530 research outputs found
Critical points in edge tunneling between generic FQH states
A general description of weak and strong tunneling fixed points is developed
in the chiral-Luttinger-liquid model of quantum Hall edge states. Tunneling
fixed points are a subset of `termination' fixed points, which describe
boundary conditions on a multicomponent edge. The requirement of unitary time
evolution at the boundary gives a nontrivial consistency condition for possible
low-energy boundary conditions. The effect of interactions and random hopping
on fixed points is studied through a perturbative RG approach which generalizes
the Giamarchi-Schulz RG for disordered Luttinger liquids to broken left-right
symmetry and multiple modes. The allowed termination points of a multicomponent
edge are classified by a B-matrix with rational matrix elements. We apply our
approach to a number of examples, such as tunneling between a quantum Hall edge
and a superconductor and tunneling between two quantum Hall edges in the
presence of interactions. Interactions are shown to induce a continuous
renormalization of effective tunneling charge for the integrable case of
tunneling between two Laughlin states. The correlation functions of
electronlike operators across a junction are found from the B matrix using a
simple image-charge description, along with the induced lattice of boundary
operators. Many of the results obtained are also relevant to ordinary Luttinger
liquids.Comment: 23 pages, 6 figures. Xiao-Gang Wen: http://dao.mit.edu/~we
Thrombospondin 1 is a key mediator of transforming growth factor β-mediated cell contractility in systemic sclerosis via a mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase (MEK)/extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK)-dependent mechanism
BACKGROUND: The mechanism underlying the ability of fibroblasts to contract a collagen gel matrix is largely unknown. Fibroblasts from scarred (lesional) areas of patients with the fibrotic disease scleroderma show enhanced ability to contract collagen relative to healthy fibroblasts. Thrombospondin 1 (TSP1), an activator of latent transforming growth factor (TGF)β, is overexpressed by scleroderma fibroblasts. In this report we investigate whether activation of latent TGFβ by TSP1 plays a key role in matrix contraction by normal and scleroderma fibroblasts. METHODS: We use the fibroblast populated collagen lattices (FPCL) model of matrix contraction to show that interfering with TSP1/TGFβ binding and knockdown of TSP1 expression suppressed the contractile ability of normal and scleroderma fibroblasts basally and in response to TGFβ. Previously, we have shown that ras/mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase (MEK)/extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) mediates matrix contraction basally and in response to TGFβ. RESULTS: During mechanical stimulation in the FPCL system, using a multistation tensioning-culture force monitor (mst-CFM), TSP1 expression and p-ERK activation in fibroblasts are enhanced. Inhibiting TSP1 activity reduced the elevated activation of MEK/ERK and expression of key fibrogenic proteins. TSP1 also blocked platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)-induced contractile activity and MEK/ERK activation. CONCLUSIONS: TSP1 is a key mediator of matrix contraction of normal and systemic sclerosis fibroblasts, via MEK/ERK
Three dimensional resonating valence bond liquids and their excitations
We show that there are two types of RVB liquid phases present in
three-dimensional quantum dimer models, corresponding to the deconfining phases
of U(1) and Z_2 gauge theories in d=3+1. The former is found on the bipartite
cubic lattice and is the generalization of the critical point in the square
lattice quantum dimer model found originally by Rokhsar and Kivelson. The
latter exists on the non-bipartite face-centred cubic lattice and generalizes
the RVB phase found earlier by us on the triangular lattice. We discuss the
excitation spectrum and the nature of the ordering in both cases. Both phases
exhibit gapped spinons. In the U(1) case we find a collective, linearly
dispersing, transverse excitation, which is the photon of the low energy
Maxwell Lagrangian and we identify the ordering as quantum order in Wen's
sense. In the Z_2 case all collective excitations are gapped and, as in d=2,
the low energy description of this topologically ordered state is the purely
topological BF action. As a byproduct of this analysis, we unearth a further
gapless excitation, the pi0n, in the square lattice quantum dimer model at its
critical point.Comment: 9 pages, 2 figure
Edge reconstruction in the fractional quantum Hall regime
The interplay of electron-electron interaction and confining potential can
lead to the reconstruction of fractional quantum Hall edges. We have performed
exact diagonalization studies on microscopic models of fractional quantum Hall
liquids, in finite size systems with disk geometry, and found numerical
evidence of edge reconstruction under rather general conditions. In the present
work we have taken into account effects like layer thickness and Landau level
mixing, which are found to be of quantitative importance in edge physics. Due
to edge reconstruction, additional nonchiral edge modes arise for both
incompressible and compressible states. These additional modes couple to
electromagnetic fields and thus can be detected in microwave conductivity
measurements. They are also expected to affect the exponent of electron Green's
function, which has been measured in tunneling experiments. We have studied in
this work the electric dipole spectral function that is directly related to the
microwave conductivity measurement. Our results are consistent with the
enhanced microwave conductivity observed in experiments performed on samples
with an array of antidots at low temperatures, and its suppression at higher
temperatures. We also discuss the effects of the edge reconstruction on the
single electron spectral function at the edge.Comment: 19 pages, 12 figure
Edge reconstructions in fractional quantum Hall systems
Two dimensional electron systems exhibiting the fractional quantum Hall
effects are characterized by a quantized Hall conductance and a dissipationless
bulk. The transport in these systems occurs only at the edges where gapless
excitations are present. We present a {\it microscopic} calculation of the edge
states in the fractional quantum Hall systems at various filling factors using
the extended Hamiltonian theory of the fractional quantum Hall effect. We find
that at the quantum Hall edge undergoes a reconstruction as the
background potential softens, whereas quantum Hall edges at higher filling
factors, such as , are robust against reconstruction. We present
the results for the dependence of the edge states on various system parameters
such as temperature, functional form and range of electron-electron
interactions, and the confining potential. Our results have implications for
the tunneling experiments into the edge of a fractional quantum Hall system.Comment: 11 pages, 9 figures; minor typos corrected; added 2 reference
Non-linear Dynamics in QED_3 and Non-trivial Infrared Structure
In this work we consider a coupled system of Schwinger-Dyson equations for
self-energy and vertex functions in QED_3. Using the concept of a
semi-amputated vertex function, we manage to decouple the vertex equation and
transform it in the infrared into a non-linear differential equation of
Emden-Fowler type. Its solution suggests the following picture: in the absence
of infrared cut-offs there is only a trivial infrared fixed-point structure in
the theory. However, the presence of masses, for either fermions or photons,
changes the situation drastically, leading to a mass-dependent non-trivial
infrared fixed point. In this picture a dynamical mass for the fermions is
found to be generated consistently. The non-linearity of the equations gives
rise to highly non-trivial constraints among the mass and effective (`running')
gauge coupling, which impose lower and upper bounds on the latter for dynamical
mass generation to occur. Possible implications of this to the theory of
high-temperature superconductivity are briefly discussed.Comment: 29 pages LATEX, 7 eps figures incorporated, uses axodraw style.
Discussion on the massless case (section 2) modified; no effect on
conclusions, typos correcte
Detector Description and Performance for the First Coincidence Observations between LIGO and GEO
For 17 days in August and September 2002, the LIGO and GEO interferometer
gravitational wave detectors were operated in coincidence to produce their
first data for scientific analysis. Although the detectors were still far from
their design sensitivity levels, the data can be used to place better upper
limits on the flux of gravitational waves incident on the earth than previous
direct measurements. This paper describes the instruments and the data in some
detail, as a companion to analysis papers based on the first data.Comment: 41 pages, 9 figures 17 Sept 03: author list amended, minor editorial
change
Analysis of LIGO data for gravitational waves from binary neutron stars
We report on a search for gravitational waves from coalescing compact binary
systems in the Milky Way and the Magellanic Clouds. The analysis uses data
taken by two of the three LIGO interferometers during the first LIGO science
run and illustrates a method of setting upper limits on inspiral event rates
using interferometer data. The analysis pipeline is described with particular
attention to data selection and coincidence between the two interferometers. We
establish an observational upper limit of 1.7 \times 10^{2}M_\odot$.Comment: 17 pages, 9 figure
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