128 research outputs found
Nanotransfer Printing of Organic and Carbon Nanotube Thin-Film Transistors on Plastic Substrates
A printing process for high-resolution transfer of all components for organic
electronic devices on plastic substrates has been developed and demonstrated
for pentacene (Pn), poly (3-hexylthiophene) and carbon nanotube (CNT) thin-film
transistors (TFTs). The nanotransfer printing process allows fabrication of an
entire device without exposing any component to incompatible processes and with
reduced need for special chemical preparation of transfer or device substrates.
Devices on plastic substrates include a Pn TFT with a saturation, field-effect
mobility of 0.09 cm^2 (Vs)^-1 and on/off ratio approximately 10^4 and a CNT TFT
which exhibits ambipolar behavior and no hysteresis.Comment: to appear in Applied Physics Letter
Broad-band properties of the hard X-ray cataclysmic variables IGR J00234+6141 and 1RXS J213344.1+510725
A significant number of cataclysmic variables were detected as hard X-ray
sources in the INTEGRAL survey, most of them of the magnetic intermediate polar
type. We present a detailed X-ray broad-band study of two new sources, IGR
J00234+6141 and 1RXS J213344.1+510725, that allow us to classify them as secure
members of the intermediate polar class. Timing and spectral analysis of IGR
J00234+6141 are based on a XMM-Newton observation and INTEGRAL publicly
available data. For 1RXS J213344.1+510725 we use XMM-Newton and Suzaku
observations at different epochs, as well as INTEGRAL publicly available data.
We determine a spin period of 561.64 +/- 0.56 s for the white dwarf in IGR
J00234+6141. The X-ray pulses are observed up to about 2 keV. From XMM-Newton
and Suzaku observations of 1RXS J213344.1+510725, we find a rotational period
of 570.862 +/- 0.034 s. The observations span three epochs where the pulsation
is observed to change at different energies both in amplitude and shape. In
both objects, the spectral analysis spanned over a wide energy range, from 0.3
to 100 keV, shows the presence of multiple emission components absorbed by
dense material. The X-ray spectrum of IGR J00234+6141 is consistent with a
multi-temperature plasma with a maximum temperature of about 50 keV. In 1RXS
J213344.1+510725, multiple optically thin components are inferred, as well as
an optically thick (blackbody) soft X-ray emission with a temperature of about
100 eV. This latter adds 1RXS J213344.1+510725 to the growing group of soft
X-ray intermediate polars. (abridged)Comment: 12 pages, 8 figures, 5 tables. Accepted for publication in A&
European regulatory agenices should employ full time statisticians
No abstract available
NFATc1 controls the cytotoxicity of CD8+ T cells
NFAT nuclear translocation has been shown to be required for CD8+ T cell cytokine production in response to viral infection. Here the authors show NFATc1 controls the cytotoxicity and metabolic switching of activated CD8+ T cells required for optimal response to bacteria and tumor cells
Polarimetry of binary systems: polars, magnetic CVs, XRBs
Polarimetry provides key physical information on the properties of
interacting binary systems, sometimes difficult to obtain by any other type of
observation. Indeed, radiation processes such as scattering by free electrons
in the hot plasma above accretion discs, cyclotron emission by mildly
relativistic electrons in the accretion shocks on the surface of highly
magnetic white dwarfs and the optically thin synchrotron emission from jets can
be observed. In this review, I will illustrate how optical/near-infrared
polarimetry allows one to estimate magnetic field strengths and map the
accretion zones in magnetic Cataclysmic Variables as well as determine the
location and nature of jets and ejection events in X-ray binaries.Comment: 26 pages, 16 figures; to be published in Astrophysics and Space
Science Library 460, Astronomical Polarisation from the Infrared to Gamma
Rays, Editors: Mignani, R., Shearer, A., S{\l}owikowska, A., Zane,
Circulating microRNAs in sera correlate with soluble biomarkers of immune activation but do not predict mortality in ART treated individuals with HIV-1 infection: A case control study
Introduction: The use of anti-retroviral therapy (ART) has dramatically reduced HIV-1 associated morbidity and mortality. However, HIV-1 infected individuals have increased rates of morbidity and mortality compared to the non-HIV-1 infected population and this appears to be related to end-organ diseases collectively referred to as Serious Non-AIDS Events (SNAEs). Circulating miRNAs are reported as promising biomarkers for a number of human disease conditions including those that constitute SNAEs. Our study sought to investigate the potential of selected miRNAs in predicting mortality in HIV-1 infected ART treated individuals. Materials and Methods: A set of miRNAs was chosen based on published associations with human disease conditions that constitute SNAEs. This case: control study compared 126 cases (individuals who died whilst on therapy), and 247 matched controls (individuals who remained alive). Cases and controls were ART treated participants of two pivotal HIV-1 trials. The relative abundance of each miRNA in serum was measured, by RTqPCR. Associations with mortality (all-cause, cardiovascular and malignancy) were assessed by logistic regression analysis. Correlations between miRNAs and CD4+ T cell count, hs-CRP, IL-6 and D-dimer were also assessed. Results: None of the selected miRNAs was associated with all-cause, cardiovascular or malignancy mortality. The levels of three miRNAs (miRs -21, -122 and -200a) correlated with IL-6 while miR-21 also correlated with D-dimer. Additionally, the abundance of miRs -31, -150 and -223, correlated with baseline CD4+ T cell count while the same three miRNAs plus miR- 145 correlated with nadir CD4+ T cell count. Discussion: No associations with mortality were found with any circulating miRNA studied. These results cast doubt onto the effectiveness of circulating miRNA as early predictors of mortality or the major underlying diseases that contribute to mortality in participants treated for HIV-1 infection
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