1,448 research outputs found
{\it Ab initio} calculations of magnetic structure and lattice dynamics of Fe/Pt multilayers
The magnetization distribution, its energetic characterization by the
interlayer coupling constants and lattice dynamics of (001)-oriented Fe/Pt
multilayers are investigated using density functional theory combined with the
direct method to determine phonon frequencies. It is found that ferromagnetic
order between consecutive Fe layers is favoured, with the enhanced magnetic
moments at the interface. The bilinear and biquadratic coupling coefficients
between Fe layers are shown to saturate fast with increasing thickness of
nonmagnetic Pt layers which separate them. The phonon calculations demonstrate
a rather strong dependence of partial iron phonon densities of states on the
actual position of Fe monolayer in the multilayer structure.Comment: 7 pages, 8 figure
Can Gravitational Waves Prevent Inflation?
To investigate the cosmic no hair conjecture, we analyze numerically
1-dimensional plane symmetrical inhomogeneities due to gravitational waves in
vacuum spacetimes with a positive cosmological constant. Assuming periodic
gravitational pulse waves initially, we study the time evolution of those waves
and the nature of their collisions. As measures of inhomogeneity on each
hypersurface, we use the 3-dimensional Riemann invariant and the electric and magnetic parts of
the Weyl tensor. We find a temporal growth of the curvature in the waves'
collision region, but the overall expansion of the universe later overcomes
this effect. No singularity appears and the result is a ``no hair" de Sitter
spacetime. The waves we study have amplitudes between and widths between ,
where , the horizon scale of de Sitter spacetime. This
supports the cosmic no hair conjecture.Comment: LaTeX, 11 pages, 3 figures are available on request <To
[email protected] (Hisa-aki SHINKAI)>, WU-AP/29/9
Intermediate inflation and the slow-roll approximation
It is shown that spatially homogeneous solutions of the Einstein equations
coupled to a nonlinear scalar field and other matter exhibit accelerated
expansion at late times for a wide variety of potentials . These potentials
are strictly positive but tend to zero at infinity. They satisfy restrictions
on and related to the slow-roll approximation. These results
generalize Wald's theorem for spacetimes with positive cosmological constant to
those with accelerated expansion driven by potentials belonging to a large
class.Comment: 19 pages, results unchanged, additional backgroun
Inhibition of NF-κB-mediated signaling by the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor CR8 overcomes pro-survival stimuli to induce apoptosis in chronic lymphocytic leukemia cells
Purpose: Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is currently incurable with standard chemotherapeutic agents, highlighting the need for novel therapies. Overcoming proliferative and cytoprotective signals generated within the microenvironment of lymphoid organs is essential for limiting CLL progression and ultimately developing a cure.
Experimental Design: We assessed the potency of cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) inhibitor CR8, a roscovitine analog, to induce apoptosis in primary CLL from distinct prognostic subsets using flow cytometry–based assays. CLL cells were cultured in in vitro prosurvival and proproliferative conditions to mimic microenvironmental signals in the lymphoid organs, to elucidate the mechanism of action of CR8 in quiescent and proliferating CLL cells using flow cytometry, Western blotting, and quantitative real-time PCR.
Results: CR8 was 100-fold more potent at inducing apoptosis in primary CLL cells than roscovitine, both in isolated culture and stromal-coculture conditions. Importantly, CR8 induced apoptosis in CD40-ligated CLL cells and preferentially targeted actively proliferating cells within these cultures. CR8 treatment induced downregulation of the antiapoptotic proteins Mcl-1 and XIAP, through inhibition of RNA polymerase II, and inhibition of NF-κB signaling at the transcriptional level and through inhibition of the inhibitor of IκB kinase (IKK) complex, resulting in stabilization of IκBα expression.
Conclusions: CR8 is a potent CDK inhibitor that subverts pivotal prosurvival and proproliferative signals present in the tumor microenvironment of CLL patient lymphoid organs. Our data support the clinical development of selective CDK inhibitors as novel therapies for CLL
Bianchi type IX asymptotical behaviours with a massive scalar field: chaos strikes back
We use numerical integrations to study the asymptotical behaviour of a
homogeneous but anisotropic Bianchi type IX model in General Relativity with a
massive scalar field. As it is well known, for a Brans-Dicke theory, the
asymptotical behaviour of the metric functions is ruled only by the Brans-Dicke
coupling constant with respect to the value -3/2. In this paper we examine if
such a condition still exists with a massive scalar field. We also show that,
contrary to what occurs for a massless scalar field, the singularity
oscillatory approach may exist in presence of a massive scalar field having a
positive energy density.Comment: 31 pages, 7 figures (low resolution
Energy Density of Non-Minimally Coupled Scalar Field Cosmologies
Scalar fields coupled to gravity via in arbitrary
Friedmann-Robertson-Walker backgrounds can be represented by an effective flat
space field theory. We derive an expression for the scalar energy density where
the effective scalar mass becomes an explicit function of and the scale
factor. The scalar quartic self-coupling gets shifted and can vanish for a
particular choice of . Gravitationally induced symmetry breaking and
de-stabilization are possible in this theory.Comment: 18 pages in standard Late
Accelerated cosmological expansion due to a scalar field whose potential has a positive lower bound
In many cases a nonlinear scalar field with potential can lead to
accelerated expansion in cosmological models. This paper contains mathematical
results on this subject for homogeneous spacetimes. It is shown that, under the
assumption that has a strictly positive minimum, Wald's theorem on
spacetimes with positive cosmological constant can be generalized to a wide
class of potentials. In some cases detailed information on late-time
asymptotics is obtained. Results on the behaviour in the past time direction
are also presented.Comment: 16 page
Study of blind thrust faults underlying Tokyo and Osaka urban areas using a combination of high-resolution seismic reflection profiling and continuous coring
We acquired high-resolution seismic reflection profiles and continuously cored boreholes to evaluate active flexures
produced by major blind thrust fault systems within two densely populated Neogene-Quaternary sedimentary
basins in Japan: the Fukaya Fault System near Tokyo in the Kanto Basin and the Uemachi Fault System in
the Osaka Basin. The high-resolution seismic reflection survey made clear the length, geometry and growth history
of fault-related folds, or flexures formed above the two blind thrusts. Continuously cored boreholes linked
with high-resolution seismic profiles enabled us to estimate the uplift rate as defined by shallow stratigraphic
horizons and constrain the age of the most recent growth of the flexures during earthquakes on the Fukaya and
Uemachi fault systems. Even with the high quality of the data we collected, it is still not possible to exactly constrain
the age of the most recent blind thrust earthquake recorded by flexure of these fault-related folds. Data
presented in this paper form the basis for future efforts aimed at mechanical and kinematic models for fault
growth to evaluate the activity of blind thrusts underlying urban areas
Magnetic and Structural Studies of the Quasi-Two-Dimensional Spin-Gap System (CuCl)LaNb2O7
We report magnetization, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), nuclear quadrupole
resonance (NQR), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) studies on the
quasi-two-dimensional spin-gap system (CuCl)LaNb2O7, a possible candidate for
the J1-J2 model on a square lattice. A sharp single NQR line is observed at the
Cu and Cl sites, indicating that both Cu and Cl atoms occupy a unique site.
However, the electric field gradient tensors at the Cu, Cl, and La sites do not
have axial symmetry. This is incompatible with the reported crystal structure.
Thus the J1-J2 model has to be modified. We propose alternative two-dimensional
dimer models based on the NMR, NQR, and TEM results. The value of the hyperfine
coupling constant at the Cu sites indicates that the spin density is mainly on
the d(3z2-r2) orbital (z parallel c). At 1.5 K, Cu- and Nb-NMR signals
disappear above the critical field Bc1 = 10.3 T determined from the onset of
the magnetization, indicating a field-induced magnetic phase transition at Bc1.Comment: 9 pages, 16 figure
Scalar field in cosmology: Potential for isotropization and inflation
The important role of scalar field in cosmology was noticed by a number of
authors. Due to the fact that the scalar field possesses zero spin, it was
basically considered in isotropic cosmological models. If considered in an
anisotropic model, the linear scalar field does not lead to isotropization of
expansion process. One needs to introduce scalar field with nonlinear potential
for the isotropization process to take place. In this paper the general form of
scalar field potentials leading to the asymptotic isotropization in case of
Bianchi type-I cosmological model, and inflationary regime in case of isotropic
space-time is obtained. In doing so we solved both direct and inverse problem,
where by direct problem we mean to find metric functions and scalar field for
the given potential, whereas, the inverse problem means to find the potential
and scalar field for the given metric function. The scalar field potentials
leading to the inflation and isotropization were found both for harmonic and
proper synchronic time.Comment: 10 page
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