The emergence of magnetic ordering at complex oxide interfaces tuned by defects.

Complex oxides show extreme sensitivity to structural distortions and defects, and the intricate balance of competing interactions which emerge at atomically defined interfaces may give rise to unexpected physics. In the interfaces of non-magnetic complex oxides, one of the most intriguing properties is the emergence of magnetism which is sensitive to chemical defects. Particularly, it is unclear which defects are responsible for the emergent magnetic interfaces. Here, we show direct and clear experimental evidence, supported by theoretical explanation, that the B-site cation stoichiometry is crucial for the creation and control of magnetism at the interface between non-magnetic ABO3-perovskite oxides, LaAlO3 and SrTiO3. We find that consecutive defect formation, driven by atomic charge compensation, establishes the formation of robust perpendicular magnetic moments at the interface. Our observations propose a route to tune these emerging magnetoelectric structures, which are strongly coupled at the polar-nonpolar complex oxide interfaces.

Testing of an oral dosing technique for double-crested cormorants, Phalacocorax auritus, laughing gulls, Leucophaeus atricilla, homing pigeons, Columba livia, and western sandpipers, Calidris mauri, with artificially weather MC252 oil.

Scoping studies were designed to determine if double-crested cormorants (Phalacocorax auritus), laughing gulls (Leucophaues atricilla), homing pigeons (Columba livia) and western sandpipers (Calidris mauri) that were gavaged with a mixture of artificially weathered MC252 oil and food for either a single day or 4-5 consecutive days showed signs of oil toxicity. Where volume allowed, samples were collected for hematology, plasma protein electrophoresis, clinical chemistry and electrolytes, oxidative stress and organ weigh changes. Double-crested cormorants, laughing gulls and western sandpipers all excreted oil within 30min of dose, while pigeons regurgitated within less than one hour of dosing. There were species differences in the effectiveness of the dosing technique, with double-crested cormorants having the greatest number of responsive endpoints at the completion of the trial. Statistically significant changes in packed cell volume, white cell counts, alkaline phosphatase, alanine aminotransferase, creatine phosphokinase, gamma glutamyl transferase, uric acid, chloride, sodium, potassium, calcium, total glutathione, glutathione disulfide, reduced glutathione, spleen and liver weights were measured in double-crested cormorants. Homing pigeons had statistically significant changes in creatine phosphokinase, total glutathione, glutathione disulfide, reduced glutathione and Trolox equivalents. Laughing gulls exhibited statistically significant decreases in spleen and kidney weight, and no changes were observed in any measurement endpoints tested in western sandpipers.

Toxic effects of orally ingested oil from the Deepwater Horizon spill on laughing gulls.

The explosion of the Deepwater Horizon oil rig released, millions of gallons of oil into the environment, subsequently exposing wildlife, including numerous bird species. To determine the effects of MC252 oil to species relevant to the Gulf of Mexico, studies were done examining multiple exposure scenarios and doses. In this study, laughing gulls (Leucophaeus atricilla, LAGU) were offered fish injected with MC252 oil at target doses of 5 or 10mL/kg bw per day. Dosing continued for 27 days. Of the adult, mixed-sex LAGUs used in the present study, ten of 20 oil exposed LAGUs survived to the end of the study; a total of 10 of the oil exposed LAGUs died or were euthanized within 20 days of initiation of the study. Endpoints associated with oxidative stress, hepatic total glutathione (tGSH), oxidized glutathione (GSSG) and reduced glutathione (rGSH) significantly increased as mean dose of oil increased, while the rGSH:GSSG ratio showed a non-significant negative trend with oil dose. A significant increase in 3-methyl histidine was found in oil exposed birds when compared to controls indicative of muscle wastage and may have been associated with the gross observation of diminished structural integrity in cardiac tissue. Consistent with previous oil dosing studies in birds, significant changes in liver, spleen, and kidney weight when normalized to body weight were observed. These studies indicate that mortality in response to oil dosing is relatively common and the mortality exhibited by the gulls is consistent with previous studies examining oil toxicity. Whether survival effects in the gull study were associated with weight loss, physiologic effects of oil toxicity, or a behavioral response that led the birds to reject the dosed fish is unknown.

Dermal exposure to weathered MC252 crude oil results in echocardiographically identifiable systolic myocardial dysfunction in double-crested cormorants (Phalacrocorax auritus).

During the Deepwater Horizon Natural Resource Damage Assessment, gross morphologic cardiac abnormalities, including softer, more distensible musculature, were noted upon gross necropsy in hearts from laughing gulls and double-crested cormorants exposed to weathered MC252 crude oil. A species specific, echocardiographic technique was developed for antemortem evaluation of function that was used to evaluate and better characterize cardiac dysfunction. Control (n=12) and treated (n=13) cormorant groups of similar sex-ratio and ages were dermally treated with approximately 13ml of water or weathered MC252 crude oil, respectively, every 3 days for 6 dosages. This resulted in a low to moderate external exposure. Upon visualization and clinical assessment of the hearts of all test subjects, comprehensive diagnostic cardiographic measurements were taken twice, prior to oil application and after a 21day dermal oil exposure. Oil-treated birds showed a decrease in cardiac systolic function, as characterized by an increased left ventricular internal dimension-systole and left ventricular stroke volume as well as concurrent decreased left ventricular ejection fraction and left ventricular fractional shortening when compared to both control birds' and the treated birds' time zero values. These changes are indicative of a possible dilative cardiomyopathy induced by oil exposure, although further elucidation of possible collagen damage is recommended. Arrhythmias including tachycardia in two treated birds and bradycardia in all treated birds were documented, indicating further clinically significant abnormalities induced by MC252 oil that warrant further investigation. A statistically significant increase in free calcium concentration, important to muscular and neurologic function in treated birds was also noted. This study documents that weathered MC252 oil caused clinically significant cardiac dysfunction that could result in mortality and decrease recruitment.

Reprint of: Overview of avian toxicity studies for the Deepwater Horizon Natural Resource Damage Assessment.

The Oil Pollution Act of 1990 establishes liability for injuries to natural resources because of the release or threat of release of oil. Assessment of injury to natural resources resulting from an oil spill and development and implementation of a plan for the restoration, rehabilitation, replacement or acquisition of natural resources to compensate for those injuries is accomplished through the Natural Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA) process. The NRDA process began within a week of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, which occurred on April 20, 2010. During the spill, more than 8500 dead and impaired birds representing at least 93 avian species were collected. In addition, there were more than 3500 birds observed to be visibly oiled. While information in the literature at the time helped to identify some of the effects of oil on birds, it was not sufficient to fully characterize the nature and extent of the injuries to the thousands of live oiled birds, or to quantify those injuries in terms of effects on bird viability. As a result, the US Fish and Wildlife Service proposed various assessment activities to inform NRDA injury determination and quantification analyses associated with the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, including avian toxicity studies. The goal of these studies was to evaluate the effects of oral exposure to 1-20ml of artificially weathered Mississippi Canyon 252 oil kg bw-1 day-1 from one to 28 days or one to five applications of oil to 20% of the bird's surface area. It was thought that these exposure levels would not result in immediate or short-term mortality but might result in physiological effects that ultimately could affect avian survival, reproduction and health. These studies included oral dosing studies, an external dosing study, metabolic and flight performance studies and field-based flight studies. Results of these studies indicated changes in hematologic endpoints including formation of Heinz bodies and changes in cell counts. There were also effects on multiple organ systems, cardiac function and oxidative status. External oiling affected flight patterns and time spent during flight tasks indicating that migration may be affected by short-term repeated exposure to oil. Feather damage also resulted in increased heat loss and energetic demands. The papers in this special issue indicate that the combined effects of oil toxicity and feather effects in avian species, even in the case of relatively light oiling, can significantly affect the overall health of birds.

Overview of avian toxicity studies for the Deepwater Horizon Natural Resource Damage Assessment.

The Oil Pollution Act of 1990 establishes liability for injuries to natural resources because of the release or threat of release of oil. Assessment of injury to natural resources resulting from an oil spill and development and implementation of a plan for the restoration, rehabilitation, replacement or acquisition of natural resources to compensate for those injuries is accomplished through the Natural Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA) process. The NRDA process began within a week of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, which occurred on April 20, 2010. During the spill, more than 8500 dead and impaired birds representing at least 93 avian species were collected. In addition, there were more than 3500 birds observed to be visibly oiled. While information in the literature at the time helped to identify some of the effects of oil on birds, it was not sufficient to fully characterize the nature and extent of the injuries to the thousands of live oiled birds, or to quantify those injuries in terms of effects on bird viability. As a result, the US Fish and Wildlife Service proposed various assessment activities to inform NRDA injury determination and quantification analyses associated with the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, including avian toxicity studies. The goal of these studies was to evaluate the effects of oral exposure to 1-20ml of artificially weathered Mississippi Canyon 252 oil kg bw-1 day-1 from one to 28 days or one to five applications of oil to 20% of the bird's surface area. It was thought that these exposure levels would not result in immediate or short-term mortality but might result in physiological effects that ultimately could affect avian survival, reproduction and health. These studies included oral dosing studies, an external dosing study, metabolic and flight performance studies and field-based flight studies. Results of these studies indicated changes in hematologic endpoints including formation of Heinz bodies and changes in cell counts. There were also effects on multiple organ systems, cardiac function and oxidative status. External oiling affected flight patterns and time spent during flight tasks indicating that migration may be affected by short-term repeated exposure to oil. Feather damage also resulted in increased heat loss and energetic demands. The papers in this special issue indicate that the combined effects of oil toxicity and feather effects in avian species, even in the case of relatively light oiling, can significantly affect the overall health of birds.

The influence of geographical location, host maturity and sex on intestinal helminth communities of the double-crested cormorant Phalacrocorax auritus from the eastern United States.

Here the intestinal helminth infracommunities of 218 double-crested cormorants (Phalacrocorax auritus) from 11 locations in Alabama, Minnesota, Mississippi and Vermont are documented. Trematode infections were present in 98% of hosts; 65% of cormorants carried cestode infections, 4% were infected with acanthocephalans and 66% had nematode intestinal parasites. Parasite infracommunities of hosts collected on wintering grounds had higher richness and diversity than did birds collected on breeding grounds. Differences in parasite richness and diversity between male and female P. auritus were also detected, but not between immature and mature bird hosts. Parasite intensity did not differ by sex, maturity, or between breeding and wintering season. The most common parasite was Drepanocephalus auritus (spathans), which is recognized as a disease agent that negatively impacts the catfish aquaculture industry in the US. Echinochasmus sp. in double-crested cormorants is documented for the first time in the United States. We suggest that the differences observed among parasite infracommunities could be associated with the foraging distances travelled by P. auritus during breeding and wintering seasons, which is limited by allocation of parental care during the breeding season.

Strain response of magnetic order in perovskite-type oxide films.

The role of elastic strain for magnetoelectric materials and devices is twofold. It can induce ferroic orders in thin films of otherwise non-ferroic materials. On the other hand, it provides the most exploited coupling mechanism in two-phase magnetoelectric materials and devices today. Complex oxide films (perovskites, spinels) are promising for both routes. The strain control of magnetic order in complex oxide films is a young research field, and few ab initio simulations are available for magnetic order in dependence on lattice parameters and lattice symmetry. Here, an experimental approach for the evaluation of how elastic strain in thin epitaxial films alters their magnetic order is introduced. The magnetic films are grown epitaxially in strain states controlled by buffer layers onto piezoelectric substrates of 0.72Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3-0.28PbTiO3(001). As an example, the strain dependence of the ordered magnetic moment of SrRuO3 has been investigated. At a tensile strain level of approximately 1%, SrRuO3 is tetragonal, and biaxial elastic strain induces a pronounced suppression of the ordered magnetic moment. As a second example, a strain-driven transition from a ferromagnetic to a magnetically disordered phase has been observed in epitaxial La0.8Sr0.2CoO3 films.

The Mn(2+)/Mn(3+) state of La0.7Ce0.3MnO3 by oxygen reduction and photodoping.

Films of cerium-doped LaMnO3, which has been intensively discussed as an electron-doped counterpart to hole-doped mixed-valence lanthanum manganites during the past decade, were analyzed by x-ray photoemission spectroscopy with respect to their manganese valence under photoexcitation. The comparative analysis of the Mn 3s exchange splitting of La0.7Ce0.3MnO3 (LCeMO) films in the dark and under illumination clearly shows that both oxygen reduction and illumination are able to decrease the Mn valence towards a mixed 2+/3+ state, independently of the film thickness and the degree of CeO2 segregation. Charge-injection from the photoconductive SrTiO3 substrate into the Mn eg band with carrier lifetimes in the range of tens of seconds and intrinsic generation of electron-hole pairs within the films are discussed as two possible sources of the Mn valence shift and the subsequent electron doping.

[Lung ultrasound in acute and critical care medicine]. / Lungensonographie in der Akut- und Intensivmedizin.

The development of modern critical care lung ultrasound is based on the classical representation of anatomical structures and the need for the assessment of specific sonography artefacts and phenomena. The air and fluid content of the lungs is interpreted using few typical artefacts and phenomena, with which the most important differential diagnoses can be made. According to a recent international consensus conference these include lung sliding, lung pulse, B-lines, lung point, reverberation artefacts, subpleural consolidations and intrapleural fluid collections. An increased number of B-lines is an unspecific sign for an increased quantity of fluid in the lungs resembling interstitial syndromes, for example in the case of cardiogenic pulmonary edema or lung contusion. In the diagnosis of interstitial syndromes lung ultrasound provides higher diagnostic accuracy (95%) than auscultation (55%) and chest radiography (72%). Diagnosis of pneumonia and pulmonary embolism can be achieved at the bedside by evaluating subpleural lung consolidations. Detection of lung sliding can help to detect asymmetrical ventilation and allows the exclusion of a pneumothorax. Ultrasound-based diagnosis of pneumothorax is superior to supine anterior chest radiography: for ultrasound the sensitivity is 92-100% and the specificity 91-100%. For the diagnosis of pneumothorax a simple algorithm was therefore designed: in the presence of lung sliding, lung pulse or B-lines, pneumothorax can be ruled out, in contrast a positive lung point is a highly specific sign of the presence of pneumothorax. Furthermore, lung ultrasound allows not only diagnosis of pleural effusion with significantly higher sensitivity than chest x-ray but also visual control in ultrasound-guided thoracocentesis.

Extrinsic electronic transport in La0.7(Sr,Ca)0.3MnO3 films deposited on step edges and bicrystal substrates.

In this paper, the electronic transport of La(0.7)(Sr,Ca)(0.3)MnO(3) films grown by pulsed laser deposition on a LaAlO(3)(001) substrate with deep parallel structured steps and a 30° symmetric bicrystal SrTiO(3)(001) substrate have been discussed. The electronic transport properties have been related to the well-known extrinsic transport of bulk manganite compounds. The spin-glass-like behavior with a characteristic peak at 20 K and domain formation at the grain boundary is observed. Further, it has been quantified from the resonant tunneling model that mixed magnetic interactions play a significant role in the manganite films deposited on step edges.

Tuning the exciton binding energies in single self-assembled InGaAs/GaAs quantum dots by piezoelectric-induced biaxial stress.

We study the effect of an external biaxial stress on the light emission of single InGaAs/GaAs(001) quantum dots placed onto piezoelectric actuators. With increasing compression, the emission blueshifts and the binding energies of the positive trion (X+) and biexciton (XX) relative to the neutral exciton (X) show a monotonic increase. This phenomenon is mainly ascribed to changes in electron and hole localization and it provides a robust method to achieve color coincidence in the emission of X and XX, which is a prerequisite for the possible generation of entangled photon pairs via the recently proposed "time reordering" scheme.

Large photoconductivity of oxygen-deficient La(0.7)Ca(0.3)MnO(3)/SrTiO(3) heterostructures.

The electrical resistance of stoichiometric and oxygen-deficient epitaxial 10 nm thick La(0.7)Ca(0.3)MnO(3) thin films on SrTiO(3) under photoexcitation covering the visible to the ultraviolet range has been investigated systematically as a function of illumination intensity, wavelength and temperature. In contrast to as-prepared films, the oxygen-deficient samples exhibit large photoconductivity of several orders of magnitude at low temperatures. By our detailed comparative analysis of the electrical conductivity of the film/substrate heterostructure and the bare substrate we are able to elucidate contributions of both carrier generation in the film and carrier injection from the substrate to the observed effect.

Strain-induced insulator state and giant gauge factor of La0.7Sr0.3CoO3 films.

A strain-induced change of the electrical conductivity by several orders of magnitude has been observed for ferromagnetic La(0.7)Sr(0.3)CoO(3) films. Tensile strain is found to drive the narrow-band metal highly insulating. Reversible strain applied using a piezoelectric substrate reveals huge resistance modulations including a giant piezoresistive gauge factor of 7000 at 300 K. Magnetization data recorded for statically and reversibly strained films show moderate changes. This indicates a rather weak strain response of the low-temperature Co spin state. We suggest that a strain-induced static Jahn-Teller-type deformation of the CoO(6) units may provide a localization mechanism that also has impact on electronic transport in the paramagnetic regime.

Investigations on the spin-glass state in Dy(0.5)Sr(0.5)MnO(3) single crystals through structural, magnetic and thermal properties.

Single crystals of Dy(0.5)Sr(0.5)MnO(3) are grown using the optical floating zone technique, and their structural, magnetic, transport and thermal properties have been investigated. Magnetization measurements under field-cooled and zero-field-cooled conditions display irreversibility below 35 K. The magnetization does not saturate up to fields of 5 T in the temperature range 5-350 K. AC susceptibility shows a cusp around 32 K that shifts to higher temperature with increasing frequency. This frequency dependence of the peak temperature follows a critical slowing down with exponent zν = 3.6. Electrical resistivity shows insulating behavior, and the application of magnetic fields up to 10 T does not change this qualitative behavior. However, a marked negative magnetoresistance is observed in the paramagnetic phase reaching 80% at 70 K and 10 T. The observed resistivity behavior does not obey an activated type of conduction. These features are characteristic of spin-glass behavior in this half-doped insulating manganite. It is argued that the spin-glass-like state originates from the A-site disorder, which in turn results from the random distribution of cations with different ionic radii. Specific-heat measurements reveal a sizable linear contribution at low temperature that may be associated with the glassy magnetic ordering and a Schottky-like anomaly in a wide temperature range between 8 and 40 K. The distribution of Schottky levels is explained by the inhomogeneity of the molecular field in the spin-glass state that leads to variable splitting of the Kramers ground-state doublets in Dy(3+).

Observation of minority spin character of the new electron doped manganite La0.7Ce0.3MnO3 from tunneling magnetoresistance.

We report the magnetotransport characteristics of a trilayer ferromagnetic tunnel junction built of an electron doped manganite (La0.7Ce0.3MnO3) and a hole doped manganite (La0.7Ca0.3MnO3). At low temperatures the junction exhibits a large positive tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR), irrespective of the bias voltage. At intermediate temperatures below T(C) the sign of the TMR is dependent on the bias voltage across the junction. The magnetoresistive characteristics of the junction strongly suggest that La0.7Ce0.3MnO3 is a minority spin carrier ferromagnet with a high degree of spin polarization, i.e., a transport half-metal.

XMCD study of the Ruddlesden-Popper Phase La1.2Nd0.2Sr1.6Mn2O7.

X-ray Magnetic Circular Dichroism (XMCD) measurements of the Ruddlesden-Popper Phase La1,2Nd0,2Sr1.6Mn2O7 are reported. The Mn K. La and Nd L2,L3 edges have been measured on a powder sample at two different magnetic fields at low temperature. The analysis of the spectra at B = 1T indicates a large orbital moment of the Nd 5d-states and a significant spin-polarization of the La 5d-band. Furthermore at the Mn K-edge a XMCD-signal is observed, showing a polarization of the Mn 4p-band. At lower field (0.2T) all XMCD-signals are about two times smaller corresponding to the lower total magnetization. The signal at the Nd L2 edge vanishes completely at 0.2T.

Lipid-protein interactions in crystals of plant light-harvesting complex.

Two different thylakoid lipids are specifically associated with the light-harvesting complex of photosystem II (LHC-II). Digalactosyl diacyl glycerol (DGDG) binds to the isolated complex but can be removed by mild detergent treatment and anion-exchange chromatography. Removal of this lipid renders the complex unable to form two-dimensional or three-dimensional crystals. The ability to crystallize is completely restored by addition of pure DGDG, at a ratio of about four molecules per polypeptide for three-dimensional crystals, suggesting several binding sites at the periphery of the trimeric complex. Two-dimensional crystals of purified protein grown in the presence of DGDG are more highly ordered than those obtained from the unfractionated complex. The other lipid, phosphatidyl glycerol (PG), binds more firmly and cannot be removed with non-ionic detergent. Complete delipidation of LHC-II can be achieved either with phospholipase or by proteolytic cleavage of 49 amino acid residues at the N terminus. Both treatments dissociate the native, trimeric complex into monomers. This indicates that PG is directly involved in the formation of trimers, which are a prerequisite for two-dimensional and three-dimensional crystallization. Both lipids are therefore present in two-dimensional and three-dimensional crystals and have distinct roles in the structure of the complex.

Calibrated double split cast simulations for orthognathic surgery.

A cephalometric prediction tracing serves as a guideline for orthognathic surgery. Transfer of information from prediction tracings to cast simulation (model surgery) is part of treatment planning for surgical correction of dentofacial deformities. Articulated mounting with calibrated double split casts adds precision to the process and makes the final cast operation more effective. Systematic errors in the transfer of information are appraised critically.