Within the span of a single human lifetime, we have discovered that DNA is the basis of genetic inheritance, deciphered the genetic code, and determined the entire sequence of multiple human genomes. However, we still have only a basic understanding of many of the processes that regulate DNA structure, function, and dynamics. The work presented in this dissertation describes the roles of two sets of genes that regulate the expression of genetic information and its transmission from one generation to the next.The condensin II complex has been implicated in the maintenance of genomic integrity during cell division and in transcriptional regulation during interphase. These roles stem from its ability to regulate chromosome structure though the mechanisms of this regulation are unclear. Evidence suggests that it is important for chromosome condensation and segregation during mitosis and meiosis. We have shown that this complex regulates the condensation of chromosomes during interphase. Its ability to reduce chromosome axial length provides a mechanism for the establishment of chromosome territories. We have also shown that condensin II differentially regulates interactions between homologous and heterologous DNA sequences. These findings contribute to our understanding of the overall structure of the nucleus, the regulation of chromosome structure, and the regulation of gene expression.The function of the Drosophila gene, sticky, is poorly understood. It contributes to cytokinesis by phosphorylating myosin II, but it also has a role in the regulation of chromatin structure. Mutations in sticky are associated with a wide range of developmental abnormalities. We provide evidence that this gene regulates the expression of numerous other genes which contribute to the phenotypes observed when sticky is mutated. We also show that sticky function overlaps with that of dfmr1, an ortholog of the gene associated with the most common form of human mental retardation. These findings contribute to our understanding of transcriptional regulation in chromatin and its implications in development and disease.

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A theoretical approach to calculating impedance of metallicmagnetic/conductor layered structures is developed. Thefrequency range considered extends to the ferromagneticresonance region of soft magnetic films (of the order of 1GHz). The analysis includes the effects of screening of thehigh frequency fields by eddy currents as well as the dynamicsand relaxation of the magnetization of the ferromagneticsub-system. Analytical expressions for the impedance as afunction of frequency and material parameters and geometry ofmagnetic sandwich stripes are obtained. Two maincross-sectional layouts are considered: amagnetic/conductor/magnetic sandwich stripe with and withoutflux closure at the edges along the stripe length - with andwithout the magnetic film enclosing the conductor strip. Theimportance of good magnetic flux closure for achieving largespecific inductance gains and high efficiency at GHzfrequencies is emphasized. The theoretical results obtained were used to design andanalyze magneticfilm inductors produced using iron nitridealloy films. Patterned sandwiches, consisting of two Fe-N filmsenclosing a conductor film made of Cu, were fabricated onoxidized Si substrates using lift-off lithography. Theinductors exhibited a 2-fold specific inductance enhancement at1 GHz. The magnetic contribution to the total flux in thenarrow devices was less then predicted theoretically, which wasattributed to hardening of the magnetic material at the edgesof the strip leading to incomplete flux closure. Material anddesign issues important for further improving the performanceof the devices are discussed.

<p>A theoretical approach to calculating impedance of metallicmagnetic/conductor layered structures is developed. Thefrequency range considered extends to the ferromagneticresonance region of soft magnetic films (of the order of 1GHz). The analysis includes the effects of screening of thehigh frequency fields by eddy currents as well as the dynamicsand relaxation of the magnetization of the ferromagneticsub-system. Analytical expressions for the impedance as afunction of frequency and material parameters and geometry ofmagnetic sandwich stripes are obtained. Two maincross-sectional layouts are considered: amagnetic/conductor/magnetic sandwich stripe with and withoutflux closure at the edges along the stripe length - with andwithout the magnetic film enclosing the conductor strip. Theimportance of good magnetic flux closure for achieving largespecific inductance gains and high efficiency at GHzfrequencies is emphasized.</p><p>The theoretical results obtained were used to design andanalyze magneticfilm inductors produced using iron nitridealloy films. Patterned sandwiches, consisting of two Fe-N filmsenclosing a conductor film made of Cu, were fabricated onoxidized Si substrates using lift-off lithography. Theinductors exhibited a 2-fold specific inductance enhancement at1 GHz. The magnetic contribution to the total flux in thenarrow devices was less then predicted theoretically, which wasattributed to hardening of the magnetic material at the edgesof the strip leading to incomplete flux closure. Material anddesign issues important for further improving the performanceof the devices are discussed.</p>

I present a detailed study of the magnetic propertie of electron-beam evaporated Pdo.4Nio.6 alloy thin films by means of ferromagnetic resonance measurements on extended films of varying thickness and anisotropic magnetoresistance measurements lithographically patterned high aspect-ratio ferromagnetic electrodes, respectively. The results reveal that the direction of the magnetization with respect to the film plane strongly depends on the electrode lateral dimensions, transitioning from in-plane magnetization for extended films to out of the plane magnetization for electrode width below 2-3 microns, reaching ~58 degrees for electrode widths of about 100nm (nanowires). This behavior arises from a competition between the film demagnetizing vector, which leads to in-plane magnetization for extended films , and an intrinsic uniaxial anisotropy, which overcomes the magnetostatic energy for laterally constrained films, pulling the magnetization off plane.

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An exogenous contrast agent has been developed to enhance the contrast achievable in Thermoacoustic Tomography (TAT). TAT utilizes the penetration depth of microwave energy while producing high resolution images through acoustic waves. A sample irradiated by a microwave source expands due to thermoelastic expansion. The acoustic wave created by this expansion is recorded by an ultrasonic transducer. The water content in biological samples poses an obstacle, as it is the primary absorber of microwave radiation. The addition of an exogenous contrast agent improves image quality by more effectively converting microwave energy to heat. The use of iron oxide nanoparticles in MRI applications has been explored but super paramagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPION) have benefits in microwave applications, as well. Through ferromagnetic resonance, SPION samples more effectively convert microwave energy into heat. This transduction to heat creates significantly larger thermoacoustic waves than water, alone. Characterization of the SPION samples is executed through TAT, TEM, XPS, EDS, and a vector network analyzer with a dielectric probe kit. Onedimensional and phantom model imaging with an iron oxide nanoparticle contrast agent provide a two-fold improvement in contrast at current system configurations. Further enhancement is possible through adjustments to the nanoparticles and TAT system.

The high frequency dynamic magnetic responses of FeCo thin films and structures have been investigated mainly using ferromagnetic resonance (FMR) technique. The FMR resonance condition and linewidth are first derived from the dynamic Landau- Lifshitz-Gilbert equation, followed by a study of the conversion between FMR field and frequency linewidths. It is found that the linewidth conversion relation based on the derivative of resonance condition is only valid for samples with negligible extrinsic linewidth contribution. The dynamic magnetic properties obtained by using FMR measurements of FeCo thin films grown on Si/SiO2 substrates with varying deposition temperatures is then presented. The effective Landé g-factor, extrinsic linewidth, and Gilbert relaxation rate are all found to decrease in magnitude with increasing sample growth temperature from 20oC to about 400–500oC and then on further increase of the growth temperature to increase in magnitude. Samples grown at about 400–450oC display the smallest coercivity, while the smallest value of the Gilbert relaxation rate of about 0.1 GHz is obtained for samples grown at 450–500oC. An almost linear relation between extrinsic linewidth and coercivity is observed, which suggests a positive correlation between magnetic inhomogeneity, coercivity and extrinsic linewidth. Another major discovery in this study is that the Gilbert relaxation decreases with increasing lattice constant, which is ascribed to the degree of structural order in the films. A micromagnetic model is established for an asymmetric trilayer system consisting of two different ferromagnetic (FM) layers separated by thin non-magnetic (NM) layer, treating the magnetization in each FM layer as a macrospin. Based on the model, numerical simulations of magnetization curves and FMR dispersion relations, of both the acoustic mode where magentizations in the two FM layers precess in phase and the optic mode where they precess out-of-phase, have been carried out. The most significant implication from the results is that the coupling strength can be extracted by detecting only the acoustic mode resonances at many different unsaturated magnetic states using broadband FMR technique. Finally, trilayer films of FeCo(100 Å)/NM/FeNi(100 Å) with NM=Ru or Cu were prepared and studied. The thickness of the Ru and Cu spacer was varied from 0 to 50 Å. For the Ru spacer series, the film with 10 Å Ru spacer shows antiferromagnetic coupling while all other films are ferromagnetically coupled. For the Cu spacer trilayers, it is found that all films are ferromagnetically coupled and that films with thin Cu spacer are surprisingly strongly coupled (the coupling constant is 3 erg/cm2 for the sample with 5 Å Cu spacer). The strong coupling strength is qualitatively understood within the framework of a combined effect of Ruderman-Kittel- Kasuya-Yosida interaction and pinhole coupling, which is evidenced by transmission electron microscopy analysis. The magnetic coupling constant decreases exponentially with increasing Cu spacer thickness, without showing an oscillatory thickness dependence. The results have implications for the design of multilayers for spintronic applications.

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