Linear-response theory of spin Seebeck effect in ferromagnetic insulators

We formulate a linear response theory of the spin Seebeck effect, i.e., a spin voltage generation from heat current flowing in a ferromagnet. Our approach focuses on the collective magnetic excitation of spins, i.e., magnons. We show that the linear-response formulation provides us with a qualitative as well as quantitative understanding of the spin Seebeck effect observed in a prototypical magnet, yttrium iron garnet.Comment: 6 pages, 3 figures. Added references and revised argument on the length scales at the end of Sec.

Linear-response theory of the longitudinal spin Seebeck effect

We theoretically investigate the longitudinal spin Seebeck effect, in which the spin current is injected from a ferromagnet into an attached nonmagnetic metal in a direction parallel to the temperature gradient. Using the fact that the phonon heat current flows intensely into the attached nonmagnetic metal in this particular configuration, we show that the sign of the spin injection signal in the longitudinal spin Seebeck effect can be opposite to that in the conventional transverse spin Seebeck effect when the electron-phonon interaction in the nonmagnetic metal is sufficiently large. Our linear-response approach can explain the sign reversal of the spin injection signal recently observed in the longitudinal spin Seebeck effect.Comment: Proc. of ICM 2012 (Accepted for publication in J. Korean Phys. Soc.), typos correcte

Antiferromagnetic order and the structural order-disorder transition in the Cd6Ho quasicrystal approximant

International audienceIt has generally been accepted that the orientational ordering of the Cd4 tetrahedron within the Cd6 R quasicrystal approximants is kinetically inhibited for R = Ho, Er, Tm and Lu by steric constraints. Our high-resolution X-ray scattering measurements of the Cd6Ho quasicrystal approximant, however, reveal an abrupt (first-order) transition to a monoclinic structure below T S = 178 K for samples that have 'aged' at room temperature for approximately one year, reopening this question. Using X-ray resonant magnetic scattering at the Ho L 3-edge we have elucidated the nature of the antiferromagnetic ordering below T N = 8.5 K in Cd6Ho. The magnetic Bragg peaks are found at the charge forbidden H + K + L = 2n + 1 positions, referenced to the high-temperature body-centred cubic structure. In general terms, this corresponds to antiferromagnetic arrangements of the Ho moments on adjacent clusters in the unit cell as previously found for Cd6Tb

Baryon and Lepton Number Assignment in E6E_6 Models

In $E_6$ models there are new particles whose baryon number is not uniquely assigned. We point out that the baryon and lepton number assignment to these particles can change the baryogenesis scenario significantly. We consider left-right symmetric extension of the standard model in which $(B-L)$ quantum number is gauged. The identification of $(B-L)$ with a generator of $E_6$ is used to define the baryon and lepton numbers for the exotic particles in a way that the electroweak baryon and lepton number anomaly corresponding to the $SU(2)_L$ group vanishes, {\it i.e.}, there is no non-perturbative baryon or lepton number violation during the electroweak phase transition. We study some consequences of the new assignment.Comment: 14 pages, LaTeX file, 1 submitted Figure file(.eps

GM1 ganglioside in Parkinson\u27s disease: Pilot study of effects on dopamine transporter binding.

OBJECTIVE: GM1 ganglioside has been suggested as a treatment for Parkinson\u27s disease (PD), potentially having symptomatic and disease modifying effects. The current pilot imaging study was performed to examine effects of GM1 on dopamine transporter binding, as a surrogate measure of disease progression, studied longitudinally. METHODS: Positron emission tomography (PET) imaging data were obtained from a subset of subjects enrolled in a delayed start clinical trial of GM1 in PD [1]: 15 Early-start (ES) subjects, 14 Delayed-start (DS) subjects, and 11 Comparison (standard-of-care) subjects. Treatment subjects were studied over a 2.5 year period while Comparison subjects were studied over 2 years. Dynamic PET scans were performed over 90 min following injection of [(11)C]methylphenidate. Regional values of binding potential (BPND) were analyzed for several striatal volumes of interest. RESULTS: Clinical results for this subset of subjects were similar to those previously reported for the larger study group. ES subjects showed early symptomatic improvement and slow symptom progression over the study period. DS and Comparison subjects were initially on the same symptom progression trajectory but diverged once DS subjects received GM1 treatment. Imaging results showed significant slowing of BPND loss in several striatal regions in GM1-treated subjects and in some cases, an increased BPND in some striatal regions was detected after GM1 use. INTERPRETATION: Results of this pilot imaging study provide additional data to suggest a potential disease modifying effect of GM1 on PD. These results need to be confirmed in a larger number of subjects

de Broglie-Bohm Interpretation for the Wave Function of Quantum Black Holes

We study the quantum theory of the spherically symmetric black holes. The theory yields the wave function inside the apparent horizon, where the role of time and space coordinates is interchanged. The de Broglie-Bohm interpretation is applied to the wave function and then the trajectory picture on the minisuperspace is introduced in the quantum as well as the semi-classical region. Around the horizon large quantum fluctuations on the trajectories of metrics $U$ and $V$ appear in our model, where the metrics are functions of time variable $T$ and are expressed as $ds^2=-{\alpha^2}/U dT^2 + U dR^2 + V d\Omega^2$. On the trajectories, the classical relation $U=-V^{1/2}+2Gm$ holds, and the event horizon U=0 corresponds to the classical apparent horizon on $V=2Gm$. In order to investigate the quantum fluctuation near the horizon, we study a null ray on the dBB trajectory and compare it with the one in the classical black hole geometry.Comment: 20 pages, Latex, 7 Postscript figure

Microbial Community Composition of Two Environmentally Conserved Estuaries in the Midorikawa River and Shirakawa River

To provide a general overview of the microbial communities in environmentally conserved estuaries, the top 5 cm of sediment was sampled from the sandy estuary of the Shirakawa River and from the muddy estuary of the Midorikawa River. Higher amounts of organic matter were detected in the Midorikawa estuary sample than in the Shirakawa estuary sample. Measurement of redox potential revealed that the Shirakawa estuary was aerobic and the Midorikawa estuary was much less aerobic. Clone analysis was performed by targeting partial 16S rRNA gene sequences and using extracted DNA from the samples as a template. Various bacteria were detected, among which Gammaproteobacteria was dominant at both estuaries. Unclassified clones were detected in the Gammaproteobacteria group, mainly among samples from the Midorikawa estuary. Other detected bacterial groups were Alphaproteobacteria, Deltaproteobacteria, Chloroflexi, Actinobacteria, and Bacteroidetes. All the Deltaproteobacteria clones were anaerobic sulfate-reducing bacteria. Those aerobic and anaerobic bacteria coexisted in the top 5 cm of the estuary sediments indicating the surface layer have active sulfur and carbon cycle. Abundance of aerobic Gammaproteobacteria may be an indicator for conserved estuaries

Exploring positive pathways to care for members of the UK Armed Forces receiving treatment for PTSD: a qualitative study

Objective: To examine the factors which facilitate UK military personnel with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) to engage in help-seeking behaviours. Methods: The study recruited active service personnel who were attending mental health services, employed a qualitative design, used semi-structured interview schedules to collect data, and explored these data using interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA). Results: Five themes emerged about how participants were able to access help; having to reach a crisis point before accepting the need for help, overcoming feelings of shame, the importance of having an internal locus of control, finding a psychological explanation for their symptoms and having strong social support. Conclusions: This study reported that for military personnel who accessed mental health services, there were a number of factors that supported them to do so. In particular, factors that combated internal stigma, such as being supported to develop an internal locus of control, appeared to be critical in supporting military personnel to engage in help-seeking behaviour

A Sound-Sensitive Source of Alpha Oscillations in Human Non-Primary Auditory Cortex

Copyright © 2019 Billig, Herrmann et al. The functional organization of human auditory cortex can be probed by characterizing responses to various classes of sound at different anatomical locations. Along with histological studies this approach has revealed a primary field in posteromedial Heschl\u27s gyrus (HG) with pronounced induced high-frequency (70-150 Hz) activity and short-latency responses that phase-lock to rapid transient sounds. Low-frequency neural oscillations are also relevant to stimulus processing and information flow, however, their distribution within auditory cortex has not been established. Alpha activity (7-14 Hz) in particular has been associated with processes that may differentially engage earlier versus later levels of the cortical hierarchy, including functional inhibition and the communication of sensory predictions. These theories derive largely from the study of occipitoparietal sources readily detectable in scalp electroencephalography. To characterize the anatomical basis and functional significance of less accessible temporal-lobe alpha activity we analyzed responses to sentences in seven human adults (4 female) with epilepsy who had been implanted with electrodes in superior temporal cortex. In contrast to primary cortex in posteromedial HG, a non-primary field in anterolateral HG was characterized by high spontaneous alpha activity that was strongly suppressed during auditory stimulation. Alpha-power suppression decreased with distance from anterolateral HG throughout superior temporal cortex, and was more pronounced for clear compared to degraded speech. This suppression could not be accounted for solely by a change in the slope of the power spectrum. The differential manifestation and stimulus-sensitivity of alpha oscillations across auditory fields should be accounted for in theories of their generation and function.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT To understand how auditory cortex is organized in support of perception, we recorded from patients implanted with electrodes for clinical reasons. This allowed measurement of activity in brain regions at different levels of sensory processing. Oscillations in the alpha range (7-14 Hz) have been associated with functions including sensory prediction and inhibition of regions handling irrelevant information, but their distribution within auditory cortex is not known. A key finding was that these oscillations dominated in one particular non-primary field, anterolateral Heschl\u27s gyrus, and were suppressed when subjects listened to sentences. These results build on our knowledge of the functional organization of auditory cortex and provide anatomical constraints on theories of the generation and function of alpha oscillations