Exact g-function flow between conformal field theories

Exact equations are proposed to describe g-function flows in integrable boundary quantum field theories which interpolate between different conformal field theories in their ultraviolet and infrared limits, extending previous work where purely massive flows were treated. The approach is illustrated with flows between the tricritical and critical Ising models, but the method is not restricted to these cases and should be of use in unravelling general patterns of integrable boundary flows between pairs of conformal field theories.     

Potential role of HMG CoA reductase inhibitor on oxidative stress induced by advanced glycation endproducts in vascular smooth muscle cells of diabetic vasculopathy

Advanced glycation endproducts (AGEs)-induced vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMCs) proliferation and formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) are emerging as one of the important mechanisms of diabetic vasculopathy but little is known about the antioxidative action of HMG CoA reductase inhibitor (statin) on AGEs. We hypothesized that statin might reduce AGEs-induced intracellular ROS of VSMCs and analyzed the possible mechanism of action of statin in AGEs-induced cellular signaling. Aortic smooth muscle cell of Sprague-Dawley rat (RASMC) culture was done using the different levels of AGEs stimulation in the presence or absence of statin. The proliferation of RASMC, ROS formation and cellular signaling was evaluated and neointimal formation after balloon injury in diabetic rats was analyzed. Increasing concentration of AGEs stimulation was associated with increased RASMC proliferation and increased ROS formation and they were decreased with statin in a dose-dependent manner. Increased NF-κB p65, phosphorylated ERK, phosphorylated p38 MAPK, cyclooxygenase-2, and c-jun by AGEs stimulation were noted and their expression was inhibited by statin. Neointimal formation after balloon injury was much thicker in diabetic rats than the sham-treated group but less neointimal growth was observed in those treated with statin after balloon injury. Increased ROS formation, subsequent activation of MAPK system and increased VSMC proliferation may be possible mechanisms of diabetic vasculopathy induced by AGEs and statin may play a key role in the treatment of AGEs-induced diabetic atherosclerosis.     

Implication of phosphorylation of the myosin II regulatory light chain in insulin-stimulated GLUT4 translocation in 3T3-F442A adipocytes

In adipocytes, insulin stimulates glucose transport primarily by promoting the translocation of GLUT4 to the plasma membrane. Requirements for Ca(2+)/calmodulin during insulin-stimulated GLUT4 translocation have been demonstrated; however, the mechanism of action of Ca(2+) in this process is unknown. Recently, myosin II, whose function in non-muscle cells is primarily regulated by phosphorylation of its regulatory light chain by the Ca(2+)/calmodulin-dependent myosin light chain kinase (MLCK), was implicated in insulin-stimulated GLUT4 translocation. The present studies in 3T3-F442A adipocytes demonstrate the novel finding that insulin significantly increases phosphorylation of the myosin II RLC in a Ca(2+)-dependent manner. In addition, ML-7, a selective inhibitor of MLCK, as well as inhibitors of myosin II, such as blebbistatin and 2,3-butanedione monoxime, block insulin-stimulated GLUT4 translocation and subsequent glucose transport. Our studies suggest that MLCK may be a regulatory target of Ca(2+)/calmodulin and may play an important role in insulin-stimulated glucose transport in adipocytes.     

Rotational barriers of disilane,hexafluorodisilane, and hexamethyldisilane: Ab initio,density functional,and molecular mechanics (MM3) studies

We investigated structures, vibrational frequencies, and rotational barriers of disilane (Si₂H₆), hexafluorodisilane (Si₂F₆), and hexamethyldisilane (Si₂Me₆) by using ab initio molecular orbital and density functional theories. We employed four different levels of theories (i.e., HF/6–31G*, MP2/6–31G*, BLYP/6–31G*, and B3LYP/6–31G*) to optimize the structures and to calculate the vibrational frequencies (except for Si₂Me₆ at MP2/6–31G*). MP2/6–31G* calculations reproduce experimental bond lengths well, while BLYP/6–31G* calculations largely overestimate some bond lengths. Vibrational frequencies from density functional theories (BLYP/6–31G* and B3LYP/6–31G*) were in reasonably good agreement with experimental values without employing additional correction factors. We calculated the ΔG^‡(298 K) values of the internal rotation by correcting zero-point vibration energies, thermal vibration energies, and entropies. We performed CISD/6–31G*//MP2/6–31G* calculations and found the ΔG^‡(298 K) values for the internal rotation of Si₂H₆, Si₂F₆, and Si₂Me₆ to be 1.36, 2.06, and 2.69 kcal/mol, respectively. The performance of this level was verified by using G2 and G2(MP2) methods in Si₂H₆. According to our theoretical results, the ΔG^‡(298 K) values were marginally greater than the ΔE^‡(0 K) values in Si₂F₆ and Si₂Me₆ due to the contribution of the entropy. In Si₂H₆ the ΔE^‡(0 K) and ΔG^‡(298 K) values were coincidently similar due to a cancellation of two opposing contributions between zero-point and thermal vibrational energies, and entropies. Our calculated ΔG^‡(298 K) values were in good agreement with experimental values published recently. In addition, we also performed MM3 calculations on Si₂H₆ and Si₂Me₆. MM3 calculated rotational barriers and thermodynamic properties were compared with high level ab initio results. Based on this comparison, MM3 calculations reproduced high level ab initio results in rotational barriers and thermodynamic properties of Si₂H₆ derivatives including vibrational energies and entropies, although large errors exist in some vibrational frequencies. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Comput Chem 18 : 1523–1533, 1997     

Finite rank Toeplitz products with harmonic symbols

On the Bergman space of the unit ball of Cn, we study the finite rank problem for Toeplitz products with harmonic symbols. We first solve the problem with two factors in case symbols have local continuous extension property up to the boundary. Also, in case symbols have additional Lipschitz continuity up to (some part of) the boundary, we solve the problem for multiple products with number of factors depending on the dimension n. Analogous theorems on the polydisk are also obtained.     

Spatial organization and patterning of palladium nanoparticles on a self-assembled helical ribbon lipid

A cholesterol derivative forms self-assembled helical ribbons in organic solvent, and treatment of this helical ribbon lipid as a template with Pd(Ac)2 provides helically-patterned arrays of palladium nanoparticles followed by reduction.     

Estimates of Marcinkiewicz Integrals with Bounded Homogeneous Kernels of Degree Zero

Under the cancellation property and a certain Dini-type condition on kernels, we prove that Marcinkiewicz integrals with kernels which are homogeneous functions of degree zero, are bounded from to , from to , and from to for .     

Quasiscarred resonances in a spiral-shaped microcavity

We study resonance patterns of a spiral-shaped dielectric microcavity with chaotic ray dynamics. Many resonance patterns of this microcavity, with refractive indices n=2 and 3, exhibit strong localization of simple geometric shape, and we call them quasiscarred resonances in the sense that there is, unlike conventional scarring, no underlying periodic orbits. It is shown that the formation of a quasiscarred pattern can be understood in terms of ray dynamical probability distributions and wave properties like uncertainty and interference.