Predicted Electronic Markers for Polytypes of LaOBiS\u3csub\u3e2\u3c/sub\u3e Examined via Angle-Resolved Photoemission Spectroscopy

The natural periodic stacking of symmetry-inequivalent planes in layered compounds can lead to the formation of natural superlattices; albeit close in total energy, (thus in their thermodynamic stability), such polytype superlattices can exhibit different structural symmetries, thus have markedly different electronic properties which can in turn be used as “structural markers”. We illustrate this general principle on the layered LaOBiS2 compound where density-functional theory (DFT) calculations on the (BiS2)/(LaO)/(BiS2) polytype superlattices reveal both qualitatively and quantitatively distinct electronic structure markers associated with the Rashba physics, yet the total energies are only ∼ 0.1 meV apart. This opens the exciting possibility of identifying subtle structural features via electronic markers. We show that the pattern of removal of band degeneracies in different polytypes by the different forms of symmetry breaking leads to Rashba “minigaps” with characteristic Rashba parameters that can be determined from spectroscopy, thereby narrowing down the physically possible polytypes. By identifying these distinct DFT-predicted fingerprints via angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES) measurements on LaBiOS2 we found the dominant polytype with small amounts of mixtures of other polytypes. This conclusion, consistent with neutron scattering results, establishes ARPES detection of theoretically established electronic markers as a powerful tool to delineate energetically quasidegenerate polytypes

Search and design of nonmagnetic centrosymmetric layered crystals with large local spin polarization

Until recently, spin polarization in nonmagnetic materials was the exclusive territory of noncentrosymmetric structures. It was recently shown that a form of "hidden spin polarization" (named the "Rashba-2" or "R-2" effect) could exist in globally centrosymmetric crystals provided the individual layers belong to polar point group symmetries. This realization could considerably broaden the range of materials that might be considered for spin-polarization spintronic applications to include the hitherto "forbidden spintronic compound" that belongs to centrosymmetric symmetries. Here we take the necessary steps to transition from such general, material-agnostic condensed matter theory arguments to material-specific "design principles" that could aid future laboratory search of R-2 materials. Specifically, we (i) classify different prototype layered structures that have been broadly studied in the literature in terms of their expected R-2 behavior, including the Bi2Se3-structure type (a prototype topological insulator), MoS2-structure type (a prototype valleytronic compound), and LaBiOS2-structure type (a host of superconductivity upon doping); (ii) formulate the properties that ideal R-2 compounds should have in terms of combination of their global unit cell symmetries with specific point group symmetries of their constituent "sectors"; and (iii) use first-principles band theory to search for compounds from the prototype family of LaOBiS2-type structures that satisfy these R-2 design metrics. We initially consider both stable and hypothetical M???OMX2 (M': Sc, Y, La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Al, Ga, In, Tl; M: P, As, Sb, Bi; X: S, Se, Te) compounds to establish an understanding of trends of R-2 with composition, and then indicate the predictions that are expected to be stable and synthesizable. We predict large spin splittings (up to ???200meV for holes in LaOBiTe2) as well as surface Rashba states. Experimental testing of such predictions is called for. © 2015 American Physical Society.open0

Predicted electronic markers for polytypes of LaOBiS2 examined via angular resolved photoemission spectroscopy

The natural periodic stacking of symmetry-inequivalent planes in layered compounds can lead to the formation of natural superlattices; albeit close in total energy, (thus in their thermodynamic stability), such polytype superlattices can exhibit different structural symmetries, thus have markedly different electronic properties which can in turn be used as "structural markers". We illustrate this general principle on the layered LaOBiS2 compound where density-functional theory (DFT) calculations on the (BiS2)/(LaO)/(BiS2) polytype superlattices reveal both qualitatively and quantitatively distinct electronic structure markers associated with the Rashba physics, yet the total energies are only ~ 0.1 meV apart. This opens the exciting possibility of identifying subtle structural features via electronic markers. We show that the pattern of removal of band degeneracies in different polytypes by the different forms of symmetry breaking leads to new Rashba "mini gaps" with characteristic Rashba parameters that can be determined from spectroscopy, thereby narrowing down the physically possible polytypes. By identifying these distinct DFT-predicted fingerprints via ARPES measurements on LaBiOS2 we found the dominant polytype with small amounts of mixtures of other polytypes. This conclusion, consistent with neutron scattering results, establishes ARPES detection of theoretically established electronic markers as a powerful tool to delineate energetically quasidegenerate polytypes.Comment: 13 pages, 4 figure

Non-Sterilized Fermentative Production of Polymer-Grade L-Lactic Acid by a Newly Isolated Thermophilic Strain Bacillus sp. 2–6

-lactic acid is another limitation for PLA polymers to compete with conventional plastics.-lactic acid concentration of 182.0 g/liter was obtained from 30-liter fed-batch fermentation with an average productivity of 3.03 g/liter/h and product optical purity of 99.4%.-lactic acid production from renewable resources

Manipulation of Cell:Cell Contacts and Mesoderm Suppressing Activity Direct Lineage Choice from Pluripotent Primitive Ectoderm-Like Cells in Culture

In the mammal, the pluripotent cells of embryo differentiate and commit to either the mesoderm/endoderm lineages or the ectoderm lineage during gastrulation. In culture, the ability to direct lineage choice from pluripotent cells into the mesoderm/endoderm or ectoderm lineages will enable the development of technologies for the formation of highly enriched or homogenous populations of cells. Here we show that manipulation of cell:cell contact and a mesoderm suppressing activity in culture affects the outcome of pluripotent cell differentiation and when both variables are manipulated appropriately they can direct differentiation to either the mesoderm or ectoderm lineage. The disruption of cell:cell contacts and removal of a mesoderm suppressor activity results in the differentiation of pluripotent, primitive ectoderm-like cells to the mesoderm lineage, while maintenance of cell:cell contacts and inclusion, within the culture medium, of a mesoderm suppressing activity results in the formation of near homogenous populations of ectoderm. Understanding the contribution of these variables in lineage choice provides a framework for the development of directed differentiation protocols that result in the formation of specific cell populations from pluripotent cells in culture

Impact of Rare and Common Genetic Variants on Diabetes Diagnosis by Hemoglobin A1c in Multi-Ancestry Cohorts: The Trans-Omics for Precision Medicine Program

Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) is widely used to diagnose diabetes and assess glycemic control in individuals with diabetes. However, nonglycemic determinants, including genetic variation, may influence how accurately HbA1c reflects underlying glycemia. Analyzing the NHLBI Trans-Omics for Precision Medicine (TOPMed) sequence data in 10,338 individuals from five studies and four ancestries (6,158 Europeans, 3,123 African-Americans, 650 Hispanics, and 407 East Asians), we confirmed five regions associated with HbA1c (GCK in Europeans and African-Americans, HK1 in Europeans and Hispanics, FN3K and/or FN3KRP in Europeans, and G6PD in African-Americans and Hispanics) and we identified an African-ancestry-specific low-frequency variant (rs1039215 in HBG2 and HBE1, minor allele frequency (MAF) = 0.03). The most associated G6PD variant (rs1050828-T, p.Val98Met, MAF = 12% in African-Americans, MAF = 2% in Hispanics) lowered HbA1c (−0.88% in hemizygous males, −0.34% in heterozygous females) and explained 23% of HbA1c variance in African-Americans and 4% in Hispanics. Additionally, we identified a rare distinct G6PD coding variant (rs76723693, p.Leu353Pro, MAF = 0.5%; −0.98% in hemizygous males, −0.46% in heterozygous females) and detected significant association with HbA1c when aggregating rare missense variants in G6PD. We observed similar magnitude and direction of effects for rs1039215 (HBG2) and rs76723693 (G6PD) in the two largest TOPMed African American cohorts, and we replicated the rs76723693 association in the UK Biobank African-ancestry participants. These variants in G6PD and HBG2 were monomorphic in the European and Asian samples. African or Hispanic ancestry individuals carrying G6PD variants may be underdiagnosed for diabetes when screened with HbA1c. Thus, assessment of these variants should be considered for incorporation into precision medicine approaches for diabetes diagnosis

Detectable Clonal Mosaicism from Birth to Old Age and its Relationship to Cancer

Clonal mosaicism for large chromosomal anomalies (duplications, deletions and uniparental disomy) was detected using SNP microarray data from over 50,000 subjects recruited for genome-wide association studies. This detection method requires a relatively high frequency of cells (>5–10%) with the same abnormal karyotype (presumably of clonal origin) in the presence of normal cells. The frequency of detectable clonal mosaicism in peripheral blood is low (<0.5%) from birth until 50 years of age, after which it rises rapidly to 2–3% in the elderly. Many of the mosaic anomalies are characteristic of those found in hematological cancers and identify common deleted regions that pinpoint the locations of genes previously associated with hematological cancers. Although only 3% of subjects with detectable clonal mosaicism had any record of hematological cancer prior to DNA sampling, those without a prior diagnosis have an estimated 10-fold higher risk of a subsequent hematological cancer (95% confidence interval = 6–18)