Insulin binding and glucose transport in the R3230AC mammary adenocarcinoma.

Cells dissociated from the R3230AC mammary adenocarcinoma from intact and diabetic rats were examined for insulin binding and glucose transport. The Kd for insulin binding, approximately 10(--10) M, was similar in all tumors studied. However, the apparent number of receptor sites per cell increased in cells from diabetic rats. Kinetic analysis of 3-0-methyl glucose (3-OMG) entry showed both diffusional and passive carrier characteristics. Insulin (4 X 10(--9) M) in vitro did not affect diffusional entry, whereas the hormone altered the passive carrier system, as reflected by an increase in Km and Vmax. Insulin decreased initial velocity of glucose transport at 4--6 mM glucose levels but increased initial velocity of glucose transport at 20 mM glucose. An explanation of the role of insulin on tumor growth in vivo from effects on glucose transport in vitro is proposed.     

Molecular Beam Epitaxy of Nonstoichiometric Semiconductors and Multiphase Material Systems

When arsenides are grown by molecular beam epitaxy at low substrate temperatures, as much as 2% excess arsenic can be incorporated into the epilayer. This excess arsenic is in the form of antisites, but there is also a substantial concentration of gallium vacancies. With anneal, there is a significant decrease in the arsenic antisite and gallium vancancy concentrations as the excess arsenic precipitates. With further anneal, the arsenic precipitates coarsen. This combination of low substrate temperature molecular beam epitaxy and a subsequent anneal results in a broad spectrum of materials, from highly defected epilayers to a two-phase system of semimetallic arsenic precipitates in an arsenide semiconductor matrix. These materials exhibit some very interesting and useful electrical and optical properties.     

Electronic properties of iron arsenic high temperature superconductors revealed by angle resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES)

We present an overview of the electronic properties of iron arsenic high temperature superconductors with emphasis on low energy band dispersion, Fermi surface and superconducting gap. ARPES data is compared with full-potential linearized plane wave (FLAPW) calculations. We focus on single layer NdFeAsO_0.9F_0.1 (R1111) and two layer Ba_1?xK_xFe₂As₂ (B122) compounds. We find general similarities between experimental data and calculations in terms of character of Fermi surface pockets, and overall band dispersion. We also find a number of differences in details of the shape and size of the Fermi surfaces as well as the exact energy location of the bands, which indicate that magnetic interaction and ordering significantly affects the electronic properties of these materials. The Fermi surface consists of several hole pockets centered at Γ and electron pockets located in zone corners. The size and shape of the Fermi surface changes significantly with doping. Emergence of a coherent peak below the critical temperature T_c and diminished spectral weight at the chemical potential above T_c closely resembles the spectral characteristics of the cuprates, however the nodeless superconducting gap clearly excludes the possibility of d-wave order parameter. Instead it points to s-wave or extended s-wave symmetry of the order parameter.     

Ba(1-x)K(x)Mn2As2: an antiferromagnetic local-moment metal

The compound BaMn2As2 with the tetragonal ThCr2Si2 structure is a local-moment antiferromagnetic insulator with a Néel temperature T(N)=625 K and a large ordered moment μ=3.9μ(B)/Mn. We demonstrate that this compound can be driven metallic by partial substitution of Ba by K while retaining the same crystal and antiferromagnetic structures together with nearly the same high T(N) and large μ. Ba(1-x)K(x)Mn2As2 is thus the first metallic ThCr2Si2-type MAs-based system containing local 3d transition metal M magnetic moments, with consequences for the ongoing debate about the local-moment versus itinerant pictures of the FeAs-based superconductors and parent compounds. The Ba(1-x)K(x)Mn2As2 class of compounds also forms a bridge between the layered iron pnictides and cuprates and may be useful to test theories of high T(c) superconductivity.     

Methanol transport in PMMA: The effect of mechanical deformation

The effect of cold work on the transport of liquid methanol in crosslinked PMMA disks has been determined at temperatures from 35–56°C. Deformed samples absorb at fast rates with kinetics that approach those of Fickian diffusion. Undeformed samples sorb at lower rates and the kinetics tend toward those of Case II transport. Shape recovery accompanied swelling in deformed samples. Samples saturated with methanol were desorbed in cyclohexanol. Resorption of desorbed samples showed fast rates for both deformed and undeformed samples and matched those of the absorption cycle in deformed samples. An analogy is made between the microstructure due to cold work and due to swelling.     

Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy analysis of minerals: Carbonates and silicates

Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) provides an alternative chemical analytical technique that obviates the issues of sample preparation and sample destruction common to most laboratory-based analytical methods. This contribution explores the capability of LIBS analysis to identify carbonate and silicate minerals rapidly and accurately. Fifty-two mineral samples (18 carbonates, 9 pyroxenes and pyroxenoids, 6 amphiboles, 8 phyllosilicates, and 11 feldspars) were analyzed by LIBS. Two composite broadband spectra (averages of 10 shots each) were calculated for each sample to produce two databases each containing the composite LIBS spectra for the same 52 mineral samples. By using correlation coefficients resulting from the regression of the intensities of pairs of LIBS spectra, all 52 minerals were correctly identified in the database. If the LIBS spectra of each sample were compared to a database containing the other 51 minerals, 65% were identified as a mineral of similar composition from the same mineral family. The remaining minerals were misidentified for two reasons: 1) the mineral had high concentrations of an element not present in the database; and 2) the mineral was identified as a mineral with similar elemental composition from a different family. For instance, the Ca–Mg carbonate dolomite was misidentified as the Ca–Mg silicate diopside. This pilot study suggests that LIBS has promise in mineral identification and in situ analysis of minerals that record geological processes.