Defect propagation in one-, two-, and three-dimensional compounds doped by magnetic atoms

Inelastic neutron scattering experiments were performed to study manganese(II) dimer excitations in the diluted one-, two-, and three-dimensional compounds CsMn(x)Mg(1-x)Br(3), K(2)Mn(x)Zn(1-x)F(4), and KMn(x)Zn(1-x)F(3) (x<0.10), respectively. The transitions from the ground-state singlet to the excited triplet, split into a doublet and a singlet due to the single-ion anisotropy, exhibit remarkable fine structures. These unusual features are attributed to local structural inhomogeneities induced by the dopant Mn atoms which act like lattice defects. Statistical models support the theoretically predicted decay of atomic displacements according to 1/r**2, 1/r, and constant (for three-, two-, and one-dimensional compounds, respectively) where r denotes the distance of the displaced atoms from the defect. The observed fine structures allow a direct determination of the local exchange interactions J, and the local intradimer distances R can be derived through the linear law dJ/dR.Comment: 22 pages, 5 figures, 2 table

Comparative activity of the penem antibiotic Sch 34343 against Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria with special reference to multiresistant strains

A new penem antibiotic, Sch 34343, was shown to be active against a large number of Gram-positive bacteria. The drug inhibited penicillinase-positive and -negative staphylococci equally well, being five times more active than cefamandole and ten times more active than methiallin. Most methicillin-rcsistant staphylococci were inhibited by concentrations between 0.25 and 4 mg/1, but a small group of highly resistant strains were observed. Sch 34343 was eight times less active than ampicillin and penicillin G, but as active as piperacilhn against enterococci. The drug showed excellent activity against various streptococci. Sch 34343 was as bactericidal as flucloxacillin, ampicillin and penicillin G against staphylococci, enterococci and streptococci, respectively, in killing kinetic tests Enterobacteriaceae susceptible to third-generation cephalosporins were approximately five times less susceptible to Sch 34343, but MICs were far below the susceptibility breakpoint Sch 34343 was equally active against Citrobacter and Enterobacter strains that were highly resistant to third-generation cephalosporins and to aztreonam. Together with thienamycin, this drug seems to be a good alternative for the treatment of infections caused by bacteria resistant to third-generation cephalosporins and to aztreona

Natural methicillin resistance in comparison with that selected by in-vitro drug exposure in Staphylococcus aureus

Methicillin resistant staphylococci selected during serial passage in increasing concentrations of methicillin were compared with an isogenic methicillin resistant strain carrying the methicillin resistance determinant (mec) found in clinical isolates of Staphylococcus aureus. Selection for methicillin resistance was followed by changes in the binding characteristic of penicillin binding proteins (PBPs) 2 and 4. There was no immunological nor genetic relationship between the mec-determined low affinity PBP2′ and the PBPs of the in-vitro selected mutants. The Tn551 insertion Ω2003, which inactivates mec determined methicillin resistance, but which is not linked to mec, also partially reduced in-vitro selected methicillin resistance. This suggests that this methicillin resistance controlling factor contributes at least partially to methicillin resistance selected in vitr

Activity of meropenem, against Gram-positive bacteria

A new carbapenem antibiotic, meropenem, was shown to be active against a large number of Gram-positive bacteria. The drug inhibited penicillinase-positive and -negative, methicillin-susceptible staphylococci equally well. Among the comparative antimicrobials examined, only N-fonnimidoyl-thienamycin (imipenem) was two to four times more active than meropenem. Compared with vancomycin or methicillin, meropenem was 10-20 times more active. Strains of 11 species of streptococci were highly susceptible to meropenem; the geometric mean MICs of the drug for these species ranged from 0.01 to 0.04mg/l. The agent, however, only had moderate activity against Enterococcus faecalis (mean MIC 5mg/l) and Ent. faecium (mean MIC 11.6 mg/l). Among Corynebacterium jeikeium, strains were encountered that showed susceptibility to meropenem but resistance to imipenem and other β-lactams. Strains of other corynebacteria, Rhodococcus equi, Erysopelothrix rhusio-pathiae, Listeria monocytogenes, and Bacillus spp. all were highly susceptible to meropenem (mean MICs 0.04-0.17 mg/l). Although methicillin-resistant staphylo-cocci were inhibited by concentrations of 1-2 mg/l of meropenem in agar dilution tests, such strains showed heteroresistance in population studies, as is typical for all β-lactam antibiotics. In addition, the biochemical correlate of methicillin-resistance, penicillin-binding protein 2′, showed low affinity for meropenem, similar to that for imipenem. Meropenem was as bactericidal as imipenem and comparative bactericidal antimicrobials in killing-curve experiments. Strains of Ent. faecium, C. jeikeium, and L. monocytogenes were killed at a slower rate than streptococci or staphylococc

Evidence for competition between the superconducting and the pseudogap state in (BiPb)_2(SrLa)_2CuO_{6+\delta} from muon-spin rotation experiments

The in-plane magnetic penetration depth \lambda_{ab} in optimally doped (BiPb)_2(SrLa)_2CuO_{6+\delta} (OP Bi2201) was studied by means of muon-spin rotation. The measurements of \lambda_{ab}^{-2}(T) are inconsistent with a simple model of a d-wave order parameter and a uniform quasiparticle weight around the Fermi surface. The data are well described assuming the angular gap symmetry obtained in ARPES experiments [Phys. Rev. Lett {\bf 98}, 267004 (2007)], where it was shown that the superconducting gap in OP Bi2201 exists only in segments of the Fermi surface near the nodes. We find that the remaining parts of the Fermi surface, which are strongly affected by the pseudogap state, do not contribute significantly to the superconducting condensate. Our data provide evidence that high temperature superconductivity and pseudogap behavior in cuprates are competing phenomena.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figure

Oxygen-isotope effect on the superconducting gap in the cuprate superconductor Y_{1-x}Pr_xBa_2Cu_3O_{7-\delta}

The oxygen-isotope (^{16}O/^{18}O) effect (OIE) on the zero-temperature superconducting energy gap \Delta_0 was studied for a series of Y_{1-x}Pr_xBa_2Cu_3O_{7-\delta} samples (0.0\leq x\leq0.45). The OIE on \Delta_0 was found to scale with the one on the superconducting transition temperature. These experimental results are in quantitative agreement with predictions from a polaronic model for cuprate high-temperature superconductors and rule out approaches based on purely electronic mechanisms.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figure

Pressure effects on the magnetic structure in La0.5Ca0.5-xSrxMnO3 (0.1 -< x -< 0.4) manganites

The effect of high pressure (0 - 8 GPa) on the magnetic structure of polycrystalline samples of La0.5Ca0.5-xSrxMnO3 (0.1 -< x -< 0.4) manganites at 5 K is investigated using neutron diffraction technique. Application of pressure is found to modify the previously reported magnetic structure, observed under ambient conditions, in these compounds [I. Dhiman et al., Phys. Rev. B 77, 094440 (2008)]. In x = 0.1 composition, at 4.6(2) GPa and beyond, A-type antiferromagnetic structure is found to coexist with CE-type antiferromagnetic phase, observed at ambient pressure, with TN ~ 150 K. For x = 0.3 sample, as a function of pressure the CE-type phase is fully suppressed at 2.3(1) GPa and A-type antiferromagnetic phase is favored. Further Sr doping at x = 0.4, the A-type antiferromagnetic phase is observed at ambient pressure and for T < TN (~ 250K). This phase is retained in the studied pressure range. However, the magnetic moment progressively reduces with increasing pressure, indicating the suppression of A-type antiferromagnetic phase. The present study brings out the fragile nature of the CE-type antiferromagnetic state in half doped manganites as a function of pressure and disorder \sigma 2. We observe that pressure required for destabilizing the CE-type antiferromagnetic state is reduced with increasing disorder \sigma 2. External pressure and changing A-site ionic radii have analogous effect on the magnetic structure.Comment: 9 pages, 6 figures, 1 table, To appear in Physical Review

Strong coupling between Eu2+ spins and Fe2As2 layers in EuFe1.9Co0.1As2 observed with NMR

A combination of x-ray diffraction, magnetization, and 75As nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) experiments were performed on single-crystal EuFe1.9Co0.1As2. The strength of the hyperfine interaction between the 75As nuclei and the Eu^(2+) 4f states suggests a strong coupling between the Eu^(2+) moments and the Fe1.9Co0.1As2 layers. Such a strong interlayer coupling may be due to an indirect exchange interaction between the localized Eu^(2+) 4f moments, mediated by the Fe 3d conduction electrons. Magnetic susceptibility as well as 75As-NMR measurements reveal a decrease of the SDW transition temperature to T_SDW = 120 K as a result of Co doping. A change of the slope in the temperature dependence of the NMR frequency of the 75As lower-satellite line was observed at 225 K. At the same temperature also a change of the satellite line shape was found. These changes of the NMR spectra may be caused by the formation of a nematic phase below 225 K in EuFe1.9Co0.1As2.Comment: 8 pages, 7 figure

Universal observation of multiple order parameters in cuprate superconductors

The temperature dependence of the London penetration depth \lambda was measured for an untwined single crystal of YBa_2Cu_3O_{7-\delta} along the three principal crystallographic directions (a, b, and c). Both in-plane components (\lambda_a and \lambda_b) show an inflection point in their temperature dependence which is absent in the component along the c-direction (\lambda_c). The data provide convincing evidence that the in-plane superconducting order parameter is a mixture of s+d-wave symmetry whereas it is exclusively s-wave along the c-direction. In conjunction with previous results it is concluded that coupled s+d-order parameters are universal and intrinsic to cuprate superconductors.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figure

Zero-field superfluid density in d-wave superconductor evaluated from the results of muon-spin-rotation experiments in the mixed state

We report on measurements of the in-plane magnetic penetration \lambda_{ab} in the optimally doped cuprate superconductor (BiPb)_2(SrLa)_2CuO_6+\delta (OP Bi2201) by means of muon-spin rotation (\muSR). We show that in unconventional $d-$wave superconductors (like OP Bi2201), \muSR experiments conducted in various magnetic fields allow to evaluate the zero-field magnetic penetration depth \lambda_0, which relates to the zero-field superfluid density in terms of \rho_s\propto\lambda_0^-2.Comment: 4 pages, 5 figure