Four-Parameter Point-Interaction in 1-D Quantum Systems

We construct a four-parameter point-interaction for a non-relativistic particle moving on a line as the limit of a short range interaction with range tending toward zero. For particular choices of the parameters, we can obtain a delta-interaction or the so-called delta'-interaction. The Hamiltonian corresponding to the four-parameter point-interaction is shown to correspond to the four-parameter self-adjoint Hamiltonian of the free particle moving on the line with the origin excluded.Comment: 6 pages, Plain Tex file. BU-HEP-92-

Novel A-B type oscillations in a 2-D electron gas in inhomogenous magnetic fields

We present results from a quantum and semiclassical theoretical study of the $\rho_{xy}$ and $\rho_{xx}$ resistivities of a high mobility 2-D electron gas in the presence of a dilute random distribution of tubes with magnetic flux $\Phi$ and radius $R$, for arbitrary values of $k_f R$ and $F=e\Phi/h$. We report on novel Aharonov-Bohm type oscillations in $\rho_{xy}$ and $\rho_{xx}$, related to degenerate quantum flux tube resonances, that satisfy the selection rule ${(k_fR)}^2=4F(n+{1\over 2})$, with $n$ an integer. We discuss possible experimental conditions where these oscillations may be observed.Comment: 11 pages REVTE

Spectral properties on a circle with a singularity

We investigate the spectral and symmetry properties of a quantum particle moving on a circle with a pointlike singularity (or point interaction). We find that, within the U(2) family of the quantum mechanically allowed distinct singularities, a U(1) equivalence (of duality-type) exists, and accordingly the space of distinct spectra is U(1) x [SU(2)/U(1)], topologically a filled torus. We explore the relationship of special subfamilies of the U(2) family to corresponding symmetries, and identify the singularities that admit an N = 2 supersymmetry. Subfamilies that are distinguished in the spectral properties or the WKB exactness are also pointed out. The spectral and symmetry properties are also studied in the context of the circle with two singularities, which provides a useful scheme to discuss the symmetry properties on a general basis.Comment: TeX, 26 pages. v2: one reference added and two update

The regulated four parameter one dimensional point interaction

The general four parameter point interaction in one dimensional quantum mechanics is regulated. It allows the exact solution, but not the perturbative one. We conjecture that this is due to the interaction not being asymptotically free. We then propose a different breakup of unperturbed theory and interaction, which now is asymptotically free but leads to the same physics. The corresponding regulated potential can be solved both exactly and perturbatively, in agreement with the conjecture.Comment: 17 pages, no figures, Tex fil

New insights about the evaluation of human sperm quality: the aromatase example.

Male contribution to the couple's infertility is at first evaluated by the routine examination of semen parameters upon optical microscopy providing valuable information for a rational initial diagnosis and for a clinical management of infertility. But the different forms of infertility defined according to the WHO criteria especially teratozoospermia are not always related to the chromatin structure or to the fertilization capacity. New investigations at the molecular level (transcript and protein) could be developed in order to understand the nature of sperm malformation responsible of human infertility and thus to evaluate the sperm quality. The profile analysis of spermatozoal transcripts could be considered as a fingerprint of the past spermatogenic events. The selection of representative transcripts of normal spermatozoa remains complex because a differential expression (increased, decreased or not modified levels) of specific transcripts has been revealed between immotile and motile sperm fractions issued from normozoospermic donors. Microarrays tests or real-time quantitative PCR could be helpful for the identification of factors involved in the male infertility. Differences in the expression of specific transcripts have been reported between normal and abnormal semen samples. With the aromatase example, we have noted a negative strong correlation between the amount of transcript and the percentage of abnormal forms especially in presence of head defects. Immunocytochemical procedures using fluorescent probes associated with either confocal microscopy or flow cytometry can be also helpful to proceed with further investigations about the localization of proteins in the compartmentalized spermatozoa or the acrosome reaction. The dual location of aromatase both in the equatorial segment, the mid-piece and the tail could explain the double role of this enzyme in acrosome reaction and motility

Increased body fat mass explains the positive association between circulating estradiol and insulin resistance in postmenopausal women

The relationship between circulating estrogen levels and cardiometabolic risk factors such as insulin resistance is unclear in postmenopausal women. High estradiol (E2) levels have been reported to predict increased risk of type 2 diabetes in this population. We aimed to examine associations among estrogen levels, adiposity measurements, and cardiometabolic risk variables including insulin resistance in postmenopausal women. One hundred-one healthy participants (mean ± SD: age 57 ± 4 yr, BMI 27.9 ± 4.8 kg/m2) were included in the analysis. Fifteen plasma steroids or metabolites were measured by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Insulin sensitivity was assessed with a hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp. Body composition and fat distribution were determined with hydrostatic weighing and computed tomography, respectively. Blood lipids and circulating cytokines were also measured. Circulating E2 was positively correlated with all adiposity indexes (r = 0.62 to 0.42, P < 0.0001) except waist-to-hip ratio. E2 was positively correlated with VLDL-cholesterol, plasma-, VLDL-, and HDL-triglyceride levels (r = 0.31 to 0.24, P < 0.02) as well as with hs-CRP and IL-6 (r = 0.52 and 0.29, P < 0.005) and negatively with HDL-cholesterol, adiponectin, and insulin sensitivity (r = −0.36 to −0.20, P < 0.02). With adjustments for percent body fat, correlations between E2 and metabolic risk variables were no longer significant. Similar results were observed for circulating estrone (E1) and estrone-sulfate (E1-S) levels. In conclusion, circulating estrogen concentrations are proportional to adipose mass in postmenopausal women, although they remain in the low range. Insulin resistance as well as altered blood lipids and cytokines are observed when circulating estrogen levels are high within that range, but these differences are explained by concomitant variation in total adiposity

Equivalence of Local and Separable Realizations of the Discontinuity-Inducing Contact Interaction and Its Perturbative Renormalizability

We prove that the separable and local approximations of the discontinuity-inducing zero-range interaction in one-dimensional quantum mechanics are equivalent. We further show that the interaction allows the perturbative treatment through the coupling renormalization. Keywords: one-dimensional system, generalized contact interaction, renormalization, perturbative expansion. PACS Nos: 3.65.-w, 11.10.Gh, 31.15.MdComment: ReVTeX 7pgs, doubl column, no figure, See also the website http://www.mech.kochi-tech.ac.jp/cheon

Particle Production near an AdS Crunch

We numerically study the dual field theory evolution of five-dimensional asymptotically anti-de Sitter solutions of supergravity that develop cosmological singularities. The dual theory is an unstable deformation of the N = 4 gauge theory on R $\times$ S3, and the big crunch singularity in the bulk occurs when a boundary scalar field runs to infinity. Consistent quantum evolution requires one imposes boundary conditions at infinity. Modeling these by a steep regularization of the scalar potential, we find that when an initially nearly homogeneous wavepacket rolls down the potential, most of the potential energy of the initial configuration is converted into gradient energy during the first oscillation of the field. This indicates there is no transition from a big crunch to a big bang in the bulk for dual boundary conditions of this kind.Comment: 20 pages, 6 figure

Enhanced ERbeta immunoexpression and apoptosis in the germ cells of cimetidine-treated rats

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Cimetidine, refereed as antiandrogenic drug, causes hormonal changes in male patients such as increased testosterone and FSH levels. In the rat testis, structural alterations in the seminiferous tubules have been related to germ cell loss and Sertoli cell death by apoptosis. Regarding the important role of Sertoli cells in the conversion of testosterone into estrogen, via aromatase, the immunoexpression of estrogen receptors-beta (ERbeta) was evaluated in the germ cells of untreated and treated rats with cimetidine. A relationship between ERbeta immunoreactivity and apoptosis was also investigated in the germ cells of damaged tubules.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Immunohistochemistry for detection of ERbeta and TUNEL method were performed in testicular sections of adult male rats treated with 50 mg/Kg of cimetidine (CmG) or saline solution (CG) for 52 days.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>In CG, a cytoplasmic immunoexpression for ERbeta was observed in spermatogonia, primary spermatocytes and spermatids. An evident ERbeta immunoreactivity was always observed in the flagellum and residual bodies of late spermatids. In CmG, the cytoplasm or cytoplasm and nuclei of germ cells of the damaged tubules by cimetidine showed enhanced ERbeta immunostaining. TUNEL-labeling was usually observed in the same germ cell types exhibiting enhanced ERbeta immunoreactivity.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The presence of ERbeta immunolabeling in the flagellum and residual bodies of spermatids reinforces the role of estrogen in spermiogenesis. The overexpression of ERbeta in the germ cells of CmG could be related to a possible interference of cimetidine on tubular androgenization and/or on the intratubular aromatase due to Sertoli cell damage. The parallelism between ERbeta overexpression and apoptosis indicates a participation of ERbeta on germ cell death.</p

Kirchhoff's Rule for Quantum Wires

In this article we formulate and discuss one particle quantum scattering theory on an arbitrary finite graph with $n$ open ends and where we define the Hamiltonian to be (minus) the Laplace operator with general boundary conditions at the vertices. This results in a scattering theory with $n$ channels. The corresponding on-shell S-matrix formed by the reflection and transmission amplitudes for incoming plane waves of energy $E>0$ is explicitly given in terms of the boundary conditions and the lengths of the internal lines. It is shown to be unitary, which may be viewed as the quantum version of Kirchhoff's law. We exhibit covariance and symmetry properties. It is symmetric if the boundary conditions are real. Also there is a duality transformation on the set of boundary conditions and the lengths of the internal lines such that the low energy behaviour of one theory gives the high energy behaviour of the transformed theory. Finally we provide a composition rule by which the on-shell S-matrix of a graph is factorizable in terms of the S-matrices of its subgraphs. All proofs only use known facts from the theory of self-adjoint extensions, standard linear algebra, complex function theory and elementary arguments from the theory of Hermitean symplectic forms.Comment: 40 page