Interplay between field-induced and frustration-induced quantum criticalities in the frustrated two-leg Heisenberg ladder

The antiferromagnetic Heisenberg two-leg ladder in the presence of frustration and an external magnetic field is a system that is characterized by two sorts of quantum criticalities, not only one. One criticality is the consequence of intrinsic frustration, and the other one is a result of the external magnetic field. So the behaviour of each of them in the presence of the other deserves to be studied. Using the Jordan-Wigner transformation in dimensions higher than one and bond-mean-field theory we examine the interplay between the field-induced and frustration-induced quantum criticalities in this system. The present work could constitute a prototype for those systems showing multiple, perhaps sometimes competing, quantum criticalities. We calculate several physical quantities like the magnetization and spin susceptibility as functions of field and temperature.Comment: 9 pages, 8 figures, submitted to the Canadian Journal of Physic

AAV9-mediated central nervous system-targeted gene delivery via cisterna magna route in mice

Current barriers to the use of adeno-associated virus serotype 9 (AAV9) in clinical trials for treating neurological disorders are its high expression in many off-target tissues such as liver and heart, and lack of cell specificity within the central nervous system (CNS) when using ubiquitous promoters such as human cytomegalovirus (CMV) or chicken-β-actin hybrid (CAG). To enhance targeting the transgene expression in CNS cells, self-complementary (sc) AAV9 vectors, scAAV9-GFP vectors carrying neuronal Hb9 and synapsin 1, and nonspecific CMV and CAG promoters were constructed. We demonstrate that synapsin 1 and Hb9 promoters exclusively targeted neurons in vitro, although their strengths were up to 10-fold lower than that of CMV. In vivo analyses of mouse tissue after scAAV9-GFP vector delivery via the cisterna magna revealed a significant advantage of synapsin 1 promoter over both Hb9 variants in targeting neurons throughout the brain, since Hb9 promoters were driving gene expression mainly within the motor-related areas of the brain stem. In summary, this study demonstrates that cisterna magna administration is a safe alternative to intracranial or intracerebroventricular vector delivery route using scAAV9, and introduces a novel utility of the Hb9 promoter for the targeted gene expression for both in vivo and in vitro applications

Calculation of the singlet-triplet gap of the antiferromagnetic Heisenberg Model on the ladder

The ground state energy and the singlet-triplet energy gap of the antiferromagnetic Heisenberg model on a ladder is investigated using a mean field theory and the density matrix renormalization group. Spin wave theory shows that the corrections to the local magnetization are infinite. This indicates that no long range order occurs in this system. A flux-phase state is used to calculate the energy gap as a function of the transverse coupling, $J_\perp$, in the ladder. It is found that the gap is linear in $J_\perp$ for $J_\perp\gg 1$ and goes to zero for $J_\perp\to 0$. The mean field theory agrees well with the numerical results.Comment: 11pages,6 figures (upon request) Revtex 3.0, Report#CRPS-94-0

Haldane gap in the quasi one-dimensional nonlinear σ\sigma-model

This work studies the appearance of a Haldane gap in quasi one-dimensional antiferromagnets in the long wavelength limit, via the nonlinear $\sigma$-model. The mapping from the three-dimensional, integer spin Heisenberg model to the nonlinear $\sigma$-model is explained, taking into account two antiferromagnetic couplings: one along the chain axis ($J$) and one along the perpendicular planes ($J_\bot$) of a cubic lattice. An implicit equation for the Haldane gap is derived, as a function of temperature and coupling ratio $J_\bot/J$. Solutions to these equations show the existence of a critical coupling ratio beyond which a gap exists only above a transition temperature $T_N$. The cut-off dependence of these results is discussed.Comment: 14 pages (RevTeX 3.0), 3 PostScript figures appended (printing instructions included

Studies of Quantum Spin Ladders at T=0 and at High Temperatures by Series Expansions

We have carried out extensive series studies, at T=0 and at high temperatures, of 2-chain and 3-chain spin-half ladder systems with antiferromagnetic intrachain and both antiferromagnetic and ferromagnetic interchain couplings. Our results confirm the existence of a gap in the 2-chain Heisenberg ladders for all non-zero values of the interchain couplings. Complete dispersion relations for the spin-wave excitations are computed. For 3-chain systems, our results are consistent with a gapless spectrum. We also calculate the uniform magnetic susceptibility and specific heat as a function of temperature. We find that as $T\to 0$, for the 2-chain system the uniform susceptibility goes rapidly to zero, whereas for the 3-chain system it approaches a finite value. These results are compared in detail with previous studies of finite systems.Comment: RevTeX, 14 figure

Semiclassical description of spin ladders

The Heisenberg spin ladder is studied in the semiclassical limit, via a mapping to the nonlinear $\sigma$ model. Different treatments are needed if the inter-chain coupling $K$ is small, intermediate or large. For intermediate coupling a single nonlinear $\sigma$ model is used for the ladder. Its predicts a spin gap for all nonzero values of $K$ if the sum $s+\tilde s$ of the spins of the two chains is an integer, and no gap otherwise. For small $K$, a better treatment proceeds by coupling two nonlinear sigma models, one for each chain. For integer $s=\tilde s$, the saddle-point approximation predicts a sharp drop in the gap as $K$ increases from zero. A Monte-Carlo simulation of a spin 1 ladder is presented which supports the analytical results.Comment: 8 pages, RevTeX 3.0, 4 PostScript figure

Spectral Function in Mott Insulating Surfaces

We show theoretically the fingerprints of short-range spiral magnetic correlations in the photoemission spectra of the Mott insulating ground states realized in the triangular silicon surfaces K/Si(111)-B and SiC(0001). The calculated spectra present low energy features of magnetic origin with a reduced dispersion ~10-40 meV compared with the center-of-mass spectra bandwidth ~0.2-0:3 eV. Remarkably, we find that the quasiparticle signal survives only around the magnetic Goldstone modes. Our findings would position these silicon surfaces as new candidates to investigate non-conventional quasiparticle excitations.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures. To be published in Journal of Physics: Condensed Matte

Density Matrix Renormalization Group Study of the Spin 1/2 Heisenberg Ladder with Antiferromagnetic Legs and Ferromagnetic Rungs

The ground state and low lying excitation of the spin 1/2 Heisenberg ladder with antiferromagnetic leg ($J$) and ferromagnetic rung ($-\lambda J, \lambda >0$) interaction is studied by means of the density matrix renormalization group method. It is found that the state remains in the Haldane phase even for small $\lambda \sim 0.02$ suggesting the continuous transition to the gapless phase at $\lambda = 0$. The critical behavior for small $\lambda$ is studied by the finite size scaling analysis. The result is consistent with the recent field theoretical prediction.Comment: 11 pages, revtex, figures upon reques

Characterisation of the pathogenic effects of the in vivo expression of an ALS-linked mutation in D-amino acid oxidase: Phenotype and loss of spinal cord motor neurons

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is the most common adult-onset neuromuscular disorder characterised by selective loss of motor neurons leading to fatal paralysis. Current therapeutic approaches are limited in their effectiveness. Substantial advances in understanding ALS disease mechanisms has come from the identification of pathogenic mutations in dominantly inherited familial ALS (FALS). We previously reported a coding mutation in D-amino acid oxidase (DAOR199W) associated with FALS. DAO metabolises D-serine, an essential co-agonist at the N-Methyl-D-aspartic acid glutamate receptor subtype (NMDAR). Using primary motor neuron cultures or motor neuron cell lines we demonstrated that expression of DAOR199W, promoted the formation of ubiquitinated protein aggregates, activated autophagy and increased apoptosis. The aim of this study was to characterise the effects of DAOR199W in vivo, using transgenic mice overexpressing DAOR199W. Marked abnormal motor features, e.g. kyphosis, were evident in mice expressing DAOR199W, which were associated with a significant loss (19%) of lumbar spinal cord motor neurons, analysed at 14 months. When separated by gender, this effect was greater in females (26%; p< 0.0132). In addition, we crossed the DAOR199W transgenic mouse line with the SOD1G93A mouse model of ALS to determine whether the effects of SOD1G93A were potentiated in the double transgenic line (DAOR199W/SOD1G93A). Although overall survival was not affected, onset of neurological signs was significantly earlier in female double transgenic animals than their female SOD1G93A littermates (125 days vs 131 days, P = 0.0239). In summary, some significant in vivo effects of DAOR199W on motor neuron function (i.e. kyphosis and loss of motor neurons) were detected which were most marked in females and could contribute to the earlier onset of neurological signs in double transgenic females compared to SOD1G93A littermates, highlighting the importance of recognizing gender effects present in animal models of ALS

Tuning the spin Hamiltonian of NENP by external pressure: a neutron scattering study

We report an inelastic neutron scattering study of antiferromagnetic spin dynamics in the Haldane chain compound Ni(C2H8N2)2NO2ClO4 (NENP) under external hydrostatic pressure P = 2.5 GPa. At ambient pressure, the magnetic excitations in NENP are dominated by a long-lived triplet mode with a gap which is split by orthorhombic crystalline anisotropy into a lower doublet centered at $\Delta_\perp\approx$ 1.2meV and a singlet at $\Delta_\parallel\approx$ 2.5meV. With pressure we observe appreciable shifts in these levels, which move to $\Delta_\perp{(2.5GPa)}\approx$ 1.45 meV and $\Delta_\parallel(2.5GPa)\approx$ 2.2meV. The dispersion of these modes in the crystalline c-direction perpendicular to the chain was measured here for the first time, and can be accounted for by an interchain exchange J'_c approximately 3e-4*J which changes only slightly with pressure. Since the average gap value $\Delta_H\approx$ 1.64 meV remains almost unchanged with P, we conclude that in NENP the application of external pressure does not affect the intrachain coupling J appreciably, but does produce a significant decrease of the single-ion anisotropy constant from D/J = 0.16(2) at ambient pressure to D/J = 0.09(7) at P = 2.5 GPa.Comment: LaTeX file nenp_p.tex, 10 pages, 1 table, 5 figures. Submitted to Phys. Rev.