13,876 research outputs found
Putative spin liquid in the triangle-based iridate BaIrTiO
We report on thermodynamic, magnetization, and muon spin relaxation
measurements of the strong spin-orbit coupled iridate BaIrTiO,
which constitutes a new frustration motif made up a mixture of edge- and
corner-sharing triangles. In spite of strong antiferromagnetic exchange
interaction of the order of 100~K, we find no hint for long-range magnetic
order down to 23 mK. The magnetic specific heat data unveil the -linear and
-squared dependences at low temperatures below 1~K. At the respective
temperatures, the zero-field muon spin relaxation features a persistent spin
dynamics, indicative of unconventional low-energy excitations. A comparison to
the isostructural compound BaRuTiO suggests that a concerted
interplay of compass-like magnetic interactions and frustrated geometry
promotes a dynamically fluctuating state in a triangle-based iridate.Comment: Physical Review B accepte
Collagen and bone morphogenetic protein-2 functionalized hydroxyapatite scaffolds induce osteogenic differentiation in human adipose-derived stem cells
Surface modification is one important way to fabricate successful biocompatible materials in bone tissue engineering. Hydroxyapatite (HAp) materials have received considerable attention as suitable bioceramics for manufacturing osseous implants because of their similarity to bone mineral in terms of chemical composition. In this study, the surface of porous HAp scaffold was modified by collagen treatment and bone morphogenetic protein‐2 (BMP‐2) conjugation. The surface modification did not affect the HAp scaffold's bulk properties. No significant difference in compressive strength was found among different scaffolds, with HAp, collagen modified HAp, and collagen–BMP‐2‐functionalized HAp having compressive strengths of 45.8 ± 3.12, 51.2 ± 4.09, and 50.7 ± 3.98 MPa, respectively. In vitro studies were performed to compare adhesion and osteogenic differentiation between human adipose‐derived stem cells (hADSCs) with modified surfaces and those unmodified HAp surfaces. Collagen or BMP‐2 alone was insufficient and that both collagen and BMP‐2 are necessary to get the desired results. The findings suggest the possibility of using three‐dimensional HAp scaffold treated with gold‐standard collagen coating and highly researched BMP‐2 growth factor as a platform to deliver hADSCs. Results of this study could be used to develop treatment strategy for regenerating completely transected models using more synergistic approaches
Some Comments on Gravitational Entropy and the Inverse Mean Curvature Flow
The Geroch-Wald-Jang-Huisken-Ilmanen approach to the positive energy problem
to may be extended to give a negative lower bound for the mass of
asymptotically Anti-de-Sitter spacetimes containing horizons with exotic
topologies having ends or infinities of the form , in
terms of the cosmological constant. We also show how the method gives a lower
bound for for the mass of time-symmetric initial data sets for black holes with
vectors and scalars in terms of the mass, of the double extreme
black hole with the same charges. I also give a lower bound for the area of an
apparent horizon, and hence a lower bound for the entropy in terms of the same
function . This shows that the so-called attractor behaviour extends
beyond the static spherically symmetric case. and underscores the general
importance of the function . There are hints that higher dimensional
generalizations may involve the Yamabe conjectures.Comment: 13pp. late
Hysteresis and the dynamic phase transition in thin ferromagnetic films
Hysteresis and the non-equilibrium dynamic phase transition in thin magnetic
films subject to an oscillatory external field have been studied by Monte Carlo
simulation. The model under investigation is a classical Heisenberg spin system
with a bilinear exchange anisotropy in a planar thin film geometry with
competing surface fields. The film exhibits a non-equilibrium phase transition
between dynamically ordered and dynamically disordered phases characterized by
a critical temperature Tcd, whose location of is determined by the amplitude H0
and frequency w of the applied oscillatory field. In the presence of competing
surface fields the critical temperature of the ferromagnetic-paramagnetic
transition for the film is suppressed from the bulk system value, Tc, to the
interface localization-delocalization temperature Tci. The simulations show
that in general Tcd < Tci for the model film. The profile of the time-dependent
layer magnetization across the film shows that the dynamically ordered and
dynamically disordered phases coexist within the film for T < Tcd. In the
presence of competing surface fields, the dynamically ordered phase is
localized at one surface of the film.Comment: PDF file, 21 pages including 8 figure pages; added references,typos
added; to be published in PR
Charge states and magnetic ordering in LaMnO3/SrTiO3 superlattices
We investigated the magnetic and optical properties of
[(LaMnO3)n/(SrTiO3)8]20 (n = 1, 2, and 8) superlattices grown by pulsed laser
deposition. We found a weak ferromagnetic and semiconducting state developed in
all superlattices. An analysis of the optical conductivity showed that the
LaMnO3 layers in the superlattices were slightly doped. The amount of doping
was almost identical regardless of the LaMnO3 layer thickness up to eight unit
cells, suggesting that the effect is not limited to the interface. On the other
hand, the magnetic ordering became less stable as the LaMnO3 layer thickness
decreased, probably due to a dimensional effect.Comment: 17 pages including 4 figures, accepted for publication in Phys. Rev.
Culex tarsalis is a competent vector species for Cache Valley virus
Background: Cache Valley virus (CVV) is a mosquito-borne orthobunyavirus endemic in North America. The virus is
an important agricultural pathogen leading to abortion and embryonic lethality in ruminant species, especially
sheep. The importance of CVV in human public health has recently increased because of the report of severe
neurotropic diseases. However, mosquito species responsible for transmission of the virus to humans remain to be
determined. In this study, vector competence of three Culex species mosquitoes of public health importance, Culex
pipiens, Cx. tarsalis and Cx. quinquefasciatus, was determined in order to identify potential bridge vector species
responsible for the transmission of CVV from viremic vertebrate hosts to humans.
Results: Variation of susceptibility to CVV was observed among selected Culex species mosquitoes tested in this
study. Per os infection resulted in the establishment of infection and dissemination in Culex tarsalis, whereas Cx.
pipiens and Cx. quinquefasciatus were highly refractory to CVV. Detection of viral RNA in saliva collected from
infected Cx. tarsalis provided evidence supporting its role as a competent vector.
Conclusions: Our study provided further understanding of the transmission cycles of CVV and identifies Cx. tarsalis
as a competent vector
Gravitational Wavetrains in the Quasi-Equilibrium Approximation: A Model Problem in Scalar Gravitation
A quasi-equilibrium (QE) computational scheme was recently developed in
general relativity to calculate the complete gravitational wavetrain emitted
during the inspiral phase of compact binaries. The QE method exploits the fact
that the the gravitational radiation inspiral timescale is much longer than the
orbital period everywhere outside the ISCO. Here we demonstrate the validity
and advantages of the QE scheme by solving a model problem in relativistic
scalar gravitation theory. By adopting scalar gravitation, we are able to
numerically track without approximation the damping of a simple, quasi-periodic
radiating system (an oscillating spherical matter shell) to final equilibrium,
and then use the exact numerical results to calibrate the QE approximation
method. In particular, we calculate the emitted gravitational wavetrain three
different ways: by integrating the exact coupled dynamical field and matter
equations, by using the scalar-wave monopole approximation formula
(corresponding to the quadrupole formula in general relativity), and by
adopting the QE scheme. We find that the monopole formula works well for weak
field cases, but fails when the fields become even moderately strong. By
contrast, the QE scheme remains quite reliable for moderately strong fields,
and begins to breakdown only for ultra-strong fields. The QE scheme thus
provides a promising technique to construct the complete wavetrain from binary
inspiral outside the ISCO, where the gravitational fields are strong, but where
the computational resources required to follow the system for more than a few
orbits by direct numerical integration of the exact equations are prohibitive.Comment: 15 pages, 14 figure
Interface structure and strain relaxation in BaTiO3 thin films grown on GdScO3 and DyScO3 substrates with buried coherent SrRuO3 layer
To obtain the electrical properties of strained ferroelectric thin films, bottom electrodes with lattice constants and thermal coefficients matched to both films and substrates are needed. The interface structure, strain configuration, and strain relaxation in such bilayer systems are different from those in single layer systems. Here, we report transmission electron microscopy studies of epitaxial BaTiO3 films grown on GdScO3 and DyScO3 substrates with buried SrRuO3 layers. We found that the different strain relaxation behaviors observed in the bilayer are mainly dependent on lattice mismatch of each layer to the substrate and the thicknesses of each layer.open7
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