  The strong electron correlation in the cuprates can lead to an enhanced
effective mass for both bosonic and fermionic quasiparticles. Where this
correlation is characterized by a length that is inversely proportional to the
effective temperature, the thermal wavelength for the bosonic quasiparticles
becomes essentially independent of temperature. Applying this concept to a
preformed pair model, such as the (Cu)13 cluster model, gives Tc vs dopant
curves and superconducting gaps in good agreement with experiment. In addition,
a correlation-enhanced effective mass provides a natural explanation for the
anomalous normal state resistivity and optical conductivity of the cuprates.
