Crystallization of heavy fermions via epitaxial strain in spinel LiV2O4 thin film.

The mixed-valent spinel LiV2O4 is known as the first oxide heavy-fermion system. There is a general consensus that a subtle interplay of charge, spin, and orbital degrees of freedom of correlated electrons plays a crucial role in the enhancement of quasi-particle mass, but the specific mechanism has remained yet elusive. A charge-ordering (CO) instability of V3+ and V4+ ions that is geometrically frustrated by the V pyrochlore sublattice from forming a long-range CO down to T = 0 K has been proposed as a prime candidate for the mechanism. Here, we uncover the hidden CO instability by applying epitaxial strain on single-crystalline LiV2O4 thin films. We find a crystallization of heavy fermions in a LiV2O4 film on MgO, where a charge-ordered insulator comprising of a stack of V3+ and V4+ layers along [001], the historical Verwey-type ordering, is stabilized by the in-plane tensile and out-of-plane compressive strains from the substrate. Our discovery of the [001] Verwey-type CO, together with previous realizations of a distinct [111] CO, evidence the close proximity of the heavy-fermion state to degenerate CO states mirroring the geometrical frustration of the V pyrochlore lattice, which supports the CO instability scenario for the mechanism behind the heavy-fermion formation.

The spontaneous symmetry breaking in Ta2NiSe5 is structural in nature.

The excitonic insulator is an electronically driven phase of matter that emerges upon the spontaneous formation and Bose condensation of excitons. Detecting this exotic order in candidate materials is a subject of paramount importance, as the size of the excitonic gap in the band structure establishes the potential of this collective state for superfluid energy transport. However, the identification of this phase in real solids is hindered by the coexistence of a structural order parameter with the same symmetry as the excitonic order. Only a few materials are currently believed to host a dominant excitonic phase, Ta2NiSe5 being the most promising. Here, we test this scenario by using an ultrashort laser pulse to quench the broken-symmetry phase of this transition metal chalcogenide. Tracking the dynamics of the material's electronic and crystal structure after light excitation reveals spectroscopic fingerprints that are compatible only with a primary order parameter of phononic nature. We rationalize our findings through state-of-the-art calculations, confirming that the structural order accounts for most of the gap opening. Our results suggest that the spontaneous symmetry breaking in Ta2NiSe5 is mostly of structural character, hampering the possibility to realize quasi-dissipationless energy transport.

Superconductivity in (Ba,K)SbO3.

(Ba,K)BiO3 constitute an interesting class of superconductors, where the remarkably high superconducting transition temperature Tc of 30 K arises in proximity to charge density wave order. However, the precise mechanism behind these phases remains unclear. Here, enabled by high-pressure synthesis, we report superconductivity in (Ba,K)SbO3 with a positive oxygen-metal charge transfer energy in contrast to (Ba,K)BiO3. The parent compound BaSbO3-δ shows a larger charge density wave gap compared to BaBiO3. As the charge density wave order is suppressed via potassium substitution up to 65%, superconductivity emerges, rising up to Tc = 15 K. This value is lower than the maximum Tc of (Ba,K)BiO3, but higher by more than a factor of two at comparable potassium concentrations. The discovery of an enhanced charge density wave gap and superconductivity in (Ba,K)SbO3 indicates that strong oxygen-metal covalency may be more essential than the sign of the charge transfer energy in the main-group perovskite superconductors.

Clinical trials of Cry j 1 and Cry j 2 T-cell epitope peptide-expressing rice in patients with Japanese cedar pollinosis.

BACKGROUND: In allergic models, administration of rice that expresses a hybrid peptide consisting of 7 major T cell epitopes of Cry j 1 and Cry j 2 (7Crp), suppressed allergic symptoms, IgE elevation and specific T cell response to Japanese cedar pollen. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of 7Crp-expressing rice in patients with Japanese cedar pollinosis. METHODS: A 24-week randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study was performed to see the efficacy of 7Crp on allergic symptoms using scoring systems, in which 45 patients were assigned to take either 5 g, 20 g test rice, or placebo daily. A 96-week open study was also conducted to determine its inhibitory effect on serum IgE and T cell proliferative response for Japanese cedar pollen, in which 10 patients consumed 5 g test rice daily. RESULTS: No adverse events associated with the test rice occurred, and the intake rate was more than 96%. The test rice did not show suppression of symptoms related to Japanese cedar pollinosis within 24 weeks. However, intake of 5 g test rice led to a significant decrease in T cell response to Japanese cedar pollen during and after the second disperse season in a 96-week open trial, whereas the specific IgE titer remained unchanged. CONCLUSIONS: Tolerability and safety of 7Crp-expressing rice was accepted. Daily intake of up to 20 g transgenic rice did not provide beneficial effects on Japanese cedar pollinosis within 24 weeks, however, continuous intake of 5 g rice might reduce allergen specific T cell response.

Nearly Room-Temperature Ferromagnetism in a Pressure-Induced Correlated Metallic State of the van der Waals Insulator CrGeTe_{3}.

A complex interplay of different energy scales involving Coulomb repulsion, spin-orbit coupling, and Hund's coupling energy in 2D van der Waals (vdW) material produces a novel emerging physical state. For instance, ferromagnetism in vdW charge transfer insulator CrGeTe_{3} provides a promising platform to simultaneously manipulate the magnetic and electrical properties for potential device implementation using few nanometers thick materials. Here, we show a continuous tuning of magnetic and electrical properties of a CrGeTe_{3} single crystal using pressure. With application of pressure, CrGeTe_{3} transforms from a ferromagnetic insulator with Curie temperature T_{C}∼66 K at ambient condition to a correlated 2D Fermi metal with T_{C} exceeding ∼250 K. Notably, absence of an accompanying structural distortion across the insulator-metal transition (IMT) suggests that the pressure induced modification of electronic ground states is driven by electronic correlation furnishing a rare example of bandwidth-controlled IMT in a vdW material.

Immunological and Symptomatic Effects of Oral Intake of Transgenic Rice Containing 7 Linked Major T-Cell Epitopes from Japanese Cedar Pollen Allergens.

BACKGROUND: A rice-based peptide vaccine containing 7 linked human predominant T-cell epitopes (7Crp) derived from Japanese cedar (JC) pollen allergens, Cry j 1 and Cry j 2, was developed. Here, we examined the efficacy and safety of this transgenic rice in JC pollinosis patients. METHODS: Transgenic rice (5, 20, and 80 g) was administered orally. We measured the T-cell proliferative activity against 7Crp, Cry j 1, and Cry j 2; the cytokine expression levels; and specific IgE and IgG4 production levels. In addition, the symptom and medication scores were monitored during the pollen season, and quality of life (QOL) was evaluated. RESULTS: T-cell proliferative activities to Cry j 1, Cry j 2, and 7Crp were significantly depressed in a dose-dependent manner. Oral intake of 80 g transgenic rice for 20 weeks resulted in significant suppression of allergen-specific T-cell proliferation with downregulation of IL-13 and upregulation of IL-10 levels but no changes to specific IgE and IgG4 levels. The QOL symptom scores for allergic rhinitis were not significantly improved. CONCLUSIONS: Allergen-specific T-cell responses were significantly reduced by oral intake of transgenic rice in a dose-dependent manner. However, neither medication score nor QOL symptom scores could be improved during the JC pollen season with oral intake of transgenic rice for 20 weeks.

Long-term oral administration of transgenic rice containing cedar pollen T-cell epitopes potentially improves medication- and allergy-related quality-of-life scores.

Background: We previously developed a transgenic rice that contains seven linked human predominant T-cell epitopes (7Crp) derived from Japanese cedar (JC) pollen allergens Cry j 1 and Cry j 2. Oral administration of 80 g of transgenic rice for 20 weeks suppressed allergen-specific T-cell proliferation in participants with JC pollinosis, but their clinical symptoms did not improve. Objective: We examined the clinical efficacy of low-dose (5 g and 20 g) intake of the transgenic rice administered for two successive seasons. Methods: In this randomized, double-blind, placebo controlled study, transgenic rice seeds (5 g or 20 g) were orally administered to the participants for 24 weeks in each of two successive JC pollen seasons. We analyzed T-cell proliferation and cytokine expression, and monitored symptom and medication scores during the pollen season. Quality of life (QOL) was evaluated by using the Japanese Allergic Rhinitis Quality of Life Standard Questionnaire (JRQLQ). Results: Specific T-cell proliferation after stimulation with 7Crp, Cry j 1, and Cry j 2 was significantly suppressed in the second JC pollen season. No significant differences were found among the three groups (5 g, 20 g, and placebo) with regard to clinical symptoms or medication scores in the first season. However, the medication scores and face scale for overall condition of JRQLQ improved in the 5-g transgenic rice group in the second season, although careful re-examination with a large sample size is necessary to confirm the results. Conclusion: Low-dose oral administration of transgenic rice that contains 7Crp significantly reduced allergen-specific T-cell responses and improved medication scores during the second season of administration. Thus, oral intake of the transgenic rice has the potential to induce immune tolerance to JC pollen allergens when administered for at least two successive seasons.

Analysis of the Circulating Tumor Cell Capture Ability of a Slit Filter-Based Method in Comparison to a Selection-Free Method in Multiple Cancer Types.

Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are a promising biomarker for cancer liquid biopsy. To evaluate the CTC capture bias and detection capability of the slit filter-based CTC isolation platform (CTC-FIND), we prospectively compared it head to head to a selection-free platform (AccuCyte®-CyteFinder® system). We used the two methods to determine the CTC counts, CTC positive rates, CTC size distributions, and CTC phenotypes in 36 patients with metastatic cancer. Between the two methods, the median CTC counts were not significantly different and the total counts were correlated (r = 0.63, p < 0.0001). The CTC positive rate by CTC-FIND was significantly higher than that by AccuCyte®-CyteFinder® system (91.7% vs. 66.7%, p < 0.05). The median diameter of CTCs collected by CTC-FIND was significantly larger (13.0 µm, range 5.2-52.0 vs. 10.4 µm, range 5.2-44.2, p < 0.0001). The distributions of CTC phenotypes (CK+EpCAM+, CK+EpCAM- or CK-EpCAM+) detected by both methods were similar. These results suggested that CTC-FIND can detect more CTC-positive cases but with a bias toward large size of CTCs.

T-cell activation by transgenic rice seeds expressing the genetically modified Japanese cedar pollen allergens.

Transgenic rice seeds that contain genetically modified Cry j 1 and Cry j 2, the two major allergens of Cryptomeria japonica (Japanese cedar; JC), have been developed as immunotherapeutic candidates for JC pollinosis. Because the transgenic rice (TG-rice) seeds express allergens containing whole amino acid sequences of Cry j 1 and Cry j 2 in the endosperm tissue (edible part of rice grain), they can potentially target all Cry j 1- and Cry j 2-specific T-cells. However, it was unknown whether antigenicity of Cry j 1 and Cry j 2 could be completely preserved in TG-rice seeds. We verified the antigenicity of TG-rice seeds to T-cells through the analysis of the proliferative responses of T-cells in Cry j 1- or Cry j 2-immunized mice or T-cell lines to TG-rice seed extract. First, four mouse strains were immunized with Cry j 1 or Cry j 2. T-cells in the immunized mice proliferated on treatment with TG-rice seed extract, but not non-transgenic wild-type rice (WT-rice) seed extract. Furthermore, T-cell lines were established from the spleen cells of the immunized mice. Each T-cell line resulted in a proliferative response to TG-rice seed extract, but not to WT-rice seed extract, suggesting that TG-rice seeds certainly express T-cell epitopes corresponding to T-cell lines. Considering the modified amino acid sequences of Cry j 1 and Cry j 2 in TG-rice seeds, the expression of specific T-cell epitopes suggested that TG-rice seeds express all possible T-cell epitope repertoires of Cry j 1 and Cry j 2.

Black Current: Structure, Characterization, and Optoelectronic Properties of Ce3 Cl3 [MoO6 ].

The admixture of CeO2 , Ce, CeCl3 , and MoO3 with an excess of LiCl as flux in evacuated silica ampules leads to large black single crystals as well as a black microcrystalline powder of Ce3 Cl3 [MoO6 ] after tempering at 850 °C for three days. The title compound crystallizes in the hexagonal space group P63 /m (a=934.93(4), c=538.86(2) pm) with two formula units per unit cell. The crystal structure consists of rather unusual trigonal-prismatic [MoO6 ]6- units besides Ce3+ ions in a tetra-capped trigonal-prismatic coordination, formed by four Cl- and six O2- ions. The black color is related to an optical band gap of 1.35(2) eV, which was determined by diffuse reflectance spectroscopy and confirmed by theoretical calculations. The low band gap between the 4f1 state of cerium (HOMO) and the 5d0 state of molybdenum (LUMO) gave rise to the idea of electronic excitation between these two states by IR irradiation, creating a drop in the resistivity of the material, which was detected by appropriate measurements.

Superconductivity at 4.8 K and Violation of Pauli Limit in La2IRu2 Comprising Ru Honeycomb Layer.

We discovered superconductivity at 4.8 K in the hexagonal layered compound La2IRu2 comprising a triangular lattice of the La and a honeycomb lattice of the Ru atoms. First-principles calculations reveal a two-dimensional band structure made up of La 5d and Ru 4d electrons and formal oxidation states +1.5 for the La and the uncommon oxidation state -1 for the Ru atoms. The temperature dependence of the specific heat indicates fully gapped superconductivity. Nevertheless, the upper critical field of this compound violates the Pauli limit. We argue that the high upper critical field is ascribed to an antisymmetric spin-orbit coupling in the unique multilayer structure.

Efficacy of oral immunotherapy with a rice-based edible vaccine containing hypoallergenic Japanese cedar pollen allergens for treatment of established allergic conjunctivitis in mice.

BACKGROUND: We have previously shown that prophylactic oral administration of transgenic rice seeds expressing hypoallergenic modified antigens suppressed the development of allergic conjunctivitis induced by Japanese cedar pollen. We have now investigated the efficacy of oral immunotherapy with such transgenic rice for established allergic conjunctivitis in mice. METHODS: BALB/c mice were sensitized with two intraperitoneal injections of Japanese cedar pollen in alum, challenged with pollen in eyedrops, and then fed for 16 days with transgenic rice seeds expressing modified Japanese cedar pollen allergens Cry j 1 and Cry j 2 or with nontransgenic rice seeds as a control. They were then challenged twice with pollen in eyedrops, with clinical signs being evaluated at 15 min after the first challenge and the eyes, blood, spleen, and lymph nodes being isolated at 24 h after the second challenge. RESULTS: The number of eosinophils in the conjunctiva and the clinical score for conjunctivitis were both significantly lower in mice fed the transgenic rice than in those fed nontransgenic rice. Oral vaccination with transgenic rice seeds also resulted in a significant increase in the production of IFN-γ by splenocytes, whereas it had no effect on the number of CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ regulatory T cells in the spleen or submandibular or mesenteric lymph nodes. CONCLUSIONS: Oral administration of transgenic rice seeds expressing hypoallergenic allergens ameliorated allergic conjunctivitis in the established setting. Such a rice-based edible vaccine is potentially both safe and effective for oral immunotherapy in individuals with allergic conjunctivitis.

Direct phase-sensitive identification of a d-form factor density wave in underdoped cuprates.

The identity of the fundamental broken symmetry (if any) in the underdoped cuprates is unresolved. However, evidence has been accumulating that this state may be an unconventional density wave. Here we carry out site-specific measurements within each CuO2 unit cell, segregating the results into three separate electronic structure images containing only the Cu sites [Cu(r)] and only the x/y axis O sites [Ox(r) and O(y)(r)]. Phase-resolved Fourier analysis reveals directly that the modulations in the O(x)(r) and O(y)(r) sublattice images consistently exhibit a relative phase of π. We confirm this discovery on two highly distinct cuprate compounds, ruling out tunnel matrix-element and materials-specific systematics. These observations demonstrate by direct sublattice phase-resolved visualization that the density wave found in underdoped cuprates consists of modulations of the intraunit-cell states that exhibit a predominantly d-symmetry form factor.

Rice seed for delivery of vaccines to gut mucosal immune tissues.

Gut-associated lymphoid tissue (GALT) is the biggest lymphoid organ in the body. It plays a role in robust immune responses against invading pathogens while maintaining immune tolerance against nonpathogenic antigens such as foods. Oral vaccination can induce mucosal and systemic antigen-specific immune reactions and has several advantages including ease of administration, no requirement for purification and ease of scale-up of antigen. Thus far, taking advantage of these properties, various plant-based oral vaccines have been developed. Seeds provide a superior production platform over other plant tissues for oral vaccines; they offer a suitable delivery vehicle to GALT due to their high stability at room temperature, ample and stable deposition space, high expression level, and protection from digestive enzymes in gut. A rice seed production system for oral vaccines was established by combining stable deposition in protein bodies or protein storage vacuoles and enhanced endosperm-specific expression. Various types of rice-based oral vaccines for infectious and allergic diseases were generated. Efficacy of these rice-based vaccines was evaluated in animal models.

Validation of a new liquid asymmetric-electrode plasma optical emission spectroscopy (LAEP-OES) method for measurement of total mercury in tuna.

BACKGROUND: Mercury intake is caused by eating seafood, such as tuna and other predatory fish species. To reduce the health risks of mercury intake, it is necessary to continuously measure and monitor mercury concentrations at fish farms and markets. We have developed a compact system that can detect multiple heavy metals by liquid asymmetric-electrode plasma optical emission spectroscopy (LAEP-OES). OBJECTIVE: The validity of the LAEP-OES method for total mercury levels was evaluated using standard solutions, certified substances, and specimens of bluefin tuna and other fish species. METHOD: All specimens were dissolved in 4 M lithium hydroxide solution and then dispensed into a sample reservoir well of the single-use measurement reagent pack. Total mercury levels were automatically measured within 15 min of placement into the dedicated equipment. 102 fish specimens classified into 10 fish species were evaluated using the new method and the results were compared to those obtained from validated analytical methods. RESULTS: Limit of detection (0.02 mg/kg), limit of quantification (0.07 mg/kg), repeatability (4.0%), intermediate precision (9.8%), and trueness (recoveries 107%) of the proposed method were within satisfactory limits for total mercury levels in fish. Additionally, when using various fish species, the method had a strong positive correlation with the results of cold-vapor atomic absorption spectrometry (CV-AAS, the official method) with Spearman rs = 0.984. CONCLUSION: The LAEP-OES method can be used for measuring total mercury levels in bluefin tuna. Total mercury measurement using this new method has the potential to be applied to other fish species. HIGHLIGHTS: Total mercury levels in fish were measured using our unique analysis system. Pacific bluefin tuna, southern bluefin tuna, and Atlantic bluefin tuna distributed in the Japanese market were analyzed for total mercury in their wild and farmed fish varieties.

Direct visualization of stacking-selective self-intercalation in epitaxial Nb1+xSe2 films.

Two-dimensional (2D) van der Waals (vdW) materials offer rich tuning opportunities generated by different stacking configurations or by introducing intercalants into the vdW gaps. Current knowledge of the interplay between stacking polytypes and intercalation often relies on macroscopically averaged probes, which fail to pinpoint the exact atomic position and chemical state of the intercalants in real space. Here, by using atomic-resolution electron energy-loss spectroscopy in a scanning transmission electron microscope, we visualize a stacking-selective self-intercalation phenomenon in thin films of the transition-metal dichalcogenide (TMDC) Nb1+xSe2. We observe robust contrasts between 180°-stacked layers with large amounts of Nb intercalants inside their vdW gaps and 0°-stacked layers with little detectable intercalants inside their vdW gaps, coexisting on the atomic scale. First-principles calculations suggest that the films lie at the boundary of a phase transition from 0° to 180° stacking when the intercalant concentration x exceeds ~0.25, which we could attain in our films due to specific kinetic pathways. Our results offer not only renewed mechanistic insights into stacking and intercalation, but also open up prospects for engineering the functionality of TMDCs via stacking-selective self-intercalation.

Oral immunotherapy with transgenic rice seed containing destructed Japanese cedar pollen allergens, Cry j 1 and Cry j 2, against Japanese cedar pollinosis.

Transgenic rice accumulating the modified major Japanese cedar pollen allergens, Cryptomeria japonica 1 (Cry j 1) and Cryptomeria japonica 2 (Cry j 2), which were deconstructed by fragmentation and shuffling, respectively, in the edible part of the seed was generated by transformation of a good-tasting rice variety, 'Koshihikari'. These modified cedar pollen antigens were deposited in ER-derived protein bodies (PB-I), which are suitable for delivery to the mucosal immune system in gut-associated lymphoid tissue when orally administered because antigens bioencapsulated in PB-I are resistant against hydrolysis by intestinal enzymes and harsh environments. Mice fed transgenic seeds daily for three weeks and then challenged with crude cedar pollen allergen showed marked suppression of allergen-specific CD4(+) T-cell proliferation, IgE and IgG levels compared with mice fed nontransgenic rice seeds. As clinical symptoms of pollinosis, sneezing frequency and infiltration of inflammatory cells such as eosinophils and neutrophils were also significantly reduced in the nasal tissue. These results imply that oral administration of transgenic rice seeds containing the structurally disrupted Cry j 1 and Cry j 2 antigens, serving as universal antigens, is a promising approach for specific immunoprophylaxis against Japanese cedar pollinosis.

Resonant x-ray diffraction study of the strongly spin-orbit-coupled mott insulator CaIrO3.

We performed resonant x-ray diffraction experiments at the L absorption edges for the post-perovskite-type compound CaIrO(3) with a (t(2g))^{5} electronic configuration. By observing the magnetic signals, we could clearly see that the magnetic structure was a striped ordering with an antiferromagnetic moment along the c axis and that the wave function of a t(2g) hole is strongly spin-orbit entangled, the J(eff)=1/2 state. The observed spin arrangement is consistent with theoretical work predicting a unique superexchange interaction in the J(eff)=1/2 state and points to the universal importance of the spin-orbit coupling in Ir oxides, independent of the octahedral connectivity and lattice topology. We also propose that nonmagnetic resonant scattering is a powerful tool for unraveling an orbital state even in a metallic iridate.

Partitioning the Two-Leg Spin Ladder in Ba2Cu1 - x Zn x TeO6: From Magnetic Order through Spin-Freezing to Paramagnetism.

Ba2CuTeO6 has attracted significant attention as it contains a two-leg spin ladder of Cu2+ cations that lies in close proximity to a quantum critical point. Recently, Ba2CuTeO6 has been shown to accommodate chemical substitutions, which can significantly tune its magnetic behavior. Here, we investigate the effects of substitution for non-magnetic Zn2+ impurities at the Cu2+ site, partitioning the spin ladders. Results from bulk thermodynamic and local muon magnetic characterization on the Ba2Cu1 - x Zn x TeO6 solid solution (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.6) indicate that Zn2+ partitions the Cu2+ spin ladders into clusters and can be considered using the percolation theory. As the average cluster size decreases with increasing Zn2+ substitution, there is an evolving transition from long-range order to spin-freezing as the critical cluster size is reached between x = 0.1 to x = 0.2, beyond which the behavior became paramagnetic. This demonstrates well-controlled tuning of the magnetic disorder, which is highly topical across a range of low-dimensional Cu2+-based materials. However, in many of these cases, the chemical disorder is also relatively strong in contrast to Ba2CuTeO6 and its derivatives. Therefore, Ba2Cu1 - x Zn x TeO6 provides an ideal model system for isolating the effect of defects and segmentation in low-dimensional quantum magnets.

Observation of ultrafast interfacial Meitner-Auger energy transfer in a Van der Waals heterostructure.

Atomically thin layered van der Waals heterostructures feature exotic and emergent optoelectronic properties. With growing interest in these novel quantum materials, the microscopic understanding of fundamental interfacial coupling mechanisms is of capital importance. Here, using multidimensional photoemission spectroscopy, we provide a layer- and momentum-resolved view on ultrafast interlayer electron and energy transfer in a monolayer-WSe2/graphene heterostructure. Depending on the nature of the optically prepared state, we find the different dominating transfer mechanisms: while electron injection from graphene to WSe2 is observed after photoexcitation of quasi-free hot carriers in the graphene layer, we establish an interfacial Meitner-Auger energy transfer process following the excitation of excitons in WSe2. By analysing the time-energy-momentum distributions of excited-state carriers with a rate-equation model, we distinguish these two types of interfacial dynamics and identify the ultrafast conversion of excitons in WSe2 to valence band transitions in graphene. Microscopic calculations find interfacial dipole-monopole coupling underlying the Meitner-Auger energy transfer to dominate over conventional Förster- and Dexter-type interactions, in agreement with the experimental observations. The energy transfer mechanism revealed here might enable new hot-carrier-based device concepts with van der Waals heterostructures.