998 research outputs found
Nonlinear Stability of Static N\'eel Walls in Ferromagnetic Thin Films
In this paper, the nonlinear (orbital) stability of static 180^\circ N\'eel
walls in ferromagnetic films, under the reduced wave-type dynamics for the
in-plane magnetization proposed by Capella, Melcher and Otto [CMO07], is
established. It is proved that the spectrum of the linearized operator around
the static N\'eel wall lies in the stable complex half plane with non-positive
real part. This information is used to show that small perturbations of the
static N\'eel wall converge to a translated orbit belonging to the manifold
generated by the static wall.Comment: 45 page
DC-conductivity of a suspension of insulating particles with internal rotation
We analyse the consequences of Quincke rotation on the conductivity of a
suspension. Quincke rotation refers to the spontaneous rotation of insulating
particles dispersed in a slightly conducting liquid and subject to a high DC
electric field: above a critical field, each particle rotates continuously
around itself with an axis pointing in any direction perpendicular to the DC
field. When the suspension is subject to an electric field lower than the
threshold one, the presence of insulating particles in the host liquid
decreases the bulk conductivity since the particles form obstacles to ion
migration. But for electric fields higher than the critical one, the particles
rotate and facilitate ion migration: the effective conductivity of the
suspension is increased. We provide a theoretical analysis of the impact of
Quincke rotation on the apparent conductivity of a suspension and we present
experimental results obtained with a suspension of PMMA particles dispersed in
weakly conducting liquids
Single-cycle viral gene expression, rather than progressive replication and oncolysis, is required for VSV therapy of B16 melanoma
A fully intact immune system would be expected to hinder the efficacy of oncolytic virotherapy by inhibiting viral replication. Simultaneously, however, it may also enhance antitumor therapy through initiation of proinflammatory, antiviral cytokine responses at the tumor site. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of a fully intact immune system on the antitumor efficacy of an oncolytic virus. In this respect, injection of oncolytic vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) into subcutaneous B16ova melanomas in C57Bl/6 mice leads to tumor regression, but it is not associated with viral replicative burst in the tumor. In contrast, intratumoral delivery of VSV induces an acute proinflammatory reaction, which quickly resolves concomitantly with virus clearance. Consistent with the hypothesis that therapy may not be dependent on the ability of VSV to undergo progressive rounds of replication, a single-cycle VSV is equally effective as a fully replication-competent VSV, whereas inactivated viruses do not generate therapy. Even though therapy is dependent on host CD8+ and natural killer cells, these effects are not associated with interferon-γ-dependent responses against either the virus or tumor. There is, however, a strong correlation between viral gene expression, induction of proinflammatory reaction in the tumor and in vivo therapy. Overall, our results suggest that acute innate antiviral immune response, which rapidly clears VSV from B16ova tumors, is associated with the therapy observed in this model. Therefore, the antiviral immune response to an oncolytic virus mediates an intricate balance between safety, restriction of oncolysis and, potentially, significant immune-mediated antitumor therapy
Lorenz or Coulomb in Galilean Electromagnetism ?
Galilean Electromagnetism was discovered thirty years ago by Levy-Leblond &
Le Bellac. However, these authors only explored the consequences for the fields
and not for the potentials. Following De Montigny & al., we show that the
Coulomb gauge condition is the magnetic limit of the Lorenz gauge condition
whereas the Lorenz gauge condition applies in the electric limit of
L\'{e}vy-Leblond & Le Bellac. Contrary to De Montigny & al. who used Galilean
tensor calculus, we use orders of magnitude based on physical motivations in
our derivation.Comment: PDF versio
Plasma Magnetohydrodynamics and Energy Conversion
Contains research objectives and reports on x research projects.National Science Foundation under Grant G-9330U.S. Air Force (Aeronautical Systems Division) under Contract AF33(616)-7624 with the Flight Accessories Laboratory, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohi
Anelastic spectroscopy study of the metal-insulator transition of Nd(1-x)EuxNiO3
Measurements are presented of the complex dynamic Young's modulus of NdNiO3
and Nd0.65Eu0.35NiO3 through the Metal-Insulator Transition (MIT). On cooling,
the modulus presents a narrow dip at the MIT followed by an abrupt stiffening
of ~6%. The anomaly is reproducible between cooling and heating in
Nd0:65Eu0:35NiO3 but only appears as a slow stiffening during cooling in
undoped NdNiO3, conformingly with the fact that the MIT in RNiO3 changes from
strongly first order to second order when the mean R size is decreased. The
elastic anomaly seems not to be associated with the antiferromagnetic
transition, which is distinct from the MIT in Nd0.65Eu0.35NiO3. It is concluded
that the steplike stiffening is due to the disappearance or freezing of dynamic
Jahn- Teller (JT) distortions through the MIT, where the JT active Ni3+ is
disproportionated into alternating Ni3+d and Ni3-d. The fluctuating octahedral
JT distortion necessary to justify the observed jump in the elastic modulus is
estimated as ~3%, but does not have a role in determining the MIT, since the
otherwise expected precursor softening is not observed.Comment: 11 pages, accepted by Phys. Rev.
On the electrodynamics of moving bodies at low velocities
We discuss the seminal article in which Le Bellac and Levy-Leblond have
identified two Galilean limits of electromagnetism, and its modern
implications. We use their results to point out some confusion in the
literature and in the teaching of special relativity and electromagnetism. For
instance, it is not widely recognized that there exist two well defined
non-relativistic limits, so that researchers and teachers are likely to utilize
an incoherent mixture of both. Recent works have shed a new light on the choice
of gauge conditions in classical electromagnetism. We retrieve Le
Bellac-Levy-Leblond's results by examining orders of magnitudes, and then with
a Lorentz-like manifestly covariant approach to Galilean covariance based on a
5-dimensional Minkowski manifold. We emphasize the Riemann-Lorenz approach
based on the vector and scalar potentials as opposed to the Heaviside-Hertz
formulation in terms of electromagnetic fields. We discuss various applications
and experiments, such as in magnetohydrodynamics and electrohydrodynamics,
quantum mechanics, superconductivity, continuous media, etc. Much of the
current technology where waves are not taken into account, is actually based on
Galilean electromagnetism
Bifurcations in annular electroconvection with an imposed shear
We report an experimental study of the primary bifurcation in
electrically-driven convection in a freely suspended film. A weakly conducting,
submicron thick smectic liquid crystal film was supported by concentric
circular electrodes. It electroconvected when a sufficiently large voltage
was applied between its inner and outer edges. The film could sustain rapid
flows and yet remain strictly two-dimensional. By rotation of the inner
electrode, a circular Couette shear could be independently imposed. The control
parameters were a dimensionless number , analogous to the Rayleigh
number, which is and the Reynolds number of the
azimuthal shear flow. The geometrical and material properties of the film were
characterized by the radius ratio , and a Prandtl-like number . Using measurements of current-voltage characteristics of a large number of
films, we examined the onset of electroconvection over a broad range of
, and . We compared this data quantitatively to
the results of linear stability theory. This could be done with essentially no
adjustable parameters. The current-voltage data above onset were then used to
infer the amplitude of electroconvection in the weakly nonlinear regime by
fitting them to a steady-state amplitude equation of the Landau form. We show
how the primary bifurcation can be tuned between supercritical and subcritical
by changing and .Comment: 17 pages, 12 figures. Submitted to Phys. Rev. E. Minor changes after
refereeing. See also http://mobydick.physics.utoronto.c
Hematopoietic stem cell gene therapy targeting TGFβ enhances the efficacy of irradiation therapy in a preclinical glioblastoma model
Patients with glioblastoma (GBM) have a poor prognosis, and inefficient delivery of drugs to tumors represents a major therapeutic hurdle. Hematopoietic stem cell (HSC)-derived myeloid cells efficiently home to GBM and constitute up to 50% of intratumoral cells, making them highly appropriate therapeutic delivery vehicles. Because myeloid cells are ubiquitously present in the body, we recently established a lentiviral vector containing matrix metalloproteinase 14 (MMP14) promoter, which is active specifically in tumor-infiltrating myeloid cells as opposed to myeloid cells in other tissues, and resulted in a specific delivery of transgenes to brain metastases in HSC gene therapy. Here, we used this novel approach to target transforming growth factor beta (TGFβ) as a key tumor-promoting factor in GBM. Transplantation of HSCs transduced with lentiviral vector expressing green fluorescent protein (GFP) into lethally irradiated recipient mice was followed by intracranial implantation of GBM cells. Tumor-infiltrating HSC progeny was characterized by flow cytometry. In therapy studies, mice were transplanted with HSCs transduced with lentiviral vector expressing soluble TGFβ receptor II–Fc fusion protein under MMP14 promoter. This TGFβ-blocking therapy was compared with the targeted tumor irradiation, the combination of the two therapies, and control. Tumor growth and survival were quantified (statistical significance determined by t-test and log-rank test). T cell memory response was probed through a repeated tumor challenge. Myeloid cells were the most abundant HSC-derived population infiltrating GBM. TGFβ-blocking HSC gene therapy in combination with irradiation significantly reduced tumor burden as compared with monotherapies and the control, and significantly prolonged survival as compared with the control and TGFβ-blocking monotherapy. Long-term protection from GBM was achieved only with the combination treatment (25% of the mice) and was accompanied by a significant increase in CD8+ T cells at the tumor implantation site following tumor rechallenge. We demonstrated a preclinical proof-of-principle for tumor myeloid cell-specific HSC gene therapy in GBM. In the clinic, HSC gene therapy is being successfully used in non-cancerous brain disorders and the feasibility of HSC gene therapy in patients with glioma has been demonstrated in the context of bone marrow protection. This indicates an opportunity for clinical translation of our therapeutic approach
Emerging pharmacotherapy of tinnitus
Tinnitus, the perception of sound in the absence of an auditory stimulus, is perceived by about 1 in 10 adults, and for at least 1 in 100, tinnitus severely affects their quality of life. Because tinnitus is frequently associated with irritability, agitation, stress, insomnia, anxiety and depression, the social and economic burdens of tinnitus can be enormous. No curative treatments are available. However, tinnitus symptoms can be alleviated to some extent. The most widespread management therapies consist of auditory stimulation and cognitive behavioral treatment, aiming at improving habituation and coping strategies. Available clinical trials vary in methodological rigor and have been performed for a considerable number of different drugs. None of the investigated drugs have demonstrated providing replicable long-term reduction of tinnitus impact in the majority of patients in excess of placebo effects. Accordingly, there are no FDA or European Medicines Agency approved drugs for the treatment of tinnitus. However, in spite of the lack of evidence, a large variety of different compounds are prescribed off-label. Therefore, more effective pharmacotherapies for this huge and still growing market are desperately needed and even a drug that produces only a small but significant effect would have an enormous therapeutic impact. This review describes current and emerging pharmacotherapies with current difficulties and limitations. In addition, it provides an estimate of the tinnitus market. Finally, it describes recent advances in the tinnitus field which may help overcome obstacles faced in the pharmacological treatment of tinnitus. These include incomplete knowledge of tinnitus pathophysiology, lack of well-established animal models, heterogeneity of different forms of tinnitus, difficulties in tinnitus assessment and outcome measurement and variability in clinical trial methodology. © 2009 Informa UK Ltd.Fil: Langguth, Berthold. Universitat Regensburg; AlemaniaFil: Salvi, Richard. State University of New York; Estados UnidosFil: Elgoyhen, Ana Belen. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Investigaciones en Ingeniería Genética y Biología Molecular "Dr. Héctor N. Torres"; Argentin
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