Spin-1 Antiferromagnetic Heisenberg Chains in an External Staggered Field

We present in this paper a nonlinear sigma-model analysis of a spin-1 antiferromagnetic Heisenberg chain in an external commensurate staggered magnetic field. After rediscussing briefly and extending previous results for the staggered magnetization curve, the core of the paper is a novel calculation, at the tree level, of the Green functions of the model. We obtain precise results for the elementary excitation spectrum and in particular for the spin gaps in the transverse and longitudinal channels. It is shown that, while the spectral weight in the transverse channel is exhausted by a single magnon pole, in the longitudinal one, besides a magnon pole a two-magnon continuum appears as well whose weight is a stedily increasing function of the applied field, while the weight of the magnon decreases correspondingly. The balance between the two is governed by a sum rule that is derived and discussed. A detailed comparison with the present experimental and numerical (DMRG) status of the art as well as with previous analytical approaches is also made.Comment: 23 pages, 3 figures, LaTe

An Oral Selective Alpha-1A Adrenergic Receptor Agonist Prevents Doxorubicin Cardiotoxicity

Alpha-1 adrenergic receptors (α1-ARs) play adaptive and protective roles in the heart. Dabuzalgron is an oral selective α1A-AR agonist that was well tolerated in multiple clinical trials of treatment for urinary incontinence, but has never been used to treat heart disease in humans or animal models. In this study, the authors administered dabuzalgron to mice treated with doxorubicin (DOX), a widely used chemotherapeutic agent with dose-limiting cardiotoxicity that can lead to heart failure (HF). Dabuzalgron protected against DOX-induced cardiotoxicity, likely by preserving mitochondrial function. These results suggest that activating cardiac α1A-ARs with dabuzalgron, a well-tolerated oral agent, might represent a novel approach to treating HF

Mixing state of atmospheric particles over the North China Plain

In this unique processing study, the mixing state of ambient submicron aerosol particles in terms of hygroscopicity and volatility was investigated with a Hygroscopicity Tandem Differential Mobility Analyzer and a Volatility Tandem Differential Mobility Analyzer. The measurements were conducted at a regional atmospheric observational site in the North China Plain (NCP) from 8 July to 9 August, 2013. Multimodal patterns were observed in the probability density functions of the hygroscopicity parameter κ and the shrink factor, indicating that ambient particles are mostly an external mixture of particles with different hygroscopicity and volatility. Linear relationships were found between the number fraction of hydrophobic and non-volatile populations, reflecting the dominance of soot in hydrophobic and non-volatile particles. The number fraction of non-volatile particles is lower than that of hydrophobic particles in most cases, indicating that a certain fraction of hydrophobic particles is volatile. Distinct diurnal patterns were found for the number fraction of the hydrophobic and non-volatile particles, with a higher level at nighttime and a lower level during the daytime. The result of air mass classification shows that aerosol particles in air masses coming from north with high moving speed have a high number fraction of hydrophobic/non-volatile population, and are more externally mixed. Only minor differences can be found between the measured aerosol properties for the rest of the air masses. With abundant precursor in the NCP, no matter where the air mass originates, as far as it stays in the NCP for a certain time, aerosol particles may get aged and mixed with newly emitted particles in a short time

Critical Behavior of O(n)-symmetric Systems With Reversible Mode-coupling Terms: Stability Against Detailed-balance Violation

We investigate nonequilibrium critical properties of $O(n)$-symmetric models with reversible mode-coupling terms. Specifically, a variant of the model of Sasv\'ari, Schwabl, and Sz\'epfalusy is studied, where violation of detailed balance is incorporated by allowing the order parameter and the dynamically coupled conserved quantities to be governed by heat baths of different temperatures $T_S$ and $T_M$, respectively. Dynamic perturbation theory and the field-theoretic renormalization group are applied to one-loop order, and yield two new fixed points in addition to the equilibrium ones. The first one corresponds to $\Theta = T_S / T_M = \infty$ and leads to model A critical behavior for the order parameter and to anomalous noise correlations for the generalized angular momenta; the second one is at $\Theta = 0$ and is characterized by mean-field behavior of the conserved quantities, by a dynamic exponent $z = d / 2$ equal to that of the equilibrium SSS model, and by modified static critical exponents. However, both these new fixed points are unstable, and upon approaching the critical point detailed balance is restored, and the equilibrium static and dynamic critical properties are recovered.Comment: 18 pages, RevTeX, 1 figure included as eps-file; submitted to Phys. Rev.

Finite SU(N)^k Unification

We consider N=1 supersymmetric gauge theories based on the group SU(N)_1 x SU(N)_2 x ... x SU(N)_k with matter content (N,N*,1,...,1) + (1,N,N*,...,1) + >... + (N*,1,1,...,N) as candidates for the unification symmetry of all particles. In particular we examine to which extent such theories can become finite and we find that a necessary condition is that there should be exactly three families. We discuss further some phenomenological issues related to the cases (N,k) = (3,3), (3,4), and (4,3), in an attempt to choose those theories that can become also realistic. Thus we are naturally led to consider the SU(3)^3 model which we first promote to an all-loop finite theory and then we study its additional predictions concerning the top quark mass, Higgs mass and supersymmetric spectrum.Comment: 15 page

Low scale gravity as the source of neutrino masses?

We address the question whether low-scale gravity alone can generate the neutrino mass matrix needed to accommodate the observed phenomenology. In low-scale gravity the neutrino mass matrix in the flavor basis is characterized by one parameter (the gravity scale M_X) and by an exact or approximate flavor blindness (namely, all elements of the mass matrix are of comparable size). Neutrino masses and mixings are consistent with the observational data for certain values of the matrix elements, but only when the spectrum of mass is inverted or degenerate. For the latter type of spectra the parameter M_{ee} probed in double beta experiments and the mass parameter probed by cosmology are close to existing upper limits.Comment: 10 pages, 1 figur

ff-minimal surface and manifold with positive mm-Bakry-\'{E}mery Ricci curvature

In this paper, we first prove a compactness theorem for the space of closed embedded $f$-minimal surfaces of fixed topology in a closed three-manifold with positive Bakry-\'{E}mery Ricci curvature. Then we give a Lichnerowicz type lower bound of the first eigenvalue of the $f$-Laplacian on compact manifold with positive $m$-Bakry-\'{E}mery Ricci curvature, and prove that the lower bound is achieved only if the manifold is isometric to the $n$-shpere, or the $n$-dimensional hemisphere. Finally, for compact manifold with positive $m$-Bakry-\'{E}mery Ricci curvature and $f$-mean convex boundary, we prove an upper bound for the distance function to the boundary, and the upper bound is achieved if only if the manifold is isometric to an Euclidean ball.Comment: 15 page

Renormalization group and nonequilibrium action in stochastic field theory

We investigate the renormalization group approach to nonequilibrium field theory. We show that it is possible to derive nontrivial renormalization group flow from iterative coarse graining of a closed-time-path action. This renormalization group is different from the usual in quantum field theory textbooks, in that it describes nontrivial noise and dissipation. We work out a specific example where the variation of the closed-time-path action leads to the so-called Kardar-Parisi-Zhang equation, and show that the renormalization group obtained by coarse graining this action, agrees with the dynamical renormalization group derived by directly coarse graining the equations of motion.Comment: 33 pages, 3 figures included in the text. Revised; one reference adde

Persistent currents in a Bose-Einstein condensate in the presence of disorder

We examine bosonic atoms that are confined in a toroidal, quasi-one-dimensional trap, subjected to a random potential. The resulting inhomogeneous atomic density is smoothened for sufficiently strong, repulsive interatomic interactions. Statistical analysis of our simulations show that the gas supports persistent currents, which become more fragile due to the disorder.Comment: 5 pages, RevTex, 3 figures, revised version, to appear in JLT