468 research outputs found
Kinks, rings, and rackets in filamentous structures
Carbon nanotubes and biological filaments each spontaneously assemble into
kinked helices, rings, and "tennis racket" shapes due to competition between
elastic and interfacial effects. We show that the slender geometry is a more
important determinant of the morphology than any molecular details. Our
mesoscopic continuum theory is capable of quantifying observations of these
structures, and is suggestive of their occurrence in other filamentous
assemblies as well.Comment: This paper was originally published in PNAS 100: 12141-12146 (2003).
The present version has corrected Eq. 3, A1, and A2, and some minor typo
First STEPS Phase II Initiative: Improving Developmental, Autism, and Lead Screening for Children
First STEPS (Strengthening Together Early Preventive Services) is a learning initiative supported by Maine\u27s CHIPRA quality demonstration grant to support measure-driven practice improvement in pediatric and family practices across the state on improving developmental, autism, and lead screening for children. This report, authored by research staff at the USM Muskie School, evaluates the impact of Phase II of Maine\u27s First STEPS initiative, which was implemented from May to December 2012 and included 12 practices serving more than 20,000 children on MaineCare (Maine\u27s Medicaid system). The authors assess changes in developmental, autism, and lead screening rates and evidence-based office processes in participating practices before and after the initiative, as well as related systems changes. They also summarize lessons learned in implementing changes in practices and challenges in using CHIPRA and IHOC developmental, autism, and lead screening measures at the practice-level to inform quality improvement
Phase field model of premelting of grain boundaries
We present a phase field model of solidification which includes the effects
of the crystalline orientation in the solid phase. This model describes grain
boundaries as well as solid-liquid boundaries within a unified framework. With
an appropriate choice of coupling of the phase field variable to the gradient
of the crystalline orientation variable in the free energy, we find that high
angle boundaries undergo a premelting transition. As the melting temperature is
approached from below, low angle grain boundaries remain narrow. The width of
the liquid layer at high angle grain boundaries diverges logarithmically. In
addition, for some choices of model coupling, there may be a discontinuous jump
in the width of the fluid layer as function of temperature.Comment: 6 pages, 9 figures, RevTeX
Fluctuating semiflexible polymer ribbon constrained to a ring
Twist stiffness and an asymmetric bending stiffness of a polymer or a polymer
bundle is captured by the elastic ribbon model. We investigate the effects a
ring geometry induces to a thermally fluctuating ribbon, finding bend-bend
coupling in addition to twist-bend coupling. Furthermore, due to the geometric
constraint the polymer's effective bending stiffness increases. A new parameter
for experimental investigations of polymer bundles is proposed: the mean square
diameter of a ribbonlike ring, which is determined analytically in the
semiflexible limit. Monte Carlo simulations are performed which affirm the
model's prediction up to high flexibility.Comment: 6 pages, 3 figures, Version as published in Eur. Phys. J.
Stable ultrahigh-density magneto-optical recordings using introduced linear defects
The stability of data bits in magnetic recording media at ultrahigh densities
is compromised by thermal `flips' -- magnetic spin reversals -- of nano-sized
spin domains, which erase the stored information. Media that are magnetized
perpendicular to the plane of the film, such as ultrathin cobalt films or
multilayered structures, are more stable against thermal self-erasure than
conventional memory devices. In this context, magneto-optical memories seem
particularly promising for ultrahigh-density recording on portable disks, and
bit densities of 100 Gbit inch have been demonstrated using recent
advances in the bit writing and reading techniques. But the roughness and
mobility of the magnetic domain walls prevents closer packing of the magnetic
bits, and therefore presents a challenge to reaching even higher bit densities.
Here we report that the strain imposed by a linear defect in a magnetic thin
film can smooth rough domain walls over regions hundreds of micrometers in
size, and halt their motion. A scaling analysis of this process, based on the
generic physics of disorder-controlled elastic lines, points to a simple way by
which magnetic media might be prepared that can store data at densities in
excess of 1 Tbit inch.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures, see also an article in TRN News at
http://www.trnmag.com/Stories/041801/Defects_boost_disc_capacity_041801.htm
Resistive state of superconducting structures with fractal clusters of a normal phase
The effect of morphologic factors on magnetic flux dynamics and critical
currents in percolative superconducting structures is considered. The
superconductor contains the fractal clusters of a normal phase, which act as
pinning centers. The properties of these clusters are analyzed in the general
case of gamma-distribution of their areas. The statistical characteristics of
the normal phase clusters are studied, the critical current distribution is
derived, and the dependencies of the main statistical parameters on the fractal
dimension are found. The effect of fractal clusters of a normal phase on the
electric field induced by the motion of the magnetic flux after the vortices
have been broken away from pinning centers is considered. The voltage-current
characteristics of fractal superconducting structures in a resistive state for
an arbitrary fractal dimension are obtained. It is found that the fractality of
the boundaries of normal phase clusters intensifies magnetic flux trapping and
thereby increases the current-carrying capability of the superconductor.Comment: 15 pages with 8 figures, revtex3, alternative e-mail of author is
[email protected]
Shape Changes of Self-Assembled Actin Bilayer Composite Membranes
We report the self-assembly of thin actin shells beneath the membranes of
giant vesicles. Ion-carrier mediated influx of Mg2+ induces actin
polymerization in the initially spherical vesicles. Buckling of the vesicles
and the formation of blisters after thermally induced bilayer expansion is
demonstrated. Bilayer flickering is dominated by tension generated by its
coupling to the actin cortex. Quantitative flicker analysis suggests the
bilayer and the actin cortex are separated by 0.4 \mum to 0.5 \mum due to
undulation forces.Comment: pdf-file, has been accepted by PR
A new apparatus for deep patterning of beam sensitive targets by means of high-energy ion beam
The paper reports on a high precision equipment designed to modify over
3-dimensions (3D) by means of high-energy gold ions the local properties of
thin and thick films. A target-moving system aimed at creating patterns across
the volume is driven by an x-y writing protocol that allows one to modify beam
sensitive samples over micrometer-size regions of whatever shape. The apparatus
has a mechanical resolution of 15 nm. The issue of the local fluence
measurement has been particularly addressed. The setup has been checked by
means of different geometries patterned on beam sensitive sheets as well as on
superconducting materials. In the last case the 3D modification consists of
amorphous nanostructures. The nanostructures create zones with different
dissipative properties with respect to the virgin regions. The main analysis
method consists of magneto-optical imaging that provides local information on
the electrodynamics of the modified zones. Features typical of non-linear
current flow hint at which pattern geometry is more functional to applications
in the framework of nanostructures across superconducting films.Comment: 7 page
DNA uptake into nuclei: Numerical and analytical results
The dynamics of polymer translocation through a pore has been the subject of
recent theoretical and experimental works. We have considered theoretical
estimates and performed computer simulations to understand the mechanism of DNA
uptake into the cell nucleus, a phenomenon experimentally investigated by
attaching a small bead to the free end of the double helix and pulling this
bead with the help of an optical trap. The experiments show that the uptake is
monotonous and slows down when the remaining DNA segment becomes very short.
Numerical and analytical studies of the entropic repulsion between the DNA
filament and the membrane wall suggest a new interpretation of the experimental
observations. Our results indicate that the repulsion monotonically decreases
as the uptake progresses. Thus, the DNA is pulled in (i) either by a small
force of unknown origin, and then the slowing down can be interpreted only
statistically; (ii) or by a strong but slow ratchet mechanism, which would
naturally explain the observed monotonicity, but then the slowing down requires
additional explanations. Only further experiments can unambiguously distinguish
between these two mechanisms.Comment: 12 pages, 6 figures, submitted to J. Phys. Cond. Ma
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