116 research outputs found
Polymorphic Structure of the Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF) Locus: An NcoI Polymorphism in the First Intron of the Human TNF-ß Gene Correlates with A Variant Amino Acid in Position 26 and a Reduced Level of TNF-ß Production
A new quantum fluid at high magnetic fields in the marginal charge-density-wave system -(BEDT-TTF)Hg(SCN) (where ~K and Rb)
Single crystals of the organic charge-transfer salts
-(BEDT-TTF)Hg(SCN) have been studied using Hall-potential
measurements (K) and magnetization experiments ( = K, Rb). The data show
that two types of screening currents occur within the high-field,
low-temperature CDW phases of these salts in response to time-dependent
magnetic fields. The first, which gives rise to the induced Hall potential, is
a free current (), present at the surface of the sample.
The time constant for the decay of these currents is much longer than that
expected from the sample resistivity. The second component of the current
appears to be magnetic (), in that it is a microscopic,
quasi-orbital effect; it is evenly distributed within the bulk of the sample
upon saturation. To explain these data, we propose a simple model invoking a
new type of quantum fluid comprising a CDW coexisting with a two-dimensional
Fermi-surface pocket which describes the two types of current. The model and
data are able to account for the body of previous experimental data which had
generated apparently contradictory interpretations in terms of the quantum Hall
effect or superconductivity.Comment: 13 pages, 11 figure
Theory of neutral and charged exciton scattering with electrons in semiconductor quantum wells
Electron scattering on both neutral () and charged () excitons in
quantum wells is studied theoretically. A microscopic model is presented,
taking into account both elastic and dissociating scattering. The model is
based on calculating the exciton-electron direct and exchange interaction
matrix elements, from which we derive the exciton scattering rates. We find
that for an electron density of in a GaAs QW at ,
the linewidth due to electron scattering is roughly twice as large as
that of the neutral exciton. This reflects both the larger interaction
matrix elements compared with those of , and their different dependence on
the transferred momentum. Calculated reflection spectra can then be obtained by
considering the three electronic excitations of the system, namely, the
heavy-hole and light-hole 1S neutral excitons, and the heavy-hole 1S charged
exciton, with the appropriate oscillator strengths.Comment: 18 pages, 12 figure
Good Random Matrices over Finite Fields
The random matrix uniformly distributed over the set of all m-by-n matrices
over a finite field plays an important role in many branches of information
theory. In this paper a generalization of this random matrix, called k-good
random matrices, is studied. It is shown that a k-good random m-by-n matrix
with a distribution of minimum support size is uniformly distributed over a
maximum-rank-distance (MRD) code of minimum rank distance min{m,n}-k+1, and
vice versa. Further examples of k-good random matrices are derived from
homogeneous weights on matrix modules. Several applications of k-good random
matrices are given, establishing links with some well-known combinatorial
problems. Finally, the related combinatorial concept of a k-dense set of m-by-n
matrices is studied, identifying such sets as blocking sets with respect to
(m-k)-dimensional flats in a certain m-by-n matrix geometry and determining
their minimum size in special cases.Comment: 25 pages, publishe
An Overview of a Decade of Journal Publications about Culture and Human-Computer Interaction (HCI)
Critical State Behaviour in a Low Dimensional Metal Induced by Strong Magnetic Fields
We present the results of magnetotransport and magnetic torque measurements
on the alpha-(BEDT-TTF)2KHg(SCN)4 charge-transfer salt within the high magnetic
field phase, in magnetic fields extending to 33 T and temperatures as low as 27
mK. While the high magnetic field phase (at fields greater than ~ 23 T) is
expected, on theoretical grounds, to be either a modulated charge-density wave
phase or a charge/spin-density wave hybrid, the resistivity undergoes a
dramatic drop below ~ 3 K within the high magnetic field phase, falling in an
approximately exponential fashion at low temperatures, while the magnetic
torque exhibits pronounced hysteresis effects. This hysteresis, which occurs
over a broad range of fields, is both strongly temperature-dependent and has
several of the behavioural characteristics predicted by critical-state models
used to describe the pinning of vortices in type II superconductors in strong
magnetic fields. Thus, rather than exhibiting the usual behaviour expected for
a density wave ground state, both the transport and the magnetic properties of
alpha-(BEDT-TTF)2KHg(SCN)4, at high magnetic fields, closely resembles those of
a type II superconductor
Binding of biexcitons in GaAs/AlxGa1-xAs superlattices
Binding of the heavy-hole excitons and biexcitons in GaAs/Al0.3Ga0.7As superlattices is studied using linear and nonlinear optical techniques. High biexciton binding energies characteristic of quasi two-dimensional biexcitons are observed in superlattices with considerable miniband dispersion
Comparison between Culture Conditions Improving Growth and Differentiation of Blood and Bone Marrow Cells Committed to the Endothelial Cell Lineage
The aim of this study was to compare different cell sources and culture conditions to obtain endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) with predictable antigen pattern, proliferation potential and in vitro vasculogenesis. Pig mononuclear cells were isolated from blood (PBMCs) and bone marrow (BMMCs). Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) were also derived from pig bone marrow. Cells were cultured on fibronectin in the presence of a high concentration of VEGF and low IGF-1 and FGF-2 levels, or on gelatin with a lower amount of VEGF and higher IGF-1 and FGF-2 concentrations. Endothelial commitment was relieved in almost all PBMCs and BMMCs irrespective of the protocol used, whilst MSCs did not express a reliable pattern of EPC markers under these conditions. BMMCs were more prone to expand on gelatin and showed a better viability than PBMCs. Moreover, about 90% of the BMMCs pre-cultured on gelatin could adhere to a hyaluronan-based scaffold and proliferate on it up to 3 days. Pre-treatment of BMMCs on fibronectin generated well-shaped tubular structures on Matrigel, whilst BMMCs exposed to the gelatin culture condition were less prone to form vessel-like structures. MSCs formed rough tubule-like structures, irrespective of the differentiating condition used. In a relative short time, pig BMMCs could be expanded on gelatin better than PBMCs, in the presence of a low amount of VEGF. BMMCs could better specialize for capillary formation in the presence of fibronectin and an elevated concentration of VEGF, whilst pig MSCs anyway showed a limited capability to differentiate into the endothelial cell lineage
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