20,214 research outputs found
Growth of single-crystal columns of CoSi2 embedded in epitaxial Si on Si(111) by molecular beam epitaxy
The codeposition of Si and Co on a heated Si(111) substrate is found to result in epitaxial columns of CoSi2 if the Si:Co ratio is greater than approximately 3:1. These columns are surrounded by a Si matrix which shows bulk-like crystalline quality based on transmission electron microscopy and ion channeling. This phenomenon has been studied as functions of substrate temperature and Si:Co ratio. Samples with columns ranging in average diameter from approximately 25 to 130 nm have been produced
SDF1 Gene Variation Is Associated with Circulating SDF1 alpha Level and Endothelial Progenitor Cell Number-The Bruneck Study
BACKGROUND: Stromal cell-derived factor-1 (SDF1) and its receptor CXC chemokine receptor 4 (CXCR4) play a critical role in progenitor cell homing, mobilization and differentiation. It would be interesting to assess the predictive value of SDF-1alpha level for EPC number, and to ascertain whether there is a relationship between SDF1 gene variation, plasma SDF-1alpha level, and the number and function of circulating EPCs. We also tested whether EPC number and function was related to CXCR4 gene variation.
METHODOLOGY AND PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We genotyped a cohort of individuals who participated in the Bruneck Study for single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the SDF1 and CXCR4 genes, and measured blood SDF1alpha level as well as EPC number and function. SDF1alpha levels were correlated with age, gender, alcohol consumption, circulating reticulocyte numbers, and concentrations of matrix metalloproteinase-9, C-reactive protein, cystatin C, fibrinogen and homocytein. In blood samples taken in 2005, EPC number was inversely associated with SDF1alpha level (p<0.001). EPC number in 2005 was also inversely associated with SDF1alpha level in 2000 (p = 0.009), suggesting a predictive value of plasma SDF1alpha level for EPC number. There was an association between the SDF1 gene rs2297630 SNP A/A genotype, increased SDF1alpha level (p = 0.002) and lower EPC number (p = 0.006).
CONCLUSIONS: Our data indicate that a SDF1 gene variation (rs2297630) has an influence on SDF1alpha level and circulating EPC number, and that plasma SDF1alpha level is a predictor of EPC number
Association of serum-soluble heat shock protein 60 with carotid atherosclerosis: clinical significance determined in a follow-up study
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Previous work has shown that soluble heat shock protein 60 (HSP60; sHSP60), present in circulating blood, is associated with carotid atherosclerosis. In the current evaluation, we tested the hypothesis that sHSP60 levels are associated with the progression of carotid arteriosclerosis, prospectively. METHODS: The association of sHSP60 with early atherogenesis (5-year development and progression of nonstenotic carotid plaques) was investigated as part of the population-based prospective Bruneck Study. The current study focused on the follow-up period between 1995 and 2000 and, thus, included 684 subjects. RESULTS: sHSP60 levels measured in 1995 and 2000 were highly correlated (r=0.40; P<0.001), indicating consistency over a 5-year period. Circulating HSP60 levels were significantly correlated with antilipopolysaccharide and anti-HSP60 antibodies. It was also elevated in subjects with chronic infection (top quintile group of HSP60, among subjects with and without chronic infection: 23.8% versus 17.0%; P=0.003 after adjustment for age and sex). HSP60 levels were significantly associated with early atherogenesis, both in the entire population (multivariate odds ratio, for a comparison between quintile group V versus I+II: 2.0 [1.2 to 3.5] and the subgroup free of atherosclerosis at the 1995 baseline: 3.8 [1.6 to 8.9]). The risk of early atherogenesis was additionally amplified when high-sHSP60 and chronic infection were present together. CONCLUSIONS: Our study provides the first prospective data confirming an association between high levels of sHSP60 and early carotid atherosclerosis. This possibly indicates an involvement of sHSP60 in activating proinflammatory processes associated with early vessel pathology
Dynamics of Vortex Core Switching in Ferromagnetic Nanodisks
Dynamics of magnetic vortex core switching in nanometer-scale permalloy disk,
having a single vortex ground state, was investigated by micromagnetic
modeling. When an in-plane magnetic field pulse with an appropriate strength
and duration is applied to the vortex structure, additional two vortices, i.e.,
a circular- and an anti-vortex, are created near the original vortex core.
Sequentially, the vortex-antivortex pair annihilates. A spin wave is created at
the annihilation point and propagated through the entire element; the relaxed
state for the system is the single vortex state with a switched vortex core.Comment: to appear in Appl. Phys. Let
Switchable coupling between charge and flux qubits
We propose a hybrid quantum circuit with both charge and flux qubits
connected to a large Josephson junction that gives rise to an effective
inter-qubit coupling controlled by the external magnetic flux. This switchable
inter-qubit coupling can be used to transfer back and forth an arbitrary
superposition state between the charge qubit and the flux qubit working at the
optimal point. The proposed hybrid circuit provides a promising quantum memory
because the flux qubit at the optimal point can store the tranferred quantum
state for a relatively long time.Comment: 5 pages, 1 figur
Partition Function Expansion on Region-Graphs and Message-Passing Equations
Disordered and frustrated graphical systems are ubiquitous in physics,
biology, and information science. For models on complete graphs or random
graphs, deep understanding has been achieved through the mean-field replica and
cavity methods. But finite-dimensional `real' systems persist to be very
challenging because of the abundance of short loops and strong local
correlations. A statistical mechanics theory is constructed in this paper for
finite-dimensional models based on the mathematical framework of partition
function expansion and the concept of region-graphs. Rigorous expressions for
the free energy and grand free energy are derived. Message-passing equations on
the region-graph, such as belief-propagation and survey-propagation, are also
derived rigorously.Comment: 10 pages including two figures. New theoretical and numerical results
added. Will be published by JSTAT as a lette
Correlations among superconductivity, structural instability, and band filling in Nb1-xB2 at the critical point x=0.2
We performed an extensive investigation on the correlations among
superconductivity, structural instability and band filling in Nb1-xB2
materials. Structural measurements reveal that a notable phase transformation
occurs at x=0.2, corresponding to the Fermi level (EF) in the pseudogap with
the minimum total density of states (DOS) as demonstrated by the
first-principles calculations. Superconductivity in Nb1-xB2 generally becomes
visible in the Nb-deficient materials with x=0.2. Electron energy-loss
spectroscopy (EELS) measurements on B K-edge directly demonstrated the presence
of a chemical shift arising from the structural transformation. Our
systematical experimental results in combination with theoretical analysis
suggest that the emergence of hole states in the sigma-bands plays an important
role for understanding the superconductivity and structural transition in
Nb1-xB2.Comment: 16 pages, 4 figure
Pion-photon and photon-pion transition form factors in light-cone formalism
We derive the minimal Fock-state expansions of the pion and the photon wave
functions in light-cone formalism, then we calculate the pion-photon and the
photon-pion transition form factors of and
processes by employing these
quark-antiquark wave functions of the pion and the photon. We find that our
calculation for the transition form factor
agrees with the experimental data at low and moderately high energy scale.
Moreover, the physical differences and inherent connections between the
transition form factors of and have been illustrated, which indicate that these
two physical processes are intrinsically related. In addition, we also discuss
the form factor and the decay width at .Comment: 20 pages, 2 figure
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