Magnetic Properties of the Novel Low-Dimensional Cuprate Na5RbCu4(AsO4)4Cl2

The magnetic properties of a new compound, Na5RbCu4(AsO4)4Cl2 are reported. The material has a layered structure comprised of square Cu4O4 tetramers. The Cu ions are divalent and the system behaves as a low-dimensional S=1/2 antiferromagnet. Spin exchange in Na5RbCu4(AsO4)4Cl2 appears to be quasi-two-dimensional and non-frustrated. Measurements of the bulk magnetic susceptibility and heat capacity are consistent with low-dimensional magnetism. The compound has an interesting, low-entropy, magnetic transition at T = 17 K.Comment: 4 pages, 5 figure

Resonant x-ray scattering study on multiferroic BiMnO3

Resonant x-ray scattering is performed near the Mn K-absorption edge for an epitaxial thin film of BiMnO3. The azimuthal angle dependence of the resonant (003) peak (in monoclinic indices) is measured with different photon polarizations; for the $\sigma\to\pi'$ channel a 3-fold symmetric oscillation is observed in the intensity variation, while the $\sigma\to\sigma'$ scattering intensity remains constant. These features are accounted for in terms of the peculiar ordering of the manganese 3d orbitals in BiMnO3. It is demonstrated that the resonant peak persists up to 770 K with an anomaly around 440 K; these high and low temperatures coincide with the structural transition temperatures, seen in bulk, with and without a symmetry change, respectively. A possible relationship of the orbital order with the ferroelectricity of the system is discussed.Comment: 14 pages, 4 figure

Superclustering at Redshift Z=0.54

We present strong evidence for the existence of a supercluster at a redshift of z=0.54 in the direction of Selected Area 68. From the distribution of galaxies with spectroscopic redshifts we find that there is a large over-density of galaxies (a factor of four over the number expected in an unclustered universe) within the redshift range 0.530 < z < 0.555. By considering the spatial distribution of galaxies within this redshift range (using spectroscopic and photometric redshifts) we show that the galaxies in SA68 form a linear structure passing from the South-West of the survey field through to the North-East (with a position angle of approximately 35 deg East of North). This position angle is coincident with the positions of the X-ray clusters CL0016+16, RX J0018.3+1618 and a new X-ray cluster, RX J0018.8+1602, centered near the radio source 54W084. All three of these sources are at a redshift of approximately z=0.54 and have position angles, derived from their X-ray photon distributions, consistent with that measured for the supercluster. Assuming a redshift of 0.54 for the distribution of galaxies and a FWHM dispersion in redshift of 0.020 this represents a coherent structure with a radial extent of 31 Mpc, transverse dimension of 12 Mpc, and a thickness of approximately 4 Mpc. The detection of this possible supercluster demonstrates the power of using X-ray observations, combined with multicolor observations, to map the large scale distribution of galaxies at intermediate redshifts.Comment: 12 pages, 3 figures, Latex, aaspp4.sty, accepted for publication in Ap J Letters. Figure 3 and followup observations can be found at http://tarkus.pha.jhu.edu/~ajc/papers/supercluster

SLS Processing Studies of Nylon 11 Nanocomposites

Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) is widely used for rapid prototyping/manufacturing of nylon 11 and nylon 12 parts. This processing technique has not been explored for nylon nanocomposites. This study investigates the technicalities of processing nylon 11-clay and nylon-carbon nanofiber nanocomposites with SLS. Microstructural analyses of the SLS powders and parts were conducted under SEM. Results suggest that SLS processing is possible with the new nylon 11 nanocomposites. Yet the SLS parts built have inferior properties relative to those of injection molding, suggesting that more fine tuning for the processing is required.Mechanical Engineerin

Singlet ground state in the alternating spin-1/21/2 chain compound NaVOAsO4_4

We present the synthesis and a detailed investigation of structural and magnetic properties of polycrystalline NaVOAsO$_4$ by means of x-ray diffraction, magnetization, electron spin resonance (ESR), and $^{75}$As nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) measurements as well as density-functional band structure calculations. Temperature-dependent magnetic susceptibility, ESR intensity, and NMR line shift could be described well using an alternating spin-$1/2$ chain model with the exchange coupling $J/k_{\rm B}\simeq 52$ K and an alternation parameter $\alpha \simeq 0.65$. From the high-field magnetic isotherm measured at $T=1.5$ K, the critical field of the gap closing is found to be $H_{\rm c}\simeq 16$ T, which corresponds to the zero-field spin gap of $\Delta_0/k_{\rm B}\simeq 21.4$ K. Both NMR shift and spin-lattice relaxation rate show an activated behavior at low temperatures, further confirming the singlet ground state. The spin chains do not coincide with the structural chains, whereas the couplings between the spin chains are frustrated. Because of a relatively small spin gap, NaVOAsO$_4$ is a promising compound for further experimental studies under high magnetic fields.Comment: 14 pages, 10 figures, 2 table

The Luminosity Function for L>L* Galaxies at z > 3

Through use of multiband (U, B, R, I) photometry we have isolated high redshift (3.0<z<3.5) galaxy candidates in a survey of 1.27 deg^2 to R = 21.25 and a survey of 0.02 deg^2 to R = 23.5. Our pool of candidates constrains the nature of the 3.0 < z < 3.5 luminosity function over the range L* < L < 100 L*, if we grant a similar level of completeness to these data as for very faint samples (to R = 25.5) selected in a similar fashion. Our constraints agree with the high redshift sky density at R = 20.5 estimated from Yee et al.'s (1996) serendipitous discovery of a bright, z = 2.7 galaxy, as well as the density at R ~ 23 by Steidel et al. (1996b). We strongly rule out -- by more than two orders of magnitude at M(R) = -25 -- the L > L* luminosity function for z = 3-5 galaxies obtained by a photometric redshift analysis of the Hubble Deep Field (HDF) by Gwyn & Hartwick (1996). Our results at R ~ 23 are more consistent with the photometric redshift analysis of the faint HDF galaxies by Sawicki & Yee (1996), but our present upper limits at the brightest magnitudes (R < 21.5, M(R) < -24) allow more generous volume densities of these super-L* galaxies.Comment: Accepted for publication in ApJ Letters; 14 pages Latex, including 3 figure

Catabolism and Deactivation of the Lipid-Derived Hormone Jasmonoyl-Isoleucine

The oxylipin hormone jasmonate controls myriad processes involved in plant growth, development, and immune function. The discovery of jasmonoyl-l-isoleucine (JA-Ile) as the major bioactive form of the hormone highlights the need to understand biochemical and cell biological processes underlying JA-Ile homeostasis. Among the major metabolic control points governing the accumulation of JA-Ile in plant tissues are the availability of jasmonic acid, the immediate precursor of JA-Ile, and oxidative enzymes involved in catabolism and deactivation of the hormone. Recent studies indicate that JA-Ile turnover is mediated by a ω-oxidation pathway involving members of the CYP94 family of cytochromes P450. This discovery opens new opportunities to genetically manipulate JA-Ile levels for enhanced resistance to environmental stress, and further highlights ω-oxidation as a conserved pathway for catabolism of lipid-derived signals in plants and animals. Functional characterization of the full complement of CYP94 P450s promises to reveal new pathways for jasmonate metabolism and provide insight into the evolution of oxylipin signaling in land plants

Specific disruption of hippocampal mossy fiber synapses in a mouse model of familial Alzheimer's disease.

The earliest stages of Alzheimer's disease (AD) are characterized by deficits in memory and cognition indicating hippocampal pathology. While it is now recognized that synapse dysfunction precedes the hallmark pathological findings of AD, it is unclear if specific hippocampal synapses are particularly vulnerable. Since the mossy fiber (MF) synapse between dentate gyrus (DG) and CA3 regions underlies critical functions disrupted in AD, we utilized serial block-face electron microscopy (SBEM) to analyze MF microcircuitry in a mouse model of familial Alzheimer's disease (FAD). FAD mutant MF terminal complexes were severely disrupted compared to control - they were smaller, contacted fewer postsynaptic spines and had greater numbers of presynaptic filopodial processes. Multi-headed CA3 dendritic spines in the FAD mutant condition were reduced in complexity and had significantly smaller sites of synaptic contact. Significantly, there was no change in the volume of classical dendritic spines at neighboring inputs to CA3 neurons suggesting input-specific defects in the early course of AD related pathology. These data indicate a specific vulnerability of the DG-CA3 network in AD pathogenesis and demonstrate the utility of SBEM to assess circuit specific alterations in mouse models of human disease

A Variational Expansion for the Free Energy of a Bosonic System

In this paper, a variational perturbation scheme for nonrelativistic many-Fermion systems is generalized to a Bosonic system. By calculating the free energy of an anharmonic oscillator model, we investigated this variational expansion scheme for its efficiency. Using the modified Feynman rules for the diagrams, we obtained the analytical expression of the free energy up to the fourth order. Our numerical results at various orders are compared with the exact and other relevant results.Comment: 9 pages, 3 EPS figures. With a few typo errors corrected. to appear in J. Phys.

Innovative Selective Laser Sintering Rapid Manufacturing using Nanotechnology

The objective of this research is to develop an improved nylon 11 (polyamide 11) polymer with enhanced flame retardancy, thermal, and mechanical properties for selective laser sintering (SLS) rapid manufacturing (RM). A nanophase was introduced into nylon 11 via twin screw extrusion to provide improved material properties of the polymer blends. Atofina (now known as Arkema) RILSAN® nylon 11 injection molding polymer pellets was used with three types of nanoparticles: chemically modified montmorillonite (MMT) organoclays, nanosilica, and carbon nanofibers (CNF) to create nylon 11 nanocomposites. Wide angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were used to determine the degree of dispersion. Fifteen nylon 11 nanocomposites and control nylon 11 were fabricated by injection molding. Flammability properties (using a cone calorimeter with a radiant flux of 50 kW/m2 ) and mechanical properties such as tensile strength and modulus, flexural modulus, elongation at break were determined for the nylon 11 nanocomposites and compared with the baseline nylon 11. Based on flammability and mechanical material performance, five polymers including four nylon 11 nanocomposites and a control nylon 11 were cryogenically ground into fine powders for SLS RM. SLS specimens were fabricated for flammability, mechanical, and thermal properties characterization. Nylon 11-CNF nanocomposites exhibited the best overall properties for this study.Mechanical Engineerin