On the consequences of the uncertainty principle on the superconducting fluctuations well inside the normal state

We first argue that the collective behaviour of the Cooper pairs created by thermal fluctuations well above the superconducting transition temperature, Tc, is dominated by the uncertainty principle which, in particular, leads to a well-defined temperature, T^C, above which the superconducting coherence vanishes. On the grounds of the BCS approach, the corresponding reduced-temperature, ln(T^C/Tc), is estimated to be around 0.55, i.e., above T^C \approx 1.7Tc coherent Cooper pairs cannot exist. The implications of these proposals on the superfluid density are then examined using the Gaussian-Ginzburg-Landau approximation. Then we present new measurements of the thermal fluctuation effects on the electrical conductivity and on the magnetization in different low- and high-Tc superconductors with different dopings which are in excellent agreement with these proposals and that demonstrate the universality of ln(T^C/Tc).Comment: LaTeX, 10 pages, 3 figures, as published in Europhysics Letter

Characterization of a β-glucanase produced by Rhizopus microsporus var. microsporus, and its potential for application in the brewing industry

BACKGROUND: In the barley malting process, partial hydrolysis of β-glucans begins with seed germination. However, the endogenous 1,3-1,4-β-glucanases are heat inactivated, and the remaining high molecular weight β-glucans may cause severe problems such as increased brewer mash viscosity and turbidity. Increased viscosity impairs pumping and filtration, resulting in lower efficiency, reduced yields of extracts, and lower filtration rates, as well as the appearance of gelatinous precipitates in the finished beer. Therefore, the use of exogenous β-glucanases to reduce the β-glucans already present in the malt barley is highly desirable. RESULTS: The zygomycete microfungus Rhizopus microsporus var. microsporus secreted substantial amounts of β-glucanase in liquid culture medium containing 0.5% chitin. An active protein was isolated by gel filtration and ion exchange chromatographies of the β-glucanase activity-containing culture supernatant. This isolated protein hydrolyzed 1,3-1,4-β-glucan (barley β-glucan), but showed only residual activity against 1,3-β-glucan (laminarin), or no activity at all against 1,4-β-glucan (cellulose), indicating that the R. microsporus var. microsporus enzyme is a member of the EC 3.2.1.73 category. The purified protein had a molecular mass of 33.7 kDa, as determined by mass spectrometry. The optimal pH and temperature for hydrolysis of 1,3-1,4-β-glucan were in the ranges of 4–5, and 50–60°C, respectively. The Km and Vmax values for hydrolysis of β-glucan at pH 5.0 and 50°C were 22.39 mg.mL(-1 )and 16.46 mg.min(-1), respectively. The purified enzyme was highly sensitive to Cu(+2), but showed less or no sensitivity to other divalent ions, and was able to reduce both the viscosity and the filtration time of a sample of brewer mash. In comparison to the values determined for the mash treated with two commercial glucanases, the relative viscosity value for the mash treated with the 1,3-1,4-β-glucanase produced by R. microsporus var. microsporus. was determined to be consistently lower. CONCLUSION: The zygomycete microfungus R. microsporus var. microsporus produced a 1,3-1,4-β-D-glucan 4-glucanhydrolase (EC 3.2.1.73) which is able to hydrolyze β-D-glucan that contains both the 1,3- and 1,4-bonds (barley β-glucans). Its molecular mass was 33.7 kDa. Maximum activity was detected at pH values in the range of 4–5, and temperatures in the range of 50–60°C. The enzyme was able to reduce both the viscosity of the brewer mash and the filtration time, indicating its potential value for the brewing industry

Highly concentrated and stable few-layers graphene suspensions in pure and volatile organic solvents

Highly stable graphene suspensions in pure organic solvents, including volatile solvents such as ethanol, tetrahydrofurane, chloroform, acetone or toluene have been prepared by re-dispersion of a graphene-powder. Such re-dispersable solid is produced by precipitation or solvent elimination from graphene suspensions obtained by sonication of graphite in several organic solvent-water mixtures. Re-dispersion is feasible in a wide range of pure organic solvents, obtaining high quality few-layers graphene flakes stable in suspension for months. As a proof-of-concept, on-glass spray deposition of some of these suspensions, e.g. ethanol or tetrahydrofuran, results on electrically conductive transparent coatings. These results suggest industrial potential use of the scalable technology here developed to fabricate low-cost devices with many different potential applicationsThis research was financially supported by Abengoa Co., the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (MAT2013-46753-C2-1-P and RYC2012-09864) and Comunidad de Madrid (CAM 09-S2009_MAT-1467

Contemporary characteristics and outcomes in chagasic heart failure compared with other nonischemic and ischemic cardiomyopathy

Background: Chagas’ disease is an important cause of cardiomyopathy in Latin America. We aimed to compare clinical characteristics and outcomes in patients with heart failure (HF) with reduced ejection fraction caused by Chagas’ disease, with other etiologies, in the era of modern HF therapies. Methods and Results: This study included 2552 Latin American patients randomized in the PARADIGM-HF (Prospective Comparison of ARNI With ACEI to Determine Impact on Global Mortality and Morbidity in Heart Failure) and ATMOSPHERE (Aliskiren Trial to Minimize Outcomes in Patients With Heart Failure) trials. The investigator-reported etiology was categorized as Chagasic, other nonischemic, or ischemic cardiomyopathy. The outcomes of interest included the composite of cardiovascular death or HF hospitalization and its components and death from any cause. Unadjusted and adjusted Cox proportional hazards models were performed to compare outcomes by pathogenesis. There were 195 patients with Chagasic HF with reduced ejection fraction, 1300 with other nonischemic cardiomyopathy, and 1057 with ischemic cardiomyopathy. Compared with other etiologies, Chagasic patients were more often female, younger, and had lower prevalence of hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and renal impairment (but had higher prevalence of stroke and pacemaker implantation) and had worse health-related quality of life. The rates of the composite outcome were 17.2, 12.5, and 11.4 per 100 person-years for Chagasic, other nonischemic, and ischemic patients, respectively—adjusted hazard ratio for Chagasic versus other nonischemic: 1.49 (95% confidence interval, 1.15–1.94; P=0.003) and Chagasic versus ischemic: 1.55 (1.18–2.04; P=0.002). The rates of all-cause mortality were also higher. Conclusions: Despite younger age, less comorbidity, and comprehensive use of conventional HF therapies, patients with Chagasic HF with reduced ejection fraction continue to have worse quality of life and higher hospitalization and mortality rates compared with other etiologies. Clinical Trial Registration: PARADIGM-HF: URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT01035255; ATMOSPHERE: URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT00853658

Autonomous CPSoS for cognitive large manufacturing industries.

The general aim of a cognitive Cyber Physical System of Systems (CPSoS) is to provide managed access to data in a smart fashion such that sensing and actuation capabilities are connected. Whilst there is significant funding and research devoted to this area, focus remains purely on creating bespoke systems. This paper presents a novel approach, based on a set of components to leverage Situational Awareness and Smart Actuation in large manufacturing industries with the focus on enabling predictive maintenance for asset and abnormal situation management. This paper presents a novel generic platform, named AtiCoS, that combines case-based and common-sense reasoning, as the enabling methodologies for enhancing CPSoS with cognitive capabilities

Role of endothelin in the pathophysiology of renal ischemia-reperfusion in normal rabbits

Role of endothelin in the pathophysiology of renal ischemia-reperfusion in normal rabbits. The present study addressed the acute effects of endothelin-1 on renal function and neutrophils accumulation in the setting of in vivo severe (60 min) acute ischemia/reperfusion. Ischemia/reperfusion decreased renal functional parameters and increased renal neutrophil accumulation and medullary congestion. All these parameters markedly improved with the intrarenal administration of anti-endothelin-1 antiserum. Comparatively, the intrarenal infusion of endothelin-1 decreased renal function and increased neutrophil accumulation. Abnormalities in renal histology were, however, less pronounced than with ischemia/reperfusion. In experiments using rabbit isolated perfused kidneys, endothelin-1 induced the accumulation of labeled neutrophils. This accumulation was similar to that observed in kidneys obtained after 60 minutes of ischemia plus 60 minutes of reperfusion. Both endothelin and ischemia/reperfusion effects were counteracted by an anti-endothelin antibody. In further in vitro studies, we found that endothelin-1-induced the expression of the CD 18 antigens on the neutrophil surface. In subsequent experiments based on this effect of ET-1 on CD18 antigens, a blockade of both ischemia/reperfusion-induced and endothelin-1-induced neutrophil accumulation was obtained by infusion an anti-CD18 antibody. In conclusion, our experiments disclosed the critical role of endothelin-1 as a major promoter of early neutrophil accumulation after ischemia/reperfusion, which occurred through an integrin-mediated mechanism

Ovinos alimentados con raciones que incluyen tagasaste (Chamaecytisus proliferus subsp. palmensis) en reemplazo de heno de alfalfa. II. Digestibilidad y consumo de nutrientes

The objective of the experiment was to evaluate digestibility in vivo and nutrient consumption of rations for sheep that include increasing quantities of tagasaste (Chamaecytisus proliferus subsp. palmensis) to replace alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.). Twenty-four young Suffolk Down rams with a initial live weight of 38 kg were fed with alfalfa pellets and increasing levels of tagasaste soiling. The diets were: 100% alfalfa (T0); 70% alfalfa and 30% tagasaste (T30); 40% alfalfa and 60% tagasaste (T60); and 10% alfalfa and 90% tagasaste (T10). The total intake of digestible dry matter and digestible organic matter were of 1.191; 1.102; 855 and 687 and of 1.108; 1.046; 820 and 670 g animal-1 d-1 for the four treatments, respectively. The coefficients of digestibility (D) of dry matter (59.4 to 61.3%), organic matter (60.9 to 62.3%), and total protein (PT) (72.4 to 73.3%) were similar (P > 0.05) on increasing the proportion of tagasaste; on the other hand, the digestibility (D) of acid detergent fiber (ADF) had a tendency to diminish (P 64 0.05). The increase from 0 to 90% of tagasaste in the ration produced a decrease (P 64 0.05) of PT, ADF and metabolizable energy (ME) intake. The PT intake, in all treatments (188.4 to 368.3 g animal -1 d-1), supplied fattening nutrient requirements. The ME intake in T60 and T90 (3.43 and 2.69 Mcal animal-1 d-1, respectively) was not sufficient to supply nutrient requirements for a quick fattening.El experimento tuvo como objetivo evaluar la digestibilidad in vivo y el consumo de nutrientes en raciones para ovinos, que incluyen cantidades crecientes de tagasaste (Chamaecytisus proliferus subsp. palmensis) en reemplazo de heno de alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.). Se utilizaron 24 carnerillos Suffolk Down, con un peso vivo promedio inicial de 38 kg, los que fueron alimentados con pellet de alfalfa y niveles crecientes de soiling de tagasaste. Las raciones fueron: 100% alfalfa (T0); 70% alfalfa y 30% tagasaste (T30); 40% alfalfa y 60% tagasaste (T60); y 10% alfalfa y 90% tagasaste (T90). El consumo total de materia seca digestible y materia org\ue1nica digestible fue de 1,191; 1,102; 855; y 687 y de 1,108; 1,046; 820; y 670 g animal-1 d-1 para los cuatro tratamientos, respectivamente (P 64 0,05). Los coeficientes de digestibilidad (D) de la materia seca (59,4 a 61,3%), materia org\ue1nica (60,9 a 62,3%), y prote\uedna total (PT ) (72,4 a 73,3%) fueron similares (P > 0,05) al aumentar la proporci\uf3n de tagasaste; en cambio, la digestabilidad (D) de la fibra detergente \ue1cido (FDA) tendi\uf3 a disminuir (P 64 0,05). El aumento de 0 a 90% de tagasaste en la raci\uf3n produjo una disminuci\uf3n (P 64 0,05) del consumo de PT, de FDA y de energ\ueda metabolizable (EM). El consumo de PT, en todos los tratamientos (188,4 a 368,3 g animal -1 d-1), cubri\uf3 los requerimientos de engorda. El consumo de EM en T60 y T90 (3,43 y 2,69 Mcal animal -1 d-1, respectivamente) no fue suficiente para satisfacer los requerimientos de engorda r\ue1pida de ovinos