304 research outputs found
The ferroelectric transition in YMnO from first principles
We have studied the structural phase transition of multiferroic YMnO from
first principles. Using group-theoretical analysis and first-principles density
functional calculations of the total energy and phonons, we perform a
systematic study of the energy surface around the prototypic phase. We find a
single instability at the zone-boundary which couples strongly to the
polarization. This coupling is the mechanism that allows multiferroicity in
this class of materials. Our results imply that YMnO is an improper
ferroelectric. We suggest further experiments to clarify this point.Comment: published version, PRB (rapid comm), slight change in presentatio
Experimental evidence for an intermediate phase in the multiferroic YMnO3
We have studied YMnO by high-temperature synchrotron X-ray powder
diffraction, and have carried out differential thermal analysis and dilatometry
on a single crystal sample. These experiments show two phase transitions at
about 1100K and 1350K, respectively. This demonstrates the existence of an
intermediate phase between the room temperature ferroelectric and the high
temperature centrosymmetric phase. This study identifies for the first time the
different high-temperature phase transitions in YMnO.Comment: 10 pages 5 figures. New version, Additional data, Journal of Physics:
Condensed Matter, in Pres
Note on a Micropolar Gas-Kinetic Theory
The micropolar fluid mechanics and its transport coefficients are derived
from the linearized Boltzmann equation of rotating particles. In the dilute
limit, as expected, transport coefficients relating to microrotation are not
important, but the results are useful for the description of collisional
granular flow on an inclined slope.
(This paper will be published in Traffic and Granular Flow 2001 edited by
Y.Sugiyama and D. E. Wolf (Springer))Comment: 15 pages, 0 figure. To be published in Traffic and Granular Flow 2001
edited by Y.Sugiyama and D. E. Wolf (Springer
A Default Logic Patch for Default Logic
International audienceThis paper is about the fusion of multiple information sources represented using default logic. More precisely, the focus is on solving the problem that occurs when the standard-logic knowledge parts of the sources are contradictory, as default theories trivialize in this case. To overcome this problem, it is shown that replacing each formula belonging to Minimally Unsatisfiable Subformulas by a corresponding supernormal default allows appealing features. Moreover, it is investigated how these additional defaults interact with the initial defaults of the theory. Interestingly, this approach allows us to handle the problem of default theories containing inconsistent standard-logic knowledge, using the default logic framework itself
Condensation of Hard Spheres Under Gravity: Exact Results in One Dimension
We present exact results for the density profile of the one dimensional array
of N hard spheres of diameter D and mass m under gravity g. For a strictly one
dimensional system, the liquid-solid transition occurs at zero temperature,
because the close-pakced density, , is one. However, if we relax this
condition slightly such that , we find a series of critical
temperatures T_c^i=mgD(N+1-i)/\mu_o with \mu_o=const, at which the i-th
particle undergoes the liquid-solid transition. The functional form of the
onset temperature, T_c^1=mgDN/\mu_o, is consistent with the previous result
[Physica A 271, 192 (1999)] obtained by the Enskog equation. We also show that
the increase in the center of mass is linear in T before the transition, but it
becomes quadratic in T after the transition because of the formation of solid
near the bottom
The three dimensional globally modified Navier-Stokes equations: Recent developments
The globally modified Navier-Stokes equations (GMNSE) were introduced by Caraballo, Kloeden & Real in 2006 and have been investigated in a number of papers since then, both for their own sake and as a means of obtaining results about the 3-dimensionalNavier-Stokes equations. These results were reviewed by Kloeden et al, which was published in 2009, but there have been some important
developments since then, which will be reviewed here
1Identification of genes differentially expressed in the embryonic pig cerebral cortex before and after appearance of gyration
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Mammalian evolution is characterized by a progressive expansion of the surface area of the cerebral cortex, an increase that is accompanied by gyration of the cortical surface. The mechanisms controlling this gyration process are not well characterized but mutational analyses indicate that genes involved in neuronal migration play an important function. Due to the lack of gyration of the rodent brain it is important to establish alternative models to examine brain development during the gyration process. The pig brain is gyrated and accordingly is a candidate alternative model.</p> <p>Findings</p> <p>In this study we have identified genes differentially expressed in the pig cerebral cortex before and after appearance of gyration. Pig cortical tissue from two time points in development representing a non-folded, lissencephalic, brain (embryonic day 60) and primary-folded, gyrencephalic, brain (embryonic day 80) were examined by whole genome expression microarray studies. 91 differentially expressed transcripts (fold change >3) were identified. 84 transcripts were annotated and encoding proteins involved in for example neuronal migration, calcium binding, and cytoskeletal structuring. Quantitative real-time PCR was used to confirm the regulation of a subset of the identified genes.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>This study provides identification of genes which are differentially expressed in the pig cerebral cortex before and after appearance of brain gyration. The identified genes include novel candidate genes which could have functional importance for brain development.</p
Characterization of the Partitioning System of Myxococcus Plasmid pMF1
pMF1 is the only autonomously replicating plasmid that has been recently identified in myxobacteria. This study characterized the partitioning (par) system of this plasmid. The fragment that significantly increased the retaining stability of plasmids in Myxococcus cells in the absence of selective antibiotics contained three open reading frames (ORFs) pMF1.21-pMF1.23 (parCAB). The pMF1.22 ORF (parA) is homologous to members of the parA ATPase family, with the highest similarity (56%) to the Sphingobium japonicum ParA-like protein, while the other two ORFs had no homologs in GenBank. DNase I footprinting and electrophoretic mobility shift assays showed that the pMF1.23 (parB) product is a DNA-binding protein of iteron DNA sequences, while the product of pMF1.21 (parC) has no binding activity but is able to enhance the DNA-binding activity of ParB to iterons. The ParB protein autogenously repressed the expression of the par genes, consistent with the type Ib par pattern, while the ParC protein has less repressive activity. The ParB-binding iteron sequences are distributed not only near the partitioning gene loci but also along pMF1. These results indicate that the pMF1 par system has novel structural and functional characteristics
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