Gravity and Geometric Phases

The behavior of a quantum test particle satisfying the Klein-Gordon equation in a certain class of 4 dimensional stationary space-times is examined. In a space-time of a spinning cosmic string, the wave function of a particle in a box is shown to acquire a geometric phase when the box is transported around a closed path surrounding the string. When interpreted as an Aharonov-Anandan geometric phase, the effect is shown to be related to the Aharonov-Bohm effect.Comment: 11 pages, latex fil

Nucleotides, β-glucans, ascorbic acid, α-tocoferol, and different concentrations of a vitamin-mineral premix promote growth of Nile tilapia juveniles

ABSTRACT Feed additives, such as β-glucans, nucleotides, ascorbic acid (vitamin C), and α-tocopherol (vitamin E) can improve fish immunity and contribute to enhanced zootechnical performance of the fish. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of different concentrations of vitamin- mineral premix with or without the inclusion of an immunostimulant boost (β-glucans, nucleotides and vitamins C and E) on the zootechnical performance, hemato-immunological parameters, histological changes, and survival of Nile tilapia juveniles. To this end, isocaloric and isoproteic diets were prepared with three different concentrations of vitamin-mineral premix (1.0, 1.5, and 2.0 kg ton-1); additionally, the effects of 4% immunostimulant boost in the diet were examined considering six diets (without the immunostimulant boost: 0.1%, 0.15%, and 0.2%, and with the immunostimulant boost: 0.1% I, 0.15% I, and 0.2% I). We used 24 experimental units, each including 15 fish. Nile tilapia juveniles (1.88 g±0.25) were fed for 50 d with supplemented diets. Further, zootechnical indexes; histological changes in the liver, spleen, and intestine; intestinal morphology; and hemato-immunological parameters were evaluated. The fish that received supplementation showed higher zootechnical values, compared to those that did not receive the supplementation of immunostimulant reinforcement. Weight gain (30.45g±3.06), daily weight gain (0.60g±0.06), final weight (32.41g±3.15) and feed conversion (0.95±0.06) were higher in tilapia fed with an inclusion concentration of 0.2%. Hematological parameters were not affected by either the pre-mix concentrations or the booster of the immunostimulant. There was an increase in the number of intestinal folds, length of the fold, total area and number of goblet cells in the group supplemented with immunostimulant reinforcement. Supplementation with the immunostimulant promoted growth and improved intestinal morphology and immunological parameters of Nile tilapia juveniles

O mexilhão Perna perna no Brasil: nativo ou exótico?

A mitilicultura no Brasil se baseia no mexilhão Perna perna (Linnaeus, 1758), que é encontrado em todo o litoral brasileiro, sendo especialmente abundante do Espírito Santo a Santa Catarina. Nos últimos anos, foi lançada a hipótese de que P. perna seja uma espécie exótica no litoral brasileiro. A hipótese se baseia na análise da malacofauna presente em sítios arqueológicos. Todas as contestações levantadas não remetem à uma conclusão, pois precisam de estudos específicos, com metodologias claras, aliando arqueologia, ecologia e biologia molecular. O objetivo deste trabalho foi estudar a condição de nativo ou exótico do mexilhão Perna perna no Brasil, a partir de levantamento dos resultados em sítios arqueológicos, de técnicas moleculares e de datação de conchas com C14. A datação indicou que as amostras de Perna perna do sítio arqueológico Rio do Meio/Jurerê, Florianópolis/SC, têm idade de 720±30 e 780±30 anos. O cálculo do tempo de divergência indicou que a separação das populações brasileiras e africanas ocorreu por volta de 200 mil anos. Os resultados apontam a presença da espécie no território brasileiro muito antes do descobrimento do Brasil pelos portugueses no ano de 1500, indicando que P. perna é de fato uma espécie nativa

MIB2 variants altering NOTCH signalling result in left ventricle hypertrabeculation/non-compaction and are associated with M\ue9n\ue9trier-like gastropathy

We performed whole exome sequencing in individuals from a family with autosomal dominant gastropathy resembling M\ue9n\ue9 trier disease, a premalignant gastric disorder with epithelial hyperplasia and enhanced EGFR signalling. M\ue9n\ue9 trier disease is believed to be an acquired disorder, but its aetiology is unknown. In affected members, we found a missense p.V742G variant in MIB2, a gene regulating NOTCH signalling that has not been previously linked to human diseases. The variant segregated with the disease in the pedigree, affected a highly conserved amino acid residue, and was predicted to be deleterious although it was found with a low frequency in control individuals. The purified protein carrying the p.V742G variant showed reduced ubiquitination activity in vitro and white blood cells from affected individuals exhibited significant reductions of HES1 and NOTCH3 expression reflecting alteration of NOTCH signalling. Because mutations of MIB1, the homolog of MIB2, have been found in patients with left ventricle non-compaction (LVNC), we investigated members of our family with M\ue9n\ue9 trier-like disease for this cardiac abnormality. Asymptomatic left ventricular hypertrabeculation, the mildest end of the LVNC spectrum, was detected in two members carrying the MIB2 variant. Finally, we identified an additional MIB2 variant (p.V984L) affecting protein stability in an unrelated isolated case with LVNC. Expression of both MIB2 variants affected NOTCH signalling, proliferation and apoptosis in primary rat cardiomyocytes. In conclusion, we report the first example of left ventricular hypertrabeculation/LVNC with germline MIB2 variants resulting in altered NOTCH signalling that might be associated with a gastropathy clinically overlapping with M\ue9n\ue9 trier disease