6,889 research outputs found
Complex itinerant ferromagnetism in noncentrosymmetric Cr11Ge19
The noncentrosymmetric ferromagnet Cr11Ge19 has been investigated by
electrical transport, AC and DC magnetization, heat capacity, x-ray
diffraction, resonant ultrasound spectroscopy, and first principles electronic
structure calculations. Complex itinerant ferromagnetism in this material is
indicated by nonlinearity in conventional Arrott plots, unusual behavior of AC
susceptibility, and a weak heat capacity anomaly near the Curie temperature (88
K). The inclusion of spin wave excitations was found to be important in
modeling the low temperature heat capacity. The temperature dependence of the
elastic moduli and lattice constants, including negative thermal expansion
along the c axis at low temperatures, indicate strong magneto-elastic coupling
in this system. Calculations show strong evidence for itinerant ferromagnetism
and suggest a noncollinear ground state may be expected
3,3′-Diindolylmethane and paclitaxel act synergistically to promote apoptosis in HER2/neu human breast cancer cells
Background. HER2/neu positive breast tumors are difficult to treat. About 25 to 30% of invasive breast tumors overexpress the HER2/neu oncogene. These tumors are aggressive and become resistant to chemotherapeutic drugs. 3,3′-diindolylmethane (DIM), the active metabolite of indole-3-carbinol, a naturally occurring compound found in cruciferous vegetables, has been found to have anti-cancer properties in both humans and animals. DIM has been shown to induce cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in animal breast cancer models. Because HER2/neu overexpression confers resistance to paclitaxel, and DIM has anti-tumor effects, we hypothesized that DIM will enhance the cytotoxic effects of paclitaxel, a common taxane drug, on human Her2/neu breast cancer cells by potentiating its effect on cell cycle and stimulating apoptosis.
Methods. The MDA-MB-435eB1 human Her2/neu breast cancer cells were treated with varying concentrations of DIM and paclitaxel. The cells were analyzed at different time points (24, 48, and 72 h). Proliferation was measured by a commercial cell proliferation assay (Promega Procheck Assay). Cell-cycle analysis and apoptosis were determined by flow cytometry. Western blot analysis was performed on to determine the effect of DIM and/or paclitaxel on the proteins involved in apoptosis, and epidermal growth factor-induced activation of HER2/neu and ERK1/2 signaling proteins.
Results. Both DIM and paclitaxel exhibited time and concentration dependent inhibition of cell proliferation. TUNEL assay indicated that the combination also increased the number of apoptotic cells more than either agent alone. The presence of cleaved poly (ADPRibose) polymerase (PARP) significantly increased in the combination treatment, whereas Bcl-2 is decreased. DIM alone decreased the activation of the Her2/neu receptor; the combination decreased the activation of ERK1/ERK2.
Conclusions. DIM in combination with paclitaxel synergistically inhibits growth of Her2/neu human breast cancer cells through G2M phase cell-cycle arrest and induction of apoptosis/necrosis. The Her2/neu receptor and its downstream signaling protein ERK1/2 appear to be involved in DIM’s affect on cell growth and differentiation, whereas apoptosis appears to be mediated through the mitochondrial pathway (Bcl-2/ PARP). It appears DIM, a naturally occurring, nontoxic compound, may be a beneficial addition to a traditional (taxane-based) chemotherapy regimen
Pterodactyl: Thermal Protection System for Integrated Control Design of a Mechanically Deployed Entry Vehicle
The need for precision landing of high mass payloads on Mars and the return of sensitive samples from other planetary bodies to specific locations on Earth is driving the development of an innovative NASA technology referred to as the Deployable Entry Vehicle (DEV). A DEV has the potential to deliver an equivalent science payload with a stowed diameter 3 to 4 times smaller than a traditional rigid capsule configuration. However, the DEV design does not easily lend itself to traditional methods of directional control. The NASA Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD)s Pterodactyl project is currently investigating the effectiveness of three different Guidance and Control (G&C) systems actuated flaps, Center of Gravity (CG) or mass movement, and Reaction Control System (RCS) for use with a DEV using the Adaptable, Deployable, Entry, and Placement Technology (ADEPT) design. This paper details the Thermal Protection System (TPS) design and associated mass estimation efforts for each of the G&C systems. TPS is needed for the nose cap of the DEV and the flaps of the actuated flap control system. The development of a TPS selection, sizing, and mass estimation method designed to deal with the varying requirements for the G&C options throughout the trajectory is presented. The paper discusses the methods used to i) obtain heating environments throughout the trajectory with respect to the chosen control system and resulting geometry; ii) determine a suitable TPS material; iii) produce TPS thickness estimations; and, iv) determine the final TPS mass estimation based on TPS thickness, vehicle control system, vehicle structure, and vehicle payload
Evidence for Strong Itinerant Spin Fluctuations in the Normal State of CeFeAsO(0.89)F(0.11) Iron-Oxypnictides
The electronic structure in the normal state of CeFeAsO0.89F0.11 oxypnictide
superconductors has been investigated with x-ray absorption and photoemission
spectroscopy. All the data exhibit signatures of Fe d-electron itinerancy.
Exchange multiplets appearing in the Fe 3s core level indicate the presence of
itinerant spin fluctuations. These findings suggest that the underlying physics
and the origin of superconductivity in these materials are likely to be quite
different from those of the cuprate high-temperature superconductors. These
materials provide opportunities for elucidating the role of magnetic
fluctuations in high-temperature superconductivity.Comment: Shorter version. Accepted in Phys. Rev. Let
Streamflow response to increasing precipitation extremes altered by forest management
Published (Publication status
Science with an ngVLA: Observing the Effects of Chemistry on Exoplanets and Planet Formation
One of the primary mechanisms for inferring the dynamical history of planets
in our Solar System and in exoplanetary systems is through observation of
elemental ratios (i.e. C/O). The ability to effectively use these observations
relies critically on a robust understanding of the chemistry and evolutionary
history of the observed abundances. Significant efforts have been devoted to
this area from within astrochemistry circles, and these efforts should be
supported going forward by the larger exoplanetary science community. In
addition, the construction of a next-generation radio interferometer will be
required to test many of these predictive models in situ, while simultaneously
providing the resolution necessary to pinpoint the location of planets in
formation.Comment: To be published in the ASP Monograph Series, "Science with a
Next-Generation VLA", ed. E. J. Murphy (ASP, San Francisco, CA
Dephasing Effects by Ferromagnetic Boundary on Resistivity in Disordered Metallic Layer
The resistivity of disordered metallic layer sandwiched by two ferromagnetic
layers at low-temperature is investigated theoretically. It is shown that the
magnetic field acting at the interface does not affect the classical Boltzmann
resistivity but causes a dephasing among electrons in the presence of the
spin-orbit interaction, suppressing the anti-localization due to the spin-orbit
interaction. The dephasing turns out to be stronger in the case where the
magnetization of the two layers is parallel, contributing to a positive
magnetoresistance close to a switching field at low temperature.Comment: 11 pages, 3 figures. Title modified in journal versio
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