1,508 research outputs found
Direct Evidence for a Magnetic f-electron Mediated Cooper Pairing Mechanism of Heavy Fermion Superconductivity in CeCoIn5
To identify the microscopic mechanism of heavy-fermion Cooper pairing is an
unresolved challenge in quantum matter studies; it may also relate closely to
finding the pairing mechanism of high temperature superconductivity.
Magnetically mediated Cooper pairing has long been the conjectured basis of
heavy-fermion superconductivity but no direct verification of this hypothesis
was achievable. Here, we use a novel approach based on precision measurements
of the heavy-fermion band structure using quasiparticle interference (QPI)
imaging, to reveal quantitatively the momentum-space (k-space) structure of the
f-electron magnetic interactions of CeCoIn5. Then, by solving the
superconducting gap equations on the two heavy-fermion bands
with these magnetic interactions as mediators of the
Cooper pairing, we derive a series of quantitative predictions about the
superconductive state. The agreement found between these diverse predictions
and the measured characteristics of superconducting CeCoIn5, then provides
direct evidence that the heavy-fermion Cooper pairing is indeed mediated by the
f-electron magnetism.Comment: 19 pages, 4 figures, Supplementary Information: 31 pages, 5 figure
Anisotropic Energy Gaps of Iron-based Superconductivity from Intra-band Quasiparticle Interference in LiFeAs
If strong electron-electron interactions between neighboring Fe atoms mediate
the Cooper pairing in iron-pnictide superconductors, then specific and distinct
anisotropic superconducting energy gaps \Delta_i(k) should appear on the
different electronic bands i. Here we introduce intra-band Bogoliubov
quasiparticle scattering interference (QPI) techniques for determination of
\Delta_i(k) in such materials, focusing on LiFeAs. We identify the three
hole-like bands assigned previously as \gamma, \alpha_2 and \alpha_1, and we
determine the anisotropy, magnitude and relative orientations of their
\Delta_i(k). These measurements will advance quantitative theoretical analysis
of the mechanism of Cooper pairing in iron-based superconductivity
Multi-Atom Quasiparticle Scattering Interference for Superconductor Energy-Gap Symmetry Determination
Complete theoretical understanding of the most complex superconductors
requires a detailed knowledge of the symmetry of the superconducting energy-gap
, for all momenta on the Fermi surface
of every band . While there are a variety of techniques for determining
, no general method existed to measure the signed
values of . Recently, however, a new technique based
on phase-resolved visualization of superconducting quasiparticle interference
(QPI) patterns centered on a single non-magnetic impurity atom, was introduced.
In principle, energy-resolved and phase-resolved Fourier analysis of these
images identifies wavevectors connecting all k-space regions where
has the same or opposite sign. But use of a single
isolated impurity atom, from whose precise location the spatial phase of the
scattering interference pattern must be measured is technically difficult. Here
we introduce a generalization of this approach for use with multiple impurity
atoms, and demonstrate its validity by comparing the
it generates to the determined from single-atom
scattering in FeSe where energy-gap symmetry is established. Finally,
to exemplify utility, we use the multi-atom technique on LiFeAs and find
scattering interference between the hole-like and electron-like pockets as
predicted for of opposite sign
Recurrent delirium over 12 months predicts dementia: results of the Delirium and Cognitive Impact in Dementia (DECIDE) study
Background: Delirium is common, distressing and associated with poor outcomes. Previous studies investigating the impact
of delirium on cognitive outcomes have been limited by incomplete ascertainment of baseline cognition or lack of prospective
delirium assessments. This study quantified the association between delirium and cognitive function over time by prospectively
ascertaining delirium in a cohort aged ≥ 65 years in whom baseline cognition had previously been established.
Methods: For 12 months, we assessed participants from the Cognitive Function and Ageing Study II-Newcastle for delirium
daily during hospital admissions. At 1-year, we assessed cognitive decline and dementia in those with and without delirium.
We evaluated the effect of delirium (including its duration and number of episodes) on cognitive function over time,
independently of baseline cognition and illness severity.
Results: Eighty two of 205 participants recruited developed delirium in hospital (40%). One-year outcome data were available
for 173 participants: 18 had a new dementia diagnosis, 38 had died. Delirium was associated with cognitive decline (−1.8
Mini-Mental State Examination points [95% CI –3.5 to –0.2]) and an increased risk of new dementia diagnosis at follow
up (OR 8.8 [95% CI 1.9–41.4]). More than one episode and more days with delirium (>5 days) were associated with worse
cognitive outcomes.
Conclusions: Delirium increases risk of future cognitive decline and dementia, independent of illness severity and baseline
cognition, with more episodes associated with worse cognitive outcomes. Given that delirium has been shown to be
preventable in some cases, we propose that delirium is a potentially modifiable risk factor for dementi
Questions of inclusion in Scotland and Europe
This paper examines inclusion in Scotland and in Europe. It considers some of the uncertainties surrounding inclusion and the questions which are currently being raised by researchers, teachers and their representative unions, parents and children, many of which give cause for concern. The shifting political and policy contexts and recent patterns and trends in Scotland and across Europe, which illustrate key points of exclusion, as well as some of the challenges to these, are reported. A ‘landmark’ challenge to discrimination of Roma children, achieved within the European Convention on Human Rights, is presented as an illustration of the scope for asserting the right to inclusion. The paper ends with a discussion of the prospects and possibilities for inclusion. The significance of the barriers to inclusion is acknowledged and it is argued that there is an urgent need to address the competing policy demands within education and the problems associated with fragmented provision. A call is also made for research involving children, young people and families in order to inform practice
Hospitalisation without delirium is not associated with cognitive decline in a population-based sample of older people-results from a nested, longitudinal cohort study
Background: Acute hospitalisation and delirium have individually been shown to adversely affect trajectories of cognitive decline but have not previously been considered together. This work aimed to explore the impact on cognition of hospital admission with and without delirium, compared to a control group with no hospital admissions. // Methods: The Delirium and Cognitive Impact in Dementia (DECIDE) study was nested within the Cognitive Function and Ageing Study II (CFAS II)–Newcastle cohort. CFAS II participants completed two baseline interviews, including the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). During 2016, surviving participants from CFAS II–Newcastle were recruited to DECIDE on admission to hospital. Participants were reviewed daily to determine delirium status. During 2017, all DECIDE participants and age, sex and years of education matched controls without hospital admissions during 2016 were invited to repeat the CFAS II interview. Delirium was excluded in the control group using the Informant Assessment of Geriatric Delirium Scale (i-AGeD). Linear mixed effects modelling determined predictors of cognitive decline. // Results: During 2016, 82 of 205 (40%) DECIDE participants had at least one episode of delirium. At 1 year, 135 of 205 hospitalised participants completed an interview along with 100 controls. No controls experienced delirium (i-AGeD>4). Delirium was associated with a faster rate of cognitive decline compared to those without delirium (β = −2.2, P < 0.001), but number of hospital admissions was not (P = 0.447). // Conclusions: These results suggest that delirium during hospitalisation rather than hospitalisation per se is a risk factor for future cognitive decline, emphasising the need for dementia prevention studies that focus on delirium intervention
Genetic and environmental pathways to complex diseases
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Pathogenesis of complex diseases involves the integration of genetic and environmental factors over time, making it particularly difficult to tease apart relationships between phenotype, genotype, and environmental factors using traditional experimental approaches.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Using gene-centered databases, we have developed a network of complex diseases and environmental factors through the identification of key molecular pathways associated with both genetic and environmental contributions. Comparison with known chemical disease relationships and analysis of transcriptional regulation from gene expression datasets for several environmental factors and phenotypes clustered in a metabolic syndrome and neuropsychiatric subnetwork supports our network hypotheses. This analysis identifies natural and synthetic retinoids, antipsychotic medications, Omega 3 fatty acids, and pyrethroid pesticides as potential environmental modulators of metabolic syndrome phenotypes through PPAR and adipocytokine signaling and organophosphate pesticides as potential environmental modulators of neuropsychiatric phenotypes.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Identification of key regulatory pathways that integrate genetic and environmental modulators define disease associated targets that will allow for efficient screening of large numbers of environmental factors, screening that could set priorities for further research and guide public health decisions.</p
Multi-atom quasiparticle scattering interference for superconductor energy-gap symmetry determination
Complete theoretical understanding of the most complex superconductors requires a detailed knowledge of the symmetry of the superconducting energy-gap Δ, for all momenta k on the Fermi surface of every band α. While there are a variety of techniques for determining |Δ|, no general method existed to measure the signed values of Δ. Recently, however, a technique based on phase-resolved visualization of superconducting quasiparticle interference (QPI) patterns, centered on a single non-magnetic impurity atom, was introduced. In principle, energy-resolved and phase-resolved Fourier analysis of these images identifies wavevectors connecting all k-space regions where Δ has the same or opposite sign. But use of a single isolated impurity atom, from whose precise location the spatial phase of the scattering interference pattern must be measured, is technically difficult. Here we introduce a generalization of this approach for use with multiple impurity atoms, and demonstrate its validity by comparing the Δ it generates to the Δ determined from single-atom scattering in FeSe where s± energy-gap symmetry is established. Finally, to exemplify utility, we use the multi-atom technique on LiFeAs and find scattering interference between the hole-like and electron-like pockets as predicted for Δ of opposite sign
Three-body correlations in the Nagaoka state on the square lattice
A three-body scattering theory previously proposed by one of the present
authors is developed to be applied to the saturated ferromagnetic state in the
two-dimensional Hubbard model. The single-particle Green's function is
calculated by taking account of the multiple scattering between two electrons
and one hole. Several limiting cases are discussed and the relation to the
variational principle is examined. The importance of the three-body correlation
is demonstrated in comparison with the results of the ladder approximation. A
possible phase boundary for the Nagaoka ground state is presented for the
square lattice, which improves the previous variational results.Comment: 13 pages, 8 Postscript figures, submitted to Phys.Rev.
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