Holographic duals of 6d RG flows

A notable class of superconformal theories (SCFTs) in six dimensions is parameterized by an integer $N$, an ADE group $G$, and two nilpotent elements $\mu_\mathrm{L,R}$ in $G$. Nilpotent elements have a natural partial ordering, which has been conjectured to coincide with the hierarchy of renormalization-group flows among the SCFTs. In this paper we test this conjecture for $G=\mathrm{SU}(k)$, where AdS$_7$ duals exist in IIA. We work with a seven-dimensional gauged supergravity, consisting of the gravity multiplet and two $\mathrm{SU}(k)$ non-Abelian vector multiplets. We show that this theory has many supersymmetric AdS$_7$ vacua, determined by two nilpotent elements, which are naturally interpreted as IIA AdS$_7$ solutions. The BPS equations for domain walls connecting two such vacua can be solved analytically, up to a Nahm equation with certain boundary conditions. The latter admit a solution connecting two vacua if and only if the corresponding nilpotent elements are related by the natural partial ordering, in agreement with the field theory conjecture.Comment: 33 pages, 2 figure

On certain (block) Toeplitz matrices related to radial functions

AbstractInterpolation of smooth functions and the discretization of elliptic PDEs by means of radial functions lead to structured linear systems which, for equidistant grid points, have almost the (block) Toeplitz structure. We prove upper bounds for the condition numbers of the n×n Toeplitz matrices which discretize the model problem u″(x)=f(x), x∈(0,1), u(0)=a, u(1)=b over an equally spaced grid of n+2 points in [0,1] by means of the collocation method based on radial functions of the multiquadric, inverse multiquadric and Gaussian type. These bounds are asymptotically sharp

Long-term effects of different starter yeasts on colour and natural antioxidant power of red wines

AbstractEighty-seven red wines produced from red grapes of the grape variety Gaglioppo from the Calabria region (vintage 2009) were analysed by standard methods after 4 and 120 months of ageing. So, a total of 29 selected starters of Saccharomyces cerevisiae—3 wild type, 12 monoclonal cultures, and 14 hybrids—inoculated in triplicate were studied for their effects on colour and natural antioxidant power keeping of red wine. Wine ageing decreased the red component, the colour intensity, and the DPPH values while the colour hue values increased. This research has shown that the evolution of wine ageing is affected in a very different way by the starter yeast used and has allowed choosing the best yeast strain useful to produce red wine able to endure very long-time ageing, until 10 years

Using the product environmental footprint for supply chain management : lessons learned from a case study on pork

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to test the chainorganization environmental footprint (chain-OEF) approach by applying it to part of a pork production chain in Belgium. The approach is supposed to provide insight into the environmental impact of a specific production chain in an efficient manner by applying pragmatic data collection throughout the chain. This is achieved by allocating the environmental impact of each of the production sites to the product of interest using straightforward allocation rules. Methods: The cradle-to-gate (up to retail) environmental impact of pork was determined by life cycle assessment (LCA), in line with the product and organisation environmental footprint guidelines (PEF and OEF; European Commission 2013b). Foreground data was gathered at a feed production site, two farmers, a slaughterhouse and a meat processing site. All foreground operations are part of the same pork production chain in Belgium. The chain was completed using background data from Ecoinvent v3.01 (Wernet et al. 2016), Agri-Footprint v1.0 (Blonk 2014), European Life Cycle Database v3.0, LCA Food Database (Nielsen et al. 2003) and OEF Sector Rules Retail (Humbert et al. 2015b). The impact was quantified using the international reference life cycle data system (ILCD) midpoint method for 14 impact categories, but focussing on climate change. Results and discussion: The total carbon footprint of the cradle-to-gate pork production system equals 0.46 kg CO2-eq. (100 g pork)−1. This result is quite similar to that of earlier studies analysing the pork production chain: 0.58 and 0.57 kg CO2-eq. (100 g pork)−1 (Bracquené et al. 2011, Agri-Footprint 2014). Most of the carbon footprint was caused by feed production and more specifically, by the feed ingredients and their transport. Grains, soy and palm oil have the largest impact contributions. The farms are responsible for most of the remaining impact. N2O and CH4 emissions are the largest cause of greenhouse gas emissions at the farms. Also, in the other 13 considered impact categories, feed production and farming are responsible for more than half of the total impact, mostly followed by meat processing. Conclusions: Applying the chain-OEF approach in this study has shown that a chain LCA can be performed successfully and pragmatic data collection allows obtaining LCA results relatively fast, especially for small or medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Whereas data availability was not such an issue, the main bottlenecks identified are data management and the link of LCA to other disciplines such as engineering, policy, etc. which could increase the added value of LCA studies

Transcriptional activation of the miR-17-92 cluster is involved in the growth-promoting effects of MYB in human Ph-positive leukemia cells.

MicroRNAs, non-coding regulators of gene expression, are likely to function as important downstream effectors of many transcription factors including MYB. Optimal levels of MYB are required for transformation/maintenance of BCR-ABL-expressing cells. We investigated whether MYB silencing modulates microRNA expression in Philadelphia-positive (Ph+) leukemia cells and if MYB-regulated microRNAs are important for the MYB addiction of these cells. Thirty-five microRNAs were modulated by MYB silencing in lymphoid and erythromyeloid chronic myeloid leukemia-blast crisis BV173 and K562 cells; 15 of these were concordantly modulated in both lines. We focused on the miR-17-92 cluster because of its oncogenic role in tumors and found that: i) it is a direct MYB target; ii) it partially rescued the impaired proliferation and enhanced apoptosis of MYB-silenced BV173 cells. Moreover, we identified FRZB, a Wnt/β-catenin pathway inhibitor, as a novel target of the miR-17-92 cluster. High expression of MYB in blast cells from 2 Ph+leukemia patients correlated positively with the miR-17-92 cluster and inversely with FRZB. This expression pattern was also observed in a microarray dataset of 122 Ph+acute lymphoblastic leukemias. In vivo experiments in NOD scid gamma mice injected with BV173 cells confirmed that FRZB functions as a Wnt/β-catenin inhibitor even as they failed to demonstrate that this pathway is important for BV173-dependent leukemogenesis. These studies illustrate the global effects of MYB expression on the microRNAs profile of Ph+cells and supports the concept that the MYB addiction of these cells is, in part, caused by modulation of microRNA-regulated pathways affecting cell proliferation and survival. Copyright© 2019 Ferrata Storti Foundation

Interaction between Esca-Associated Fungi, Grapevine Calli and Micropropagated Shoot Cultures of Grapevine

Callus of the grapevine cv. Italia, micropropagated shoot cultures of the cv. Italia, Matilde and Sangiovese and callus of the tobacco cv. White Burley were cultivated on modified LS and MS-media. Phaeomoniella chlamydospora (Pch), Phaeoacremonium aleophilum (Pal) and Fomitiporia punctata (Fop) grew well in the presence of calli and vitroplants of all the grapevine cultivars which stimulated the growth of the fungi, but growth of the calli and vitroplants was reduced. All three fungi inhibited callus growth more strongly in grapevine than in tobacco. Fop had the greatest inhibitory effect on grapevine callus. Symptom severity also differed between cultivars. All three fungi invaded callus tissue after entirely overgrowing its surface. Hyphae were observed within the callus mass, where several cellular aggregates showed melanin-like deposits, particularly when invaded by Pal. On the foliar lamina of vitroplants symptoms were produced before and after the invasion of the plantlets by each fungus. Symptoms consisted in light green or chlorotic, rounded or irregular spots between the veins or along the leaf margin. The combination Pal vs. vitroplant gave the fastest host-pathogen response. The susceptibility or resistance of calli or vitroplants to escaassociated fungi could be a means to select grapevine for resistance to these fungi

Monitoring of soil and atmospheric sensors with internet of things (IoT) applied in precision Agriculture / Monitorização de sensores do solo e atmosféricos com internet das coisas (IoT) aplicados em agricultura de precisão

This work consists in the development of a system for data acquisition of parameters in an agricultural application. For this, the system includes the monitoring of soil moisture and atmospheric sensors (temperature and relative humidity), in order to provide subsidies to farmers in decision-making, aiming at a future implementation of an automated irrigation system, with minimization of waste of water resources. Data acquisition is carried out by means of sensors connected to a microcontrolled system, and the signals are transmitted through a radio frequency module using LoRaWanTM protocol. Data is received at a gateway and made available in the cloud, applying Internet of Things (IoT) concepts, and can be monitored in real time in an academic interface. Additionally, the data can also be monitored through a simplified interface accessible through an app developed specifically for the application

Gut microbiota markers in obese adolescent and adult patients: Age-dependent differential patterns

Obesity levels, especially in children, have dramatically increased over the last few decades. Recently, several studies highlighted the involvement of gut microbiota in the pathophysiology of obesity. We investigated the composition of gut microbiota in obese adolescents and adults compared to age-matched normal weight (NW) volunteers in order to assemble age- and obesity-related microbiota profiles. The composition of gut microbiota was analyzed by 16S rRNA-based metagenomics. Ecological representations of microbial communities were computed, and univariate, multivariate, and correlation analyses performed on bacterial profiles. The prediction of metagenome functional content from 16S rRNA gene surveys was carried out. Ecological analyses revealed a dissimilarity among the subgroups, and resultant microbiota profiles differed between obese adolescents and adults. Using statistical analyses, we assigned, as microbial markers, Faecalibacterium prausnitzii and Actinomyces to the microbiota of obese adolescents, and Parabacteroides, Rikenellaceae, Bacteroides caccae, Barnesiellaceae, and Oscillospira to the microbiota of NW adolescents. The predicted metabolic profiles resulted different in adolescent groups. Particularly, biosynthesis of primary bile acid and steroid acids, metabolism of fructose, mannose, galactose, butanoate, and pentose phosphate and glycolysis/gluconeogenesis were for the majority associated to obese, while biosynthesis and metabolism of glycan, biosynthesis of secondary bile acid, metabolism of steroid hormone and lipoic acid were associated to NW adolescents. Our study revealed unique features of gut microbiota in terms of ecological patterns, microbial composition and metabolism in obese patients. The assignment of novel obesity bacterial markers may open avenues for the development of patient-tailored treatments dependent on age-related microbiota profiles

SERVIÇO SOCIAL, FUNDAMENTOS E TENDÊNCIAS TEÓRICAS - CONTRIBUIÇÕES AO DEBATE LATINO-AMERICANO

This is a review of the book entitled “Social Work, foundations and theoretical trends: contributions to the Latin American debate”. This book is authored by José Fernando Siqueira da Silva. The book reviewed here is research financed by FAPESP and CNPq. His work contributes with important notes on Social Work in Latin America.Esta é uma resenha do livro intitulado “Serviço Social, fundamentos e tendências teóricas: contribuições ao debate latino-americano”. Este livro é de autoria de José Fernando Siqueira da Silva. O livro aqui resenhado é uma pesquisa financiada pela FAPESP e pelo CNPq. Sua obra contribui com importantes apontamentos sobre o Serviço Social na America Latina.&nbsp