Magnetic-field-induced superconductivity and superfluidity of W and Z bosons: in tandem transport and kaleidoscopic vortex states

We show that in a background of a sufficiently strong magnetic field the electroweak sector of the quantum vacuum exhibits superconducting and, unexpectedly, superfluid properties due to the magnetic-field-induced condensation of, respectively, W and Z bosons. The phase transition to the "tandem" superconductor-superfluid phase -- which is weakly sensitive to the Higgs sector of the standard model -- occurs at the critical magnetic field of 10^{20} T. The superconductor-superfluid phase of the electroweak vacuum has anisotropic transport properties as both charged and neutral superflows may propagate only along the magnetic field axis. The ground state possesses an unusual "kaleidoscopic" structure made of a hexagonal lattice of superfluid vortices superimposed on a triangular lattice of superconductor vortices.Comment: 7 pages, 11 figures; v2: discussions extended, matches the published versio

Seeking out and building monopolies, Rothschild strategies in non ferrous metals international markets (1830-1940)

The aim of this article is to analyse the strategies employed by the Rothschilds until 1940 to limit competition in the non ferrous international market. We will study how they opted for rigid demand products of highly concentrated supply which were favourable to market control (mercury, nickel, lead and copper and sulphur) by assuming administrative monopolies (mercury from Spanish Almadn Mines) or through control of the leading businesses of the respective markets (Le Nickel, Pearroya and Rio Tinto). We will also analyse how the family was able to gain worldwide monopolies, or if not, how they promoted collusive oligopolies with the competition in any number of forms in their quest to maintain profitability and to flee from any competition.International Raw material markets, Cartels, Rothschild, mining, Non-ferrous metals.

Partial separability and entanglement criteria for multiqubit quantum states

We explore the subtle relationships between partial separability and entanglement of subsystems in multiqubit quantum states and give experimentally accessible conditions that distinguish between various classes and levels of partial separability in a hierarchical order. These conditions take the form of bounds on the correlations of locally orthogonal observables. Violations of such inequalities give strong sufficient criteria for various forms of partial inseparability and multiqubit entanglement. The strength of these criteria is illustrated by showing that they are stronger than several other well-known entanglement criteria (the fidelity criterion, violation of Mermin-type separability inequalities, the Laskowski-\.Zukowski criterion and the D\"ur-Cirac criterion), and also by showing their great noise robustness for a variety of multiqubit states, including N-qubit GHZ states and Dicke states. Furthermore, for N greater than or equal to 3 they can detect bound entangled states. For all these states, the required number of measurement settings for implementation of the entanglement criteria is shown to be only N+1. If one chooses the familiar Pauli matrices as single-qubit observables, the inequalities take the form of bounds on the anti-diagonal matrix elements of a state in terms of its diagonal matrix elements.Comment: 25 pages, 3 figures. v4: published versio

Fuzzy logic as a decision-making support system for the indication of bariatric surgery based on an index (MAFOI) generated by the association between body fat and body mass index.

Background: A fuzzy obesity index (MAFOI) for use as an alternative to bariatric surgery indication (BSI) is presented. The search for a more accurate method to evaluate obesity and to indicate a better treatment is important in the world health context. BMI (body mass index) is considered the main criteria for obesity treatment and BSI. Nevertheless, the fat excess related to the percentage of Body Fat (%BF) is actually the principal harmful factor in obesity disease that is usually neglected. This paper presents a new fuzzy mechanism for evaluating obesity by associating BMI with %BF that yields a fuzzy obesity index for obesity evaluation and treatment and allows building up a Fuzzy Decision Support System (FDSS) for BSI. Methods: Seventy-two patients were evaluated for both BMI and %BF. These data are modified and treated as fuzzy sets. Afterwards, the BMI and %BF classes are aggregated yielding a new index (MAFOI) for input linguistic variable are considered the BMI and %BF, and as output linguistic variable is employed the MAFOI, an obesity classification with entirely new classes of obesity in the fuzzy context as well as is used for BSI. Results: There is gradual, smooth obesity classification and BSI when using the proposed fuzzy obesity index when compared with other traditional methods for dealing with obesity.
Conclusion: The BMI is not adequate for surgical indication in all the conditions and fuzzy logic becomes an alternative for decision making in bariatric surgery indication based on the MAFOI

Intracellular Calcium-Binding Proteins in Signal Transduction

Cell stimulation generates a Ca2+ signal, which is perceived by intracellular Ca2+-binding proteins. These proteins are made up of different units of a conserved structural motif, called the 2S domain, and composed mainly of four β-helices and two anti parallel β-strands. This 2S domain can bind 2 Ca2+ ions and is roughly cup-shaped in the Ca2+-bound configuration. The interior of the cup is lined with solvent-exposed hydrophobic residues. In Ca2+-binding proteins involved in cellular signal-response coupling, such as calmodulin and troponin C, the hydrophobic cup is essential for interaction with, and activation of the response proteins. The Ca2+-free state is characterized by a reorientation of the β-helices and shielding of the hydrophobic residues in the cup. In contrast, interaction with the target strongly stabilizes the hydrophobic cups. Ca2+-buffering proteins, such as parvalbumin and sarcoplasmic Ca2+-binding proteins, have intrinsically a stable conformation, since the strongly hydrophobic cups are stabilized by frontal self association of the 2S domains