Low-dimensional magnetic heterostructures are a key element of spintronics, where magnetic interactions between different materials often define the functionality of devices. Although some interlayer ...exchange coupling mechanisms are by now well established, the possibility of direct exchange coupling via proximity-induced magnetization through non-magnetic layers is typically ignored due to the presumed short range of such proximity effects. Here we show that magnetic order can be induced throughout a 40-nm-thick amorphous paramagnetic layer through proximity to ferromagnets, mediating both exchange-spring magnet behaviour and exchange bias. Furthermore, Monte Carlo simulations show that nearest-neighbour magnetic interactions fall short in describing the observed effects and long-range magnetic interactions are needed to capture the extent of the induced magnetization. The results highlight the importance of considering the range of interactions in low-dimensional heterostructures and how magnetic proximity effects can be used to obtain new functionality.
The Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction has been shown to stabilise Nèel domain walls in magnetic thin films, allowing high domain wall velocities driven by spin current effects. The interfacial ...Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction (IDMI) occurs at the interface between ferromagnetic and heavy metal layers with strong spin-orbit coupling, but details of the interaction remain to be understood and the role of proximity induced magnetism (PIM) in the heavy metal is unknown. Here IDMI and PIM are reported in Pt determined as a function of Au and Ir spacer layers in Pt/Co/Au,Ir/Pt. Both interactions are found to be sensitive to sub-nanometre changes in the spacer thickness, correlating over sub-monolayer spacer thicknesses, but not for thicker spacers where IDMI continues to change even after PIM is lost.
Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) is a novel nucleic acid amplification method that amplifies DNA with high specificity, efficiency and rapidity under isothermal conditions using a set of ...four specially designed primers and a DNA polymerase with strand displacement activity. We have developed a method that accelerates the LAMP reaction by using additional primers, termed loop primers. Loop primers hybridize to the stem-loops, except for the loops that are hybridized by the inner primers, and prime strand displacement DNA synthesis. Although both inner and loop primers react via the loops, they do so by different mechanisms. The LAMP method presented here uses loop primers to achieve reaction times of less than half that of the original LAMP method. Since the total time of analysis including detection is less than 1h, this new method should facilitate genetic analysis, including genetic diagnosis in the clinical laboratory.
A novel methodology is presented for identifying and distinguishing between structural phases in multi‐phasic systems, such as piezoelectric materials like PMN–PT Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3–PbTiO3, PIN–PMN–PT ...Pb(In1/2Nb1/2)O3–Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3–PbTiO3 and PZT Pb(Zr,Ti)O3, using diffuse multiple scattering and Kossel line diffraction techniques. The method exploits the splitting of triple line intersections from special coplanar reflections combined with logical constraints to generate a splitting fingerprint for robust crystallographic phase determination and discrimination.
A new fingerprinting methodology is presented for phase discrimination in complex solid solutions near the morphotropic phase boundary.
The ferromagnetic material MnSb can exist in two polymorphs in epitaxial thin‐film form, namely niccolite n‐MnSb and cubic c‐MnSb. We investigate the behavior of these polymorphs using grazing ...incidence depth‐dependent in‐plane X‐ray diffraction. The in‐plane lattice parameter evolution of a nominal 3000 Å thin film reveals a small near‐surface compression of ∼0.1% in the majority n‐MnSb component. A similar effect is also observed for the cubic polymorph, suggesting that the local strain environment of these crystallites is dominated by the n‐MnSb matrix.
Collated in‐plane X‐ray diffraction data from a GaAs/ In0.5Ga0.5As(111)/MnSb heterostructure in the near‐surface region with probing depths ranging between 20 and 450 Å. Present are two of the polymorphs of MnSb: the niccolite (n‐) and cubic zincblende (c‐) phases.
OBJECTIVE: Obesity has increased at an alarming rate in recent years and is now a worldwide health problem. We investigated the effects of long-term feeding with tea catechins, which are naturally ...occurring polyphenolic compounds widely consumed in Asian countries, on the development of obesity in C57BL/6J mice. DESIGN: We measured body weight, adipose tissue mass and liver fat content in mice fed diets containing either low-fat (5% triglyceride (TG)), high-fat (30% TG), or high-fat supplemented with 0.1-0.5% (w/w) tea catechins for 11 months. The -oxidation activities and related mRNA levels were measured after 1 month of feeding. RESULTS: Supplementation with tea catechins resulted in a significant reduction of high-fat diet-induced body weight gain, visceral and liver fat accumulation, and the development of hyperinsulinemia and hyperleptinemia. Feeding with tea catechins for 1 month significantly increased acyl-CoA oxidase and medium chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase mRNA expression as well as -oxidation activity in the liver. CONCLUSION: The stimulation of hepatic lipid metabolism might be a factor responsible for the anti-obesity effects of tea catechins. The present results suggest that long-term consumption of tea catechins is beneficial for the suppression of diet-induced obesity, and it may reduce the risk of associated diseases including diabetes and coronary heart disease.
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