Transport through the intertube link between two parallel carbon nanotubes

Quantum transport through the junction between two metallic carbon nanotubes connected by intertube links has been studied within the TB method and Landauer formula. It is found that the conductance oscillates with both of the coupling strength and length. The corresponding local density of states (LDOS) is clearly shown and can be used to explain the reason why there are such kinds of oscillations of the conductances, which should be noted in the design of nanotube-based devices.Comment: 6 pages, 4 figure

Nano-scale modeling and elastic properties of a typical CSH (I) structure based on DFT and Molecular Dynamics Methods

International audience Les silicates de calcium hydratés (C-S-H) sont les constituants principaux de la pâte de ciment et ont donc une grande influence sur les propriétés mécaniques des matériaux cimentaires. Le modèle de tobermorite-11Å (formule chimique: Ca4Si6O14(OH)4•2H2O) est d'abord considéré comme configuration initiale pour décrire ces hydrates. Ce modèle est alors étudié par DFT (Density Functional Theory) et Dynamique Moléculaire. Les constantes élastiques sont calculées et comparées à des valeurs expérimentales. Un Silicate de Calcium Hydraté amorphe est obtenu par le biais d'une modélisation par Dynamique Moléculaire d'un processus de recuit de la tobermorite-11Å avec utilisation d'un potentiel de Born-Huggins-Meyer (BMH). Des tests uniaxiaux de traction et de compression d'un silicate de calcium hydraté amorphe (avec un rapport Ca/Si de 0,67), à une certaine vitesse de déformation, sont modélisés. Les courbes contrainte-déformation sont analysées. Les résultats montrent que: (1) les coefficients élastiques Cij sont obtenus dans la plage de pression de confinement 0-1GPa pour vérifier la fiabilité du modèle par comparaison avec des résultats de la littérature. (2) Un modèle de super-cellule à l'échelle nano montre des propriétés mécaniques isotropes (3) Après recuit pour obtenir un C-S-H (I) amorphe, le module de Young est en moyenne d'environ 21,4 GPa. </div

ANGULAR ANALYSIS OF THE INDEX AND MIDDLE FINGERS DURING FASTBALL AND CURVEBALL PITCHING – A CASE STUDY

The purpose of this study was to expand the knowledge by quantifying and comparing finger angle between curveball (CB) and fastball (FB) pitching. One division II college pitcher was participated in present study. A VICON Motion capture system were used to collect 3-D kinematic data (500Hz). Three successful trials for each FB and CB were collected. The metacarpal phalangeal joint (MCP), proximal interphalangeal joint (PIP) and distal interphalangeal joint (DIP) angle was analysed. There were several differences in MCP, PIP and DIP angle for CB and FB. But similar patterns were found between index finger and middle finger. This information may beneficial to conduct thefurther study to explore the mechanics of pitching

4-Amino-3,5-dichloro­benzene­sulfonamide

In the title compound, C6H6Cl2N2O2S, the O atoms of the sulfonamide group lie on one side of the benzene ring and the amino group lies on the opposite side. An inter­molecular N—H⋯Cl inter­action occurs. In the crystal, adjacent mol­ecules are linked by N—H⋯O hydrogen bonds, forming a three-dimensional structure with supporting π–π stacking inter­actions [centroid–centroid distance = 3.7903 (12) Å]. A short Cl⋯Cl contact [3.3177 (10) Å] also occurs

MCRS2 represses the transactivation activities of Nrf1

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Nrf1 [p45 nuclear factor-erythroid 2 (p45 NF-E2)-related factor 1], a member of the CNC-bZIP (CNC basic region leucine zipper) family, is known to be a transcriptional activator by dimerization with distinct partners, such as Maf, FosB, c-Jun, JunD, etc. The transcriptional roles of CNC-bZIP family are demonstrated to be involved in globin gene expression as well as the antioxidant response. For example, CNC-bZIP factors can regulate the expression of detoxification proteins through AREs, such as expression of human gamma-glutamylcysteine synthetases (GCS), glutathione S-transferases (GST), UDP-glucuronosyl transferase (UDP-GT), NADP (H) quinone oxidoreductase (NQOs), etc. To further explore other factor(s) in cells related to the function of Nrf1, we performed a yeast two-hybrid screening assay to identify any Nrf1-interacting proteins. In this study, we isolated a cDNA encoding residues 126–475 of MCRS2 from the HeLa cell cDNA library. Some functions of MCRS1 and its splice variant-MSP58 and MCRS2 have been previously identified, such as transforming, nucleolar sequestration, ribosomal gene regulation, telomerase inhibition activities, etc. Here, we demonstrated MCRS2 can function as a repressor on the Nrf1-mediated transactivation using both in vitro and in vivo systems.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>To find other proteins interacting with the CNC bZIP domain of Nrf1, the CNC-bZIP region of Nrf1 was used as a bait in a yeast two-hybrid screening assay. MCRS2, a splicing variant of p78/MCRS1, was isolated as the Nrf1-interacting partner from the screenings. The interaction between Nrf1 and MCRS2 was confirmed <it>in vitro </it>by GST pull-down assays and <it>in vivo </it>by co-immunoprecipitation. Further, the Nrf1-MCRS2 interaction domains were mapped to the residues 354–447 of Nrf1 as well as the residues 314–475 of MCRS2 respectively, by yeast two-hybrid and GST pull-down assays. By immunofluorescence, MCRS2-FLAG was shown to colocalize with HA-Nrf1 in the nucleus and didn't result in the redistribution of Nrf1. This suggested the existence of Nrf1-MCRS2 complex in vivo. To further confirm the biological function, a reporter driven by CNC-bZIP protein binding sites was also shown to be repressed by MCRS2 in a transient transfection assay. An artificial reporter gene activated by LexA-Nrf1 was also specifically repressed by MCRS2.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>From the results, we showed MCRS2, a new Nrf1-interacting protein, has a repression effect on Nrf1-mediated transcriptional activation. This was the first ever identified repressor protein related to Nrf1 transactivation.</p

Research on Factors Affecting the Use of E-commerce Consumer Credit Services: A Study of Ant Check Later

This study uses “Ant Check Later”, the e-commerce consumer credit service of Alibaba, as the artifact and explores factors affecting its use. This study first summarized initiatives that Alibaba has launched to stimulate the use of “Ant Check Later”. Three factors, bonus, quota lifting, and scenario enrichment, were then distinguished from the initiatives using principal component analysis. These factors were anticipated to affect consumers’ intention to use the service. The research model was tested using 373 respondents collected from an online survey. Results indicate that bonus, quota lifting, and scenario enrichment are three predictors of consumers’ intention to continue using the service, and bonus and scenario enrichment positively affect non-users’ intention to use the service. This study found that scenario enrichment is the most important factor among the three factors in boosting consumers’ behavioral intention toward using the service. Keywords E-commerce consumer credit services, bonus, quota lifting, scenario enrichment, acceptance

Structural, stereochemical, and bioactive studies of cembranoids from Chinese soft coral Sarcophyton trocheliophorum

LBK