Effect of Sr substitution on superconductivity in Hg2(Ba1-ySry)2YCu2O8-d (part2): bond valence sum approach of the hole distribution

The effects of Sr substitution on superconductivity, and more particulary the changes induced in the hole doping mechanism, were investigated in Hg2(Ba1-ySry)2YCu2O8-d by a "bond valence sum" analysis with Sr content from y = 0.0 to y = 1.0. A comparison with CuBa2YCu2O7-d and Cu2Ba2YCu2O8 systems suggests a possible explanation of the Tc enhancement from 0 K for y = 0.0 to 42 K for y = 1.0. The charge distribution among atoms of the unit cell was determined from the refined structure, for y = 0.0 to 1.0. It shows a charge transfer to the superconducting CuO2 plane via two doping channels pi(1) and pi(2), i.e. through O2(apical)-Cu and Ba/Sr-O1 bonds respectively.Comment: 13 pages, 5 figures, accepted for publication in Journal of Physics: Condensed Matte

Absence of a structural transition up to 40 Gpa in MgB2 and the relevance of magnesium non-stoichiometry

We report measurements on MgB2 up to ~40GPa. Increasing pressure yields a monotonous decrease of the lattice parameters and of the c/a ratio, but no structural transition down to parameters smaller than those of AlB2. The transition superconducting temperature also decreases with temperature in a sample dependent way. The results are explained by an increase of the filling of the 2D pxy bands with pressure, the Mg stoichiometry determining the starting position of the Fermi level. Our measurements indicate that these hole bands are the relevant ones for superconductivity.Comment: submitted March 9th 2001, PRB accepte

ARPES Study of the Metal-Insulator Transition in Bismuth Cobaltates

We present an angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES) study of a Mott-Hubbard-type bismuth cobaltate system across a metal-insulator transition. By varying the amount of Pb substitution, and by doping with Sr or Ba cation, a range of insulating to metallic properties is obtained. We observe a systematic change in the spectral weight of the coherent and incoherent parts, accompanied by an energy shift of the incoherent part. The band dispersion also shows the emergence of a weakly dispersing state at the Fermi energy with increasing conductivity. These changes correspond with the changes in the temperature-dependent resistivity behavior. We address the nature of the coherent-incoherent parts in relation to the peak-dip-hump feature seen in cuprates superconductors

Expression analyses of candidate resistance genes in the Rpp4 Asian Soybean Rust resistance locus.

Asian Soybean Rust (ASR), caused Phakopsora pachyrhizi, is considered the most severe soybean disease around the world. Infection of susceptible genotypes leads to early defoliation, incomplete seed development, and yield losses as high as 80%. Five ASR resistance genes have been identified in soybean: Rpp1, Rpp2, Rpp3, Rpp4 and Rpp5. Of particular interest is Rpp4, which has remained stable and confers resistance against P. pachyrhizi isolates from around the world. Rpp4 was mapped to soybean linkage group G (chromosome 18), 1.9 cM from simple sequence repeat (SSR) marker Satt288. Sequencing of this region in the susceptible genotype Williams 82 identified a cluster of three CC-NBS-LRR resistance genes. Virus Induced Gene Silencing was used to demonstrate that orthologous genes were responsible for resistance. We have now sequenced a >460 kb region of the Rpp4 locus in the resistant mapping parent PI459025B. Eight CC-NBS-LRR resistance genes have been identified in this region. In order to obtain more information about Rpp4 function, we are using real time quantitative PCR (qRT-PCR) to analyze the expression of all eight genes in different plant tissues, in different stages of development and after inoculation with P. pachyrhizi. We have developed a single pair of primers from the NBD domain that monitors the expression of all eight genes. Direct sequencing of the RT-PCR product differentiates between the eight genes. Detailed sequence analyses of the Rpp4 locus suggest that intra- and intergenic duplications and recombination have played an important role in creating genetic diversity. Alternative splicing of intragenic duplications may create additional sequence diversity at an RNA level. We are developing primers that will allow us to monitor alternative splicing events. Sequencing of the RT-PCR products will determine if alternative splicing plays a role in generating additional sequence diversity at the Rpp4 locus.Edição de Poster da 11. Annual National Outreach Scholarship Conference, Raleigh

Fluorinated beta-sheet breaker peptides

The aggregation of amyloid-beta peptide (Ab) has been linked to the formation of neuritic plaques, which are pathological hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease. We synthesized peptides containing fluorinated amino acids and studied their effect on the Ab aggregation. The peptides were based on the sequence LVFFD, in which valine was substituted by either 4,4,4-trifluorovaline or 4-fluoroproline, or the phenylalanine at position 3 was replaced by 3,4,5-trifluorophenylalanine. Our results demonstrate that fluorination of the hydrophobic residue valine or phenylalanine is effective in preventing the Ab aggregation. This study opens up the possibility of using new sequences based on fluorinated amino acids to inhibit the amyloid- fibril formation

Sociospatial reading of favela: A comparative analysis from organic Portuguese cities

This research decodifies the favelas spatial system through its configuration in com- parison to historical organic structures aiming at searching similar self-organized processes. It is intended to observe in which way the configuration of such areas, read through their spatial patterns, affects their sociospatial dynamics and how it gets closer to common strategies for organizing the urban space: in which way favela reproduces historically consolidated spatial patterns inherent to organic cities? The Theory of The Social Logic of Space (Hillier & Han- son, 1984) is the theoretical, methodological and technical approach for this study, allowing to investigate such phenomena by means of its spatial complexity. The sample consists of 120 set- tlements around the world, explored according to a set of 26 configurational variables (among qualitative and quantitative, both geometric and topological), compared to a group of 45 Por- tuguese medieval towns (representative of organic cities). Findings show that the favelas recog- nized spatial patterns are mostly common to those associated with organic structures. Despite being much denser and apparently labyrinthine shapes, the internal dynamics of the favelas reveal positive global relationships. These settlements behave similarly to consolidated urban systems and share common spatial logics throughout world regions and distinct cultures, fea- ture which allows recognizing the self-organization strategy as essential to their structural and survival process.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio