14,204 research outputs found
On Quantum Special Kaehler Geometry
We compute the effective black hole potential V of the most general N=2, d=4
(local) special Kaehler geometry with quantum perturbative corrections,
consistent with axion-shift Peccei-Quinn symmetry and with cubic leading order
behavior. We determine the charge configurations supporting axion-free
attractors, and explain the differences among various configurations in
relations to the presence of ``flat'' directions of V at its critical points.
Furthermore, we elucidate the role of the sectional curvature at the
non-supersymmetric critical points of V, and compute the Riemann tensor (and
related quantities), as well as the so-called E-tensor. The latter expresses
the non-symmetricity of the considered quantum perturbative special Kaehler
geometry.Comment: 1+43 pages; v2: typo corrected in the curvature of Jordan symmetric
sequence at page 2
Extreme vortex pinning in the non-centrosymmetric superconductor CePtSi
We report on the vortex dynamics of a single crystal of the
non-centrosymmetric heavy-fermion superconductor CePtSi. Decays of the
remnant magnetization display a clean logarithmic time dependence with rates
that follow the temperature dependence expected from the Kim-Anderson theory.
The creep rates are lower than observed in any other centrosymmetric
superconductor and are not caused by high critical currents. On the contrary,
the critical current in CePtSi is considerably lower than in other
superconductors with strong vortex pinning indicating that an alternative
impediment on the flux line motion might be at work in this superconductor.Comment: 4 pages, 5 figure
A Complex Case of Cholestasis in a Patient with ABCB4 and ABCB11 Mutations
The low-phospholipid-associated cholelithiasis (LPAC) syndrome is a form of symptomatic cholelithiasis occurring in young adults, characterized by recurrence of symptoms after cholecystectomy and presence of hepatolithiasis. The case refers to a healthy 39-year-old Caucasian male who presented with abdominal pain and jaundice. His blood tests showed conjugated hyperbilirubinemia and elevated liver enzymes (total bilirubin 6.65 mg/dL, γ-glutamyltransferase 699 IU/L) and abdominal computed tomography revealed dilation of common bile duct and left intrahepatic ducts. Magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography identified choledocholithiasis, retrieved by endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography, after which there was a worsening of jaundice (total bilirubin 23 mg/dL), which persisted for several weeks, possibly due to ciprofloxacin toxicity. After an extensive workup including liver biopsy, the identification of two foci of hepatolithiasis on reevaluation abdominal ultrasound raised the hypothesis of LPAC syndrome and the patient was started on ursodeoxycholic acid, with remarkable improvement. Genetic testing identified the mutation c.1954A>G (p.Arg652Gly) in ABCB4 gene (homozygous) and c.1331T>C (p.Val444Ala) in ABCB11 gene (heterozygous). In conclusion, we describe the unique case of an adult male with choledocholithiasis, hepatolithiasis, and persistent conjugated hyperbilirubinemia after retrieval of stones, fulfilling the criteria for LPAC syndrome and with possible superimposed drug-induced liver injury, in whom ABCB4 and ABCB11 mutations were found, both of which had not been previously described in association with LPAC.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Physical properties of single-crystalline fibers of the colossal-magnetoresistance manganite La0.7Ca0.3MnO3
We have grown high-quality single crystals of the colossal-magnetoresistance
(CMR) material La0.7Ca0.3MnO3 by using the laser heated pedestal growth (LHPG)
method. Samples were grown as fibers of different diameters, and with lengths
of the order of centimeters. Their composition and structure were verified
through X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microcopy with EDX (Energy
Dispersive X-ray Analysis) and by Rietveld analysis. The quality of the
crystalline fibers was confirmed by Laue and EBSD (Electron Backscatter
Diffraction) patterns. Rocking curves performed along the fiber axis revealed a
half-height width of 0.073 degrees. The CMR behavior was confirmed by
electrical resistivity and magnetization measurements as a function of
temperature.Comment: 11 pages (including 3 figures); to appear in Appl. Phys. Let
Anisotropic superconducting properties of aligned MgB2 crystallites
Samples of aligned MgB2 crystallites have been prepared, allowing for the
first time the direct identification of an upper critical field anisotropy
Hc2^{ab}/Hc2^{c}= xi_{ab}/xi_{c} ~ 1.73; with xi_{o,ab} ~ 70 A, xi_{o,c} ~ 40
A, and a mass anisotropy ratio m_{ab}/m_{c} ~ 0.3. A ferromagnetic background
signal was identified, possibly related to the raw materials purity.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures; Revised version to appear in Phys. Rev. Let
Localization properties of a tight-binding electronic model on the Apollonian network
An investigation on the properties of electronic states of a tight-binding
Hamiltonian on the Apollonian network is presented. This structure, which is
defined based on the Apollonian packing problem, has been explored both as a
complex network, and as a substrate, on the top of which physical models can
defined. The Schrodinger equation of the model, which includes only nearest
neighbor interactions, is written in a matrix formulation. In the uniform case,
the resulting Hamiltonian is proportional to the adjacency matrix of the
Apollonian network. The characterization of the electronic eigenstates is based
on the properties of the spectrum, which is characterized by a very large
degeneracy. The rotation symmetry of the network and large number of
equivalent sites are reflected in all eigenstates, which are classified
according to their parity. Extended and localized states are identified by
evaluating the participation rate. Results for other two non-uniform models on
the Apollonian network are also presented. In one case, interaction is
considered to be dependent of the node degree, while in the other one, random
on-site energies are considered.Comment: 7pages, 7 figure
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