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S M Hayden

Publications and source records attributed to S M Hayden.

18 recordsLinked to original sources

Quantum phase transitions in the itinerant ferromagnet ZrZn2.

We report a study of the ferromagnetism of ZrZn2, the most promising material to exhibit ferromagnetic quantum criticality, at low temperatures T as a function of pressure p. We find that the ordered ferromagnetic moment disappears discontinuously at p(c)=16.5 kbar. Thus a tricritical point separates a line of first order ferromagnetic transitions from second order (continuous) transitions at higher temperature. We also identify two lines of transitions of the magnetization isotherms up to 12 T in the p-T plane where the derivative of the magnetization changes rapidly. These quantum phase transitions (QPT) establish a high sensitivity to local minima in the free energy in ZrZn2, thus strongly suggesting that QPT in itinerant ferromagnets are always first order.

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Dispersive excitations in the high-temperature superconductor La2-xSrxCuO4.

High-resolution neutron scattering experiments on optimally doped La2-xSrxCuO4 (x=0.16) reveal that the magnetic excitations are dispersive. The dispersion is the same as in YBa2Cu3O6.85, and is quantitatively related to that observed with charge sensitive probes. The associated velocity in La2-xSrxCuO4 is only weakly dependent on doping with a value close to the spin-wave velocity of the insulating (x=0) parent compound. In contrast with the insulator, the excitations broaden rapidly with increasing energy, forming a continuum at higher energy and bear a remarkable resemblance to multiparticle excitations observed in 1D S=1/2 antiferromagnets. The magnetic correlations are 2D, and so rule out the simplest scenarios where the copper oxide planes are subdivided into weakly interacting 1D magnets.

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The structure of the high-energy spin excitations in a high-transition-temperature superconductor.

In conventional superconductors, lattice vibrations (phonons) mediate the attraction between electrons that is responsible for superconductivity. The high transition temperatures (high-T(c)) of the copper oxide superconductors has led to collective spin excitations being proposed as the mediating excitations in these materials. The mediating excitations must be strongly coupled to the conduction electrons, have energy greater than the pairing energy, and be present at T(c). The most obvious feature in the magnetic excitations of high-T(c) superconductors such as YBa2Cu3O6+x is the so-called 'resonance'. Although the resonance may be strongly coupled to the superconductivity, it is unlikely to be the main cause, because it has not been found in the La2-x(Ba,Sr)(x)CuO4 family and is not universally present in Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+delta (ref. 9). Here we use inelastic neutron scattering to characterize possible mediating excitations at higher energies in YBa2Cu3O6.6. We observe a square-shaped continuum of excitations peaked at incommensurate positions. These excitations have energies greater than the superconducting pairing energy, are present at T(c), and have spectral weight far exceeding that of the 'resonance'. The discovery of similar excitations in La2-xBa(x)CuO4 (ref. 10) suggests that they are a general property of the copper oxides, and a candidate for mediating the electron pairing.

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Direct observation of the multisheet Fermi surface in the strongly correlated transition metal compound ZrZn2.

The existence of flat areas of a Fermi surface (FS), predicted by electronic structure calculations and used in models of both magnetically mediated and phonon-mediated Fulde-Ferrell-Larkin-Ovchinnikov superconducting states, is reported in the paramagnetic phase of the ferromagnetic superconductor ZrZn2 using positron annihilation. The strongly mass-renormalized FS sheet, dominating the Fermi level density of states, is seen for the first time. The delocalization of the magnetization is studied using measured and calculated magnetic Compton profiles.

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Heat conduction in the vortex state of NbSe2: evidence for multiband superconductivity.

The thermal conductivity kappa of the layered s-wave superconductor NbSe2 was measured down to T(c)/100 throughout the vortex state. With increasing field, we identify two regimes: one with localized states at fields very near H(c1) and one with highly delocalized quasiparticle excitations at higher fields. The two associated length scales are naturally explained as multiband superconductivity, with distinct small and large superconducting gaps on different sheets of the Fermi surface. This behavior is compared to that of the multiband superconductor MgB2 and the conventional superconductor V3Si.

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Heavy quasiparticles in the ferromagnetic superconductor ZrZn2.

We report a study of the de Haas-van Alphen effect in the normal state of the ferromagnetic superconductor ZrZn2. Our results are generally consistent with a linear muffin-tin orbital band structure which predicts four exchange-split Fermi surface sheets. Quasiparticle effective masses are enhanced by a factor of 4.9 implying a strong coupling to magnetic excitations or phonons. ZrZn2 is unique among metallic ferromagnets in that it has a very large density of states in the ferromagnetic phase.

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Quantum phase transition in a common metal.

The classical theory of solids, based on the quantum mechanics of single electrons moving in periodic potentials, provides an excellent description of substances ranging from semiconducting silicon to superconducting aluminium. Over the last fifteen years, it has become increasingly clear that there are substances for which the conventional approach fails. Among these are certain rare earth compounds and transition metal oxides, including high-temperature superconductors. A common feature of these materials is complexity, in the sense that they have relatively large unit cells containing heterogeneous mixtures of atoms. Although many explanations have been put forward for their anomalous properties, it is still possible that the classical theory might suffice. Here we show that a very common chromium alloy has some of the same peculiarities as the more exotic materials, including a quantum critical point, a strongly temperature-dependent Hall resistance and evidence for a 'pseudogap'. This implies that complexity is not a prerequisite for unconventional behaviour. Moreover, it should simplify the general task of explaining anomalous properties because chromium is a relatively simple system in which to work out in quantitative detail the consequences of the conventional theory of solids.

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Coexistence of superconductivity and ferromagnetism in the d-band metal ZrZn2.

It has generally been believed that, within the context of the Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer (BCS) theory of superconductivity, the conduction electrons in a metal cannot be both ferromagnetically ordered and superconducting. Even when the superconductivity has been interpreted as arising from magnetic mediation of the paired electrons, it was thought that the superconducting state occurs in the paramagnetic phase. Here we report the observation of superconductivity in the ferromagnetically ordered phase of the d-electron compound ZrZn2. The specific heat anomaly associated with the superconducting transition in this material appears to be absent, and the superconducting state is very sensitive to defects, occurring only in very pure samples. Under hydrostatic pressure superconductivity and ferromagnetism disappear at the same pressure, so the ferromagnetic state appears to be a prerequisite for superconductivity. When combined with the recent observation of superconductivity in UGe2 (ref. 4), our results suggest that metallic ferromagnets may universally become superconducting when the magnetization is small.

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Spin waves and electronic interactions in La2CuO4.

The magnetic excitations of the square-lattice spin-1/2 antiferromagnet and high- T(c) parent compound La2CuO4 are determined using high-resolution inelastic neutron scattering. Sharp spin waves with absolute intensities in agreement with theory including quantum corrections are found throughout the Brillouin zone. The observed dispersion relation shows evidence for substantial interactions beyond the nearest-neighbor Heisenberg term which can be understood in terms of a cyclic or ring exchange due to the strong hybridization path around the Cu4O4 square plaquettes.

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Polarized-neutron scattering study of the cooper-pair moment in Sr2RuO4.

We report a study of the magnetization density in the mixed state of the unconventional superconductor Sr2RuO4. On entering the superconducting state we find no change in the magnitude or distribution of the induced moment for a magnetic field of 1 T applied within the Ru O2 planes. Our results are consistent with a spin-triplet Cooper pairing with spins lying in the basal plane. This is in contrast with similar experiments performed on conventional and high- T(c) superconductors.

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Strongly enhanced magnetic excitations near the quantum critical point of Cr1-xVx and why strong exchange enhancement need not imply heavy fermion behavior.

Inelastic neutron scattering reveals strong spin fluctuations with energies as high as 0.4 eV in the nearly antiferromagnetic metal Cr0. 95V0.05. The magnetic response is well described by a modified Millis-Monien-Pines function. From the low-energy response, we deduce a large exchange enhancement, more than an order of magnitude larger than the corresponding enhancement of the low-temperature electronic heat capacity gammaT. A scaling relationship between gamma and the inverse of the wave vector-averaged spin relaxation rate gammaave is demonstrated for a number of magnetically correlated metals.

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Modulated expression of plasminogen activator system components in cultured cells from dissociated mouse dorsal root ganglia.

The development and regeneration of the peripheral nervous system (PNS) is highly dependent on the migration of Schwann cells and the extension of axons toward their distant targets. Plasminogen activators (PAs) are associated with the surface of several cell types of neural origin where they are believed to mediate localized degradation of extracellular matrix, thus facilitating cell motility. In this study, we characterize the expression of tissue-type (tPA) and urokinase (uPA) PAs, as well as the urokinase cell surface receptor (uPAR) during differentiation of cultured cells from mouse dorsal root ganglia. During the first day in culture, the mRNA levels of all three components increase from 75- to 163-fold, as shown using a quantitative PCR method. By 72 hr, the mRNA levels decrease and approach basal levels. This transient increase is in direct correlation with the differentiation of neurons and Schwann cells and the formation of a neuritic network in these regenerating cultures. Densitometric analysis of gel zymographs demonstrates that the elevation in mRNA levels is accompanied by similar increases in the activity levels of tPA and uPA. Interestingly, in situ hybridization studies of the cultures show that tPA mRNA is restricted to small sensory neurons, whereas uPA mRNA is localized predominantly in large sensory neurons. uPAR mRNA is expressed by both neuronal subpopulations and, to a lesser extent, by Schwann cells and fibroblasts. Taken together, these results further support a role for the PA system in facilitating axon extension and cell migration during development and regeneration of the PNS.

Animals↗

Analysis of the interactions of actin depolymerizing factor with G- and F-actin.

Chick actin depolymerizing factor (ADF) is an actin binding protein previously shown to rapidly depolymerize actin filaments in vitro, yielding a 1:1 complex of ADF and actin monomer. Here we show that ADF protects actin monomer from denaturation by EDTA by inhibiting the exchange of actin-bound nucleotide. Under low ionic strength conditions, the approximate dissociation constant (KD) for the ADF-actin complex determined from exchange of nucleotide (1,N6-etheno-ATP) is about 150 and is calcium-independent. Addition of ADF to monomeric actin inhibits actin assembly as well as the ATP hydrolysis that normally accompanies assembly. Complex formation is demonstrated between ADF and actin containing either ATP, ADP, or AMPPNP as the bound nucleotide. A KD of 0.1-0.2 microM was calculated for both the ADF-ATP-actin and ADF-AMPPNP-actin complexes, whereas the KD for the ADF-ADP-actin complex is about 1.3 microM. ADF can either depolymerize or cosediment with F-actin in a stoichiometric fashion, but these reciprocal activities are pH-dependent. At pHs between 6.5 and 7.1, ADF cosediments with F-actin and demonstrates only weak depolymerizing activity. ADF binding is cooperative and saturates at a 1:1 ADF:actin molar ratio. At pHs between 7.1 and 7.7, ADF shows increasing depolymerizing activity and less F-actin binding. At pH 8.0, ADF depolymerizes F-actin in a stoichiometric manner. Both the F-actin binding and the depolymerizing activities of ADF are inhibited by phalloidin.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Actin Depolymerizing Factors↗

Calcium-calmodulin and regulation of brush border myosin-I MgATPase and mechanochemistry.

We examined the Ca(2+)-dependent regulation of brush border (BB) myosin-I by probing the possible roles of the calmodulin (CM) light chains. BB myosin-I MgATPase activity, sensitivity to chymotryptic digestion, and mechanochemical properties were assessed using 1-10 microM Ca2+ and in the presence of exogenously added CM since it has been proposed that this myosin is regulated by calcium-induced CM dissociation from the 119-kD heavy chain. Each of these BB myosin-I properties were dramatically altered by the same threshold of 2-3 microM Ca2+. Enzymatically active NH2-terminal proteolytic fragments of BB myosin-I which lack the CM binding domains (the 78-kD peptide) differ from CM-containing peptides in that the former is completely insensitive to Ca2+. Furthermore, the 78-kD peptide exhibits high levels of MgATPase activity which are comparable to that observed for BB myosin-I in the presence of Ca2+. This suggests that Ca2+ regulates BB myosin-I MgATPase by binding directly to the CM light chains, and that CM acts to repress endogenous MgATPase activity. Ca(2+)-induced CM dissociation from BB myosin-I can be prevented by the addition of exogenous CM. Under these conditions Ca2+ causes a reversible slowing of motility. In contrast, in the absence of exogenous CM, motility is stopped by Ca2+. We demonstrate this reversible slowing is not due to the presence of inactive BB myosin-I molecules exerting a "braking" effect on motile filaments. However, we did observe Ca(2+)-independent slowing of motility by acidic phospholipids, suggesting that factors other than Ca2+ and CM content can affect the mechanochemical properties of BB myosin-I.

Actin Cytoskeleton↗

Binding of brush border myosin I to phospholipid vesicles.

The actin filament core within each microvillus of the intestinal epithelial cell is attached laterally to the plasma membrane by brush border (BB) myosin I, a protein-calmodulin complex belonging to the myosin I class of actin-based mechanoenzymes. In this report, the binding of BB myosin I to pure phospholipid vesicles was examined and characterized. BB myosin I demonstrated saturable binding to liposomes composed of anionic phospholipids, but did not associate with liposomes composed of only neutral phospholipids. The binding of BB myosin I to phosphatidylserine and phosphatidylglycerol vesicles reached saturation at 4-5 x 10(-3) nmol protein/nmol phospholipid, while the apparent dissociation constant was determined to be 1-3 x 10(-7) M. Similar to the free protein, membrane-associated BB myosin I bound F-actin in an ATP-sensitive manner and demonstrated actin-activated Mg-ATPase activity. Immunoblot analysis of peptides generated from controlled proteolysis of vesicle-bound BB myosin I provided structural information concerning the site responsible for the membrane interaction. Immunoblot staining with domain-specific mAbs revealed a series of COOH-terminal, liposome-associated peptides that were protected from digestion, suggesting that the membrane-binding domain is within the carboxy-terminal "tail" of the BB myosin I heavy chain.

Actins↗

Properties of purified actin depolymerizing factor from chick brain.

Actin depolymerizing factor (ADF) from 19-day embryonic chick brains has been purified to greater than 98% homogeneity with a yield of 7.2 mg/100 g of brain. Quantitative immunoblotting with a monospecific antibody to ADF indicated that ADF comprises 0.3% of the total brain protein, resulting in an actual purification yield of about 20%. Brain ADF migrates as a single polypeptide of 19,000 kDa on SDS-containing polyacrylamide gels. The molecular weight of the native protein determined from sedimentation equilibrium in buffers containing from 50 to 200 mM KCl is 20,000. The secondary structure of ADF calculated from the circular dichroic spectrum consists of about 22% alpha-helix, 24% beta-sheet, and 18% beta-turn. ADF contains a blocked N-terminus, a single tryptophan residue located about one-third of the way from one end of the protein, and six cysteine residues (all in reduced form in the native protein). All six cysteine residues could be chemically modified with eosinylmaleimide under nondenaturing conditions; however, ADF activity was lost when more than one cysteine residue was modified. ADF microheterogeneity has been observed upon nonequilibrium pH gradient electrophoresis in polyacrylamide gels containing 9 M urea, the major isoform having a pI of congruent to 7.9-8.0. ADF can interact with either monomeric or filamentous actin to give a complex which can be isolated by gel filtration chromatography. Both major and minor isoforms of the ADF are found in the complex. Assembly-competent actin and active ADF can both be recovered from the complex by chromatography on ATP-saturated DEAE-cellulose.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Actin Depolymerizing Factors↗

Inhibition of deoxyribonuclease I activity by actin covalently cross-linked to chick brain actin depolymerizing factor through exposed sulfhydryls.

All but one of the six free sulfhydryl groups of chick brain actin depolymerizing factor (ADF) are protected from modification when ADF forms a 1:1 complex with actin. This exposed sulfhydryl can be cross-linked to cys 374 of actin with N,N'-phenylenedimaleimide. The cross-linked complex inhibits the hydrolytic activity of pancreatic deoxyribonuclease (DNase I) to an identical extent as both the untreated complex and an equivalent amount of free actin. These data indicate that ADF binds to actin at a site which does not overlap with the DNase I binding site.

Actin Depolymerizing Factors↗