Phase separation and valence instabilities in cuprate superconductors. Effective one-band model approach

We study the Cu-O valence instability (VI) and the related phase separation (PS) driven by Cu-O nearest-neighbor repulsion $U_{pd}$, using an effective extended one-band Hubbard model ($H_{eff}$) obtained from the extended three-bandHubbard model, through an appropriate low-energy reduction. $H_{eff}$ is solved by exact diagonalization of a square cluster with 10 unit cells and also within a slave-boson mean-field theory. Its parameters depend on doping for $U_{pd}\neq 0$ or on-site O repulsion $U_p\neq 0$. The results using both techniques coincide in that there is neither VI nor PS for doping levels $x<0.5$ if $U_{pd}\lesssim 2$ eV. The PS region begins for $U_{pd}\gtrsim 2$ eV at large doping $x>0.6$ and increases with increasing $U_{pd}$. The PS also increases with increasing on-site Cu repulsion $U_d$.Comment: 16 pages and 10 figures in postscript format, compressed with uufile

Optical properties of an effective one-band Hubbard model for the cuprates

We study the Cu and O spectral density of states and the optical conductivity of CuO_2 planes using an effective generalized one-band Hubbard model derived from the extended three-band Hubbard model. We solve exactly a square cluster of 10 unit cells and average the results over all possible boundary conditions, what leads to smooth functions of frequency. Upon doping, the Fermi energy jumps to Zhang-Rice states which are connected to the rest of the valence band (in contrast to an isolated new band in the middle of the gap). The transfer of spectral weight depends on the parameters of the original three-band model not only through the one-band effective parameters but also through the relevant matrix elements. We discuss the evolution of the gap upon doping. The optical conductivity of the doped system shows a mid-infrared peak due to intraband transitions, a pseudogap and a high frequency part related to interband transitions. Its shape and integrated weight up to a given frequency (including the Drude weight) agree qualitatively with experiments in the cuprates for low to moderate doping levels, but significant deviations exist for doping $x>0.3$.Comment: 11 pages (tex), 14 figures (ps

Role of Heme and Heme-Proteins in Trypanosomatid Essential Metabolic Pathways

Around the world, trypanosomatids are known for being etiological agents of several highly disabling and often fatal diseases like Chagas disease (Trypanosoma cruzi), leishmaniasis (Leishmania spp.), and African trypanosomiasis (Trypanosoma brucei). Throughout their life cycle, they must cope with diverse environmental conditions, and the mechanisms involved in these processes are crucial for their survival. In this review, we describe the role of heme in several essential metabolic pathways of these protozoans. Notwithstanding trypanosomatids lack of the complete heme biosynthetic pathway, we focus our discussion in the metabolic role played for important heme-proteins, like cytochromes. Although several genes for different types of cytochromes, involved in mitochondrial respiration, polyunsaturated fatty acid metabolism, and sterol biosynthesis, are annotated at the Tritryp Genome Project, the encoded proteins have not yet been deeply studied. We pointed our attention into relevant aspects of these protein functions that are amenable to be considered for rational design of trypanocidal agents

Charge and spin excitations of insulating lamellar copper oxides

A consistent description of low-energy charge and spin responses of the insulating Sr_2CuO_2Cl_2 lamellar system is found in the framework of a one-band Hubbard model which besides $U$ includes hoppings up to 3^{rd} nearest-neighbors. By combining mean-field calculations, exact diagonalization (ED) results, and Quantum Monte Carlo simulations (QMC), we analyze both charge and spin degrees of freedom responses as observed by optical conductivity, ARPES, Raman and inelastic neutron scattering experiments. Within this effective model, long-range hopping processes flatten the quasiparticle band around $(0,\pi)$. We calculate also the non-resonant A_{1g} and B_{1g} Raman profiles and show that the latter is composed by two main features, which are attributed to 2- and 4-magnon scattering.Comment: 6 pages, 3 figures, To be published in PRB (july

A chiral model for bar{q}q and bar{q}bar{q}qq$ mesons

We point out that the spectrum of pseudoscalar and scalar mesons exhibits a cuasi-degenerate chiral nonet in the energy region around 1.4 GeV whose scalar component has a slightly inverted spectrum. Based on the empirical linear rising of the mass of a hadron with the number of constituent quarks which yields a mass around $1.4$GeV for tetraquarks, we conjecture that this cuasi-chiral nonet arises from the mixing of a chiral nonet composed of tetraquarks with conventional bar{q}q states. We explore this possibility in the framework of a chiral model assuming a tetraquark chiral nonet around 1.4 GeV with chiral symmetry realized directly. We stress that U_{A}(1) transformations can distinguish bar{q}q from tetraquark states, although it cannot distinguish specific dynamics in the later case. We find that the measured spectrum is consistent with this picture. In general, pseudoscalar states arise as mainly bar{q}q states but scalar states turn out to be strong admixtures of bar{q}q and tetraquark states. We work out also the model predictions for the most relevant couplings and calculate explicitly the strong decays of the a_{0}(1450) and K_{0}^*(1430) mesons. From the comparison of some of the predicted couplings with the experimental ones we conclude that observable for the isovector and isospinor sectors are consistently described within the model. The proper description of couplings in the isoscalar sectors would require the introduction of glueball fields which is an important missing piece in the present model.Comment: 20 pages, 3 figure

Two photon decay of neutral scalars below 1.5 GeV in a chiral model for bar{q}q and bar{q}bar{q}qq states

We study the two photon decay of neutral scalars below 1.5 GeV in the context of a recently proposed chiral model for bar{q}q and bar{q}bar{q}qq states. We find good agreement with experimental results for the a_{0}(980)->gamma gamma. Our calculations for f_{0}(980)->gamma gamma shows that further work is necessary in order to understand the structure of this meson. The model predicts Gamma(a_{0}(1450)->gamma gamma)=0.16+/-0.10KeV, Gamma(sigma->gamma gamma)=0.47+/-0.66 KeV, Gamma(f(1370)->gamma gamma)=0.07+/-0.15 KeV, Gamma(f(1500)->gamma gamma)=0.74+/-0.78 KeV.Comment: 6 pages, 1 figur

Variación morfológica y distribución geográfica de Schizopetalon arcuatum Al-Shehbaz (Brassicaceae), una especie endémica y críptica de la Región de Atacama, Chile

La presente nota ofrece una revisión de la distribución geográfica y variación morfológica de Schizopetalon arcuatum, dado que ambas variables han generado confusión en la identificación de esta especie críptica. Se espera que la información presentada ayude a resolver este problema en relación a sus especies vecinas o cercanamente relacionadas

Bienes no tradicionales exportables en Colombia: evolución y perspectivas de expansión en los mercados internacionales entre el periodo 1990-2001

El comercio exterior colombiano ha tenido variaciones constantes en cuanto a exportaciones se refiere en el transcurso de los años. Dentro de las más significantes podemos destacar lo ocurrido en el periodo comprendido entre 1975- 1983, donde se nota un estancamiento de las exportaciones no tradicionales, mientras que las tradicionales presentaron un dinamismo impulsadas por el café. A diferencia del periodo anterior, entre 1984 y 1999 tanto las exportaciones tradicionales como las no tradicionales incidieron positivamente en un crecimiento, pero ya no fue el café el rubro dinámico sino el petróleo crudo. Cabe resaltar que en los años 92, 96 y 99 existió una leve disminución. Dentro de los productos que presentan una importante participación dentro de las exportaciones no tradicionales, y que a su vez tienen participaciones crecientes entre el periodo de 1970 y 1999, están las flores, azúcar, confecciones, artes graficas y editoriales y químicos. Para el año 2000 y 2001 las exportaciones no tradicionales crecieron debido al comportamiento positivo de bienes industriales. En cuanto a los sectores se refiere, en el periodo analizado, la mayor participación se reflejo en el año 2001, representando el 55% del total exportado (Tabla 3). La mayor contribución la determinó el sector industrial. Por ultimo, los principales destinos de las exportaciones no tradicionales son Estados Unidos y Venezuela, este último gracias a la apertura, aumentó año tras año el valor de las ventas.Incluye conclusiones y bibliografí

A Fermi Surface Model for Large Supersymmetric AdS_5 Black Holes

We identify a large family of 1/16 BPS operators in N=4 SYM that qualitatively reproduce the relations between charge, angular momentum and entropy in regular supersymmetric AdS_5 black holes when the main contribution to their masses is given by their angular momentum.Comment: 32 pages, 6 figures, LaTeX uses JHEP3 class; ver 2- added acknowledgment, minor change