233 research outputs found
Intrinsic optical dichroism in the chiral superconducting state of SrRuO
We present an analysis of the Hall conductivity in
time reversal symmetry breaking states of exotic superconductors. We find that
the dichroic signal is non-zero in systems with inter-band order parameters.
This new intrinsic mechanism may explain the Kerr effect observed in strontium
ruthenate and possibly other superconductors. We predict coherence factor
effects in the temperature dependence of the imaginary part of the ac Hall
conductivity , which can be tested experimentally.Comment: 4+ pages, 4 figures, published versio
Gap Nodes and Time Reversal Symmetry Breaking in Strontium Ruthenate
We study the superconducting state of SrRuO on the bases of a
phenomenological but orbital specific description of the electron-electron
attraction and a realistic quantitative account of the electronic structure in
the normal state. We found that a simple model which features both `in plane'
and `out of plane' coupling with strengths meV and
meV respectively reproduced the experimentally observed power law
behaviour of the low temperature specific heat , superfluid density
and thermal conductivity in quantitative detail. Moreover, it predicts
that the quasi-particle spectrum on the -sheet is fully gaped and the
corresponding order parameter breaks the time reversal symmetry. We have also
investigated the stability of this model to inclusion of further interaction
constants in particular %those which describe `proximity coupling' between
orbitals contributing to the sheet of the Fermi surface and the
and sheets. We found that the predictions of the model are
robust under such changes. Finally, we have incorporated a description of weak
disorder into the model and explored some of its consequences. For example we
demonstrated that the disorder has a more significant effect on the -wave
component of the order parameter than on the p-wave one.Comment: EPJ B submitte
The onset of magnetic order in fcc-Fe films on Cu(100)
On the basis of a first-principles electronic structure theory of finite
temperature metallic magnetism in layered materials, we investigate the onset
of magnetic order in thin (2-8 layers) fcc-Fe films on Cu(100) substrates. The
nature of this ordering is altered when the systems are capped with copper.
Indeed we find an oscillatory dependence of the Curie temperatures as a
function of Cu-cap thickness, in excellent agreement with experimental data.
The thermally induced spin-fluctuations are treated within a mean-field
disordered local moment (DLM) picture and give rise to layer-dependent `local
exchange splittings' in the electronic structure even in the paramagnetic
phase. These features determine the magnetic intra- and interlayer interactions
which are strongly influenced by the presence and extent of the Cu cap.Comment: 13 pages, 3 figure
Local Charge Excesses in Metallic Alloys: a Local Field Coherent Potential Approximation Theory
Electronic structure calculations performed on very large supercells have
shown that the local charge excesses in metallic alloys are related through
simple linear relations to the local electrostatic field resulting from
distribution of charges in the whole crystal.
By including local external fields in the single site Coherent Potential
Approximation theory, we develop a novel theoretical scheme in which the local
charge excesses for random alloys can be obtained as the responses to local
external fields. Our model maintains all the computational advantages of a
single site theory but allows for full charge relaxation at the impurity sites.
Through applications to CuPd and CuZn alloys, we find that, as a general rule,
non linear charge rearrangements occur at the impurity site as a consequence of
the complex phenomena related with the electronic screening of the external
potential. This nothwithstanding, we observe that linear relations hold between
charge excesses and external potentials, in quantitative agreement with the
mentioned supercell calculations, and well beyond the limits of linearity for
any other site property.Comment: 11 pages, 1 table, 7 figure
Proteomic profile of KSR1-regulated signalling in response to genotoxic agents in breast cancer
Kinase suppressor of Ras 1 (KSR1) has been implicated in tumorigenesis in multiple cancers, including skin, pancreatic and lung carcinomas. However, our recent study revealed a role of KSR1 as a tumour suppressor in breast cancer, the expression of which is potentially correlated with chemotherapy response. Here, we aimed to further elucidate the KSR1-regulated signalling in response to genotoxic agents in breast cancer. Stable isotope labelling by amino acids in cell culture (SILAC) coupled to high-resolution mass spectrometry (MS) was implemented to globally characterise cellular protein levels induced by KSR1 in the presence of doxorubicin or etoposide. The acquired proteomic signature was compared and GO-STRING analysis was subsequently performed to illustrate the activated functional signalling networks. Furthermore, the clinical associations of KSR1 with identified targets and their relevance in chemotherapy response were examined in breast cancer patients. We reveal a comprehensive repertoire of thousands of proteins identified in each dataset and compare the unique proteomic profiles as well as functional connections modulated by KSR1 after doxorubicin (Doxo-KSR1) or etoposide (Etop-KSR1) stimulus. From the up-regulated top hits, several proteins, including STAT1, ISG15 and TAP1 are also found to be positively associated with KSR1 expression in patient samples. Moreover, high KSR1 expression, as well as high abundance of these proteins, is correlated with better survival in breast cancer patients who underwent chemotherapy. In aggregate, our data exemplify a broad functional network conferred by KSR1 with genotoxic agents and highlight its implication in predicting chemotherapy response in breast cancer
The EMT factor ZEB1 paradoxically inhibits EMT in BRAF-mutant carcinomas
Despite being in the same pathway, mutations of KRAS and BRAF in colorectal carcinomas (CRCs) determine distinct progression courses. ZEB1 induces an epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and is associated with worse progression in most carcinomas. Using samples from patients with CRC, mouse models of KrasG12D and BrafV600E CRC, and a Zeb1-deficient mouse, we show that ZEB1 had opposite functions in KRAS-and BRAF-mutant CRCs. In KrasG12D CRCs, ZEB1 was correlated with a worse prognosis and a higher number of larger and undifferentiated (mesenchymal or EMT-like) tumors. Surprisingly, in BrafV600E CRC, ZEB1 was associated with better prognosis; fewer, smaller, and more differentiated (reduced EMT) primary tumors; and fewer metastases. ZEB1 was positively correlated in KRAS-mutant CRC cells and negatively in BRAF-mutant CRC cells with gene signatures for EMT, cell proliferation and survival, and ERK signaling. On a mechanistic level, ZEB1 knockdown in KRAS-mutant CRC cells increased apoptosis and reduced clonogenicity and anchorage-independent growth; the reverse occurred in BRAFV600E CRC cells. ZEB1 is associated with better prognosis and reduced EMT signature in patients harboring BRAF CRCs. These data suggest that ZEB1 can function as a tumor suppressor in BRAF-mutant CRCs, highlighting the importance of considering the KRAS/BRAF mutational background of CRCs in therapeutic strategies targeting ZEB1/EMT
Superconducting transitions from the pseudogap state: d-wave symmetry, lattice, and low-dimensional effects
We investigate the behavior of the superconducting transition temperature
within a previously developed BCS-Bose Einstein crossover picture. This
picture, based on a decoupling scheme of Kadanoff and Martin, further extended
by Patton, can be used to derive a simple form for the superconducting
transition temperature in the presence of a pseudogap. We extend previous work
which addressed the case of s-wave pairing in jellium, to explore the solutions
for T_c as a function of variable coupling in more physically relevant
situations. We thereby ascertain the effects of reduced dimensionality,
periodic lattices and a d-wave pairing interaction. Implications for the
cuprate superconductors are discussed.Comment: REVTeX, 11 pages, 6 EPS figures included, Replace with published
versio
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