Incommensurate spin density modulation in a copper-oxide chain compound with commensurate charge order

Neutron diffraction has been used to determine the magnetic structure of Na$_8$Cu$_5$O$_{10}$, a stoichiometric compound containing chains based on edge-sharing CuO$_4$ plaquettes. The chains are doped with 2/5 hole per Cu site and exhibit long-range commensurate charge order with an onset well above room temperature. Below $T_N = 23$ K, the neutron data indicate long-range collinear magnetic order with a spin density modulation whose propagation vector is commensurate along and incommensurate perpendicular to the chains. Competing interchain exchange interactions are discussed as a possible origin of the incommensurate magnetic order

Helicoidal magnetic order in a clean copper oxide spin chain compound

We report susceptibility, specific heat, and neutron diffraction measurements on NaCu$_2$O$_2$, a spin-1/2 chain compound isostructural to LiCu$_2$O$_2$, which has been extensively investigated. Below 13 K, we find a long-range ordered, incommensurate magnetic helix state with a propagation vector similar to that of LiCu$_2$O$_2$. In contrast to the Li analogue, substitutional disorder is negligible in NaCu$_2$O$_2$. We can thus rule out that the helix is induced by impurities, as was claimed on the basis of prior work on LiCu$_2$O$_2$. A spin Hamiltonian with frustrated longer-range exchange interactions provides a good description of both the ordered state and the paramagnetic susceptibility.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures Improved Fig.1 and 4. Minor rephrasing. Reference adde

Loss of intranetwork and internetwork resting state functional connections with Alzheimer\u27s disease progression

Alzheimer\u27s disease (AD) is the most common cause of dementia. Much is known concerning AD pathophysiology but our understanding of the disease at the systems level remains incomplete. Previous AD research has used resting-state functional connectivity magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fcMRI) to assess the integrity of functional networks within the brain. Most studies have focused on the default-mode network (DMN), a primary locus of AD pathology. However, other brain regions are inevitably affected with disease progression. We studied rs-fcMRI in five functionally defined brain networks within a large cohort of human participants of either gender (n = 510) that ranged in AD severity from unaffected [clinical dementia rating (CDR) 0] to very mild (CDR 0.5) to mild (CDR 1). We observed loss of correlations within not only the DMN but other networks at CDR 0.5. Within the salience network (SAL), increases were seen between CDR 0 and CDR 0.5. However, at CDR 1, all networks, including SAL, exhibited reduced correlations. Specific networks were preferentially affected at certain CDR stages. In addition, cross-network relations were consistently lost with increasing AD severity. Our results demonstrate that AD is associated with widespread loss of both intranetwork and internetwork correlations. These results provide insight into AD pathophysiology and reinforce an integrative view of the brain\u27s functional organization

Strong enhancement of d-wave superconducting state in the three-band Hubbard model coupled to an apical oxygen phonon

We study the hole binding energy and pairing correlations in the three-band Hubbard model coupled to an apical oxygen phonon, by exact diagonalization and constrained-path Monte Carlo simulations. In the physically relevant charge-transfer regime, we find that the hole binding energy is strongly enhanced by the electron-phonon interaction, which is due to a novel potential-energy-driven pairing mechanism involving reduction of both electronic potential energy and phonon related energy. The enhancement of hole binding energy, in combination with a phonon-induced increase of quasiparticle weight, leads to a dramatic enhancement of the long-range part of d-wave pairing correlations. Our results indicate that the apical oxygen phonon plays a significant role in the superconductivity of high-$T_c$ cuprates.Comment: 5 pages, 5 figure

Electronic structure, magnetic and dielectric properties of the edge-sharing copper-oxide chain compound NaCu2_{2}O2_{2}

We report an experimental study of \nco, a Mott insulator containing chains of edge-sharing CuO$_4$ plaquettes, by polarized x-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS), resonant magnetic x-ray scattering (RMXS), magnetic susceptibility, and pyroelectric current measurements. The XAS data show that the valence holes reside exclusively on the Cu$^{2+}$ sites within the copper-oxide spin chains and populate a $d$-orbital polarized within the CuO$_4$ plaquettes. The RMXS measurements confirm the presence of incommensurate magnetic order below a N\'eel temperature of $T_N = 11.5$ K, which was previously inferred from neutron powder diffraction and nuclear magnetic resonance data. In conjunction with the magnetic susceptibility and XAS data, they also demonstrate a new "orbital" selection rule for RMXS that is of general relevance for magnetic structure determinations by this technique. Dielectric property measurements reveal the absence of significant ferroelectric polarization below $T_N$, which is in striking contrast to corresponding observations on the isostructural compound \lco. The results are discussed in the context of current theories of multiferroicity.Comment: 7 pages, 7 figure

The resting human brain and motor learning.

Functionally related brain networks are engaged even in the absence of an overt behavior. The role of this resting state activity, evident as low-frequency fluctuations of BOLD (see [1] for review, [2-4]) or electrical [5, 6] signals, is unclear. Two major proposals are that resting state activity supports introspective thought or supports responses to future events [7]. An alternative perspective is that the resting brain actively and selectively processes previous experiences [8]. Here we show that motor learning can modulate subsequent activity within resting networks. BOLD signal was recorded during rest periods before and after an 11 min visuomotor training session. Motor learning but not motor performance modulated a fronto-parietal resting state network (RSN). Along with the fronto-parietal network, a cerebellar network not previously reported as an RSN was also specifically altered by learning. Both of these networks are engaged during learning of similar visuomotor tasks [9-22]. Thus, we provide the first description of the modulation of specific RSNs by prior learning--but not by prior performance--revealing a novel connection between the neuroplastic mechanisms of learning and resting state activity. Our approach may provide a powerful tool for exploration of the systems involved in memory consolidation

Retinotopic organization of human visual cortex mapped with positron-emission tomography

The retinotopic organization of primary visual cortex was mapped in normal human volunteers. Positron-emission tomographic measurements of regional cerebral blood flow were employed to detect focal functional brain activation. Oxygen-15-labeled water, delivered by intravenous bolus, was used as the blood flow tracer to allow multiple stimulated- state (n = 5) and control-state (n = 3) measurements to be acquired for each of 7 subjects. Responses were identified by applying a maximum- detection algorithm to subtraction-format images of the stimulus- induced change in cerebral blood flow. Response locales were described using a standardized system of stereotactic coordinates. Changes in stimulus location (macular, perimacular, peripheral, upper-field, lower- field) caused systematic, highly significant changes in response locale within visual cortex. Discrete extrastriate visual responses were also observed

Retinotopic organization of human visual cortex mapped with positron-emission tomography

The retinotopic organization of primary visual cortex was mapped in normal human volunteers. Positron-emission tomographic measurements of regional cerebral blood flow were employed to detect focal functional brain activation. Oxygen-15-labeled water, delivered by intravenous bolus, was used as the blood flow tracer to allow multiple stimulated- state (n = 5) and control-state (n = 3) measurements to be acquired for each of 7 subjects. Responses were identified by applying a maximum- detection algorithm to subtraction-format images of the stimulus- induced change in cerebral blood flow. Response locales were described using a standardized system of stereotactic coordinates. Changes in stimulus location (macular, perimacular, peripheral, upper-field, lower- field) caused systematic, highly significant changes in response locale within visual cortex. Discrete extrastriate visual responses were also observed