Do grain boundaries in nanophase metals slide?

Nanophase metallic materials show a maximum in strength as grain size decreases to the nano scale, indicating a break down of the Hall-Petch relation. Grain boundary sliding, as a possible accommodation mechanisms, is often the picture that explain computer simulations results and real experiments. In a recent paper, Bringa et al. Science 309, 1838 (2005), we report on the observation of an ultra-hard behavior in nanophase Cu under shock loading, explained in terms of a reduction of grain boundary sliding under the influence of the shock pressure. In this work we perform a detailed study of the effects of hydrostatic pressure on nanophase Cu plasticity and find that it can be understood in terms of pressure dependent grain boundary sliding controlled by a Mohr-Coulomb law

Suppression of ablation in femtosecond double pulse experiments

We report the physical reasons of a curious decrease in the crater depth observed for long delays in experiments with femtosecond double pulses. Detailed hydrodynamic modeling demonstrates that the ablation mechanism is dumped when the delay between the pulses exceeds the electron-ion relaxation time. In this case, the interaction of the second laser pulse with the expanding target material leads to the formation of the second shock wave suppressing the rarefaction wave created by the first pulse. The evidence of this effect follows from the pressure and density profiles obtained at different delays after the first laser pulse.Comment: Submitted to one of the APS Journal

Transcription profiling reveals potential mechanisms of dysbiosis in the oral microbiome of rhesus macaques with chronic untreated SIV infection.

A majority of individuals infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) have inadequate access to antiretroviral therapy and ultimately develop debilitating oral infections that often correlate with disease progression. Due to the impracticalities of conducting host-microbe systems-based studies in HIV infected patients, we have evaluated the potential of simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) infected rhesus macaques to serve as a non-human primate model for oral manifestations of HIV disease. We present the first description of the rhesus macaque oral microbiota and show that a mixture of human commensal bacteria and "macaque versions" of human commensals colonize the tongue dorsum and dental plaque. Our findings indicate that SIV infection results in chronic activation of antiviral and inflammatory responses in the tongue mucosa that may collectively lead to repression of epithelial development and impact the microbiome. In addition, we show that dysbiosis of the lingual microbiome in SIV infection is characterized by outgrowth of Gemella morbillorum that may result from impaired macrophage function. Finally, we provide evidence that the increased capacity of opportunistic pathogens (e.g. E. coli) to colonize the microbiome is associated with reduced production of antimicrobial peptides

Effects of Heparin and Enoxaparin on APP Processing and Aβ Production in Primary Cortical Neurons from Tg2576 Mice

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is caused by accumulation of Aβ, which is produced through sequential cleavage of β-amyloid precursor protein (APP) by the β-site APP cleaving enzyme (BACE1) and γ-secretase. Enoxaparin, a low molecular weight form of the glycosaminoglycan (GAG) heparin, has been reported to lower Aβ plaque deposition and improve cognitive function in AD transgenic mice

Toxic epidermal necrolysis and Stevens-Johnson syndrome

Toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) and Stevens Johnson Syndrome (SJS) are severe adverse cutaneous drug reactions that predominantly involve the skin and mucous membranes. Both are rare, with TEN and SJS affecting approximately 1or 2/1,000,000 annually, and are considered medical emergencies as they are potentially fatal. They are characterized by mucocutaneous tenderness and typically hemorrhagic erosions, erythema and more or less severe epidermal detachment presenting as blisters and areas of denuded skin. Currently, TEN and SJS are considered to be two ends of a spectrum of severe epidermolytic adverse cutaneous drug reactions, differing only by their extent of skin detachment. Drugs are assumed or identified as the main cause of SJS/TEN in most cases, but Mycoplasma pneumoniae and Herpes simplex virus infections are well documented causes alongside rare cases in which the aetiology remains unknown. Several drugs are at "high" risk of inducing TEN/SJS including: Allopurinol, Trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole and other sulfonamide-antibiotics, aminopenicillins, cephalosporins, quinolones, carbamazepine, phenytoin, phenobarbital and NSAID's of the oxicam-type. Genetic susceptibility to SJS and TEN is likely as exemplified by the strong association observed in Han Chinese between a genetic marker, the human leukocyte antigen HLA-B*1502, and SJS induced by carbamazepine. Diagnosis relies mainly on clinical signs together with the histological analysis of a skin biopsy showing typical full-thickness epidermal necrolysis due to extensive keratinocyte apoptosis. Differential diagnosis includes linear IgA dermatosis and paraneoplastic pemphigus, pemphigus vulgaris and bullous pemphigoid, acute generalized exanthematous pustulosis (AGEP), disseminated fixed bullous drug eruption and staphyloccocal scalded skin syndrome (SSSS). Due to the high risk of mortality, management of patients with SJS/TEN requires rapid diagnosis, evaluation of the prognosis using SCORTEN, identification and interruption of the culprit drug, specialized supportive care ideally in an intensive care unit, and consideration of immunomodulating agents such as high-dose intravenous immunoglobulin therapy. SJS and TEN are severe and life-threatening. The average reported mortality rate of SJS is 1-5%, and of TEN is 25-35%; it can be even higher in elderly patients and those with a large surface area of epidermal detachment. More than 50% of patients surviving TEN suffer from long-term sequelae of the disease

Electro-elastic moduli and frequency dependence of KN single crystal

International audience— Functional properties of KNbO 3 single crystal are characterized. Large polydomain plates cutted from an as-grown KNbO 3 crystal (oriented along [001] c (45°-cut) direction) are used. At the fundamental resonance (10 MHz), thickness coupling factor is 65% and frequency dependence is measured with overtone resonances. Its variation is relatively high and reduces to around 45% at 160 MHz. Electro-elastic moduli are also determined by mixing measured parameters (from thickness and lateral modes) and constants already published as initial data. Final constants are obtained by a minimization process to tend toward a self-consistent electro-elastic moduli which is an important condition for numerical modelling. Single crystal, lead-free, functional characterizatio

Highly Efficient Thermal Glue for Carbon Nanotubes based on Azide Polymers

International audienceEquilibrium molecular dynamics (EMD) simulations and experimental data show that the thermal contact resistance (TCR) between carbon nanotube (CNT) and azide-functionalized polymer with C-N bond is significantly decreased compared to that with Van der Waals force interaction. EMD simulations indicate that C-N covalent bond between CNT and polymer is the most efficient way to reduce TCR, and we measured the lowest thermal interface resistance of Si/CNT/Polymer/Cu thermal interface material as 1.40 mm2 KW 1 with CNTs of 10 lm length. These results provide useful information for future designs of thermal glue for carbon-based materials with better thermal conduction

Experimental Evaluation of Protections Against Laser-induced Faults and Consequences on Fault Modeling

ISBN : 978-3-9810801-2-4International audienceLasers can be used by hackers to situations to inject faults in circuits and induce security flaws. On-line detection mechanisms are classically proposed to counter such attacks, and are often based on error detecting codes. However, the efficiency of such schemes has not been precisely validated against real attack conditions. This paper presents results showing that, with a given type of laser, a classical protection technique can leave open doors to an attacker. The results give also insights into the fault models to be taken into account when designing a secured circuit