Yukawa Structure with Maximal Predictability

A simple Ansatz for the quark mass matrices is considered, based on the assumption of a power structure for the matrix elements and the requirement of maximal predictability. A good fit to the present experimental data is obtained and the position of the vertex of the unitarity triangle, i.e. (\bar{\rho},\bar{\eta}), is predicted.Comment: 13 pages, 2 EPS figures, some modifications and references added; version to appear in Phys. Lett.

Electroweak Baryogenesis in the Presence of an Isosinglet Quark

We consider the possibility of electroweak baryogenesis in a simple extension of the standard model with an extra singlet complex scalar and a vector-like down quark. We show that in the present model the first-order electroweak phase transition can be strong enough to avoid the baryon asymmetry washout by sphalerons and that the CP-violating effects can be sufficient to explain the observed baryon-to-entropy ratio nB/s ~ 10^(-10). Other appealing features of the model include the generation of a CKM phase from spontaneous CP breaking at a high energy scale and a possible solution of the strong CP problem through the natural suppression of the parameter theta.Comment: LaTeX, 19 pages, 2 EPS figures, uses epsf, amsmath, amsfonts, amssym

Spontaneous CP Violation in a SUSY Model with a complex CKM

It is pointed out that the recent measurement of the angle $\gamma$ of the unitarity triangle, providing irrefutable evidence for a complex Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Maskawa (CKM) matrix, presents a great challenge for supersymmetric models with spontaneous CP violation. We construct a new minimal extension of the minimal supersymmetric standard model (MSSM), with spontaneous CP breaking, which leads to a complex CKM matrix, thus conforming to present experimental data. This is achieved through the introduction of two singlet chiral superfields and a vector-like quark chiral superfield which mixes with the standard quarks. A $Z_3$ symmetry is introduced in order to have a potential solution to the strong CP problem.Comment: 12 pages. Uses the elsart.cls LaTeX class. Minor corrections and references adde

Nearest-Neighbour Interaction from an Abelian Symmetry and Deviations from Hermiticity

We show that Nearest-Neighbour Interaction (NNI) textures for the quark mass matrices can be obtained through the introduction of an Abelian flavour symmetry. The minimal realisation requires a Z_4 symmetry in the context of a two Higgs doublet model. It is further shown that the NNI textures can be in agreement with all present experimental data on quark masses and mixings, provided one allows for deviations of Hermiticity in the quark mass matrices at the 20% level.Comment: 11 pages, 1 figure; references and minor corrections adde

PREVALÊNCIA DE INFECÇÃO URINÁRIA E DE Actinomyces suis EM PORCAS GESTANTES E SUA CORRELAÇÃO COM ALGUNS PARÂMETROS FÍSICOS E QUÍMICOS DA URINA

O presente trabalho teve como objetivo determinar a prevalência de infecção urinária e da bactéria Actinomyces suis na urina de 1745 porcas gestantes da região Sul do Brasil e correlacionar essa prevalência com parâmetros físicos e químicos da urina. A prevalência de infecção urinária e de A. suis foi de 28,31% e 20,63%, respectivamente. Observou-se correlação negativa entre infecção urinária e A. suis, ou seja, as porcas que apresentaram infecção urinária tinham menor prevalência de A. suis (13,67%) do que as que não a apresentaram (23,12%). Da mesma forma, as porcas portadoras de A. suis, tinham menor prevalência de infecção urinária (17,43%) do que as não portadoras (28,62%). Apenas 3,60% das porcas examinadas eram positivas para infecção urinária e A. suis simultaneamente. A cor predominante da urina foi a amarelo claro, tanto para as porcas portadoras ou não portadoras de infecção urinária ou de A. suis. Constatou-se a presença de turbidez em 83,15% das amostras, sendo que em 96,18% das amostras turvas observou-se a presença de cristais. Finalmente, a cor, aspecto, densidade, pH e presença de cristais, foram considerados como parâmetros sem valor para o diagnóstico presuntivo de infecção urinária em porcas gestantes. Prevalence of urinary tract infections and of Actinomyces suis in urine from pregnant sows. Correlation with some urines physical and chemical parameters Abstract A survey has been carried out in urine samples from 1745 pregnant sows from Southern Brazil, in regard to the prevalence of urinary infections and of Actinomyces suis and its correlation with some of the urine physical and chemical parameters. Prevalence of urinary infections was of 28.31% and that of A. suis, 20.63%. However, a negative correlation has been found between the incidence of urinary infection and the presence of A. suis, the prevalence of the latter being lower in sows which are positive for urinary infections (13.67%) than in those without urinary infection (23.12%). At the same time, sows positive for A. suis display a lesser number of urinary infection (17.43%) than those negative for the bacteria (28.62%). Only in 3.60% of the sows, urinary infection and A. suis occurred simultaneously. Due to the presence of crystals, turbidity was frequently observed in sows urine (83.15%). Crystals were present in 96.18% of sows turbid urine samples. Furthermore, color, turbidity, density, pH and the presence of crystals were not considered of value for the presumptive diagnosis of urinary tract infections in pregnant sows

A new heparan sulfate from the mollusk nodipecten nodosus inhibits merozoite invasion and disrupts rosetting and cytoadherence of plasmodium falciparum

Despite treatment with effective antimalarial drugs, the mortality rate is still high in severe cases of the disease, highlighting the need to find adjunct therapies that can inhibit the adhesion of Pf-iEs. In this context, we evaluated a new heparan sulfate (HS) from Nodipecten nodosus for antimalarial activity and inhibition of P. falciparum cytoadhesion and rosetting. Parasite inhibition was measured by SYBR green using a cytometer. HS was assessed in rosetting and cytoadhesion assays under static and flow conditions using CHO and HLEC cells expressing ICAM1 and CSA, respectively. This HS inhibited merozoite invasion similar to heparin. Moreover, mollusk HS decreased cytoadherence of P. falciparum to CSA (chondroitin sulfate A) and ICAM-1 (intercellular adhesion molecule-1) on the surface of endothelial cells under static and flow conditions. In addition, this glycan efficiently disrupted rosettes. These findings support a potential use for mollusk HS as adjunct therapy for severe malaria114CONSELHO NACIONAL DE DESENVOLVIMENTO CIENTÍFICO E TECNOLÓGICO - CNPQFUNDAÇÃO CARLOS CHAGAS FILHO DE AMPARO À PESQUISA DO ESTADO DO RIO DE JANEIRO - FAPERJFUNDAÇÃO DE AMPARO À PESQUISA DO ESTADO DE SÃO PAULO - FAPESPnão temnão tem2012/16525-2; 2017/18611-7; 2010/18571-6; 2015/20774-

Discriminating among Earth composition models using geo-antineutrinos

It has been estimated that the entire Earth generates heat corresponding to about 40 TW (equivalent to 10,000 nuclear power plants) which is considered to originate mainly from the radioactive decay of elements like U, Th and K, deposited in the crust and mantle of the Earth. Radioactivity of these elements produce not only heat but also antineutrinos (called geo-antineutrinos) which can be observed by terrestrial detectors. We investigate the possibility of discriminating among Earth composition models predicting different total radiogenic heat generation, by observing such geo-antineutrinos at Kamioka and Gran Sasso, assuming KamLAND and Borexino (type) detectors, respectively, at these places. By simulating the future geo-antineutrino data as well as reactor antineutrino background contributions, we try to establish to which extent we can discriminate among Earth composition models for given exposures (in units of kt$\cdot$ yr) at these two sites on our planet. We use also information on neutrino mixing parameters coming from solar neutrino data as well as KamLAND reactor antineutrino data, in order to estimate the number of geo-antineutrino induced events.Comment: 24 pages, 10 figures, final version to appear in JHE

Hypospadias in two cats - case report

ABSTRACT Hypospadias is an uncommon sexual development disorder in cats, in which the urethral opening is not in its anatomical location on the penis. The purpose of this report is to describe two cases of hypospadias in the feline species. The first cat was asymptomatic, had a history of bacterial cystitis, and was diagnosed with perineal hypospadias at an appointment for preoperative evaluation of orchiectomy. The second cat had clinical signs of dysuria and pollakiuria for 30 days and had glandular hypospadias. Both cats showed abnormalities in the urinalysis which were suggestive of lower urinary tract disease. For both cases, clinical treatment with antibiotic therapy was performed. In the first patient, surgical treatment consisted of orchiectomy, while in the second animal a perineal urethrostomy and orchiectomy were performed. The cats had a satisfactory recovery after the treatments. Performing a thorough physical examination is essential to diagnose cases of hypospadias and choose the best treatment for each patient