Strong Gravitational Lensing of Quasi-Kerr Compact Object with Arbitrary Quadrupole Moments

We study the strong gravitational lensing on the equatorial plane of a quasi-Kerr compact object with arbitrary quadrupole moments which can be used to model the super-massive central object of the galaxy. We find that, when the quadrupolar correction parameter $\xi$ takes the positive (negative) value, the photon-sphere radius $r_{ps}$, the minimum impact parameter $u_{ps}$, the coefficient $\bar{b}$, the relative magnitudes $r_m$ and the angular position of the relativistic images $\theta_{\infty}$ are larger (smaller) than the results obtained in the Kerr black hole, but the coefficient $\bar{a}$, the deflection angle $\alpha(\theta)$ and the angular separation $s$ are smaller (larger) than that in the Kerr black hole. These features may offer a way to probe special properties for some rotating compact objects by the astronomical instruments in the future.Comment: 17 pages, 4 figures. Accepted for publication in JHE

The avian cell line AGE1.CR.pIX characterized by metabolic flux analysis

Lohr V, Haedicke O, Genzel Y, et al. The avian cell line AGE1.CR.pIX characterized by metabolic flux analysis. BMC Biotechnology. 2014;14(1): 72.Background: In human vaccine manufacturing some pathogens such as Modified Vaccinia Virus Ankara, measles, mumps virus as well as influenza viruses are still produced on primary material derived from embryonated chicken eggs. Processes depending on primary cell culture, however, are difficult to adapt to modern vaccine production. Therefore, we derived previously a continuous suspension cell line, AGE1.CR.pIX, from muscovy duck and established chemically-defined media for virus propagation. Results: To better understand vaccine production processes, we developed a stoichiometric model of the central metabolism of AGE1.CR.pIX cells and applied flux variability and metabolic flux analysis. Results were compared to literature dealing with mammalian and insect cell culture metabolism focusing on the question whether cultured avian cells differ in metabolism. Qualitatively, the observed flux distribution of this avian cell line was similar to distributions found for mammalian cell lines (e.g. CHO, MDCK cells). In particular, glucose was catabolized inefficiently and glycolysis and TCA cycle seem to be only weakly connected. Conclusions: A distinguishing feature of the avian cell line is that glutaminolysis plays only a minor role in energy generation and production of precursors, resulting in low extracellular ammonia concentrations. This metabolic flux study is the first for a continuous avian cell line. It provides a basis for further metabolic analyses to exploit the biotechnological potential of avian and vertebrate cell lines and to develop specific optimized cell culture processes, e.g. vaccine production processes

The role of sleep in emotional processing

Abstract In this chapter, we have reviewed an extensive literature supporting the 4 critical role of sleep for several aspects of emotional processing and regulation. In the first part, we discussed the main behavioral and psychophysiological studies that examined how sleep influences the processes of encoding and consolidation of emotional memory. In addition, we examined how sleep modulates emotion regulation, emotional reactivity, and empathy. Further, we discussed the implication of sleep in fear conditioning memory, threat generalization, and extinction memory. In the second part, we discussed evidence specifically suggesting the implication of REM sleep in the consolidation of emotional memory and in the modulation of emotional reactivity. In particular, we will focus on the specific physiological REM features that contributed to suggest its critical involvement in emotional processing. In the third part, we overviewed the functional neuroimaging studies on the brain mechanisms that underlie the relations between sleep and emotions. Finally, we focused on the most important psychiatric disorders that express abnormalities of sleep and emotional alterations, briefly reviewing our knowledge about the relationships between sleep disturbances and mood in major depression, anxiety disorders, and post-traumatic stress disorder. We showed that sleep helps in the formation of emotional memories at every stage of this process. On the contrary, sleep loss induces deficit in encoding of emotional information, leading to a disruptive interference with emotional memory consolidation. The reviewed literatures clearly suggest that sleep loss significantly influences emotional reactivity. Whether sleep acts to protect, potentiate, or de-potentiate emotional reactivity is, however, still debatable. Future studies will have to elucidate, at the behavioral level, the specific direction of the sleep-dependent emotional modulation. Sleep seems to be crucial also for our ability to correctly process emotional information that allows us to understand the others’ feelings and to be empathic with them, as well as for our ability to encode and consolidate fear conditioning and extinction learning. As far as the role of REM sleep is concerned, it seems to be crucial for the consolidation of emotional memory, while its specific contribution on next-day emotional reactivity is less clear. In fact, REM sleep could act to potentiate or, conversely, de-potentiate the emotional charge associated to a memory along with its consolidation. This topic could be also relevant for its implications in clinical settings. Indeed, further explaining how sleep influences the next-day emotional brain functioning will be crucial to open a new perspective for the understanding and treatment of affective or anxiety disturbances in patients with disturbed sleep