Tissue-specific expression of high-voltage-activated dihydropyridine-sensitive L-type calcium channels

The cloning of the cDNA for the α1 subunit of L-type calcium channels revealed that at least two genes (CaCh1 and CaCh2) exist which give rise to several splice variants. The expression of mRNA for these α1 subunits and the skeletal muscle α2/δ, β and γ subunits was studied in rabbit tissues and BC3H1 cells. Nucleic-acid-hybridization studies showed that the mRNA of all subunits are expressed in skeletal muscle, brain, heart and aorta. However, the α1-, β- and γ-specific transcripts had different sizes in these tissues. Smooth muscle and heart contain different splice variants of the CaCh2 gene. The α1, β and γ mRNA are expressed together in differentiated but not in proliferating BC3H1 cells. A probe specific for the skeletal muscle α2/δ subunit did not hybridize to poly(A)-rich RNA from BC3H1 cells. These results suggest that different splice variants of the genes for the α1, β and γ subunits exist in tissues containing L-type calcium channels, and that their expression is regulated in a coordinate manner

Magnetic Properties of a Quantum Ferrimagnet: NiCu(pba)(D_2O)_3 . 2D_2O

We report the results of magnetic measurements on a powder sample of NiCu(pba)(D_2O)_3 \cdot 2D_2O$(pba=1,3-propylenebis(oxamato)) which is one of the prototypical examples of an$S$=1/2 and 1 ferrimagnetic chain. Susceptibility($\chi$) shows a monotonous increase with decreasing temperature (T) and reaches a maximum at about 7 K. In the plot of$\chi T$versus$T$, the experimental data exhibit a broad minimum and are fit to the$\chi T$curve calculated for the ferrimagnetic Heisenberg chain composed of S=1/2 and 1. From this fit, we have evaluated the nearest-neighbor exchange constant$J/k_B=121 K$, the g-values of Ni$^{2+}$and Cu$^{2+}$,$g_{Ni}$=2.22 and$g_{Cu}$=2.09, respectively. Applied external field dependence of$\chi T$ at low temperatures is reproduced fairly well by the calculation for the same ferrimagnetic model.Comment: 7pages, 4 postscript figures, usues REVTEX. appear in J. Phys. Soc. Jpn vol 67 No.7 (1998

Electronic density of states derived from thermodynamic critical field curves for underdoped La-Sr-Cu-O

Thermodynamic critical field curves have been measured for $La_{2-x}Sr_{x}CuO_{4+\delta}$ over the full range of carrier concentrations where superconductivity occurs in order to determine changes in the normal state density of states with carrier concentration. There is a substantial window in the $H-T$ plane where the measurements are possible because the samples are both thermodynamically reversible and the temperature is low enough that vortex fluctuations are not important. In this window, the data fit Hao-Clem rather well, so this model is used to determine $H_c$ and $\kappa_c$ for each temperature and carrier concentration. Using N(0) and the ratio of the energy gap to transition temperature, $\Delta (0)/k_BT_c$, as fitting parameters, the $H_c vs T$ curves give $\Delta (0)/k_BT_c \sim 2.0$ over the whole range of $x$. Values of N(0) remain rather constant in the optimum-doped and overdoped regime, but drops quickly toward zero in the underdoped regime.

Ga NMR study of the local susceptibility in SrCr8Ga4O19: pseudogap and paramagnetic defects

We present the first Ga(4f) NMR study of the Cr susceptibility in the archetype of Kagome based frustrated antiferromagnets, SrCr$_{8}$Ga$_{4}$O$_{19}$. Our major finding is that the susceptibility of the frustrated lattice goes through a maximum around 50 K. Our data also supports the existence of paramagnetic ``clusters'' of spins, responsible for the Curie behavior observed in the macroscopic susceptibility at low T. These results set novel features for the constantly debated physics of geometrically frustrated magnets.Comment: 4 pages, 5 figures Submitted to Phys. Rev. Let

Generalized calculation of magnetic coupling constants for Mott-Hubbard insulators: Application to ferromagnetic Cr compounds

Using a Rayleigh-Schr\"odinger perturbation expansion of multi-band Hubbard models, we present analytic expressions for the super-exchange coupling constants between magnetic transition metal ions of arbitrary separation in Mott-Hubbard insulators. The only restrictions are i) all ligand ions are closed shell anions and ii) all contributing interaction paths are of equal length. For short paths, our results essentially confirm the Goodenough-Kanamori-Anderson rules, yet in general there does not exist any simple rule to predict the sign of the magnetic coupling constants. The most favorable situation for ferromagnetic coupling is found for ions with less than half filled d shells, the (relative) tendency to ferromagnetic coupling increases with increasing path length. As an application, the magnetic interactions of the Cr compounds Rb$_2$CrCl$_4$, CrCl$_3$, CrBr$_3$ and CrI$_3$ are investigated, all of which except CrCl$_3$ are ferromagnets.Comment: 13 pages, 6 eps figures, submitted to Phys Rev

The Heisenberg model on the 1/5-depleted square lattice and the CaV4O9 compound

We investigate the ground state structure of the Heisenberg model on the 1/5-depleted square lattice for arbitrary values of the first- and second-neighbor exchange couplings. By using a mean-field Schwinger-boson approach we present a unified description of the rich ground-state diagram, which include the plaquette and dimer resonant-valence-bond phases, an incommensurate phase and other magnetic orders with complex magnetic unit cells. We also discuss some implications of ours results for the experimental realization of this model in the CaV4O9 compound.Comment: 4 pages, Latex, 7 figures included as eps file

Superconductivity in an exactly solvable Hubbard model with bond-charge interaction

The Hubbard model with an additional bond-charge interaction $X$ is solved exactly in one dimension for the case $t=X$ where $t$ is the hopping amplitude. In this case the number of doubly occupied sites is conserved. In the sector with no double occupations the model reduces to the $U=\infty$ Hubbard model. In arbitrary dimensions the qualitative form of the phase diagram is obtained. It is shown that for moderate Hubbard interactions $U$ the model has superconducting ground states.Comment: Revtex, 14 pages, 1 figure (uuencoded compressed tar-file