The magnetic fields of large Virgo cluster spirals: Paper II

The Virgo cluster of galaxies provides excellent conditions for studying interactions of galaxies with the cluster environment. Both the high-velocity tidal interactions and effects of ram pressure stripping by the intracluster gas can be investigated in detail. We extend our systematic search for possible anomalies in the magnetic field structures of Virgo cluster spirals in order to characterize a variety of effects and attribute them to different disturbing agents. Six angularly large Virgo cluster spiral galaxies (NGC4192, NGC4302, NGC4303, NGC4321, NGC4388, and NGC4535) were targets of a sensitive total power and polarization study using the 100-m radio telescope in Effelsberg at 4.85GHz and 8.35GHz (except for NGC4388 observed only at 4.85GHz, and NGC4535 observed only at 8.35GHz). Magnetic field structures distorted to various extent are found in all galaxies. Three galaxies (NGC4302, NGC4303, and NGC4321) show some signs of possible tidal interactions, while NGC4388 and NGC4535 have very likely experienced strong ram-pressure and shearing effects, respectively, visible as distortions and asymmetries of polarized intensity distributions. As in our previous study, even strongly perturbed galaxies closely follow the radio-far-infrared correlation. In NGC4303 and NGC4321, we observe symmetric spiral patterns of the magnetic field and in NGC4535 an asymmetric pattern. Magnetic fields allow us to trace even weak interactions that are difficult to detect with other observations. Our results show that the degree of distortions of a galaxy is not a simple function of the distance to the cluster center but reflects also the history of its interactions. The angle between the velocity vector and the rotation vector of a galaxy may be a general parameter that describes the level of distortions of galactic magnetic fields.Comment: 12 pages, 18 figures, 2 tables. Accepted for publication in Astronomy and Astrophysic

Indole-3-carboxyaldehyde does not reverse the intestinal effects of fiber-free diet in mice

ObjectiveFiber-free diet impairs intestinal and colonic health in mice, in parallel with a reduction in glucagon like peptide-1 (GLP-1) levels. Endogenous GLP-1 is important for intestinal growth and maintenance of the intestinal integrity. We aimed to investigate whether fiber-free diet reduces luminal content of metabolites which, upon supplementation, could increase GLP-1 secretion and restore the adverse effects of fiber-free diet.MethodsUntargeted metabolomics (LC-MS) was performed on colonic content of mice fed a fiber-free diet, identifying a metabolite of particular interest: indole-3-carboxyaldehyde (I3A). We exposed cultured GLUTag cells to I3A, and measured cumulative GLP-1 secretion. Isolated colon perfusions were performed in male C57BL/6JRj mice and Wistar rats. I3A was administered luminally or vascularly, and GLP-1 was measured in portal vein effluent. Finally, female C57BL/6JRJ mice were fed chow or fiber-free diet, with I3A or vehicle by oral gavage. After 10 days, plasma GLP-1 (ELISA) and intestinal permeability (FITC-dextran) were measured, animals were sacrificed and organs removed for histology.ResultsMice fed a fiber-free diet had significantly lower I3A in their colonic content compared to a control diet (7883 ± 3375 AU, p=0.04). GLP-1 secretion from GLUTag cells was unchanged after five minutes of exposure to I3A. However, GLP-1 levels increased after 120 minutes of exposure to 1 mM (60% increase, p=0.016) and 5 mM (89% increase, p=0.0025) I3A. In contrast, 48 h exposure to 1 mM decreased GLP-1 secretion (51% decrease, p<0.001) and viability. In isolated perfused mouse and rat colon, I3A applied into the luminal or vascular side did not affect GLP-1 secretion. Mice fed a fiber-free diet tended to weigh less compared to chow fed mice; and the small intestine and colon were significantly smaller. No differences were seen in crypt depth, villus length, mucosal area, and intestinal permeability. Supplementing I3A did not affect body weight, morphology or plasma GLP-1 levels.ConclusionsFiber-free diet lowered colonic content of I3A in mice. I3A stimulates GLP-1 secretion in vitro, but not in animal studies. Moreover, it has no evident beneficial effect on intestinal health when administered in vivo

The Principle of Valence Bond Amplitude Maximization in Cuprates: How it breeds Superconductivity, Spin and Charge Orders

A simple microscopic principle of `Valence bond (nearest neighbor singlet) amplitude maximization '(VBAM) is shown to be present in undoped and optimally doped cuprates and unify the very different orderings such as antiferromagnetism in the Mott insulator and the robust superconductivity accompanied by an enhanced charge and stripe correlations in the optimally doped cuprates. VBAM is nearly synonymous with the energy minimization principle. It is implicit in the RVB theory and thereby makes the predictions of RVB mean field theory of superconductivity qualitatively correct.Comment: 4 pages, RevTe

Burnout syndrome among caregivers of children suffering from epilepsy

Zespół wypalenia jest to stan fizycznego i psychicznego wyczerpania powstający w wyniku działania długotrwałych uczuć negatywnych. Na zespół wypalenia narażone są osoby długotrwale zaangażowane w udzielanie pomocy (lekarze, terapeuci, pielęgniarki, opiekunowie). Celem niniejszej pracy była ocena nasilenia zespołu wypalenia wśród opiekunów dzieci chorujących na padaczkę. W ankietowym badaniu oceniono 99 opiekunów dzieci chorych na padaczkę, którzy wypełnili Kwestionariusz Wypalenia Maslach i Inwentarz Depresji Becka. U żadnego z badanych opiekunów nie zaobserwowano objawów depresji. Stwierdzono, że istnieje dodatnia korelacja pomiędzy czasem trwania choroby, wiekiem dziecka oraz wiekiem opiekuna a poziomem wyczerpania emocjonalnego. Osoby opiekujące się chorym dzieckiem samotnie, bez wsparcia rodziny, cechowały się wyższymi wartościami wyczerpania emocjonalnego oraz depersonalizacji, a także niższą samooceną.Burnout syndrome is a condition of physical and mental exhaustion resulting from chronic exposure to negative emotions. Subjects involved in helping others for a long time (e.g. doctors, nurses, caregivers etc.) are at risk of developing burnout syndrome. The aim of this study was to assess the intensity of the burnout syndrome among caregivers of children suffering from epilepsy. We assessed 99 caregivers of children. They were asked to fill in the Maslach Burnout Inventory and Beck’s Depresion Index. We have found no symptoms of depression in any of the caregivers. There is a positive correlation between time passed from the diagnosis, age of the child , age of the caregiver and the level of emotional exhaustion. Subjects taking care of a child lonely, without any familial support had higher results in subscales of emotional exhaustion and depersonalisation. They were also characterised by lower self-esteem as well