Gravitational waves from pulsars with measured braking index

We study the putative emission of gravitational waves (GWs) in particular for pulsars with measured braking index. We show that the appropriate combination of both GW emission and magnetic dipole brakes can naturally explain the measured braking index, when the surface magnetic field and the angle between the magnetic dipole and rotation axes are time dependent. Then we discuss the detectability of these very pulsars by aLIGO and the Einstein Telescope. We call attention to the realistic possibility that aLIGO can detect the GWs generated by at least some of these pulsars, such as Vela, for example.Comment: 6 pages and 4 figure

A Possible Dynamical Effect of a Primordial Magnetic Field

The possible existence of a primordial magnetic field in the universe has been previously investigated in many articles. Studies involving the influence of a magnetic field in the nucleosyntesis era, studies considering the effects in the formation of structures during the radiation era and the matter era have been considered. We here assume the existence of a primordial magnetic field and study its effect, in particular, in the formation of voids. The study is twofold: to put constraints on the strength of the magnetic field during the recombination era and to preview its effects on the formation of voids.Comment: 21 pages, aasms4.sty AAS Latex V4.0 file, 3 EPS figures included. Also available at http://www.iagusp.usp.br/ To appear in the Ap

Possible Strong Gravitational Wave Sources for the LISA Antenna

Recently Fuller & Shi proposed that the gravitational collapse of supermassive objects ($M \gtrsim 10^4M_\odot$) could be a cosmological source of $\gamma$-ray bursts (GRBs). The major advantage of their model is that supermassive object collapses are far more energetic than solar mass-scale compact mergers. Also, in their proposal the seeds of supermassive black holes (SMBHs) thus formed could give rise to the SMBHs observed at the center of many galaxies. We argue here that, besides the generation of GRBs, there could well occur a strong generation of gravitational waves (GWs) during the formation of SMBHs. As a result, the rate of such GW bursts could be as high as the rate of GRBs in the model by Fuller & Shi. In this case, the detection of GRBs and bursts of GWs should occur with a small time difference. We also argue that the GWs produced by the SMBHs studied here could be detected when the Laser Interferometric Space Antenna (LISA) becomes operative.Comment: 10 pages (AAS Latex macros v5.0.2), 2 eps figures. The Astrophysical Journal (accepted

Matrix assisted laser desorption ionization-time-of-flight mass spectrometry identification of mycobacterium bovis in bovinae

In this study, Matrix Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization-Time-of-Flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry was used to identify Mycobacterium bovis from cattle and buffalo tissue isolates from the North and South regions of Brazil, grown in solid medium and previously identified by Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) based on Region of Difference 4 (RD4), sequencing and spoligotyping. For this purpose, the protein extraction protocol and the mass spectra reference database were optimized for the identification of 80 clinical isolates of mycobacteria. As a result of this optimization, it was possible to identify and differentiate M. bovis from other members of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex with 100% specificity, 90.91% sensitivity and 91.25% reliability. MALDI-TOF MS methodology described herein provides successful identification of M. bovis within bovine/bubaline clinical samples, demonstrating its usefulness for bovine tuberculosis diagnosis in the future.Instituto de BiotecnologíaFil: Bacanelli, Gisele. Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul. Biotechnology and Biodiversity of the Central Western Region Postgraduate Program; BrasilFil: Olarte, Larissa C. Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul. Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Multicentric Postgraduate Program; BrasilFil: Silva, Marcio Roberto. Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa Agropecuária (Embrapa). Gado de Leite; BrasilFil: Rodrigues, Rudielle A. Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul. Faculty of Veterinary Medicine. Veterinary Sciences Postgraduate Program; BrasilFil: Carneiro, Paulo A. M. Michigan State University. Center for Comparative Epidemiology; Estados UnidosFil: Kannene, John B. Michigan State University. Center for Comparative Epidemiology; Estados UnidosFil: Pasquatti, Taynara N. Dom Bosco Catholic University; BrasilFil: Takatani, Haruo. Agricultural Defense Agency of Amazonas; BrasilFil: Zumarraga, Martin Jose. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Instituto de Biotecnología; ArgentinaFil: Etges, Rodrigo N. Secretary of Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation; BrasilFil: Araujo, Flabio Ribeiro de. Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa Agropecuária (Embrapa). Gado de Corte; BrasilFil: Verbisck, Newton V. Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa Agropecuária (Embrapa). Gado de Corte; Brasi

Prothrombin G20210A gene mutation, factor V Leiden and anticardiolipin antibodies do not influence renal graft survival after transplantation

INTRODUCTION: Thromboembolic complications are important risk factors for graft failure and worse renal transplantation outcome. Patients with thrombophilic disorders have a higher risk of thromboembolic complications. The prevalence of thrombophilic disorders and the associated risk for graft failure and for intravascular thrombosis were analyzed in renal transplant recipients. METHODS: This is a cohort study of 388 adult recipients investigated regarding the presence of thrombophilia, through the search for anticardiolipin antibodies (aCL) via ELISA and FV G1691A and PT G20210A gene mutations by multiplex PCR. RESULTS: Thrombophilic disorders were identified in 25.8% of the patients. The 2-year graft survival was similar among patients with and without thrombophilic disorder (94% versus 94%, p = 0.53), and so was the survival free of intravascular thrombosis (97% versus 97%, p = 0.83). The prevalence of intravascular thrombosis was similar in both groups (3% versus 3.5%, p = 0.82). Patients with previous kidney transplantation had a higher risk of graft failure (OR 20.8, p < 0.001) and of intravascular thrombosis (OR 6.8, p = 0.008). CONCLUSIONS: The prevalences of FV G1691A and PT G20210A gene mutations in this cohort of patients were similar to those of the general non-transplanted population. The prevalence of aCL antibodies was higher in this cohort than that observed in healthy individuals. The thrombophilic markers studied did not predict the medium-term survival of renal transplant.INTRODUÇÃO: Complicações tromboembólicas são importantes fatores de risco para perda do enxerto e pior evolução após o transplante renal. Pacientes com defeito trombofílico apresentam maior risco de complicações tromboembólicas. Foram analisados, entre receptores de transplante renal, a prevalência de defeito trombofílico e o risco atribuído a esta condição para a perda do enxerto e para o desenvolvimento de tromboses intravasculares. MÉTODOS: Estudo do tipo coorte incluindo 388 receptores adultos analisados quanto à presença de trombofilia de acordo com a pesquisa de anticorpos anticardiolipina (aCL) por ELISA e das mutações G1691A no gene do fator V (FV) e G20210A no gene da protrombina (PT) por PCR multiplex. RESULTADOS: Defeito trombofílico foi identificado em 25,8% dos pacientes. As taxas de sobrevida de 2 anos do enxerto foram semelhantes entre os pacientes com e sem defeito trombofílico (94% versus 94%, p = 0,53), bem como a sobrevida dos enxertos livres de tromboses intravasculares (97% versus 97%, p = 0,83). Pacientes com defeito trombofílico apresentaram prevalência de tromboses intravasculares semelhante à do grupo-controle (3% versus 3,5%, p = 0,82). O transplante renal anterior foi associado a maior risco de perda de enxerto (OR 20,8, p < 0,001) e de ocorrência de tromboses intravasculares (OR 6,8, p = 0,008). CONCLUSÕES: As prevalências das mutações FV G1691A e PT G20210A na população estudada foram semelhantes às da população geral não transplantada, e a prevalência de anticorpos aCL superou a observada entre os indivíduos sadios. Não houve associação entre os marcadores de trombofilia estudados e a sobrevida em médio prazo do transplante renal.UNIFESP Departamento de Medicina, Disciplina de HematologiaUNIFESP Departamento de Medicina, Disciplina de NefrologiaUNIFESP Departameto de Medicina, Disciplina de ReumatologiaUNIFESP Departamento de Medicina Preventiva, Disciplina de BioestatísticaUniversidad de Antofagasta Departamento de Tecnologia MedicaUNIFESP, Depto. de Medicina, Disciplina de HematologiaUNIFESP, Depto. de Medicina, Disciplina de NefrologiaUNIFESP, Departameto de Medicina, Disciplina de ReumatologiaUNIFESP, Depto. de Medicina Preventiva, Disciplina de BioestatísticaSciEL

Inhibition of Tyrosinase by 4H-Chromene Analogues: Synthesis, Kinetic Studies and Computational Analysis

Inhibition of mushroom tyrosinase was observed with synthetic dihydropyrano[3,2-b]chromenediones. Among them, DHPC04 displayed the most potent tyrosinase inhibitory activity with a Ki value of 4μM, comparable to the reference standard inhibitor kojic acid. A kinetic study suggested that these synthetic heterocyclic compounds behave as competitive inhibitors for the L-DOPA binding site of the enzyme. Furthermore, molecular modeling provided important insight into the mechanism of binding interactions with the tyrosinase copper active site