Infinite-dimensional representations of the rotation group and Dirac's monopole problem

Within the context of infinite-dimensional representations of the rotation group the Dirac monopole problem is studied in details. Irreducible infinite-dimensional representations, being realized in the indefinite metric Hilbert space, are given by linear unbounded operators in infinite-dimensional topological spaces, supplied with a weak topology and associated weak convergence. We argue that an arbitrary magnetic charge is allowed, and the Dirac quantization condition can be replaced by a generalized quantization rule yielding a new quantum number, the so-called topological spin, which is related to the weight of the Dirac string.Comment: JHEP style. Extended version of hep-th/0403146. Revised version, title and some notations are changed. References and Appendix B are adde

DEVELOPMENT OF NIPA (Nypa fruticans) SAP CLOSED COLLECTION VESSEL

The ultimate goal of the present study was to develop a secure, safe, and hygienic nipa sap collection system for bioethanol production, with the aim of preserving its physico-chemical properties such as physical appearance, pH and sugar brix by reducing the rate of fermentation while attached to the peduncle. The developed collection system was evaluated in terms of the physical and chemical properties of nipa sap collected and ethanol yield in comparison to the traditional and existing collection system used by the nipa community which utilizes bamboo shingle as their collector. Physical appearance of the sap collected using the designed collection system had no foreign materials after harvesting while the traditional collection system had shown traces of insect infestation. The sap that was produced for both of the designed and traditional collection system was milky-white and yellowish-white in color respectively. There was a significant difference in terms of pH concentration of the sap collected using the designed collection system compared to the sap collected using the traditional system overtime. Sugar brix of nipa sap collected using designed collection system is significantly higher than the sap collected using traditional system. A total ethanol yield of 32.25% and 75.54% was obtained for the designed and traditional collection system respectively. Cost Analysis revealed that the designed collection system was found to be cheaper (PhP 11.93) than the traditional collection system (PhP. 20.00). The developed closed collection system can preserved the chemical properties of the nipa sap and could prevent acceleration of fermentation and the deterioration of its potential to yield more ethanol

Higher-U(2,2)-spin fields and higher-dimensional W-gravities: quantum AdS space and radiation phenomena

A physical and geometrical interpretation of previously introduced tensor operator algebras of U(2,2) in terms of algebras of higher-conformal-spin quantum fields on the anti-de Sitter space AdS_5 is provided. These are higher-dimensional W-like algebras and constitute a potential gauge guide principle towards the formulation of induced conformal gravities (Wess-Zumino-Witten-like models) in realistic dimensions. Some remarks on quantum (Moyal) deformations are given and potentially tractable versions of noncommutative AdS spaces are also sketched. The role of conformal symmetry in the microscopic description of Unruh and Hawking's radiation effects is discussed.Comment: LaTeX, 30 pages, 2 figures, final version to appear in Class. and Quant. Gra

Thermal Vacuum Radiation in Spontaneously Broken Second-Quantized Theories on Curved Phase Spaces of Constant Curvature

We construct second-quantized (field) theories on coset spaces of pseudo-unitary groups U(p,q)$. The existence of degenerated quantum vacua (coherent states of zero modes) leads to a breakdown of the original pseudo-unitary symmetry. The action of some spontaneously broken symmetry transformations destabilize the vacuum and make it to radiate. We study the structure of this thermal radiation for curved phase spaces of constant curvature: complex projective spaces CP^{N-1}=SU(N)/U(N-1) and open complex balls CD^{N-1}=SU(1,N-1)/U(N-1). Positive curvature is related to generalized Fermi-Dirac (FD) statistics, whereas negative curvature is connected with generalized Bose-Einstein (BE) statistics, the standard cases being recovered for N=2. We also make some comments on the contribution of the vacuum (dark) energy to the cosmological constant and the phenomenon of inflation.Comment: 17 pages. This article deals with a sort of "curvature-statistics connection". To appear in Int. J. Geom. Meth. Mod. Phy

Evaluation of Guineagrass (\u3ci\u3ePanicum maximum\u3c/i\u3e Jacq) Hybrids in Brazil

Guineagrass (Panicum maximum Jacq.) is responsible for a high percentage of cattle finishing and milk production in Brazil, but presents problems of pasture degradability due to high soil fertility requirements and uneven production distribution. In order to search for new varieties to reduce these problems, over four hundred apomictic accessions of guineagrass and several sexual plants were introduced to Brazil in 1982. Agronomic evaluation took place at the National Beef Cattle Research Center of the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (Embrapa Beef Cattle), in Campo Grande, MS, Brazil. Breeding of the apomictic species began in 1990 using sexual x apomictic crosses. Three sexual plants and five apomictic accessions were used in the crosses. Seventy-nine hybrids were evaluated in small plots, for forage yield, regrowth after cuts, flowering and vigor during three years. The best families were identified for each characteristic evaluated. Multivariate analysis using principal components grouped the hybrids into six clusters according to their production. Due to superior performance, hybrids in groups 6 and 2 (22 hybrids) were indicated for future regional trials in small plot evaluations and grazing studies, aiming at releasing new cultivars for pasture diversification in Brazil

A New Extrafloral Nectary-Bearing Plant Species in the Brazilian Savanna and its Associated Ant Community: Nectary Structure, Nectar Production and Ecological Interactions

Brazilian Savanna stands out for the large number of species with extrafloral nectaries (EFNs) with high morphological diversity. In Smilax polyantha (Smilacaceae), the base of the petiole showed a slight secretion and great visitation by ants suggesting the presence of an EFN. In this way, we aimed to determine the ant community associated with this plant, as well as to identify and characterize this unsuspected structure and determine the phenology and liquid production of this tissue. The study was carried out in a Cerrado area, in Uberlândia, Brazil. Ten individuals were used for the anatomical analysis and histochemical tests and the EFNs secretory activity was monitored, being categorized into active and non-active EFN. In addition, the volume and sucrose concentration were determined from three nectaries of ten individuals, and individuals of ants found foraging on these nectary were collected, day and night. Results showed a large amount of extrafloral nectar secretion and the EFN tissue is composed of a few cell layers that showed positive reactions for proteins and reducing sugars. We recorded a significantly correlation between percentage of EFNs activity and abundance of ants. The secretory activity is concentrated in September and ten ant species, of five subfamilies, were identified foraging on the EFNs

Structure Constants for New Infinite-Dimensional Lie Algebras of U(N+,N-) Tensor Operators and Applications

The structure constants for Moyal brackets of an infinite basis of functions on the algebraic manifolds M of pseudo-unitary groups U(N_+,N_-) are provided. They generalize the Virasoro and W_\infty algebras to higher dimensions. The connection with volume-preserving diffeomorphisms on M, higher generalized-spin and tensor operator algebras of U(N_+,N_-) is discussed. These centrally-extended, infinite-dimensional Lie-algebras provide also the arena for non-linear integrable field theories in higher dimensions, residual gauge symmetries of higher-extended objects in the light-cone gauge and C^*-algebras for tractable non-commutative versions of symmetric curved spaces.Comment: 8 pages, LaTeX, no figures; minor comments added; to appear in J. Phys A (Math. Gen.

Therapeutic intranasal vaccine HB-ATV-8 prevents atherogenesis and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in a pig model of atherosclerosis

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Atherosclerosis as an inflammatory disease involved in the etiology of cardiovascular disease worldwide, in our days demands an array of different therapeutic approaches in order to soon be able to visualize an effective prevention. Based on an immunotherapeutic approach, we designed a non-invasive vaccine (HB-ATV-8), contained in a micellar nanoparticle composed of lipids and a peptide segment derived from the C-terminus of the cholesterol-ester transfer protein (CETP). Now we extend our successful proof of concept from the rabbit to a porcine model and investigated its effect in an attempt to undoubtedly establish the efficacy of vaccination in a model closer to the human. METHODS: A preclinical trial was designed to study the efficacy of vaccine HB-ATV-8 in pigs (Large White × Landrace). Male experimental animals were fed with standard diet (control), high fat diet (HFD) or the same HFD but treated with HB-ATV-8 (HFD + Vaccine) applied nasally for up to 7 months. All biochemical and enzymatic analyses were performed in peripheral venous blood and thoracic aorta and liver samples examined using conventional, two-photon excitation and second harmonic generation microscopy to identify atherosclerotic and hepatic lesions. mRNA concentrations for KLF2, ACTA2, SOD1, COL1A1 genes and protein levels for PPARα and ABCA1 were quantified in aorta and liver respectively using qPCR and Western blot analysis. RESULTS: The administration of vaccine HB-ATV-8 induced anti-CETP IgG antibodies and reduced atherosclerotic and hepatic lesions promoted by the high fat diet. In addition, plasma triglyceride levels of vaccine treated pigs fed the HFD were similar to those of control group, in contrast to high concentrations reached with animals exclusively fed with HFD. Moreover, HFD promotes a tendency to decreased hepatic PPARα levels and increase in aorta gene expression of KLF2, ACTA2, SOD1 and COL1A1, while vaccine application promotes recovery close to control values. CONCLUSIONS: Vaccine HB-ATV-8 administration constitutes a promissory preventive approach useful in the control of atherogenesis and fatty liver disease. The positive results obtained, the non-invasive characteristics of the vaccine, the simple design employed in its conception and its low production cost, support the novelty of this therapeutic strategy designed to prevent the process of atherogenesis and control the development of fatty liver disease