165 research outputs found
Pseudogap and charge density waves in two dimensions
An interaction between electrons and lattice vibrations (phonons) results in
two fundamental quantum phenomena in solids: in three dimensions it can turn a
metal into a superconductor whereas in one dimension it can turn a metal into
an insulator. In two dimensions (2D) both superconductivity and charge-density
waves (CDW) are believed to be anomalous. In superconducting cuprates, critical
transition temperatures are unusually high and the energy gap may stay unclosed
even above these temperatures (pseudogap). In CDW-bearing dichalcogenides the
resistivity below the transition can decrease with temperature even faster than
in the normal phase and a basic prerequisite for the CDW, the favourable
nesting conditions (when some sections of the Fermi surface appear shifted by
the same vector), seems to be absent. Notwithstanding the existence of
alternatives to conventional theories, both phenomena in 2D still remain the
most fascinating puzzles in condensed matter physics. Using the latest
developments in high-resolution angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy
(ARPES) here we show that the normal-state pseudogap also exists in one of the
most studied 2D examples, dichalcogenide 2H-TaSe2, and the formation of CDW is
driven by a conventional nesting instability, which is masked by the pseudogap.
Our findings reconcile and explain a number of unusual, as previously believed,
experimental responses as well as disprove many alternative theoretical
approaches. The magnitude, character and anisotropy of the 2D-CDW pseudogap are
intriguingly similar to those seen in superconducting cuprates.Comment: 14 pages including figures and supplementary informatio
Fermi surface nesting in several transition metal dichalcogenides
By means of high-resolution angle resolved photoelectron spectroscopy (ARPES)
we have studied the fermiology of 2H transition metal dichalcogenide polytypes
TaSe2, NbSe2, and Cu0.2NbS2. The tight-binding model of the electronic
structure, extracted from ARPES spectra for all three compounds, was used to
calculate the Lindhard function (bare spin susceptibility), which reflects the
propensity to charge density wave (CDW) instabilities observed in TaSe2 and
NbSe2. We show that though the Fermi surfaces of all three compounds possess an
incommensurate nesting vector in the close vicinity of the CDW wave vector, the
nesting and ordering wave vectors do not exactly coincide, and there is no
direct relationship between the magnitude of the susceptibility at the nesting
vector and the CDW transition temperature. The nesting vector persists across
the incommensurate CDW transition in TaSe2 as a function of temperature despite
the observable variations of the Fermi surface geometry in this temperature
range. In Cu0.2NbS2 the nesting vector is present despite different doping
level, which lets us expect a possible enhancement of the CDW instability with
Cu-intercalation in the CuxNbS2 family of materials.Comment: Accepted to New J. Phy
Building on the Cornerstone: Destinations for Nearside Sample Return
Discoveries from LRO (Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter) have transformed our knowledge of the Moon, but LRO's instruments were originally designed to collect the measurements required to enable future lunar surface exploration. Compelling science questions and critical resources make the Moon a key destination for future human and robotic exploration. Lunar surface exploration, including rovers and other landed missions, must be part of a balanced planetary science and exploration portfolio. Among the highest planetary exploration priorities is the collection of new samples and their return to Earth for more comprehensive analysis than can be done in-situ. The Moon is the closest and most accessible location to address key science questions through targeted sample return. The Moon is the only other planet from which we have contextualized samples, yet critical issues need to be addressed: we lack important details of the Moon's early and recent geologic history, the full compositional and age ranges of its crust, and its bulk composition
Oscillations of the magnetic polarization in a Kondo impurity at finite magnetic fields
The electronic properties of a Kondo impurity are investigated in a magnetic
field using linear response theory. The distribution of electrical charge and
magnetic polarization are calculated in real space. The (small) magnetic field
does not change the charge distribution. However, it unmasks the Kondo cloud.
The (equal) weight of the d-electron components with their magnetic moment up
and down is shifted and the compensating s-electron clouds don't cancel any
longer (a requirement for an experimental detection of the Kondo cloud). In
addition to the net magnetic polarization of the conduction electrons an
oscillating magnetic polarization with a period of half the Fermi wave length
is observed. However, this oscillating magnetic polarization does not show the
long range behavior of Rudermann-Kittel-Kasuya-Yosida oscillations because the
oscillations don't extend beyond the Kondo radius. They represent an internal
electronic structure of the Kondo impurity in a magnetic field. PACS: 75.20.Hr,
71.23.An, 71.27.+
Sofosbuvir and Velpatasvir for HCV Genotype 1, 2, 4, 5, and 6 Infection
published_or_final_versio
Electrical tuning of elastic wave propagation in nanomechanical lattices at MHz frequencies
Nanoelectromechanical systems (NEMS) that operate in the megahertz (MHz) regime allow energy transducibility between different physical domains. For example, they convert optical or electrical signals into mechanical motions and vice versa. This coupling of different physical quantities leads to frequency-tunable NEMS resonators via electromechanical non-linearities. NEMS platforms with single- or low-degrees of freedom have been employed to demonstrate quantum-like effects, such as mode cooling, mechanically induced transparency, Rabi oscillation, two-mode squeezing and phonon lasing. Periodic arrays of NEMS resonators with architected unit cells enable fundamental studies of lattice-based solid-state phenomena, such as bandgaps, energy transport, non-linear dynamics and localization, and topological properties, directly transferrable to on-chip devices. Here we describe one-dimensional, non-linear, nanoelectromechanical lattices (NEML) with active control of the frequency band dispersion in the radio-frequency domain (10–30 MHz). The design of our systems is inspired by NEMS-based phonon waveguides and includes the voltage-induced frequency tuning of the individual resonators. Our NEMLs consist of a periodic arrangement of mechanically coupled, free-standing nanomembranes with circular clamped boundaries. This design forms a flexural phononic crystal with a well-defined bandgap, 1.8 MHz wide. The application of a d.c. gate voltage creates voltage-dependent on-site potentials, which can significantly shift the frequency bands of the device. Additionally, a dynamic modulation of the voltage triggers non-linear effects, which induce the formation of a phononic bandgap in the acoustic branch, analogous to Peierls transition in condensed matter. The gating approach employed here makes the devices more compact than recently proposed systems, whose tunability mostly relies on materials’ compliance and mechanical non-linearities
Effects of increasing acylation and enzymatic hydrolysis on functional properties of bambara bean ( Vigna subterranea
Electron-induced neutron knockout from He
The differential cross section for electron-induced neutron knockout in the reaction 4He(e,e′n)3He has been measured for the first time with a statistical accuracy of 11%. The experiment was performed in quasielastic kinematics at a momentum transfer of 300  MeV/c and in the missing-momentum range of 25–70  MeV/c. The comparison of the data with theoretical calculations shows an impressive increase of the cross section resulting from final state interaction effects. Specifically , the p−n charge-exchange process dominates the cross section in this kinematical regime. (APS
Evidence of CD4+ T cell-mediated immune pressure on the Hepatitis C virus genome
Hepatitis C virus (HCV)-specific T cell responses are critical for immune control of infection. Viral adaptation to these responses, via mutations within regions of the virus targeted by CD8+ T cells, is associated with viral persistence. However, identifying viral adaptation to HCV-specific CD4+ T cell responses has been difficult although key to understanding anti-HCV immunity. In this context, HCV sequence and host genotype from a single source HCV genotype 1B cohort (n = 63) were analyzed to identify viral changes associated with specific human leucocyte antigen (HLA) class II alleles, as these variable host molecules determine the set of viral peptides presented to CD4+ T cells. Eight sites across the HCV genome were associated with HLA class II alleles implicated in infection outcome in this cohort (p ≤ 0.01; Fisher’s exact test). We extended this analysis to chronic HCV infection (n = 351) for the common genotypes 1A and 3A. Variation at 38 sites across the HCV genome were associated with specific HLA class II alleles with no overlap between genotypes, suggestive of genotype-specific T cell targets, which has important implications for vaccine design. Here we show evidence of HCV adaptation to HLA class II-restricted CD4+ T cell pressure across the HCV genome in chronic HCV infection without a priori knowledge of CD4+ T cell epitopes
Dual Function of the NK Cell Receptor 2B4 (CD244) in the Regulation of HCV-Specific CD8+ T Cells
The outcome of viral infections is dependent on the function of CD8+ T cells
which are tightly regulated by costimulatory molecules. The NK cell receptor 2B4
(CD244) is a transmembrane protein belonging to the Ig superfamily which can
also be expressed by CD8+ T cells. The aim of this study was to analyze the
role of 2B4 as an additional costimulatory receptor regulating CD8+ T cell
function and in particular to investigate its implication for exhaustion of
hepatitis C virus (HCV)-specific CD8+ T cells during persistent infection.
We demonstrate that (i) 2B4 is expressed on virus-specific CD8+ T cells
during acute and chronic hepatitis C, (ii) that 2B4 cross-linking can lead to
both inhibition and activation of HCV-specific CD8+ T cell function,
depending on expression levels of 2B4 and the intracellular adaptor molecule SAP
and (iii) that 2B4 stimulation may counteract enhanced proliferation of
HCV-specific CD8+ T cells induced by PD1 blockade. We suggest that 2B4 is
another important molecule within the network of costimulatory/inhibitory
receptors regulating CD8+ T cell function in acute and chronic hepatitis C
and that 2B4 expression levels could also be a marker of CD8+ T cell
dysfunction. Understanding in more detail how 2B4 exerts its differential
effects could have implications for the development of novel immunotherapies of
HCV infection aiming to achieve immune control
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