The notion of a simple ordered state implies homogeneity. If the order is established by a broken symmetry, the elementary Landau theory of phase transitions shows that only one symmetry mode ...describes this state. At the exact points of phase coexistence, domain states composed of large regions of different phases can be stabilized by long-range interactions. In uniaxial antiferromagnets, so-called metamagnetism is an example of such behaviour where antiferromagnetic and field-induced, spin-polarized paramagnetic/ferromagnetic states coexist at a jump-like transition in the magnetic phase diagram. Here, by combining experiments with theoretical analysis, we show that a different type of mixed state between antiferromagnetism and ferromagnetism can be created in certain non-centrosymmetric materials. In small-angle neutron scattering experiments, we observe a field-driven spin state in the layered antiferromagnet Ca3Ru2O7, which is modulated on a scale between 8 and 20 nm and has both antiferromagnetic and ferromagnetic parts. We call this state a metamagnetic texture and attribute its appearance to the chiral twisting effects of the asymmetric Dzyaloshinskii–Moriya exchange. The observation can be understood as an extraordinary coexistence—in one thermodynamic state—of spin orders that belong to different symmetries. The complex nature of this metamagnetic state is demonstrated experimentally by measurements of anomalies in electronic transport that reflect the spin polarization in the metamagnetic texture; determination of the magnetic orbital moments, which support the existence of strong spin–orbit effects, is a pre-requisite for the mechanism of twisted magnetic states in this material. Our findings provide an example of a rich and largely unexplored class of textured states. Such textures mediate between different ordering modes near phase coexistence, and produce extremely rich phase diagrams.Small-angle neutron scattering experiments of the layered antiferromagnet Ca3Ru2O7 reveal a metamagnetic spin texture that is indicative of an extraordinary coexistence of spin orders belonging to different symmetries.
We investigate the spin relaxation of Ho single atom magnets on MgO/Ag(100) as a function of temperature and magnetic field. We find that the spin relaxation is thermally activated at low field, ...while it remains larger than 1000 s up to 30 K and 8 T. This behavior contrasts with that of single molecule magnets and bulk paramagnetic impurities, which relax faster at high field. Combining our results with density functional theory, we rationalize this unconventional behavior by showing that local vibrations activate a two-phonon Raman process with a relaxation rate that peaks near zero field and is suppressed at high field. Our work shows the importance of these excitations in the relaxation of axially coordinated magnetic atoms.
Spin-orbit interaction and structure inversion asymmetry in combination with magnetic ordering is a promising route to novel materials with highly mobile spin-polarized carriers at the surface. ...Spin-resolved measurements of the photoemission current from the Si-terminated surface of the antiferromagnet TbRh2Si2 and their analysis within an ab initio one-step theory unveil an unusual triple winding of the electron spin along the fourfold-symmetric constant energy contours of the surface states. A two-band k ⋅ p model is presented that yields the triple winding as a cubic Rashba effect. The curious in-plane spin-momentum locking is remarkably robust and remains intact across a paramagnetic-antiferromagnetic transition in spite of spin-orbit interaction on Rh atoms being considerably weaker than the out-of-plane exchange field due to the Tb 4 f moments.
We report a comprehensive Cu L3-edge resonant x-ray scattering (RXS) study of two- and three-dimensional (2D and 3D) incommensurate charge correlations in single crystals of the underdoped ...high-temperature superconductor YBa2Cu3O6.67 under uniaxial compression up to 1% along the two inequivalent Cu─O─Cu bond directions (a and b) in the CuO2 planes. We confirm the strong in-plane anisotropy of the 2D charge correlations and observe their symmetric response to pressure: pressure along a enhances correlations along b, and vice versa. Our results imply that the underlying order parameter is uniaxial. In contrast, 3D long-range charge order is only observed along b in response to compression along a. Spectroscopic RXS measurements show that the 3D charge order resides exclusively in the CuO2 planes and may thus be generic to the cuprates. We discuss implications of these results for models of electronic nematicity and for the interplay between charge order and superconductivity.
Cannabis sativa plants contain a multitude of bioactive substances, which show broad variability between different plant strains. Of the more than a hundred naturally occurring phytocannabinoids, ...Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) have been the most extensively studied, but whether and how the lesser investigated compounds in plant extracts affect bioavailability or biological effects of Δ9-THC or CBD is not known. We therefore performed a first pilot study to assess THC concentrations in plasma, spinal cord and brain after oral administration of THC compared to medical marijuana extracts rich in THC or depleted of THC. Δ9-THC levels were higher in mice receiving the THC-rich extract. Surprisingly, only orally applied CBD but not THC alleviated mechanical hypersensitivity in the mouse spared nerve injury model, favoring CBD as an analgesic compound for which fewer unwanted psychoactive effects are to be expected.
Pain in Fabry disease (FD) is generally accepted to result from neuronal damage in the peripheral nervous system as a consequence of excess lipid storage caused by alpha-galactosidase A (α-Gal A) ...deficiency. Signatures of pain arising from nerve injuries are generally associated with changes of number, location and phenotypes of immune cells within dorsal root ganglia (DRG). However, the neuroimmune processes in the DRG linked to accumulating glycosphingolipids in Fabry disease are insufficiently understood.Therefore, using indirect immune fluorescence microscopy, transmigration assays and FACS together with transcriptomic signatures associated with immune processes, we assessed age-dependent neuroimmune alterations in DRG obtained from mice with a global depletion of α-Gal A as a valid mouse model for FD. Macrophage numbers in the DRG of FD mice were unaltered, and BV-2 cells as a model for monocytic cells did not show augmented migratory reactions to glycosphingolipids exposure suggesting that these do not act as chemoattractants in FD. However, we found pronounced alterations of lysosomal signatures in sensory neurons and of macrophage morphology and phenotypes in FD DRG. Macrophages exhibited reduced morphological complexity indicated by a smaller number of ramifications and more rounded shape, which were age dependent and indicative of premature monocytic aging together with upregulated expression of markers CD68 and CD163.In our FD mouse model, the observed phenotypic changes in myeloid cell populations of the DRG suggest enhanced phagocytic and unaltered proliferative capacity of macrophages as compared to wildtype control mice. We suggest that macrophages may participate in FD pathogenesis and targeting macrophages at an early stage of FD may offer new treatment options other than enzyme replacement therapy.
The compounds (Pr1−y Smy)0.7 Ca0.3 CoO3 belong to a class of Pr-based cobaltates presenting a unique case of simultaneous valence (charge transfer between Pr and Co ions) and spin-state transition ...(of the Co3+ ions), hereafter referred to as VSST. The present study sheds light on the debated issues of the Co4+ and Co3+ spin states, by combining x-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) at Co and Pr edges and x-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD) at Co L2, 3 edges. XAS experiments at both L3 and M4, 5 Pr edges attest to the appearance of Pr4+ below the VSST at T* = 106 K, and allow a precise characterization of the evolution of the Co4+ content as a function of the temperature. XMCD at the Co L2, 3 edges at 5 K, and in magnetic field up to 9 T, directly tackles the issue of the Co4+ spin state. It is found that the Co 4 + ions are most likely in a low spin state, and experience ferromagnetic interactions at T ≪ T ∗. On the basis of temperature dependent XMCD at 9 T, the fingerprint of the VSST on the Co moments is isolated, and found to be consistent with bulk magnetization data when accounting for the rare-earth contributions derived from reference samples. These temperature dependent XMCD data are used to characterize the evolutions of the various valence/spin state of the Co species involved in the VSST. It appears that the Co3+ moments above T* are not consistent with a pure intermediate spin state, whereas they can be well reproduced by considering a low/high spin mixture. Finally, these XMCD results are compared to those derived from fitting of the XAS spectra recorded in zero field at various temperatures.
The spin-wave dispersions in iron and nickel along the 111 direction are determined using soft x-ray resonant inelastic x-ray scattering (RIXS). For iron, a 10-nm thin film was studied and, over the ...limited q range accessible, the peaks disperse as expected for a spin wave and in agreement with inelastic neutron scattering (INS) results. At the higher q values damping is observed with the peaks weakening and broadening. This damping is less pronounced than in the INS studies. The RIXS results are also compared with ab initio spin fluctuation calculations. The calculations slightly underestimate the energy dispersion and the damping is larger than in the measurement. Nevertheless, the agreement between the RIXS results, INS studies, and the theory is quite satisfactory. For the single crystal of nickel, the measured q dispersion flattens out rapidly and the peaks broaden. The strong damping effect is reproduced by the spin fluctuation calculations but the energy of the peaks is largely overestimated. Nevertheless, the flattening of the dispersion is not reproduced by the calculations and, although similar effects were observed in early INS experiments, they are not seen in more recent work. Possible reasons for this are discussed. These measurements show that using soft x-ray RIXS to study spin fluctuations in metallic systems, which are in general very challenging for the technique, has much promise. More interestingly, since the iron measurements were performed on a 10-nm thin film, the study opens the possibility to study tailor-made thin-film samples, which cannot be easily studied by other techniques. Combining these studies with state-of-the-art ab initio calculations opens up interesting prospects for testing our understanding of spin waves in metallic systems.
Background and aim
Inflammatory myopathies are heterogeneous in terms of etiology, (immuno)pathology, and clinical findings. Endothelial cell injury, as it occurs in DM, is a common feature of ...numerous inflammatory and non-inflammatory vascular diseases. Vascular regeneration is mediated by both local and blood-derived mechanisms, such as the mobilization and activation of so-called proangiogenic cells (PACs) or early endothelial progenitor cells (eEPCs). The current study aimed to evaluate parameters of eEPC integrity in dermatomyositis (DM), compared to necrotizing myopathy (NM) and to non-myopathic controls.
Methods
Blood samples from DM and NM patients were compared to non-myositis controls and analyzed for the following parameters: circulating CD133
+
/VEGFR-2
+
cells, number of colony-forming unit endothelial cells (CFU-ECs), concentrations of angiopoietin 1, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and CXCL-16. Muscle biopsies from DM and NM subjects underwent immunofluorescence analysis for CXCR6, nestin, and CD31 (PECAM-1). Finally, myotubes, derived from healthy donors, were stimulated with serum samples from DM and NM patients, subsequently followed by RT-PCR for the following candidates: IL-1β, IL-6, nestin, and CD31.
Results
Seventeen (17) DM patients, 7 NM patients, and 40 non-myositis controls were included. CD133
+
/VEGFR-2
+
cells did not differ between the groups. Both DM and NM patients showed lower CFU-ECs than controls. In DM, intramuscular CD31 abundances were significantly reduced, which indicated vascular rarefaction. Muscular CXCR6 was elevated in both diseases. Circulating CXCL-16 was higher in DM and NM in contrast, compared to controls. Serum from patients with DM but not NM induced a profound upregulation of mRNS expression of CD31 and IL-6 in cultured myotubes.
Conclusion
Our study demonstrates the loss of intramuscular microvessels in DM, accompanied by endothelial activation in DM and NM. Vascular regeneration was impaired in DM and NM. The findings suggest a role for inflammation-associated vascular damage in the pathogenesis of DM.
Spin-polarized two-dimensional electron states (2DESs) at surfaces and interfaces of magnetically active materials attract immense interest because of the idea of exploiting fermion spins rather than ...charge in next generation electronics. Applying angle-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy, we show that the silicon surface of GdRh2Si2 bears two distinct 2DESs, one being a Shockley surface state, and the other a Dirac surface resonance. Both are subject to strong exchange interaction with the ordered 4f-moments lying underneath the Si-Rh-Si trilayer. The spin degeneracy of the Shockley state breaks down below ~90 K, and the splitting of the resulting subbands saturates upon cooling at values as high as ~185 meV. The spin splitting of the Dirac state becomes clearly visible around ~60 K, reaching a maximum of ~70 meV. An abrupt increase of surface magnetization at around the same temperature suggests that the Dirac state contributes significantly to the magnetic properties at the Si surface. We also show the possibility to tune the properties of 2DESs by depositing alkali metal atoms. The unique temperature-dependent ferromagnetic properties of the Si-terminated surface in GdRh2Si2 could be exploited when combined with functional adlayers deposited on top for which novel phenomena related to magnetism can be anticipated.
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