Phase Transition in a One-Dimensional Extended Peierls-Hubbard Model with a Pulse of Oscillating Electric Field: I. Threshold Behavior in Ionic-to-Neutral Transition

Photoinduced dynamics of charge density and lattice displacements is calculated by solving the time-dependent Schr\"odinger equation for a one-dimensional extended Peierls-Hubbard model with alternating potentials for the mixed-stack organic charge-transfer complex, TTF-CA. A pulse of oscillating electric field is incorporated into the Peierls phase of the transfer integral. The frequency, the amplitude, and the duration of the pulse are varied to study the nonlinear and cooperative character of the photoinduced transition. When the dimerized ionic phase is photoexcited, the threshold behavior is clearly observed by plotting the final ionicity as a function of the increment of the total energy. Above the threshold photoexcitation, the electronic state reaches the neutral one with equidistant molecules after the electric field is turned off. The transition is initiated by nucleation of a metastable neutral domain, for which an electric field with frequency below the linear absorption peak is more effective than that at the peak. When the pulse is strong and short, the charge transfer takes place on the same time scale with the disappearance of dimerization. As the pulse becomes weak and long, the dimerization-induced polarization is disordered to restore the inversion symmetry on average before the charge transfer takes place to bring the system neutral. Thus, a paraelectric ionic phase is transiently realized by a weak electric field. It is shown that infrared light also induces the ionic-to-neutral transition, which is characterized by the threshold behavior.Comment: 24 pages, 11 figure

Effect of Stretching Force on the Cells of Epithelial Rests of Malassez In Vitro

Background and Objective. The aim of this study was to investigate the behavior of cells from epithelial rest of Malassez (ERM) against stretching force. Material and Methods. ERM-cultured cells were stretched for 1 hour, at the cycle of 18% elongation for 1 second followed by 1-second relaxation. The cells without addition of stretching force were used as controls. The cells were observed by immunohistochmical staining using actin 0, 12, 24, 36, 48, and 72 hours. Furthermore, expressions of HSP70-, VEGF-, and OPN-mRNAs of cells were also evaluated using quantitative RT-PCR. Results. Actin filaments were randomly orientated in the cytoplasm in the control group, whereas in the stretching group, actin filaments were orientated comparatively parallel to the stretching direction. Expression of HSP70-mRNA in the stretching group was significantly higher than that of control group at 12, 24, 36 hours (P < .05). Expression of VEGF-mRNA in the stretching group was significantly higher than that of control group at 24, 36, 48, and 72 hours (P < .05). Expression of OPN-mRNA in the stretching group was significantly higher than that of control group at 12 and 24 hours (P < .05). Conclusion. ERM cells response against the stretching force by expressing HSP70, VEGF, and OPN

Molecular Beam Epitaxy of Wurtzite (Ga,Mn)N Films on Sapphire(0001) Showing the Ferromagnetic Behaviour at Room Temperature

Wurtzite (Ga,Mn)N films showing ferromagnetic behaviour at room temperature were successfully grown on sapphire(0001) substrates by molecular beam epitaxy using ammonia as nitrogen source. Magnetization measurements were carried out by a superconducting quantum interference device at the temperatures between 1.8K and 300K with magnetic field applied parallel to the film plane up to 7T. The magnetic-field dependence of magnetization of a (Ga,Mn)N film at 300K were ferromagnetic, while a GaN film showed Pauli paramagnetism like behaviour. The Curie temperatures of a (Ga,Mn)N film was estimated as 940K.Comment: 5 page

Novel mechanism of photoinduced reversible phase transitions in molecule-based magnets

A novel microscopic mechanism of bi-directional structural changes is proposed for the photo-induced magnetic phase transition in Co-Fe Prussian blue analogues on the basis of ab initio quantum chemical cluster calculations. It is shown that the local potential energies of various spin states of Co are sensitive to the number of nearest neighbor Fe vacancies. As a result, the forward and backward structural changes are most readily initiated by excitation of different local regions by different photons. This mechanism suggests an effective strategy to realize photoinduced reversible phase transitions in a general system consisting of two local components.Comment: 4 pages, LaTex, 3 figures, to appear in Phys. Rev. Let

Charge-Transfer Excitations in One-Dimensional Dimerized Mott Insulators

We investigate the optical properties of one-dimensional (1D) dimerized Mott insulators using the 1D dimerized extended Hubbard model. Numerical calculations and a perturbative analysis from the decoupled-dimer limit clarify that there are three relevant classes of charge-transfer (CT) states generated by photoexcitation: interdimer CT unbound states, interdimer CT exciton states, and intradimer CT exciton states. This classification is applied to understanding the optical properties of an organic molecular material, 1,3,5-trithia-2,4,6-triazapentalenyl (TTTA), which is known for its photoinduced transition from the dimerized spin-singlet phase to the regular paramagnetic phase. We conclude that the lowest photoexcited state of TTTA is the interdimer CT exciton state and the second lowest state is the intradimer CT exciton state.Comment: 6 pages, 6 figures, to be published in J. Phys. Soc. Jp

Phase Transition in a One-Dimensional Extended Peierls-Hubbard Model with a Pulse of Oscillating Electric Field: II. Linear Behavior in Neutral-to-Ionic Transition

Dynamics of charge density and lattice displacements after the neutral phase is photoexcited is studied by solving the time-dependent Schr\"odinger equation for a one-dimensional extended Peierls-Hubbard model with alternating potentials. In contrast to the ionic-to-neutral transition studied previously, the neutral-to-ionic transition proceeds in an uncooperative manner as far as the one-dimensional system is concerned. The final ionicity is a linear function of the increment of the total energy. After the electric field is turned off, the electronic state does not significantly change, roughly keeping the ionicity, even if the transition is not completed, because the ionic domains never proliferate. As a consequence, an electric field with frequency just at the linear absorption peak causes the neutral-to-ionic transition the most efficiently. These findings are consistent with the recent experiments on the mixed-stack organic charge-transfer complex, TTF-CA. We artificially modify or remove the electron-lattice coupling to discuss the origin of such differences between the two transitions.Comment: 17 pages, 9 figure

Experimental Analyses and Numerical Models of CLT Shear Walls under Cyclic Loading

This paper reports the results of an experimental campaign performed at the University of Tokyo on cross-laminated timber (CLT) panels subjected to lateral loads. Analytical and numerical interpretations are provided as well, comparing the experimental analysis results with two methods: firstly, an analytical method to preliminarily evaluate the ultimate strength of the four panels, based on the geometrical dimensions of the openings and of the panel; secondly, a finite element model has been developed in order to provide some guidelines for calculating the stiffness and elastic behaviour of CLT panels subjected to lateral loads. The experimental tests showed that the CLT panels are as more brittle and stiffer as more the difference between the total panel area and the fenestrated area is high. The presence of large openings determined stress concentration at the corners where failure occurred for the attainment of the maximum tension strength in the inner layer. The proposed analytical formulation was shown to fairly closely predict the ultimate strength of panels with same geometry, characteristics and boundary condition, allowing preliminary information of this relevant parameter

Electronic and Lattice Dynamics in The Photoinduced Ionic-to-Neutral Phase Transition in a One-Dimensional Extended Peierls-Hubbard Model

Real-time dynamics of charge density and lattice displacements is studied during photoinduced ionic-to-neutral phase transitions by using a one-dimensional extended Peierls-Hubbard model with alternating potentials for the one-dimensional mixed-stack charge-transfer complex, TTF-CA. The time-dependent Schr\"odinger equation and the classical equation of motion are solved for the electronic and lattice parts, respectively. We show how neutral domains grow in the ionic background. As the photoexcitation becomes intense, more neutral domains are created. Above threshold intensity, the neutral phase is finally achieved. After the photoexcitation, ionic domains with wrong polarization also appear. They quickly reduce the averaged staggered lattice displacement, compared with the averaged ionicity. As the degree of initial lattice disorder increases, more solitons appear between these ionic domains with different polarizations, which obstruct the growth of neutral domains and slow down the transition.Comment: 9 pages, 10 figures, submitted to J. Phys. Soc. Jp

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor activators modulate the osteoblastic maturation of MC3T3-E1 preosteoblasts

AbstractThe reduced bone mineral density (BMD) observed in osteoporosis results, in part, from reduced activity of bone-forming osteoblasts. We examined the effect of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) activators on MC3T3-E1 preosteoblast maturation. Activators of PPARα, δ and γ induced alkaline phosphatase activity, matrix calcification and the expression of osteoblast genes as determined by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction. However, at relatively high concentrations of the specific PPARγ ligands, ciglitazone and troglitazone, maturation was inhibited. PPARα, δ and γ1 were expressed in MC3T3-E1 cells. PPARγ1 mRNA and protein levels were induced early during osteoblastic maturation. We speculate that endogenous and pharmacological PPAR activators may affect BMD by modulating osteoblastic maturation