Thermal transport in thin films measured by time-resolved, grazing incidence x-ray diffraction

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/98715/1/JApplPhys_110_102203.pd

Proteasome Lid Bridges Mitochondrial Stress with Cdc53/Cullin1 NEDDylation Status

Cycles of Cdc53/Cullin1 rubylation (a.k.a NEDDylation) protect ubiquitin-E3 SCF (Skp1-Cullin1-F-box protein) complexes from self-destruction and play an important role in mediating the ubiquitination of key protein substrates involved in cell cycle progression, development, and survival. Cul1 rubylation is balanced by the COP9 signalosome (CSN), a multi-subunit derubylase that shows 1:1 paralogy to the 26 S proteasome lid. The turnover of SCF substrates and their relevance to various diseases is well studied, yet, the extent by which environmental perturbations influence Cul1 rubylation/derubylation cycles per se is still unclear. In this study, we show that the level of cellular oxidation serves as a molecular switch, determining Cullin1 rubylation/derubylation ratio. We describe a mutant of the proteasome lid subunit, Rpn11 that exhibits accumulated levels of Cullin1-Rub1 conjugates, a characteristic phenotype of csn mutants. By dissecting between distinct phenotypes of rpn11 mutants, proteasome and mitochondria dysfunction, we were able to recognize the high reactive oxygen species (ROS) production during the transition of cells into mitochondrial respiration, as a checkpoint of Cullin1 rubylation in a reversible manner. Thus, the study adds the rubylation cascade to the list of cellular pathways regulated by redox homeostasis

Prenúncio de futuros conflitos alimentares no século XXI: os casos do Iêmen e do Qatar.

A segurança alimentar tem sido uma narrativa central na definição de políticas agrícolas, hídricas e energéticas no Oriente Médio. E o uso da comida como arma tem uma história especificamente nessa região. Assim, o presente trabalho tem como objetivo discutir o uso contemporâneo do alimento como arma em dois distintos países da Península Arábica: o Qatar e o Iêmen. Em ambos os casos, a Arábia Saudita está envolvida em função de seus interesses geopolíticos na região. No entanto, no caso do Iêmen, a intervenção militar liderada pela Arábia Saudita e pelos Emirados Árabes Unidos, apoiada pelos EUA, pelo Reino Unido e pelo Conselho de Segurança da ONU, estrangulou a economia do país. A destruição deliberada das áreas agrícolas, das estações de tratamento de água, de instalações de transporte e de mercados representam um aviso muito claro de que infligir a fome em populações civis é um meio aceito para se conquistar objetivos militares. No caso do Qatar, uma parte significativa do choque inicial causado pelo embargo do Quarteto (Bahrein, Egito, Arábia Saudita e Emirados Árabes Unidos) veio através de interrupções no fornecimento de alimentos, já que o Qatar importa a maioria do que consome, os quais chegam, em grande parte, via terrestre através da Arábia Saudita. A recente situação no Afeganistão sinaliza uma tendência de que os alimentos continuarão a ser usados como arma de persuasão ou submissão de um país para outro

Time- and momentum-resolved probe of heat transport in photo-excited bismuth

We use time- and momentum-resolved x-ray scattering to study thermalization in a photo-excited thin single crystal bismuth film on sapphire. The time-resolved changes of the diffuse scattering show primarily a quasi-thermal phonon distribution that is established in less than or similar to 100 ps and that follows the time-scale of thermal transport. Ultrafast melting measurements under high laser excitation show that epitaxial regrowth of the liquid phase occurs on the time-scale of thermal transport across the bismuth-sapphire interface. (C) 2013 AIP Publishing LLC. (DOI: 10.1063/1.4804291

Superconducting pairing symmetry in MoTe2_{2}

Topological superconductors have long been sought for their potential use in quantum computing. The type-II Weyl semimetal MoTe$_{2}$ is an obvious candidate, exhibiting a superconducting state below 500 mK at ambient pressure, but the question remains whether the pairing is conventional $s^{++}$ or topological $s^{+-}$. The application of external pressure favors the superconducting state in MoTe$_{2}$ and suppresses the structural transition from $1T'$ to $T_{d}$. The competition between the two structures leads to a mixed phase that strongly enhances the disorder present in the system, remarkably without affecting the superconducting transition temperature, in contrast to the expectation of $s^{+-}$ pairing superconductivity. Our thorough analysis of the electrical and Hall resistivities as a function of pressure yields the most accurate temperature-pressure phase diagram available to date for MoTe$_{2}$ and a detailed view of the relationship between disorder and superconductivity, supporting a conventional $s^{++}$ pairing symmetry

Modulating bone cells response onto starch-based biomaterials by surface plasma treatment and protein adsorption

The effect of oxygen-based radio frequency glow discharge (rfGD) on the surface of different starch-based biomaterials (SBB) and the influence of proteins adsorption on modulating bone–cells behavior was studied. Bovine serum albumin, fibronectin and vitronectin were used in single and complex protein systems. RfGD-treated surfaces showed to increase in hydrophilicity and surface energy when compared to non-modified SBB. Biodegradable polymeric blends of cornstarch with cellulose acetate (SCA; 50/50 wt%), ethylene vinyl alcohol (SEVA-C; 50/50 wt%) and polycaprolactone (SPCL; 30/70 wt%) were studied. SCA and SCA reinforced with 10% hydroxyapatite (HA) showed the highest degree of modification as result of the rfGD treatment. Protein and control solutions were used to incubate with the characterized SBB and, following this, MG63 osteoblast-like osteosarcoma cells were seeded over the surfaces. Cell adhesion and proliferation onto SCA was found to be enhanced for non-treated surfaces and on SCA+10%HA no alteration was brought up by the plasma modification. Onto SCA surfaces, BSA, FN and VN single solutions improved cell adhesion, and this same effect was found upscaled for ternary systems. In addition, plasma treated SEVA-C directed an increase in both adhesion and proliferation comparing to non-treated surfaces. Even though adhesion onto treated and untreated SPCL was quite similar, plasma modification clearly promoted MG63 cells proliferation. Regarding MG63 cells morphology it was shown that onto SEVA-C surfaces the variation of cell shape was primarily defined by the protein system, while onto SPCL it was mainly affected by the plasma treatment

Plasma surface modification of poly(D,L-lactic acid) as a tool to enhance protein adsorption and the attachment of different cell types

We have studied the influence of oxygen radio frequency glow discharge (RfGD) on the surface and bulk properties of poly(D,L-lactic acid) (PDLLA) and the effect of this surface modification on both protein adsorption and bone cell behavior. PDLLA films were characterized before and after plasma surface modification by water contact angle, surface energy, and adhesion tension of water as well as by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray electron spectroscopy (XPS), and Fourier transform infra-red (FTIR) spectroscopy. RfGD-films showed an increase in hydrophilicity and surface energy when compared with untreated films. Surface morphological changes were observed by SEM. Chemical analysis indicated significant differences in both atomic percentages and oxygen functional group. Protein adsorption was evaluated by combining solute depletion and spectroscopic techniques. Bovine serum albumin (BSA), fibronectin (FN), vitronectin (VN), and fetal bovine serum (FBS) were used in this study. RfGD-treated surfaces adsorbed more BSA and FN from single specie solutions than FBS that is a more complex, multi-specie solution. MG63 osteoblast-like cells and primary cultures of fetal rat calvarial (FRC) cells were used to assess both the effect of RfGD treatment and protein adsorption on cell attachment and proliferation. In the absence of preadsorbed proteins, cells could not distinguish between treated and untreated surfaces, with the exception of MG63 cells cultured for longer periods of time. In contrast, the adsorption of proteins increased the cells' preference for treated surfaces, thus indicating a crucial role for adsorbed proteins in mediating the response of osteogenic cells to the RfGD-treated PDLLA surface.Contract grant sponsors: Presidential Research Enhancement Fund (PREF), UTHSCSA, San Antonio, TX, USAContract grant sponsor: Foundation lot Science kind Technology (FCT), Portugal; contract grant number: SFRH/BD/11188/2002 and partial funding through FEDER and POCTI programsContract grant sponsor: EU funded Project HIPPOCRATES; contract grant number: NMP3-CT-2003-505758 Contract grant sponsor: European NoE EXPERTISSUES;Contract grant number: NMP3-CT-2004-500283

Universality in two-dimensional Kardar-Parisi-Zhang growth

We analyze simulations results of a model proposed for etching of a crystalline solid and results of other discrete models in the 2+1-dimensional Kardar-Parisi-Zhang (KPZ) class. In the steady states, the moments W_n of orders n=2,3,4 of the heights distribution are estimated. Results for the etching model, the ballistic deposition (BD) model and the temperature-dependent body-centered restricted solid-on-solid model (BCSOS) suggest the universality of the absolute value of the skewness S = W_3 / (W_2)^(3/2) and of the value of the kurtosis Q = W_4 / (W_2)^2 - 3. The sign of the skewness is the same of the parameter \lambda of the KPZ equation which represents the process in the continuum limit. The best numerical estimates, obtained from the etching model, are |S| = 0.26 +- 0.01 and Q = 0.134 +- 0.015. For this model, the roughness exponent \alpha = 0.383 +- 0.008 is obtained, accounting for a constant correction term (intrinsic width) in the scaling of the squared interface width. This value is slightly below previous estimates of extensive simulations and rules out the proposal of the exact value \alpha=2/5. The conclusion is supported by results for the ballistic deposition model. Independent estimates of the dynamical exponent and of the growth exponent are 1.605 <= z <= 1.64 and \beta = 0.229 +- 0.005, respectively, which are consistent with the relations \alpha + z = 2 and z = \alpha / \beta.Comment: 8 pages, 9 figures, to be published in Phys. Rev.