Pseudo-Killing Spinors, Pseudo-supersymmetric p-branes, Bubbling and Less-bubbling AdS Spaces

We consider Einstein gravity coupled to an n-form field strength in D dimensions. Such a theory cannot be supersymmetrized in general, we nevertheless propose a pseudo-Killing spinor equation and show that the AdS X Sphere vacua have the maximum number of pseudo-Killing spinors, and hence are fully pseudo-supersymmetric. We show that extremal p-branes and their intersecting configurations preserve fractions of the pseudo-supersymmetry. We study the integrability condition for general (D,n) and obtain the additional constraints that are required so that the existence of the pseudo-Killing spinors implies the Einstein equations of motion. We obtain new pseudo-supersymmetric bubbling AdS_5 X S^5 spaces that are supported by a non-self-dual 5-form. This demonstrates that non-supersymmegtric conformal field theories may also have bubbling states of arbitrary droplets of free fermions in the phase space. We also obtain an example of less-bubbling AdS geometry in D=8, whose bubbling effects are severely restricted by the additional constraint arising from the integrability condition.Comment: typos corrected, extra comments and references added, version appeared in JHE

Highly efficient generation of broadband cascaded four-wave mixing products

We report and investigate on a highly efficient technique to generate broadband cascaded four-wave mixing (FWM) products. It consists of launching two strong pump waves near the zero-dispersion wavelength of very short (of order of few meters) optical fibers. Simulations based on split step fourier method (SSFM) and experimental data demonstrate the efficiency of this approach. Multiple FWM products have been investigated by using conventional fibers and ultra-flattened dispersion photonic crystal fibers. Measured results present bandwidths of 300 nm with up to 118 FWM products. We have also demonstrated a flat bandwidth of 110 nm covering the C and L bands, with a small variation of only 1.2 dB between the powers of FWM products, achieved by using highly nonlinear fibers (HNLFs). The use of dispersion tailored photonic crystal fibers has been shown interesting for improving the multiple FWM efficiency and reducing the separation between the pump wavelengths. (c) 2008 Optical Society of America.1642816282

On Inflation with Non-minimal Coupling

A simple realization of inflation consists of adding the following operators to the Einstein-Hilbert action: (partial phi)^2, lambda phi^4, and xi phi^2 R, with xi a large non-minimal coupling. Recently there has been much discussion as to whether such theories make sense quantum mechanically and if the inflaton phi can also be the Standard Model Higgs. In this note we answer these questions. Firstly, for a single scalar phi, we show that the quantum field theory is well behaved in the pure gravity and kinetic sectors, since the quantum generated corrections are small. However, the theory likely breaks down at ~ m_pl / xi due to scattering provided by the self-interacting potential lambda phi^4. Secondly, we show that the theory changes for multiple scalars phi with non-minimal coupling xi phi dot phi R, since this introduces qualitatively new interactions which manifestly generate large quantum corrections even in the gravity and kinetic sectors, spoiling the theory for energies > m_pl / xi. Since the Higgs doublet of the Standard Model includes the Higgs boson and 3 Goldstone bosons, it falls into the latter category and therefore its validity is manifestly spoiled. We show that these conclusions hold in both the Jordan and Einstein frames and describe an intuitive analogy in the form of the pion Lagrangian. We also examine the recent claim that curvature-squared inflation models fail quantum mechanically. Our work appears to go beyond the recent discussions.Comment: 14 pages, 2 figures. Version 2: Clarified findings and improved wording. Elaborated important sections and removed an unnecessary section. Added references. Version 3: Updated towards JHEP version. Version 4: Final JHEP versio

Effect of magnesium sulphate added to lidocaine on inferior alveolar nerve block success in patients with symptoms of irreversible pulpitis: a prospective, randomized clinical trial

AIM: To investigate the effect of magnesium sulphate used as an adjuvant to lidocaine with epinephrine local anaesthetic on the success of inferior alveolar nerve blocks (IANB) in patients with irreversible pulpitis undergoing root canal treatment. METHODOLOGY: In a double-blind clinical trial, following power calculation, 124 patients with symptoms of irreversible pulpitis in mandibular molar teeth were selected and initial pain data was collected using a Heft-Parker (Heft & Parker 1984) visual analogue scale. The first group (control) received IANB with 1.8 mL of a local anaesthetic solution containing 1.8% lidocaine with 1:88,000 epinephrine whist the second group (test) received IANB with 1.8 mL of an anaesthetic solution containing 1% magnesium sulphate, and 1.8% lidocaine with 1:88,000 epinephrine. Pain data was collected after access cavity and penetration of files in the canals using a Heft-Parker visual analog scale. Two patients were not included in the study as they did not consent and a further 54 patients were excluded as they did not report lip numbness within 15 minutes after IANB administration, thus the data presented in this study is related to 68 patients. The data were analyzed using chi-square and t- test (α=0.05). RESULTS: The success of pulpal anaesthesia with IANB was 82% for the magnesium sulphate group and 53% for the control group. There was a significant difference in the effectiveness of the IANB between the 2 groups (P < 0.001). There was no significant difference between the magnesium sulphate and control groups regarding gender (P =0.598) or age (P = 0.208) or initial pain scores (P = 0.431). CONCLUSIONS: The addition of 1% magnesium sulphate to 1.8% lidocaine with 1:88,000 epinephrine resulted in a positive impact for the success of IANB in patients with a diagnosis of irreversible pulpitis related to mandibular molar teeth undergoing root canal treatment. Thus magnesium sulphate may be used as adjuvant for achieving profound pulpal anaesthesia in challenging cases. However, more studies with larger sample size and different concentration doses must be carried out to establish an appropriate conclusion before its routine clinical use

The secreted triose phosphate isomerase of Brugia malayi is required to sustain microfilaria production in vivo

Human lymphatic filariasis is a major tropical disease transmitted through mosquito vectors which take up microfilarial larvae from the blood of infected subjects. Microfilariae are produced by long-lived adult parasites, which also release a suite of excretory-secretory products that have recently been subject to in-depth proteomic analysis. Surprisingly, the most abundant secreted protein of adult Brugia malayi is triose phosphate isomerase (TPI), a glycolytic enzyme usually associated with the cytosol. We now show that while TPI is a prominent target of the antibody response to infection, there is little antibody-mediated inhibition of catalytic activity by polyclonal sera. We generated a panel of twenty-three anti-TPI monoclonal antibodies and found only two were able to block TPI enzymatic activity. Immunisation of jirds with B. malayi TPI, or mice with the homologous protein from the rodent filaria Litomosoides sigmodontis, failed to induce neutralising antibodies or protective immunity. In contrast, passive transfer of neutralising monoclonal antibody to mice prior to implantation with adult B. malayi resulted in 60–70% reductions in microfilarial levels in vivo and both oocyte and microfilarial production by individual adult females. The loss of fecundity was accompanied by reduced IFNγ expression by CD4+ T cells and a higher proportion of macrophages at the site of infection. Thus, enzymatically active TPI plays an important role in the transmission cycle of B. malayi filarial parasites and is identified as a potential target for immunological and pharmacological intervention against filarial infections

Permeable biosorbent barrier for wastewater remediation

Chromium is one of the heavy metals that significantly affect water quality in Mongolia. The present study is focused on the remediation of surface water contaminated with chromium (III) by a permeable barrier in order to prevent sediment pollution. The adsorption capacity of the selected materials (13X zeolite and vermiculite) was investigated at different sorbent dosages, pH and initial Cr(III) concentration. The equilibrium adsorption studies showed that vermiculite has a higher Cr(III) removal efficiency in comparison with 13X zeolite. A fungal isolate obtained from the sediment samples collected near Tuul River (Mongolia) was selected from enriched Luria-Bertani medium, showing a good performance for Cr(III) removal (78.2\% for an initial concentration of 50 mg/L). The fungal isolate was genetically typed by DNA sequencing and was identified as belonging to the Alternaria alternata species. 13X zeolite showed the best performance for Cr removal in the permeable barrier assays compared to vermiculite, achieving a total removal of 96\\% and a global uptake of 2.49 mg/g. After 13 days of operation none of the barriers reached saturation with chromium.A previous version of the paper has been presented in the 2nd EWaS International Conference: BEfficient & Sustainable Water Systems Management toward Worth Living Development^, Chania, Crete, Greece, 1-4 June 2016. This study was supported by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) under the scope of the strategic funding of UID/BIO/04469/2013 unit and COMPETE 2020 (POCI-01-0145-FEDER-006684) and BioTecNorte operation (NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-000004) funded by the European Regional Development Fund under the scope of Norte2020 - Programa Operacional Regional do Norte. Bruna Silva is thankful to the FCT for the concession of a Post-Doc grant (SFRH/BPD/112354/2015). Sampling process was supported by the collaborative research grant of National Academy of Sciences of Taiwan and Science and Technology Foundation of Mongolia, project code NCS-NECS2013003 and co-funded by the Young Scientist Grant (SEAS-2015075) of National University of Mongolia. E. Tuuguu would like to acknowledge the Erasmus-Mundus AREAS+ program for the opportunity to conduct research at CEB-University of Minho.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

A process for developing a sustainable and scalable approach to community engagement : community dialogue approach for addressing the drivers of antibiotic resistance in Bangladesh

BACKGROUND: Community engagement approaches that have impacted on health outcomes are often time intensive, small-scale and require high levels of financial and human resources. They can be difficult to sustain and scale-up in low resource settings. Given the reach of health services into communities in low income countries, the health system provides a valuable and potentially sustainable entry point that would allow for scale-up of community engagement interventions. This study explores the process of developing an embedded approach to community engagement taking the global challenge of antibiotic resistance as an example. METHODS: The intervention was developed using a sequential mixed methods study design. This consisted of: exploring the evidence base through an umbrella review, and identifying key international standards on the appropriate use of antibiotics; undertaking detailed formative research through a) a qualitative study to explore the most appropriate mechanisms through which to embed the intervention within the existing health system and community infrastructure, and to understand patterns of knowledge, attitudes and practice regarding antibiotics and antibiotic resistance; and b) a household survey - which drew on the qualitative findings - to quantify knowledge, and reported attitudes and practice regarding antibiotics and antibiotic resistance within the target population; and c) drawing on appropriate theories regarding change mechanisms and experience of implementing community engagement interventions to co-produce the intervention processes and materials with key stakeholders at policy, health system and community level. RESULTS: A community engagement intervention was co-produced and was explicitly designed to link into existing health system and community structures and be appropriate for the cultural context, and therefore have the potential to be implemented at scale. We anticipate that taking this approach increases local ownership, as well as the likelihood that the intervention will be sustainable and scalable. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates the value of ensuring that a range of stakeholders co-produce the intervention, and ensuring that the intervention is designed to be appropriate for the health system, community and cultural context

Clinical examination, MRI and arthroscopy in meniscal and ligamentous knee Injuries – a prospective study

Data from 565 knee arthroscopies performed by two experienced knee surgeons between 2002 and 2005 for degenerative joint disorders, ligament injuries, loose body removals, lateral release of the patellar retinaculum, plica division, and adhesiolysis was prospectively collected. A subset of 109 patients from the above group who sequentially had clinical examination, MRI and arthroscopy for suspected meniscal and ligament injuries were considered for the present study and the data was reviewed. Patients with previous menisectomies, knee ligament repairs or reconstructions and knee arthroscopies were excluded from the study. Patients were categorised into three groups on objective clinical assessment: Those who were positive for either meniscal or cruciate ligament injury [group 1]; both meniscal and cruciate ligament injury [group 2] and those with highly suggestive symptoms and with negative clinical signs [group 3]. MRI was requested for confirmation of diagnosis and for additional information in all these patients. Two experienced radiologists reported MRI films. Clinical and MRI findings were compared with Arthroscopy as the gold standard. A thorough clinical examination performed by a skilled examiner more accurately correlated at Arthroscopy. MRI added no information in group 1 patients, valuable information in group 2 and was equivocal in group 3 patients. A negative MRI did not prevent an arthroscopy. In this study, specificity, positive and negative predictive values were more favourable for clinical examination though MRI was more sensitive for meniscal injuries. The use of MRI as a supplemental tool in the management of meniscal and ligament injuries should be highly individualised by an experienced surgeon