Search for direct production of charginos and neutralinos in events with three leptons and missing transverse momentum in √s = 7 TeV pp collisions with the ATLAS detector

A search for the direct production of charginos and neutralinos in final states with three electrons or muons and missing transverse momentum is presented. The analysis is based on 4.7 fb−1 of proton–proton collision data delivered by the Large Hadron Collider and recorded with the ATLAS detector. Observations are consistent with Standard Model expectations in three signal regions that are either depleted or enriched in Z-boson decays. Upper limits at 95% confidence level are set in R-parity conserving phenomenological minimal supersymmetric models and in simplified models, significantly extending previous results

Measurement of D*+/- meson production in jets from pp collisions at sqrt(s) = 7 TeV with the ATLAS detector

This paper reports a measurement of D*+/- meson production in jets from proton-proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of sqrt(s) = 7 TeV at the CERN Large Hadron Collider. The measurement is based on a data sample recorded with the ATLAS detector with an integrated luminosity of 0.30 pb^-1 for jets with transverse momentum between 25 and 70 GeV in the pseudorapidity range |eta| < 2.5. D*+/- mesons found in jets are fully reconstructed in the decay chain: D*+ -> D0pi+, D0 -> K-pi+, and its charge conjugate. The production rate is found to be N(D*+/-)/N(jet) = 0.025 +/- 0.001(stat.) +/- 0.004(syst.) for D*+/- mesons that carry a fraction z of the jet momentum in the range 0.3 < z < 1. Monte Carlo predictions fail to describe the data at small values of z, and this is most marked at low jet transverse momentum.Comment: 10 pages plus author list (22 pages total), 5 figures, 1 table, matches published version in Physical Review

Screening, production and biochemical characterization of a new fibrinolytic enzyme produced by Streptomyces sp. (Streptomycetaceae) isolated from Amazonian lichens

Thrombosis is a pathophysiological disorder caused by accumulation of fibrin in the blood. Fibrinolytic proteases with potent thrombolytic activity have been produced by diverse microbial sources. Considering the microbial biodiversity of the Amazon region, this study aimed at the screening, production and biochemical characterization of a fibrinolytic enzyme produced by Streptomyces sp. isolated from Amazonian lichens. The strain Streptomyces DPUA1576 showed the highest fibrinolytic activity, which was 283 mm2. Three variables at two levels were used to assess their effects on the fibrinolytic production. The parameters studied were agitation (0.28 - 1.12 g), temperature (28 - 36 ºC) and pH (6.0 - 8.0); all of them had significant effects on the fibrinolytic production. The maximum fibrinolytic activity (304 mm2) was observed at 1.12 g, 28 ºC, and pH of 8.0. The crude extract of the fermentation broth was used to assess the biochemical properties of the enzyme. Protease and fibrinolytic activities were stable during 6 h, at a pH ranging from 6.8 to 8.4 and 5.8 to 9.2, respectively. Optimum temperature for protease activity ranged between 35 and 55 °C, while the highest fibrinolytic activity was observed at 45 ºC. Proteolytic activity was inhibited by Cu2+ and Co2+ ions, phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride (PMSF) and pepstatin A, which suggests that the enzyme is a serine protease. Enzymatic extract cleaved fibrinogen at the subunits A-chain, A-chain, and -chain. The results indicated that Streptomyces sp. DPUA 1576 produces enzymes with fibrinolytic and fibrinogenolytic activity, enzymes with an important application in the pharmaceutical industry.The authors grateful acknowledge the financial support of Fundação de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado de Pernambuco (FACEPE, Pernambuco, Brazil, N. 0158-2.12/11), CNPq/ RENORBIO (National Counsel of Technological and Scientific Development, N.55146/2010-3) and National Council for the Improvement of Higher Education (CAPES, Brazil) for the scholarship. The author thanks editor and reviewers for their review and comments.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Fatigue Evaluation through Machine Learning and a Global Fatigue Descriptor

Research in physiology and sports science has shown that fatigue, a complex psychophysiological phenomenon, has a relevant impact in performance and in the correct functioning of our motricity system, potentially being a cause of damage to the human organism. Fatigue can be seen as a subjective or objective phenomenon. Subjective fatigue corresponds to a mental and cognitive event, while fatigue referred as objective is a physical phenomenon. Despite the fact that subjective fatigue is often undervalued, only a physically and mentally healthy athlete is able to achieve top performance in a discipline. )erefore, we argue that physical training programs should address the preventive assessment of both subjective and objective fatigue mechanisms in order to minimize the risk of injuries. In this context, our paper presents a machine-learning system capable of extracting individual fatigue descriptors (IFDs) from electromyographic (EMG) and heart rate variability (HRV) measurements. Our novel approach, using two types of biosignals so that a global (mental and physical) fatigue assessment is taken into account, reflects the onset of fatigue by implementing a combination of a dimensionless (0-1) global fatigue descriptor (GFD) and a support vector machine (SVM) classifier. )e system, based on 9 main combined features, achieves fatigue regime classification performances of 0.82 ± 0.24, ensuring a successful preventive assessment when dangerous fatigue levels are reached. Training data were acquired in a constant work rate test (executed by 14 subjects using a cycloergometry device), where the variable under study (fatigue) gradually increased until the volunteer reached an objective exhaustion state

Search for supersymmetry in final states with jets, missing transverse momentum and one isolated lepton in sqrt{s} = 7 TeV pp collisions using 1 fb-1 of ATLAS data

We present an update of a search for supersymmetry in final states containing jets, missing transverse momentum, and one isolated electron or muon, using 1.04 fb^-1 of proton-proton collision data at sqrt{s} = 7 TeV recorded by the ATLAS experiment at the LHC in the first half of 2011. The analysis is carried out in four distinct signal regions with either three or four jets and variations on the (missing) transverse momentum cuts, resulting in optimized limits for various supersymmetry models. No excess above the standard model background expectation is observed. Limits are set on the visible cross-section of new physics within the kinematic requirements of the search. The results are interpreted as limits on the parameters of the minimal supergravity framework, limits on cross-sections of simplified models with specific squark and gluino decay modes, and limits on parameters of a model with bilinear R-parity violation.Comment: 18 pages plus author list (30 pages total), 9 figures, 4 tables, final version to appear in Physical Review

The impact of the metabotropic glutamate receptor and other gene family interaction networks on autism

Although multiple reports show that defective genetic networks underlie the aetiology of autism, few have translated into pharmacotherapeutic opportunities. Since drugs compete with endogenous small molecules for protein binding, many successful drugs target large gene families with multiple drug binding sites. Here we search for defective gene family interaction networks (GFINs) in 6,742 patients with the ASDs relative to 12,544 neurologically normal controls, to find potentially druggable genetic targets. We find significant enrichment of structural defects (P≤2.40E-09, 1.8-fold enrichment) in the metabotropic glutamate receptor (GRM) GFIN, previously observed to impact attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and schizophrenia. Also, the MXD-MYC-MAX network of genes, previously implicated in cancer, is significantly enriched (P≤3.83E-23, 2.5-fold enrichment), as is the calmodulin 1 (CALM1) gene interaction network (P≤4.16E-04, 14.4-fold enrichment), which regulates voltage-independent calcium-activated action potentials at the neuronal synapse. We find that multiple defective gene family interactions underlie autism, presenting new translational opportunities to explore for therapeutic interventions

Reducing heterotic M-theory to five dimensional supergravity on a manifold with boundary

This paper constructs the reduction of heterotic $M$-theory in eleven dimensions to a supergravity model on a manifold with boundary in five dimensions using a Calabi-Yau three-fold. New results are presented for the boundary terms in the action and for the boundary conditions on the bulk fields. Some general features of dualisation on a manifold with boundary are used to explain the origin of some topological terms in the action. The effect of gaugino condensation on the fermion boundary conditions leads to a `twist' in the chirality of the gravitino which can provide an uplifting mechanism in the vacuum energy to cancel the cosmological constant after moduli stabilisation.Comment: 16 pages, RevTe

Measurement of tau polarization in W->taunu decays with the ATLAS detector in pp collisions at sqrt(s) = 7 TeV

In this paper, a measurement of tau polarization in W->taunu decays is presented. It is measured from the energies of the decay products in hadronic tau decays with a single final state charged particle. The data, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 24 pb^-1, were collected by the ATLAS experiment at the Large Hadron Collider in 2010. The measured value of the tau polarization is Ptau = -1.06 +/- 0.04 (stat) + 0.05 (syst) - 0.07 (syst), in agreement with the Standard Model prediction, and is consistent with a physically allowed 95% CL interval [-1,-0.91]. Measurements of tau polarization have not previously been made at hadron colliders.Comment: 10 pages plus author list (25 pages total), 4 figures, 4 tables, revised author list, matches published EPJC versio

Which are the best practices for MSc programmes in Sustainable Agriculture?

Programmes of education for sustainable development are important to reformulate and revise educa tional programmes in Sustainable Agriculture. Higher education institutes emerge as learning places to integrate sustainable development into the educational system, through graduation and MSc pro grammes, to provide a more effective response to the higher environmental and agriculture concerns. The aim of this study was to identify the best practices to be included in a MSc programme of education for sustainable development in agriculture based on a questionnaire prepared and distributed to agrarian sciences experts. The questionnaires were developed in order to define the fundamental competences/ expertise, to identify the best practices and the methods of training/learning that should be taken in consideration in a MSc programme in Sustainable Agriculture. The results showed that the fundamental expertise of MSc programmes should be based on knowledge transfer of agricultural measures to mitigate the impact of climate change on agricultural systems. MSc programmes in Sustainable Agri culture should include interdisciplinary courses related to sustainability and agro-environmental tech nologies, such as Precision Agriculture, and incorporate adaptive and mitigate practices as those used in the Circular Economy strategy. Traditional face-to-face training methods are considered the most important forms of training/learning in a MSc programme in Sustainable Agriculture. However, due to COVID-19 pandemic, online learning methods, traditionally considered not suitable for MSc programme in Sustainable Agriculture, became important by providing online education. Information and commu nication technology and technological tools showed to be important skills to effectively implement online learning and to improve the efficient access and use of up-to-date information of the agricultural sector

Different proportion of root cutting and shoot pruning influence the growth of citronella plants

Environment concern, sustainable products demand, and natural components conscious are currently global movement factors. Related to the global movement factors, citronella grass (Cymbopogon nardus L.) is being widely used in folk medicine, and has insect repellent activity, fungal and bactericidal action. Its essential oil has high content of citronellal, citronellol, geraniol. The essential oil is mostly extracted from leaves which turns this plant with high commercial demand. However, to obtain the best therapeutic quality and productivity of medicinal plants, which culminates in greater quantity and quality of the active compounds, the proper management of the crop is fundamental, as several factors can interfere during its growth and development. Thus, we analyzed the growth of citronella plants submitted to different levels of shoot and root cuts. Five different proportions of root pruning (0, 25, 50, 75, 100%), after 145 days of seedling planting and four cuttings in the shoots: blunt; a cut at 145 DAP (days after planting) along with the root cut; a cut at 228 DAP; and cuts at 145 and 228 DAP (two cuts). Four harvesting for dry matter accumulation and photoassimilate partition data were performed. The treatment with 100% root cut, but without leaf cut, increased the total dry mass accumulation of the plant in relation to the other treatments, for the last analysis period, demonstrating a recovery. Thus, the application of two leaf cuts or no leaf cutting within the 100% root cut treatment for leaf dry mass accumulation is more effective when compared to the blunt root treatment