Surface Modifications by Field Induced Diffusion

By applying a voltage pulse to a scanning tunneling microscope tip the surface under the tip will be modified. We have in this paper taken a closer look at the model of electric field induced surface diffusion of adatoms including the van der Waals force as a contribution in formations of a mound on a surface. The dipole moment of an adatom is the sum of the surface induced dipole moment (which is constant) and the dipole moment due to electric field polarisation which depends on the strength and polarity of the electric field. The electric field is analytically modelled by a point charge over an infinite conducting flat surface. From this we calculate the force that cause adatoms to migrate. The calculated force is small for voltage used, typical 1 pN, but due to thermal vibration adatoms are hopping on the surface and even a small net force can be significant in the drift of adatoms. In this way we obtain a novel formula for a polarity dependent threshold voltage for mound formation on the surface for positive tip. Knowing the voltage of the pulse we then can calculate the radius of the formed mound. A threshold electric field for mound formation of about 2 V/nm is calculated. In addition, we found that van der Waals force is of importance for shorter distances and its contribution to the radial force on the adatoms has to be considered for distances smaller than 1.5 nm for commonly used voltages

miR-124 and miR-137 inhibit proliferation of glioblastoma multiforme cells and induce differentiation of brain tumor stem cells

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is an invariably fatal central nervous system tumor despite treatment with surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy. Further insights into the molecular and cellular mechanisms that drive GBM formation are required to improve patient outcome. MicroRNAs are emerging as important regulators of cellular differentiation and proliferation, and have been implicated in the etiology of a variety of cancers, yet the role of microRNAs in GBM remains poorly understood. In this study, we investigated the role of microRNAs in regulating the differentiation and proliferation of neural stem cells and glioblastoma-multiforme tumor cells.status: publishe

Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 6 Phosphorylates NF-kappa B P65 at Serine 536 and Contributes to the Regulation of Inflammatory Gene Expression

Peer reviewe

Using the Two-Hybrid Screen in the Classroom Laboratory

The National Science Foundation and others have made compelling arguments that research be incorporated into the learning of undergraduates. In response to these arguments, a two-hybrid research project was incorporated into a molecular biology course that contained both a lecture section and a laboratory section. The course was designed around specific goals for educational outcomes, including introducing research to a wide range of students, teaching students experimental design and data analysis, and enhancing understanding of course material. Additional goals included teaching students to search genomic databases, to access scientific articles, and to write a paper in scientific format. Graded events tested these goals, and a student evaluation indicated student perception of the project. According to our analysis of the data, the yeast two-hybrid screen was a success: several novel clones were identified; students met expectations on graded lab reports, the poster session, and the final paper; and evaluations indicated that students had achieved the outlined goals. Students indicated on the evaluations that the research project increased their interest in research and greatly improved understanding of the course material. Finally, several students in the course intend to submit the findings of the research project to an undergraduate research journal

Characterization of defects situated in a fresco by stimulated infrared thermography

The objective of this work is to approach the possibilities of stimulated infrared thermography in dimensional characterization of defects situated in mural paintings. Towards this end, we have proceeded in two stages. Initially, we have developed, with the help of a point source photothermal analysis, an in situ measurement of the longitudinal thermal diffusivity parameter. Then, we have proceeded to the characterization of the depth of the studied defect, by means of a wide photothermal analysis and of a confrontation between theory and experiment. In this article, we present these two measurement techniques and show that the approach allows a good estimation of the depth of an inclusion of plastazote in a copy of the “Saint Christophe” of the “Campana” collection of the “Louvre Museum”

Non-destructive testing of works of art by stimulated infrared thermography

In this work, we present various examples of assistance to the restoration of works of art by stimulated infrared thermography. We show initially that the method allows the detection of delamination located in mural paintings, such as in the “Saint Christophe” of the Campana collection of the Louvre French museum. We show then that it also makes it possible to detect delaminations or galleries of worms in marquetries. We show in a third stage that it provides for the detection of detachment of grayness in stained glasses. We show in a fourth stage that it allows the visualization of shards or metal inserts located in a Greek “panathénaque” amphora of the French National museum of the Ceramics of Sevres. We show finally, that the method permits the detection of a crack located in an ovoid vase of the same French National museum of the Ceramics of Sevres

Electrochemistry and contact angle measurements on polymer films of omega-(3-pyrrolyl)-alkanoic acids in aqueous solution

Films of poly(3-(pyrrolyl)-carboxylic acid), poly(3-(pyrrolyl)-butanoic acid) and poly(3-(pyrrolyl)-pentanoic acid) were prepared by electrochemical polymerisation of the monomers in acetonitrile. All three give stable voltammetry in aqueous solutions. In the case of poly(3-(pyrrolyl)-carboxylic acid) and poly(3-(pyrrolyl)-butanoic acid) this voltammetry is pH dependent. Measurement of the advancing contact angle using buffered solutions of different pH is shown to be a sensitive technique for the characterisation of the surfaces of these conducting polymer films. These contact angle titrations provide information about the acidity of the carboxylic acid groups at the surface of the polymer film. We find that the surface acid groups are about 1.5 pK(a) units less acidic than simple carboxylic acids in solution but that the pH titration curves are not broadened as is usually observed for surface bound carboxylate groups