A differential geometry approach to asymmetric transmission of light

In the last ten years, the technology of differential geometry, ubiquitous in gravitational physics, has found its place in the field of optics. It has been successfully used in the design of optical metamaterials, through a technique now known as "transformation optics". This method, however, only applies for the particular class of metamaterials known as impedance matched, that is, materials whose electric permittivity is equal to their magnetic permeability. In that case, the material may be described by a spacetime metric. In the present work we will introduce a generalization of the geometric methods of transformation optics to situations in which the material is not impedance matched. In such situation, the material -or more precisely, its constitutive tensor- will not be described by a metric only. We bring in a second tensor, with the local symmetries of the Weyl tensor, the "$W$-tensor". In the geometric optics approximation we show how the properties of the $W$-tensor are related to the asymmetric transmission of the material. We apply this feature into the design of a particularly interesting set of asymmetric materials. These materials are birefringent when light rays approach the material in a given direction, but behave just like vacuum when the rays have the opposite direction with the appropriate polarization (or, in some cases, independently of the polarization)

A fifty year record of winter glacier melt events in southern Chile, 38°–42°S

Little is known about the frequency and potential mass balance impact of winter glacier melt events. In this study, daily atmospheric temperature soundings from the Puerto Montt radiosonde (41.43°S) are used to reconstruct winter melting events at the glacier equilibrium line altitude in the 38°–42°S region of southern Chile, between 1960 and 2010. The representativeness of the radiosonde temperatures to near-surface glacier temperatures is demonstrated using meteorological records from close to the equilibrium line on two glaciers in the region over five winters. Using a degree-day model we estimate an average of 0.28 m of melt and 21 melt days in the 15 June–15 September period each year, with high inter-annual variability. The majority of melt events are associated with midlatitude migratory high pressure systems crossing Chile and northwesterly flows, that force adiabatic compression and warm advection, respectively. There are no trends in the frequency or magnitude of melt events over the period of record, but the annual frequency of winter melt days shows a significant, although rather weak and probably non-linear, relationship to late winter and early spring values of a multivariate El Niño Southern Oscillation Index (MEI)

Microtensile bond strength of adhesive layer contaminated with blood on human sound enamel

Indexación: Web of Science; Scielo.Objetivo: Evaluar la influencia de la contaminación con sangre en una capa de adhesivo formada sobre esmalte humano y su posterior descontaminación con NaOCl (2.5%) y etanol (70°) en la resistencia microtraccional. Métodos: La superficie vestibular de 80 premolares humanos fue fresada para obtener superficies planas sobre las que se aplicó un adhesivo de grabado y lavado siguiendo las indicaciones del fabricante (Adper Single Bond 2, 3M ESPE). Los premolares fueron distribuidos aleatoriamente en cuatro grupos: Grupo 1 (control), Grupo 2 (contaminación con sangre), Grupo 3 (descontaminación con NaOCl 2.5%) y Grupo 4 (descontaminación con etanol 70°). Luego, sobre cada premolar se confeccionó una corona de resina compuesta (Filtek Z350, 3M ESPE) y fueron cortados para obtener cuerpos de prueba de 1mm2 de sección transversal, los cuales fueron termociclados (5500 ciclos, 5-55°C) y traccionados hasta su límite de ruptura (Micro Tensile Tester, Bisco). Los resultados fueron analizados estadísticamente (ANOVA, Scheffe, p0.05). Conclusión: La contaminación con sangre de la capa de adhesivo interfiere significativamente en la resistencia microtraccional. La descontaminación con NaOCl o etanol no logró una recuperación de la resistencia microtraccional.Aim: To evaluate the influence of blood contamination of the adhesive layer and posterior decontamination with NaOCl (2.5%) and ethanol (70º) on microtensile bond strength on human enamel. Methods: Vestibular surfaces of eighty human premolars were grounded to obtain flat surfaces. An etch-and-rinse adhesive was applied according to the manufacturer’s instructions (Adper Single bond 2, 3M ESPE). Teeth were randomly assigned into 4 groups: Group 1 (control), Group 2 (blood contamination), Group 3 (decontamination with NaOCl 2.5%) and Group 4 (decontamination with ethanol 70º). Then, a 4mm composite crown (Filtek Z350) was made and the teeth were vertically sectioned to obtain 1mm cross-section stick shape specimens. Specimens were thermocycled (5500 cycles, 5-55ºC) and pulled under tension until failure (Micro Tensile Tester, Bisco). Results were statistically analyzed (ANOVA, Scheffe’s test, p0.05). Conclusion: Blood contamination significantly interferes in microtensile bond strength. Decontaminating the blood residues with NaOCl or ethanol did not show a recovery of bond strength.http://ref.scielo.org/3zrh4

A note on a gauge-gravity relation and functional determinants

We present a refinement of a recently found gauge-gravity relation between one-loop effective actions: on the gauge side, for a massive charged scalar in 2d dimensions in a constant maximally symmetric electromagnetic field; on the gravity side, for a massive spinor in d-dimensional (Euclidean) anti-de Sitter space. The inclusion of the dimensionally regularized volume of AdS leads to complete mapping within dimensional regularization. In even-dimensional AdS, we get a small correction to the original proposal; whereas in odd-dimensional AdS, the mapping is totally new and subtle, with the `holographic trace anomaly' playing a crucial role.Comment: 6 pages, io

Leader Cells Define Directionality of Trunk, but Not Cranial, Neural Crest Cell Migration.

Collective cell migration is fundamental for life and a hallmark of cancer. Neural crest (NC) cells migrate collectively, but the mechanisms governing this process remain controversial. Previous analyses in Xenopus indicate that cranial NC (CNC) cells are a homogeneous population relying on cell-cell interactions for directional migration, while chick embryo analyses suggest a heterogeneous population with leader cells instructing directionality. Our data in chick and zebrafish embryos show that CNC cells do not require leader cells for migration and all cells present similar migratory capacities. In contrast, laser ablation of trunk NC (TNC) cells shows that leader cells direct movement and cell-cell contacts are required for migration. Moreover, leader and follower identities are acquired before the initiation of migration and remain fixed thereafter. Thus, two distinct mechanisms establish the directionality of CNC cells and TNC cells. This implies the existence of multiple molecular mechanisms for collective cell migration.D11I1096 Fondo de Fomento al Desarrollo Científico y TecnológicoThis is the final version of the article. It first appeared from Cell Press via httsp://doi.org/10.1016/j.celrep.2016.04.06

Mesoscopic circuits with charge discreteness:quantum transmission lines

We propose a quantum Hamiltonian for a transmission line with charge discreteness. The periodic line is composed of an inductance and a capacitance per cell. In every cell the charge operator satisfies a nonlinear equation of motion because of the discreteness of the charge. In the basis of one-energy per site, the spectrum can be calculated explicitly. We consider briefly the incorporation of electrical resistance in the line.Comment: 11 pages. 0 figures. Will be published in Phys.Rev.

Exercise variables and pain threshold reporting for strength training protocols in people with haemophilia: a systematic review of clinical trials

Introduction: Although strength exercise is often prescribed for people with haemophilia (PWH), it remains unknown how exercise variables and pain thresholds are used to prescribe strength training in PWH. Aim: To analyse how strength exercise variables and pain thresholds have been used to prescribe strength training in PWH. Methods: A systematic search was conducted in PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, CENTRAL and CINAHL databases from inception to 7 September 2022. Studies whose intervention included strengthening training in adults with haemophilia were included. Two independent reviewers were involved in study selection, data extraction and risk of bias assessment. Results: Eighteen studies were included. The least reported variables among the studies were: prophylactic factor coverage (11.1%), pain threshold/tolerability (5.6%), intensity (50%), total or partial range of motion (27.8%), time under tension (27.8%), attentional focus modality (0%), therapist experience in haemophilia (33.3%) and adherence assessment (50%). In contrast, weekly frequency (94.4%), duration (weeks) (100%), number of sets/repetitions (88.9%), repetitions to failure/not to failure (77.8%), types of contraction (77.8%), rest duration (55.6%), progression (55.6%), supervision (77.8%), exercise equipment (72.2%) and adverse event record (77.8%) had a higher percentage of reported (>50% of studies). Conclusion: Future research on strength training for PWH should improve information on pain threshold and other important variables such as prophylactic factor coverage, intensity, range of motion, time under tension, attentional focus modality, therapist experience in haemophilia and adherence assessment. This could improve clinical practice and comparison of different protocols

Logarithmic correction to BH entropy as Noether charge

We consider the role of the type-A trace anomaly in static black hole solutions to semiclassical Einstein equation in four dimensions. Via Wald's Noether charge formalism, we compute the contribution to the entropy coming from the anomaly induced effective action and unveil a logarithmic correction to the Bekenstein-Hawking area law. The corrected entropy is given by a seemingly universal formula involving the coefficient of the type-A trace anomaly, the Euler characteristic of the horizon and the value at the horizon of the solution to the uniformization problem for Q-curvature. Two instances are examined in detail: Schwarzschild and a four-dimensional massless topological black hole. We also find agreement with the logarithmic correction due to one-loop contribution of conformal fields in the Schwarzschild background.Comment: 14 pages, JHEP styl

High-Fat-Diet-Induced Obesity Produces Spontaneous Ventricular Arrhythmias and Increases the Activity of Ryanodine Receptors in Mice

Ventricular arrhythmias are a common cause of sudden cardiac death, and their occurrence is higher in obese subjects. Abnormal gating of ryanodine receptors (RyR2), the calcium release channels of the sarcoplasmic reticulum, can produce ventricular arrhythmias. Since obesity promotes oxidative stress and RyR2 are redox-sensitive channels, we investigated whether the RyR2 activity was altered in obese mice. Mice fed a high fat diet (HFD) became obese after eight weeks and exhibited a significant increase in the occurrence of ventricular arrhythmias. Single RyR2 channels isolated from the hearts of obese mice were more active in planar bilayers than those isolated from the hearts of the control mice. At the molecular level, RyR2 channels from HFD-fed mice had substantially fewer free thiol residues, suggesting that redox modifications were responsible for the higher activity. Apocynin, provided in the drinking water, completely prevented the appearance of ventricular arrhythmias in HFD-fed mice, and normalized the activity and content of the free thiol residues of the protein. HFD increased the expression of NOX4, an isoform of NADPH oxidase, in the heart. Our results suggest that HFD increases the activity of RyR2 channels via a redox-dependent mechanism, favoring the appearance of ventricular arrhythmias.Fil: Pecchi Sanchez, Gina Angela. Universidad de Chile. Facultad de Medicina. Institutos de Ciencias Biomédicas; ChileFil: Araneda, Felipe. Universidad de Chile. Facultad de Medicina. Institutos de Ciencias Biomédicas; ChileFil: Peña, Juan Pedro. Universidad de Viña del Mar. Escuela de Ciencias Veterinarias; ChileFil: Finkelstein, Jose Pablo. Universidad de Chile. Facultad de Medicina. Institutos de Ciencias Biomédicas; ChileFil: Riquelme, Jaime A.. Universidad de Chile; ChileFil: Montecinos, Luis. Universidad de Chile. Facultad de Medicina. Institutos de Ciencias Biomédicas; ChileFil: Barrientos, Genaro. Universidad de Chile. Facultad de Medicina. Institutos de Ciencias Biomédicas; ChileFil: LLanos, Paola. Universidad de Chile; ChileFil: Pedrozo, Zully. Universidad de Chile. Facultad de Medicina. Institutos de Ciencias Biomédicas; ChileFil: Said, Maria Matilde. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Centro de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares "Dr. Horacio Eugenio Cingolani". Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Médicas. Centro de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares "Dr. Horacio Eugenio Cingolani"; ArgentinaFil: Bull, Ricardo. Universidad de Chile. Facultad de Medicina. Institutos de Ciencias Biomédicas; ChileFil: Donoso, Paulina. Universidad de Chile. Facultad de Medicina. Institutos de Ciencias Biomédicas; Chil