93,353 research outputs found
Gene Expression Profile Changes After Short-activating RNA-mediated Induction of Endogenous Pluripotency Factors in Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells
It is now recognized that small noncoding RNA sequences have the ability to mediate transcriptional activation of specific target genes in human cells. Using bioinformatics analysis and functional screening, we screened short-activating RNA (saRNA) oligonucleotides designed to target the promoter regions of the pluripotency reprogramming factors, Kruppel-like factor 4 (KLF4) and c-MYC. We identified KLF4 and c-MYC promoter-targeted saRNA sequences that consistently induced increases in their respective levels of nascent mRNA and protein expression in a time- and dose-dependent manner, as compared with scrambled sequence control oligonucleotides. The functional consequences of saRNA-induced activation of each targeted reprogramming factor were then characterized by comprehensively profiling changes in gene expression by microarray analysis, which revealed significant increases in mRNA levels of their respective downstream pathway genes. Notably, the microarray profile after saRNA-mediated induction of endogenous KLF4 and c-MYC showed similar gene expression patterns for stem cell- and cell cycle-related genes as compared with lentiviral vector-mediated overexpression of exogenous KLF4 and c-MYC transgenes, while divergent gene expression patterns common to viral vector-mediated transgene delivery were also noted. The use of promoter-targeted saRNAs for the activation of pluripotency reprogramming factors could have broad implications for stem cell research
Observing collapse in two colliding dipolar Bose-Einstein condensates
We study the collision of two Bose-Einstein condensates with pure dipolar
interaction. A stationary pure dipolar condensate is known to be stable when
the atom number is below a critical value. However, collapse can occur during
the collision between two condensates due to local density fluctuations even if
the total atom number is only a fraction of the critical value. Using full
three-dimensional numerical simulations, we observe the collapse induced by
local density fluctuations. For the purpose of future experiments, we present
the time dependence of the density distribution, energy per particle and the
maximal density of the condensate. We also discuss the collapse time as a
function of the relative phase between the two condensates.Comment: 6 pages, 7 figure
Green's function method for single-particle resonant states in relativistic mean field theory
Relativistic mean field theory is formulated with the Green's function method
in coordinate space to investigate the single-particle bound states and
resonant states on the same footing. Taking the density of states for free
particle as a reference, the energies and widths of single-particle resonant
states are extracted from the density of states without any ambiguity. As an
example, the energies and widths for single-neutron resonant states in
Sn are compared with those obtained by the scattering phase-shift
method, the analytic continuation in the coupling constant approach, the real
stabilization method and the complex scaling method. Excellent agreements are
found for the energies and widths of single-neutron resonant states.Comment: 20 pages, 7 figure
Current-Induced Effective Magnetic Fields in Co/Cu/Co Nanopillars
We present a method to measure the effective field contribution to
spin-transfer-induced interactions between the magnetic layers in a trilayer
nanostructure, which enables spin-current effects to be distinguished from the
usual charge-current-induced magnetic fields. This technique is demonstrated on
submicron Co/Cu/Co nanopillars. The hysteresis loop of one of the magnetic
layers in the trilayer is measured as a function of current while the direction
of magnetization of the other layer is kept fixed, first in one direction and
then in the opposite direction. These measurements show a current-dependent
shift of the hysteresis loop which, based on the symmetry of the magnetic
response, we associate with spin-transfer. The observed loop-shift with applied
current at room temperature is reduced in measurements at 4.2 K. We interprete
these results both in terms of a spin-current dependent effective activation
barrier for magnetization reversal and a spin-current dependent effective
magnetic field. From data at 4.2 K we estimate the magnitude of the
spin-transfer induced effective field to be Oe
cm/A, about a factor of 5 less than the spin-transfer torque.Comment: 6 pages, 4 figure
Graphene formed on SiC under various environments: Comparison of Si-face and C-face
The morphology of graphene on SiC {0001} surfaces formed in various
environments including ultra-high vacuum, 1 atm of argon, and 10^-6 to 10^-4
Torr of disilane is studied by atomic force microscopy, low-energy electron
microscopy, and Raman spectroscopy. The graphene is formed by heating the
surface to 1100 - 1600 C, which causes preferential sublimation of the Si
atoms. The argon atmosphere or the background of disilane decreases the
sublimation rate so that a higher graphitization temperature is required, thus
improving the morphology of the films. For the (0001) surface, large areas of
monolayer-thick graphene are formed in this way, with the size of these areas
depending on the miscut of the sample. Results on the (000-1) surface are more
complex. This surface graphitizes at a lower temperature than for the (0001)
surface and consequently the growth is more three-dimensional. In an atmosphere
of argon the morphology becomes even worse, with the surface displaying
markedly inhomogeneous nucleation, an effect attributed to unintentional
oxidation of the surface during graphitization. Use of a disilane environment
for the (000-1) surface is found to produce improved morphology, with
relatively large areas of monolayer-thick graphene.Comment: 22 pages, 11 figures, Proceedings of STEG-2 Conference; eliminated
Figs. 4 and 7 from version 1, for brevity, and added Refs. 18, 29, 30, 31
together with associated discussio
Making vortices in dipolar spinor condensates via rapid adiabatic passage
We propose to the create vortices in spin-1 condensates via magnetic
dipole-dipole interaction. Starting with a polarized condensate prepared under
large axial magnetic field, we show that by gradually inverting the field,
population transfer among different spin states can be realized in a controlled
manner. Under optimal condition, we generate a doubly quantized vortex state
containing nearly all atoms in the condensate. The resulting vortex state is a
direct manifestation of the dipole-dipole interaction and spin textures in
spinor condensates. We also point out that the whole process can be
qualitatively described by a simple rapid adiabatic passage model.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure
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