2,529 research outputs found
Dynamics of end-linked star polymer structures
In this work we focus on the dynamics of macromolecular networks formed by
end-linking identical polymer stars. The resulting macromolecular network can
then be viewed as consisting of spacers which connect branching points (the
cores of the stars). We succeed in analyzing exactly, in the framework of the
generalized Gaussian model, the eigenvalue spectrum of such networks. As
applications we focus on several topologies, such as regular networks and
dendrimers; furthermore, we compare the results to those found for regular
hyperbranched structures. In so doing, we also consider situations in which the
beads of the cores differ from the beads of the spacers. The analytical
procedure which we use involves an exact real-space renormalization, which
allows to relate the star-network to a (much simpler) network, in which each
star is reduced to its core. It turns out that the eigenvalue spectrum of the
star-polymer structure consists of two parts: One follows in terms of
polynomial equations from the relaxation spectrum of the corresponding
renormalized structure, while the second part involves the motion of the spacer
chains themselves. Finally, we show exemplarily the situation for copolymeric
dendrimers, calculate their spectra, and from them their storage and the loss
moduli.Comment: 15 pages, 11 eps-figures include
A role for the cleaved cytoplasmic domain of E-cadherin in the nucleus
Cell-cell contacts play a vital role in intracellular signaling, although the molecular mechanisms of these signaling pathways are not fully understood. E-cadherin, an important mediator of cell-cell adhesions, has been shown to be cleaved by γ-secretase. This cleavage releases a fragment of E-cadherin, E-cadherin C-terminal fragment 2 (E-cad/CTF2), into the cytosol. Here, we study the fate and function of this fragment. First, we show that coexpression of the cadherin-binding protein, p120 catenin (p120), enhances the nuclear translocation of E-cad/CTF2. By knocking down p120 with short interfering RNA, we also demonstrate that p120 is necessary for the nuclear localization of E-cad/CTF2. Furthermore, p120 enhances and is required for the specific binding of E-cad/CTF2 to DNA. Finally, we show that E-cad/CTF2 can regulate the p120-Kaiso-mediated signaling pathway in the nucleus. These data indicate a novel role for cleaved E-cadherin in the nucleus
Longitudinal spin-relaxation in nitrogen-vacancy centers in electron irradiated diamond
We present systematic measurements of longitudinal relaxation rates ()
of spin polarization in the ground state of the nitrogen-vacancy (NV) color
center in synthetic diamond as a function of NV concentration and magnetic
field . NV centers were created by irradiating a Type 1b single-crystal
diamond along the [100] axis with 200 keV electrons from a transmission
electron microscope with varying doses to achieve spots of different NV
center concentrations. Values of () were measured for each spot as a
function of .Comment: 4 pages, 8 figure
Dynamical Scaling Behavior of Percolation Clusters in Scale-free Networks
In this work we investigate the spectra of Laplacian matrices that determine
many dynamic properties of scale-free networks below and at the percolation
threshold. We use a replica formalism to develop analytically, based on an
integral equation, a systematic way to determine the ensemble averaged
eigenvalue spectrum for a general type of tree-like networks. Close to the
percolation threshold we find characteristic scaling functions for the density
of states rho(lambda) of scale-free networks. rho(lambda) shows characteristic
power laws rho(lambda) ~ lambda^alpha_1 or rho(lambda) ~ lambda^alpha_2 for
small lambda, where alpha_1 holds below and alpha_2 at the percolation
threshold. In the range where the spectra are accessible from a numerical
diagonalization procedure the two methods lead to very similar results.Comment: 9 pages, 6 figure
The potential of the ground state of NaRb
The X state of NaRb was studied by Fourier transform
spectroscopy. An accurate potential energy curve was derived from more than
8800 transitions in isotopomers NaRb and NaRb. This
potential reproduces the experimental observations within their uncertainties
of 0.003 \rcm to 0.007 \rcm. The outer classical turning point of the last
observed energy level (, ) lies at \AA, leading
to a energy of 4.5 \rcm below the ground state asymptote.Comment: 8 pages, 6 figures and 2 table
Entropy-induced separation of star polymers in porous media
We present a quantitative picture of the separation of star polymers in a
solution where part of the volume is influenced by a porous medium. To this
end, we study the impact of long-range-correlated quenched disorder on the
entropy and scaling properties of -arm star polymers in a good solvent. We
assume that the disorder is correlated on the polymer length scale with a
power-law decay of the pair correlation function . Applying
the field-theoretical renormalization group approach we show in a double
expansion in and that there is a range of
correlation strengths for which the disorder changes the scaling
behavior of star polymers. In a second approach we calculate for fixed space
dimension and different values of the correlation parameter the
corresponding scaling exponents that govern entropic effects. We
find that , the deviation of from its mean field value
is amplified by the disorder once we increase beyond a threshold. The
consequences for a solution of diluted chain and star polymers of equal
molecular weight inside a porous medium are: star polymers exert a higher
osmotic pressure than chain polymers and in general higher branched star
polymers are expelled more strongly from the correlated porous medium.
Surprisingly, polymer chains will prefer a stronger correlated medium to a less
or uncorrelated medium of the same density while the opposite is the case for
star polymers.Comment: 14 pages, 7 figure
Properties of Bulk Sintered Silver As a Function of Porosity
This report summarizes a study where various properties of bulk-sintered silver were investigated over a range of porosity. This work was conducted within the National Transportation Research Center's Power Device Packaging project that is part of the DOE Vehicle Technologies Advanced Power Electronics and Electric Motors Program. Sintered silver, as an interconnect material in power electronics, inherently has porosity in its produced structure because of the way it is made. Therefore, interest existed in this study to examine if that porosity affected electrical properties, thermal properties, and mechanical properties because any dependencies could affect the intended function (e.g., thermal transfer, mechanical stress relief, etc.) or reliability of that interconnect layer and alter how its performance is modeled. Disks of bulk-sintered silver were fabricated using different starting silver pastes and different sintering conditions to promote different amounts of porosity. Test coupons were harvested out of the disks to measure electrical resistivity and electrical conductivity, thermal conductivity, coefficient of thermal expansion, elastic modulus, Poisson's ratio, and yield stress. The authors fully recognize that the microstructure of processed bulk silver coupons may indeed not be identical to the microstructure produced in thin (20-50 microns) layers of sintered silver. However, measuring these same properties with such a thin actual structure is very difficult, requires very specialized specimen preparation and unique testing instrumentation, is expensive, and has experimental shortfalls of its own, so the authors concluded that the herein measured responses using processed bulk sintered silver coupons would be sufficient to determine acceptable values of those properties. Almost all the investigated properties of bulk sintered silver changed with porosity content within a range of 3-38% porosity. Electrical resistivity, electrical conductivity, thermal conductivity, elastic modulus, Poisson's ratio, and yield stress all depended on the porosity content in bulk-sintered silver. The only investigated property that was independent of porosity in that range was coefficient of thermal expansion
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