Amorphous ferromagnetism and re-entrant magnetic glassiness in Sm2_{2}Mo2_{2}O7_{7}: new insights into the electronic phase diagram of pyrochlore molybdates

We discuss the magnetic properties of a Sm$_{2}$Mo$_{2}$O$_{7}$ single crystal as investigated by means of different experimental techniques. In the literature, a conventional itinerant ferromagnetic state is reported for the Mo$^{4+}$ sublattice below $\sim 78$ K. However, our results of dc magnetometry, muon spin spectroscopy ($\mu^{+}$SR) and high-harmonics magnetic ac susceptibility unambiguously evidence highly disordered conditions in this phase, in spite of the crystalline and chemical order. This disordered magnetic state shares several common features with amorphous ferromagnetic alloys. This scenario for Sm$_{2}$Mo$_{2}$O$_{7}$ is supported by the anomalously high values of the critical exponents, as mainly deduced by a scaling analysis of our dc magnetization data and confirmed by the other techniques. Moreover, $\mu^{+}$SR detects a significant static magnetic disorder at the microscopic scale. At the same time, the critical divergence of the third-harmonic component of the ac magnetic susceptibility around $\sim 78$ K leads to additional evidence towards the glassy nature of this magnetic phase. Finally, the longitudinal relaxation of $\mu^{+}$ spin polarization (also supported by results of ac susceptibility) evidences re-entrant glassy features similar to amorphous ferromagnets.Comment: 15 pages, 13 figure

Ballistic heat transport of quantum spin excitations as seen in SrCuO2

Fundamental conservation laws predict ballistic, i.e., dissipationless transport behaviour in one-dimensional quantum magnets. Experimental evidence, however, for such anomalous transport has been lacking ever since. Here we provide experimental evidence for ballistic heat transport in a S=1/2 Heisenberg chain. In particular, we investigate high purity samples of the chain cuprate SrCuO2 and observe a huge magnetic heat conductivity $\kappa_{mag}$. An extremely large spinon mean free path of more than a micrometer demonstrates that $\kappa_{mag}$ is only limited by extrinsic scattering processes which is a clear signature of ballistic transport in the underlying spin model

Spin Gap in the Single Spin-1/2 Chain Cuprate Sr1.9_{1.9}Ca0.1_{0.1}CuO3_3

We report $^{63}$Cu nuclear magnetic resonance and muon spin rotation measurements on the S=1/2 antiferromagnetic Heisenberg spin chain compound Sr$_{1.9}$Ca$_{0.1}$CuO$_3$. An exponentially decreasing spin-lattice relaxation rate 1/T$_1$ indicates the opening of a spin gap. This behavior is very similar to what has been observed for the cognate zigzag spin chain compound Sr$_{0.9}$Ca$_{0.1}$CuO$_2$, and confirms that the occurrence of a spin gap upon Ca doping is independent of the interchain exchange coupling $J'$. Our results therefore generally prove the appearance of a spin gap in an antiferromagnetic Heisenberg spin chain induced by a local bond disorder of the intrachain exchange coupling $J$. A low temperature upturn of 1/T$_1$ evidences growing magnetic correlations. However, zero field muon spin rotation measurements down to 1.5 K confirm the absence of magnetic order in this compound which is most likely suppressed by the opening of the spin gap.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figure

The thermal conductivity of alternating spin chains

We study a class of integrable alternating (S1,S2) quantum spin chains with critical ground state properties. Our main result is the description of the thermal Drude weight of the one-dimensional alternating spin chain as a function of temperature. We have identified the thermal current of the model with alternating spins as one of the conserved currents underlying the integrability. This allows for the derivation of a finite set of non-linear integral equations for the thermal conductivity. Numerical solutions to the integral equations are presented for specific cases of the spins S1 and S2. In the low-temperature limit a universal picture evolves where the thermal Drude weight is proportional to temperature T and central charge c.Comment: 15 pages, 1 figur

H_c_3 for a thin-film superconductor with a ferromagnetic dot

We investigate the effect of a ferromagnetic dot on a thin-film superconductor. We use a real-space method to solve the linearized Ginzburg-Landau equation in order to find the upper critical field, H_c_3. We show that H_c_3 is crucially dependent on dot composition and geometry, and may be significantly greater than H_c_2. H_c_3 is maximally enhanced when (1) the dot saturation magnetization is large, (2) the ratio of dot thickness to dot diameter is of order one, and (3) the dot thickness is large

Arrival of Paleo-Indians to the Southern Cone of South America: New Clues from Mitogenomes

With analyses of entire mitogenomes, studies of Native American mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) variation have entered the final phase of phylogenetic refinement: the dissection of the founding haplogroups into clades that arose in America during and after human arrival and spread. Ages and geographic distributions of these clades could provide novel clues on the colonization processes of the different regions of the double continent. As for the Southern Cone of South America, this approach has recently allowed the identification of two local clades (D1g and D1j) whose age estimates agree with the dating of the earliest archaeological sites in South America, indicating that Paleo-Indians might have reached that region from Beringia in less than 2000 years. In this study, we sequenced 46 mitogenomes belonging to two additional clades, termed B2i2 (former B2l) and C1b13, which were recently identified on the basis of mtDNA control-region data and whose geographical distributions appear to be restricted to Chile and Argentina. We confirm that their mutational motifs most likely arose in the Southern Cone region. However, the age estimate for B2i2 and C1b13 (11–13,000 years) appears to be younger than those of other local clades. The difference could reflect the different evolutionary origins of the distinct South American-specific sub-haplogroups, with some being already present, at different times and locations, at the very front of the expansion wave in South America, and others originating later in situ, when the tribalization process had already begun. A delayed origin of a few thousand years in one of the locally derived populations, possibly in the central part of Chile, would have limited the geographical and ethnic diffusion of B2i2 and explain the present-day occurrence that appears to be mainly confined to the Tehuelche and Araucanian-speaking grou

The potential role of T-cells and their interaction with antigen-presenting cells in mediating immunosuppression following trauma-hemorrhage

Objective: Trauma-hemorrhage results in depressed immune responses of antigen-presenting cells (APCs) and T-cells. Recent studies suggest a key role of depressed T-cell derived interferon (IFN)-g in this complex immune cell interaction. The aim of this study was to elucidate further the underlying mechanisms responsible for dysfunctional T-cells and their interaction with APCs following trauma-hemorrhage. Design: Adult C3H/HeN male mice were subjected to trauma-hemorrhage (3-cm midline laparotomy) followed by hemorrhage (blood pressure of 35�5mmHg for 90 min and resuscitation) or sham operation. At 24 h thereafter, spleens were harvested and T-cells (by Microbeads) and APCs (via adherence) were Isolated. Co-cultures of T-cells and APCs were established for 48 h and stimulated with concanavalin A and lipopolysaccharide. T-Cell specific cytokines known to affect APC function (i.e. interleukin(IL)-2, IL-4 and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF)) were measured in culture supernatants by Multiplex assay. The expression of MHC class II as well as co-stimulatory surface molecules on T-cells and APCs was determined by flow cytometry. Results: The release of IL-4 and GM-CSF by T-cells was suppressed following trauma-hemorrhage, irrespective of whether sham or trauma-hemorrhage APCs were present. Antigen-presenting cells from animals subjected to trauma-hemorrhage did not affect T-cell derived cytokine release by sham T-cells. In contrast, T-cells from traumahemorrhage animals depressed MHC class II expression of CD11c(þ) cells, irrespective of whether APCs underwent sham or trauma-hemorrhage procedure. Surprisingly, co-stimulatory molecules on APCs (CD80, CD86) were not affected by trauma-hemorrhage. Conclusions: These results suggest that beside IFN-g other T-cell derived cytokines contribute to immunosuppression following trauma-hemorrhage causing diminished MHC II expression on APCs. Thus, T-cells appear to play an important role in this interaction at the time-point examined. Therapeutic approaches should aim at maintenance of T-cell function and their interaction with APCs to prevent extended immunosuppression following trauma-hemorrhage