Quantum scalar field in D-dimensional static black hole space-times

An Euclidean approach for investigating quantum aspects of a scalar field living on a class of D-dimensional static black hole space-times, including the extremal ones, is reviewed. The method makes use of a near horizon approximation of the metric and $\zeta$-function formalism for evaluating the partition function and the expectation value of the field fluctuations $$. After a review of the non-extreme black hole case, the extreme one is considered in some details. In this case, there is no conical singularity, but the finite imaginary time compactification introduces a cusp singularity. It is found that the $\zeta$-function regularized partition function can be defined, and the quantum fluctuations are finite on the horizon, as soon as the cusp singularity is absent, and the corresponding temperature is T=0.Comment: 9 pages, LaTe

Hawking Radiation as Tunneling: the D-dimensional rotating case

The tunneling method for the Hawking radiation is revisited and applied to the $D$ dimensional rotating case. Emphasis is given to covariance of results. Certain ambiguities afflicting the procedure are resolved.Comment: Talk delivered at the Seventh International Workshop Quantum Field Theory under the influence of External Conditions, QFEXT'05, september 05,Barcelona, Spain. To appear in Journal of Phys.

Weekly and seasonal variation in the circadian melatonin rhythm in humans:A response

We read with interest the commentary by Skeldon and Dijk about our article "Weekly, seasonal and chronotype-dependent variation of dim light melatonin onset." The discussion points raised by Skeldon and Dijk are currently among the most hotly debated in human circadian science. What external factors determine human phase of entrainment? How great is the contribution of natural versus artificial light and sun time versus social time? Our intra-individual data add to the still limited evidence from field studies in this matter. In their commentary, Skeldon and Dijk formulate two either-or hypotheses, postulating that humans entrain either solely to the natural light-dark cycle (sun time referenced by midday) (H1 ) or solely to the light selected by local clock time and social constraints (H2 ). Neither hypothesis accounts for the effect of season on human light exposure. We interpreted our findings along more complex lines, speculating that the 1-h earlier melatonin rise in summer found in our sample is likely the combined result of daylight saving time (DST)-induced behavioral advances and a stronger natural zeitgeber in summer (light exposure determined by social and seasonal factors, Horiginal ). Here, we show how the criticism by Skeldon and Dijk is based on two sentences quoted out of context (misrepresenting our hypothesis as H1 ) and that their hypothesis H2 leaves out important seasonal components in light exposure.</p

Analytic continuation of the Hurwitz Zeta Function with physical application

A new formula relating the analytic continuation of the Hurwitz zeta function to the Euler gamma function and a polylogarithmic function is presented. In particular, the values of the first derivative of the real part of the analytic continuation of the Hurwitz zeta function for even negative integers and the imaginary one for odd negative integers are explicitly given. The result can be of interest both on mathematical and physical side, because we are able to apply our new formulas in the context of the Spectral Zeta Function regularization, computing the exact pair production rate per space-time unit of massive Dirac particles interacting with a purely electric background field.Comment: Replaced version, minor changes. 9 pages, to be published in J. Math. Phy

Synergism and negative interference during co-infection of tomato and Nicotiana benthamiana with two bipartite begomoviruses

In Brazil, at least eight begomoviruses including Tomato rugose mosaic virus (ToRMV) and Tomato yellow spot virus (ToYSV) infect tomatoes. ToYSV symptoms in tomato and Nicotiana benthamiana appear earlier and are more severe compared to those of ToRMV. We investigated the role of several factors in this differential adaptation. To analyze infection kinetics, a single leaf was inoculated and subsequently detached after different periods of time. Viral DNA accumulation was quantified in plants, viral replication was analyzed in protoplasts, and tissue tropism was determined by in situ hybridization. Results indicate that ToYSV establishes a systemic infection and reaches a higher concentration earlier than ToRMV in both hosts. ToRMV negatively interferes with ToYSV during the initial stages of infection, but once systemic infection is established this interference ceases. In N. benthamiana, ToYSV invades the mesophyll, while ToRMV is phloem-restricted. During dual infection in this host, ToYSV releases ToRMV from the phloem

Sleep improvements on days with later school starts persist after 1 year in a flexible start system

Early school times fundamentally clash with the late sleep of teenagers. This mismatch results in chronic sleep deprivation posing acute and long-term health risks and impairing students' learning. Despite immediate short-term benefits for sleep, the long-term effects of later starts remain unresolved. In a pre-post design over 1 year, we studied a unique flexible school start system, in which 10–12th grade students chose daily between an 8:00 or 8:50AM-start. Missed study time (8:00–8:50) was compensated for during gap periods or after classes. Based on 2 waves (6–9 weeks of sleep diary each), we found that students maintained their ~ 1-h-sleep gain on later days, longitudinally (n = 28) and cross-sectionally (n = 79). This gain was independent of chronotype and frequency of later starts but attenuated for boys after 1 year. Students showed persistently better sleep quality and reduced alarm-driven waking and reported psychological benefits (n = 93) like improved motivation, concentration, and study quality on later days. Nonetheless, students chose later starts only infrequently (median 2 days/week), precluding detectable sleep extensions in the flexible system overall. Reasons for not choosing late starts were the need to make up lost study time, preference for extra study time and transport issues. Whether flexible systems constitute an appealing alternative to fixed delays given possible circadian and psychological advantages warrants further investigation

String-inspired Gauss-Bonnet gravity reconstructed from the universe expansion history and yielding the transition from matter dominance to dark energy

We consider scalar-Gauss-Bonnet and modified Gauss-Bonnet gravities and reconstruct these theories from the universe expansion history. In particular, we are able to construct versions of those theories (with and without ordinary matter), in which the matter dominated era makes a transition to the cosmic acceleration epoch. It is remarkable that, in several of the cases under consideration, matter dominance and the deceleration-acceleration transition occur in the presence of matter only. The late-time acceleration epoch is described asymptotically by de Sitter space but may also correspond to an exact $\Lambda$CDM cosmology, having in both cases an effective equation of state parameter $w$ close to -1. The one-loop effective action of modified Gauss-Bonnet gravity on the de Sitter background is evaluated and it is used to derive stability criteria for the ensuing de Sitter universe.Comment: LaTeX20 pages, 4 figures, version to apear in PR

Influence of Temperature on Mutagenicity in Plants Exposed to Surface Disinfected Drinking Water.

Disinfection of surface drinking water, particularly water chlorination, produces by-products with potential genotoxic and/or carcinogenic activity. A study carried out at a pilot plant for drinking water disinfection of lake water revealed mutagenic activity of three different disinfectants (sodium hypochlorite, chlorine dioxide and peracetic acid) in different seasons using in situ mutagenicity assays, both in animal (micronucleus test) and in plant organisms (anaphase chro- mosomal aberration and micronucleus tests). The effects of the disinfectants appeared to be modulated by the season of exposure. In this study, we tried to understand if (and to what extent) the temperature parameter could actually play an independent role in the registered seasonal variation of mutagenic effects, neglecting the variation of other parameters, e.g. physical conditions and chemical composition of the lake water. Therefore plants (Allium cepa for chromosomal aberration test and Vicia faba for micronucleus test) were exposed to the same disinfected lake-water samples at differ- ent temperatures (10°C, 20°C and 30°C), according the ones registered during the in situ experiment. Long-term expo- sure at the temperatures of 20°C (both Vicia faba and Allium cepa) and 30°C (Vicia faba only) to disinfected waters in- duced clear mutagenic effects. These results show that temperature is an important variable which should be taken into account when in situ exposure of plants is planned for mutagenicity testing. Also, different plant systems clearly show specific temperature ranges suitable for their growth, thereby indicating the need for an accurate selection of the test organism for a specific experimental plan

Hydrogeological behaviour and geochemical features of waters in evaporite-bearing low-permeability successions: A case study in Southern Sicily, Italy

Knowledge about the hydrogeological behaviour of heterogeneous low-permeability media is an important tool when designing anthropogenic works (e.g., landfills) that could potentially have negative impacts on the environment and on people’s health. The knowledge about the biogeochemical processes in these media could prevent “false positives” when studying groundwater quality and possible contamination caused by anthropogenic activities. In this research, we firstly refined knowledge about the groundwater flow field at a representative site where the groundwater flows within an evaporite-bearing low-permeability succession. Hydraulic measurements and tritium analyses demonstrated the coexistence of relatively brief to very prolonged groundwater pathways. The groundwater is recharged by local precipitation, as demonstrated by stable isotopes investigations. However, relatively deep groundwater is clearly linked to very high tritium content rainwater precipitated during the 1950s and 1960s. The deuterium content of some groundwater samples showed unusual values, explained by the interactions between the groundwater and certain gases (H2S and CH4), the presences of which are linked to sulfate-reducing bacteria and methanogenic archaea detected within the saturated medium through biomolecular investigations in the shallow organic reach clayey deposits. In a wider, methodological context, the present study demonstrates that interdisciplinary approaches provide better knowledge about the behaviour of heterogeneous low-permeability media and the meaning of each data type