737 research outputs found
Mass enhancement in narrow band systems
A perturbative study of the Holstein Molecular Crystal Model which accounts
for lattice structure and dimensionality effects is presented. Antiadiabatic
conditions peculiar of narrow band materials and an intermediate to strong
electron-phonon coupling are assumed. The polaron effective mass depends
crucially in all dimensions on the intermolecular coupling strengths which also
affect the size of the lattice deformation associated with the small polaron
formation.Comment: Istituto Nazionale di Fisica della Materia - Dipartimento di
Matematica e Fisica, Istituto Nazionale di Fisica della Materia Universita'
di Camerino, 62032 Camerino, Ital
Mass Renormalization in the Su-Schrieffer-Heeger Model
This study of the one dimensional Su-Schrieffer-Heeger model in a weak
coupling perturbative regime points out the effective mass behavior as a
function of the adiabatic parameter , is the
zone boundary phonon energy and is the electron band hopping integral.
Computation of low order diagrams shows that two phonons scattering processes
become appreciable in the intermediate regime in which zone boundary phonons
energetically compete with band electrons. Consistently, in the intermediate
(and also moderately antiadiabatic) range the relevant mass renormalization
signals the onset of a polaronic crossover whereas the electrons are
essentially undressed in the fully adiabatic and antiadiabatic systems. The
effective mass is roughly twice as much the bare band value in the intermediate
regime while an abrupt increase (mainly related to the peculiar 1D dispersion
relations) is obtained at .Comment: To be published in Phys.Rev.B - 3 figure
Polaron self-trapping in a honeycomb net
Small polaron behavior in a two dimensional honeycomb net is studied by
applying the strong coupling perturbative method to the Holstein molecular
crystal model. We find that small optical polarons can be mobile also if the
electrons are strongly coupled to the lattice. Before the polarons localize and
become very heavy, there is infact a window of {\it e-ph} couplings in which
the polarons are small and have masses of order times the bare
band mass according to the value of the adiabaticity parameter. The 2D
honeycomb net favors the mobility of small optical polarons in comparison with
the square lattice.Comment: 6 pages, 3 figures, to appear in J.Phys.:Condensed Matter {PACS:
63.10.+a, 63.20.Dj, 71.38.+i
Particle Path Correlations in a Phonon Bath
The path integral formalism is applied to derive the full partition function
of a generalized Su-Schrieffer-Heeger Hamiltonian describing a particle motion
in a bath of oscillators. The electronic correlations are computed versus
temperature for some choices of oscillators energies. We study the perturbing
effect of a time averaged particle path on the phonon subsystem deriving the
relevant temperature dependent cumulant corrections to the harmonic partition
function and free energy. The method has been applied to compute the total heat
capacity up to room temeperature: a low temperature upturn in the heat capacity
over temperature ratio points to a glassy like behavior ascribable to a time
dependent electronic hopping with variable range in the linear chain.Comment: To be published in J.Phys.:Condensed Matte
Melanocortin receptor agonist NDP-α-MSH improves cognitive deficits and microgliosis but not amyloidosis in advanced stages of AD progression in 5XFAD and 3xTg mice
Introduction: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most frequent cause of dementia and still lacks effective therapy. Clinical signs of AD include low levels of endogenous melanocortins (MCs) and previous studies have shown that treatment with MC analogs induces neuroprotection in the early stages of AD.Methods: We investigated the neuroprotective role of MCs in two transgenic mouse models of severe AD using 5 and 7 month-old (mo) 5XFAD mice and 9 and 12 mo 3xTg mice. These mice were subjected to a chronic stimulation of MC receptors (MCRs) with MC analogue Nle4-D-Phe7-alpha-melanocyte stimulating hormone (NDP-alpha-MSH, 340 mu g/kg, i.p.). Mouse behavior and ex-vivo histological and biochemical analyses were performed after 50 days of treatment.Results:Our analysis demonstrated an improvement in cognitive abilities of AD mice at late stage of AD progression. We also showed that these protective effects are associated with decreased levels of hyperphosphorylated Tau but not with A beta burden, that was unaffected in the hippocampus and in the cortex of AD mice. In addition, an age-dependent NDP effect on glial reactivity was observed only in 3xTg mice whereas a global downregulation of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase was selectively observed in 7 mo 5XFAD and 14 mo 3xTg mice.Conclusion: Our results suggest that MCR stimulation by NDP-alpha-MSH could represent a promising therapeutic strategy in managing cognitive decline also at late stage of AD, whereas the effects on neuroinflammation may be restricted to specific stages of AD progression
Polaron formation for a non-local electron-phonon coupling: A variational wave-function study
We introduce a variational wave-function to study the polaron formation when
the electronic transfer integral depends on the relative displacement between
nearest-neighbor sites giving rise to a non-local electron-phonon coupling with
optical phonon modes. We analyze the ground state properties such as the
energy, the electron-lattice correlation function, the phonon number and the
spectral weight. Variational results are found in good agreement with analytic
weak-coupling perturbative calculations and exact numerical diagonalization of
small clusters. We determine the polaronic phase diagram and we find that the
tendency towards strong localization is hindered from the pathological sign
change of the effective next-nearest-neighbor hopping.Comment: 11 page
Connectome-Based Neurosurgery in Primary Intra-Axial Neoplasms: Beyond the Traditional Modular Conception of Brain Architecture for the Preservation of Major Neurological Domains and Higher-Order Cognitive Functions.
Despite the therapeutical advancements in the surgical treatment of primary intra-axial neoplasms, which determined both a significative improvement in OS and QoL and a reduction in the incidence of surgery-induced major neurological deficits, nowadays patients continue to manifest subtle post-operative neurocognitive impairments, preventing them from a full reintegration back into social life and into the workforce. The birth of connectomics paved the way for a profound reappraisal of the traditional conception of brain architecture, in favour of a model based on large-scale structural and functional interactions of a complex mosaic of cortical areas organized in a fluid network interconnected by subcortical bundles. Thanks to these advancements, neurosurgery is facing a new era of connectome-based resections, in which the core principle is still represented by the achievement of an ideal onco-functional balance, but with a closer eye on whole-brain circuitry, which constitutes the foundations of both major neurological functions, to be intended as motricity; language and visuospatial function; and higher-order cognitive functions such as cognition, conation, emotion and adaptive behaviour. Indeed, the achievement of an ideal balance between the radicality of tumoral resection and the preservation, as far as possible, of the integrity of local and global brain networks stands as a mandatory goal to be fulfilled to allow patients to resume their previous life and to make neurosurgery tailored and gentler to their individual needs
Data model issues in the Cherenkov Telescope Array project
The planned Cherenkov Telescope Array (CTA), a future ground-based
Very-High-Energy (VHE) gamma-ray observatory, will be the largest project of
its kind. It aims to provide an order of magnitude increase in sensitivity
compared to currently operating VHE experiments and open access to guest
observers. These features, together with the thirty years lifetime planned for
the installation, impose severe constraints on the data model currently being
developed for the project.
In this contribution we analyze the challenges faced by the CTA data model
development and present the requirements imposed to face them. While the full
data model is still not completed we show the organization of the work, status
of the design, and an overview of the prototyping efforts carried out so far.
We also show examples of specific aspects of the data model currently under
development.Comment: In Proceedings of the 34th International Cosmic Ray Conference
(ICRC2015), The Hague, The Netherlands. All CTA contributions at
arXiv:1508.0589
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