U(1) symmetry breaking in one-dimensional Mott insulator studied by the Density Matrix Renormalization Group method

A new type of external fields violating the particle number preservation is studied in one-dimensional strongly correlated systems by the Density Matrix Renormalization Group method. Due to the U(1) symmetry breaking, the ground state has fluctuation of the total particle number, which implies injection of electrons and holes from out of the chain. This charge fluctuation can be relevant even at half-filling because the particle-hole symmetry is preserved with the finite effective field. In addition, we discuss a quantum phase transition obtained by considering the symmetry-breaking fields as a mean field of interchain-hopping.Comment: 7 pages, 4 figure

Effects of Coffee Intake on Oxidative Stress During Aging-related Alterations in Periodontal Tissue

Background/aim: The purpose of this study was to determine the anti-aging effects of coffee intake on oxidative stress in rat periodontal tissue and alveolar bone loss. Materials and methods: Male Fischer 344 rats (8 weeks old) were randomized to four groups; the baseline group immediately sacrificed, the control group fed with normal powdered food for 8 weeks, and the experimental groups fed with powdered food containing 0.62% or 1.36% coffee components for 8 weeks. Results: Alveolar bone loss and gingival level of 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine were significantly lower in the 1.36% coffee group than in the control group. Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 translocation to the nucleus was significantly higher in the 1.36% coffee group than in the control group. Conclusion: Continuous intake of 1.36% coffee could prevent age-related oxidative stress in the periodontal tissue and alveolar bone loss, possibly by up-regulating the Nrf2 signaling pathway

Detection of Salivary miRNAs That Predict Chronic Periodontitis Progression: A Cohort Study

The aim of this two-year cohort study was to investigate salivary microRNAs (miRNAs) that predict periodontitis progression. A total of 120 patients who underwent supportive periodontal therapy were recruited. Unstimulated whole saliva was collected at baseline. Two years later, 44 patients were followed up (median age, 67.1 years) and divided into two groups: progression group (n = 22), with one or more sites with clinical attachment level (CAL) progression (>3 mm compared with baseline) or tooth extraction due to periodontitis progression; and the control group (n = 22), which did not exhibit CAL progression. In the microarray analysis of salivary miRNAs, hsa-miR-5571-5p, hsa-miR-17-3p, hsa-let-7f-5p, hsa-miR-4724-3p, hsa-miR-99a-5p, hsa-miR-200a-3p, hsa-miR-28-5p, hsa-miR-320d, and hsa-miR-31-5p showed fold change values = 2.0 in the progression group compared with the control group (p 0.7, indicating fair discrimination power. The expressions of salivary hsa-miR-5571-5p, hsa-let-7f-5p, hsa-miR-99a-5p, hsa-miR-28-5p, and hsa-miR-320d were associated with periodontitis progression in patients with chronic periodontitis. These salivary miRNAs may be new biomarkers for progression of periodontitis, and monitoring them may contribute to new diagnostics and precision medicine for periodontitis

Carvedilol Analogue Modulates both Basal and Stimulated Sinoatrial Node Automaticity

The membrane voltage clock and calcium (Ca(2+)) clock jointly regulate sinoatrial node (SAN) automaticity. VK-II-36 is a novel carvedilol analog that suppresses sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) Ca(2+) release but does not block the β-receptor. The effect of VK-II-36 on SAN function remains unclear. The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether VK-II-36 can influence SAN automaticity by inhibiting the Ca(2+) clock. We simultaneously mapped intracellular Ca(2+) and membrane potential in 24 isolated canine right atriums using previously described criteria of the timing of late diastolic intracellular Ca elevation (LDCAE) relative to the action potential upstroke to detect the Ca(2+) clock. Pharmacological interventions with isoproterenol (ISO), ryanodine, caffeine, and VK-II-36 were performed after baseline recordings. VK-II-36 caused sinus rate downregulation and reduced LDCAE in the pacemaking site under basal conditions (P < 0.01). ISO induced an upward shift of the pacemaking site in SAN and augmented LDCAE in the pacemaking site. ISO also significantly and dose-dependently increased the sinus rate. The treatment of VK-II-36 (30 μmol/l) abolished both the ISO-induced shift of the pacemaking site and augmentation of LDCAE (P < 0.01), and it suppressed the ISO-induced increase in sinus rate (P = 0.02). Our results suggest that the sinus rate may be partly controlled by the Ca(2+) clock via SR Ca(2+) release during β-adrenergic stimulation

Selective sinoatrial node optical mapping and the mechanism of sinus rate acceleration

BACKGROUND: Studies using isolated sinoatrial node (SAN) cells indicate that rhythmic spontaneous sarcoplasmic reticulum calcium release (Ca clock) plays an important role in SAN automaticity. In the intact SAN, cross-contamination of optical signals from the SAN and the right atrium (RA) prevent the definitive testing of Ca clock hypothesis. The aim of this study was to use a novel approach to selectively mapping the intact SAN to examine the Ca clock mechanism. METHODS AND RESULTS: We simultaneously mapped intracellular Ca (Ca(i)) and membrane potential (V(m)) in 10 isolated, Langendorff-perfused normal canine RAs. The excitability of the RA was suppressed with high-potassium Tyrode's solution, allowing selective optical mapping of V(m) and Ca(i) of the SAN. Isoproterenol (ISO, 0.03 µmol/L) decreased the cycle length of the sinus beats, and shifted the leading pacemaker site from the middle or inferior SAN to the superior SAN in all RAs. The Ca(i) upstroke preceded the V(m) in the leading pacemaker site by up to 18 ± 2 ms. ISO-induced changes to SAN were inhibited by ryanodine (3 µmol/L), but not ZD7288 (3 µmol/L), a selective I(f) blocker. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that, in the isolated canine RA, a high extracellular potassium concentration can suppress atrial excitability thus leading to SAN-RA conduction block, allowing selective optical mapping of the intact SAN. Acceleration of Ca cycling in the superior SAN underlies the mechanism of sinus tachycardia during sympathetic stimulation

Chronic Low-Level Vagus Nerve Stimulation Reduces Stellate Ganglion Nerve Activity and Paroxysmal Atrial Tachyarrhythmias in Ambulatory Canines

poster abstractIntroduction: Left sided low-level vagus nerve stimulation (LL-VNS) is used clinically for epilepsy and depression. We hypothesize that LL-VNS can suppress sympathetic outflow and reduce atrial tachyarrhythmias in ambulatory dogs. Methods: We implanted in 12 dogs a neurostimulator in left cervical vagus nerve and a radiotransmitter for continuous recording of left stellate ganglion nerve activities (SGNA), left thoracic vagal nerve activities (VNA) and electrocardiograms. The first 6 dogs (Group 1) underwent 1 week continuous LL-VNS. Another 6 dogs (Group 2) underwent intermittent rapid atrial pacing followed by active or sham LL-VNS on alternate weeks. Results: Integrated SGNA was significantly reduced during LL-VNS (7.8±0.9 mV-s vs. 9.4±0.9 mVs at baseline, P<0.05) in Group 1.The reduction was most apparent from 7 to 9 AM, (31% reduction, 10.8±2.5 mV-s versus 15.6±2.9 mV-s at baseline, P<0.01), along with a significantly reduced heart rate (P<0.05). SGNA-induced heart rate acceleration averaged 107.9±9.0 bpm during LL-VNS and 129.2±9.3 bpm at baseline (P<0.05). LL-VNS did not change VNA. The tyrosine hydroxylase-positive nerve structures in the left stellate ganglion were 99,684±22,257 µm2/mm2 in LL-VNS dogs and 186,561±11,383 µm2/mm2 (P<0.01) in normal control dogs. In Group 2, the frequencies of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation and atrial tachycardia during active LLVNS were 1.4±2.5/d and 8.0±5.8/d, respectively, significantly lower than during sham stimulation (9.2±6.2/d, P<0.01 and 22.0±4.4/d, P<0.001, respectively). Conclusion: LL-VNS suppresses SGNA and reduces the incidences of paroxysmal atrial tachyarrhythmias in ambulatory dogs. Significant neural remodeling of the left stellate ganglion is evident one week after cessation of chronic LL-VNS

カガクリョウロンテキ コウジュンドチタンサンバリウムビフンマツ ノ ショウケツ

ビス(シュウ酸)酸化チタン(IV)バリウムの熱分解により生成した化学量論的,高純度BaTiO_3微粉末の焼結性について検討し次の結果を得た.(1)熱分解によって生成したBaTiO_3粉末は分解温度が高くなるに従って粒成長い,粉体の表面エネルギーは減少する.(2)分解温度900℃のとき焼結体の相対密度は最大値を示した.すなわち最適熱分解温度は900℃である.またBaTiO_3粉末の焼結には少なくとも1250℃以上の温度が必要である.(3)焼結体の結晶粒径は,焼結温度の上昇に従って正常な粒成長を示すことから,熱分解により生成したBaTi0_3粉末は狭い粒径分布をもち高純度であると推定できる.(4)BaTi0_3焼結体の室温における誘電率は,BaCO_3とTiO_2から出発する従来の方法により調整されたBaTi0_3セラミックスの誘電率よりはるかに高い値を示した.(5)BaTiO_3焼結体の結晶粒径が小さくなるに従って,室温における誘電率は増加する.We studied the sintering behavior of stoichiometric and high purity barium titanate fine powder Pioduced by the pyrolysis of barium titanium (IV) bis (oxalate) oxide at various temperatures. Titanate particle size increases with pyrolysis temperature. Pyrolysis of the oxalate at 900℃ produces most sinterable fine powder and the sintering of the titanate fine power needs temperature of 1250℃ at least. Microstructure of the titanatae ceramics shows normal grain geowth and this suggests that the titanate powders from the oxalate have relatively narrow particle size-distribution and high purity. The dielectric constant of the titanate ceramics at room temperature is much higher than those of conventional barium titanate ceramics. Dielectric constant at room temperature decreases as grain size increases in the range of this study