715 research outputs found
Nitric Oxide-Releasing Nanoparticles Prevent Propionibacterium acnes-Induced Inflammation by Both Clearing the Organism and Inhibiting Microbial Stimulation of the Innate Immune Response.
Propionibacterium acnes induction of IL-1 cytokines through the NLRP3 (NLR, nucleotide oligomerization domain-like receptor) inflammasome was recently highlighted as a dominant etiological factor for acne vulgaris. Therefore, therapeutics targeting both the stimulus and the cascade would be ideal. Nitric oxide (NO), a potent biological messenger, has documented broad-spectrum antimicrobial and immunomodulatory properties. To harness these characteristics to target acne, we used an established nanotechnology capable of generating/releasing NO over time (NO-np). P. acnes was found to be highly sensitive to all concentrations of NO-np tested, although human keratinocyte, monocyte, and embryonic zebra fish assays revealed no cytotoxicity. NO-np significantly suppressed IL-1β, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), IL-8, and IL-6 from human monocytes, and IL-8 and IL-6 from human keratinocytes, respectively. Importantly, silencing of NLRP3 expression by small interfering RNA did not limit NO-np inhibition of IL-1 β secretion from monocytes, and neither TNF-α nor IL-6 secretion, nor inhibition by NO-np was found to be dependent on this pathway. The observed mechanism by which NO-np impacts IL-1β secretion was through inhibition of caspase-1 and IL-1β gene expression. Together, these data suggest that NO-np can effectively prevent P. acnes-induced inflammation by both clearing the organism and inhibiting microbial stimulation of the innate immune response
Possible Room Temperature Ferromagnetism in Hydrogenated Carbon Nanotubes
We find that ferromagnetism can be induced in carbon nanotubes (CNTs) by
introducing hydrogen. Multiwalled CNTs grown inside porous alumina templates
contain a large density of defects resulting in significant hydrogen uptake
when annealed at high temperatures. This hydrogen incorporation produces
H-complex and adatom magnetism which generates a sizeable ferromagnetic moment
and a Curie temperature near Tc=1000 K. We studied the conditions for the
incorporation of hydrogen, the temperature-dependent magnetic behavior, and the
dependence of the ferromagnetism on the size of the nanotubes.Comment: 15 pages with 3 figures included; Accepted by Phys. Rev.
CfAIR2: Near Infrared Light Curves of 94 Type Ia Supernovae
CfAIR2 is a large homogeneously reduced set of near-infrared (NIR) light
curves for Type Ia supernovae (SN Ia) obtained with the 1.3m Peters Automated
InfraRed Imaging TELescope (PAIRITEL). This data set includes 4607 measurements
of 94 SN Ia and 4 additional SN Iax observed from 2005-2011 at the Fred
Lawrence Whipple Observatory on Mount Hopkins, Arizona. CfAIR2 includes JHKs
photometric measurements for 88 normal and 6 spectroscopically peculiar SN Ia
in the nearby universe, with a median redshift of z~0.021 for the normal SN Ia.
CfAIR2 data span the range from -13 days to +127 days from B-band maximum. More
than half of the light curves begin before the time of maximum and the coverage
typically contains ~13-18 epochs of observation, depending on the filter. We
present extensive tests that verify the fidelity of the CfAIR2 data pipeline,
including comparison to the excellent data of the Carnegie Supernova Project.
CfAIR2 contributes to a firm local anchor for supernova cosmology studies in
the NIR. Because SN Ia are more nearly standard candles in the NIR and are less
vulnerable to the vexing problems of extinction by dust, CfAIR2 will help the
supernova cosmology community develop more precise and accurate extragalactic
distance probes to improve our knowledge of cosmological parameters, including
dark energy and its potential time variation.Comment: 31 pages, 15 figures, 10 tables. Accepted to ApJS. v2 modified to
more closely match journal versio
High-speed metamagnetic resistive switching of FeRh through Joule heating
Due to its proximity to room temperature and demonstrated high degree of
temperature tunability, the metamagnetic ordering transition in FeRh is
attractive for novel high-performance computing devices seeking to use
magnetism as the state variable. We demonstrate electrical control of the
transition via Joule heating in FeRh wires. Finite element simulations based on
abrupt state transition within each domain result in a globally smooth
transition that agrees with the experimental findings and provides insight into
the thermodynamics involved. We measure a 150 K decrease in transition
temperature with currents up to 60 mA, limited only by the dimensions of the
device. The sizeable shift in transition temperature scales with current
density and wire length, suggesting the absolute resistance and heat
dissipation of the substrate are also important. The FeRh phase change is
evaluated by pulsed I-V using a variety of bias conditions. We demonstrate high
speed (~ ns) memristor-like behavior and report device performance parameters
such as switching speed and power consumption that compare favorably with
state-of-the-art phase change memristive technologies.Comment: 35 pages, 9 figure
Singular perturbation techniques in the gravitational self-force problem
Much of the progress in the gravitational self-force problem has involved the
use of singular perturbation techniques. Yet the formalism underlying these
techniques is not widely known. I remedy this situation by explicating the
foundations and geometrical structure of singular perturbation theory in
general relativity. Within that context, I sketch precise formulations of the
methods used in the self-force problem: dual expansions (including matched
asymptotic expansions), for which I identify precise matching conditions, one
of which is a weak condition arising only when multiple coordinate systems are
used; multiscale expansions, for which I provide a covariant formulation; and a
self-consistent expansion with a fixed worldline, for which I provide a precise
statement of the exact problem and its approximation. I then present a detailed
analysis of matched asymptotic expansions as they have been utilized in
calculating the self-force. Typically, the method has relied on a weak matching
condition, which I show cannot determine a unique equation of motion. I
formulate a refined condition that is sufficient to determine such an equation.
However, I conclude that the method yields significantly weaker results than do
alternative methods.Comment: 39 pages, 5 figures, final version to be published in Phys. Rev. D,
several typos corrected, added discussion of order-reductio
Constraints on Brane Inflation and Cosmic Strings
By considering simple, but representative, models of brane inflation from a
single brane-antibrane pair in the slow roll regime, we provide constraints on
the parameters of the theory imposed by measurements of the CMB anisotropies by
WMAP including a cosmic string component. We find that inclusion of the string
component is critical in constraining parameters. In the most general model
studied, which includes an inflaton mass term, as well as the brane-antibrane
attraction, values n_s < 1.02 are compatible with the data at 95 % confidence
level. We are also able to constrain the volume of internal manifold (modulo
factors dependent on the warp factor) and the value of the inflaton field to be
less than 0.66M_P at horizon exit. We also investigate models with a mass term.
These observational considerations suggest that such models have r < 2*10^-5,
which can only be circumvented in the fast roll regime, or by increasing the
number of antibranes. Such a value of r would not be detectable in CMB
polarization experiment likely in the near future, but the B-mode signal from
the cosmic strings could be detectable. We present forecasts of what a similar
analysis using PLANCK data would yield and find that it should be possible to
rule out G\mu > 6.5*10^-8 using just the TT, TE and EE power spectra.Comment: 11 pages, 3 figures, revtex4, typos corrected, references adde
- …