87 research outputs found
On the Incommensurate Phase of Pure and Doped Spin-Peierls System CuGeO_3
Phases and phase transitions in pure and doped spin-Peierls system CuGeO_3
are considered on the basis of a Landau-theory. In particular we discuss the
critical behaviour, the soliton width and the low temperature specific heat of
the incommensurate phase. We show, that dilution leads always to the
destruction of long range order in this phase, which is replaced by an
algebraic decay of correlations if the disorder is weak.Comment: 4 pages revtex, no figure
Exact results for quantum phase transitions in random XY spin chains
The effect of disorder on the quantum phase transitions induced by a
transverse field, anisotropy, and dimerization in XY spin chains is
investigated. The low-energy behavior near the critical point is described by a
Dirac-type equation with a random mass for which an exact analytic treatment is
possible. Results obtained for the dynamical critical exponent, the specific
heat, and transverse susceptibility agree with results recently obtained using
a real space renormalization group decimation technique, supporting Fisher's
claim that it is exact. A non-zero transverse field changes the universality
class of the anisotropy transition.Comment: 5 pages, RevTeX + epsf, 2 figures
Phonons in random alloys: the itinerant coherent-potential approximation
We present the itinerant coherent-potential approximation(ICPA), an analytic,
translationally invariant and tractable form of augmented-space-based,
multiple-scattering theory in a single-site approximation for harmonic phonons
in realistic random binary alloys with mass and force-constant disorder.
We provide expressions for quantities needed for comparison with experimental
structure factors such as partial and average spectral functions and derive the
sum rules associated with them. Numerical results are presented for Ni_{55}
Pd_{45} and Ni_{50} Pt_{50} alloys which serve as test cases, the former for
weak force-constant disorder and the latter for strong. We present results on
dispersion curves and disorder-induced widths. Direct comparisons with the
single-site coherent potential approximation(CPA) and experiment are made which
provide insight into the physics of force-constant changes in random alloys.
The CPA accounts well for the weak force-constant disorder case but fails for
strong force-constant disorder where the ICPA succeeds.Comment: 19 pages, 12 eps figures, uses RevTex
Density of Neutral Solitons in Weakly Disordered Peierls Chains
We study the effects of weak off-diagonal disorder on Peierls systems with a
doubly degenerate ground state. We show that for these systems disorder in the
electron hopping amplitudes induces a finite density of solitons in the
minimal-energy lattice configuration of a single chain. These disorder-induced
dimerization kinks are neutral and have spin 1/2. Using a continuum model for
the Peierls chain and treating the lattice classically, we analytically
calculate the average free energy and density of kinks. We compare these
results to numerical calculations for a discrete model and discuss the
implications of the kinks for the optical and magnetic properties of the
conjugated polymer trans-polyacetylene.Comment: 28 pages, revtex, 5 Postscript figures, to appear in Phys. Rev.
Effect of disorder on quantum phase transitions in anisotropic XY spin chains in a transverse field
We present some exact results for the effect of disorder on the critical
properties of an anisotropic XY spin chain in a transverse field. The continuum
limit of the corresponding fermion model is taken and in various cases results
in a Dirac equation with a random mass. Exact analytic techniques can then be
used to evaluate the density of states and the localization length. In the
presence of disorder the ferromagnetic-paramagnetic or Ising transition of the
model is in the same universality class as the random transverse field Ising
model solved by Fisher using a real space renormalization group decimation
technique (RSRGDT). If there is only randomness in the anisotropy of the
magnetic exchange then the anisotropy transition (from a ferromagnet in the
direction to a ferromagnet in the direction) is also in this universality
class. However, if there is randomness in the isotropic part of the exchange or
in the transverse field then in a non-zero transverse field the anisotropy
transition is destroyed by the disorder. We show that in the Griffiths' phase
near the Ising transition that the ground state energy has an essential
singularity. The results obtained for the dynamical critical exponent, the
typical correlation length, and the temperature dependence of the specific heat
near the Ising transition agree with the results of the RSRGDT and numerical
work.Comment: 22 pages, RevTeX + epsf, 4 figure
Comparison between Culture Conditions Improving Growth and Differentiation of Blood and Bone Marrow Cells Committed to the Endothelial Cell Lineage
The aim of this study was to compare different cell sources and culture conditions to obtain endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) with predictable antigen pattern, proliferation potential and in vitro vasculogenesis. Pig mononuclear cells were isolated from blood (PBMCs) and bone marrow (BMMCs). Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) were also derived from pig bone marrow. Cells were cultured on fibronectin in the presence of a high concentration of VEGF and low IGF-1 and FGF-2 levels, or on gelatin with a lower amount of VEGF and higher IGF-1 and FGF-2 concentrations. Endothelial commitment was relieved in almost all PBMCs and BMMCs irrespective of the protocol used, whilst MSCs did not express a reliable pattern of EPC markers under these conditions. BMMCs were more prone to expand on gelatin and showed a better viability than PBMCs. Moreover, about 90% of the BMMCs pre-cultured on gelatin could adhere to a hyaluronan-based scaffold and proliferate on it up to 3 days. Pre-treatment of BMMCs on fibronectin generated well-shaped tubular structures on Matrigel, whilst BMMCs exposed to the gelatin culture condition were less prone to form vessel-like structures. MSCs formed rough tubule-like structures, irrespective of the differentiating condition used. In a relative short time, pig BMMCs could be expanded on gelatin better than PBMCs, in the presence of a low amount of VEGF. BMMCs could better specialize for capillary formation in the presence of fibronectin and an elevated concentration of VEGF, whilst pig MSCs anyway showed a limited capability to differentiate into the endothelial cell lineage
In situ guided tissue regeneration in musculoskeletal diseases and aging: Implementing pathology into tailored tissue engineering strategies
In situ guided tissue regeneration, also addressed as in situ tissue engineering or endogenous regeneration, has a great potential for population-wide “minimal invasive” applications. During the last two decades, tissue engineering has been developed with remarkable in vitro and preclinical success but still the number of applications in clinical routine is extremely small. Moreover, the vision of population-wide applications of ex vivo tissue engineered constructs based on cells, growth and differentiation factors and scaffolds, must probably be deemed unrealistic for economic and regulation-related issues. Hence, the progress made in this respect will be mostly applicable to a fraction of post-traumatic or post-surgery situations such as big tissue defects due to tumor manifestation. Minimally invasive procedures would probably qualify for a broader application and ideally would only require off the shelf standardized products without cells. Such products should mimic the microenvironment of regenerating tissues and make use of the endogenous tissue regeneration capacities. Functionally, the chemotaxis of regenerative cells, their amplification as a transient amplifying pool and their concerted differentiation and remodeling should be addressed. This is especially important because the main target populations for such applications are the elderly and diseased. The quality of regenerative cells is impaired in such organisms and high levels of inhibitors also interfere with regeneration and healing. In metabolic bone diseases like osteoporosis, it is already known that antagonists for inhibitors such as activin and sclerostin enhance bone formation. Implementing such strategies into applications for in situ guided tissue regeneration should greatly enhance the efficacy of tailored procedures in the future
Visualization and Identification of IL-7 Producing Cells in Reporter Mice
Interleukin-7 (IL-7) is required for lymphocyte development and homeostasis although the actual sites of IL-7 production have never been clearly identified. We produced a bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) transgenic mouse expressing ECFP in the Il7 locus. The construct lacked a signal peptide and ECFP (enhanced cyan fluorescent protein ) accumulated inside IL-7-producing stromal cells in thoracic thymus, cervical thymus and bone marrow. In thymus, an extensive reticular network of IL-7-containing processes extended from cortical and medullary epithelial cells, closely contacting thymocytes. Central memory CD8 T cells, which require IL-7 and home to bone marrow, physically associated with IL-7-producing cells as we demonstrate by intravital imaging
Visualization and Identification of IL-7 Producing Cells in Reporter Mice
Interleukin-7 (IL-7) is required for lymphocyte development and homeostasis although the actual sites of IL-7 production have never been clearly identified. We produced a bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) transgenic mouse expressing ECFP in the Il7 locus. The construct lacked a signal peptide and ECFP (enhanced cyan fluorescent protein ) accumulated inside IL-7-producing stromal cells in thoracic thymus, cervical thymus and bone marrow. In thymus, an extensive reticular network of IL-7-containing processes extended from cortical and medullary epithelial cells, closely contacting thymocytes. Central memory CD8 T cells, which require IL-7 and home to bone marrow, physically associated with IL-7-producing cells as we demonstrate by intravital imaging
IL-7 Promotes CD95-Induced Apoptosis in B Cells via the IFN-γ/STAT1 Pathway
Interleukin-7 (IL-7) concentrations are increased in the blood of CD4+ T cell depleted individuals, including HIV-1 infected patients. High IL-7 levels might stimulate T cell activation and, as we have shown earlier, IL-7 can prime resting T cell to CD95 induced apoptosis as well. HIV-1 infection leads to B cell abnormalities including increased apoptosis via the CD95 (Fas) death receptor pathway and loss of memory B cells. Peripheral B cells are not sensitive for IL-7, due to the lack of IL-7Ra expression on their surface; however, here we demonstrate that high IL-7 concentration can prime resting B cells to CD95-mediated apoptosis via an indirect mechanism. T cells cultured with IL-7 induced high CD95 expression on resting B cells together with an increased sensitivity to CD95 mediated apoptosis. As the mediator molecule responsible for B cell priming to CD95 mediated apoptosis we identified the cytokine IFN-γ that T cells secreted in high amounts in response to IL-7. These results suggest that the lymphopenia induced cytokine IL-7 can contribute to the increased B cell apoptosis observed in HIV-1 infected individuals
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