Determining the Surface-To-Bulk Progression in the Normal-State Electronic Structure of Sr2RuO4 by Angle-Resolved Photoemission and Density Functional Theory

In search of the potential realization of novel normal-state phases on the surface of Sr2RuO4 - those stemming from either topological bulk properties or the interplay between spin-orbit coupling (SO) and the broken symmetry of the surface - we revisit the electronic structure of the top-most layers by ARPES with improved data quality as well as ab-initio LDA slab calculations. We find that the current model of a single surface layer (\surd2x\surd2)R45{\deg} reconstruction does not explain all detected features. The observed depth-dependent signal degradation, together with the close quantitative agreement with LDA+SO slab calculations based on the LEED-determined surface crystal structure, reveal that (at a minimum) the sub-surface layer also undergoes a similar although weaker reconstruction. This points to a surface-to-bulk progression of the electronic states driven by structural instabilities, with no evidence for Dirac and Rashba-type states or surface magnetism.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures, 1 table. Further information and PDF available at: http://www.phas.ubc.ca/~quantmat/ARPES/PUBLICATIONS/articles.htm

Carbonatites from the southern Brazilian Platform: A review. II: Isotopic evidences

Early and Late Cretaceous alkaline and alkaline-carbonatitic complexes from southern Brazil are located along the main tectonic lineaments of the South America Platform. Calcium-, magnesium-, and ferrocarbonatites are well represented and frequently associated even in the same complex. Primary carbonates present significant variations in C-O isotopic compositions, which are mainly due to isotope exchange with H2O-CO2-rich hydrothermal fluids, whereas fractional crystallization or liquid immiscibility probably affects the δ18O and δ13C values by no more than 2δ‰. Our isotope exchange model implies that the most significant isotopic variations took place in a hydrothermal environment, e.g., in the range 400-80°C, involving fluids with the CO2/H2O ratio ranging from 0.8 to 1. Sr-Nd-Pb isotope systematics highlight heterogeneous mixtures between HIMU and EMI mantle components, similar to the associated alkaline rocks and the flood tholeiites from southern Brazil. In spite of the strong variation shown by C-O isotopes, Sr-Nd-Pb-Os isotopic systematics could be related to an isotopically enriched source where the chemical heterogeneities reflect a depleted mantle metasomatized by small-volume melts and fluids rich in incompatible elements. These fluids are expected to have promoted crystallization of K-rich phases in the mantle, which produced a veined network variously enriched in LILE and LREE. The newly formed veins (enriched component) and peridotite matrix (depleted component) underwent a different isotopic evolution with time as reflected by the carbonatites. These conclusions may be extended to the whole Paraná-Etendeka system, where isotopically distinct parent magmas were generated following two main enrichment events of the subcontinental lithospheric mantle at 2.0-1.4 and 1.0-0.5 Ga, respectively, as also supported by Re-Os systematics. The mantle sources preserved the isotopic heterogeneities over a long time, suggesting a nonconvective lithospheric mantle beneath different cratons or intercratonic regions. Overall, the data indicate that the alkaline-carbonatitic magmatism originated from a locally heterogeneous subcontinental mantle

Na2IrO3 as a spin-orbit-assisted antiferromagnetic insulator with a 340 meV gap

We study Na2IrO3 by ARPES, optics, and band structure calculations in the local-density approximation (LDA). The weak dispersion of the Ir 5d-t2g manifold highlights the importance of structural distortions and spin-orbit coupling (SO) in driving the system closer to a Mott transition. We detect an insulating gap {\Delta}_gap = 340 meV which, at variance with a Slater-type description, is already open at 300 K and does not show significant temperature dependence even across T_N ~ 15 K. An LDA analysis with the inclusion of SO and Coulomb repulsion U reveals that, while the prodromes of an underlying insulating state are already found in LDA+SO, the correct gap magnitude can only be reproduced by LDA+SO+U, with U = 3 eV. This establishes Na2IrO3 as a novel type of Mott-like correlated insulator in which Coulomb and relativistic effects have to be treated on an equal footing.Comment: Accepted in Physical Review Letters. Auxiliary and related material can be found at: http://www.phas.ubc.ca/~quantmat/ARPES/PUBLICATIONS/articles.htm

Accuracy of genomic prediction for tick resistance in Braford and Hereford cattle.

This work aimed to determine the accuracy and bias of genomic predictions of Braford (BO) and Hereford (HH) cattle genetic resistance to ticks

Rashba spin-splitting control at the surface of the topological insulator Bi2Se3

The electronic structure of Bi2Se3 is studied by angle-resolved photoemission and density functional theory. We show that the instability of the surface electronic properties, observed even in ultra-high-vacuum conditions, can be overcome via in-situ potassium deposition. In addition to accurately setting the carrier concentration, new Rashba-like spin-polarized states are induced, with a tunable, reversible, and highly stable spin splitting. Ab-initio slab calculations reveal that these Rashba state are derived from the 5QL quantum-well states. While the K-induced potential gradient enhances the spin splitting, this might be already present for pristine surfaces due to the symmetry breaking of the vacuum-solid interface.Comment: A high-resolution version can be found at http://www.physics.ubc.ca/~quantmat/ARPES/PUBLICATIONS/Articles/BiSe_K.pd

Epigenetic Suppression of Transgenic T-cell Receptor Expression via Gamma-Retroviral Vector Methylation in Adoptive Cell Transfer Therapy

Transgenic T-cell receptor (TCR) adoptive cell therapies recognizing tumor antigens are associated with robust initial response rates, but frequent disease relapse. This usually occurs in the setting of poor long-term persistence of cells expressing the transgenic TCR, generated using murine stem cell virus (MSCV) y-retroviral vectors. Analysis of clinical transgenic adoptive cell therapy products in vivo revealed that despite strong persistence of the transgenic TCR DNA sequence over time, its expression was profoundly decreased over time at the RNA and protein levels. Patients with the greatest degrees of expression suppression displayed significant increases in DNA methylation over time within the MSCV promoter region, as well as progressive increases in DNA methylation within the entire MSCV vector over time. These increases in vector methylation occurred independently of its integration site within the host genomes. These results have significant implications for the design of future viral-vector gene engineered adoptive cell transfer therapies

Phosphorus fractions in sandy soils of vineyards in Southern Brazil.

As aplicações de fósforo (P) em vinhedos podem causar o acúmulo desse nutriente no solo e maximizar seu potencial poluente. Este trabalho objetivou quantificar as frações de acumulação de P em solos arenosos cultivados com videiras na região Sul do Brasil. Para isso, amostras de solo foram coletadas nas camadas de 0-5, 6-10 e 11-20 cm em uma área de campo nativo e em dois vinhedos: um com 14 anos de cultivo (vinhedo 1) e outro com 30 anos (vinhedo 2), localizados no município de Santana do Livramento, Rio Grande do Sul (RS), Brasil. As amostras foram secas, moídas e submetidas ao fracionamento químico de P. Os resultados evidenciaram que os teores de P inorgânico aumentaram até 20 cm de profundidade, principalmente no vinhedo 2, em especial nas frações lábeis extraídas por resina de troca aniônica e por NaHCO3, na fração moderadamente lábil, extraída por NaOH 0,1 e 0,5 mol L-1, e na fração não lábil, extraída por HCl 1 mol L-1, representando potencial de eutroficação das águas. As aplicações de fertilizantes fosfatados na adubação de correção e de manutenção nos vinhedos com maior tempo de cultivo aumentaram os teores de P na fração orgânica extraída por NaHCO3 na camada de 0-5 cm, e na fração moderadamente lábil extraída por NaOH 0,1 mol L-1, até 20 cm de profundidade

Dispersive charge density wave excitations and temperature dependent commensuration in Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+{\delta}

Experimental evidence on high-Tc cuprates reveals ubiquitous charge density wave (CDW) modulations, which coexist with superconductivity. Although the CDW had been predicted by theory, important questions remain about the extent to which the CDW influences lattice and charge degrees of freedom and its characteristics as functions of doping and temperature. These questions are intimately connected to the origin of the CDW and its relation to the mysterious cuprate pseudogap. Here, we use ultrahigh resolution resonant inelastic x-ray scattering (RIXS) to reveal new CDW character in underdoped Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+{\delta} (Bi2212). At low temperature, we observe dispersive excitations from an incommensurate CDW that induces anomalously enhanced phonon intensity, unseen using other techniques. Near the pseudogap temperature T*, the CDW persists, but the associated excitations significantly weaken and the CDW wavevector shifts, becoming nearly commensurate with a periodicity of four lattice constants. The dispersive CDW excitations, phonon anomaly, and temperature dependent commensuration provide a comprehensive momentum space picture of complex CDW behavior and point to a closer relationship with the pseudogap state