The dynamically induced Fermi arcs and Fermi pockets in two dimensions: a model for underdoped cuprates

We investigate the effects of the dynamic bosonic fluctuations on the Fermi surface reconstruction in two dimensions as a model for the underdoped cuprates. At energies larger than the boson energy $\omega_b$, the dynamic nature of the fluctuations is not important and the quasi-particle dispersion exhibits the shadow feature like that induced by a static long range order. At lower energies, however, the shadow feature is pushed away by the finite $\omega_b$. The detailed low energy features are determined by the bare dispersion and the coupling of quasi-particles to the dynamic fluctuations. We present how these factors reconstruct the Fermi surface to produce the Fermi arcs or the Fermi pockets, or their coexistence. Our principal result is that the dynamic nature of the fluctuations, without invoking a yet-to-be-established translational symmetry breaking hidden order, can produce the Fermi pocket centered away from the $(\pi/2,\pi/2)$ towards the zone center which may coexist with the Fermi arcs. This is discussed in comparison with the experimental observations.Comment: Some comments and references were added and typos were corrected. The published version. 9 page

Correlated normal state fermiology and topological superconductivity in UTe2

UTe2 is a promising candidate for spin-triplet superconductors, in which a paramagnetic normal state becomes superconducting due to spin fluctuations. The subsequent discovery of various unusual superconducting properties has promoted the use of UTe2 as an exciting playground to study unconventional superconductivity, but fathoming the normal state fermiology and its influence on the superconductivity still requires further investigation. Here, we theoretically show that electron correlation induces a dramatic change in the normal state fermiology with an emergent correlated Fermi surface (FS) driven by Kondo resonance at low temperatures. This emergent correlated FS can account for various unconventional superconducting properties in a unified way. In particular, the geometry of the correlated FS can naturally host topological superconductivity in the presence of odd-parity pairings, which become the leading instability due to strong ferromagnetic spin fluctuations. Moreover, two pairs of odd-parity channels appear as accidentally degenerate solutions, which can naturally explain the multicomponent superconductivity with broken time-reversal symmetry. Interestingly, the resulting time-reversal breaking superconducting state is a Weyl superconductor in which Weyl points migrate along the correlated FS as the relative magnitude of nearly degenerate pairing solutions varies. We believe that the correlated normal state fermiology we discovered provides a unified platform to describe the unconventional superconductivity in UTe2.Comment: 13 pages, 4 figures and 1 table in the main text, and 10 figures and 1 table in the Supplementary Informatio

Local Identity and Persistent Leadership in Market Share Dynamics: Evidence from Deregulation in the Korean Soju Industry *

Abstract This paper empirically documents significant effects of past experiences on current purchases and investigates sources of persistence in brand preferences. We use a rare natural experiment in the Korean soju industry, in which the government abolished a regulation that designated only one firm for each regional market and further obliged consumers in each market to purchase local brands. We find that consumers tend to purchase local brands even after the regulation was removed. To explain the persistent leadership of local firms in their respective markets, we propose an identity-based story, which implies that (i) the designated local company is expected to have the highest market share in its local market, (ii) migrants to other regions tend to consume products produced by the designated local company in their region of origin, and (iii) any exogenous event that triggers higher costs of local identity should lead to a higher market share by the designated local company in its local market. In particular, we consider regionalism in Korean politics, and use presidential election results as events that might trigger higher identity costs. We find empirical evidence consistent with these three theoretical predictions, which is robust to several alternative specifications. We further find that various other potential mechanisms are not fully consistent with our data, suggesting that local identity, once established, can be an important source to explain the geographic variations in market shares

Enhancement on Radon Adsorption Property of GAC using Nano-size Carbon Colloids

Granular activated carbon (GAC) is well-known as an efficient adsorbent against a number of gaseous pollutants. Radon is one of those pollutants, and radon has been classified as the second leading cause of lung cancer in USA. This study was to enhance the radon removal efficiency with applying nano-technology. Nano-size carbon colloids (NCC) was produced through electrolysis which is simple and cheap. NCC was used for impregnation with activated carbon. Surface areas of both NCC-treated and non-treated activated carbon did not show a significant difference. However, the results of radon removal efficiency show that impregnated carbon with NCC could capture about 1.3 ~ 2 times of more radon gas compared to non-treated activated carbon. It is assumed that nano-size carbon colloids might have filled up meso-pores, and meso-pores turned into micro-pores eventually. Because meso-pores initially accounted for large portion of whole pores, more radon could be captured to NCC-impregnated activated carbon. Keywords: Radon, Nano-Size Carbon Collid, Activated Carbo

IL-1α Stimulation Restores Epidermal Permeability and Antimicrobial Barriers Compromised by Topical Tacrolimus

In a previous study, we showed that barrier recovery was delayed after acute barrier disruption in the skin treated with topical calcineurin inhibitors. Tacrolimus decreases lipid synthesis and the expressions of antimicrobial peptide (AMP) and IL-1α in the epidermis. IL-1α is an important cytokine for improving barrier function, lamellar body (LB) production, and lipid synthesis in keratinocytes (KCs). We aimed to evaluate whether IL-1α stimulation could restore the barrier dysfunction observed in tacrolimus-treated skin. Topical imiquimod, an IL-1α inducer, restored the epidermal permeability barrier recovery that had been inhibited by tacrolimus treatment in human (n=15) and murine (n=10) skins, and improved stratum corneum integrity by restoring corneodosmosomes in murine skin (n=6). Imiquimod co-applied on the epidermis resulted in an increase in the production of LB and three major lipid synthesis-related enzymes, and in the expressions of mBD3, CRAMP, and IL-1α (n=5). Furthermore, intracutaneous injection of IL-1α restored permeability barrier recovery (n=6). In IL-1 type 1 receptor knockout mice, topical imiquimod was unable to restore permeability barrier recovery after tacrolimus treatment (n=21). In conclusion, IL-1α stimulation induced positive effects on epidermal permeability and antimicrobial barrier functions in tacrolimus-treated skin. These positive effects were mediated by an increase in epidermal lipid synthesis, LB production, and AMP expression.JID JOURNAL CLUB ARTICLE: For questions, answers, and open discussion about this article, please go to http://www.nature.com/jid/journalclu

Bare-metal stents versus drug-eluting stents in large (≥3.5mm) single coronary artery: Angiographic and clinical outcomes at 6 months

SummaryBackgroundAlthough drug-eluting stents (DES) have been shown to dramatically reduce restenosis and improve the rate of event-free survival in large randomized trials, the benefit of DES appears to be limited to restenosis. In large arteries, it is not clear which type of stent is more superior in angiographic and clinical outcomes between DES and bare-metal stents (BMS). We compared the angiographic and clinical outcomes of DES versus BMS in large arteries (≥3.5mm).MethodTwo hundred and forty patients from March 2002 to March 2007 received stents; 196 patients were treated with DES (44.9% sirolimus-eluting stents; 43.9% paclitaxel-eluting stents; 11.2% zotarolimus-eluting stents) and 44 with cobalt–chromium BMS for single de novo lesions in a large vessel. All subjects received aspirin, clopidogrel, and/or cilostazol as the standard antiplatelet regimen. The angiographic and clinical outcomes were evaluated at 6 months.ResultsFor the baseline characteristics, there were no significant differences between the DES and BMS groups. In addition, for the initially implanted stent there was no difference in the length, stent diameter, and lesion site between the two groups. After 6 months, the follow-up angiogram showed that in-stent diameter restenosis and late loss was more common with BMS than DES (39±21% vs. 19±17%, p=0.007; 1.44±0.83mm vs. 0.62±0.58mm, p=0.009, respectively). However, the target-lesion revascularization/target-vessel revascularization, and total major adverse cardiac events showed no significant differences between the groups (5.3% vs. 3.6%, p=0.62; 5.3% vs. 4.6%, p=0.86, respectively).ConclusionThe DES and cobalt–chromium BMS placed in large coronary arteries showed equally favorable 6-month clinical outcomes, although the 6-month angiographic results appeared more favorable in the DES group than in the BMS group