Momentum dependence of the energy gap in the superconducting state of optimally doped Bi2(Sr,R)2CuOy (R=La and Eu)

The energy gap of optimally doped Bi2(Sr,R)2CuOy (R=La and Eu) was probed by angle resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES) using a vacuum ultraviolet laser (photon energy 6.994 eV) or He I resonance line (21.218 eV) as photon source. The results show that the gap around the node at sufficiently low temperatures can be well described by a monotonic d-wave gap function for both samples and the gap of the R=La sample is larger reflecting the higher Tc. However, an abrupt deviation from the d-wave gap function and an opposite R dependence for the gap size were observed around the antinode, which represent a clear disentanglement between the antinodal pseudogap and the nodal superconducting gap.Comment: Submitted as the proceedings of LT2

Secretion dynamics of soyasaponins in soybean roots and effects to modify the bacterial composition

Soyasaponins are triterpenoid saponins widely found in legume plants. These compounds have drawn considerable attention because they have various activities beneficial for human health, and their biosynthesis has been actively studied. In our previous study, we found that legume plants including soybean secrete soyasaponins from the roots in hydroponic culture throughout the growth period, but the physiological roles of soyasaponins in the rhizosphere and their fate in soil after exudation have remained unknown. This study demonstrates that soyasaponins are secreted from the roots of field-grown soybean, and soyasaponin Bb is the major soyasaponin detected in the rhizosphere. In vitro analysis of the distribution coefficient suggested that soyasaponin Bb can diffuse over longer distances in the soil in comparison with daidzein, which is a typical isoflavone secreted from soybean roots. The degradation rate of soyasaponin Bb in soil was slightly faster than that of daidzein, whereas no soyasaponin Bb degradation was observed in autoclaved soil, suggesting that microbes utilize soyasaponins in the rhizosphere. Bacterial community composition was clearly influenced by soyasaponin Bb, and potential plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria such as Novosphingobium were significantly enriched in both soyasaponin Bb-treated soil and the soybean rhizosphere. These results strongly suggest that soyasaponin Bb plays an important role in the enrichment of certain microbes in the soybean rhizosphere

Quasi-One-Dimensional Spin Dynamics in dd-Electron Heavy-Fermion Metal Y1−x_{1-x}Scx_xMn2_2

Slow spin fluctuations ($\nu < 10^{12}$ s$^-1$) observed by the muon spin relaxation technique in Y$_{1-x}$Sc$_x$Mn$_2$ exhibits a power law dependence on temperature ($\nu \propto T^\alpha$), where the power converges asymptotically to unity ($\alpha\rightarrow 1$) as the system moves away from spin-glass instability with increasing Sc content $x$. This linear $T$ dependence, which is common to that observed in LiV$_2$O$_4$, is in line with the prediction of the "intersecting Hubbard chains" model for a metallic pyrochlore lattice, suggesting that the geometrical constraints to t2g bands specific to the pyrochlore structure serve as a basis of the $d$-electron heavy-fermion state.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures, to appear in J. Phys. Soc. Jp

Evolution with hole doping of the electronic excitation spectrum in the cuprate superconductors

The recent scanning tunnelling results of Alldredge et al on Bi-2212 and of Hanaguri et al on Na-CCOC are examined from the perspective of the BCS/BEC boson-fermion resonant crossover model for the mixed-valent HTSC cuprates. The model specifies the two energy scales controlling the development of HTSC behaviour and the dichotomy often now alluded to between nodal and antinodal phenomena in the HTSC cuprates. Indication is extracted from the data as to how the choice of the particular HTSC system sees these two basic energy scales (cursive-U, the local pair binding energy and, Delta-sc, the nodal BCS-like gap parameter) evolve with doping and change in degree of metallization of the structurally and electronically perturbed mixed-valent environment.Comment: 19 pages, 5 figure

Emergence of Antiferromagnetic Correlation in LiTi2-xVxO4 via 7Li NMR

We report 7Li NMR studies of V-substitution effects on spinel oxide superconductor LiTi2O4 (Tc = 13.4 K). In LiTi2-xVxO4 (x = 0-0.4), the V substitution for the Ti site suppressed the relative volume fraction of superconductivity faster than Tc. From the observation of fairly homogeneous enhancement in a 7Li nuclear spin-lattice relaxation rate, we conclude that the V substitution changes electron correlation effects through electron carrier doping from quarter electron filling 3d0.5 to 3d1.5 and then the antiferromagnetic correlation emerges.Comment: 4 pages, 7 figure

Electric field effects on proteins Novel perspectives on food and potential health implications

Electric fields (EF) technologies have been establishing a solid position in emergent food processing and have seen as serious alternatives to traditional thermal processing. During the last decades, research has been devoted to elucidation of technological and safety issues but also fundamental aspects related with interaction of electric fields (EF) with important macromolecules, such as proteins. Proteins are building blocks for the development of functional networks that can encompass health benefits (i.e. nutritional and bioactive properties) but may be also linked with adverse effects such as neurodegenerative diseases (amyloid fibrils) and immunological responses. The biological function of a protein depends on its tridimensional structure/conformation, and latest research evidences that EF can promote disturbances on protein conformation, change their unfolding mechanisms, aggregation and interaction patterns. This review aims at bringing together these recent findings as well as providing novel perspectives about how EF can shape the behavior of proteins towards the development of innovative foods, aiming at consumers health and wellbeing.This study was supported by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) under the scope of the strategic funding of UID/ BIO/04469/2019 and UIDB 50006/2020 with funding from FCT/ MCTES through national funds, BioTecNorte operation (NORTE-01- 0145-FEDER-000004) funded by the European Regional Development Fund under the scope of Norte2020 - Programa Operacional Regional do Norte. This work was also supported by the projects AlleRiskAssess – PTDC/BAA-AGR/31720/2017 and NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-031720. Zita Avelar acknowledge the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) for its fellowship SFRH/BD/146347/2019info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio