203 research outputs found
Photoemission "experiments" on holographic superconductors
We study the effects of a superconducting condensate on holographic Fermi
surfaces. With a suitable coupling between the fermion and the condensate,
there are stable quasiparticles with a gap. We find some similarities with the
phenomenology of the cuprates: in systems whose normal state is a non-Fermi
liquid with no stable quasiparticles, a stable quasiparticle peak appears in
the condensed phase.Comment: 14 pages, 13 figures; v2: typos corrected and some clarification
adde
Algebraic charge liquids
High temperature superconductivity emerges in the cuprate compounds upon
changing the electron density of an insulator in which the electron spins are
antiferromagnetically ordered. A key characteristic of the superconductor is
that electrons can be extracted from them at zero energy only if their momenta
take one of four specific values (the `nodal points'). A central enigma has
been the evolution of the zero energy electrons in the metallic state between
the antiferromagnet and the superconductor, and recent experiments yield
apparently contradictory results. The oscillation of the resistance in this
metal as a function of magnetic field indicate that the zero energy electrons
carry momenta which lie on elliptical `Fermi pockets', while ejection of
electrons by high intensity light indicates that the zero energy electrons have
momenta only along arc-like regions. We present a theory of new states of
matter, which we call `algebraic charge liquids', which arise naturally between
the antiferromagnet and the superconductor, and reconcile these observations.
Our theory also explains a puzzling dependence of the density of
superconducting electrons on the total electron density, and makes a number of
unique predictions for future experiments.Comment: 6+8 pages, 2 figures; (v2) Rewritten for broader accessibility; (v3)
corrected numerical error in Eq. (5
The Lyman Alpha Forest in the Spectra of QSOs
Observations of redshifted Lyman alpha forest absorption in the spectra of
quasistellar objects (QSOs) provide a highly sensitive probe of the
distribution of gaseous matter in the universe. Over the past two decades
optical spectroscopy with large ground-based telescopes, and more recently
ultraviolet spectroscopy from space have yielded a wealth of information on
what appears to be a gaseous, photoionized intergalactic medium, partly
enriched by the products of stellar nucleosynthesis, residing in coherent
structures over many hundreds of kiloparsecs. Recent progress with cosmological
hydro-simulations based on hierarchical structure formation models has led to
important insights into the physical structures giving rise to the forest. If
these ideas are correct, a truely inter- and proto-galactic medium [at high
redshift (z ~ 3), the main repository of baryons] collapses under the influence
of dark matter gravity into flattened or filamentary structures, which are seen
in absorption against background QSOs. With decreasing redshift, galaxies
forming in the denser regions, may contribute an increasing part of the Lyman
alpha absorption cross-section. Comparisons between large data samples from the
new generation of telescopes and artificial Lyman alpha forest spectra from
cosmological simulations promise to become a useful cosmological tool.Comment: latex plus three postscript figures, uses psfig,sty; Annual Review of
Astronomy and Astrophysics 1998, vol. 36 (in press
Graphene plasmonics
Two rich and vibrant fields of investigation, graphene physics and
plasmonics, strongly overlap. Not only does graphene possess intrinsic plasmons
that are tunable and adjustable, but a combination of graphene with noble-metal
nanostructures promises a variety of exciting applications for conventional
plasmonics. The versatility of graphene means that graphene-based plasmonics
may enable the manufacture of novel optical devices working in different
frequency ranges, from terahertz to the visible, with extremely high speed, low
driving voltage, low power consumption and compact sizes. Here we review the
field emerging at the intersection of graphene physics and plasmonics.Comment: Review article; 12 pages, 6 figures, 99 references (final version
available only at publisher's web site
The role of multiple marks in epigenetic silencing and the emergence of a stable bivalent chromatin state
We introduce and analyze a minimal model of epigenetic silencing in budding
yeast, built upon known biomolecular interactions in the system. Doing so, we
identify the epigenetic marks essential for the bistability of epigenetic
states. The model explicitly incorporates two key chromatin marks, namely H4K16
acetylation and H3K79 methylation, and explores whether the presence of
multiple marks lead to a qualitatively different systems behavior. We find that
having both modifications is important for the robustness of epigenetic
silencing. Besides the silenced and transcriptionally active fate of chromatin,
our model leads to a novel state with bivalent (i.e., both active and
silencing) marks under certain perturbations (knock-out mutations, inhibition
or enhancement of enzymatic activity). The bivalent state appears under several
perturbations and is shown to result in patchy silencing. We also show that the
titration effect, owing to a limited supply of silencing proteins, can result
in counter-intuitive responses. The design principles of the silencing system
is systematically investigated and disparate experimental observations are
assessed within a single theoretical framework. Specifically, we discuss the
behavior of Sir protein recruitment, spreading and stability of silenced
regions in commonly-studied mutants (e.g., sas2, dot1) illuminating the
controversial role of Dot1 in the systems biology of yeast silencing.Comment: Supplementary Material, 14 page
Synthesis of Indium Nanowires by Galvanic Displacement and Their Optical Properties
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Single crystalline indium nanowires were prepared on Zn substrate which had been treated in concentrated sulphuric acid by galvanic displacement in the 0.002 mol L<sup>−1</sup>In<sub>2</sub>(SO<sub>4</sub>)<sub>3</sub>-0.002 mol L<sup>−1</sup>SeO<sub>2</sub>-0.02 mol L<sup>−1</sup>SDS-0.01 mol L<sup>−1</sup>citric acid aqueous solution. The typical diameter of indium nanowires is 30 nm and most of the nanowires are over 30 μm in length. XRD, HRTEM, SAED and structural simulation clearly demonstrate that indium nanowires are single-crystalline with the tetragonal structure, the growth direction of the nanowires is along [100] facet. The UV-Vis absorption spectra showed that indium nanowires display typical transverse resonance of SPR properties. The surfactant (SDS) and the pretreatment of Zn substrate play an important role in the growth process. The mechanism of indium nanowires growth is the synergic effect of treated Zn substrate (hard template) and SDS (soft template).</p
In vitro analysis of the cytotoxicity and the antimicrobial effect of four endodontic sealers
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Introduction</p> <p>The aim of this study was to investigate <it>in vitro </it>the cytotoxicity and antibacterial properties of four different endodontic sealers using human periodontal ligament fibroblast cell proliferation and visual analysis of growth inhibition.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A silicone (GuttaFlow), silicate (EndoSequence BC), zinc oxide eugenol (Pulp Canal Sealer EWT) and epoxy resin (AH Plus Jet) based sealer were incubated with PDL fibroblasts (10<sup>4 </sup>cells/ml, n = 6) up to 96 h. Cell proliferation (RFU) was determined by means of the Alamar Blue assay. Cell growth and morphology was visualized by means of fluorescent dyes. Possible antibacterial properties of the different sealers were visualized by means of SEM (<it>Enterococcus faecalis; Parvimonas micra</it>).</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Fibroblast proliferation depended on sealer and cultivation time. After 72 and 96 h GuttaFlow and EndoSequence BC showed relatively non-cytotoxic reactions, while Pulp Canal Sealer EWT and AH Plus Jet caused a significant decrease of cell proliferation (p < 0.001). Visualization of cell growth and morphology with various fluorescent dyes supplemented the results. No antibacterial effect of EndoSequence BC to <it>P. micra </it>was found, whereas GuttaFlow showed a weak, Pulp Canal Sealer EWT and AH Plus Jet extensive growth inhibition. Also, no antibacterial effect of GuttaFlow, EndoSequence BC or AH Plus Jet to <it>E. faecalis </it>could be detected.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>These <it>in vitro </it>findings reveal that GuttaFlow and EndoSequence BC can be considered as biocompatible sealing materials. However, prior to their clinical employment, studies regarding their sealing properties also need to be considered.</p
Genetic diversity analysis of yellow mustard (Sinapis alba L.) germplasm based on genotyping by sequencing
Genetic alterations in primary osteosarcoma from 54 children and adolescents by targeted allelotyping
IL-6-Mediated Activation of Stat3Ξ± Prevents Trauma/Hemorrhagic Shock-Induced Liver Inflammation
Trauma complicated by hemorrhagic shock (T/HS) is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the United States for individuals under the age of 44 years. Initial survivors are susceptible to developing multiple organ failure (MOF), which is thought to be caused, at least in part, by excessive or maladaptive activation of inflammatory pathways. We previously demonstrated in rodents that T/HS results in liver injury that can be prevented by IL-6 administration at the start of resuscitation; however, the contribution of the severity of HS to the extent of liver injury, whether or not resuscitation is required, and the mechanism(s) for the IL-6 protective effect have not been reported. In the experiments described here, we demonstrated that the extent of liver inflammation induced by T/HS depends on the duration of hypotension and requires resuscitation. We established that IL-6 administration at the start of resuscitation is capable of completely reversing liver inflammation and is associated with increased Stat3 activation. Global assessment of the livers showed that the main effect of IL-6 was to normalize the T/HS-induced inflammation transcriptome. Pharmacological inhibition of Stat3 activity within the liver blocked the ability of IL-6 to prevent liver inflammation and to normalize the T/HS-induced liver inflammation transcriptome. Genetic deletion of a Stat3Ξ², a naturally occurring, dominant-negative isoform of the Stat3, attenuated T/HS-induced liver inflammation, confirming a role for Stat3, especially Stat3Ξ±, in preventing T/HS-mediated liver inflammation. Thus, T/HS-induced liver inflammation depends on the duration of hypotension and requires resuscitation; IL-6 administration at the start of resuscitation reverses T/HS-induced liver inflammation, through activation of Stat3Ξ±, which normalized the T/HS-induced liver inflammation transcriptome
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