A Remark on Lorentz Violation at Finite Temperature

We investigate the radiatively induced Chern-Simons-like term in four-dimensional field theory at finite temperature. The Chern-Simons-like term is temperature dependent and breaks the Lorentz and CPT symmetries. We find that this term remains undetermined although it can be found unambiguously in different regularization schemes at finite temperature.Comment: To appear in JHEP, 8 pages, 1 eps figure, minor changes and references adde

Cosmological quantum entanglement

We review recent literature on the connection between quantum entanglement and cosmology, with an emphasis on the context of expanding universes. We discuss recent theoretical results reporting on the production of entanglement in quantum fields due to the expansion of the underlying spacetime. We explore how these results are affected by the statistics of the field (bosonic or fermionic), the type of expansion (de Sitter or asymptotically stationary), and the coupling to spacetime curvature (conformal or minimal). We then consider the extraction of entanglement from a quantum field by coupling to local detectors and how this procedure can be used to distinguish curvature from heating by their entanglement signature. We review the role played by quantum fluctuations in the early universe in nucleating the formation of galaxies and other cosmic structures through their conversion into classical density anisotropies during and after inflation. We report on current literature attempting to account for this transition in a rigorous way and discuss the importance of entanglement and decoherence in this process. We conclude with some prospects for further theoretical and experimental research in this area. These include extensions of current theoretical efforts, possible future observational pursuits, and experimental analogues that emulate these cosmic effects in a laboratory setting.Comment: 23 pages, 2 figures. v2 Added journal reference and minor changes to match the published versio

The thermodynamic limit and black hole entropy in the area ensemble

We discuss the thermodynamic limit in the canonical area ensemble used in loop quantum gravity to model quantum black holes. The computation of the thermodynamic limit is the rigorous way to obtain a smooth entropy from the counting entropy given by a direct determination of the number of microstates compatible with macroscopic quantities (the energy in standard statistical mechanics or the area in the framework presented here). As we will show in specific examples the leading behavior of the smoothed entropy for large horizon areas is the same as the counting entropy but the subleading contributions differ. This is important because these corrections determine the concavity or convexity of the entropy as a function of the area.Comment: 23 pages, 3 figure

Direct and indirect effects of planning density, nitrogenous fertilizer and host plant resistance on rice herbivores and their natural enemies

In rice ecosystems, seeding densities can be adjusted to compensate for lower nitrogen levels that reduce GHG emissions, or to increase farm profitability. However, density-induced changes to plant anatomy could affect herbivore-rice interactions, and alter arthropod community dynamics. We conducted an experiment that varied transplanting density (low or high), nitrogenous fertilizer (0, 60 or 150 kg added ha−1) and rice variety (resistant or susceptible to phloem-feeding insects) over two rice-growing seasons. Yields per plot increased with added nitrogen, but were not affected by variety or transplanting density. Planthopper and leafhopper densities were lower on resistant rice and in high-density field plots. Nitrogen was associated with higher densities of planthoppers, but lower densities of leafhoppers per plot. High planting densities and high nitrogen also increased rodent damage. The structure of arthropod herbivore communities was largely determined by season and transplanting density. Furthermore, two abundant planthoppers (Sogatella furcifera (Horváth) and Nilaparvata lugens (Stål)) segregated to low and high-density plots, respectively. The structure of decomposer communities was determined by season and fertilizer regime; total decomposer abundance increased in high-nitrogen plots during the dry season. Predator community structure was determined by season and total prey abundance (including decomposers) with several spider species dominating in plots with high prey abundance during the wet season. Our results indicate how rice plasticity and arthropod biodiversity promote stability and resilience in rice ecosystems. We recommend that conservation biological control, which includes a reduction or elimination of insecticides, could be promoted to attain sustainable rice production systems.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

A randomized phase II clinical trial of dendritic cell vaccination following complete resection of colon cancer liver metastasis

Surgically resectable synchronic and metachronic liver metastases of colon cancer have high risk of relapse in spite of standard-of-care neoadjuvant and adjuvant chemotherapy regimens. Dendritic cell vaccines loaded with autologous tumor lysates were tested for their potential to avoid or delay disease relapses (NCT01348256). Patients with surgically amenable liver metastasis of colon adenocarcinoma (n = 19) were included and underwent neoadjuvant chemotherapy, surgery and adjuvant chemotherapy. Fifteen patients with disease-free resection margins were randomized 1:1 to receive two courses of four daily doses of dendritic cell intradermal vaccinations versus observation. The trial had been originally designed to include 56 patients but was curtailed due to budgetary restrictions. Follow-up of the patients indicates a clear tendency to fewer and later relapses in the vaccine arm (median disease free survival –DFS-) 25.26 months, 95% CI 8. 74-n.r) versus observation arm (median DFS 9.53 months, 95% CI 5.32–18.88)

Assessment of stress and nutritional biomarkers in cultured Octopus

The common octopus (Octopus vulgaris) is a promising species for aquaculture diversification, but massive mortality during the first life-cycle stages (paralarvae) is the main bottleneck for its commercial production in captivity. The aim of this study was to assess stress and nutritional condition biomarkers (HSP70, ROS enzymes and lipid peroxidation) (RNA/DNA, RNA/protein, protein/DNA and protein) in O. vulgaris paralarvae from different geographical origins and fed with Artemia enriched with marine phospholipids or microalgae (control group). To this end paralarvae were cultured for 30 days, in three different centres in Spain (Tarragona-Mediterranean area, Tenerife-Central Atlantic area and Vigo-North Atlantic area), under the same protocol, and fed on Artemia enriched with marine phospholipids (LC60) (Marine Lecithin LC 60®, PhosphoTech Laboratoires) or microalgae (control group). Dry weight and most biomarkers analysed in hatchlings showed significant differences related to their origin (centre). Fifteen day old paralarvae presented significant differences in specific growth rate (SGR) associated with their dietary regime, and also showed differences in biomarkers associated both with their geographical origin and dietary regime. The results suggest that the SGR of paralarvae were positively influenced by LC60, promoting growth and in agreement with the results of nutritional condition biomarkers (nucleic acids ratios). The antioxidant defences against oxidative damage were also boosted in the LC60 paralarvae group, possibly as a result of the elevated content in highly polyunsaturated fatty acids. In addition, the partial correlations found between biomarkers varied according to diet. However, no positive effect of LC60 on survival was observed. The high variability found among geographical origins, despite the use of the same rearing protocol, highlights the need to clarify the sources of such variability. Statement of relevance: Stress status varies among geographical origins and diets.En prensa2,04

Bright Stars and Recent Star Formation in the Irregular Magellanic Galaxy NGC2366

The stellar content of the Im galaxy NGC 2366 is discussed on the basis of CCD BVR photometry. The three brightest blue and red stars have been used to estimate its distance, obtaining a balue of 2.9 Mpc. The spatial distribution of the young stellar population is discussed in the light of the integrated color indices and the color-magnitude diagrams of different zones of the galaxy. A generalized star formation burst seems to have taken place about 50 Myr ago. The youngest stars are preferentially formed in the South-West part of the bar, where the giant HII complex NGC 2363 is located, being younger and bluer. The bar seems to play a role favouring star formation in one of its extremes. Self-propagation however, does not seem to be triggering star formation at large scale. A small region, populated by very young stars has also been found at the East of the galaxy.Comment: Astronomical Journal, accepted. This is a uuencoded, compressed, tar file (102 Kbytes) of 1 text, 1 table postscript files. Figures are retrieved as a separate file. One single file with all figures and tables (552Kb) also available from http://www.ast.cam.ac.uk/~etelles/astronomy.htm

An infusion of new blood using the Toptica laser with GeMS: Results of the commissioning and science performance

Adaptive Optics (AO) systems aim at detecting and correcting for optical distortions induced by atmospheric turbulences. The Gemini Multi Conjugated AO System GeMS is operational and regularly used for science observations since 2013 delivering close to diffraction limit resolution over a large field of view. GeMS entered this year into a new era. The laser system has been upgraded from the old 50W Lockheed Martin Coherent Technologies (LMCT) pulsed laser to the Toptica 20/2W CW SodiumStar laser. The laser has been successfully commissioned and is now used regularly in operation. In this paper we first review the performance obtained with the instrument. I will go then into the details of the commissioning of the Toptica laser and show the improvements obtained in term of acquisition, stability, reliability and performanc

Antibody recognition of the glycoprotein g of viral haemorrhagic septicemia virus (VHSV) purified in large amounts from insect larvae

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>There are currently no purification methods capable of producing the large amounts of fish rhabdoviral glycoprotein G (gpG) required for diagnosis and immunisation purposes or for studying structure and molecular mechanisms of action of this molecule (ie. pH-dependent membrane fusion). As a result of the unavailability of large amounts of the gpG from viral haemorrhagic septicaemia rhabdovirus (VHSV), one of the most dangerous viruses affecting cultured salmonid species, research interests in this field are severely hampered. Previous purification methods to obtain recombinant gpG from VHSV in <it>E. coli</it>, yeast and baculovirus grown in insect cells have not produced soluble conformations or acceptable yields. The development of large-scale purification methods for gpGs will also further research into other fish rhabdoviruses, such as infectious haematopoietic necrosis virus (IHNV), spring carp viremia virus (SVCV), hirame rhabdovirus (HIRRV) and snakehead rhabdovirus (SHRV).</p> <p>Findings</p> <p>Here we designed a method to produce milligram amounts of soluble VHSV gpG. Only the transmembrane and carboxy terminal-deleted (amino acid 21 to 465) gpG was efficiently expressed in insect larvae. Recognition of G21-465 by ß-mercaptoethanol-dependent neutralizing monoclonal antibodies (N-MAbs) and pH-dependent recognition by sera from VHSV-hyperimmunized or VHSV-infected rainbow trout (<it>Oncorhynchus mykiss</it>) was demonstrated.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Given that the purified G21-465 conserved some of its most important properties, this method might be suitable for the large-scale production of fish rhabdoviral gpGs for use in diagnosis, fusion and antigenicity studies.</p