Effects of non-steroidal antiinflammatory drugs and dexamethasone on the activity and expression of matrix metalloproteinase-1, matrix metalloproteinase-3 and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases-1 by bovine articular chondrocytes

AbstractObjective To determine the in-vitro effects of several non-steroidal antiinflammatory drugs and the glucocorticoid dexamethasone on the IL-1 altered expression and activity of MMP-1, MMP-3 and TIMP-1 by bovine articular chondrocytes.Design Bovine chondrocytes were cultured in alginate gel beads. Cells were treated with IL-1α in the presence of vehicle or drugs at various concentrations. After 48h mRNA expression of MMP-1, MMP-3, and of the tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases (TIMP-1) was analysed by RT-PCR-ELISA. The protein synthesis of TIMP-1 and MMP-3 was determined by immunoprecipitation. The activity of enzymes and inhibitors was measured by functional assays.Results IL-1 increased the expression and activity of MMPs. In contrast, TIMP activity remained unchanged although TIMP-1 expression was down-regulated. All tested NSAIDs and dexamethasone inhibited collagenase activity induced by IL-1. Transcript levels of MMP-1, however, were only reduced by indomethacin, meloxicam, naproxen and dexamethasone. Proteoglycanase activity was only reduced by indomethacin, meloxicam and dexamethasone. These effects were pre-translational as confirmed by immunoprecipitation. The IL-1 decreased expression of TIMP-1 was further reduced by dexamethasone, which resulted in a significant loss of TIMP activity. No effects on TIMP activity or TIMP-1 biosynthesis were observed after treatment of chondrocytes with NSAIDs.Conclusion Our studies clearly demonstrate that marked differences exist between individual NSAIDs with respect to their ability to modulate the imbalance between proteases and inhibitors during OA and RA, suggesting that the respective modes of action are independent of the inhibition of cyclooxygenases. Due to their co-regulation of MMPs and TIMP(s) glucocorticoids should be carefully studied for their overall effect on ECM proteolysis

Novel Quaternary Dilute Magnetic Semiconductor (Ga,Mn)(Bi,As): Magnetic and Magneto-Transport Investigations

Magnetic and magneto-transport properties of thin layers of the (Ga,Mn)(Bi,As) quaternary dilute magnetic semiconductor grown by the low-temperature molecular-beam epitaxy technique on GaAs substrates have been investigated. Ferromagnetic Curie temperature and magneto-crystalline anisotropy of the layers have been examined by using magneto-optical Kerr effect magnetometry and low-temperature magneto-transport measurements. Postgrowth annealing treatment has been shown to enhance the hole concentration and Curie temperature in the layers. Significant increase in the magnitude of magnetotransport effects caused by incorporation of a small amount of Bi into the (Ga,Mn)As layers revealed in the planar Hall effect (PHE) measurements, is interpreted as a result of enhanced spin-orbit coupling in the (Ga,Mn)(Bi,As) layers. Two-state behaviour of the planar Hall resistance at zero magnetic field provides its usefulness for applications in nonvolatile memory devices.Comment: 10 pages, 3 figures, to be published in the Proceedings of ICSM-2016 conferenc

Cubic anisotropy in high homogeneity thin (Ga,Mn)As layers

Historically, comprehensive studies of dilute ferromagnetic semiconductors, e.g., $p$-type (Cd,Mn)Te and (Ga,Mn)As, paved the way for a quantitative theoretical description of effects associated with spin-orbit interactions in solids, such as crystalline magnetic anisotropy. In particular, the theory was successful in explaining {\em uniaxial} magnetic anisotropies associated with biaxial strain and non-random formation of magnetic dimers in epitaxial (Ga,Mn)As layers. However, the situation appears much less settled in the case of the {\em cubic} term: the theory predicts switchings of the easy axis between in-plane $\langle 100\rangle$ and $\langle 110\rangle$ directions as a function of the hole concentration, whereas only the $\langle 100\rangle$ orientation has been found experimentally. Here, we report on the observation of such switchings by magnetization and ferromagnetic resonance studies on a series of high-crystalline quality (Ga,Mn)As films. We describe our findings by the mean-field $p$-$d$ Zener model augmented with three new ingredients. The first one is a scattering broadening of the hole density of states, which reduces significantly the amplitude of the alternating carrier-induced contribution. This opens the way for the two other ingredients, namely the so-far disregarded single-ion magnetic anisotropy and disorder-driven non-uniformities of the carrier density, both favoring the $\langle 100\rangle$ direction of the apparent easy axis. However, according to our results, when the disorder gets reduced a switching to the $\langle 110\rangle$ orientation is possible in a certain temperature and hole concentration range.Comment: 12 pages, 9 figure

Thickness dependence of magnetic properties of (Ga,Mn)As

We report on a monotonic reduction of Curie temperature in dilute ferromagnetic semiconductor (Ga,Mn)As upon a well controlled chemical-etching/oxidizing thinning from 15 nm down to complete removal of the ferro- magnetic response. The effect already starts at the very beginning of the thinning process and is accompanied by the spin reorientation transition of the in-plane uniaxial anisotropy. We postulate that a negative gradient along the growth direction of self-compensating defects (Mn interstitial) and the presence of surface donor traps gives quantitative account on these effects within the p-d mean field Zener model with adequate mod- ifications to take a nonuniform distribution of holes and Mn cations into account. The described here effects are of practical importance for employing thin and ultrathin layers of (Ga,Mn)As or relative compounds in concept spintronics devices, like resonant tunneling devices in particular.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures and supplementary information 2 pages, 1 figur

Photoemission studies of Ga1−x_{1-x}Mnx_{x}As: Mn-concentration dependent properties

Using angle-resolved photoemission, we have investigated the development of the electronic structure and the Fermi level pinnning in Ga$_{1-x}$Mn$_{x}$As with Mn concentrations in the range 1--6%. We find that the Mn-induced changes in the valence-band spectra depend strongly on the Mn concentration, suggesting that the interaction between the Mn ions is more complex than assumed in earlier studies. The relative position of the Fermi level is also found to be concentration-dependent. In particular we find that for concentrations around 3.5--5% it is located very close to the valence-band maximum, which is in the range where metallic conductivity has been reported in earlier studies. For concentration outside this range, larger as well as smaller, the Fermi level is found to be pinned at about 0.15 eV higher energy.Comment: REVTeX style; 7 pages, 3 figure

Velocities and joint angles during double backward stretched salto performed with stable landing and in combination with tempo salto

The aim of the study was to compare the values of velocity an joint angles obtained during performance of double salto backward stretched with a stable landing and its combination with salto tempo. Seven top level acrobats (track jumpers) participated in study. Mean values of body height, mass and age had a value of: 170 cm ± 4.0 cm, 72.4 kg ± 3.6 kg, 20.4±1.7 years, respectively. The studies were conducted on a standard acrobatic path (type PTS 2000). Two digital video cameras (240 Hz) and APAS 2000 (Ariel Dynamics Inc.) were used during studies. Markers were placed in ankle, knee, hip, arm, elbow and wrist joints. All marker positions were tracked and reconstructed using the APAS system. Two sequences with the following elements were analysed: round-off - double salto backward stretched (A) and round-off - double salto backward stretched - tempo salto (B). The highest differences between the key components describing performance of presented exercises exist for joint angles during launching and landing position, and resultant velocities during touchdown. In version A the athlete created prerequisites for “gliding” double salto backward stretched by means of the body segments motions, whereas in version B he executes faster motions of the body segments accentuating his actions upon backward rotation of the body. During the final phase of double salto backward stretched in combination with tempo salto the athlete performed courbette “under himself” (almost straight feet are placed in front of vertical line), pushes directly back and in 0,1 s executes stable arm swing upward-backward to tempo salto

Quantum Hall states under conditions of vanishing Zeeman energy

We report on magneto-transport measurements of a two-dimensional electron gas confined in a Cd$_{0.997}$Mn$_{0.003}$Te quantum well structure under conditions of vanishing Zeeman energy. The electron Zeeman energy has been tuned via the $s-d$ exchange interaction in order to probe different quantum Hall states associated with metallic and insulating phases. We have observed that reducing Zeeman energy to zero does not necessary imply the disappearing of quantum Hall states, i.e. a closing of the spin gap. The spin gap value under vanishing Zeeman energy conditions is shown to be dependent on the filling factor. Numerical simulations support a qualitative description of the experimental data presented in terms of a crossing or an avoided-crossing of spin split Landau levels with same orbital quantum number $N$

Analysis of the Electronic and Band-Structure in As-grown and Annealed (Ga,Mn)As Epitaxial Layers

The photoreflectance (PR) spectroscopy was applied to study the band-structure evolution in (Ga,Mn)As layers with increasing Mn content. We investigated (Ga,Mn)As layers and, as a reference, undoped GaAs layer, grown by LT-MBE on semi-insulating (001) GaAs substrates. Photoreflectance studies were supported by Raman spectroscopy and high resolution X-ray diffractometry (XRD) measurements. Magnetic properties of the (Ga,Mn)As films were characterized with a superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) magnetometer. In addition, we investigated impact of the annealing of 100 nm (Ga,Mn)As layers with 6% of the Mn content on the electronic and band structure as well as on the electrical and magnetic properties of these films. Our findings were interpreted in terms of the model, which assumes that the mobile holes residing in the valence band of GaAs and the Fermi level position determined by the concentration of valence-band holes. When you are citing the document, use the following link http://essuir.sumdu.edu.ua/handle/123456789/3499

Photoreflectance Study of the Fundamental Optical Properties of (Ga,Mn)As Epitaxial Films

Fundamental optical properties of thin films of (Ga,Mn)As diluted ferromagnetic semiconductor with a low (1%) and high (6%) Mn content and of a reference GaAs film, grown by low-temperature molecular-beam epitaxy, have been investigated by photoreflectance (PR) spectroscopy. In addition, the films were subjected to complementary characterization by means of superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) magnetometry, Raman spectroscopy, and high resolution X-ray diffractometry. Thorough full-line-shape analysis of the PR spectra, which enabled determination of the E0 electronic transition in (Ga,Mn)As, revealed significant differences between the energy band structures in vicinity of the {\Gamma} point of the Brillouin zone for the two (Ga,Mn)As films. In view of the obtained experimental results the evolution of the valence band structure in (Ga,Mn)As with increasing Mn content is discussed, pointing to a merging the Mn-related impurity band with the host GaAs valence band for high Mn content.Comment: 21 pages, 6 figure