Effective degrees of freedom and gluon condensation in the high temperature deconfined phase

The Equation of State and the properties of matter in the high temperature deconfined phase are analyzed by a quasiparticle approach for $T> 1.2~T_c$. In order to fix the parameters of our model we employ the lattice QCD data of energy density and pressure. First we consider the pure SU(3) gluon plasma and it turns out that such a system can be described in terms of a gluon condensate and of gluonic quasiparticles whose effective number of degrees of freedom and mass decrease with increasing temperature. Then we analyze QCD with finite quark masses. In this case the numerical lattice data for energy density and pressure can be fitted assuming that the system consists of a mixture of gluon quasiparticles, fermion quasiparticles, boson correlated pairs (corresponding to in-medium mesonic states) and gluon condensate. We find that the effective number of boson degrees of freedom and the in-medium fermion masses decrease with increasing temperature. At $T \simeq 1.5 ~T_c$ only the correlated pairs corresponding to the mesonic nonet survive and they completely disappear at $T \simeq 2 ~T_c$. The temperature dependence of the velocity of sound of the various quasiparticles, the effects of the breaking of conformal invariance and the thermodynamic consistency are discussed in detail.Comment: 18 pages, 9 figure

Critical Endpoint and Inverse Magnetic Catalysis for Finite Temperature and Density Quark Matter in a Magnetic Background

In this article we study chiral symmetry breaking for quark matter in a magnetic background, $\bm B$, at finite temperature and quark chemical potential, $\mu$, making use of the Ginzburg-Landau effective action formalism. As a microscopic model to compute the effective action we use the renormalized quark-meson model. Our main goal is to study the evolution of the critical endpoint, ${\cal CP}$, as a function of the magnetic field strength, and investigate on the realization of inverse magnetic catalysis at finite chemical potential. We find that the phase transition at zero chemical potential is always of the second order; for small and intermediate values of $\bm B$, ${\cal CP}$ moves towards small $\mu$, while for larger $\bm B$ it moves towards moderately larger values of $\mu$. Our results are in agreement with the inverse magnetic catalysis scenario at finite chemical potential and not too large values of the magnetic field, while at larger $\bm B$ direct magnetic catalysis sets in.Comment: 6 pages, 2 figure

Opinion dynamics and decision of vote in bipolar political systems

A model of the opinion dynamics underlying the political decision is proposed. The analysis is restricted to a bipolar scheme with a possible third political area. The interaction among voters is local but the final decision strongly depends on global effects such as, for example, the rating of the governments. As in the realistic case, the individual decision making process is determined by the most relevant personal interests and problems. The phenomenological analysis of the national vote in Italy and Germany has been carried out and a prediction of the next Italian vote as a function of the government rating is presented.Comment: 8 pages, 1 figure. To be published in International Journal of Modern Physics

Inhomogeneous phase of a Gluon Plasma at finite temperature and density

By considering the non-perturbative effects associated with the fundamental modular region, a new phase of a Gluon Plasma at finite density is proposed. It corresponds to the transition from glueballs to non-perturbative gluons which condense at a non vanishing momentum. In this respect the proposed phase is analogous to the color superconducting LOFF phase for fermionic systems.Comment: 5 pages, 2 figure

Inhomogeneous chiral symmetry breaking in noncommutative four fermion interactions

The generalization of the Gross-Neveu model for noncommutative 3+1 space-time has been analyzed. We find indications that the chiral symmetry breaking occurs for an inhomogeneous background as in the LOFF phase in condensed matter.Comment: 17 pages, 2 figures, published version, minor correction

A comparison of PBDE serum concentrations in Mexican and Mexican-American children living in California.

BackgroundPolybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE), which are used as flame retardants, have been found to be higher in residents of California than of other parts of the United States.ObjectivesWe aimed to investigate the role of immigration to California on PBDE levels in Latino children.MethodsWe compared serum PBDE concentrations in a population of first-generation Mexican-American 7-year-old children (n = 264), who were born and raised in California [Center for Health Analysis of Mothers and Children of Salinas (CHAMACOS) study], with 5-year-old Mexican children (n = 283), who were raised in the states in Mexico where most CHAMACOS mothers had originated (Proyecto Mariposa).ResultsOn average, PBDE serum concentrations in the California Mexican-American children were three times higher than their mothers' levels during pregnancy and seven times higher than concentrations in the children living in Mexico. The PBDE serum concentrations were higher in the Mexican-American children regardless of length of time their mother had resided in California or the duration of the child's breast-feeding. These data suggest that PBDE serum concentrations in these children resulted primarily from postnatal exposure.ConclusionsLatino children living in California have much higher PBDE serum levels than their Mexican counterparts. Given the growing evidence documenting potential health effects of PBDE exposure, the levels in young children noted in this study potentially present a major public health challenge, especially in California. In addition, as PBDEs are being phased out and replaced by other flame retardants, the health consequences of these chemical replacements should be investigated and weighed against their purported fire safety benefits

Three Questions on Lorentz Violation

We review the basics of the two most widely used approaches to Lorentz violation - the Stardard Model Extension and Noncommutative Field Theory - and discuss in some detail the example of the modified spectrum of the synchrotron radiation. Motivated by touching upon such a fundamental issue as Lorentz symmetry, we ask three questions: What is behind the search for Lorentz violation? Is String Theory a physical theory? Is there an alternative to Supersymmetry?Comment: 16 pages; invited luecture at DICE2006 - Piombino, Italy - September 200

Identification of dysregulated microRNA networks in schwann cell-like cultures exposed to immune challenge: Potential crosstalk with the protective VIP/PACAP neuropeptide system

© 2018 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. Following peripheral nerve injury, dysregulations of certain non-coding microRNAs (miRNAs) occur in Schwann cells. Whether these alterations are the result of local inflammation and/or correlate with perturbations in the expression profile of the protective vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP)/pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP) system is currently unknown. To address these issues, we aimed at profiling the expression of selected miRNAs in the rat RT4 Schwann cell line. Cells exposed to lipopolysaccharide (LPS), to mimic the local inflammatory milieu, were appraised by real-time qPCR, Western blot and ELISAs. We found that upon LPS treatment, levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, -6, -18, -17A, MCP-1 and TNFα) increased in a time-dependent manner. Unexpectedly, the expression levels of VIP and PACAP were also increased. Conversely, levels of VPAC1 and VPAC2 receptors were reduced. Downregulated miRNAs included miR-181b, -145, -27a, -340 and -132 whereas upregulated ones were miR-21, -206, -146a, -34a, -155, -204 and -29a, respectively. Regression analyses revealed that a subset of the identified miRNAs inversely correlated with the expression of VPAC1 and VPAC2 receptors. In conclusion, these findings identified a novel subset of miRNAs that are dysregulated by immune challenge whose activities might elicit a regulatory function on the VIP/PACAP system

Tackling dipeptidyl peptidase IV in neurological disorders

© 2018, Medknow Publications. All rights reserved. Dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPP-IV) is a serine protease best known for its role in inactivating glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP) and glucose-dependent insulinotropic peptide (GIP), three stimulators of pancreatic insulin secretion with beneficial effects on glucose disposal. Owing to the relationship between DPP-IV and these peptides, inhibition of DPP-IV enzyme activity is considered as an attractive treatment option for diabetic patients. Nonetheless, increasing studies support the idea that DPP-IV might also be involved in the development of neurological disorders with a neuroinflammatory component, potentially through its non-incretin activities on immune cells. In this review article, we aim at highlighting recent literature describing the therapeutic value of DPP-IV inhibitors for the treatment of such neurological conditions. Finally, we will illustrate some of the promising results obtained using berberine, a plant extract with potent inhibitory activity on DPP-IV