450 research outputs found
Measurement of Low-Energy Cosmic-Ray Antiprotons at Solar Minimum
The absolute fluxes of the cosmic-ray antiprotons at solar minimum are
measured in the energy range 0.18 to 1.4 GeV, based on 43 events unambiguously
detected in BESS '95 data. The resultant energy spectrum appears to be flat
below 1 GeV, compatible with a possible admixture of primary antiproton
component with a soft energy spectrum, while the possibility of secondary
antiprotons alone explaining the data cannot be excluded with the present
accuracy. Further improvement of statistical accuracy and extension of the
energy range are planned in future BESS flights.Comment: REVTeX, 4 pages including 4 eps figures. Submitted to PR
MgyNi1-y(Hx) thin films deposited by magnetron co-sputtering
In this work we have synthesised thin films of MgyNi1-y(Hx) metal and metal
hydride with y between 0 and 1. The films are deposited by magnetron
co-sputtering of metallic targets of Mg and Ni. Metallic MgyNi1-y films were
deposited with pure Ar plasma while MgyNi1-yHx hydride films were deposited
reactively with 30% H2 in the Ar plasma. The depositions were done with a fixed
substrate carrier, producing films with a spatial gradient in the Mg and Ni
composition. The combinatorial method of co-sputtering gives an insight into
the phase diagram of MgyNi1-y and MgyNi1-yHx, and allows us to investigate
structural, optical and electrical properties of the resulting alloys. Our
results show that reactive sputtering gives direct deposition of metal hydride
films, with high purity in the case of Mg~2NiH~4. We have observed limited
oxidation after several months of exposure to ambient conditions. MgyNi1-y and
MgyNi1-yHx films might be applied for optical control in smart windows, optical
sensors and as a semiconducting material for photovoltaic solar cells
Precision Measurement of Cosmic-Ray Antiproton Spectrum
The energy spectrum of cosmic-ray antiprotons has been measured in the range
0.18 to 3.56 GeV, based on 458 antiprotons collected by BESS in recent
solar-minimum period. We have detected for the first time a distinctive peak at
2 GeV of antiprotons originating from cosmic-ray interactions with the
interstellar gas. The peak spectrum is reproduced by theoretical calculations,
implying that the propagation models are basically correct and that different
cosmic-ray species undergo a universal propagation. Future BESS flights toward
the solar maximum will help us to study the solar modulation and the
propagation in detail and to search for primary antiproton components.Comment: REVTeX, 4 pages including 4 eps figure
Phase separation and suppression of critical dynamics at quantum transitions of itinerant magnets: MnSi and (SrCa)RuO
Quantum phase transitions (QPTs) have been studied extensively in correlated
electron systems. Characterization of magnetism at QPTs has, however, been
limited by the volume-integrated feature of neutron and magnetization
measurements and by pressure uncertainties in NMR studies using powderized
specimens. Overcoming these limitations, we performed muon spin relaxation
(SR) measurements which have a unique sensitivity to volume fractions of
magnetically ordered and paramagnetic regions, and studied QPTs from itinerant
heli/ferro magnet to paramagnet in MnSi (single-crystal; varying pressure) and
(SrCa)RuO (ceramic specimens; varying ). Our results
provide the first clear evidence that both cases are associated with
spontaneous phase separation and suppression of dynamic critical behavior,
revealed a slow but dynamic character of the ``partial order'' diffuse spin
correlations in MnSi above the critical pressure, and, combined with other
known results in heavy-fermion and cuprate systems, suggest a possibility that
a majority of QPTs involve first-order transitions and/or phase separation.Comment: 11 pages, 4 figures, 21 authors, to appear in Nature Physic
Echinoderms have bilateral tendencies
Echinoderms take many forms of symmetry. Pentameral symmetry is the major
form and the other forms are derived from it. However, the ancestors of
echinoderms, which originated from Cambrian period, were believed to be
bilaterians. Echinoderm larvae are bilateral during their early development.
During embryonic development of starfish and sea urchins, the position and the
developmental sequence of each arm are fixed, implying an auxological
anterior/posterior axis. Starfish also possess the Hox gene cluster, which
controls symmetrical development. Overall, echinoderms are thought to have a
bilateral developmental mechanism and process. In this article, we focused on
adult starfish behaviors to corroborate its bilateral tendency. We weighed
their central disk and each arm to measure the position of the center of
gravity. We then studied their turning-over behavior, crawling behavior and
fleeing behavior statistically to obtain the center of frequency of each
behavior. By joining the center of gravity and each center of frequency, we
obtained three behavioral symmetric planes. These behavioral bilateral
tendencies might be related to the A/P axis during the embryonic development of
the starfish. It is very likely that the adult starfish is, to some extent,
bilaterian because it displays some bilateral propensity and has a definite
behavioral symmetric plane. The remainder of bilateral symmetry may have
benefited echinoderms during their evolution from the Cambrian period to the
present
Systematic Cu-63 NQR studies of the stripe phase in La(1.6-x)Nd(0.4)Sr(x)CuO(4) for 0.07 <= x <= 0.25
We demonstrate that the integrated intensity of Cu-63 nuclear quadrupole
resonance (NQR) in La(1.6-x)Nd(0.4)Sr(x)CuO(4) decreases dramatically below the
charge-stripe ordering temperature T(charge). Comparison with neutron and X-ray
scattering indicates that the wipeout fraction F(T) (i.e. the missing fraction
of the integrated intensity of the NQR signal) represents the charge-stripe
order parameter. The systematic study reveals bulk charge-stripe order
throughout the superconducting region 0.07 <= x <= 0.25. As a function of the
reduced temperature t = T/T(charge), the temperature dependence of F(t) is
sharpest for the hole concentration x=1/8, indicating that x=1/8 is the optimum
concentration for stripe formation.Comment: 10 pages of text and captions, 11 figures in postscript. Final
version, with new data in Fig.
Probing host pathogen cross-talk by transcriptional profiling of both Mycobacterium tuberculosis and infected human dendritic cells and macrophages
This study provides the proof of principle that probing the host and the microbe transcriptomes simultaneously is a valuable means to accessing unique information on host pathogen interactions. Our results also underline the extraordinary plasticity of host cell and pathogen responses to infection, and provide a solid framework to further understand the complex mechanisms involved in immunity to M. tuberculosis and in mycobacterial adaptation to different intracellular environments
1,8-Cineole Inhibits Both Proliferation and Elongation of BY-2 Cultured Tobacco Cells
Volatile monoterpenes such as 1,8-cineole inhibit the growth of Brassica campestris seedlings in a dose-dependent manner, and the growth-inhibitory effects are more severe for roots than hypocotyls. The preferential inhibition of root growth may be explained if the compounds inhibit cell proliferation more severely than cell elongation because root growth requires both elongation and proliferation of the constituent cells, whereas hypocotyl growth depends exclusively on elongation of existing cells. In order to examine this possibility, BY-2 suspension-cultured tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) cells were treated with 1,8-cineole, and the inhibitory effects on cell proliferation and on cell elongation were assessed quantitatively. Treatment with 1,8-cineole lowered both the mitotic index and elongation of the cells in a dose-dependent manner, and the half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) for cell elongation was lower than that for cell proliferation. Moreover, 1,8-cineole also inhibited starch synthesis, with IC50 lower than that for cell proliferation. Thus, the inhibitory effects of 1,8-cineole were not specific to cell proliferation; rather, 1,8-cineole seemed inhibitory to a variety of physiological activities when it was in direct contact with target cells. Based on these results, possible mechanisms for the mode of action of 1,8-cineole and for its preferential inhibition on root growth are discussed
Chemically Bonded Phases for the Analysis of Trace Amounts of Organic Pollutants
This work describes some results of identification and determination of bisphenol A (BPA) in powdered milk by applying the gas chromatography. To determine BPA contents in the milk and to reduce the matrix interference associated with the constituents of the powdered milk, we performed the following activities. First, we ultra-centrifuged the dissolved milk solutions. Next, we preconcentrated the analyte in the supernatant using a C18 and new sorbent with chemically bonded ketoimine group solid phase extraction column. Finally, we used gas chromatography for the determination of BPA in the samples under study. A recovery of bisphenol A from spiked milk samples was also performed, with recovery result located at 91% ± 3%/94% ± 2%
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