Quantum Spin Hall Insulators with Interactions and Lattice Anisotropy

We investigate the interplay between spin-orbit coupling and electron-electron interactions on the honeycomb lattice combining the cellular dynamical mean-field theory and its real space extension with analytical approaches. We provide a thorough analysis of the phase diagram and temperature effects at weak spin-orbit coupling. We systematically discuss the stability of the quantum spin Hall phase toward interactions and lattice anisotropy resulting in the plaquette-honeycomb model. We also show the evolution of the helical edge states characteristic of quantum spin Hall insulators as a function of Hubbard interaction and anisotropy. At very weak spin-orbit coupling and intermediate electron-electron interactions, we substantiate the existence of a quantum spin liquid phase.Comment: 7 pages, 9 figures, final versio

Phospholipase A2 has a role in proliferation but not in differentiation of HL-60 cells

AbstractThe role of phospholipase A2 (PLA2) and its metabolite arachidonic acid (AA) in the proliferation and differentiation of HL-60 cells was investigated. Addition of either 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1,25(OH)2D3) or retinoic acid (RA) to HL-60 cells for 2 h inhibited PMA-stimulated PLA2 activity measured by [3H]AA release. The inhibitor of PLA2 activity, p-bromophenacyl bromide (BPB), significantly inhibited the proliferation of HL-60 cells and of fibroblast L929 and Swiss 3T3 cells in a dose-dependent manner. The effect of BPB on proliferation is probably through its inhibitory effect on PLA2 activity, since the same doses of BPB which inhibited proliferation also inhibited PLA2 activity determined by [3H]AA release. The importance of PLA2 activity for cell growth was further supported by the effect of two other PLA2 inhibitors, AACOCF3 and scalaradial, which inhibited HL-60 proliferation in a dose-dependent manner. BPB, AACOCF3 and scalaradial significantly increased the doubling time to 32.4 h, 34.0 h and 31.8 h, respectively, compared with 24.6 h in the control. The inhibitory effect of BPB on HL-60 proliferation was reversed by addition of exogenous free AA to HL-60 cells, indicating the importance of this metabolite for the proliferation process. This reversible effect is specific for AA since it was not achieved by other fatty acids like linolenic acid (LA) or oleic acid (OA). Addition of free AA to HL-60 cells did not induce differentiation, as expected. Although BPB, AACOCF3, or scalaradial inhibited proliferation, they did not induce differentiation nor affect the differentiation induced by 1,25(OH)2D3 or RA. These results implicate that PLA2 activity has no regulatory role in differentiation of HL-60 cells. The differential effect of PLA2 inhibitors on proliferation and differentiation of HL-60 cells suggests that these two processes function under different regulatory mechanisms

Hot Spine Loops and the Nature of a Late-Phase Solar Flare

The fan-spine magnetic topology is believed to be responsible for many curious features in solar explosive events. A spine field line links distinct flux domains, but direct observation of such feature has been rare. Here we report a unique event observed by the Solar Dynamic Observatory where a set of hot coronal loops (over 10 MK) connected to a quasi-circular chromospheric ribbon at one end and a remote brightening at the other. Magnetic field extrapolation suggests these loops are partly tracer of the evolving spine field line. Continuous slipping- and null-point-type reconnections were likely at work, energizing the loop plasma and transferring magnetic flux within and across the fan quasi-separatrix layer. We argue that the initial reconnection is of the "breakout" type, which then transitioned to a more violent flare reconnection with an eruption from the fan dome. Significant magnetic field changes are expected and indeed ensued. This event also features an extreme-ultraviolet (EUV) late phase, i.e. a delayed secondary emission peak in warm EUV lines (about 2-7 MK). We show that this peak comes from the cooling of large post-reconnection loops beside and above the compact fan, a direct product of eruption in such topological settings. The long cooling time of the large arcades contributes to the long delay; additional heating may also be required. Our result demonstrates the critical nature of cross-scale magnetic coupling - topological change in a sub-system may lead to explosions on a much larger scale.Comment: Accepted for publication in ApJ. Animations linked from pd

Silicon Derived from Glass Bottles as Anode Materials for Lithium Ion Full Cell Batteries.

Every year many tons of waste glass end up in landfills without proper recycling, which aggravates the burden of waste disposal in landfill. The conversion from un-recycled glass to favorable materials is of great significance for sustainable strategies. Recently, silicon has been an exceptional anode material towards large-scale energy storage applications, due to its extraordinary lithiation capacity of 3579 mAh g-1 at ambient temperature. Compared with other quartz sources obtained from pre-leaching processes which apply toxic acids and high energy-consuming annealing, an interconnected silicon network is directly derived from glass bottles via magnesiothermic reduction. Carbon-coated glass derived-silicon (gSi@C) electrodes demonstrate excellent electrochemical performance with a capacity of ~1420 mAh g-1 at C/2 after 400 cycles. Full cells consisting of gSi@C anodes and LiCoO2 cathodes are assembled and achieve good initial cycling stability with high energy density

TFAP2C regulates transcription in human naive pluripotency by opening enhancers.

Naive and primed pluripotent human embryonic stem cells bear transcriptional similarity to pre- and post-implantation epiblast and thus constitute a developmental model for understanding the pluripotent stages in human embryo development. To identify new transcription factors that differentially regulate the unique pluripotent stages, we mapped open chromatin using ATAC-seq and found enrichment of the activator protein-2 (AP2) transcription factor binding motif at naive-specific open chromatin. We determined that the AP2 family member TFAP2C is upregulated during primed to naive reversion and becomes widespread at naive-specific enhancers. TFAP2C functions to maintain pluripotency and repress neuroectodermal differentiation during the transition from primed to naive by facilitating the opening of enhancers proximal to pluripotency factors. Additionally, we identify a previously undiscovered naive-specific POU5F1 (OCT4) enhancer enriched for TFAP2C binding. Taken together, TFAP2C establishes and maintains naive human pluripotency and regulates OCT4 expression by mechanisms that are distinct from mouse

2,5-Dioxopyrrolidin-1-yl adamantane-1-carboxyl­ate

The title compound, C15H19NO4, contains one crystallographically independent mol­ecule in the asymmetric unit. The N—O—C—O torsion angle is 1.97 (9)°. The two pairs of vicinal H atoms that lie above or below the plane defined by the five-membered pyrrolidine-2,5-dione ring are an average of 6.57 (5)° from being eclipsed. The average absolute C—C—C—C torsion angle in the adamantane skeleton, in which each fused cyclo­hexane ring is in a chair configuration, is 59.99 (5)°. The crystal packing is unremarkable