Spectral function of the Anderson impurity model at finite temperatures

Using the functional renormalization group (FRG) and the numerical renormalization group (NRG), we calculate the spectral function of the Anderson impurity model at zero and finite temperatures. In our FRG scheme spin fluctuations are treated non-perturbatively via a suitable Hubbard-Stratonovich field, but vertex corrections are neglected. A comparison with our highly accurate NRG results shows that this FRG scheme gives a quantitatively good description of the spectral line-shape at zero and finite temperatures both in the weak and strong coupling regimes, although at zero temperature the FRG is not able to reproduce the known exponential narrowing of the Kondo resonance at strong coupling.Comment: 6 pages, 3 figures; new references adde

Dynamic scaling in the vicinity of the Luttinger liquid fixed point

We calculate the single-particle spectral function A (k, omega) of a one-dimensional Luttinger liquid by means of a functional renormalization group (RG) approach. Given an infrared energy cutoff Lambda = Lambda_0 e^{- l}, our approach yields the spectral function in the scaling form, A_{\Lambda} (k_F + p, omega) = tau Z_l tilde{A}_l (p xi, omega tau), where k_F is the Fermi momentum, Z_l is the wave-function renormalization factor, tau = 1 / \Lambda is the time scale and xi = v_F / \Lambda is the length scale associated with Lambda. At the Luttinger liquid fixed point (l rightarrow infty) our RG result for A (k, omega) exhibits the correct anomalous scaling properties, and for k = \pm k_F agrees exactly with the well-known bosonization result at weak coupling. Our calculation demonstrates that the field rescaling is essential for obtaining the crossover from Fermi liquid behavior to Luttinger liquid behavior from a truncation of the hierarchy of exact RG flow equations as the infrared cutoff is reduced.Comment: 15 pages, 5 figure

Reproducibility of lymphovascular space invasion (LVSI) assessment in endometrial cancer

Aims Lymphovascular space invasion (LVSI) in endometrial cancer (EC) is an important prognostic variable impacting on a patient's individual recurrence risk and adjuvant treatment recommendations. Recent work has shown that grading the extent of LVSI further improves its prognostic strength in patients with stage I endometrioid EC. Despite this, there is little information on the reproducibility of LVSI assessment in EC. Therefore, we designed a study to evaluate interobserver agreement in discriminating true LVSI from LVSI mimics (Phase I) and reproducibility of grading extent of LVSI (Phase II). Methods and results Scanned haematoxylin and eosin (H&E) slides of endometrioid EC (EEC) with a predefined possible LVSI focus were hosted on a website and assessed by a panel of six European gynaecological pathologists. In Phase I, 48 H&E slides were included for LVSI assessment and in Phase II, 42 H&E slides for LVSI grading. Each observer was instructed to apply the criteria for LVSI used in daily practice. The degree of agreement was measured using the two-way absolute agreement average-measures intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). Reproducibility of LVSI assessment (ICC = 0.64, P < 0.001) and LVSI grading (ICC = 0.62, P < 0.001) in EEC was substantial among the observers. Conclusions Given the good reproducibility of LVSI, this study further supports the important role of LVSI in decision algorithms for adjuvant treatment

Density of states in d-wave superconductors disordered by extended impurities

The low-energy quasiparticle states of a disordered d-wave superconductor are investigated theoretically. A class of such states, formed via tunneling between the Andreev bound states that are localized around extended impurities (and result from scattering between pair-potential lobes that differ in sign) is identified. Its (divergent) contribution to the total density of states is determined by taking advantage of connections with certain one-dimensional random tight-binding models. The states under discussion should be distinguished from those associated with nodes in the pair potential.Comment: 5 pages, 1 figur

Reconstruction of the Fermi surface in the pseudogap state of cuprates

Reconstruction of the Fermi surface of high-temperature superconducting cuprates in the pseudogap state is analyzed within nearly exactly solvable model of the pseudogap state, induced by short-range order fluctuations of antiferromagnetic (AFM, spin density wave (SDW), or similar charge density wave (CDW)) order parameter, competing with superconductivity. We explicitly demonstrate the evolution from "Fermi arcs" (on the "large" Fermi surface) observed in ARPES experiments at relatively high temperatures (when both the amplitude and phase of density waves fluctuate randomly) towards formation of typical "small" electron and hole "pockets", which are apparently observed in de Haas - van Alfen and Hall resistance oscillation experiments at low temperatures (when only the phase of density waves fluctuate, and correlation length of the short-range order is large enough). A qualitative criterion for quantum oscillations in high magnetic fields to be observable in the pseudogap state is formulated in terms of cyclotron frequency, correlation length of fluctuations and Fermi velocity.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figure

Some remarks about pseudo gap behavior of nearly antiferromagnetic metals

In the antiferromagnetically ordered phase of a metal, gaps open on parts of the Fermi surface if the Fermi volume is sufficiently large. We discuss simple qualitative and heuristic arguments under what conditions precursor effects, i.e. pseudo gaps, are expected in the paramagnetic phase of a metal close to an antiferromagnetic quantum phase transition. At least for weak interactions, we do not expect the formation of pseudo gaps in a three dimensional material. According to our arguments, the upper critical dimension d_c for the formation of pseudo gaps is d_c=2. However, at the present stage we cannot rule out a higher upper critical dimension, 2 < d_c <= 3. We also discuss briefly the role of statistical interactions in pseudo gap phases.Comment: 6 pages, accepted in PRB, relevant references added, several small change

CLASH-VLT: Environment-driven evolution of galaxies in the z=0.209 cluster Abell 209

The analysis of galaxy properties and the relations among them and the environment, can be used to investigate the physical processes driving galaxy evolution. We study the cluster A209 by using the CLASH-VLT spectroscopic data combined with Subaru photometry, yielding to 1916 cluster members down to a stellar mass of 10^{8.6} Msun. We determine: i) the stellar mass function of star-forming and passive galaxies; ii) the intra-cluster light and its properties; iii) the orbits of low- and high-mass passive galaxies; and iv) the mass-size relation of ETGs. The stellar mass function of the star-forming galaxies does not depend on the environment, while the slope found for passive galaxies becomes flatter in the densest region. The color distribution of the intra-cluster light is consistent with the color of passive members. The analysis of the dynamical orbits shows that low-mass passive galaxies have tangential orbits, avoiding small pericenters around the BCG. The mass-size relation of low-mass passive ETGs is flatter than that of high mass galaxies, and its slope is consistent with that of field star-forming galaxies. Low-mass galaxies are also more compact within the scale radius of 0.65 Mpc. The ratio between stellar and number density profiles shows a mass segregation in the center. The comparative analysis of the stellar and total density profiles indicates that this effect is due to dynamical friction. Our results are consistent with a scenario in which the "environmental quenching" of low-mass galaxies is due to mechanisms such as harassment out to R200, starvation and ram-pressure stripping at smaller radii, as supported by the analysis of the mass function, of the dynamical orbits and of the mass-size relation of passive early-types in different regions. Our analyses support the idea that the intra-cluster light is formed through the tidal disruption of subgiant galaxies.Comment: 17 pages, 20 figures, A&A in pres

Anyons in a weakly interacting system

We describe a theoretical proposal for a system whose excitations are anyons with the exchange phase pi/4 and charge -e/2, but, remarkably, can be built by filling a set of single-particle states of essentially noninteracting electrons. The system consists of an artificially structured type-II superconducting film adjacent to a 2D electron gas in the integer quantum Hall regime with unit filling fraction. The proposal rests on the observation that a vacancy in an otherwise periodic vortex lattice in the superconductor creates a bound state in the 2DEG with total charge -e/2. A composite of this fractionally charged hole and the missing flux due to the vacancy behaves as an anyon. The proposed setup allows for manipulation of these anyons and could prove useful in various schemes for fault-tolerant topological quantum computation.Comment: 7 pages with 3 figures. For related work and info visit http://www.physics.ubc.ca/~fran

Hepatitis C virus quasispecies and pseudotype analysis from acute infection to chronicity in HIV-1 co-infected individuals

HIV-1 infected patients who acquire HCV infection have higher rates of chronicity and liver disease progression than patients with HCV mono-infection. Understanding early events in this pathogenic process is important. We applied single genome sequencing of the E1 to NS3 regions and viral pseudotype neutralization assays to explore the consequences of viral quasispecies evolution from pre-seroconversion to chronicity in four co-infected individuals (mean follow up 566 days). We observed that one to three founder viruses were transmitted. Relatively low viral sequence diversity, possibly related to an impaired immune response, due to HIV infection was observed in three patients. However, the fourth patient, after an early purifying selection displayed increasing E2 sequence evolution, possibly related to being on suppressive antiretroviral therapy. Viral pseudotypes generated from HCV variants showed relative resistance to neutralization by autologous plasma but not to plasma collected from later time points, confirming ongoing virus escape from antibody neutralization

An Exactly Solvable Model of N Coupled Luttinger Chains

We calculate the exact Green function of a special model of N coupled Luttinger chains with arbitrary interchain hopping t_{perp}. The model is exactly solvable via bosonization if the interchain interaction does not fall off in the direction perpendicular to the chains. For any finite N we find Luttinger liquid behavior and explicitly calculate the anomalous dimension gamma^(N). However, the Luttinger liquid state does not preclude coherent interchain hopping. We also show that gamma^(N) -> 0 for N -> infinity, so that in the limit of infinitely many chains we obtain a Fermi liquid.Comment: accepted for publication in Phys. Rev.