Heterogeneous spin state in the field-induced phase of volborthite as seen via 51V nuclear magnetic resonance

We report results of 51V NMR in the field-induced phase of volborthite Cu3V2O7(OH)dot2H2O, a spin-1/2 antiferromagnet on a distorted kagome lattice. In magnetic fields above 4.5 T, two types of V sites with different spin-echo decay rates are observed. The hyperfine field at the fast decaying sites has a distribution, while it is more homogeneous at the slowly decaying sites. Our results indicate a heterogeneous state consisting of two spatially alternating Cu spin systems, one of which exhibits anomalous spin fluctuations contrasting with the other showing a conventional static order.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figure

Atomically straight steps on vicinal Si (111) surfaces prepared by step-parallel current in the kink-up direction

We demonstrate that annealing of a vicinal Si(111) surface at about 800 C with a direct current in the direction that ascends the kinks enhances the formation of atomically straight step edges over micrometer lengths, while annealing with a current in the opposite direction does not. Every straight step edge has the same atomic configuration U(2,0), which is useful as a template for the formation of a variety of nanostructures. A phenomenological model based on electromigration of charged mobile atoms explains the observed current-polarity dependent behavior.Comment: Accepted for publication in Appl. Phys. Lett. Numbers of pages and figures are 12 and 4, respectivel

Universal zero-bias conductance through a quantum wire side-coupled to a quantum dot

A numerical renormalization-group study of the conductance through a quantum wire side-coupled to a quantum dot is reported. The temperature and the dot-energy dependence of the conductance are examined in the light of a recently derived linear mapping between the Kondo-regime temperature-dependent conductance and the universal function describing the conductance for the symmetric Anderson model of a quantum wire with an embedded quantum dot. Two conduction paths, one traversing the wire, the other a bypass through the quantum dot, are identified. A gate potential applied to the quantum wire is shown to control the flow through the bypass. When the potential favors transport through the wire, the conductance in the Kondo regime rises from nearly zero at low temperatures to nearly ballistic at high temperatures. When it favors the dot, the pattern is reversed: the conductance decays from nearly ballistic to nearly zero. When the fluxes through the two paths are comparable, the conductance is nearly temperature-independent in the Kondo regime, and a Fano antiresonance in the fixed-temperature plot of the conductance as a function of the dot energy signals interference. Throughout the Kondo regime and, at low temperatures, even in the mixed-valence regime, the numerical data are in excellent agreement with the universal mapping.Comment: 12 pages, with 9 figures. Submitted to PR

Active regulator of SIRT1 is required for cancer cell survival but not for SIRT1 activity

The NAD+-dependent deacetylase SIRT1 is involved in diverse cellular processes, and has also been linked with multiple disease states. Among these, SIRT1 expression negatively correlates with cancer survival in both laboratory and clinical studies. Active regulator of SIRT1 (AROS) was the first reported post-transcriptional regulator of SIRT1 activity, enhancing SIRT1-mediated deacetylation and downregulation of the SIRT1 target p53. However, little is known regarding the role of AROS in regulation of SIRT1 during disease. Here, we report the cellular and molecular effects of RNAi-mediated AROS suppression, comparing this with the role of SIRT1 in a panel of human cell lines of both cancerous and non-cancerous origins. Unexpectedly, AROS is found to vary in its modulation of p53 acetylation according to cell context. AROS suppresses p53 acetylation only following the application of cell damaging stress, whereas SIRT1 suppresses p53 under all conditions analysed. This supplements the original characterization of AROS but indicates that SIRT1 activity can persist following suppression of AROS. We also demonstrate that knockdown of AROS induces apoptosis in three cancer cell lines, independent of p53 activation. Importantly, AROS is not required for the viability of three non-cancer cell lines indicating a putative role for AROS in specifically promoting cancer cell survival