269 research outputs found
Optical evidence for heavy charge carriers in FeGe
The optical spectrum of the cubic helimagnetic metal FeGe has been
investigated in the frequency range from 0.01 - 3.1 eV for different
temperatures from 30 K to 296 K. The optical conductivity shows the evolution
of a low energy (0.22 eV) interband transition and the development of a narrow
free carrier response with a strong energy and temperature dependence. The
frequency dependent effective mass and scattering rate derived from the optical
data indicate the formation of dressed quasi-particles with a mass
renormalization factor of 12. Similar to FeSi the spectral weight in FeGe is
not recovered over a broad frequency range, an effect usually attributed to the
influence of the on-site Coulomb interaction.Comment: 5 pages, 5 figure
Optical conductivity of filled skutterudites
A simple tight-binding model is constructed for the description of the
electronic structure of some Ce-based filled skutterudite compounds showing an
energy gap or pseudogap behavior. Assuming band-diagonal electron interactions
on this tight-binding model, the optical conductivity spectrum is calculated by
applying the second-order self-consistent perturbation theory to treat the
electron correlation. The correlation effect is found to be of great importance
on the description of the temperature dependence of the optical conductivity.
The rapid disappearance of an optical gap with increasing temperature is
obtained as observed in the optical experiment for Ce-based filled-skutterudite
compounds.Comment: 6 pages, 7 figures, use jpsj2.cls, to appear in J. Phys. Soc. Jpn.
Vol.73, No.10 (2004
Thermal and Dynamical Properties of the Two-band Hubbard Model Compared with FeSi
We study the two-band Hubbard model introduced by Fu and Doniach as a model
for FeSi which is suggested to be a Kondo insulator. Using the self-consistent
second-order perturbation theory combined with the local approximation which
becomes exact in the limit of infinite dimensions, we calculate the specific
heat, the spin susceptibility and the dynamical conductivity and point out that
the reduction of the energy gap due to correlation is not significant in
contrast to the previous calculation. It is also demonstrated that the gap at
low temperatures in the optical conductivity is filled up at a rather low
temperature than the gap size, which is consistent with the experiment.Comment: 6 pages, LaTeX, 7 PS figures included, uses RevTe
Calculation of Optical Conductivity of YbB using Realistic Tight-Binding Model
Based on the previously reported tight-binding model fitted to the LDA+U band
calculation, optical conductivity of the prototypical Kondo insulator
YbB is calculated theoretically. Many-body effects are taken into
account by the self-consistent second order perturbation theory. The gross
shape of the optical conductivity observed in experiments are well described by
the present calculation, including their temperature-dependences.Comment: 6 pages, 7 figures, use jpsj2.cls, to appear in J. Phys. Soc. Jpn.
Vol.73, No.10 (2004
Correlation Effects on Optical Conductivity of FeSi
Effects of electron correlation in FeSi are studied in terms of the two-band
Hubbard model with the density of states obtained from the band calculation.
Using the self-consistent second-order perturbation theory combined with the
local approximation, the correlation effects are investigated on the density of
states and the optical conductivity spectrum, which are found to reproduce the
experiments done by Damascelli et al. semiquantitatively. It is also found that
the peak at the gap edge shifts to lower energy region by correlation effects,
as is seen in the experiments.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figure
Formation Mechanism of Hybridization Gap in Kondo Insulators based on a Realistic Band Model and Application to YbB
A new LDA+U band calculation is performed on the Kondo insulator material
YbB and an energy gap of about 0.001Ryd is obtained. Based on this, a
simple tight-binding model with 5d and 4f orbitals on Yb
atoms and the nearest neighbor -bonds between them is constructed with
a good agreement to the above the LDA+U calculation near the gap. The density
of states is also calculated and the shape is found to be very asymmetric with
respect to the gap. A formation mechanism of the gap is clarified for the first
time in a realistic situation with the orbital degeneracies in both conduction
bands and the f states. This model can be a useful starting point for
incorporating the strong correlation effect, and for understanding all the
thermal, thermoelectric, transport and magnetic properties of YbB.Comment: 15 pages, 15 figures, to appear in J. Phys. Soc. Jpn. Vol. 72 No. 5
(2003
Metabolic determinants of cancer cell sensitivity to glucose limitation and biguanides
As the concentrations of highly consumed nutrients, particularly glucose, are generally lower in tumours than in normal tissues1,2, cancer cells must adapt their metabolism to the tumour microenvironment. A better understanding of these adaptations might reveal cancer cell liabilities that can be exploited for therapeutic benefit. Here, we developed a continuous flow culture apparatus (Nutrostat) for maintaining proliferating cells in low nutrient media for long periods of time and used it to undertake competitive proliferation assays on a pooled collection of barcoded cancer cell lines cultured in low glucose conditions. Sensitivity to low glucose varies amongst cell lines, and an RNAi screen pinpointed mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) as the major pathway required for optimal proliferation in low glucose. We found that cell lines most sensitive to low glucose are defective in the upregulation of OXPHOS normally caused by glucose limitation as a result of either mtDNA mutations in Complex I genes or impaired glucose utilization. These defects predict sensitivity to biguanides, anti-diabetic drugs that inhibit OXPHOS3,4, when cancer cells are grown in low glucose or as tumour xenografts. Remarkably, the biguanide sensitivity of cancer cells with mtDNA mutations was reversed by ectopic expression of yeast NDI1, a ubiquinone oxidoreductase that allows bypass of Complex I function5. Thus, we conclude that mtDNA mutations and impaired glucose utilization are potential biomarkers for identifying tumours with increased sensitivity to OXPHOS inhibitors
Evaluation of Two Models for Human Topoisomerase I Interaction with dsDNA and Camptothecin Derivatives
Human topoisomerase I (Top1) relaxes supercoiled DNA during cell division. Camptothecin stabilizes Top1/dsDNA covalent complexes which ultimately results in cell death, and this makes Top1 an anti-cancer target. There are two current models for how camptothecin and derivatives bind to Top1/dsDNA covalent complexes (Staker, et al., 2002, Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 99: 15387–15392; and Laco, et al., 2004, Bioorg Med Chem 12: 5225–5235). The interaction energies between bound camptothecin, and derivatives, and Top1/dsDNA in the two models were calculated. The published structure-activity-relationships for camptothecin and derivatives correlated with the interaction energies for camptothecin and derivatives in the Laco et al. model, however, this was not the case for several camptothecin derivatives in the Stacker et al. model. By defining the binding orientation of camptothecin and derivatives in the Top1/dsDNA active-site these results allow for the rational design of potentially more efficacious camptothecin derivatives
Mechanisms of confluence-dependent expression of CD26 in colon cancer cell lines
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>CD26 (dipeptidyl peptidase IV, DPPIV) is a 110 kDa surface glycoprotein expressed in most normal tissues, and is a potential novel therapeutic target for selected cancers. Our work evaluates the mechanism involved in confluence-dependent CD26 expression in colon cancer.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Colon adenocarcinoma cells were grown to confluence, and expression of CD26 and transcription factors implicated in its regulation was confirmed by immunofluorescence and Western blotting. Real-time PCR was also performed to evaluate CD26 upregulation at the transcriptional level. The influence of c-Myc on CD26 expression during different growth conditions was further evaluated following transient transfection of a c-Myc-expressing plasmid and a c-Myc specific siRNA.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We found that the colon cancer cell lines HCT-116 and HCT-15 exhibited a confluence-dependent increase in CD26 mRNA and protein, associated with decreased expression of c-Myc, increased USF-1 and Cdx 2 levels, and unchanged HNF-1α expression. Meanwhile, ectopic expression of c-Myc in both cell lines led to decreased CD26 expression. In contrast, transfection of a siRNA targeted to Cdx2 resulted in decreased CD26 level. Importantly, culturing of cells in serum-depleted media, but not acidic conditions, upregulated CD26. While HIF-1α level also increased when cells were cultured in serum-depleted media, its expression was required but not sufficient for CD26 upregulation.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>CD26 mRNA and protein levels increase in a confluence-dependent manner in colon carcinoma cell lines, with c-Myc acting as a repressor and Cdx2 acting as an enhancer of CD26 expression. The enhanced expression of CD26 in serum-depleted media and a requirement for HIF-1α suggest a role for nutrients or growth factors in the regulation of CD26 protein expression.</p
Imaging Immune and Metabolic Cells of Visceral Adipose Tissues with Multimodal Nonlinear Optical Microscopy
Visceral adipose tissue (VAT) inflammation is recognized as a mechanism by which obesity is associated with metabolic diseases. The communication between adipose tissue macrophages (ATMs) and adipocytes is important to understanding the interaction between immunity and energy metabolism and its roles in obesity-induced diseases. Yet visualizing adipocytes and macrophages in complex tissues is challenging to standard imaging methods. Here, we describe the use of a multimodal nonlinear optical (NLO) microscope to characterize the composition of VATs of lean and obese mice including adipocytes, macrophages, and collagen fibrils in a label-free manner. We show that lipid metabolism processes such as lipid droplet formation, lipid droplet microvesiculation, and free fatty acids trafficking can be dynamically monitored in macrophages and adipocytes. With its versatility, NLO microscopy should be a powerful imaging tool to complement molecular characterization of the immunity-metabolism interface
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