1,315 research outputs found
Dimensional crossover of thermal conductance in graphene nanoribbons: A first-principles approach
First-principles density-functional calculations are performed to investigate
the thermal transport properties in graphene nanoribbons (GNRs). The
dimensional crossover of thermal conductance from one to two dimensions (2D) is
clearly demonstrated with increasing ribbon width. The thermal conductance of
GNRs in a few nanometer width already exhibits an approximate low-temperature
dependence of , like that of 2D graphene sheet which is attributed to
the quadratic nature of dispersion relation for the out-of-plane acoustic
phonon modes. Using a zone-folding method, we heuristically derive the
dimensional crossover of thermal conductance with the increase of ribbon width.
Combining our calculations with the experimental phonon mean-free path, some
typical values of thermal conductivity at room temperature are estimated for
GNRs and for 2D graphene sheet, respectively. Our findings clarify the issue of
low-temperature dependence of thermal transport in GNRs and suggest a
calibration range of thermal conductivity for experimental measurements in
graphene-based materials.Comment: 18 pages, 4 figure
Mean value coordinates–based caricature and expression synthesis
We present a novel method for caricature synthesis based on mean value coordinates (MVC). Our method can be applied to any single frontal face image to learn a specified caricature face pair for frontal and 3D caricature synthesis. This technique only requires one or a small number of exemplar pairs and a natural frontal face image training set, while the system can transfer the style of the exemplar pair across individuals. Further exaggeration can be fulfilled in a controllable way. Our method is further applied to facial expression transfer, interpolation, and exaggeration, which are applications of expression editing. Additionally, we have extended our approach to 3D caricature synthesis based on the 3D version of MVC. With experiments we demonstrate that the transferred expressions are credible and the resulting caricatures can be characterized and recognized
Sulforaphane induces adipocyte browning and promotes glucose and lipid utilization
Scope: Obesity is closely related to the imbalance of white adipose tissue storing excess calories, and brown adipose tissue dissipating energy to produce heat in mammals. Recent studies revealed that acquisition of brown characteristics by white adipocytes, termed “browning,” may positively contribute to cellular bioenergetics and metabolism homeostasis. The goal was to investigate the putative effects of natural antioxidant sulforaphane (1-isothiocyanate-4-methyl-sulfonyl butane; SFN) on browning of white adipocytes. Methods and Results: 3T3-L1 mature white adipocytes were treated with SFN for 48 h, and then the mitochondrial content, function, and energy utilization were assessed. SFN was found to induce 3T3-L1 adipocytes browning based on the increased mitochondrial content and activity of respiratory chain enzymes, whereas the mechanism involved the upregulation of nuclear factor E2-related factor 2/ sirtuin1/ peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator 1 alpha signaling. SFN enhanced uncoupling protein 1 expression, a marker for brown adipocyte, leading to the decrease in cellular ATP. SFN also enhanced glucose uptake and oxidative utilization, lipolysis and fatty acid oxidation in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Conclusion: SFN-induced browning of white adipocytes enhanced the utilization of cellular fuel, and the application of SFN is a promising strategy to combat obesity and obesity-related metabolic disorder
Pairing Symmetry in Iron-Pnictide Superconductor KFeAs
The pairing symmetry is one of the major issues in the study of iron-based
superconductors. We adopt a low-energy effective kinetic model based on the
first-principles band structure calculations combined with the -
model for KFeAs, the phase diagram of pairing symmetries is
constructed. Putting the values of and of the - model
obtained by the first-principles calculations into this phase diagram, we find
that the pairing symmetry for KFeAs is a nodal -wave in the
folded Brillouin zone with two iron atoms per unit cell. This is in good
agreement with experiments observed a nodal order parameter.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures (The pairing symmetry is dependent on choosing an
effective tight-binding model. In the publication version, we adopt a
ten-orbital model by using the maximally localized Wannier functions based on
the first-principles band structure calculations, and give an s-wave pairing
for KFeAs
The Euler Number of Bloch States Manifold and the Quantum Phases in Gapped Fermionic Systems
We propose a topological Euler number to characterize nontrivial topological
phases of gapped fermionic systems, which originates from the Gauss-Bonnet
theorem on the Riemannian structure of Bloch states established by the real
part of the quantum geometric tensor in momentum space. Meanwhile, the
imaginary part of the geometric tensor corresponds to the Berry curvature which
leads to the Chern number characterization. We discuss the topological numbers
induced by the geometric tensor analytically in a general two-band model. As an
example, we show that the zero-temperature phase diagram of a transverse field
XY spin chain can be distinguished by the Euler characteristic number of the
Bloch states manifold in a (1+1)-dimensional Bloch momentum space
Quasiparticle Scattering Interference in (K,Tl)FexSe2 Superconductors
We model the quasiparticle interference (QPI) pattern in the recently
discovered (K,Tl)Fe_xSe2 superconductors. We show in the superconducting state
that, due to the absence of hole pockets at the Brillouin zone center, the
quasiparticle scattering occurs around the momentum transfer q=(0,0) and (\pm
\pi, \pm \pi) between electron pockets located at the zone boundary. More
importantly, although both d_{x^2-y^2}-wave and s-wave pairing symmetry lead to
nodeless quasiparticle excitations, distinct QPI features are predicted between
both types of pairing symmetry. In the presence of a nonmagnetic impurity
scattering, the QPI exhibits strongest scattering with q=(\pm \pi, \pm \pi) for
the d_{x^2-y^2}-wave pairing symmetry; while the strongest scattering exhibits
a ring-like structure centered around both q=(0,0) and (\pm \pi, \pm \pi) for
the isotropic s-wave pairing symmetry. A unique QPI pattern has also been
predicted due to a local pair-potential-type impurity scattering. The
significant contrast in the QPI pattern between the d_{x^2-y^2}-wave and the
isotropic s-wave pairing symmetry can be used to probe the pairing symmetry
within the Fourier-transform STM technique.Comment: 4+ pages, 3 embedded eps figure
Magnetic impurities in the two-band -wave superconductors
We investigate the effects of magnetic impurities in a superconducting state
with pairing symmetry. Within a two-band model, we find that the
intra-band magnetic scattering serves as a pair breaker while the inter-band
magnetic scattering preserves pairing and hardly affects transition temperature
in the Born limit. We also show that the same physics can persist beyond the
weak scattering region. Our results coincide with recent experimental
measurements in iron-based superconductors and thus provides an indirect
evidence of the possible pairing symmetry in these materials.Comment: 5 pages,4 figure
The multi-targeted kinase inhibitor sunitinib induces apoptosis in colon cancer cells via PUMA
Constitutive activation of pro-survival kinases has become a promising target of small molecules with an increasing interest in developing multi-targeted agents. The mechanisms underlying the responsiveness to most agents targeting cancer specific survival pathways are still poorly understood but critical for their clinical application. In this study, we found that sunitinib, a small molecule inhibitor of multiple tyrosine kinases including VEGFRs and PDGFRs induces apoptosis and inhibits cell growth in colon cancer cells in cell culture and xenograft models via the BH3-only protein PUMA. Sunitinib treatment induced PUMA transcription via the AKT/FoxO3a axis. PUMA, BH3 mimetics, or 5-Flurourical sensitized colon cancer cells to sunitinib-induced apoptosis. Furthermore, PUMA was induced by sunitinib treatment in xenograft tumors, and deficiency in PUMA significantly suppressed the anti-tumor effects of sunitinib. Our study suggests that PUMA-mediated apoptosis is important for the therapeutic responses to sunitinib, and activation of the mitochondrial pathway by BH3 mimetics or PUMA manipulation may be useful for improving the antitumor activity of sunitinib. Modulation of PUMA and selective Bcl-2 family members might be potential biomarkers for predicting sunitinib responses. © 2012 Sun et al
Preoperative FDG-PET/CT Is an Important Tool in the Management of Patients with Thick (T4) Melanoma
The yield of preoperative PET/CT (PET/CT) for regional and distant metastases for thin/intermediate thickness melanoma is low. Objective of this study is to determine if PET/CT performed for T4 melanomas helps guide management and alter treatment plans. Methods. Retrospective cohort of 216 patients with T4 melanomas treated at two tertiary institutions. Fifty-six patients met our inclusion criteria (T4 lesion, PET/CT and no clinical evidence of metastatic disease). Results. Fifty-six patients (M: 32, F: 24) with median tumor thickness of 6 mm were identified. PET/CT recognized twelve with regional and four patients with metastatic disease. Melanoma-related treatment plan was altered in 11% of the cases based on PET/CT findings. PET/CT was negative 60% of the time, in 35% of the cases; it identified incidental findings that required further evaluation. Conclusion. Patients with T4 lesions, PET/CT changed the treatment plan 18% of the time. Regional findings changed the surgical treatment plan in 11% and the adjuvant plan in 7% of our cases due to the finding of metastatic disease. Additionally 20 patients had incidental findings that required further workup. In this subset of patients, we feel there is a benefit to PET/CT, and further studies should be performed to validate our findings
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