Abstract
The control of the in-plane domain evolution in ferroelectric thin films is not only critical to understanding ferroelectric phenomena but also to enabling functional device fabrication. ...However, in-plane polarized ferroelectric thin films typically exhibit complicated multi-domain states, not desirable for optoelectronic device performance. Here we report a strategy combining interfacial symmetry engineering and anisotropic strain to design single-domain, in-plane polarized ferroelectric BaTiO
3
thin films. Theoretical calculations predict the key role of the BaTiO
3
/PrScO
3
$${({{{\boldsymbol{110}}})}_{{{\bf{O}}}$$
(
110
)
O
substrate interfacial environment, where anisotropic strain, monoclinic distortions, and interfacial electrostatic potential stabilize a single-variant spontaneous polarization. A combination of scanning transmission electron microscopy, piezoresponse force microscopy, ferroelectric hysteresis loop measurements, and second harmonic generation measurements directly reveals the stabilization of the in-plane quasi-single-domain polarization state. This work offers design principles for engineering in-plane domains of ferroelectric oxide thin films, which is a prerequisite for high performance optoelectronic devices.
Fibroblast growth factor (FGF) 18 has been shown to increase cartilage volume when injected intra-articularly in animal models of osteoarthritis (OA) and in patients with knee OA (during clinical ...development of the recombinant human FGF18, sprifermin). However, the exact nature of this effect is still unknown. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effects of sprifermin at the cellular level.
A combination of different chondrocyte culture systems was used and the effects of sprifermin on proliferation, the phenotype and matrix production were evaluated. The involvement of MAPKs in sprifermin signalling was also studied.
In monolayer, we observed that sprifermin promoted a round cell morphology and stimulated both cellular proliferation and Sox9 expression while strongly decreasing type I collagen expression. In 3D culture, sprifermin increased the number of matrix-producing chondrocytes, improved the type II:I collagen ratio and enabled human OA chondrocytes to produce a hyaline extracellular matrix (ECM). Furthermore, we found that sprifermin displayed a ‘hit and run’ mode of action, with intermittent exposure required for the compound to fully exert its anabolic effect. Finally, sprifermin appeared to signal through activation of ERK.
Our results indicate that intermittent exposure to sprifermin leads to expansion of hyaline cartilage-producing chondrocytes. These in vitro findings are consistent with the increased cartilage volume observed in the knees of OA patients after intra-articular injection with sprifermin in clinical studies.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
Strain-coupled magnetoelectric (ME) phenomena in piezoelectric/ferromagnetic thin-film bilayers are a promising paradigm for sensors and information storage devices, where strain manipulates the ...magnetization of the ferromagnetic film. In-plane magnetization rotation with an electric field across the film thickness has been challenging due to the large reduction of in-plane piezoelectric strain by substrate clamping, and in two-terminal devices, the requirement of anisotropic in-plane strain. Here we show that these limitations can be overcome by designing the piezoelectric strain tensor using the boundary interaction between biased and unbiased piezoelectric. We fabricated 500 nm thick, (001) oriented Pb(Mg
Nb
)O
-PbTiO
(PMN-PT) unclamped piezoelectric membranes with ferromagnetic Ni overlayers. Guided by analytical and numerical continuum elastic calculations, we designed and fabricated two-terminal devices exhibiting electric field-driven Ni magnetization rotation. We develop a method that can apply designed strain patterns to many other materials systems to control properties such as superconductivity, band topology, conductivity, and optical response.
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IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UL, UM, UPUK
Radon depletion in xenon boil-off gas Bruenner, S.; Cichon, D.; Lindemann, S. ...
The European physical journal. C, Particles and fields,
03/2017, Volume:
77, Issue:
3
Journal Article
Peer reviewed
Open access
An important background in detectors using liquid xenon for rare event searches arises from the decays of radon and its daughters. We report for the first time a reduction of
222
Rn in the gas phase ...above a liquid xenon reservoir. We show a reduction factor of
≳
4
for the
222
Rn concentration in boil-off xenon gas compared to the radon enriched liquid phase. A semiconductor-based
α
-detector and miniaturized proportional counters are used to detect the radon. As the radon depletion in the boil-off gas is understood as a single-stage distillation process, this result establishes the suitability of cryogenic distillation to separate radon from xenon down to the
10
-
15
mol/mol level.
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DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Platelets, inflammation and atherosclerosis LINDEMANN, S.; KRÄMER, B.; SEIZER, P. ...
Journal of thrombosis and haemostasis,
July 2007, 2007-Jul, 2007-07-00, 20070701, Volume:
5, Issue:
s1
Journal Article
Peer reviewed
Open access
An expanding body of evidence continues to build on the role of platelets as initial actors in the development of atherosclerotic lesions. Platelets bind to leukocytes and endothelial cells, and ...initiate monocyte transformation into macrophages. Platelets internalize oxidized phospholipids and promote foam cell formation. Platelets also recruit progenitor cells to the scene that are able to differentiate into foam cells or endothelial cells depending on conditions. Platelets tip the scales in the initiation, development and total extent of atherosclerotic lesions.
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FZAB, GEOZS, GIS, IJS, IMTLJ, IZUM, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, SBMB, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
Links between pain and joint degradation are poorly understood. We investigated the role of activation of Toll-like receptors (TLR) by cartilage metabolites in initiating and maintaining the ...inflammatory loop in OA causing joint destruction.
Synovial membrane explants (SMEs) were prepared from OA patients’ synovial biopsies. SMEs were cultured for 10 days under following conditions: culture medium alone, OSM + TNFα, TLR2 agonist - Pam2CSK4, Pam3CSK4 or synthetic aggrecan 32-mer, TLR4 agonist - Lipid A. Release of pro-inflammatory and degradation biomarkers (acMMP3 and C3M) were measured by ELISA in conditioned media along with IL-6. Additionally, human cartilage was digested with ADAMTS-5, with or without the ADAMTS-5 inhibiting nanobody - M6495. Digested cartilage solution (DCS) and synthetic 32-mer were tested for TLR activation in SEAP based TLR reporter assay.
Western blotting confirmed TLR2 and TLR4 in untreated OA synovial biopsies. TLR agonists showed an increase in release of biomarkers - acMMP3 and C3M in SME. Synthetic 32-mer showed no activation in the TLR reporter assay. ADAMTS-5 degraded cartilage fragments activated TLR2 in vitro. Adding M6495 – an anti-ADAMTS-5 inhibiting nanobody®, blocked ADAMTS-5-mediated DCS TLR2 activation.
TLR2 is expressed in synovium of OA patients and their activation by synthetic ligands causes increased tissue turnover. ADAMTS-5-mediated cartilage degradation leads to release of aggrecan fragments which activates the TLR2 receptor in vitro. M6495 suppressed cartilage degradation by ADAMTS-5, limiting the activation of TLR2. In conclusion, pain and joint destruction may be linked to generation of ADAMTS-5 cartilage metabolites.
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Available for:
GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
Abstract Extreme climatic events and their hazards have strong impact on society. Urban areas in Brazil are especially vulnerable to the impact of such events due to their rapid growth and ...inappropriate infrastructure. Viçosa is a mid-sized city in Southeastern Brazil that has been experiencing issues associated with urban expansion and population growth since the 1960s. Thus, this study aims to identify patterns of extreme climate events in Viçosa based on daily temperature and precipitation time series (1968-2017). Homogeneity tests were carried out in order to identify breaking points in these climate variables. Climate trends were analyzed through Mann-Kendall test and their magnitude was checked based on Sen’s slope. Results have evidenced statistically significant and increasing trends in annual minimum temperature since the 1990s. Moreover, statistically significant breaking points in extreme temperature indices have shown increasing number of warm days, and decreasing number of cold nights, in both annual and seasonal analyses. Extreme climatic events have been observed more often in recent years, mainly in the number of consecutive dry days and maximum and heavy precipitation days. Based on results, Viçosa experiences warmer conditions throughout the year, whereas more (less) torrential rainfall events have been occurring during Summer (Winter).
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