1,124 research outputs found
Preparation and analysis of a two-components breath figure at the nanoscale
International audienceSolid/liquid two-components Ga-Pb structures in isolated nanometer sized particles have been produced and studied by electron microscopy. Production is based on the breath figure technique and we investigate the way the two components are distributed. We clearly identify two growth regimes associated with the two different ways a Pb atom incorporates into a Ga nanodrop. Using TEM and SEM, the shape and microstructure of the nanoparticles are studied and the results obtained are in good agreement with the proposed model. The experimental technique used appears to be appropriate to produce Pb nanocrystals in liquid Ga nano-containers
Temporal regulation of embryonic M-phases.
Temporal regulation of M-phases of the cell cycle requires precise molecular mechanisms that differ among different cells. This variable regulation is particularly clear during embryonic divisions. The first embryonic mitosis in the mouse lasts twice as long as the second one. In other species studied so far (C. elegans, Sphaerechinus granularis, Xenopus laevis), the first mitosis is also longer than the second, yet the prolongation is less pronounced than in the mouse. We have found recently that the mechanisms prolonging the first embryonic M-phase differ in the mouse and in Xenopus embryos. In the mouse, the metaphase of the first mitosis is specifically prolonged by the unknown mechanism acting similarly to the CSF present in oocytes arrested in the second meiotic division. In Xenopus, higher levels of cyclins B participate in the M-phase prolongation, however, without any cell cycle arrest. In Xenopus embryo cell-free extracts, the inactivation of the major M-phase factor, MPF, depends directly on dissociation of cyclin B from CDK1 subunit and not on cyclin B degradation as was thought before. In search for other mitotic proteins behaving in a similar way as cyclins B we made two complementary proteomic screens dedicated to identifying proteins ubiquitinated and degraded by the proteasome upon the first embryonic mitosis in Xenopus laevis. The first screen yielded 175 proteins. To validate our strategy we are verifying now which of them are really ubiquitinated. In the second one, we identified 9 novel proteins potentially degraded via the proteasome. Among them, TCTP (Translationally Controlled Tumor Protein), a 23-kDa protein, was shown to be partially degraded during mitosis (as well as during meiotic exit). We characterized the expression and the role of this protein in Xenopus, mouse and human somatic cells, Xenopus and mouse oocytes and embryos. TCTP is a mitotic spindle protein positively regulating cellular proliferation. Analysis of other candidates is in progress
The transition temperature of the dilute interacting Bose gas
We show that the critical temperature of a uniform dilute Bose gas must
increase linearly with the s-wave scattering length describing the repulsion
between the particles. Because of infrared divergences, the magnitude of the
shift cannot be obtained from perturbation theory, even in the weak coupling
regime; rather, it is proportional to the size of the critical region in
momentum space. By means of a self-consistent calculation of the quasiparticle
spectrum at low momenta at the transition, we find an estimate of the effect in
reasonable agreement with numerical simulations.Comment: 4 pages, Revtex, to be published in Physical Review Letter
Effect of Repeated Administration of hCG on Ovarian Response in PMSG-superovulated Ouled Djellal Ewes (Algeria)
The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of repeated administration of hCG on ovarian response in PMSG-superovulated ewes. Intravaginal pessaries containing 40 mg fluorogestone acetate (FGA) were inserted in all ewes (n=9) and remained in situ for 14 days. Two days prior to pessary removal, all ewes were treated with 1000 IU of PMSG. On the day of sponge removal (day 0), the females were randomly assigned to 2 treatments. The first group (n=3) did not receive any hCG, while the second group (n=6) treated inter-muscular with hCG (500 IU) during days 0-2. On day 8, laparotomy was performed to assess numbers of corpora lutea (CL) and anovulatory follicles (AF). Blood samples were collected for analysis of serum progesterone (P4) using radioimmunoassay (RIA) method. The results obtained for first and second group was in number of CL (6.33±1.15 and 10.50±5.54), number of AF (2 ±3.46 and 4.16±5.70), then the levels of P4 (5.75± 4.45 and 13.22±6.80 ng/ml), respectively. These results indicate that the repeated administration of hCG post-sponge removal increases number of CL and improves luteal function in ewes after PMSG-superovulatory treatment
An Experimental and Theoretical Study of Nitrogen-Broadened Acetylene Lines
We present experimental nitrogen-broadening coefficients derived from Voigt profiles of isotropic Raman Q-lines measured in the 2 band of acetylene (C2H2) at 150 K and 298 K, and compare them to theoretical values obtained through calculations that were carried out specifically for this work. Namely, full classical calculations based on Gordon's approach, two kinds of semi-classical calculations based on Robert Bonamy method as well as full quantum dynamical calculations were performed. All the computations employed exactly the same ab initio potential energy surface for the C2H2N2 system which is, to our knowledge, the most realistic, accurate and up-to-date one. The resulting calculated collisional half-widths are in good agreement with the experimental ones only for the full classical and quantum dynamical methods. In addition, we have performed similar calculations for IR absorption lines and compared the results to bibliographic values. Results obtained with the full classical method are again in good agreement with the available room temperature experimental data. The quantum dynamical close-coupling calculations are too time consuming to provide a complete set of values and therefore have been performed only for the R(0) line of C2H2. The broadening coefficient obtained for this line at 173 K and 297 K also compares quite well with the available experimental data. The traditional Robert Bonamy semi-classical formalism, however, strongly overestimates the values of half-width for both Qand R-lines. The refined semi-classical Robert Bonamy method, first proposed for the calculations of pressure broadening coefficients of isotropic Raman lines, is also used for IR lines. By using this improved model that takes into account effects from line coupling, the calculated semi-classical widths are significantly reduced and closer to the measured ones
Estrogens promote misfolded proinsulin degradation to protect insulin production and delay diabetes
Summary: Conjugated estrogens (CE) delay the onset of type 2 diabetes (T2D) in postmenopausal women, but the mechanism is unclear. In T2D, the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) fails to promote proinsulin folding and, in failing to do so, promotes ER stress and β cell dysfunction. We show that CE prevent insulin-deficient diabetes in male and in female Akita mice using a model of misfolded proinsulin. CE stabilize the ER-associated protein degradation (ERAD) system and promote misfolded proinsulin proteasomal degradation. This involves activation of nuclear and membrane estrogen receptor-α (ERα), promoting transcriptional repression and proteasomal degradation of the ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme and ERAD degrader, UBC6e. The selective ERα modulator bazedoxifene mimics CE protection of β cells in females but not in males. : Estrogens prevent diabetes in women, but the mechanism is poorly understood. Xu et al. report that estrogens activate the endoplasmic-reticulum-associated protein degradation pathway, which promotes misfolded proinsulin degradation, suppresses endoplasmic reticulum stress, and protects insulin secretion in mice and in human pancreatic β cells. Keywords: estrogens, beta cell, islet, endoplasmic reticulum stress, proinsulin misfolding, diabetes, bazedoxifene, sex dimorphism, ERAD, SER
Reversing resistance to tembotrione in an Amaranthus tuberculatus (var. rudis) population from Nebraska, USA with cytochrome P450 inhibitors
Background: A population of Amaranthus tuberculatus (var. rudis) was confirmed resistant to 4-hydroxyphenylpyruvate dioxygenase (HPPD)-inhibitor herbicides (mesotrione, tembotrione, and topramezone) in a seed corn/soybean rotation in Nebraska. Further investigation confirmed a non-target-site resistance mechanism in this population. The main objective of this study was to explore the role of cytochrome P450 inhibitors in restoring the efficacy of HPPD-inhibitor herbicides on the HPPD-inhibitor resistant A. tuberculatus population from Nebraska, USA (HPPD-R).
Background: A population of Amaranthus tuberculatus (var. rudis) was confirmed resistant to 4-hydroxyphenylpyruvate dioxygenase (HPPD)-inhibitor herbicides (mesotrione, tembotrione, and topramezone) in a seed corn/soybean rotation in Nebraska. Further investigation confirmed a non-target-site resistance mechanism in this population. The main objective of this study was to explore the role of cytochrome P450 inhibitors in restoring the efficacy of HPPD-inhibitor herbicides on the HPPD-inhibitor resistant A. tuberculatus population from Nebraska, USA (HPPD-R).
Results: Enhanced metabolism via cytochrome P450 enzymes is the mechanism of resistance in HPPD-R. Amitrole partially restored the activity of mesotrione, whereas malathion, amitrole, and piperonyl butoxide restored the activity of tembotrione and topramezone in HPPD-R. Although corn was injured through malathion followed by mesotrione application a week after treatment, the injury was transient, and the crop recovered.
Includes supplementary file
Electron-phonon vertex in the two-dimensional one-band Hubbard model
Using quantum Monte Carlo techniques, we study the effects of electronic
correlations on the effective electron-phonon (el-ph) coupling in a
two-dimensional one-band Hubbard model. We consider a momentum-independent bare
ionic el-ph coupling. In the weak- and intermediate-correlation regimes, we
find that the on-site Coulomb interaction acts to effectively suppress the
ionic el-ph coupling at all electron- and phonon- momenta. In this regime, our
numerical simulations are in good agreement with the results of perturbation
theory to order . However, entering the strong-correlation regime, we find
that the forward scattering process stops decreasing and begins to
substantially increase as a function of , leading to an effective el-ph
coupling which is peaked in the forward direction. Whereas at weak and
intermediate Coulomb interactions, screening is the dominant correlation effect
suppressing the el-ph coupling, at larger values irreducible vertex
corrections become more important and give rise to this increase. These vertex
corrections depend crucially on the renormalized electronic structure of the
strongly correlated system.Comment: 5 pages, 4 eps-figures, minor change
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Soft X-ray spectromicroscopy and its application to semiconductor microstructure characterization
The universal trend towards device miniaturization has driven the semiconductor industry to develop sophisticated and complex instrumentation for the characterization of microstructures. Many significant problems of relevance to the semiconductor industry cannot be solved with conventional analysis techniques, but can be addressed with soft x-ray spectromicroscopy. An active spectromicroscopy program is being developed at the Advanced Light Source, attracting both the semiconductor industry and the materials science academic community. Examples of spectromicroscopy techniques are presented. An ALS {mu}-XPS spectromicroscopy project is discussed, involving the first microscope completely dedicated and designed for microstructure analysis on patterned silicon wafers
Magnetic polarons in weakly doped high-Tc superconductors
We consider a spin Hamiltonian describing - exchange interactions
between localized spins of a finite antiferromagnet as well as -
interactions between a conducting hole () and localized spins. The spin
Hamiltonian is solved numerically with use of Lanczos method of
diagonalization. We conclude that - exchange interaction leads to
localization of magnetic polarons. Quantum fluctuations of the antiferromagnet
strengthen this effect and make the formation of polarons localized in one site
possible even for weak - coupling. Total energy calculations, including
the kinetic energy, do not change essentially the phase diagram of magnetic
polarons formation. For parameters reasonable for high- superconductors
either a polaron localized on one lattice cell or a small ferron can form. For
reasonable values of the dielectric function and - coupling, the
contributions of magnetic and phonon terms in the formation of a polaron in
weakly doped high- materials are comparable.Comment: revised, revtex-4, 12 pages 8 eps figure
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