HATS-15b and HATS-16b: Two Massive Planets Transiting Old G Dwarf Stars

We report the discovery of HATS-15 b and HATS-16 b, two massive transiting extrasolar planets orbiting evolved (~10 Gyr) main-sequence stars. The planet HATS-15 b, which is hosted by a G9 V star (V = 14.8 mag), is a hot Jupiter with mass of 2.17 ± 0.15 M_J and radius of 1.105 ± 0.040 R_J, and it completes its orbit in about 1.7 days. HATS-16 b is a very massive hot Jupiter with mass of 3.27 ± 0.19 M_J and radius of 1.30 ± 0.15 R_J; it orbits around its G3 V parent star (V = 13.8 mag) in ~2.7 days. HATS-16 is slightly active and shows a periodic photometric modulation, implying a rotational period of 12 days, which is unexpectedly short given its isochronal age. This fast rotation might be the result of the tidal interaction between the star and its planet

Effects of a medium cut-off (Theranova®) dialyser on haemodialysis patients: a prospective, cross-over study

Background. Despite significant advances in haemodialysis (HD) in recent decades, current dialysis techniques are limited by inadequate removal of uraemic solutes such as middle molecules and protein-bound uraemic toxins. Novel medium cut-off (MCO) membrane or \u2018expanded haemodialysis\u2019 (HDx) provides diffusive removal of conventional and large middle molecular weight uraemic toxins, with marginal albumin leak. Methods. This prospective, open-label, controlled, cross-over pilot study compared HDx (novel MCO membrane TheranovaVR 400) and conventional HD in 20 prevalent HD patients. Biochemical, dialysis adequacy and safety measures (adverse events, infections and hospitalization frequency) were recorded. Ten patients underwent conventional HD high-flux dialyser and 10 patients underwent HDx for 3 months, and the patients then switched and received the other treatment for a further 3 months. Results. Treatment with HDx was associated with a significant reduction in serum albumin concentration [median (interquartile range) reduction 0.45 g/dL (0.575 to 0.05); P \ubc 0.025]. However, median albumin levels were 3.5 g/dL and no patients had clinical symptoms of hypoalbuminaemia or needed intravenous albumin administration. The number of infections was lower in patients treated with HDx (n \ubc 7/19) compared with patients treated with HD (n \ubc 14/20; P \ubc 0.03). Patients treated with HDx had reduced levels of interleukin (IL)-1b (from 0.06 6 0.02 pg/mL versus 0.28 6 0.18 pg/mL with HD) and IL-6 (6.45 6 1.57 pg/mL versus 9.48 6 2.15 pg/mL), while tumour necrosis factor-a levels remain unchanged. Conclusions. This study demonstrates that the chronic use of the novel MCO dialyser TheranovaVR appears to be safe and well-tolerated, without serious side effects or hypoalbuminaemia, as well as fewer infections. These results need to be confirmed in larger randomized clinical trials

A Cross-Flow Ultrasound-Assisted Extraction of Curcuminoids from Curcuma longa L.: Process Design to Avoid Degradation

Rhizomes of Curcuma longa L. are well known for their content of curcuminoids, which are compounds with interesting biological activity against various inflammatory states and diseases. Curcuminoids can degrade during processing. This piece of work investigates fast, efficient and cost-effective metabolite recovery from turmeric under ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE). An analytical evaluation of curcuminoid stability under sonication in different solvents is reported for the first time. HPLC and quantitative 1H-NMR were used. Under the applied conditions, EtOAc was found to be the optimal extraction medium, rather than EtOH, due to its lower radical generation, which facilitates better curcuminoid stability. Kinetic characterization, by means of the Peleg equation, was applied for single-step UAE on two different rhizome granulometries. Over a time of 90 min, maximum extraction yields were 25.63% and 47.56% for 6 and 2 mm matrix powders, respectively. However, it was observed that the largest portion of curcuminoid recovery was achieved in the first 30 min. Model outcomes were used as the basis for the design of a suitable multi-step cross-flow approach that supports and emphasizes the disruptive role of cavitation. The maximum curcuminoid yield was achieved over three steps (92.10%) and four steps (80.04%), for lower and higher granulometries, respectively. Finally, the central role of the solvent was further confirmed by turmeric oleoresin purification. The EtOAc extract was purified via crystallization, and a 95% pure curcuminoid product was isolated without any chromatographic procedure. No suitable crystallization was observed for the EtOH extract

E 9 exceptional field theory. Part II. The complete dynamics

We construct the first complete exceptional field theory that is based on an infinite-dimensional symmetry group. E$_9$ exceptional field theory provides a unified description of eleven-dimensional and type IIB supergravity covariant under the affine Kac-Moody symmetry of two-dimensional maximal supergravity. We present two equivalent formulations of the dynamics, which both rely on a pseudo-Lagrangian supplemented by a twisted self-duality equation. One formulation involves a minimal set of fields and gauge symmetries, which uniquely determine the entire dynamics. The other formulation extends $\mathfrak{e}_9$ by half of the Virasoro algebra and makes direct contact with the integrable structure of two-dimensional supergravity. Our results apply directly to other affine Kac-Moody groups, such as the Geroch group of general relativity

Consistent Kaluza-Klein truncations and two-dimensional gauged supergravity

We consider generalized Scherk-Schwarz reductions of E$_9$ exceptional field theory to D=2 space-time dimensions and in particular construct the resulting scalar potential of all gauged supergravities that can be obtained in this way. This provides the first general expression for a multitude of theories with an interesting structure of vacua, covering potentially many new AdS$_2$ cases. As an application, we prove the consistency of the truncation of eleven-dimensional supergravity on $S^8\times S^1$ to SO(9) gauged maximal supergravity. Fluctuations around its supersymmetric SO(9)-invariant vacuum describe holographically the dynamics of interacting D0-branes

Physical properties of the planetary systems WASP-45 and WASP-46 from simultaneous multiband photometry

Accurate measurements of the physical characteristics of a large number of exoplanets are useful to strongly constrain theoretical models of planet formation and evolution, which lead to the large variety of exoplanets and planetary-system configurations that have been observed. We present a study of the planetary systems WASP-45 and WASP-46, both composed of a main-sequence star and a close-in hot Jupiter, based on 29 new high-quality light curves of transits events. In particular, one transit of WASP-45 b and four of WASP-46 b were simultaneously observed in four optical filters, while one transit of WASP-46 b was observed with the NTT obtaining a precision of 0.30 mmag with a cadence of roughly 3 min. We also obtained five new spectra of WASP-45 with the FEROS spectrograph. We improved by a factor of 4 the measurement of the radius of the planet WASP-45 b, and found that WASP-46 b is slightly less massive and smaller than previously reported. Both planets now have a more accurate measurement of the density (0.959 ± 0.077 ρ_(Jup) instead of 0.64 ± 0.30 ρ_(Jup) for WASP-45 b, and 1.103 ± 0.052 ρ_(Jup) instead of 0.94 ± 0.11 ρ_(Jup) for WASP-46 b). We tentatively detected radius variations with wavelength for both planets, in particular in the case of WASP-45 b we found a slightly larger absorption in the redder bands than in the bluer ones. No hints for the presence of an additional planetary companion in the two systems were found either from the photometric or radial velocity measurements

Neuromarketing empirical approaches and food choice: A systematic review

Consumers' food choices are often driven by reasons of which consumers are not fully aware. Decision-making about food is influenced by a complex set of emotions, feelings, attitudes, and values that are impossible to assess simply by asking consumers their opinions. Indeed, traditional techniques, such as self-reports or interviews, mainly allow the measurement of conscious and rational reactions to a product or advertising. Recently, there has been a rapidly growing interest in the multidisciplinary field of “neuromarketing,” which takes advantage of neuroscientific techniques to study consumer behavior. This discipline applies neuroscientific methods and tools that allow the measurement of consumers' emotional and spontaneous reactions in a more objective and observable way. The aim of this paper is (a) to describe neuromarketing's underlying assumptions, techniques, and the advantages of this perspective, examining the scientific literature on the use of neuromarketing in food studies; and (b) to suggest best practices to apply this novel approach in the food marketing domain, with a specific focus on non-invasive methods. Finally, although the perception of nutritional elements has already been explored, the health content of labels, the presence of additives, and the evaluation of the information conveyed by food packaging remain other possible elements of interest in future food neuromarketing research

BAT2 and BAT3 polymorphisms as novel genetic risk factors for rejection after HLA-related SCT.

The genetic background of donor and recipient is an important factor determining the outcome of allogeneic hematopoietic SCT (allo-HSCT). We applied whole-genome analysis to investigate genetic variants - other than HLA class I and II - associated with negative outcome after HLA-identical sibling allo-HSCT in a cohort of 110 β-Thalassemic patients. We identified two single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in BAT2 (A/G) and BAT3 (T/C) genes, SNP rs11538264 and SNP rs10484558, both located in the HLA class III region, in strong linkage disequilibrium between each other (R2 =0.92). When considered as single SNP, none of them reached a significant association with graft rejection (nominal P<0.00001 for BAT2 SNP rs11538264, and P<0.0001 for BAT3 SNP rs10484558), whereas the BAT2/BAT3 A/C haplotype was present at significantly higher frequency in patients who rejected as compared to those with functional graft (30.0% vs 2.6%, nominal P=1.15 × 10-8; and adjusted P=0.0071). The BAT2/BAT3 polymorphisms and specifically the A/C haplotype may represent a novel immunogenetic factor associated with graft rejection in patients undergoing allo-HSCT

Qatar Exoplanet Survey : Qatar-3b, Qatar-4b and Qatar-5b

We report the discovery of Qatar-3b, Qatar-4b, and Qatar-5b, three new transiting planets identified by the Qatar Exoplanet Survey (QES). The three planets belong to the hot Jupiter family, with orbital periods of $P_{Q3b}$=2.50792 days, $P_{Q4b}$=1.80539 days, and $P_{Q5b}$=2.87923 days. Follow-up spectroscopic observations reveal the masses of the planets to be $M_{Q3b}$=4.31$\pm0.47$ $M_{\rm J}$, $M_{Q4b}$=6.10$\pm0.54$ $M_{\rm J}$, and $M_{Q5b}$ = 4.32$\pm0.18$ $M_{\rm J}$, while model fits to the transit light curves yield radii of $R_{Q3b}$ = 1.096$\pm0.14$ $R_{\rm J}$, $R_{Q4b}$ = 1.135$\pm0.11$ $R_{\rm J}$, and $R_{Q5b}$ = 1.107$\pm0.064$ $R_{\rm J}$. The host stars are low-mass main sequence stars with masses and radii $M_{Q3}$ = 1.145$\pm0.064$ $M_{\odot}$, $M_{Q4}$ = 0.896$\pm0.048$ $M_{\odot}$, $M_{Q5}$ = 1.128$\pm0.056$ $M_{\odot}$ and $R_{Q3}$ = 1.272$\pm0.14$ $R_{\odot}$, $R_{Q4}$ = 0.849$\pm0.063$ $R_{\odot}$ and $R_{Q5}$ = 1.076$\pm0.051$ $R_{\odot}$ for Qatar-3, 4 and 5 respectively. The V magnitudes of the three host stars are $V_{Q3}$=12.88, $V_{Q4}$=13.60, and $V_{Q5}$=12.82. All three new planets can be classified as heavy hot Jupiters (M > 4 $M_{J}$).Comment: 13Pages, 8Figure