The Einstein-Hilbert Lagrangian Density in a 2-dimensional Spacetime is an Exact Differential

Recently Kiriushcheva and Kuzmin claimed to have shown that the Einstein-Hilbert Lagrangian cannot be written in any coordinate gauge as an exact differential in a 2-dimensional spacetime. Since this is contrary to other statements on the subject found in the literature, as e.g., by Deser and Jackiw, Jackiw, Grumiller, Kummer and Vassilevich it is necessary to do decide who has reason. This is done in this paper in a very simply way using the Clifford bundle formalism. In this version we added Section 18 which discusses a recent comment on our paper just posted by Kiriushcheva and Kuzmin.Comment: 11 pages, Misprints in some equations have been corrected; four new references have been added, Section 18 adde

The role of creative industries and governance for cities’ competitiveness: the case of Lisbon and Barcelona

DINÂMIA'CET, Dezembro de 2009.This paper analyses and compares the competitiveness dynamics of two metropolitan areas: Lisbon and Barcelona and the specific role of creative activities and governance in those dynamics. Its aim is to improve our knowledge about the nexus governance-competitiveness-creativity in those regions, in order to contribute to formulate strategic guidelines for policymaking and urban governance. At a further stage, they might support cities’ competitiveness and urban vitality, in the context of current global shifts. Competitiveness is considered as a complex concept requiring a multidimensional approach. Thus, we have developed an analytical model that includes six main dimensions: human capital; innovation; entrepreneurship and creativity; infrastructures and quality of life; attractiveness and national and international networks; and governance entities and forms. Each dimension includes a set of variables. Different methods and sources were used for data collection, including case studies, experts’ interviews, strategic and spatial plans and statistical databases. Data will be analysed with a set of diverse techniques, both qualitative and quantitative. Among all dimensions that have an impact on urban competitiveness/attractiveness, we will try to identify and isolate the specific contribution of creative activities and governance forms and strategies for the different dynamics of the two urban areas. A particular emphasis will be put on: a) knowledge intensive sectors and their creative and innovative dimensions, which appear as quite connected; b) the impact of different governance levels and public policies on urban competitiveness.FC

From ‘creative cities’ to ‘urban creativity’? Space, creativity and governance in the contemporary city

DINÂMIA, Dezembro de 2009This paper derives from a broader research program studying the forms of governance associated with creative dynamics in cities (the “Creatcity” project) and draws on the first empirical results generated by the study following analysis of a set of exploratory interviews involving actors central to thinking and acting on the contemporary city (political decision makers, official structures and civil society) in the three metropolitan areas selected for the project: Lisbon (Portugal), São Paulo (Brazil) and Barcelona (Spain). Analysis of the responses sought to identify the different perspectives on the concepts of urban creativity and creative city and the relationship between creativity, vitality and competitivity within urban contexts while seeking to understand interviewee perspectives on the structural conditions necessary for the development of creativity in the city in terms of spatial/geographic configurations and the associated cultural ambiances and economic activities. In parallel, we aim to debate the means of fostering and supporting creativity in urban environments and discuss just which strategic policies and governance processes best achieve this.FC

A typology of creative cities in the world: lessons learned

DINÂMIA'CET, Dezembro de 2009.We propose as a tool a typology of different types of approaches aiming at the development of creative industries and their specific challenges, characteristics which can lead to failure and recommendations. In this way, policy-makers can easily identify their strategy with a particular approach and to look in detail at the key-questions resulting from the experience of other cities. The definition of our typology is the result of the analysis of several case studies (not extensively mentioned in the paper), based on desk-top research and on interviews for the our research project (project CreatCity - "A governance culture for the creative city: urban vitality and international networks", conducted by Dinâmia (Research Centre on Socioeconomic Change of the ISCTE/Lisbon) and financed by Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia/Ministério da Ciência, Tecnologia e Ensino Superior, with the support of ERDF and national funds of the MCTES (Refª. Proj. PTDC/AUR/65885/2006).Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia/Ministério da Ciência, Tecnologia e Ensino Superior, with the support of ERDF and national funds of the MCTES (Refª. Proj. PTDC/AUR/65885/2006

Configurational entropy in brane-world models

In this work we investigate the entropic information on thick brane-world scenarios and its consequences. The brane-world entropic information is studied for the sine-Gordon model and hence the brane-world entropic information measure is shown to be an accurate way for providing the most suitable range for the bulk AdS curvature, in particular from the informational content of physical solutions. Besides, the brane-world configurational entropy is employed to demonstrate a high organisational degree in the structure of the configuration of the system, for large values of a parameter of the sine-Gordon model but the one related to the AdS curvature. The Gleiser and Stamatopoulos procedure is finally applied in order to achieve a precise correlation between the energy of the system and the brane-world configurational entropy

Effective Monopoles within Thick Branes

The monopole mass is revealed to be considerably modified in the thick braneworld paradigm, and depends on the position of the monopole in the brane as well. Accordingly, the monopole radius continuously increases, leading to an unacceptable setting that can be circumvented when the brane thickness has an upper limit. Despite such peculiar behavior, the quantum corrections accrued -- involving the classical monopole solution -- are shown to be still under control. We analyze the monopole's peculiarities also taking into account the localization of the gauge fields. Furthermore, some additional analysis in the thick braneworld context and the similar behavior evinced by the topological string are investigated.Comment: 7 pages, 1 figur

Two-photon final states in peripheral heavy ion collisions

We discuss processes leading to two photon final states in peripheral heavy ion collisions at RHIC. Due to the large photon luminosity we show that the continuum subprocess $\gamma \gamma \to \gamma \gamma$ can be observed with a large number of events. We study this reaction when it is intermediated by a resonance made of quarks or gluons and discuss its interplay with the continuum process, verifying that in several cases the resonant process ovewhelms the continuum one. It is also investigated the possibility of observing a scalar resonance (the $\sigma$ meson) in this process. Assuming for the $\sigma$ the mass and total decay width values recently reported by the E791 Collaboration we show that RHIC may detect this particle in its two photon decay mode if its partial photonic decay width is of the order of the ones discussed in the literature.Comment: 10 pages, 8 figure

Visita à Setúbal negra (séc. XV-XVIII): desocultar a história local através da educação não-formal

O presente artigo dá conta de um roteiro sobre a presença negra em Setúbal, nos séculos XV a XVIII, concebido enquanto “aula-passeio”, espaço de educação não formal sobre o colonialismo português. Pretende-se, antes de mais, suscitar o rompimento com a narrativa lusotropicalista; entender a escravatura como um sistema complexo e parte de conflitos geopolíticos globais; mas também conduzir os participantes à “descoberta” de como os “outros” estão, afinal, em “nós”.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

A scalable insect cell-based production process of the human recombinant BMX for in-vitro covalent ligand high-throughput screening.

Bone Marrow Tyrosine kinase in the chromosome X (BMX) is a TEC family kinase associated with numerous pathological pathways in cancer cells. Covalent inhibition of BMX activity holds promise as a therapeutic approach against cancer. To screen for potent and selective covalent BMX inhibitors, large quantities of highly pure BMX are normally required which is challenging with the currently available production and purification processes. Here, we developed a scalable production process for the human recombinant BMX (hrBMX) using the insect cell-baculovirus expression vector system. Comparable expression levels were obtained in small-scale shake flasks (13 mL) and in stirred-tank bioreactors (STB, 5 L). A two-step chromatographic-based process was implemented, reducing purification times by 75% when compared to traditional processes, while maintaining hrBMX stability. The final production yield was 24 mg of purified hrBMX per litter of cell culture, with a purity of > 99%. Product quality was assessed and confirmed through a series of biochemical and biophysical assays, including circular dichroism and dynamic light scattering. Overall, the platform herein developed was capable of generating 100 mg purified hrBMX from 5 L STB in just 34 days, thus having the potential to assist in-vitro covalent ligand high-throughput screening for BMX activity inhibition

Dissecting insect cell heterogeneity during influenza VLP production using single-cell transcriptomics

Funding Information: This work has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the Marie Sklodowska-Curie grant agreement No. 813453 and the grant agreement N° 730964, and by Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia/Ministério da Ciência, Tecnologia e Ensino Superior (FCT/MCTES, Portugal) through the following initiatives: “Investigador FCT” Program (IF/01704/2014), Exploratory Research and Development Project (IF/01704/2014/CP1229/CT0001), PhD fellowships (SFRH/BD/134107/2017), iNOVA4Health (UIDB/04462/2020 and UIDP/04462/2020) and the Associate Laboratory LS4FUTURE (LA/P/0087/2020). Funding from INTERFACE Programme, through the Innovation, Technology, and Circular Economy Fund (FITEC), is gratefully acknowledged. Publisher Copyright: Copyright © 2023 Silvano, Virgolini, Correia, Clarke, Isidro, Alves and Roldão.The insect cell-baculovirus expression vector system (IC-BEVS) has been widely used to produce recombinant protein at high titers, including complex virus-like particles (VPLs). However, cell-to-cell variability upon infection is yet one of the least understood phenomena in virology, and little is known about its impact on production of therapeutic proteins. This study aimed at dissecting insect cell population heterogeneity during production of influenza VLPs in IC-BEVS using single-cell RNA-seq (scRNA-seq). High Five cell population was shown to be heterogeneous even before infection, with cell cycle being one of the factors contributing for this variation. In addition, infected insect cells were clustered according to the timing and level of baculovirus genes expression, with each cluster reporting similar influenza VLPs transgenes (i.e., hemagglutinin and M1) transcript counts. Trajectory analysis enabled to track infection progression throughout pseudotime. Specific pathways such as translation machinery, protein folding, sorting and degradation, endocytosis and energy metabolism were identified as being those which vary the most during insect cell infection and production of Influenza VLPs. Overall, this study lays the ground for the application of scRNA-seq in IC-BEVS processes to isolate relevant biological mechanisms during recombinant protein expression towards its further optimization.publishe