54 research outputs found
Charge-Spin Separation in 2D Fermi Systems: Singular Interactions as Modified Commutators, and Solution of 2D Hubbard Model in Bosonized Approximation
The general 2-dimensional fermion system with repulsive interactions
(typified by the Hubbard Model) is bosonized, taking into account the finite
on-shell forward scattering phase shift derived in earlier papers. By taking
this phase shift into account in the bosonic commutation relations a consistent
picture emerges showing the charge-spin separation and anomalous exponents of
the Luttinger liquid.Comment: Latex file 14 pages. email: [email protected]
Charge Dynamics in the Planar t-J Model
The finite-temperature optical conductivity in the planar
model is analysed using recently introduced numerical method based on the
Lanczos diagonalization of small systems (up to 20 sites), as well as by
analytical approaches, including the method of frequency moments and the
retraceable-path approximation. Results for a dynamical mobility of a single
hole at elevated temperatures reveal a Gaussian-like
spectra, however with a nonanalytical behavior at low . In the single
hole response a difference between the ferromagnetic (J=0) and the
antiferromagnetic () polaron shows up at . At larger dopings
numerical results in studied systems are consistent with the thermodynamical
behavior for . spectra show a non-Drude
falloff at large frequencies. In particular for `optimum' doping
we obtain in the low- regime the relaxation rate with , being consistent with the marginal Fermi
liquid concept and experiments. Within the same regime we reproduce the nearly
linear variation of dc resistivity with . This behavior is weakly
dependent on , provided that .Comment: 21 pages of text plus 17 figures, postscrip
Powerlaw optical conductivity with a constant phase angle in high Tc superconductors
In certain materials with strong electron correlations a quantum phase
transition (QPT) at zero temperature can occur, in the proximity of which a
quantum critical state of matter has been anticipated. This possibility has
recently attracted much attention because the response of such a state of
matter is expected to follow universal patterns defined by the quantum
mechanical nature of the fluctuations. Forementioned universality manifests
itself through power-law behaviours of the response functions. Candidates are
found both in heavy fermion systems and in the cuprate high Tc superconductors.
Although there are indications for quantum criticality in the cuprate
superconductors, the reality and the physical nature of such a QPT are still
under debate. Here we identify a universal behaviour of the phase angle of the
frequency dependent conductivity that is characteristic of the quantum critical
region. We demonstrate that the experimentally measured phase angle agrees
precisely with the exponent of the optical conductivity. This points towards a
QPT in the cuprates close to optimal doping, although of an unconventional
kind.Comment: pdf format, 9 pages, 4 color figures include
Marginal Fermi liquid analysis of 300 K reflectance of Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+x
We use 300 K reflectance data to investigate the normal-state electrodynamics
of the high temperature superconductor BiSrCaCuO
over a wide range of doping levels. The data show that at this temperature the
free carriers are coupled to a continuous spectrum of fluctuations. Assuming
the Marginal Fermi Liquid (MFL) form as a first approximation for the
fluctuation spectrum, the doping-dependent coupling constant can
be estimated directly from the slope of the reflectance spectrum. We find that
decreases smoothly with the hole doping level, from underdoped
samples with ( K) where to overdoped
samples with , ( K) where . An analysis of
the intercept and curvature of the reflectance spectrum shows deviations from
the MFL spectrum symmetrically placed at the optimal doping point . The
Kubo formula for the conductivity gives a better fit to the experiments with
the MFL spectrum up to 2000 cm and with an additional Drude component or
an additional Lorentz component up to 7000 cm. By comparing three
different model fits we conclude that the MFL channel is necessary for a good
fit to the reflectance data. Finally, we note that the monotonic variation of
the reflectance slope with doping provides us with an independent measure of
the doping level for the Bi-2212 system.Comment: 11 pages, 11 figure
Survivin gene silencing sensitizes prostate cancer cells to selenium growth inhibition
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Prostate cancer is a leading cause of cancer-related death in men worldwide. Survivin is a member of the inhibitor of apoptosis (IAP) protein family that is expressed in the majority of human tumors including prostate cancer, but is barely detectable in terminally differentiated normal cells. Downregulation of survivin could sensitize prostate cancer cells to chemotherapeutic agents <it>in vitro </it>and <it>in vivo</it>. Selenium is an essential trace element. Several studies have shown that selenium compounds inhibit the growth of prostate cancer cells. The objective of this study is to investigate whether survivin gene silencing in conjunction with selenium treatment could enhance the therapeutic efficacy for prostate cancer and to elucidate the underlying mechanisms.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Expression of survivin was analyzed in a collection of normal and malignant prostatic tissues by immunohistochemical staining. <it>In vitro </it>studies were conducted in PC-3M, C4-2B, and 22Rv1 prostate cancer cells. The effect of selenium on survivin expression was analyzed by Western blotting and semi-quantitative RT-PCR. Survivin gene knockdown was carried out by transfecting cells with a short hairpin RNA (shRNA) designed against survivin. Cell proliferation was quantitated by the 3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)- 2,5-Diphenyltetrazolium Bromide (MTT) assay and apoptosis by propidium iodide staining followed by flow cytometry analysis. Finally, <it>in vivo </it>tumor growth assay was performed by establishing PC-3M xenograft in nude mice and monitoring tumor growth following transfection and treatment.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We found that survivin was undetectable in normal prostatic tissues but was highly expressed in prostate cancers. Survivin knockdown or selenium treatment inhibited the growth of prostate cancer cells, but the selenium effect was modest. In contrast to what have been observed in other cell lines, selenium treatment had little or no effect on survivin expression in several androgen-independent prostate cancer cell lines. Survivin knockdown sensitized these cells to selenium growth inhibition and apoptosis induction. In nude mice bearing PC-3M xenografts, survivin knockdown synergizes with selenium in inhibiting tumor growth.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Selenium could inhibit the growth of hormone-refractory prostate cancer cells both <it>in vitro </it>and <it>in vivo</it>, but the effects were modest. The growth inhibition was not mediated by downregulating survivin expression. Survivin silencing greatly enhanced the growth inhibitory effects of selenium.</p
Low-Frequency Crossover of the Fractional Power-Law Conductivity in SrRuO
We combine the results of terahertz time-domain spectroscopy with far-infrared transmission and reflectivity to obtain the conductivity of SrRuO{sub 3} over an unprecedented continuous range in frequency, allowing us to characterize the approach to zero frequency as a function of temperature. We show that the conductivity follows a simple phenomenological form, with an analytic structure fundamentally different from that predicted by the standard theory of metals
The "Strange Metal" is a Projected Fermi Liquid with Edge Singularities
The puzzling "strange metal" phase of the high Tc cuprate phase diagram
reveals itself as closer to a Fermi liquid than previously supposed: it is a
consequence of Gutzwiller projection and does not necessarily require exotica
such as an RVB or mysterious quantum critical points. There is a Fermi
liquid-like excitation spectrum but the excitations are asymmetric between
electrons and holes, show anomalous forward scattering and have Z equal to 0.
We explain the power law dependence of conductivity on frequency and predict
anomalies in the tunneling and photoemission spectra.Comment: replaced tocorrect a math error in a later section, to clarify
exposition, and to add references to more experiment
Selenium and Lung Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta Analysis
Selenium is a natural health product widely used in the treatment and prevention of lung cancers, but large chemoprevention trials have yielded conflicting results. We conducted a systematic review of selenium for lung cancers, and assessed potential interactions with conventional therapies.Two independent reviewers searched six databases from inception to March 2009 for evidence pertaining to the safety and efficacy of selenium for lung cancers. Pubmed and EMBASE were searched to October 2009 for evidence on interactions with chemo- or radiation-therapy. In the efficacy analysis there were nine reports of five RCTs and two biomarker-based studies, 29 reports of 26 observational studies, and 41 preclinical studies. Fifteen human studies, one case report, and 36 preclinical studies were included in the interactions analysis. Based on available evidence, there appears to be a different chemopreventive effect dependent on baseline selenium status, such that selenium supplementation may reduce risk of lung cancers in populations with lower baseline selenium status (serum<106 ng/mL), but increase risk of lung cancers in those with higher selenium (≥ 121.6 ng/mL). Pooling data from two trials yielded no impact to odds of lung cancer, OR 0.93 (95% confidence interval 0.61-1.43); other cancers that were the primary endpoints of these trials, OR 1.51 (95%CI 0.70-3.24); and all-cause-death, OR 0.93 (95%CI 0.79-1.10). In the treatment of lung cancers, selenium may reduce cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity and side effects associated with radiation therapy.Selenium may be effective for lung cancer prevention among individuals with lower selenium status, but at present should not be used as a general strategy for lung cancer prevention. Although promising, more evidence on the ability of selenium to reduce cisplatin and radiation therapy toxicity is required to ensure that therapeutic efficacy is maintained before any broad clinical recommendations can be made in this context
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