Supergraph Approach in a Higher-order LDE Calculation of the Effective Potential for F-type Broken SUSY

In this work, we adopt the simplest model that spontaneously breaks supersymmetry, namely, the minimal O'Raifeartaigh model. The effective potential is computed in the framework of the linear delta expansion (LDE) approach up to the order $\delta^2$, conjugated with superspace and supergraph techniques. The latter can be duly mastered even if supersymmetry is no longer exact and the efficacy of the superfield approach in connection with the LDE procedure is confirmed according to our investigation. That opens up a way for a semi-nonperturbative superspace computation which allows us to deal with spontaneously broken supersymmetric models and encourages us to go further and apply this treatment to the Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model (MSSM) precision tests.Comment: 42 pages, 22 figures, text modified, new paragraph added in the conclusions, revtex

A consistent scalar-tensor cosmology for inflation, dark energy and the Hubble parameter

The authors are grateful for financial support to the Cruickshank Trust (CW), EPSRC/GG-Top (CW, JR), Omani Government (MA), Science Without Borders programme, CNPq, Brazil (DR), and STFC/CfFP (CW, AM, RB, JM). CW and AM acknowledge the hospitality of CERN, where this work was started. The University of Aberdeen and University of Edinburgh are charitable bodies registered in Scotland, with respective registration numbers SC013683 and SC005336.Peer reviewedPostprin

Experimental periodontitis promotes transient vascular inflammation and endothelial dysfunction

AbstractObjectivesThis study aimed to evaluate the systemic inflammatory response and cardiovascular changes induced by experimental periodontitis in rats.DesignExperimental periodontitis was induced by placing a cotton ligature around the cervix of both sides of mandibular first molars and maxillary second molars in each male rat. Sham-operated rats had the ligature removed immediately after the procedure. Seven, 14 or 28 days after procedure, the effects of acetylcholine, sodium nitroprusside and phenylephrine were evaluated on blood pressure, aortic rings and isolated and perfused mesenteric bed. The blood was obtained for plasma Interleukin-6 (IL-6), C-reactive protein (CRP) and lipid evaluation. The mesenteric vessels were obtained to evaluate superoxide production and nitric oxide synthase 3 (NOS-3) expression.ResultsLigature induced periodontitis reduced endothelium-dependent vasodilatation, a hallmark of endothelial dysfunction. This effect was associated with an increase in systemic inflammatory markers (IL-6 and CRP), worsens on lipid profile, increased vascular superoxide production and reduced NOS-3 expression. It is interesting to note that many of these effects were transitory.ConclusionPeriodontitis induced a transient systemic and vascular inflammation which leads to endothelial dysfunction, an initial step for cardiovascular diseases. Moreover, the animal model of periodontitis used here may represent a valuable tool for studying the relationship between periodontitis and endothelial dysfunction

POTENCIAL AGRONÔMICO DE Eugenia candolleana D.C. EM ÁREA DE RESTINGA LITORÂNEA EM ARAQUARI-SC, BRASIL: RESULTADOS PARCIAIS

Eugenia candolleana D.C. (Myrtaceae) é uma espécie florestal frutífera endêmica da Mata Atlântica. Apesar da planta possuir propriedades medicinais e de seus frutos serem apreciados para o consumo in natura e na culinária, carece de informações técnicas no âmbito agronômico, principalmente para as condições do litoral nordeste de Santa Catarina. Este trabalho teve por objetivos verificar aspectos relativos ao potencial agronômico de E. candolleana D.C. em área de restinga litorânea. em Araquari-SC, Brasil. O estudo foi realizado em uma população plantas existentes na área do IFC-Campus Araquari (26°22'12'' S e 48°43' 19'' O), durante o período 01/08/2019 a 31/07/2020. Foram analisados: o período de colheita; a estimativa de produção de frutos, determinada pelo acumulado de colheita de todos os frutos maduros por planta; o comportamento pós-colheita, por meio da determinação do “tempo de vida de prateleira” de frutos frescos maduros e recém colhidos, mantidos a 10°C e 25°C, sendo determinadas a matéria fresca (g) e o teor total de sólidos solúveis (°Brix) aos 0, 2, 4, 6 e 8 dias após a colheita, bem como verificadas a ocorrência de alterações visuais nos frutos. Também foi observada a ocorrência de danos causados por pássaros, insetos ou doenças, obtida pela análise visual dos frutos durante a colheita e respectivo cálculo do percentual de frutos danificados. Os frutos foram acondicionados em bandejas plásticas. Da população de plantas observadas, foi possível realizar a colheita em apenas uma, possivelmente devido à juvenilidade das demais. O período de colheita de frutos foi de 29 dias, de 28/02/2020 à 28/03/2020, sendo realizadas ao todo 11 colheitas. Foi possível verificar duas etapas de produção, a primeira de 11 dias, referente à primeira florada e a outra de 14 dias de maior intensidade e produção. A produção total estimada foi 22,17 kg.planta-1 e o pesomédio dos frutos foi de 5,09g. Houveram danos decorrentes de pássaros e/ou queda natural em 21% dos frutos. O tempo de prateleira foi maior para frutos mantidos refrigerados, com redução de 12,06 para 11,24 °Brix e de 3% para matéria fresca aos 8 dias após a colheita. Frutos mantidos à 25°C reduziram de 12,5 para 11,42, 7,42 e 7,24 °Brix aos 4, 6 e 8 dias após a colheita, respectivamente, com cerca de 14% de redução de matéria fresca no final do período. Aos quatro dias após a colheita à 25°C, os frutos apresentaram odor desagradável, possivelmente devido a presença de larvas de insetos (mosca das frutas), sendo esta a principal causa de danos observada em frutos no final do tempo de prateleira. De acordo com as condições em que o trabalho foi desenvolvido pode-se concluir que: E. candolleana apresenta potencial agronômico quanto à produtividade de frutos; o reduzido tempo de prateleira demanda cuidados na comercialização de frutos frescos in natura e a refrigeração é uma alternativa na conservação da qualidade dos frutos em pós-colheita; Mosca das frutas é a principal praga encontrada, com potencial de dano econômico principalmente em pós-colheita

Opsoclonus-myoclonus-ataxia syndrome associated with chikungunya and dengue virus co-infection

Submitted by Ana Maria Fiscina Sampaio ([email protected]) on 2018-09-19T16:55:58Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Rosario MS Opsoclonus-Myoclonus-Ataxia Syndrome....pdf: 514736 bytes, checksum: 2d645cdbe4121ce8c8d637e1a2c7ed2d (MD5) Approved for entry into archive by Ana Maria Fiscina Sampaio ([email protected]) on 2018-09-19T17:27:26Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 Rosario MS Opsoclonus-Myoclonus-Ataxia Syndrome....pdf: 514736 bytes, checksum: 2d645cdbe4121ce8c8d637e1a2c7ed2d (MD5) Made available in DSpace on 2018-09-19T17:27:26Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Rosario MS Opsoclonus-Myoclonus-Ataxia Syndrome....pdf: 514736 bytes, checksum: 2d645cdbe4121ce8c8d637e1a2c7ed2d (MD5) Previous issue date: 2018 CNPq-National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (302584/2015-3) and MCTI-Ministry of Science, Technology, Innovation/FINEP–Funding Authority for Studies and Projects/FNDCT–National Fund for the Development of Science and Technology (04160060-00/2016) Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto Gonçalo Moniz. Salvador, BA, Brasil / Secretaria Estadual da Saúde da Bahia. Hospital Geral Roberto Santos. Salvador, BA, Brasil Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto Gonçalo Moniz. Salvador, BA, Brasil / University of Rome Tor Vergata. Rome, Italy Secretaria Estadual da Saúde da Bahia. Hospital Geral Roberto Santos. Salvador, BA, Brasil / Universidade Federal da Bahia. Faculdade de Medicina. Salvador, BA, Brasil Secretaria Estadual da Saúde da Bahia. Hospital Geral Roberto Santos. Salvador, BA, Brasil University of Oxford. Department of Zoology. Oxford, UK Instituto Evandro Chagas. Centro de Tecnologia e Inovação. Ananindeua, PA, Brasil Instituto Evandro Chagas. Centro de Tecnologia e Inovação. Ananindeua, PA, Brasil Instituto Evandro Chagas. Centro de Tecnologia e Inovação. Ananindeua, PA, Brasil Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto Gonçalo Moniz. Salvador, BA, Brasil Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto Gonçalo Moniz. Salvador, BA, Brasil Opsoclonus-myoclonus-ataxia syndrome (OMAS) is a rare neurological disorder characterized by irregular multidirectional eye movements, myoclonus, cerebellar ataxia, sleep disturbances, and cognitive dysfunction. Although most commonly related to paraneoplastic syndrome, this condition has occasionally been described following infectious illnesses. This article reports the first case of OMAS in association with chikungunya and dengue virus co-infection. The genetic analysis identified chikungunya virus of East/Central/South African genotype and dengue serotype 4 virus of genotype II. This report represents an unusual clinical syndrome associated with viral co-infection and reinforces the need for clinical vigilance with regard to neurological syndromes in the context of emergent arboviruses

Rarity of monodominance in hyperdiverse Amazonian forests.

Tropical forests are known for their high diversity. Yet, forest patches do occur in the tropics where a single tree species is dominant. Such "monodominant" forests are known from all of the main tropical regions. For Amazonia, we sampled the occurrence of monodominance in a massive, basin-wide database of forest-inventory plots from the Amazon Tree Diversity Network (ATDN). Utilizing a simple defining metric of at least half of the trees ≥ 10 cm diameter belonging to one species, we found only a few occurrences of monodominance in Amazonia, and the phenomenon was not significantly linked to previously hypothesized life history traits such wood density, seed mass, ectomycorrhizal associations, or Rhizobium nodulation. In our analysis, coppicing (the formation of sprouts at the base of the tree or on roots) was the only trait significantly linked to monodominance. While at specific locales coppicing or ectomycorrhizal associations may confer a considerable advantage to a tree species and lead to its monodominance, very few species have these traits. Mining of the ATDN dataset suggests that monodominance is quite rare in Amazonia, and may be linked primarily to edaphic factors

Analysis of the discrepancies between the vertical reference frames of Argentina and Brazil

The vertical reference frames for Argentina and Brazil present discrepancies due to their different datums and realizations. Thus, since 2008, we have started a series of activities with the aim of unifying the Argentine and Brazilian national vertical networks (NVNs). To achieve this goal, we have connected the two NVNs at three border points by using the geodetic levelling approach. Additionally, the gravity field approach was also applied, based on a suitable representation of the geoid by considering the Earth GravitationalModel (EGM2008) in its full resolution. In this regard, 1266 co-located Global Positioning System (GPS) and levelling benchmarks regularly distributed over Argentina (612) and Brazil (654) were considered. The geodetic levelling approach shows an offset value of 54 cm, which implies that the Argentine vertical reference frame is above that of the Brazilian vertical reference frame. However, the result of the gravimetric approach shows an offset of 57 cm, which implies a difference of approximately 3 cm between both methods. Hence, since Brazil and Argentina represent a significant part of South America, the solution to the datum problem between both countries could point towards a common vertical reference frame for the Atlantic side.Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias y Forestale

Biclustering models for two-mode ordinal data

The work in this paper introduces finite mixture models that can be used to simul- taneously cluster the rows and columns of two-mode ordinal categorical response data, such as those resulting from Likert scale responses. We use the popular proportional odds parameterisation and propose models which provide insights into major patterns in the data. Model-fitting is performed using the EM algorithm and a fuzzy allocation of rows and columns to corresponding clusters is obtained. The clustering ability of the models is evaluated in a simulation study and demonstrated using two real data sets