Lagrangian for the t–J Model Constructed from the Generators of the Supersymmetric Hubbard Algebra

In order to describe the dynamics of the t–J model, two different families of first-order Lagrangians in terms of the generators of the Hubbard algebra are found. Such families correspond to different dynamical second-class constrained systems. The quantization is carried out by using the path-integral formalism. In this context the introduction of proper ghost fields is needed to render the model renormalizable. In each case the standard Feynman diagrammatics is obtained and the renormalized physical quantities are computed and analyzed. In the first case a nonperturbative large-N expansion is considered with the purpose of studying the generalized Hubbard model describing N-fold-degenerate correlated bands. In this case the 1/N correction to the renormalized boson propagator is computed. In the second case the perturbative Lagrangian formalism is developed and it is shown how propagators and vertices can be renormalized to each order. In particular, the renormalized ferromagnetic magnon propagator coming from our formalism is studied in details. As an example the thermal softening of the magnon frequency is computed. The antiferromagnetic case is also analyzed, and the results are confronted with previous one obtained by means of the spin-polaron theories.     

Coupled perpendicular magnetization in Fe/Cu/Fe trilayers

Ultrathin epitaxial Fe films on Cu(1 0 0) with perpendicular magnetization have been used as templates for the preparation of FCC Fe/Cu/Fe trilayers. The magnetic anisotropy and the coupling of these films have been studied by in-situ magneto optical Kerr effect measurements and Kerr microscopy. The magnetic coupling of both Fe layers is found to be dominated by magnetostatic interaction. Adsorbate-induced spin reorientation in the top layer also causes spin reorientation in the bottom layer. The governing role of the Fe-vacuum interface for the magnetism of the whole trilayer is demonstrated.     

Electrical biosensing with synthetic nanopores and nanochannels

The integration of constriction structures such as nanopores and nanochannels into fluidic devices discloses powerful biosensing capabilities that can be tuned to a wide range of analytes through conceptually simple size calibrations. The practical implementation of this tuning requires a nontrivial manipulation of matter at nanoscale with further requirements for low complexity and low-cost procedures that may be adapted to industrial production. Here, we review the recent progress on the fabrication techniques of nanopores and nanochannels, together with the efforts to realize their full biosensing potential by understanding and amending the problems still afflicting the measurement performed during operation.     

A stochastic approach for the apodization of very short arrays

The problem addressed in this paper is the synthesis of the weight coefficients to be assigned to the elements of a linear array that has a spatial aperture shorter than one wavelength. The aim is to obtain a data-independent beam pattern that fulfills some a priori fixed constraints. The analytical approach, expressed in terms of a linear least-squares problem, has been attempted, resulting in very large noise sensitivity and beam pattern instability. To overcome this problem a mixed methodology, based on a combination of a stochastic technique and a local descent method that provides very robust weight coefficients with reduced noise sensitivity, is proposed. Here, robust means that, even if unavoidable fluctuations occur in the transducer gains, the beam pattern obtained maintains the desired features.     

Antimycotic effect of the essential oil of Aloysia triphylla against Candida species obtained from human pathologies

The research of alternative substances to treat infections caused by Candida species is a need. Aromatic plants have the ability to produce secondary metabolites, such as essential oils (EO). The antimicrobial properties of Aloysia triphylla (L'Her.) Britton (cedrón) EO has been previously described. The aims of this work were to determine the antimicrobial activity and the effect on the cell structure of the EO of A. triphylla against Candida sp isolated from human illnesses. The EO was obtained by hydrodistillation of A. triphylla leaves. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was performed with microdilution method and the minimum fungicidal concentration (MFC) was determined. A. triphylla EO's showed antifungal activity against all yeast: C. albicans, C. dubliniensis, C. glabrata, C. krusei, C. guillermondii, C. parapsilosis and C. tropicalis which were resistant to fluconazol (150 mg/mL). The range of MIC values was from: 35 to 140 microg/mL and the MFC: 1842 to 2300 microg/mL. The time of killing at the MFC against C. albicans (3 x 10(5) UFC/mL) was 140 min. The dates of OD620 and OD260 suggest lysis and loss of absorbing material, respectively. The HROM shows distortion in morphology and shape of the cell, with large vacuoles in the cytoplasm. These studies clearly show that A. triphylla EO is a promising alternative for the treatment of candidiasis.     

Faddeev-Jackiw quantization method in conformal three-dimensional supergravity

The conformal supergravity in three space-time dimensions is described by a pure Lorentz-Chern-Simons term. This system has constraints on curvatures and so it is a higher-derivative gauge model. The dynamical properties of this model are analyzed by means of the supersymmetric extension of the Faddeev-Jackiw symplectic quantization method. Using this algorithm in the first-order formalism, we study the gauge supersymmetric transformations and we find the constraints of the model.     

A Connectedness Theorem for Products of Weighted Projective Spaces

We prove a connectedness result for products of weighted projective spaces.     

Light-emitting diodes with semiconductor nanocrystals

Colloidal semiconductor nanocrystals are promising luminophores for creating a new generation of electroluminescence devices. Research on semiconductor nanocrystal based light-emitting diodes (LEDs) has made remarkable advances in just one decade: the external quantum efficiency has improved by over two orders of magnitude and highly saturated color emission is now the norm. Although the device efficiencies are still more than an order of magnitude lower than those of the purely organic LEDs there are potential advantages associated with nanocrystal-based devices, such as a spectrally pure emission color, which will certainly merit future research. Further developments of nanocrystal-based LEDs will be improving material stability, understanding and controlling chemical and physical phenomena at the interfaces, and optimizing charge injection and charge transport.     

A supramolecularly-caged ionic iridium(III) complex yielding bright and very stable solid-state light-emitting electrochemical cells

A new iridium(III) complex showing intramolecular interligand pi-stacking has been synthesized and used to improve the stability of single-component, solid-state light-emitting electrochemical cell (LEC) devices. The pi-stacking results in the formation of a very stable supramolecularly caged complex. LECs using this complex show extraordinary stabilities (estimated lifetime of 600 h) and luminance values (average luminance of 230 cd m-2) indicating the path toward stable ionic complexes for use in LECs reaching stabilities required for practical applications.     

Synthesis of branched dithiotrisaccharides via ring-opening reaction of sugar thiiranes

Satisfactory procedures are described for the synthesis of 5,6- and 3,4-thiirane derivatives from the respective hexofuranose or hexopyranose epoxide precursors. The controlled ring-opening reaction of thiiranes by 1-thioaldoses was successfully accomplished to afford, regio- and stereoselectively, β-S-(1→4)-3,4-dithiodisaccharides. For instance, the regioselective attack of per-O-acetyl-1-thioglucose (16) to C-4 of 2-propyl 2,6-di-O-acetyl-3,4-epithio-α-D-galactopyranoside (14) gave the derivative of Glcp-β-S-(1→4)-3,4-dithioGlcp-O-iPr (17). This thiodisaccharide was accompanied by the (1→3)-disulfide 18, formed between 16 and 17, and the symmetric (3→3)-disulfide 19, which resulted from the oxidative dimerization of 17. However, the S-acetyl derivative of 17 could be obtained in good yield (62%) by LiAlH(4) reduction of the crude mixture 17-19, followed by acetylation. The same sequence of reactions starting from 14 and the 1-thiolate of Galp afforded the per-O,S-acetyl derivative of Galp-β-S-(1→4)-3,4-dithio-α-D-Glcp-O-iPr (23), which was selectively S-deacetylated to give 25. The dithiosaccharides 17 and 25 are 3,4-di-S-analogues of derivatives of the natural disaccharides cellobiose and lactose, respectively. The ring-opening reaction of 5,6-epithiohexofuranoses of D-galacto (8) or L-altro (11) configuration with 1-thioaldoses was also regio- and stereoselective to give the respective β-S-(1→6)-linked 5,6-dithiodisaccharides 26 or 29 in excellent yields. Glycosylation of the free thiol group of 17, 25, or 26, using trichloroacetimidates as glycosyl donors, led to the corresponding branched dithiotrisaccharides. Some of them are sulfur analogues of derivatives of branched trisaccharides found in natural polysaccharides.