176 research outputs found
Observation of the Smectic C -- Smectic I Critical Point
We report the first observation of the smectic C--smectic I (C--I) critical
point by Xray diffraction studies on a binary system. This is in confirmity
with the theoretical idea of Nelson and Halperin that coupling to the molecular
tilt should induce hexatic order even in the C phase and as such both C and I
(a tilted hexatic phase) should have the same symmetry. The results provide
evidence in support of the recent theory of Defontaines and Prost proposing a
new universality class for critical points in layered systems.Comment: 9 pages Latex and 5 postscript figures available from
[email protected] on request, Phys.Rev.Lett. (in press
Order and Frustration in Chiral Liquid Crystals
This paper reviews the complex ordered structures induced by chirality in
liquid crystals. In general, chirality favors a twist in the orientation of
liquid-crystal molecules. In some cases, as in the cholesteric phase, this
favored twist can be achieved without any defects. More often, the favored
twist competes with applied electric or magnetic fields or with geometric
constraints, leading to frustration. In response to this frustration, the
system develops ordered structures with periodic arrays of defects. The
simplest example of such a structure is the lattice of domains and domain walls
in a cholesteric phase under a magnetic field. More complex examples include
defect structures formed in two-dimensional films of chiral liquid crystals.
The same considerations of chirality and defects apply to three-dimensional
structures, such as the twist-grain-boundary and moire phases.Comment: 39 pages, RevTeX, 14 included eps figure
Topological Defects and Interactions in Nematic Emulsions
Inverse nematic emulsions in which surfactant-coated water droplets are
dispersed in a nematic host fluid have distinctive properties that set them
apart from dispersions of two isotropic fluids or of nematic droplets in an
isotropic fluid. We present a comprehensive theoretical study of the
distortions produced in the nematic host by the dispersed droplets and of
solvent mediated dipolar interactions between droplets that lead to their
experimentally observed chaining. A single droplet in a nematic host acts like
a macroscopic hedgehog defect. Global boundary conditions force the nucleation
of compensating topological defects in the nematic host. Using variational
techniques, we show that in the lowest energy configuration, a single water
droplet draws a single hedgehog out of the nematic host to form a tightly bound
dipole. Configurations in which the water droplet is encircled by a
disclination ring have higher energy. The droplet-dipole induces distortions in
the nematic host that lead to an effective dipole-dipole interaction between
droplets and hence to chaining.Comment: 17 double column pages prepared by RevTex, 15 eps figures included in
text, 2 gif figures for Fig. 1
Behavioural and molecular endophenotypes in psychotic disorders reveal heritable abnormalities in glutamatergic neurotransmission.
Psychotic disorders such as schizophrenia are biologically complex and carry huge population morbidity due to their prevalence, persistence and associated disability. Defined by features such as delusions and hallucinations, they involve cognitive dysfunction and neurotransmitter dysregulations that appear mostly to involve the dopaminergic and glutamatergic systems. A number of genetic and environmental factors are associated with these disorders but it has been difficult to identify the biological pathways underlying the principal symptoms. The endophenotype concept of stable, heritable traits that form a mechanistic link between genes and an overt expression of the disorder has potential to reduce the complexity of psychiatric phenotypes. In this study, we used a genetically sensitive design with individuals with a first episode of psychosis, their non-affected first-degree relatives and non-related healthy controls. Metabolomic analysis was combined with neurocognitive assessment to identify multilevel endophenotypic patterns: one concerned reaction times during the performance of cognitive and emotional tests that have previously been associated with the glutamate neurotransmission system, the other involved metabolites involved directly and indirectly in the co-activation of the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor, a major receptor of the glutamate system. These cognitive and metabolic endophenotypes may comprise a single construct, such that genetically mediated dysfunction in the glutamate system may be responsible for delays in response to cognitive and emotional functions in psychotic disorders. This focus on glutamatergic neurotransmission should guide drug discovery and experimental medicine programmes in schizophrenia and related disorders.This study was funded by the
Mason Medical Research Trust, the Stanley Medical Research Institute, the
GlaxoSmithKlein and the Pinsent Darwin funding.This is the final published version. It first appeared at http://www.nature.com/tp/journal/v5/n3/full/tp201526a.html
Defects in Chiral Columnar Phases: Tilt Grain Boundaries and Iterated Moire Maps
Biomolecules are often very long with a definite chirality. DNA, xanthan and
poly-gamma-benzyl-glutamate (PBLG) can all form columnar crystalline phases.
The chirality, however, competes with the tendency for crystalline order. For
chiral polymers, there are two sorts of chirality: the first describes the
usual cholesteric-like twist of the local director around a pitch axis, while
the second favors the rotation of the local bond-orientational order and leads
to a braiding of the polymers along an average direction. In the former case
chirality can be manifested in a tilt grain boundary phase (TGB) analogous to
the Renn-Lubensky phase of smectic-A liquid crystals. In the latter case we are
led to a new "moire" state with twisted bond order. In the moire state polymers
are simultaneously entangled, crystalline, and aligned, on average, in a common
direction. In the moire state polymers are simultaneously entangled,
crystalline, and aligned, on average, in a common direction. In this case the
polymer trajectories in the plane perpendicular to their average direction are
described by iterated moire maps of remarkable complexity, reminiscent of
dynamical systems.Comment: plain TeX, (33 pages), 17 figures, some uufiled and included, the
remaining available at ftp://ftp.sns.ias.edu/pub/kamien/ or by request to
[email protected]
'Sink or swim': an evaluation of the clinical characteristics of individuals with high bone mass.
SUMMARY: High bone mineral density on routine dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) may indicate an underlying skeletal dysplasia. Two hundred fifty-eight individuals with unexplained high bone mass (HBM), 236 relatives (41% with HBM) and 58 spouses were studied. Cases could not float, had mandible enlargement, extra bone, broad frames, larger shoe sizes and increased body mass index (BMI). HBM cases may harbour an underlying genetic disorder. INTRODUCTION: High bone mineral density is a sporadic incidental finding on routine DXA scanning of apparently asymptomatic individuals. Such individuals may have an underlying skeletal dysplasia, as seen in LRP5 mutations. We aimed to characterize unexplained HBM and determine the potential for an underlying skeletal dysplasia. METHODS: Two hundred fifty-eight individuals with unexplained HBM (defined as L1 Z-score ≥ +3.2 plus total hip Z-score ≥ +1.2, or total hip Z-score ≥ +3.2) were recruited from 15 UK centres, by screening 335,115 DXA scans. Unexplained HBM affected 0.181% of DXA scans. Next 236 relatives were recruited of whom 94 (41%) had HBM (defined as L1 Z-score + total hip Z-score ≥ +3.2). Fifty-eight spouses were also recruited together with the unaffected relatives as controls. Phenotypes of cases and controls, obtained from clinical assessment, were compared using random-effects linear and logistic regression models, clustered by family, adjusted for confounders, including age and sex. RESULTS: Individuals with unexplained HBM had an excess of sinking when swimming (7.11 [3.65, 13.84], p < 0.001; adjusted odds ratio with 95% confidence interval shown), mandible enlargement (4.16 [2.34, 7.39], p < 0.001), extra bone at tendon/ligament insertions (2.07 [1.13, 3.78], p = 0.018) and broad frame (3.55 [2.12, 5.95], p < 0.001). HBM cases also had a larger shoe size (mean difference 0.4 [0.1, 0.7] UK sizes, p = 0.009) and increased BMI (mean difference 2.2 [1.3, 3.1] kg/m(2), p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Individuals with unexplained HBM have an excess of clinical characteristics associated with skeletal dysplasia and their relatives are commonly affected, suggesting many may harbour an underlying genetic disorder affecting bone mass
Tilt plane orientation in antiferroelectric liquid crystal cells and the origin of the pretransitional effect
Dietary change and plasma glucose levels in an Amerindian population undergoing cultural transition
Dietary change among adult Dogrib Indians of the Northwest Territories, Canada, is examined in conjuction with differences in mean glucose levels among more acculturated-less acculturated settlements. There are significant differences in the intake components derived from non-traditional foods by community and by age. However, the traditional food base is stable. This pattern suggests that dietary acculturation may initially consist of the addition of new foods to a stable traditional dietary, rather than replacement of traditional foods. The net effect is an increase in caloric intake. Age-sex-adjusted plasma glucose levels among four Dogrib settlements did not differ significantly. Comparison of participants who had been tested in a 1979 investigation of glucose tolerance showed that the current lack of intervillage differences can be attributed to an unexplained decrease of mean plasma glucose in the most acculturated village. Either dietary shift does not influence glucose levels, or, its effect can be detected only in conjuction with some other environmental factor. Among the Dogrib, acculturation-associated dietary changes are clearly present. However, their role in influencing plasma glucose levels still needs to be demonstrated.diet glucose Indians
Extension of the resonant scattering technique to liquid crystals without resonant element
We report X-ray resonant scattering experiments performed on the prototype liquid-crystalline compound MHPOBC doped with a chemical probe containing a resonant atom (selenium). We determined directly for the first time the microscopic 3- and 4-layer structure of the ferrielectric subphases ( SmCFI1
* and SmCFI2
*) present in MHPOBC. Despite the low fraction of the selenium probe, the resonant signal is strong enough to allow an unambiguous determination of the basic structure of the ferrielectric subphases. These experiments demonstrate that the resonant scattering technique can be extended to liquid crystalline materials without resonant element and may stimulate new studies. A non-resonant Bragg reflection was also found in the SmCFI1
* phase in pure MHPOBC, consistent with the 3-layer distorted model, but never detected before
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