2,397 research outputs found
Competing Interactions among Supramolecular Structures on Surfaces
A simple model was constructed to describe the polar ordering of
non-centrosymmetric supramolecular aggregates formed by self assembling
triblock rodcoil polymers. The aggregates are modeled as dipoles in a lattice
with an Ising-like penalty associated with reversing the orientation of nearest
neighbor dipoles. The choice of the potentials is based on experimental results
and structural features of the supramolecular objects. For films of finite
thickness, we find a periodic structure along an arbitrary direction
perpendicular to the substrate normal, where the repeat unit is composed of two
equal width domains with dipole up and dipole down configuration. When a short
range interaction between the surface and the dipoles is included the balance
between the up and down dipole domains is broken. Our results suggest that due
to surface effects, films of finite thickness have a none zero macroscopic
polarization, and that the polarization per unit volume appears to be a
function of film thickness.Comment: 3 pages, 3 eps figure
Anderson transition in the three dimensional symplectic universality class
We study the Anderson transition in the SU(2) model and the Ando model. We
report a new precise estimate of the critical exponent for the symplectic
universality class of the Anderson transition. We also report numerical
estimation of the function.Comment: 4 pages, 5 figure
Critical Behavior of the Conductivity of Si:P at the Metal-Insulator Transition under Uniaxial Stress
We report new measurements of the electrical conductivity sigma of the
canonical three-dimensional metal-insulator system Si:P under uniaxial stress
S. The zero-temperature extrapolation of sigma(S,T -> 0) ~\S - S_c\^mu shows an
unprecidentedly sharp onset of finite conductivity at S_c with an exponent mu =
1. The value of mu differs significantly from that of earlier stress-tuning
results. Our data show dynamical sigma(S,T) scaling on both metallic and
insulating sides, viz. sigma(S,T) = sigma_c(T) F(\S - S_cT^y) where sigma_c(T)
is the conductivity at the critical stress S_c. We find y = 1/znu = 0.34 where
nu is the correlation-length exponent and z the dynamic critical exponent.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figure
Synergistic regulation of cerebellar Purkinje neuron development by laminin epitopes and collagen on an artificial hybrid matrix construct
Cataloged from PDF version of article.The extracellular matrix (ECM) creates a dynamic environment around the cells in the developing central nervous system, providing them with the necessary biochemical and biophysical signals. Although the functions of many ECM molecules in neuronal development have been individually studied in detail, the combinatorial effects of multiple ECM components are not well characterized. Here we demonstrate that the expression of collagen and laminin-1 (lam-1) are spatially and temporally correlated during embryonic and post-natal development of the cerebellum. These changes in ECM distribution correspond to specific stages of Purkinje neuron (PC) migration, somatic monolayer formation and polarization. To clarify the respective roles of these ECM molecules on PC development, we cultured cerebellar neurons on a hybrid matrix comprised of collagen and a synthetic peptide amphiphile nanofiber bearing a potent lam-1 derived bioactive IKVAV peptide epitope. By systematically varying the concentration and ratio of collagen and the laminin epitope in the matrix, we could demonstrate a synergistic relationship between these two ECM components in controlling multiple aspects of PC maturation. An optimal ratio of collagen and IKVAV in the matrix was found to promote maximal PC survival and dendrite growth, while dendrite penetration into the matrix was enhanced by a high IKVAV to collagen ratio. In addition, the laminin epitope was found to guide PC axon development. By combining our observations in vivo and in vitro, we propose a model of PC development where the synergistic effects of collagen and lam-1 play a key role in migration, polarization and morphological maturation of PCs. This journal is © the Partner Organisations 2014
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Biomolecular Materials. Report of the January 13-15, 2002 Workshop
Twenty-two scientists from around the nation and the world met to discuss the way that the molecules, structures, processes and concepts of the biological world could be used or mimicked in designing novel materials, processes or devices of potential practical significance. The emphasis was on basic research, although the long-term goal is, in addition to increased knowledge, the development of applications to further the mission of the Department of Energy
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