872 research outputs found
Magnetoresistance, Micromagnetism and Domain Wall Effects in Epitaxial Fe and Co Structures with Stripe Domains
We review our recent magnetotransport and micromagnetic studies of
lithographically defined epitaxial thin film structures of bcc Fe and hcp Co
with stripe domains. Micromagnetic structure and resistivity anisotropy are
shown to be the predominant sources of low field magnetoresistance (MR) in
these microstructures, with domain wall (DW) effects smaller but observable
(DW-MR ). In Fe, at low temperature, in a regime in which fields
have a significant effect on electron trajectories, a novel negative DW
contribution to the resistivity is observed. In hcp Co microstructures,
temperature dependent transport measurements for current perpendicular and
parallel to walls show that any additional resistivity due to DW scattering is
very small.Comment: 7 pages, 8 figures, to appear in Journal of Applied Physics 199
Frustration Driven Stripe Domain Formation in Co/Pt Multilayer Films
We report microscopic mechanisms for an unusual magnetization reversal
behavior in Co/Pt multilayers where some of the first-order reversal curves
protrude outside of the major loop. Transmission x-ray microscopy reveals a
fragmented stripe domain topography when the magnetic field is reversed prior
to saturation, in contrast to an interconnected pattern when reversing from a
saturated state. The different domain nucleation and propagation behaviors are
due to unannihilated domains from the prior field sweep. These residual domains
contribute to random dipole fields that impede the subsequent domain growth and
prevent domains from growing as closely together as for the interconnected
pattern.Comment: 13 pages, 3 figures, to appear in AP
Vascular endothelial growth factor directly inhibits primitive neural stem cell survival but promotes definitive neural stem cell survival
There are two types of neural stem cells (NSCs). Primitive NSCs [leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) dependent but exogenous fibroblast growth factor (FGF) 2 independent] can be derived from mouse embryonic stem (ES) cells in vitro and from embryonic day 5.5 (E5.5) to E7.5 epiblast and E7.5-E8.5 neuroectoderm in vivo. Definitive NSCs (LIF independent but FGF2 dependent) first appear in the E8.5 neural plate and persist throughout life. Primitive NSCs give rise to definitive NSCs. Loss and gain of functions were used to study the role of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-A and its receptor, Flk1, in NSCs. The numbers of Flk1 knock-out mice embryo-derived and ES cell-derived primitive NSCs were increased because of the enhanced survival of primitive NSCs. In contrast, neural precursor-specific, Flk1 conditional knock-out mice-derived, definitive NSCs numbers were decreased because of the enhanced cell death of definitive NSCs. These effects were not observed in cells lacking Flt1, another VEGF receptor. In addition, the cell death stimulated by VEGF-A of primitive NSC and the cell survival stimulated by VEGF-A of definitive NSC were blocked by Flk1/Fc-soluble receptors and VEGF-A function-blocking antibodies. These VEGF-A phenotypes also were blocked by inhibition of the downstream effector nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kappa B). Thus, both the cell death of primitive NSC and the cell survival of definitive NSC induced by VEGF-A stimulation are mediated by bifunctional NF-kappa B effects. In conclusion, VEGF-A function through Flk1 mediates survival (and not proliferative or fate change) effects on NSCs, specifically
Metformin:A Narrative Review of Its Potential Benefits for Cardiovascular Disease, Cancer and Dementia
The biguanide metformin has been used as first-line therapy in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) treatment for several decades. In addition to its glucose-lowering properties and its prevention of weight gain, the landmark UK Prospective Diabetes Study (UKPDS) demonstrated cardioprotective properties in obese T2DM patients. Coupled with a favorable side effect profile and low cost, metformin has become the cornerstone in the treatment of T2DM worldwide. In addition, metformin is increasingly being investigated for its potential anticancer and neuroprotective properties both in T2DM patients and non-diabetic individuals. In the meantime, new drugs with powerful cardioprotective properties have been introduced and compete with metformin for its place in the treatment of T2DM. In this review we will discuss actual insights in the various working mechanisms of metformin and the evidence for its beneficial effects on (the prevention of) cardiovascular disease, cancer and dementia. In addition to observational evidence, emphasis is placed on randomized trials and recent meta-analyses to obtain an up-to-date overview of the use of metformin in clinical practice
Theory of magnetic domains in uniaxial thin films
For uniaxial easy axis films, properties of magnetic domains are usually
described within the Kittel model, which assumes that domain walls are much
thinner than the domains. In this work we present a simple model that includes
a proper description of the magnetostatic energy of domains and domain walls
and also takes into account the interaction between both surfaces of the film.
Our model describes the behavior of domain and wall widths as a function of
film thickness, and is especially well suited for the strong stripe phase. We
prove the existence of a critical value of magneto-crystalline anisotropy above
which stripe domains exist for any film thickness and justify our model by
comparison with exact results. The model is in good agreement with experimental
data for hcp cobalt.Comment: 15 pages, 7 figure
Dimensional crossover in dipolar magnetic layers
We investigate the static critical behaviour of a uniaxial magnetic layer,
with finite thickness L in one direction, yet infinitely extended in the
remaining d dimensions. The magnetic dipole-dipole interaction is taken into
account. We apply a variant of Wilson's momentum shell renormalisation group
approach to describe the crossover between the critical behaviour of the 3-D
Ising, 2-d Ising, 3-D uniaxial dipolar, and the 2-d uniaxial dipolar
universality classes. The corresponding renormalisation group fixed points are
in addition to different effective dimensionalities characterised by distinct
analytic structures of the propagator, and are consequently associated with
varying upper critical dimensions. While the limiting cases can be discussed by
means of dimensional epsilon expansions with respect to the appropriate upper
critical dimensions, respectively, the crossover features must be addressed in
terms of the renormalisation group flow trajectories at fixed dimensionality d.Comment: 25 pages, Latex, 12 figures (.eps files) and IOP style files include
Coexistence of glassy antiferromagnetism and giant magnetoresistance (GMR) in Fe/Cr multilayer structures
Using temperature-dependent magnetoresistance and magnetization measurements
on Fe/Cr multilayers that exhibit pronounced giant magnetoresistance (GMR), we
have found evidence for the presence of a glassy antiferromagnetic (GAF) phase.
This phase reflects the influence of interlayer exchange coupling (IEC) at low
temperature (T < 140K) and is characterized by a field-independent glassy
transition temperature, Tg, together with irreversible behavior having
logarithmic time dependence below a "de Almeida and Thouless" (AT) critical
field line. At room temperature, where the GMR effect is still robust, IEC
plays only a minor role, and it is the random potential variations acting on
the magnetic domains that are responsible for the antiparallel interlayer
domain alignment.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figure
Project Prometheus: Design and Analysis of a Modular Aerostructure for a Small Launch Vehicle
Project Prometheus is a sub-team of the Alabama Rocket Engineering System (ARES) project, which has been in development for about four years. This system is a bi-propellant pressure-fed rocket meant to prove new technology and launch to about 30,000 ft. Project Prometheus is the structural and integration sub-team of Project ARES. The team has worked since August 2020, moving from concept, through preliminary and critical design, and then onto analysis and testing validation and manufacturing. This paper walks through the main requirements, design decisions with rationale, analysis proving the validity of the design, and highlights the important features and the transferability of the concept to other small launch vehicle applications
Neurologic phenotype of Schimke immuno-osseous dysplasia and neurodevelopmental expression of SMARCAL1
Schimke immuno-osseous dysplasia (OMIM 242900) is an uncommon autosomal-recessive multisystem disease caused by mutations in SMARCAL1 (swi/snf-related, matrix-associated, actin-dependent regulator of chromatin, subfamily a-like 1), a gene encoding a putative chromatin remodeling protein. Neurologic manifestations identified to date relate to enhanced atherosclerosis and cerebrovascular disease. Based on a clinical survey, we determined that half of Schimke immuno-osseous dysplasia patients have a small head circumference, and 15% have social, language, motor, or cognitive abnormalities. Postmortem examination of 2 Schimke immuno-osseous dysplasia patients showed low brain weights and subtle brain histologic abnormalities suggestive of perturbed neuron-glial migration such as heterotopia, irregular cortical thickness, incomplete gyral formation, and poor definition of cortical layers. We found that SMARCAL1 is highly expressed in the developing and adult mouse and human brain, including neural precursors and neuronal lineage cells. These observations suggest that SMARCAL1 deficiency may influence brain development and function in addition to its previously recognized effect on cerebral circulation
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