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Mn-based superconductors are very rare and their superconductivity has only been reported in three-dimensional MnP and quasi-one-dimensional KMn6Bi5 and RbMn6Bi5 with [Mn6Bi5]âˆ' columns under high pressures. Here we report the synthesis, magnetism, electrical resistivity, and specific heat capacity of the newly discovered quasi-one-dimensional NaMn6Bi5. Compared with other A Mn6Bi5 (A = K, Rb, and Cs), NaMn6Bi5 has abnormal Bi-Bi bond lengths and two antiferromagnetic-like transitions at 47.3 K and 51.8 K. Anisotropic resistivity and low-temperature non-Fermi liquid behavior are observed. Heat capacity measurement reveals that the Sommerfeld coefficient for NaMn6Bi5 is unusually large. Using first-principles calculations, an unusual enhancement of density of states near the Fermi level is demonstrated for NaMn6Bi5. The features make NaMn6Bi5 a more suitable platform to explore the interplay of magnetism and superconductivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Enantioselective alkynylation of cyclic N-sulfonyl α-ketiminoesters with terminal alkynes was developed by using an Ni(ClO4)2/(R)-DTBM-Segphos complex as a catalyst. A range of propargylic amides bearing quaternary stereocenters were afforded in excellent enantioselectivities (up to 97% ee). Theoretical studies revealed that this reaction proceeded via a Friedel–Crafts-type reaction pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: An increasing number of studies have demonstrated of that diabetes mellitus (DM) is associated with an increased prevalence of Alzheimer disease (AD), the underlying mechanisms are still obscure. Methods: We developed a streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic AD transgenic mouse model and evaluated the effect of hyperglycemia on senile plaque formation. Results: Our data showed that administration of STZ increased the level of blood glucose and increased the advanced glycation end products (AGEs) in brain tissue, and further enhanced the expression levels of the receptor for AGEs (RAGE) and the nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) in the brain, and accelerated the senile plaque formation in the transgenic mice. Our results showed that STZ-induced insulin-deficient hyperglycemia caused the pathophysiology of AD in APP/PS1 transgenic mice by modulating the AGEs/RAGE/NF-κB pathway. Conclusions: Our study suggests that there is a close linkage of DM and cerebral amyloidosis in the pathogenesis of AD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In this paper we provide a brief survey on recent research on multi-agent systems. We focus on results in three areas of the research, namely, estimation and filtering, intervention by external means, and interactive control. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The newly discovered alkali-doped iron selenide superconductors not only reach a superconducting transition temperature as high as 32?K, but also exhibit unique characteristics that are absent from other iron-based superconductors, such as antiferromagnetically ordered insulating phases, extremely high Néel transition temperatures and the presence of Fe vacancies and ordering. These features have generated considerable excitement as well as confusion, regarding the delicate interplay between Fe vacancies, magnetism and superconductivity. Here we report on molecular beam epitaxy growth of high-quality KxFe2?ySe2 thin films and in situ low-temperature scanning tunnelling microscope measurement of their atomic and electronic structures. We demonstrate that a KxFe2?ySe2 sample contains two distinct phases: an insulating phase with well-defined order of Fe vacancies, and a superconducting KFe2Se2 phase containing no Fe vacancies. An individual Fe vacancy can locally destroy superconductivity in a similar way to a magnetic impurity in conventional superconductors. Measurement of the magnetic-field dependence of the Fe-vacancy-induced bound states reveals a magnetically related bipartite order in the tetragonal iron lattice. These findings elucidate the existing controversies on this new superconductor and provide atomistic information on the interplay between magnetism and superconductivity in iron-based superconductors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Valproate (VPA) is a widely used anticonvulsant and mood-stabilizing drug. Recent studies have shown that VPA could reduce amyloid-β generation, and improve memory deficits in transgenic mouse models of Alzheimer''s disease (AD). However, whether VPA affects tau phosphorylation and the underlying mechanism has not been established. Here, we showed that systemic treatment of APP and presenilin 1 double transgenic mice with VPA (50mg/kg, once a day for 12weeks), significantly reduced the levels of tau phosphorylation at the sites of Thr205, Ser396 and Thr231. Meanwhile, VPA treatment markedly reduced the activities of cyclin-dependent kinase 5 (CDK5) and glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK3β), two protein kinases involved in abnormal hyperphosphorylation of tau. In an okadaic acid-induced tau hyperphosphorylation SH-SY5Y cell model, the anti-tau-phosphorylation effect of VPA was further confirmed, accompanied by a marked decrease in the activities of CDK5 and GSK3β. Our present data suggest that the inhibitory effects of VPA on tau hyperphosphorylation might be mediated through both CDK5 and GSK3β signaling pathways. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

We use inelastic neutron scattering to study the low-energy spin excitations of polycrystalline samples of nonsuperconducting CeFeAsO and superconducting CeFeAsO0.84F0.16. Two sharp dispersionless modes are found at 0.85 and 1.16 meV in CeFeAsO below the Ce antiferromagnetic (AF) ordering temperature of T ˜ 4 K. On warming to above T ˜ 4 K, these two modes become one broad dispersionless mode that disappears just above the Fe ordering temperature T ˜ 140 K. For superconducting CeFeAsO0.84F0.16, where Fe static AF order is suppressed, we find a weakly dispersive mode center at 0.4 meV that may arise from short-range Ce-Ce exchange interactions. Using a Heisenberg model, we simulate powder-averaged Ce spin wave excitations. Our results show that we need both Ce spin wave and crystal electric field excitations to account for the whole spectra of low-energy spin excitations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A neighbour-based coordination scheme is proposed for a multi-agent system with multiple leaders. Under assumptions of the connectivity of the interconnection topology and a simple first-order dynamics model for each mobile agent, the results show that all the agents will flock to the polytope region formed by the leaders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigate the electronic structures of FeSe in the presence of different possible orders and spin-orbit coupling (SOC). It is found that only the ferro-orbital order (FO) and the collinear antiferro-magnetism (C-AFM) can simultaneously induce splittings at σ and M. Bicollinear antiferro-magnetism (B-AFM) and SOC have very similar band structures on σ-M near the Fermi level. The temperature T insensitive splitting at σ and the T-dependent splitting at M observed in recent experiments can be explained by the d-wave bond nematic (dBN) order together with SOC. The recent observed Dirac cones and their T-dependence in FeSe thin films can also be well explained by the dBN order together with the band renormalization. Their thickness- and cobalt-doping-dependent behaviors are the consequences of electron doping and reduction of Se height. All these suggest that the nematic order in the FeSe system is the dBN order. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We predict that the recently discovered quasi-one-dimensional superconductors, A2Cr3As3 (A=K,Rb), possess strong frustrated magnetic fluctuations and are nearby a novel in-out co-planar magnetic ground state. The frustrated magnetism is very sensitive to the c-axis lattice constant and can thus be suppressed by increasing pressure. Our results qualitatively explain strong non-Fermi liquid behaviors observed in the normal state of the superconductors as the intertwining between the magnetism and superconductivity can create a large quantum critical region in quasi-one-dimensional systems and also suggest that the materials share similar phase diagrams and superconducting mechanism with other unconventional superconductors, such as cuprates and iron-based superconductors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We derive an effective topological field theory model of the four dimensional quantum Hall liquid state recently constructed by Zhang and Hu. Using a generalization of the flux attachment transformation, the effective field theory can be formulated as a U(1) Chern–Simons theory over the total configuration space CP3, or as a SU(2) Chern–Simons theory over S4. The new quantum Hall liquid supports various types of topological excitations, including the 0-brane (particles), the 2-brane (membranes), and the 4-brane. There is a topological phase interaction among the membranes which generalizes the concept of fractional statistics. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Objective: Amyloid-beta (Abeta) is a 36-43 amino acid peptide that is derived by processing of the beta-amyloid precursor protein (APP). Abeta plays a central role in the development of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Although growing evidence suggests that insulin has important functions in Abeta metabolism, the underlying mechanisms are still unknown., Methods: Using an SH-SY5Y cell line overexpressing human APP Swedish mutant (APPsw), we evaluated the effect of insulin on APP processing and Abeta production by using western blot analysist., Results: Our data showed that administration of insulin reduced the Abeta generation in culture media with a concomitant decreases in the levels of beta-secretase BACE1, secreted extracellular domain (sAPPbeta) and a fragment of 99 amino acids (C99) in APPsw cells. We further showed that insulin increased the levels of alpha-secretase ADAM10, a secreted extracellular domain secreted (sAPPa) and a fragment of 83 amino acids (C83) in APPsw cells., Conclusion: Our present data suggest that insulin could inhibit Abeta production through modulation of APP processing by increasing cleavage at the a-secretase site and decreased cleavage at the beta-secretase sites.

We elucidate the existing controversies in the newly discovered K-doped iron selenide (K(x)Fe(2-y)Se(2-z)) superconductors. The stoichiometric KFe(2)Se(2) with √2 × √2 charge ordering was identified as the parent compound of K(x)Fe(2-y)Se(2-z) superconductor using scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy. The superconductivity is induced in KFe(2)Se(2) by either Se vacancies or interacting with the antiferromagnetic K(2)Fe(4)Se(5) compound. In total, four phases were found to exist in K(x)Fe(2-y)Se(2-z): parent compound KFe(2)Se(2), superconducting KFe(2)Se(2) with √2 × √5 charge ordering, superconducting KFe(2)Se(2-z) with Se vacancies, and insulating K(2)Fe(4)Se(5) with √5 × √5 Fe vacancy order. The phase separation takes place at the mesoscopic scale under standard molecular beam epitaxy conditions.

The spin-3/2 fermion models with contact interactions have a generic SO5 symmetry without any fine-tuning of parameters. Its physical consequences are discussed in both the continuum and lattice models. A Monte Carlo algorithm free of the sign problem at any doping and lattice topology is designed when the singlet and quintet interactions satisfy U0< or = U2< or = -3/5 U0 (U0< or = 0), thus making it possible to study different competing orders with high numerical accuracy. This model can be accurately realized in ultracold atomic systems.

We propose a microscopic state for the vortex phase of BSCO superconductors. Around the vortex core or above H(c2), the d wave hole pairs form a checkerboard localized in the antiferromagnetic background. We discuss this theory in connection with recent STM experiments.