It is demonstrated quantitatively for the first time that for a well defined case of innershell photoionization and subsequent Auger decay, 4d 5/2 photoionization and N 5 -O 23 O 23 1 S 0 Auger transition in xenon, the conventional two-step model breaks down for equal kinetic energies of the emitted electrons. This is in accordance with the theoretical predictions of Végh and Macek; within the one-step formulation, the effect is traced back to the interference of two amplitudes where the indistinguishability of the two electrons allows that either one of the electrons can be associated with the photoprocess, the other electron being associated with the Auger decay. † Present address: BESSY,

Paeoniflorin (PF), isolated from paeony root, has been used as a herbal medicine for more than 1,200 years in China, Korea, and Japan for its anti-allergic, anti-inflammatory, and immunoregulatory effects. In this study, we found that PF induces apoptosis in both murine T-lineage cells and human T-cell leukemia Jurkat cells. This apoptosis was mediated through the reduction of mitochondrial membrane potential, activation of caspase, and fragmentation of DNA. Interestingly, PF induced generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and a reducing agent, dithiothreitol (DTT), and a ROS scavenger, N-acetyl cysteine (NAC), successfully attenuated the PF-induced apoptosis. Additionally, PF induced the phosphorylation of three mitogen-activated protein (MAP) family kinases, extracellular signal-regulated kinase, c-Jun amino-terminal kinase (JNK), and p38 MAP kinase. Curcumin, an anti-oxidant and JNK inhibitor, inhibited PF-induced apoptosis, suggesting the possible involvement of curcumin-sensitive JNK or other redox-sensitive elements in PF-induced apoptosis. These results partially explain the action mechanism of PF-containing paeony root as a herbal medicine.

Etching yields of SiO2 have been determined for F+, CFx+ (x=1,2,3) ion irradiation with energy ranging from 250 to 2000 eV using a mass-analyzed ion-beam apparatus that can irradiate a single species ion to sample surfaces under an ultrahigh vacuum condition. The etching yield of CFx+ (x=1,2,3) was enhanced by the chemical effects of the ions, and both carbon and fluorine atoms from the incident ions were significant reactants. For lower energies, the etching yield increased with increasing ion energy. Above 1000 eV, the etching yield was gradually saturated with increasing ion energy. In the low ion energy region, steady etching did not occur, and an amorphous fluorinated carbon (a-C:F) film was deposited on the SiO2 surface. The ion energy region in which a-C:F film deposition occurred decreased with increasing fluorine atoms in incident CFx+ (x=1,2,3) ions.

No abstract

Based on the scaling rule: R(T, H, 6) = R(T, h ) , where h = H(sin2 6 + cos2 8/y2)'/2 and 6 is field angle with respect to the ab-plane, the scaling approach is performed to examine the c-axis resistances of single crystalline La1.86Sro.14CuO4 as functions of field and its orientation at different temperatures. The anisotropy parameter 7 of the system is extracted from the scaling approach, but shows an unusual temperaturedependent behavior, which is not expected by conventional theory. A phenomenological explanation of this temperature dependence is presented. PACC: 7425; '7460E; 74201)