Dynamical properties of the unitary Fermi gas: collective modes and shock waves

We discuss the unitary Fermi gas made of dilute and ultracold atoms with an infinite s-wave inter-atomic scattering length. First we introduce an efficient Thomas-Fermi-von Weizsacker density functional which describes accurately various static properties of the unitary Fermi gas trapped by an external potential. Then, the sound velocity and the collective frequencies of oscillations in a harmonic trap are derived from extended superfluid hydrodynamic equations which are the Euler-Lagrange equations of a Thomas-Fermi-von Weizsacker action functional. Finally, we show that this amazing Fermi gas supports supersonic and subsonic shock waves.Comment: 9 pages, 3 figures, invited talk at the International Workshop "Critical Stability 2011" (Erice, October 2011), to be published in the journal Few Body System

Genome-wide characterization of the NRAMP gene family in Phaseolus vulgaris provides insights into functional implications during common bean development

Abstract Transporter proteins play an essential role in the uptake, trafficking and storage of metals in plant tissues. The Natural Resistance-Associated Macrophage Protein (NRAMP) family plays an essential role in divalent metal transport. We conducted bioinformatics approaches to identify seven NRAMP genes in the Phaseolus vulgaris genome, investigated their phylogenetic relation, and performed transmembrane domain and gene/protein structure analyses. We found that the NRAMP gene family forms two distinct groups. One group included the PvNRAMP1, -6, and -7 genes that share a fragmented structure with a numerous exon/intron organization and encode proteins with mitochondrial or plastidial localization. The other group is characterized by few exons that encode cytoplasmic proteins. In addition, our data indicated that PvNRAMP6 and -7 may be involved in mineral uptake and mobilization in nodule tissues, while the genes PvNRAMP1, -2, -3, -4 and -5 are potentially recruited during plant development. This data provided a more comprehensive understanding of the role of NRAMP transporters in metal homeostasis in P. vulgaris

Morphological and chemical characterization of mimosa Caesalpiniifolia submitted to phosphorus fertilization.

Morphological components and chemical composition of Mimosa caesalpiniifolia Benth plants submitted to phosphorus fertilization and at different season were evaluated. The experiment was conducted at the Itambé Experimental Station of Pernambuco Agronomical Institute. Statistical analysis assumed a randomized block design, with split-plot treatment design composed by phosphorus levels (0, 100 and 200 kg of P2O5 per hectare) as main plots and evaluation season (dry and rainy) as split-plots. Experimental area was a sabiá woodlot, approximately 13 years old, measuring 0.3 ha with plant spacing of 3.0 x 3.0 m and 210 plants. Each experimental plot comprised one plant surrounded by eight competitive plants, not submitted to the treatments. Morphological evaluations were conducted at six periods, with 60 days interval, when leaves and branches up to 5 mm diameter were collected. Phosphorus effect was observed only for branch length, being 202.1, 193.6 and 173.5 cm for 0, 100 and 200 kg P2O5/ha, respectively. For the remaining variables, effects were only observed for evaluation period, with average values of 195.3 cm, 24.6, 8.8 mm and 3.8 for plant height, branch number and diameter, and thorn number, respectively. Interaction between evaluation period and phosphorus fertilization was observed only for NDF of branches, and both period and phosphorus fertilization on tannin content of branches.Foram avaliados os componentes morfológicas e composição química de plantas de Mimosa caesalpiniifolia Benth submetidas a adubação fosfatada e em diferentes épocas do ano. O experimento foi conduzido na Estação Experimental de Itambé do Instituto Agronômico de Pernambuco. Foi utilizado delineamento em blocos ao acaso em parcelas subdivididas, sendo os níveis de fósforo (0, 100 e 200 kg de P2O5/ha) como parcelas e época de avaliação (seca e chuvosa) como subparcelas. A área experimental foi um bosque de sabiá com aproximadamente 13 anos e área de 0,3 ha com espaçamento 3,0 x 3,0 m, constituído de 210 plantas. Cada parcela experimental foi representada por uma planta circundada por oito plantas competitivas, que não receberam os tratamentos. As avaliações morfológicas foram realizadas em seis períodos com intervalos de 60 dias, quando foram realizadas coletas de folhas e ramos com diâmetro de até 5 mm. Observou-se efeito da adubação fosfatada apenas para comprimento dos ramos, sendo de 202,1; 193,6 e 173,5 cm para 0, 100 e 200 kg P2O5/ha, respectivamente. Para as demais variáveis, observou-se efeito somente do período de avaliação, tendo valores médios de 195,3 cm; 24,6; 8,8 mm e 3,8 para altura, número de brotações, espessura de ramos e número de acúleos, respectivamente. Observou-se interação entre período de avaliação e adubação fosfatada apenas para a FDN dos ramos e efeito tanto do período quanto da adubação fosfatada sobre o teor de tanino nos ramos. A adubação fosfatada não influenciou a maioria dos componentes morfológicas e a composição química das plantas de sabiá

Qualitative and anatomical characteristics of tree-shrub legumes in the Forest Zone in Pernambuco state, Brazil

The objective of this study was to characterize the nutritional value of forage legumes Mimosa caesalpiniifolia (Benth.), Bauhinia cheilantha (Bong.) and Leucaena leucocephala (Lan.) and evaluate the anatomy of plants incubated and not incubated in the rumen. The experiment was conducted from September 2007 to November 2008. The experimental plot consisted of three useful plants, totaling three plots per block, and four repetitions. Plants were cut at 1 m height at intervals of 70 days; samples of leaf plus stem with a diameter smaller than 4 mm were collected for determination of dry matter, crude protein, neutral detergent fiber, acid detergent fiber, insoluble protein bound to acid detergent fiber and in vitro dry matter digestibility. The anatomical characterization occurred through the analysis of the proportion of plant tissue nonincubated and incubated in the rumen for a period of 48 hours. The legumes had high crude protein, with an average of 26.1% to Leucena, 22.4% to Sabiá and 18.5% to Mororó, and low levels of in vitro digestibility of dry matter, with an average of 47.3% to Leucena, 42.8% to Mororó and 37.2% to Sabiá. In the leaf blade of Sabiá plants, much lignified tissues that differed from plants of Leucena and Mororó were observed. The degradation process was more visible in the leaves of the Leucena, Sabiá and Mororó plants. The degradation was more pronounced in the spongy parenchyma, leaving the incubated material intact. The average proportion of the epidermis in the incubated and not incubated leaves was 15.8 and 16.4% in Leucena, 16.8 and 19.2% in Mororó and 27.2 and 25.5% in Sabiá, respectively. There are differences in the digestion and nutritional value of leaf tissues of the evaluated legumes

Extensive transduction of nonrepetitive DNA mediated by L1 retrotransposition in cancer genomes

Long interspersed nuclear element–1 (L1) retrotransposons are mobile repetitive elements that are abundant in the human genome. L1 elements propagate through RNA intermediates. In the germ line, neighboring, nonrepetitive sequences are occasionally mobilized by the L1 machinery, a process called 3′ transduction. Because 3′ transductions are potentially mutagenic, we explored the extent to which they occur somatically during tumorigenesis. Studying cancer genomes from 244 patients, we found that tumors from 53% of the patients had somatic retrotranspositions, of which 24% were 3′ transductions. Fingerprinting of donor L1s revealed that a handful of source L1 elements in a tumor can spawn from tens to hundreds of 3′ transductions, which can themselves seed further retrotranspositions. The activity of individual L1 elements fluctuated during tumor evolution and correlated with L1 promoter hypomethylation. The 3′ transductions disseminated genes, exons, and regulatory elements to new locations, most often to heterochromatic regions of the genome

Body mass index and breast cancer survival: a Mendelian randomization analysis

There is increasing evidence that elevated body mass index (BMI) is associated with reduced survival for women with breast cancer. However, the underlying reasons remain unclear. We conducted a Mendelian randomization analysis to investigate a possible causal role of BMI in survival from breast cancer. We used individual-level data from six large breast cancer case-cohorts including a total of 36 210 individuals (2475 events) of European ancestry. We created a BMI genetic risk score (GRS) based on genotypes at 94 known BMI-associated genetic variants. Association between the BMI genetic score and breast cancer survival was analysed by Cox regression for each study separately. Study-specific hazard ratios were pooled using fixed-effect meta-analysis. BMI genetic score was found to be associated with reduced breast cancer-specific survival for estrogen receptor (ER)-positive cases [hazard ratio (HR) = 1.11, per one-unit increment of GRS, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.01-1.22, P = 0.03). We observed no association for ER-negative cases (HR = 1.00, per one-unit increment of GRS, 95% CI 0.89-1.13,P = 0.95). Our findings suggest a causal effect of increased BMI on reduced breast cancer survival for ER-positive breast cancer. There is no evidence of a causal effect of higher BMI on survival for ER-negative breast cancer cases.Peer reviewe

Evidence that breast cancer risk at the 2q35 locus is mediated through IGFBP5 regulation (vol 5, 4999, 2014)

Hereditary cancer genetic