Automorphisms of the affine SU(3) fusion rules

We classify the automorphisms of the (chiral) level-k affine SU(3) fusion rules, for any value of k, by looking for all permutations that commute with the modular matrices S and T. This can be done by using the arithmetic of the cyclotomic extensions where the problem is naturally posed. When k is divisible by 3, the automorphism group (Z_2) is generated by the charge conjugation C. If k is not divisible by 3, the automorphism group (Z_2 x Z_2) is generated by C and the Altsch\"uler--Lacki--Zaugg automorphism. Although the combinatorial analysis can become more involved, the techniques used here for SU(3) can be applied to other algebras.Comment: 21 pages, plain TeX, DIAS-STP-92-4

La alfabetización estética y la contribución de los museoscomo artefactos culturales

Transitando el siglo XXI la escuela es testigo de los avances de las nuevas tecnologías y de los medios de comunicación, la agudización de las desigualdades sociales, la entronización del presente, la globalización, el consumismo omnipresente, y un Estado y otras figuras de autoridad que se van desdibujando.Ante estos fenómenos sociales que modifican la percepción y la construcción de las identidades de los sujetos, la escuela debe abrirse camino para generar nuevos espacios, y brindar herramientas cognitivas por medio de una transformación que responda a las necesidades de la época actual.Vincular las nuevas tecnologías con la didáctica, entendiéndolas como un producto socio-cultural y no como mera herramienta para el aula, es un desafío que la escuela no debería dejar pasar.Urge pensar nuevos espacios que contribuyan a constituir nuevas prácticas de alfabetización. Una manera posible sería la de establecer un vínculo con el arte de tal manera que la escuela presente la posibilidad de otorgar herramientas cognitivas para interpretar y producir mensajes además de acceder a nuevas formas de tecnología. Una de esas herramientas pueden ser los artefactos culturales, entre ellos los museos

Ceramic production and raw materials in the Tuscan-Ligurian region: an archaeological and petrographic approach in a diachronic perspective

This contribute focuses on the history of ceramic production of a large geographic area from the archaeological point of view encompassing Liguria and N-W Tuscany and using a petro-archaeometrical approach ( essentially based on thin-section analyses of more than a thousand of samples)

Implications of an arithmetical symmetry of the commutant for modular invariants

We point out the existence of an arithmetical symmetry for the commutant of the modular matrices S and T. This symmetry holds for all affine simple Lie algebras at all levels and implies the equality of certain coefficients in any modular invariant. Particularizing to SU(3)_k, we classify the modular invariant partition functions when k+3 is an integer coprime with 6 and when it is a power of either 2 or 3. Our results imply that no detailed knowledge of the commutant is needed to undertake a classification of all modular invariants.Comment: 17 pages, plain TeX, DIAS-STP-92-2

V’O2 kinetics in response to High-Intensity-Interval Training (HIT) and isoinertial resistance training (IRT) in older, healthy men

High intensity exercise training (HIT) accelerates V’O2 kinetics (VO2k) in older subjects. It is controversial whether IRT may elicit the same adaptation. We explored the effect of HIT and IRT on VO2k and muscle deoxygenation during moderate intensity exercise in older, healthy men. 12 men (68 yy ± 4) were exposed to 8 weeks (3 times a week) of: i) HIT, and, after 4 months, ii) IRT performed with an isoinertial YoYo. Before and after training we measured: i) V’O2 peak (V’O2p); ii) breath-by-breath V’O2 and fractional muscle O2 extraction (∆HHb) of vastus lateralis by quantitative NIRS during step-exercise transitions of moderate intensity. VO2k was modeled by means of a double - exponential function to obtain the time constant (Tau) of its primary component. The normalized ∆HHb to ∆V’O2 ratio (∆HHb/∆V’O2) was calculated as and index of the matching between muscular O2 delivery (VO2m) and uptake (QaO2). V’O2p increased after HIT (29.9 mL min-1 kg-1 ± 4.3 - 32.6 mL min-1 kg-1± 6.0, p<0.05); it was not affected by IRT. Tau decreased after HIT (26.97 s ± 5.54 - 19.63 s ± 4.31, p<0.05); it did not change after IRT. Peak ∆HHb/∆V’O2 was smaller after HIT (1.83 ± 0.63 - 1.23 ± 0.37, p<0.05); it was not affected by IRT. 8 weeks of HIT accelerated V’O2k and improved the matching between QaO2 and VO2m. IRT did not lead to any improvement of ∆HHb/∆V’O2 and left V’O2k unchanged. Results suggest that the acceleration of V’O2k was mainly due to the improved matching of VO2m to QaO2

Effects of nicotine on microvascular responsiveness after nicotine satiety versus overnight nicotine abstinence

[no abstract available

Patient-specific blood flow simulations in the pulmonary bifurcation of patients with tetralogy of fallot

Dysfunction of the pulmonary valve and narrowing of the branch pulmonary arteries are common chronic complications in adult patients with tetralogy of Fallot; the most common cyanotic congenital heart disease with an estimate prevalence 1 in 3000 live births. Clinical consequences include, but are not limited to, abnormal lung development and elevated pulmonary vascular resistance. It is, therefore, crucial to better understand and characterise the haemodynamic environment in the pulmonary bifurcation to better diagnose and treat these patients. In this study, we have focused on investigating the blood flow dynamics in patient-specific geometries of the pulmonary bifurcation by means of computational models

SPEEDING OF V’O2 KINETICS IN RESPONSE TO HIGH-INTENSITY-INTERVAL TRAINING IN OLDER, HEALTHY MEN

Introduction Experimental evidence suggests that High Intensity Interval Training (HIT, high intensity - low volume exercise) may be effective in accelerating the dynamic response pulmonary O2 uptake (V’O2) in older subjects through an improvement of the matching between local O2 delivery and uptake (Williams et al., 2013). This study explores the effect of HIT on V’O2 kinetics and muscle deoxygenating during step transitions of moderate intensity, cycling exercise in older, healthy men. Methods 12 moderately active older adults (68-yy ± 4) were exposed to 8 weeks of HIT training with 7 two-minute repetitions at 40 and 90% of V ̇O2max, 3 times a week. Before and after training we measured: i) V’O2 peak (V’O2p), gas exchange threshold (GET) and respiratory compensation point (RCP) during an incremental test up to exhaustion; ii) breath-by-breath V’O2 and change of fractional muscle O2 extraction (ΔHHb) of vastus lateralis by quantitative NIRS during three step-exercise transitions performed at a workload corresponding to 90% of GET. V’O2 kinetics was modeled, after synchronization and overlapping of the three series, by means of a double - exponential function so that we estimated the time constant (Tau) of the primary component of VO2 kinetics. Finally, the normalized ΔHHb to ΔV’O2 ratio was obtained as index of the matching between muscular O2 delivery and uptake (De Roia et al., 2012; Murias et al., 2011). Results V’O2max increased by 9% (29.9 mL min-1 kg-1 ±4.3 - 32.6 mL min-1 kg-1± 6.0, p<0.01, ES 0.51) after 8 weeks of HIT. RCP (respiratory compensation point, per cent of V’O2max) significantly improved by 10% (76.4 % ± 8.3 - 82.9 % ± 4.9, p<0.05, ES 0.97); Tau decreased by about 26% (26.97 s ± 5.54 - 19.63 s ± 4.31, p<0.001, ES 1.48), suggesting a substantial acceleration of V’O2 kinetics; peak value of ΔHHb to ΔV’O2 ratio was smaller after HIT (∼ 29%) (1.83 ± 0.63 - 1.23 ± 0.37, p<0.01, ES 1.17). Discussion This study shows that 8 weeks of HIT were sufficient to induce a significant acceleration of V’O2 kinetics during moderate intensity exercise and to improve the matching between muscular O2 delivery and uptake in older, healthy men. These results suggest that the acceleration of the dynamic response of aerobic metabolism was due to an improved matching of O2 utilization to microvascular delivery. References Williams AM, Paterson DH, Kowalchuk JM. (2013) J Appl Physiol 114, 1550–1562. De Roia G, Pogliaghi S, Adami A, Papadopoulou C, Capelli C. (2012) Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol. 302, R1158- R1166. Murias JM, Spencer MD, DeLorey DS, Gurd BJ, Kowalchuk JM, Paterson DH. (2011) J Appl Physiol 111, 1410–1415