Spin, charge and lattice dynamics of magnetization processes in frustrated Shastry Sutherland system TmB4

TmB4 the metallic tetraboride with a geometrically frustrated Shastry Sutherland lattice SSL has attracted recently a lot of attention. It exhibits a strong Ising like anisotropy along the c axis and a rather complex phase diagram of the ordered magnetic phase below TN amp; 8776; 11.7 K in which besides the main magnetization M plateau also small fractional plateaus can be observed. To learn more about the properties of fractional plateaus we have investigated the dynamics of magnetization processes in TmB4 by M vs. H applied magnetic field measurements at different temperatures and different field sweep rates swr 1.8 K. In addition, experiments of the charge carrier mobility and magnetostriction as a function of temperature and magnetic field were carried out to specify the interplay between magnetic structure and the charge dynamics, and the role of the magneto elastic interaction in this compound, respectively. It was shown that the magnetization values of fractional plateaus become elevated with the increase of temperature at which magnetization takes place and with the decrease of magnetic field sweep rate, which points to inconsistency with theoretical predictions based on Glauber dynamics. Moreover, it turned out that the transitions between magnetic phases during magnetization processes are accompanied by an anomalous behavior of charge mobility and distinctive variations of magnetostrictio

Rare predicted loss-of-function variants of type I IFN immunity genes are associated with life-threatening COVID-19

BackgroundWe previously reported that impaired type I IFN activity, due to inborn errors of TLR3- and TLR7-dependent type I interferon (IFN) immunity or to autoantibodies against type I IFN, account for 15-20% of cases of life-threatening COVID-19 in unvaccinated patients. Therefore, the determinants of life-threatening COVID-19 remain to be identified in similar to 80% of cases.MethodsWe report here a genome-wide rare variant burden association analysis in 3269 unvaccinated patients with life-threatening COVID-19, and 1373 unvaccinated SARS-CoV-2-infected individuals without pneumonia. Among the 928 patients tested for autoantibodies against type I IFN, a quarter (234) were positive and were excluded.ResultsNo gene reached genome-wide significance. Under a recessive model, the most significant gene with at-risk variants was TLR7, with an OR of 27.68 (95%CI 1.5-528.7, P=1.1x10(-4)) for biochemically loss-of-function (bLOF) variants. We replicated the enrichment in rare predicted LOF (pLOF) variants at 13 influenza susceptibility loci involved in TLR3-dependent type I IFN immunity (OR=3.70[95%CI 1.3-8.2], P=2.1x10(-4)). This enrichment was further strengthened by (1) adding the recently reported TYK2 and TLR7 COVID-19 loci, particularly under a recessive model (OR=19.65[95%CI 2.1-2635.4], P=3.4x10(-3)), and (2) considering as pLOF branchpoint variants with potentially strong impacts on splicing among the 15 loci (OR=4.40[9%CI 2.3-8.4], P=7.7x10(-8)). Finally, the patients with pLOF/bLOF variants at these 15 loci were significantly younger (mean age [SD]=43.3 [20.3] years) than the other patients (56.0 [17.3] years; P=1.68x10(-5)).ConclusionsRare variants of TLR3- and TLR7-dependent type I IFN immunity genes can underlie life-threatening COVID-19, particularly with recessive inheritance, in patients under 60 years old