Exchange coupling inversion in a high-spin organic triradical molecule

The magnetic properties of a nanoscale system are inextricably linked to its local environment. In ad-atoms on surfaces and inorganic layered structures the exchange interactions result from the relative lattice positions, layer thicknesses and other environmental parameters. Here, we report on a sample-dependent sign inversion of the magnetic exchange coupling between the three unpaired spins of an organic triradical molecule embedded in a three-terminal device. This ferro-to-antiferromagnetic transition is due to structural distortions and results in a high-to-low spin ground state change in a molecule traditionally considered to be a robust high-spin quartet. Moreover, the flexibility of the molecule yields an in-situ electric tunability of the exchange coupling via the gate electrode. These findings open a route to the controlled reversal of the magnetic states in organic molecule-based nanodevices by mechanical means, electrical gating or chemical tailoring

A novel adaptor protein orchestrates receptor patterning and cytoskeletal polarity in T-cell contacts.

Recognition of antigen by T cells requires the formation of a specialized junction between the T cell and the antigen-presenting cell. This junction is generated by the recruitment and the exclusion of specific proteins from the contact area. The mechanisms that regulate these events are unknown. Here we demonstrate that ligand engagement of the adhesion molecule, CD2, initiates a process of protein segregation, CD2 clustering, and cytoskeletal polarization. Although protein segregation was not dependent on the cytoplasmic domain of CD2, CD2 clustering and cytoskeletal polarization required an interaction of the CD2 cytoplasmic domain with a novel SH3-containing protein. This novel protein, called CD2AP, is likely to facilitate receptor patterning in the contact area by linking specific adhesion receptors to the cytoskeleton

Differential segregation in a cell-cell contact interface: the dynamics of the immunological synapse

Receptor-ligand couples in the cell-cell contact interface between a T cell and an antigen-presenting cell form distinct geometric patterns and undergo spatial rearrangement within the contact interface. Spatial segregation of the antigen and adhesion receptors occurs within seconds of contact, central aggregation of the antigen receptor then occurring over 1-5 min. This structure, called the immunological synapse, is becoming a paradigm for localized signaling. However, the mechanisms driving its formation, in particular spatial segregation, are currently not understood. With a reaction diffusion model incorporating thermodynamics, elasticity, and reaction kinetics, we examine the hypothesis that differing bond lengths (extracellular domain size) is the driving force behind molecular segregation. We derive two key conditions necessary for segregation: a thermodynamic criterion on the effective bond elasticity and a requirement for the seeding/nucleation of domains. Domains have a minimum length scale and will only spontaneously coalesce/aggregate if the contact area is small or the membrane relaxation distance large. Otherwise, differential attachment of receptors to the cytoskeleton is required for central aggregation. Our analysis indicates that differential bond lengths have a significant effect on synapse dynamics, i.e., there is a significant contribution to the free energy of the interaction, suggesting that segregation by differential bond length is important in cell-cell contact interfaces and the immunological synapse

Mechanisms of pattern formation during T cell adhesion

T cells form intriguing patterns during adhesion to antigen-presenting cells. The patterns at the cell-cell contact zone are composed of two types of domains, which either contain short TCR/MHCp receptor-ligand complexes or the longer LFA-1/ICAM-1 complexes. The final pattern consists of a central TCR/MHCp domain surrounded by a ring-shaped LFA-1/ICAM-1 domain, while the characteristic pattern formed at intermediate times is inverted with TCR/MHCp complexes at the periphery of the contact zone and LFA-1/ICAM-1 complexes in the center. In this article, we present a statistical-mechanical model of cell adhesion and propose a novel mechanism for the T cell pattern formation. Our mechanism for the formation of the intermediate inverted pattern is based (i) on the initial nucleation of numerous TCR/MHCp microdomains, and (ii) on the diffusion of free receptors and ligands into the contact zone. Due to this inward diffusion, TCR/MHCp microdomains at the rim of the contact zone grow faster and form an intermediate peripheral ring for sufficiently large TCR/MHCp concentrations. In agreement with experiments, we find that the formation of the final pattern with a central TCR/MHCp domain requires active cytoskeletal transport processes. Without active transport, the intermediate inverted pattern seems to be metastable in our model, which might explain patterns observed during natural killer (NK) cell adhesion. At smaller TCR/MHCp complex concentrations, we observe a different regime of pattern formation with intermediate multifocal TCR/MHCp patterns which resemble experimental patterns found during thymozyte adhesion.Comment: 12 pages, 8 figure

Efecto de Epilachna Paenulata Germ. sobre el rendimiento de zapallito redondo de tronco (Cucurbita Maxima Dubch.)

p.97-100Se determinó en campo el efecto de distintas poblaciones de larvas de Epilachna paenulata Germ, sobre el rendimiento de zapallito redondo de tronco. Pudo comprobarse que poblaciones inferiores a 5 larvas por planta, a partir de 5 hojas verdaderas hasta cosecha, no afectan el rendimiento expresado en gramos de zapallitos por planta. También se determinó la relación entre las distintas densidades de plaga y las pérdidas y se obtuvo un modelo predictivo del rendimiento

Kondo Effect in a Neutral and Stable All Organic Radical Single Molecule Break Junction

Organic radicals are neutral, purely organic molecules exhibiting an intrinsic magnetic moment due to the presence of an unpaired electron in the molecule in its ground state. This property, added to the low spin-orbit coupling and weak hyperfine interactions, make neutral organic radicals good candidates for molecular spintronics insofar as the radical character is stable in solid state electronic devices. Here we show that the paramagnetism of the polychlorotriphenylmethyl radical molecule in the form of a Kondo anomaly is preserved in two- and three-terminal solid-state devices, regardless of mechanical and electrostatic changes. Indeed, our results demonstrate that the Kondo anomaly is robust under electrodes displacement and changes of the electrostatic environment, pointing to a localized orbital in the radical as the source of magnetism. Strong support to this picture is provided by density functional calculations and measurements of the corresponding nonradical species. These results pave the way toward the use of all-organic neutral radical molecules in spintronics devices and open the door to further investigations into Kondo physics

Halo millisecond pulsars ejected by intermediate mass black holes in globular clusters

Intermediate mass black holes (IMBHs) are among the most elusive objects in contemporary astrophysics. Both theoretical and observational evidence of their existence is subject of debate. Conversely, both theory and observations confirm the presence of a large population of millisecond pulsars (MSPs) with low mass companions residing in globular cluster (GC) centers. If IMBHs are common in GC centers as well, then dynamical interactions will inevitably break up many of these binaries, causing the ejection of several fast MSPs in the Galactic halo. Such population of fast halo MSPs, hard to produce with 'standard' MSP generation mechanisms, would provide a strong, albeit indirect, evidence of the presence of a substantial population of IMBHs in GCs. In this paper we study in detail the dynamical formation and evolution of such fast MSPs population, highlighting the relevant observational properties and assessing detection prospects with forthcoming radio surveys.Comment: 13 pages, 7 figures, 2 tables, accepted for publication in MNRA

Supernovae without host galaxy? - Hypervelocity stars in foreign galaxies

Harvesting the SAI supernova catalog, we search for SNe that apparently do not occur within a distinct host galaxy but lie a great distance apart from their assigned host galaxy. Assuming two possible explanations for this host-lessness of a fraction of reported SNe, namely (i) a host galaxy which is too faint to be detected within the limits of currently available surveys or (ii) a hypervelocity star (HVS) as progenitor of the SN,we want to distinguish between these two cases. To do so, we use deep imaging to test explanation (i). If within our detection limit of 27 mag/arcsec^2, the central surface brightness of the faintest known LSB galaxy so far, no galaxy could be identified, we discard this explanation and regard the SN, after several other checks, to have had a hypervelocity star progenitor. Analyzing a selected subsample of five host-less SNe we find one, SN 2006bx in UGC5434, to be put in the hypervelocity progenitor category with a high probability, exhibiting a projected velocity of > 800 km/s. SN 1969L in NGC1058 is most likely an example for a very extended star-forming disk visible only in the far-UV, not in the optical wavebands. Therefore this SN is clearly due to in situ star formation. This mechanism may also apply for two other SNe we investigated (SN 1970L and SN 1997C), but this cannot be determined with final certainty. Another one, SN 2005nc associated with a gamma-ray burst (GRB 050525), is a special case not covered by our initial assumptions. Even with deep Hubble data, a host galaxy could not be unambiguously identified.Comment: 11 pages, 7 figures, accepted for publication by A&A, abstract abridged due to arXiv requirements, rev. 2 after language correction