Light Curve Patterns and Seismology of a White Dwarf with Complex Pulsation

The ZZ Ceti star KUV 02464+3239 was observed over a whole season at the mountain station of Konkoly Observatory. A rigorous frequency analysis revealed 6 certain periods between 619 and 1250 seconds, with no shorter period modes present. We use the observed periods, published effective temperature and surface gravity, along with the model grid code of Bischoff-Kim, Montgomery and Winget (2008) to perform a seismological analysis. We find acceptable model fits with masses between 0.60 and 0.70 M_Sun. The hydrogen layer mass of the acceptable models are almost always between 10^-4 and 10^-6 M_*. In addition to our seismological results, we also show our analysis of individual light curve segments. Considering the non-sinusoidal shape of the light curve and the Fourier spectra of segments showing large amplitude variations, the importance of non-linear effects in the pulsation is clearly seen.Comment: 5 pages, 6 figures, in "Stellar Pulsation: Challenges for Theory and Observation", Eds. J. Guzik and P. A. Bradley, AIP

Depth-sensing indentation tests in studying plastic instabilities

This review surveys the phenomenon of plastic instabilities occurring in depth-sensing indentation measurements. Investigations presented focus on the characterization of Portevin-Le Chatelier type instabilities observed in different metal alloys during indentation. The effect of some important factors such as solute concentration, the formation of Guinier-Preston zones, and grain size and orientation are described and discussed. The phenomenon of plastic instabilities as serrated flow recently observed in bulk metallic glasses is also briefly reviewed

Characterizing the pulsations of the ZZ Ceti star KUV 02464+3239

We present the results on period search and modeling of the cool DAV star KUV 02464+3239. Our observations resolved the multiperiodic pulsational behaviour of the star. In agreement with its position near the red edge of the DAV instability strip, it shows large amplitude, long period pulsation modes, and has a strongly non-sinusoidal light curve. We determined 6 frequencies as normal modes and revealed remarkable short-term amplitude variations. A rigorous test was performed for the possible source of amplitude variation: beating of modes, effect of noise, unresolved frequencies or rotational triplets. Among the best-fit models resulting from a grid search, we selected 3 that gave l=1 solutions for the largest amplitude modes. These models had masses of 0.645, 0.650 and 0.680 M_Sun. The 3 `favoured' models have M_H between 2.5x10^-5 - 6.3x10^-6 M_* and give 14.2 - 14.8 mas seismological parallax. The 0.645 M_Sun (11400 K) model also matches the spectroscopic log g and T_eff within 1 sigma. We investigated the possibility of mode trapping and concluded that while it can explain high amplitude modes, it is not required.Comment: 11 pages, 8 figures, accepted for publication in MNRA

Multilayer metamaterial absorbers inspired by perfectly matched layers

We derive periodic multilayer absorbers with effective uniaxial properties similar to perfectly matched layers (PML). This approximate representation of PML is based on the effective medium theory and we call it an effective medium PML (EM-PML). We compare the spatial reflection spectrum of the layered absorbers to that of a PML material and demonstrate that after neglecting gain and magnetic properties, the absorber remains functional. This opens a route to create electromagnetic absorbers for real and not only numerical applications and as an example we introduce a layered absorber for the wavelength of $8$~$\mu$m made of SiO$_2$ and NaCl. We also show that similar cylindrical core-shell nanostructures derived from flat multilayers also exhibit very good absorptive and reflective properties despite the different geometry

Imperfect nesting and transport properties in unconventional density waves

We consider the effect of imperfect nesting in quasi-one dimensional unconventional density waves. The phase diagram is very close to those in a conventional DW. The linear and non-linear aspects of the electric conductivity are discussed. At T=0 the frequency dependent electric conductivity develops a small dip at low frequencies. The threshold electric field depends strongly on the imperfect nesting parameter, allowing us to describe the measured threshold electric field in the low temperature phase of the quasi-two dimensional organic conductor, alpha-(BEDT-TTF)_2KHg(SCN)_4 very well.Comment: 9 pages, 9 figure

Facile Synthesis of High Quality Graphene Nanoribbons

Graphene nanoribbons have attracted attention for their novel electronic and spin transport properties1-6, and because nanoribbons less than 10 nm wide have a band gap that can be used to make field effect transistors. However, producing nanoribbons of very high quality, or in high volumes, remains a challenge. Here, we show that pristine few-layer nanoribbons can be produced by unzipping mildly gas-phase oxidized multiwalled carbon nanotube using mechanical sonication in an organic solvent. The nanoribbons exhibit very high quality, with smooth edges (as seen by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy), low ratios of disorder to graphitic Raman bands, and the highest electrical conductance and mobility reported to date (up to 5e2/h and 1500 cm2/Vs for ribbons 10-20 nm in width). Further, at low temperature, the nanoribbons exhibit phase coherent transport and Fabry-Perot interference, suggesting minimal defects and edge roughness. The yield of nanoribbons was ~2% of the starting raw nanotube soot material, which was significantly higher than previous methods capable of producing high quality narrow nanoribbons1. The relatively high yield synthesis of pristine graphene nanoribbons will make these materials easily accessible for a wide range of fundamental and practical applications.Comment: Nature Nanotechnology in pres

Genome wide mapping reveals PDE4B as an IL-2 induced STAT5 target gene in activated human PBMCs and lymphoid cancer cells

IL-2 is the primary growth factor for promoting survival and proliferation of activated T cells that occurs following engagement of the Janus Kinase (JAK)1-3/and Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription (STAT) 5 signaling pathway. STAT5 has two isoforms: STAT5A and STAT5B ( commonly referred to as STAT5) which, in T cells, play redundant roles transcribing cell cycle and survival genes. As such, inhibition of STAT5 by a variety of mechanisms can rapidly induce apoptosis in certain lymphoid tumor cells, suggesting that it and its target genes represent therapeutic targets to control certain lymphoid diseases. To search for these molecules we aligned IL-2 regulated genes detected by Affymetrix gene expression microarrays with the STAT5 cistrome identified by chip-on-ChIP analysis in an IL-2-dependent human leukemia cell line, Kit225. Select overlapping genes were then validated using qRT(2)PCR medium-throughput arrays in human PHA-activated PBMCs. Of 19 putative genes, one key regulator of T cell receptor signaling, PDE4B, was identified as a novel target, which was readily up-regulated at the protein level (3 h) in IL-2 stimulated, activated human PBMCs. Surprisingly, only purified CD8+ primary T-cells expressed PDE4B, but not CD4+ cells. Moreover, PDE4B was found to be highly expressed in CD4+ lymphoid cancer cells, which suggests that it may represent a physiological role unique to the CD8+ and lymphoid cancer cells and thus might represent a target for pharmaceutical intervention for certain lymphoid diseases

The period and amplitude changes in the coolest GW Virginis variable star (PG 1159-type) PG 0122+200

Context: The PG 1159 pre-white dwarf stars experiment a rapidly cooling phase with a time scale of a few 10 6 years. Theoretical models predict that the neutrinos produced in their core should play a dominant role in the cooling, mainly at the cool end of the PG 1159 sequence. Measuring the evolutionary time scale of the coolest PG 1159 stars could offer a unique opportunity to empirically constrain the neutrino emission rate. Aims. A subgroup of the PG 1159 stars are nonradial pulsators, the GW Vir type of variable stars. They exhibit g-mode pulsations with periods of a few hundred seconds. As the stars cool, the pulsation frequencies evolve according to the change in their internal structure. It was anticipated that the measurement of their rate of change would directly determine the evolution time scale and so constrain the neutrino emission rates. As PG 0122+200 (BB Psc) defines the red edge of the GW Vir instability strip, it is a good candidate for such a measurement. Methods. The pulsations of PG 0122+200 have been observed during 22 years from 1986 to 2008, through the fast photometry technique. We used those data to measure the rate of change of its frequencies and amplitudes. Results. Among the 24 identified ℓ = 1 modes, the frequency and amplitude variations have been obtained for the seven largest amplitude ones. We find changes of their frequency of much larger amplitudes and shorter time scales than the one predicted by theoretical models that assume that the cooling dominates the frequency variations. In the case of the largest amplitude mode at 2497 μHz (400 s), its variations are best fitted by a combination of two terms: one long term with a time scale of 5.4 × 10 4 years, which is significantly shorter than the predicted evolutionary time scale of 8 × 10 6 years; and one additional periodic term with a period of either 261 or 211 days. Some other mechanism(s) than the cooling must be responsible for such variations. We suggest that the resonant coupling induced within triplets by the star rotation could be such a mechanism. As a consequence, no useful constraints on the neutrino emission rate can presently be derived as long as the dominant mechanism is not properly understood. Conclusions. The temporal variations in the pulsation frequencies observed in PG 0122+200 cannot be simply attributed to the cooling of the star, regardless of the contribution of the neutrino losses. Our results suggest that the resonant coupling induced by the rotation plays a dominant role which must be further investigated.Facultad de Ciencias Astronómicas y Geofísica

In Situ Proteolysis to Generate Crystals for Structure Determination: An Update

For every 100 purified proteins that enter crystallization trials, an average of 30 form crystals, and among these only 13–15 crystallize in a form that enables structure determination. In 2007, Dong et al reported that the addition of trace amounts of protease to crystallization trials—in situ proteolysis—significantly increased the number of proteins in a given set that produce diffraction quality crystals. 69 proteins that had previously resisted structure determination were subjected to crystallization with in situ proteolysis and ten crystallized in a form that led to structure determination (14.5% success rate). Here we apply in situ proteolysis to over 270 new soluble proteins that had failed in the past to produce crystals suitable for structure determination. These proteins had produced no crystals, crystals that diffracted poorly, or produced twinned and/or unmanageable diffraction data. The new set includes yeast and prokaryotic proteins, enzymes essential to protozoan parasites, and human proteins such as GTPases, chromatin remodeling proteins, and tyrosine kinases. 34 proteins yielded deposited crystal structures of 2.8 Å resolution or better, for an overall 12.6% success rate, and at least ten more yielded well-diffracting crystals presently in refinement. The success rate among proteins that had previously crystallized was double that of those that had never before yielded crystals. The overall success rate is similar to that observed in the smaller study, and appears to be higher than any other method reported to rescue stalled protein crystallography projects