636 research outputs found
Age-Corrected Beta Cell Mass Following Onset of Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus Correlates with Plasma C-Peptide in Humans
The inability to produce insulin endogenously precipitates the clinical symptoms of type 1 diabetes mellitus. However, the dynamic trajectory of beta cell destruction following onset remains unclear. Using model-based inference, the severity of beta cell destruction at onset decreases with age where, on average, a 40% reduction in beta cell mass was sufficient to precipitate clinical symptoms at 20 years of age. While plasma C-peptide provides a surrogate measure of endogenous insulin production post-onset, it is unclear as to whether plasma C-peptide represents changes in beta cell mass or beta cell function. The objective of this paper was to determine the relationship between beta cell mass and endogenous insulin production post-onset.Model-based inference was used to compare direct measures of beta cell mass in 102 patients against contemporary measures of plasma C-peptide obtained from three studies that collectively followed 834 patients post-onset of clinical symptoms. An empirical Bayesian approach was used to establish the level of confidence associated with the model prediction. Age-corrected estimates of beta cell mass that were inferred from a series of landmark pancreatic autopsy studies significantly correlate (p>0.9995) with contemporary measures of plasma C-peptide levels following onset.Given the correlation between beta cell mass and plasma C-peptide following onset, plasma C-peptide may provide a surrogate measure of beta cell mass in humans. The clinical relevance of this study is that therapeutic strategies that provide an increase in plasma C-peptide over the predicted value for an individual may actually improve beta cell mass. The model predictions may establish a standard historical "control" group - a prior in a Bayesian context - for clinical trials
Radial elasticity of multi-walled carbon nanotubes
We report an experimental and a theoretical study of the radial elasticity of
multi-walled carbon nanotubes as a function of external radius. We use atomic
force microscopy and apply small indentation amplitudes in order to stay in the
linear elasticity regime. The number of layers for a given tube radius is
inferred from transmission electron microscopy, revealing constant ratios of
external to internal radii. This enables a comparison with molecular dynamics
results, which also shed some light onto the applicability of Hertz theory in
this context. Using this theory, we find a radial Young modulus strongly
decreasing with increasing radius and reaching an asymptotic value of 30 +/- 10
GPa.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figure
Mapping of functionalized regions on carbon nanotubes by scanning tunneling microscopy
Scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) gives us the opportunity to map the
surface of functionalized carbon nanotubes in an energy resolved manner and
with atomic precision. But this potential is largely untapped, mainly due to
sample stability issues which inhibit reliable measurements. Here we present a
simple and straightforward solution that makes away with this difficulty, by
incorporating the functionalized multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) into a
few layer graphene - nanotube composite. This enabled us to measure energy
resolved tunneling conductance maps on the nanotubes, which shed light on the
level of doping, charge transfer between tube and functional groups and the
dependence of defect creation or functionalization on crystallographic
orientation.Comment: Keywords: functionalization, carbon nanotubes, few layer graphene,
STM, CITS, ST
Tungsten Oxide Nanorods Array and Nanobundle Prepared by Using Chemical Vapor Deposition Technique
Tungsten oxide (WO3) nanorods array prepared using chemical vapor deposition techniques was studied. The influence of oxygen gas concentration on the nanoscale tungsten oxide structure was observed; it was responsible for the stoichiometric and morphology variation from nanoscale particle to nanorods array. Experimental results also indicated that the deposition temperature was highly related to the morphology; the chemical structure, however, was stable. The evolution of the crystalline structure and surface morphology was analyzed by scanning electron microscopy, Raman spectra and X-ray diffraction approaches. The stoichiometric variation was indicated by energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy
Field-effect transistors assembled from functionalized carbon nanotubes
We have fabricated field effect transistors from carbon nanotubes using a
novel selective placement scheme. We use carbon nanotubes that are covalently
bound to molecules containing hydroxamic acid functionality. The functionalized
nanotubes bind strongly to basic metal oxide surfaces, but not to silicon
dioxide. Upon annealing, the functionalization is removed, restoring the
electronic properties of the nanotubes. The devices we have fabricated show
excellent electrical characteristics.Comment: 5 pages, 6 figure
3D characterization of CdSe nanoparticles attached to carbon nanotubes
The crystallographic structure of CdSe nanoparticles attached to carbon
nanotubes has been elucidated by means of high resolution transmission electron
microscopy and high angle annular dark field scanning transmission electron
microscopy tomography. CdSe rod-like nanoparticles, grown in solution together
with carbon nanotubes, undergo a morphological transformation and become
attached to the carbon surface. Electron tomography reveals that the
nanoparticles are hexagonal-based with the (001) planes epitaxially matched to
the outer graphene layer.Comment: 7 pages, 8 figure
An empirical Bayesian approach for model-based inference of cellular signaling networks
Background
A common challenge in systems biology is to infer mechanistic descriptions of biological process given limited observations of a biological system. Mathematical models are frequently used to represent a belief about the causal relationships among proteins within a signaling network. Bayesian methods provide an attractive framework for inferring the validity of those beliefs in the context of the available data. However, efficient sampling of high-dimensional parameter space and appropriate convergence criteria provide barriers for implementing an empirical Bayesian approach. The objective of this study was to apply an Adaptive Markov chain Monte Carlo technique to a typical study of cellular signaling pathways. Results
As an illustrative example, a kinetic model for the early signaling events associated with the epidermal growth factor (EGF) signaling network was calibrated against dynamic measurements observed in primary rat hepatocytes. A convergence criterion, based upon the Gelman-Rubin potential scale reduction factor, was applied to the model predictions. The posterior distributions of the parameters exhibited complicated structure, including significant covariance between specific parameters and a broad range of variance among the parameters. The model predictions, in contrast, were narrowly distributed and were used to identify areas of agreement among a collection of experimental studies. Conclusion
In summary, an empirical Bayesian approach was developed for inferring the confidence that one can place in a particular model that describes signal transduction mechanisms and for inferring inconsistencies in experimental measurements
Hindered rolling and friction anisotropy in supported carbon nanotubes
Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are well known for their exceptional thermal,
mechanical and electrical properties. For many CNT applications it is of the
foremost importance to know their frictional properties. However, very little
is known about the frictional forces between an individual nanotube and a
substrate or tip. Here, we present a combined theoretical and experimental
study of the frictional forces encountered by a nanosize tip sliding on top of
a supported multiwall CNT along a direction parallel or transverse to the CNT
axis. Surprisingly, we find a higher friction coefficient in the transverse
direction compared with the parallel direction. This behaviour is explained by
a simulation showing that transverse friction elicits a soft 'hindered rolling'
of the tube and a frictional dissipation that is absent, or partially absent
for chiral CNTs, when the tip slides parallel to the CNT axis. Our findings can
help in developing better strategies for large-scale CNT assembling and sorting
on a surface.Comment: 8 pages, 5 figure
Thermoelectric properties of lead chalcogenide core-shell nanostructures
We present the full thermoelectric characterization of nanostructured bulk
PbTe and PbTe-PbSe samples fabricated from colloidal core-shell nanoparticles
followed by spark plasma sintering. An unusually large thermopower is found in
both materials, and the possibility of energy filtering as opposed to grain
boundary scattering as an explanation is discussed. A decreased Debye
temperature and an increased molar specific heat are in accordance with recent
predictions for nanostructured materials. On the basis of these results we
propose suitable core-shell material combinations for future thermoelectric
materials of large electric conductivities in combination with an increased
thermopower by energy filtering.Comment: 12 pages, 8 figure
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