwendung ist dabei die Darstellung von Synthesegas durch partielle Oxidation von Methan zu Kohlenmonoxid und Wasserstoff, wobei der Sauerstoff durch eine gemischtleitende Perowskit-Membran aus Luft zudosiert wird. Es ist gelungen, entsprechende Perowskit-Membranen als Hohlfasern mit einer volumenbezogenen Membranfläche von bis zu 500 m<sup>2</sup>/m<sup>3</sup> durch einen ökonomischen Spinnprozess zu entwickeln. Unter Laborbedingungen konnten langzeitstabil Synthesegas (CO, H<sub>2</sub>) mit einer CO-Selektivität von 95 % bei 95 % CH<sub>4</sub>-Umsatz erzeugt und die Ergebnisse durch eine detaillierte mathematische Modellierung beschrieben werden. Copyright © 2007 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim [accessed February 8th 2013
Coexistence of antiferromagnetism and superconductivity in the Anderson lattice
We study the interplay between antiferromagnetism and superconductivity in a
generalized infinite- Anderson lattice, where both superconductivity and
antiferromagnetic order are introduced phenomenologically in mean field theory.
In a certain regime, a quantum phase transition is found which is characterized
by an abrupt expulsion of magnetic order by d-wave superconductivity, as
externally applied pressure increases. This transition takes place when the
d-wave superconducting critical temperature, , intercepts the magnetic
critical temperature, , under increasing pressure. Calculations of the
quasiparticle bands and density of states in the ordered phases are presented.
We calculate the optical conductivity in the clean limit. It
is shown that when the temperature drops below a double peak structure
develops in .Comment: 18 pages, 13 figure
Correlation gap in the heavy-fermion antiferromagnet UPd_2Al_3
The optical properties of the heavy-fermion compound UPdAl have been
measured in the frequency range from 0.04 meV to 5 meV (0.3 to 40 cm) at
temperatures K. Below the coherence temperature K, the hybridization gap opens around 10 meV. As the temperature decreases
further ( K), a well pronounced pseudogap of approximately 0.2 meV
develops in the optical response; we relate this to the antiferromagnetic
ordering which occurs below K. The frequency dependent mass and
scattering rate give evidence that the enhancement of the effective mass mainly
occurs below the energy which is associated to the magnetic correlations
between the itinerant and localized 5f electrons. In addition to this
correlation gap, we observe a narrow zero-frequency conductivity peak which at
2 K is less than 0.1 meV wide, and which contains only a fraction of the
delocalized carriers. The analysis of the spectral weight infers a loss of
kinetic energy associated with the superconducting transition.Comment: RevTex, 15 pages, 7 figure
Interleukin-1β sequesters hypoxia inducible factor 2α to the primary cilium.
BACKGROUND: The primary cilium coordinates signalling in development, health and disease. Previously we have shown that the cilium is essential for the anabolic response to loading and the inflammatory response to interleukin-1β (IL-1β). We have also shown the primary cilium elongates in response to IL-1β exposure. Both anabolic phenotype and inflammatory pathology are proposed to be dependent on hypoxia-inducible factor 2 alpha (HIF-2α). The present study tests the hypothesis that an association exists between the primary cilium and HIFs in inflammatory signalling. RESULTS: Here we show, in articular chondrocytes, that IL-1β-induces primary cilia elongation with alterations to cilia trafficking of arl13b. This elongation is associated with a transient increase in HIF-2α expression and accumulation in the primary cilium. Prolyl hydroxylase inhibition results in primary cilia elongation also associated with accumulation of HIF-2α in the ciliary base and axoneme. This recruitment and the associated cilia elongation is not inhibited by blockade of HIFα transcription activity or rescue of basal HIF-2α expression. Hypomorphic mutation to intraflagellar transport protein IFT88 results in limited ciliogenesis. This is associated with increased HIF-2α expression and inhibited response to prolyl hydroxylase inhibition. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that ciliary sequestration of HIF-2α provides negative regulation of HIF-2α expression and potentially activity. This study indicates, for the first time, that the primary cilium regulates HIF signalling during inflammation
Inhibition of fatty acid metabolism ameliorates disease activity in an animal model of multiple sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis is an inflammatory demyelinating disease of the central nervous system and a leading cause of neurological disability. The complex immunopathology and variable disease course of multiple sclerosis have limited effective treatment of all patients. Altering the metabolism of immune cells may be an attractive strategy to modify their function during autoimmunity. We examined the effect of inhibiting fatty acid metabolism in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), a mouse model of multiple sclerosis. Mice treated with an inhibitor of carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1 (CPT-1), the rate-limiting enzyme in the beta-oxidation of fatty acids, showed a reduction in disease severity as well as less inflammation and demyelination. Inhibition of CPT-1 in encephalitogenic T-cells resulted in increased apoptosis and reduced inflammatory cytokine production. These results suggest that disruption of fatty acid metabolism promotes downregulation of inflammation in the CNS and that this metabolic pathway is a potential therapeutic target for multiple sclerosis
Ancestral bias in the Hras1 gene and distal Chromosome 7 among inbred mice
Inbred strains of mice vary in their frequency of liver tumors initiated by a mutation in the Hras1 (H-ras) proto-oncogene. We sequenced 4.5 kb of the Hras1 gene on distal Chr 7 in a diverse set of 12 commonly used laboratory inbred strains of mice and detected no sequence variation to account for strain-specific differences in Hras1 mutation prevalence. Furthermore, the Hras1 sequence is essentially monoallelic for an ancestral gene derived from the M. m. domesticus species. To determine if the monoallelism and associated low rate of polymorphism are unique to Hras1 or representative of the general chromosomal locale, we extended the sequence analysis to 12 genes in the final 8 Mb of distal Chr 7. A region of at least 2.5 Mb that encompasses several genes, including Hras1 and the H19/Igf2 loci, demonstrates virtually no sequence variation. The 12 inbred strains share one dominant haplotype derived from the M. m. domesticus allele. Chromosomal regions flanking the monoallelic segment exhibit a significantly higher rate of variation and multiple haplotypes, a majority of which are attributed to M. m. domesticus or M. m. musculus ancestry
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