Nodal quasiparticle in pseudogapped colossal magnetoresistive manganites

A characteristic feature of the copper oxide high-temperature superconductors is the dichotomy between the electronic excitations along the nodal (diagonal) and antinodal (parallel to the Cu-O bonds) directions in momentum space, generally assumed to be linked to the 'd-wave' symmetry of the superconducting state. Angle-resolved photoemission measurements in the superconducting state have revealed a quasiparticle spectrum with a d-wave gap structure that exhibits a maximum along the antinodal direction and vanishes along the nodal direction. Subsequent measurements have shown that, at low doping levels, this gap structure persists even in the high-temperature metallic state, although the nodal points of the superconducting state spread out in finite 'Fermi arcs'. This is the so-called pseudogap phase, and it has been assumed that it is closely linked to the superconducting state, either by assigning it to fluctuating superconductivity or by invoking orders which are natural competitors of d-wave superconductors. Here we report experimental evidence that a very similar pseudogap state with a nodal-antinodal dichotomous character exists in a system that is markedly different from a superconductor: the ferromagnetic metallic groundstate of the colossal magnetoresistive bilayer manganite La1.2Sr1.8Mn2O7. Our findings therefore cast doubt on the assumption that the pseudogap state in the copper oxides and the nodal-antinodal dichotomy are hallmarks of the superconductivity state.     

Thiarubrine A, a bioactive constituent of Aspilia (Asteraceae) consumed by wild chimpanzees

Two African species of Aspilia (Asteraceae), which are used medicinally by man and which are eaten by wild chimpanzees in an unusual manner, were found to contain the potent antibiotic thiarubrine A as a major leaf phytochemical. Its presence in leaf material strengthens the view that the feeding behavior of wild chimpanzees is related to special physiological or pharmacological effects on the animals.     

Isolation and characterization of a high-molecular-weight glycoprotein from the endometrium of porcine uteri

Summary A novel glycoprotein was isolated from the endometrium of porcine uteri. This high-molecular-weight glycoprotein consisted of 25% of protein and 73% of carbohydrate. The carbohydrate composition was quite characteristic in that equimolar N-acetylglucosamine and galactose were major constituents. Its unique nature makes it distinguishable from hitherto-reported glycoproteins.     

Evaluation of the ability of intact platelets to accumulate acridine orange

A new approach to the evaluation of the uptake of fluorescent probes by intact cells is described. Acridine orange (AO) was used because it can be selectively accumulated by serotonin-containing granules of platelets. Analysis of the fluorescence signal allows the estimation of the relative volume of the granules and the equilibrium coefficients for AO transport across the cytoplasm and granule membranes. The following results were obtained for human and rabbit platelets: the relative volumes of the granules were 14 +/- 1% and 29 +/- 2%, the ratios of intragranular-extracellular probe concentration were 2260 +/- 382 and 30,000 +/- 5550, and the cytoplasm-extracellular medium concentration ratios were 375 +/- 60 and 225 +/- 60, respectively.