1,341 research outputs found
Transition from tunneling to direct contact in tungsten nanojunctions
We apply the mechanically controllable break junctions technique to
investigate the transition from tunneling to direct contact in tungsten. This
transition is quite different from that of other metals and is determined by
the local electronic properties of the tungsten surface and the relief of the
electrodes at the point of their closest proximity. The conductance traces show
a rich variety of patterns from the avalanche-like jump to a mesoscopic contact
to the completely smooth transition between direct contact and tunneling. Due
to the occasional absence of an adhesive jump the conductance of the contact
can be continuously monitored at ultra-small electrode separations. The
conductance histograms of tungsten are either featureless or show two distinct
peaks related to the sequential opening of spatially separated groups of
conductance channels. The role of surface states of tungsten and their
contribution to the junction conductance at sub-Angstrom electrode separations
are discussed.Comment: 6 pages, 6 figure
A posteriori inclusion of parton density functions in NLO QCD final-state calculations at hadron colliders: The APPLGRID Project
A method to facilitate the consistent inclusion of cross-section measurements
based on complex final-states from HERA, TEVATRON and the LHC in proton parton
density function (PDF) fits has been developed. This can be used to increase
the sensitivity of LHC data to deviations from Standard Model predictions. The
method stores perturbative coefficients of NLO QCD calculations of final-state
observables measured in hadron colliders in look-up tables. This allows the
posteriori inclusion of parton density functions (PDFs), and of the strong
coupling, as well as the a posteriori variation of the renormalisation and
factorisation scales in cross-section calculations.
The main novelties in comparison to original work on the subject are the use
of higher-order interpolation, which substantially improves the trade-off
between accuracy and memory use, and a CPU and computer memory optimised way to
construct and store the look-up table using modern software tools.
It is demonstrated that a sufficient accuracy on the cross-section
calculation can be achieved with reasonably small look-up table size by using
the examples of jet production and electro-weak boson (Z, W) production in
proton-proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 14 TeV at the LHC.
The use of this technique in PDF fitting is demonstrated in a PDF-fit to HERA
data and simulated LHC jet cross-sections as well as in a study of the jet
cross-section uncertainties at various centre-of-mass energies
Dynamic assembly of Hda and the sliding clamp in the regulation of replication licensing
Regulatory inactivation of DnaA (RIDA) is one of the major regulatory mechanisms of prokaryotic replication licensing. In RIDA, the Hda-sliding clamp complex loaded onto DNA directly interacts with adenosine triphosphate (ATP)-bound DnaA and stimulates the hydrolysis of ATP to inactivate DnaA. A prediction is that the activity of Hda is tightly controlled to ensure that replication initiation occurs only once per cell cycle. Here, we determined the crystal structure of the Hda-�� clamp complex. This complex contains two pairs of Hda dimers sandwiched between two �� clamp rings to form an octamer that is stabilized by three discrete interfaces. Two separate surfaces of Hda make contact with the �� clamp, which is essential for Hda function in RIDA. The third interface between Hda monomers occludes the active site arginine finger, blocking its access to DnaA. Taken together, our structural and mutational analyses of the Hda-�� clamp complex indicate that the interaction of the �� clamp with Hda controls the ability of Hda to interact with DnaA. In the octameric Hda-�� clamp complex, the inability of Hda to interact with DnaA is a novel mechanism that may regulate Hda function. ? The Author(s) 2017.113Ysciescopu
Quantum oscillation of magnetoresistance in tunneling junctions with a nonmagnetic spacer
We make a theoretical study of the quantum oscillations of the tunneling
magnetoresistance (TMR) as a function of the spacer layer thickness. Such
oscillations were recently observed in tunneling junctions with a nonmagnetic
metallic spacer at the barrier-electrode interface. It is shown that momentum
selection due to the insulating barrier and conduction via quantum well states
in the spacer, mediated by diffusive scattering caused by disorder, are
essential features required to explain the observed period of oscillation in
the TMR ratio and its asymptotic value for thick nonmagnetic spacer.Comment: 4 pages, 5 figures, two column, REVTex4 styl
X-Ray Scattering Measurements of the Transient Structure of a Driven Charge-Density-Wave
We report time-resolved x-ray scattering measurements of the transient
structural response of the sliding {\bf Q} charge-density-wave (CDW) in
NbSe to a reversal of the driving electric field. The observed time scale
characterizing this response at 70K varies from 15 msec for driving
fields near threshold to 2 msec for fields well above threshold. The
position and time-dependent strain of the CDW is analyzed in terms of a
phenomenological equation of motion for the phase of the CDW order parameter.
The value of the damping constant, eV
seconds \AA, is in excellent agreement with the value
determined from transport measurements. As the driving field approaches
threshold from above, the line shape becomes bimodal, suggesting that the CDW
does not depin throughout the entire sample at one well-defined voltage.Comment: revtex 3.0, 7 figure
Derepression of the smvA Efflux System Arises in Clinical Isolates of Proteus mirabilis and Reduces Susceptibility to Chlorhexidine and Other Biocides
Clinical delineation and natural history of the PIK3CA-related overgrowth spectrum.
Somatic mutations in the phosphatidylinositol/AKT/mTOR pathway cause segmental overgrowth disorders. Diagnostic descriptors associated with PIK3CA mutations include fibroadipose overgrowth (FAO), Hemihyperplasia multiple Lipomatosis (HHML), Congenital Lipomatous Overgrowth, Vascular malformations, Epidermal nevi, Scoliosis/skeletal and spinal (CLOVES) syndrome, macrodactyly, and the megalencephaly syndrome, Megalencephaly-Capillary malformation (MCAP) syndrome. We set out to refine the understanding of the clinical spectrum and natural history of these phenotypes, and now describe 35 patients with segmental overgrowth and somatic PIK3CA mutations. The phenotypic data show that these previously described disease entities have considerable overlap, and represent a spectrum. While this spectrum overlaps with Proteus syndrome (sporadic, mosaic, and progressive) it can be distinguished by the absence of cerebriform connective tissue nevi and a distinct natural history. Vascular malformations were found in 15/35 (43%) and epidermal nevi in 4/35 (11%) patients, lower than in Proteus syndrome. Unlike Proteus syndrome, 31/35 (89%) patients with PIK3CA mutations had congenital overgrowth, and in 35/35 patients this was asymmetric and disproportionate. Overgrowth was mild with little postnatal progression in most, while in others it was severe and progressive requiring multiple surgeries. Novel findings include: adipose dysregulation present in all patients, unilateral overgrowth that is predominantly left-sided, overgrowth that affects the lower extremities more than the upper extremities and progresses in a distal to proximal pattern, and in the most severely affected patients is associated with marked paucity of adipose tissue in unaffected areas. While the current data are consistent with some genotype-phenotype correlation, this cannot yet be confirmed
The effect of temperature on the failure modes of polymer foam cored sandwich structures
Temporin L and aurein 2.5 have identical conformations but subtly distinct membrane and antibacterial activities
Frogs such as Rana temporaria and Litoria aurea secrete numerous closely related antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) as an effective chemical dermal defence. Damage or penetration of the bacterial plasma membrane is considered essential for AMP activity and such properties are commonly ascribed to their ability to form secondary amphipathic, α-helix conformations in membrane mimicking milieu. Nevertheless, despite the high similarity in physical properties and preference for adopting such conformations, the spectrum of activity and potency of AMPs often varies considerably. Hence distinguishing apparently similar AMPs according to their behaviour in, and effects on, model membranes will inform understanding of primary-sequence-specific antimicrobial mechanisms. Here we use a combination of molecular dynamics simulations, circular dichroism and patch-clamp to investigate the basis for differing anti-bacterial activities in representative AMPs from each species; temporin L and aurein 2.5. Despite adopting near identical, α-helix conformations in the steady-state in a variety of membrane models, these two AMPs can be distinguished both in vitro and in silico based on their dynamic interactions with model membranes, notably their differing conformational flexibility at the N-terminus, ability to form higher order aggregates and the characteristics of induced ion conductance. Taken together, these differences provide an explanation of the greater potency and broader antibacterial spectrum of activity of temporin L over aurein 2.5. Consequently, while the secondary amphipathic, α-helix conformation is a key determinant of the ability of a cationic AMP to penetrate and disrupt the bacterial plasma membrane, the exact mechanism, potency and spectrum of activity is determined by precise structural and dynamic contributions from specific residues in each AMP sequence
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