Isospin quantum number of D_{s0}^+(2317)

The D_s^+ pi^0 and D_s^{*+} gamma decays of the D_{s0}^+(2317) are studied by assigning it to various charmed strange scalar mesons. As a result, it is found that its assignment to an iso-triplet four-quark meson is favored by the severest experimental constraint on the ratio of the rates for these decays, while assigning it to an I=0 state (a four-quark or a conventional {c\bar{s}}) is inconsistent with this constraint.Comment: 6 pages, no figure, RevTeX4, references added and clarification of tex

Study of the triangular lattice tV model near x=1/3

We study extended Hubbard model on a triangular lattice near doping $x=1/3$, which may be relevant for the recently discovered superconductor Na$_x$CoO$_2 \cdot y$H$_2$O. By generalizing this model to $N$ fermionic species, we formulate a meanfield description in the limit of large $N$. In meanfield, we find two possible phases: a renormalized Fermi liquid and a \rt3rt3 charge density wave state. The transition between the two phases is driven by increasing the nearest neighbor repulsion and is found to be first order for doping $x=1/3$, but occurs close to the point of the local instability of the uniform liquid. We also study fluctuations about the uniform meanfield state in a systematic 1/N expansion, focusing on the residual interaction of quasiparticles and possible superconducting instabilities due to this interaction. Upon moving towards the CDW instability, the increasing charge fluctuations favor a particular $f$-wave triplet state. (This state was recently discussed by Tanakaet al, cond-mat/0311266). We also report a direct Gutzwiller wavefunction study of the spin-1/2 model.Comment: 9 pages, 5 figure

FGF2 is expressed in human and murine embryonic choroid plexus and affects choroid plexus cell behaviour

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Although fibroblast growth factor (Fgf) signalling plays crucial roles in several developing and mature tissues, little information is currently available on expression of Fgf2 during early choroid plexus development and whether Fgf2 directly affects the behaviour of the choroid plexus epithelium (CPe). The purpose of this study was to investigate expression of Fgf2 in rodent and human developing CPe and possible function of Fgf2, using <it>in vitro </it>models. The application of Fgf2 to brain <it>in vivo </it>can affect the whole tissue, making it difficult to assess specific responses of the CPe.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Expression of Fgf2 was studied by immunohistochemistry in rodent and human embryonic choroid plexus. Effects of Fgf2 on growth, secretion, aggregation and gene expression was investigated using rodent CPe vesicles, a three-dimensional polarized culture model that closely mimics CPe properties <it>in vivo</it>, and rodent CPe monolayer cultures.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Fgf2 was present early in development of the choroid plexus both in mouse and human, suggesting the importance of this ligand in Fgf signalling in the developing choroid plexus. Parallel analysis of Fgf2 expression and cell proliferation during CP development suggests that Fgf2 is not involved in CPe proliferation <it>in vivo</it>. Consistent with this observation is the failure of Fgf2 to increase proliferation in the tri-dimensional vesicle culture model. The CPe however, can respond to Fgf2 treatment, as the diameter of CPe vesicles is significantly increased by treatment with this growth factor. We show that this is due to an increase in cell aggregation during vesicle formation rather than increased secretion into the vesicle lumen. Finally, Fgf2 regulates expression of the CPe-associated transcription factors, <it>Foxj1 </it>and <it>E2f5</it>, whereas transthyretin, a marker of secretory activity, is not affected by Fgf2 treatment.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Fgf2 expression early in the development of both human and rodent choroid plexus, and its ability to modulate behaviour and gene expression in CPe, supports the view that Fgf signalling plays a role in the maintenance of integrity and function of this specialized epithelium, and that this role is conserved between rodents and humans.</p

In-plane anisotropy on the transport properties in the modulated Bi_2O_2-based conductors Bi-2212 and Bi-Sr-Co-O

We investigated the in-plane anisotropy on the resistivity and thermopower of the Bi_2Sr_2CaCu_2O_{8+\delta} (Bi-2212) and Bi-Sr-Co-O (BiCo) single crystals. In Bi-2212, the b-axis resistivity is higher than the a-axis resistivity, and is expressed as a sum of the a-axis resistivity and an additional residual resistivity. A downward deviation due to pseudogap is observed below a characteristic temperature T^*, which is isotropic in the form of conductivity. These results suggest that the modulation structure along the b-axis works as an anisotropic scattering center, but does not affect the pseudogap formation. On the other hand, the anisotropy of the resistivity and the thermopower in Pb-doped BiCo is substantial, probably owing to the misfit structure between the hexagonal CoO_2 layer and the rock salt Bi_2O_2 layer. However, the anisotropy in the resistivity in Pb-free BiCo is very small, suggesting that the in-plane anisotropy is averaged by the modulation structure, whose direction is tilted by 45 deg from the a- and b-axes.Comment: 4pages 5 figures, Proceedings of ISS2001, Physica C (in press

Out-of-plane thermopower of strongly correlated layered systems: an application to Bi_2(Sr,La)_2CaCu_2O_{8+\delta}

We calculate the out-of-plane thermopower in a quasi-two dimensional system, and argue that this quantity is an effective probe of the asymmetry of the single-particle spectral function. We find that the temperature and doping dependence of the out-of-plane thermopower in Bi_2(Sr,La)_2CaCu_2O_{8+\delta} single crystals is broadly consistent with the behavior of the spectral function determined from ARPES and tunneling experiments. We also investigate the relationship between out-of-plane thermopower and entropy in a quasi-two dimensional material. We present experimental evidence that at moderate temperatures, there is a qualitative correspondence between the out-of-plane thermopower in Bi_2(Sr,La)_2CaCu_2O_{8+\delta}, and the entropy obtained from specific heat measurements. Finally, we argue that the derivative of the entropy with respect to particle number may be the more appropriate quantity to compare with the thermopower, rather than the entropy per particle.Comment: 11 pages, 5 figures. v2: substantially rewritten, including a more detailed analysis of the relationship between thermopower and entrop

Non-factorizable long distance contributions in color suppressed decays of B mesons

$\bar B \to D\pi$, $D^*\pi$, $J/\psi\bar K$ and $J/\psi\pi$ decays are studied. Their amplitude is given by a sum of factorized and non-factorizable ones. The latter which is estimated by using a hard pion approximation is rather small in color favored $\bar B \to D\pi$ and $D^*\pi$ decays but still can efficiently interfere with the main amplitude given by the factorization. In the color suppressed $\bar B \to J/\psi\bar K$ and $J/\psi\pi$ decays, the non-factorizable contribution is very important. The sum of the factorized and non-factorizable amplitudes can reproduce well the existing experimental data on the branching ratios for the color favored $\bar B \to D\pi$ and $D^*\pi$ and the color suppressed $\bar B \to J/\psi \bar K$ and $J/\psi\pi$ decays by taking reasonable values of unknown parameters involved.Comment: 19 pages, Revte

Thermal conductivity of the thermoelectric layered cobalt oxides measured by the Harman method

In-plane thermal conductivity of the thermoelectric layered cobalt oxides has been measured using the Harman method, in which thermal conductivity is obtained from temperature gradient induced by applied current. We have found that the charge reservoir block (the block other than the CoO$_2$ block) dominates the thermal conduction, where a nano-block integration concept is effective for material design. We have further found that the thermal conductivity shows a small but finite in-plane anisotropy between $a$ and $b$ axes, which can be ascribed to the misfit structure.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures, J. Appl. Phys. (scheduled on July 1, 2004