Electromigration-Induced Propagation of Nonlinear Surface Waves

Due to the effects of surface electromigration, waves can propagate over the free surface of a current-carrying metallic or semiconducting film of thickness h_0. In this paper, waves of finite amplitude, and slow modulations of these waves, are studied. Periodic wave trains of finite amplitude are found, as well as their dispersion relation. If the film material is isotropic, a wave train with wavelength lambda is unstable if lambda/h_0 < 3.9027..., and is otherwise marginally stable. The equation of motion for slow modulations of a finite amplitude, periodic wave train is shown to be the nonlinear Schrodinger equation. As a result, envelope solitons can travel over the film's surface.Comment: 13 pages, 2 figures. To appear in Phys. Rev.

The onset of magnetic order in fcc-Fe films on Cu(100)

On the basis of a first-principles electronic structure theory of finite temperature metallic magnetism in layered materials, we investigate the onset of magnetic order in thin (2-8 layers) fcc-Fe films on Cu(100) substrates. The nature of this ordering is altered when the systems are capped with copper. Indeed we find an oscillatory dependence of the Curie temperatures as a function of Cu-cap thickness, in excellent agreement with experimental data. The thermally induced spin-fluctuations are treated within a mean-field disordered local moment (DLM) picture and give rise to layer-dependent `local exchange splittings' in the electronic structure even in the paramagnetic phase. These features determine the magnetic intra- and interlayer interactions which are strongly influenced by the presence and extent of the Cu cap.Comment: 13 pages, 3 figure

The Chemical Compositions of the Type II Cepheids -- The BL Her and W Vir Variables

Abundance analyses from high-resolution optical spectra are presented for 19 Type II Cepheids in the Galactic field. The sample includes both short-period (BL Her) and long-period (W Vir) stars. This is the first extensive abundance analysis of these variables. The C, N, and O abundances with similar spreads for the BL Her and W Vir show evidence for an atmosphere contaminated with $3\alpha$-process and CN-cycling products. A notable anomaly of the BL Her stars is an overabundance of Na by a factor of about five relative to their presumed initial abundances. This overabundance is not seen in the W Vir stars. The abundance anomalies running from mild to extreme in W Vir stars but not seen in the BL Her stars are attributed to dust-gas separation that provides an atmosphere deficient in elements of high condensation temperature, notably Al, Ca, Sc, Ti, and $s$-process elements. Such anomalies have previously been seen among RV Tau stars which represent a long-period extension of the variability enjoyed by the Type II Cepheids. Comments are offered on how the contrasting abundance anomalies of BL Her and W Vir stars may be explained in terms of the stars' evolution from the blue horizontal branch.Comment: 41 pages including 11 figures and 4 tables; Accepted for publication in Ap

High-Level Expression of Various Apolipoprotein (a) Isoforms by "Transferrinfection". The Role of Kringle IV Sequences in the Extracellular Association with Low-Density Lipoprotein

Characterization of the assembly of lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] is of fundamental importance to understanding the biosynthesis and metabolism of this atherogenic lipoprotein. Since no established cell lines exist that express Lp(a) or apolipoprotein(a) [apo(a)], a "transferrinfection" system for apo(a) was developed utilizing adenovirus receptor- and transferrin receptor-mediated DNA uptake into cells. Using this method, different apo(a) cDNA constructions of variable length, due to the presence of 3, 5, 7, 9, 15, or 18 internal kringle IV sequences, were expressed in cos-7 cells or CHO cells. All constructions contained kringle IV-36, which includes the only unpaired cysteine residue (Cys-4057) in apo(a). r-Apo(a) was synthesized as a precursor and secreted as mature apolipoprotein into the medium. When medium containing r-apo(a) with 9, 15, or 18 kringle IV repeats was mixed with normal human plasma LDL, stable complexes formed that had a bouyant density typical of Lp(a). Association was substantially decreased if Cys-4057 on r-apo(a) was replaced by Arg by site-directed mutagenesis or if Cys-4057 was chemically modified. Lack of association was also observed with r-apo(a) containing only 3, 5, or 7 kringle IV repeats without "unique kringle IV sequences", although Cys-4057 was present in all of these constructions. Synthesis and secretion of r-apo(a) was not dependent on its sialic acid content. r-Apo(a) was expressed even more efficiently in sialylation-defective CHO cells than in wild-type CHO cells. In transfected CHO cells defective in the addition of N-acetylglucosamine, apo(a) secretion was found to be decreased by 50%. Extracellular association with LDL was not affected by the carbohydrate moiety of r-apo(a), indicating a protein-protein interaction between r-apo(a) and apoB. These results show that, besides kringle IV-36, other kringle IV sequences are necessary for the extracellular association of r-apo(a) with LDL. Changes in the carbohydrate moiety of apo(a), however, do not affect complex formation

Quantum transport through STM-lifted single PTCDA molecules

Using a scanning tunneling microscope we have measured the quantum conductance through a PTCDA molecule for different configurations of the tip-molecule-surface junction. A peculiar conductance resonance arises at the Fermi level for certain tip to surface distances. We have relaxed the molecular junction coordinates and calculated transport by means of the Landauer/Keldysh approach. The zero bias transmission calculated for fixed tip positions in lateral dimensions but different tip substrate distances show a clear shift and sharpening of the molecular chemisorption level on increasing the STM-surface distance, in agreement with experiment.Comment: accepted for publication in Applied Physics

Frontier fields clusters: deep Chandra observations of the complex merger MACS~J1149.6+2223

The Hubble Space Telescope Frontier Fields cluster MACS J1149.6+2223 is one of the most complex merging clusters, believed to consist of four dark matter halos. We present results from deep (365 ks) Chandra observations of the cluster, which reveal the most distant cold front (z = 0.544) discovered to date. In the cluster outskirts, we also detect hints of a surface brightness edge that could be the bow shock preceding the cold front. The substructure analysis of the cluster identified several components with large relative radial velocities, thus indicating that at least some collisions occur almost along the line of sight. The inclination of the mergers with respect to the plane of the sky poses significant observational challenges at X-ray wavelengths. MACS J1149.6+2223 possibly hosts a steep-spectrum radio halo. If the steepness of the radio halo is confirmed, then the radio spectrum, combined with the relatively regular ICM morphology, could indicate that MACS J1149.6+2223 is an old merging cluster

British OsteoNEcrosis Study (BONES) protocol: a prospective cohort study to examine the natural history of osteonecrosis in older children, teenagers and young adults with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia and lymphoblastic lymphoma

Introduction: Osteonecrosis is a well-recognised treatment-related morbidity risk in patients diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) and lymphoblastic lymphoma (LBL), with a high rate of affected patients requiring surgical intervention. Patients may have asymptomatic changes on imaging studies that spontaneously regress, and little is known about the natural history of osteonecrotic changes seen. The main aim of the British OsteoNEcrosis Study (BONES) is to determine the incidence of symptomatic and asymptomatic osteonecrosis in the lower extremities of survivors of ALL or LBL diagnosed aged 10–24 years in the UK at different time points in their treatment. This study also aims to identify risk factors for progression and the development of symptomatic osteonecrosis in this population, as well as specific radiological features that predict for progression or regression in those with asymptomatic osteonecrosis Methods and analysis: BONES is a prospective, longitudinal cohort study based at principal treatment centres around the UK. Participants are patients aged 10–24 years diagnosed with ALL or LBL under standard criteria. Assessment for osteonecrosis will be within 4 weeks of diagnosis, at the end of delayed intensification and 1, 2 and 3 years after the start of maintenance therapy. Assessment will consist of MRI scans of the lower limbs and physiotherapy assessment. Clinical and biochemical data will be collected at each of the time points. Bone mineral density data and vertebral fracture assessment using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry will be collected at diagnosis and annually for 3 years after diagnosis of malignancy. Ethics and dissemination: Ethical approval has been obtained through the Yorkshire and Humber Sheffield Research Ethics Committee (reference number: 16/YH/0206). Study results will be published on the study website, in peer-reviewed journals and presented at relevant conferences and via social media. Trial registration number: NCT02598401; Pre-results

An Improved Search for the Neutron Electric Dipole Moment

A permanent electric dipole moment of fundamental spin-1/2 particles violates both parity (P) and time re- versal (T) symmetry, and hence, also charge-parity (CP) symmetry since there is no sign of CPT-violation. The search for a neutron electric dipole moment (nEDM) probes CP violation within and beyond the Stan- dard Model. The experiment, set up at the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI), an improved, upgraded version of the apparatus which provided the current best experimental limit, dn < 2.9E-26 ecm (90% C.L.), by the RAL/Sussex/ILL collaboration: Baker et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 97, 131801 (2006). In the next two years we aim to improve the sensitivity of the apparatus to sigma(dn) = 2.6E-27 ecm corresponding to an upper limit of dn < 5E-27 ecm (95% C.L.), in case for a null result. In parallel the collaboration works on the design of a new apparatus to further increase the sensitivity to sigma(dn) = 2.6E-28 ecm.Comment: APS Division for particles and fields, Conference Proceedings, Two figure