1,442 research outputs found
Interference of a first-order transition with the formation of a spin-Peierls state in alpha'-NaV2O5?
We present results of high-resolution thermal-expansion and specific-heat
measurements on single crystalline alpha'-NaV2O5. We find clear evidence for
two almost degenerate phase transitions associated with the formation of the
dimerized state around 33K: A sharp first-order transition at T1=(33+-0.1)K
slightly below the onset of a second-order transition at T2onset around
(34+-0.1)K. The latter is accompanied by pronounced spontaneous strains. Our
results are consistent with a structural transformation at T1 induced by the
incipient spin-Peierls (SP) order parameter above T2=TSP.Comment: 5 pages, 7 figure
The J_1-J_2 model revisited : Phenomenology of CuGeO_3
We present a mean field solution of the antiferromagnetic Heisenberg chain
with nearest (J_1) and next to nearest neighbor (J_2) interactions. This
solution provides a way to estimate the effects of frustration. We calculate
the temperature-dependent spin-wave velocity, v_s(T) and discuss the
possibility to determine the magnitude of frustration J_2/J_1 present in quasi
1D compounds from measurements of v_s(T). We compute the thermodynamic
susceptibility at finite temperatures and compare it with the observed
susceptibility of the spin-Peierls compound CuGeO_3. We also use the method to
study the two-magnon Raman continuum observed in CuGeO_3 above the spin-Peierls
transition.Comment: Phys. Rev.
Magnetic Resonance in the Spin-Peierls compound
We present results from magnetic resonance measurements for 75-350 GHz in
'-NaVO. The temperature dependence of the integrated
intensity indicates that we observe transitions in the excited state. A
quantitative description gives resonances in the triplet state at high symmetry
points of the excitation spectrum of this Spin-Peierls compound. This energy
has the same temperature dependence as the Spin-Peierls gap. Similarities and
differences with the other inorganic compound CuGeO are discussed.Comment: 2 pages, REVTEX, 3 figures. to be published in Phys.Rev.
Magnetic bound states in the quarter-filled ladder system }
Raman scattering in the quarter-filled spin ladder system alpha'-NaV_2O_5
shows in the dimerized singlet ground state () an unexpected
sequence of three magnetic bound states. Our results suggest that the recently
proposed mapping onto an effective spin chain for has to be given
up in favor of the full topology and exchange paths of a ladder in the
dimerized phase for . As the new ground state we propose a dynamic
superposition of energetically nearly degenerate dimer configurations on the
ladder.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures, to be published in PRB, brief reports, Dec. 199
Maximal HIV-1 Replication in Alveolar Macrophages during Tuberculosis Requires both Lymphocyte Contact and Cytokines
HIV-1 replication is markedly upregulated in alveolar macrophages (AM) during pulmonary tuberculosis (TB). This is associated with loss of an inhibitory CCAAT enhancer binding protein β (C/EBPβ) transcription factor and activation of nuclear factor (NF)-κB. Since the cellular immune response in pulmonary TB requires lymphocyte–macrophage interaction, a model system was developed in which lymphocytes were added to AM. Contact between lymphocytes and AM reduced inhibitory C/EBPβ, activated NF-κB, and enhanced HIV-1 replication. If contact between lymphocytes and macrophages was prevented, inhibitory C/EBPβ expression was maintained and the HIV-1 long terminal repeat (LTR) was not maximally stimulated although NF-κB was activated. Antibodies that cross-linked macrophage expressed B-7, and vascular cell adhesion molecule and CD40 were used to mimic lymphocyte contact. All three cross-linking antibodies were required to abolish inhibitory C/EBPβ expression. However, the HIV-1 LTR was not maximally stimulated and NF-κB was not activated. Maximal HIV-1–LTR stimulation required both lymphocyte-derived soluble factors, and cross-linking of macrophage expressed costimulatory molecules. High level HIV-1–LTR stimulation was also achieved when IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-β were added to macrophages with cross-linked costimulatory molecules. Contact between activated lymphocytes and macrophages is necessary to down-regulate inhibitory C/EBPβ, thereby derepressing the HIV-1 LTR. Lymphocyte-derived cytokines activate NF-κB, further enhancing the HIV-1 LTR
Frustration induced Raman scattering in CuGeO_3
We present experimental data for the Raman intensity in the spin-Peierls
compound CuGeO_3 and theoretical calculations from a one-dimensional frustrated
spin model. The theory is based on (a) exact diagonalization and (b) a recently
developed solitonic mean field theory. We find good agreement between the
1D-theory in the homogeneous phase and evidence for a novel dimerization of the
Raman operator in the spin-Peierls state. Finally we present evidence for a
coupling between the interchain exchange, the spin-Peierls order parameter and
the magnetic excitations along the chains.Comment: Phys. Rev. B, Rapid Comm, in Pres
High-field Electron Spin Resonance of Cu_{1-x}Zn_{x}GeO_{3}
High-Field Electron Spin Resonance measurements were made on powder samples
of Cu_{1-x}Zn_{x}GeO_{3} (x=0.00, 0.01, 0.02, 0.03 and 0.05) at different
frequencies (95, 110, 190, 220, 330 and 440 GHz) at low temperatures. The
spectra of the doped samples show resonances whose positions are dependent on
Zn concentration, frequency and temperature. The analysis of intensity
variation of these lines with temperature allows us to identify them as
originating in transitions within states situated inside the Spin Peierls gap.
A qualitative explanation of the details of the spectra is possible if we
assume that these states in the gap are associated with "loose" spins created
near the Zn impurities, as recently theoreticaly predicted. A new phenomenon of
quenching of the ESR signal across the Dimerized to Incommensurate
phase-boundary is observed.Comment: 4 pages, 5 ps figures in the text, submitted to Phys. Rev. Let
Enrichment of lung microbiome with supraglottic taxa is associated with increased pulmonary inflammation
BACKGROUND: The lung microbiome of healthy individuals frequently harbors oral organisms. Despite evidence that microaspiration is commonly associated with smoking-related lung diseases, the effects of lung microbiome enrichment with upper airway taxa on inflammation has not been studied. We hypothesize that the presence of oral microorganisms in the lung microbiome is associated with enhanced pulmonary inflammation. To test this, we sampled bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) from the lower airways of 29 asymptomatic subjects (nine never-smokers, 14 former-smokers, and six current-smokers). We quantified, amplified, and sequenced 16S rRNA genes from BAL samples by qPCR and 454 sequencing. Pulmonary inflammation was assessed by exhaled nitric oxide (eNO), BAL lymphocytes, and neutrophils. RESULTS: BAL had lower total 16S than supraglottic samples and higher than saline background. Bacterial communities in the lower airway clustered in two distinct groups that we designated as pneumotypes. The rRNA gene concentration and microbial community of the first pneumotype was similar to that of the saline background. The second pneumotype had higher rRNA gene concentration and higher relative abundance of supraglottic-characteristic taxa (SCT), such as Veillonella and Prevotella, and we called it pneumotype(SCT). Smoking had no effect on pneumotype allocation, α, or β diversity. Pneumotype(SCT) was associated with higher BAL lymphocyte-count (P= 0.007), BAL neutrophil-count (P= 0.034), and eNO (P= 0.022). CONCLUSION: A pneumotype with high relative abundance of supraglottic-characteristic taxa is associated with enhanced subclinical lung inflammation
Molecular-field approach to the spin-Peierls transition in CuGeO_3
We present a theory for the spin-Peierls transition in CuGeO_3. We map the
elementary excitations of the dimerized chain (solitons) on an effective Ising
model. Inter-chain coupling (or phonons) then introduce a linear binding
potential between a pair of soliton and anti-soliton, leading to a finite
transition temperature. We evaluate, as a function of temperature, the order
parameter, the singlet-triplet gap, the specific heat, and the susceptibility
and compare with experimental data on CuGeO_3. We find that CuGeO_3 is close to
a first-order phase transition. We point out, that the famous scaling law
\sim\delta^{2/3} of the triplet gap is a simple consequence of the linear
binding potential between pairs of solitons and anti-solitons in dimerized spin
chains.Comment: 7.1 pages, figures include
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