Width of the charge-transfer peak in the SU(N) impurity Anderson model and its relevance to nonequilibrium transport

We calculate the width 2ΔCT and intensity of the charge-transfer peak (the one lying at the on-site energy Ed) in the impurity spectral density of states as a function of Ed in the SU(N) impurity Anderson model (IAM). We use the dynamical density-matrix renormalization group (DDMRG) and the noncrossing approximation (NCA) for N=4 and a 1/N variational approximation in the general case. In particular, while for Ed Δ, where Δ is the resonant level half-width, ΔCT=Δ as expected in the noninteracting case, for Ed NΔ one has ΔCT=NΔ. In the N=2 case, some effects of the variation of ΔCT with Ed were observed in the conductance through a quantum dot connected asymmetrically to conducting leads at finite bias [J. Könemann, Phys. Rev. B 73, 033313 (2006)PRBMDO1098-012110.1103/PhysRevB.73.033313]. More dramatic effects are expected in similar experiments that can be carried out in systems of two quantum dots, carbon nanotubes or other, realizing the SU(4) IAM.Fil: Fernández, Joaquín. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Patagonia Norte; Argentina. Comisión Nacional de Energía Atómica. Gerencia del Área de Energía Nuclear. Instituto Balseiro; ArgentinaFil: Lisandrini, Franco Thomas. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Rosario. Instituto de Física de Rosario. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Instituto de Física de Rosario; ArgentinaFil: Roura Bas, Pablo Gines. Comisión Nacional de Energía Atómica. Centro Atómico Constituyentes; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Gazza, Claudio Javier. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Rosario. Instituto de Física de Rosario. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Instituto de Física de Rosario; ArgentinaFil: Aligia, Armando Ángel. Comisión Nacional de Energía Atómica. Gerencia del Área de Energía Nuclear. Instituto Balseiro; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Patagonia Norte; Argentin

Scaling of conductance through quantum dots with magnetic field

Using different techniques, and Fermi-liquid relationships, we calculate the variation with the applied magnetic field (up to second order) of the zero-temperature equilibrium conductance through a quantum dot described by the impurity Anderson model. We focus on the strong-coupling limit U, where U is the Coulomb repulsion and is half the resonant-level width, and consider several values of the dot level energy E d , ranging from the Kondo regime to the intermediate-valence regime F − E d ∼ , where F is the Fermi energy. We have mainly used the density-matrix renormalization group (DMRG) and the numerical renormalization group (NRG) combined with renormalized perturbation theory (RPT). Results for the dot occupancy and magnetic susceptibility from the DMRG and NRG + RPT are compared with the corresponding Bethe ansatz results for U → ∞, showing an excellent agreement once E d is renormalized by a constant Haldane shift. For U low-energy peak in the spectral density of the dot.Fil: Hamad, Ignacio Javier. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Rosario. Instituto de Física de Rosario. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Instituto de Física de Rosario; ArgentinaFil: Gazza, Claudio Javier. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Rosario. Instituto de Física de Rosario. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Instituto de Física de Rosario; ArgentinaFil: Andrade Hoyos, Jhon Alejandro. Comisión Nacional de Energía Atómica. Centro Atómico Bariloche; Argentina. Comisión Nacional de Energía Atómica. Gerencia del Área de Energía Nuclear. Instituto Balseiro; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Aligia, Armando Ángel. Comisión Nacional de Energía Atómica. Centro Atómico Bariloche; Argentina. Comisión Nacional de Energía Atómica. Gerencia del Área de Energía Nuclear. Instituto Balseiro; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Cornaglia de la Cruz, Pablo Sebastian. Comisión Nacional de Energía Atómica. Centro Atómico Bariloche; Argentina. Comisión Nacional de Energía Atómica. Gerencia del Área de Energía Nuclear. Instituto Balseiro; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Roura Bas, Pablo Gines. Comisión Nacional de Energía Atómica. Centro Atómico Constituyentes; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentin

Nonlinear charge and energy dynamics of an adiabatically driven interacting quantum dot

We formulate a general theory to study the time-dependent charge and energy transport of an adiabatically driven interacting quantum dot in contact with a reservoir for arbitrary amplitudes of the driving potential. We study within this framework the Anderson impurity model with a local ac gate voltage. We show that the exact adiabatic quantum dynamics of this system is fully determined by the behavior of the charge susceptibility of the frozen problem. At T=0, we evaluate the dynamic response functions with the numerical renormalization group (NRG). The time-resolved heat production exhibits a pronounced feature described by an instantaneous Joule law characterized by a universal Büttiker resistance quantum R0=h/(2e2) for each spin channel. We show that this law holds in the noninteracting as well as in the interacting system and also when the system is spin polarized. In addition, in the presence of a static magnetic field, the interplay between many-body interactions and spin polarization leads to a nontrivial energy exchange between electrons with different spin components.Fil: Romero, Javier I.. Universidad Nacional de San Martín. Escuela de Ciencia y Tecnología; ArgentinaFil: Roura Bas, Pablo Gines. Comisión Nacional de Energía Atómica. Centro Atómico Constituyentes; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Aligia, Armando Ángel. Comisión Nacional de Energía Atómica. Centro Atómico Bariloche; Argentina. Comisión Nacional de Energía Atómica. Gerencia del Área de Energía Nuclear. Instituto Balseiro; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Patagonia Norte; ArgentinaFil: Arrachea, Liliana del Carmen. Universidad Nacional de San Martín. Escuela de Ciencia y Tecnología; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentin

Mesa Redonda

Se recoge el debate final del ciclo de conferencias «Europa i Catalunya el 1640.350 anys de la Revolució Catalana», presidido por D. Antonio Dominguez Ortiz, y en el que se plantearon las intervenciones en torno a la problemática actual en que se centra la investigación sobre las revueltas y revoluciones en la Europa del Antiguo Régimen.These pages offer the final debut of the Conferences Cycle named ((Europe and Catalonia in 1640. 350 years after the Catalan Revolution», presided by D. Antonio Domínguez Ortiz. Over there, discussions and participations had place about the current problematic where in centred the invetigations of the revolts and revolutions in the Ancient Regime Europe

Structurally-related (−)-epicatechin metabolites in humans: assessment using de novo chemically synthesized authentic standards

Accumulating data suggest that diets rich in flavanols and procyanidins are beneficial for human health. In this context, there has been a great interest in elucidating the systemic levels and metabolic profiles at which these compounds occur in humans. While recent progress has been made, there still exist considerable differences and various disagreements with regard to the mammalian metabolites of these compounds, which in turn is largely a consequence of the lack of availability of authentic standards that would allow for the directed development and validation of expedient analytical methodologies. In the present study, we developed a method for the analysis of structurally-related flavanol metabolites using a wide range of authentic standards. Applying this method in the context of a human dietary intervention study using comprehensively characterized and standardized flavanol- and procyanidin-containing cocoa, we were able to identify the structurally-related (−)-epicatechin metabolites (SREM) postprandially extant in the systemic circulation of humans. Our results demonstrate that (−)-epicatechin-3′-β-D-glucuronide, (−)-epicatechin-3′-sulfate, and a 3′-O-methyl(−)-epicatechin-5/7-sulfate are the predominant SREM in humans, and further confirm the relevance of the stereochemical configuration in the context of flavanol metabolism. In addition, we also identified plausible causes for the previously reported discrepancies regarding flavanol metabolism, consisting to a significant extent of inter-laboratory differences in sample preparation (enzymatic treatment and sample conditioning for HPLC analysis) and detection systems. Thus, these findings may also aid in the establishment of consensus on this topic

Physiological conditioning by electric field stimulation promotes cardiomyogenic gene expression in human cardiomyocyte progenitor cells

The optimal cell lineage for cardiac-regeneration approaches remains mysterious. Additionally, electrical stimulation promotes cardiomyogenic differentiation of stimulated cells. Therefore, we hypothesized that electrical conditioning of cardiomyocyte progenitor cells (CMPCs) might enrich their cardiovascular potential. CMPCs were isolated from human adult atrial appendages, characterized, and electrically stimulated for 7 and 14 days. Electrical stimulation modulated CMPCs gene and protein expression, increasing all cardiac markers. GATA-binding protein 4 (GATA4) early transcription factor was significantly overexpressed (P = 0.008), but also its coactivator myocyte enhancer factor 2A (MEF2A) was upregulated (P = 0.073) under electrical stimulation. Moreover, important structural proteins and calcium handling-related genes were enhanced. The cardioregeneration capability of CMPCs is improved by electrical field stimulation. Consequently, short-term electrical stimulation should be a valid biophysical approach to modify cardiac progenitor cells toward a cardiogenic phenotype, and can be incorporated into transdifferentiation protocols. Electrostimulated CMPCs may be best-equipped cells for myocardial integration after implantation.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

Impulsive Action and Impulsive Choice Are Differentially Associated With Gene Expression Variations of the GABAA Receptor Alfa 1 Subunit and the CB1 Receptor in the Lateral and Medial Orbitofrontal Cortices

The orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) is a key brain region for decision-making, action control and impulsivity. Quite notably, previous research has identified a double dissociation regarding the role of this cortical territory in impulsive choice. While medial orbitofrontal lesions increase preference for a large but delayed reward, lateral orbitofrontal lesions have the opposite effect. However, there are no data regarding this anatomical dissociation in impulsive action. The neurochemical basis of impulsivity is still being elucidated, however, in recent years a role for the endocannabinoids and the related glutamatergic and GABAergic neurotransmitter systems has been suggested. Here, we submitted male Wistar rats to a delay-discounting task (DDT) or a two-choice serial reaction time task (2-CSRTT) and classified them as high impulsive or low impulsive in either task using cluster analysis. We then examined the gene expression of several elements of the endocannabinoid system or different subunits of certain glutamatergic or GABAergic ionotropic receptors (AMPA, NMDA, or GABAA) in the lateral or medial divisions of their orbitofrontal cortices. Our results confirm, at the gene expression level, the dissociation in the participation of the medial, and lateral divisions of the orbitofrontal cortex in impulsivity. While in the 2-CSRTT (inhibitory control) we found that high impulsive animals exhibited lower gene expression levels of the α1 GABAA receptor subunit in the lateral OFC, no such differences were evident in the medial OFC. When we analyzed DDT performance, we found that high impulsive animals displayed lower levels of CB1 gene expression in the medial but not in the lateral OFC. We propose that GABAergic dynamics in the lateral OFC might contribute to the inhibitory control mechanisms that are altered in impulsive behavior while endocannabinoid receptor gene transcription in the medial OFC may subserve the delay-discounting processes that participate in certain types of impulsiveness

Jutge.org: characteristics and experiences

Jutge.org is an open educational online programming judge designed for students and instructors, featuring a repository of problems that is well organized by courses, topics and difficulty. Internally, Jutge.org uses a secure and efficient architecture and integrates modern verification techniques, formal methods, static code analysis and data mining. Jutge.org has exhaustively been used during the last decade at the Universitat Politecnica de Catalunya to strengthen the learn-by-doing approach in several courses. This paper presents the main characteristics of Jutge.org and shows its use and impact in a wide range of courses covering basic programming, data structures, algorithms, artificial intelligence, functional programming and circuit design.Peer ReviewedPostprint (author's final draft

Predictors of human papillomavirus infection in women undergoing routine cervical cancer screening in Spain : the CLEOPATRE study

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a sexually transmitted infection that may lead to development of precancerous and cancerous lesions of the cervix. The aim of the current study was to investigate socio-demographic, lifestyle, and medical factors for potential associations with cervical HPV infection in women undergoing cervical cancer screening in Spain. The CLEOPATRE Spain study enrolled 3 261 women aged 18-65 years attending cervical cancer screening across the 17 Autonomous Communities. Liquid-based cervical samples underwent cytological examination and HPV testing. HPV positivity was determined using the Hybrid Capture II assay, and HPV genotyping was conducted using the INNO-LiPA HPV Genotyping Extra assay. Multivariate logistic regression was used to identify putative risk factors for HPV infection. A lifetime number of two or more sexual partners, young age (18-25 years), a history of genital warts, and unmarried status were the strongest independent risk factors for HPV infection of any type. Living in an urban community, country of birth other than Spain, low level of education, and current smoking status were also independent risk factors for HPV infection. A weak inverse association between condom use and HPV infection was observed. Unlike monogamous women, women with two or more lifetime sexual partners showed a lower risk of infection if their current partner was circumcised (P for interaction, 0.005) and a higher risk of infection if they were current smokers (P for interaction, 0.01). This is the first large-scale, country-wide study exploring risk factors for cervical HPV infection in Spain. The data strongly indicate that variables related to sexual behavior are the main risk factors for HPV infection. In addition, in non-monogamous women, circumcision of the partner is associated with a reduced risk and smoking with an increased risk of HPV infection