Numerical semigroups problem list

We propose a list of open problems in numerical semigroups.Comment: To appear in the CIM Bulletin, number 33. (http://www.cim.pt/) 13 page

The asteroseismic ground-based observational counterpart of CoRoT

We present different aspects of the ground-based observational counterpart of the CoRoT satellite mission. We give an overview of the selected asteroseismic targets, the numerous instruments and observatories involved, and the first scientific results.Comment: 3 pages, 2 tables, 1 figure, to be published in the conference proceedings 'Stellar Pulsation: Challenges for Theory and Observation' (31 May - 5 June, Santa Fe, New Mexico, US), publishers: American Institute of Physic

Ferromagnetism in bulk Co-Zn-O

The origin of ferromagnetism in diluted magnetic semiconductors is still an open question, yielding a great deal of research across the world. This work focuses on the Co-Zn-O system. Room-temperature ferromagnetism is observed after a partial reaction of Co_3O_4 and ZnO, which can be ascribed neither to carrier mediation nor segregated cobalt metallic clusters. Another mechanism is yielding room-temperature ferromagnetism. This mechanism is associated with a partial reaction of ZnO and Co_3O_4 grains, and always appears when the starting phases (Co_3O_4 and ZnO) are present in the sample, suggesting that interfaces are involved in the origin of the observed ferromagnetism

Topoisomerase II inhibitors induce DNA damage-dependent interferon responses circumventing Ebola virus immune evasion

Ebola virus (EBOV) protein VP35 inhibits production of interferon alpha/beta (IFN) by blocking RIG-I-like receptor signaling pathways, thereby promoting virus replication and pathogenesis. A high-throughput screening assay, developed to identify compounds that either inhibit or bypass VP35 IFN-antagonist function, identified five DNA intercalators as reproducible hits from a library of bioactive compounds. Four, including doxorubicin and daunorubicin, are anthracycline antibiotics that inhibit topoisomerase II and are used clinically as chemotherapeutic drugs. These compounds were demonstrated to induce IFN responses in an ATM kinase-dependent manner and to also trigger the DNA-sensing cGAS-STING pathway of IFN induction. These compounds also suppress EBOV replication in vitro and induce IFN in the presence of IFN-antagonist proteins from multiple negative-sense RNA viruses. These findings provide new insights into signaling pathways activated by important chemotherapy drugs and identify a novel therapeutic approach for IFN induction that may be exploited to inhibit RNA virus replication

Graphene plasmonics: A platform for strong light-matter interaction

Graphene plasmons provide a suitable alternative to noble-metal plasmons because they exhibit much larger confinement and relatively long propagation distances, with the advantage of being highly tunable via electrostatic gating. We report strong light- matter interaction assisted by graphene plasmons, and in particular, we predict unprecedented high decay rates of quantum emitters in the proximity of a carbon sheet, large vacuum Rabi splitting and Purcell factors, and extinction cross sections exceeding the geometrical area in graphene ribbons and nanometer-sized disks. Our results provide the basis for the emerging and potentially far-reaching field of graphene plasmonics, offering an ideal platform for cavity quantum electrodynamics and supporting the possibility of single-molecule, single-plasmon devices.Comment: 39 pages, 15 figure

Measurement of the production cross section for W-bosons in association with jets in pp collisions at s=7 TeV with the ATLAS detector

This Letter reports on a first measurement of the inclusive W + jets cross section in proton-proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 7 TeV at the LHC, with the ATLAS detector. Cross sections, in both the electron and muon decay modes of the W-boson, are presented as a function of jet multiplicity and of the transverse momentum of the leading and next-to-leading jets in the event. Measurements are also presented of the ratio of cross sections sigma (W + >= n)/sigma(W + >= n - 1) for inclusive jet multiplicities n = 1-4. The results, based on an integrated luminosity of 1.3 pb(-1), have been corrected for all known detector effects and are quoted in a limited and well-defined range of jet and lepton kinematics. The measured cross sections are compared to particle-level predictions based on perturbative QCD. Next-to-leading order calculations, studied here for n <= 2, are found in good agreement with the data. Leading-order multiparton event generators, normalized to the NNLO total cross section, describe the data well for all measured jet multiplicitie

Method: Standard operating procedure for the administration of swallowable devices to study pig’s gut content in a non-invasive way

Due to the evolution of welfare laws and the search for novel methods to study pig microbiota, the development of precise and non-invasive sampling methods is key to studying the microbial communities that inhabit the guts of pigs. Administering swallowable devices to pigs is always a challenge due to factors such as anatomy, the requirement for specific materials, and the need to restrain the animals. In this study, we describe a step-by-step protocol on how to administer Capsule for Sampling (CapSa), a biocompatible non-invasive device to study pig's microbiota without harming the animals. The validation of the protocol was done through two different studies. In Study 1, 92 Swiss Large White pigs (BW: 6.45–71.3 kg) were administered two capsules each and monitored for the following 3 days for capsule retrieval. On day 3, all pigs were euthanised to locate the missing capsules directly from their gastrointestinal tracts. In Study 2, 16 Swiss Large White pigs were selected at weaning and administered CapSas at five different timepoints (T1: 52 ± 3; T2: 70 ± 3; T3: 83 ± 3; T4: 110 ± 3; T5: 126 ± 3 days of age). To retrieve the capsules in the faeces, pigs were monitored 3 days postadministration. At T5, the pigs were slaughtered, and CapSas that were not found in the faeces, termed as missing CapSas, were retrieved from their gastrointestinal tracts. The protocol entails acclimation of the animals, housing modifications, administration of a prokinetic agent (prucalopride) to facilitate gastric emptying, and oesophageal intubations to overcome challenges related to administration, gastric blockage, and retrieval of the capsules. In Study 1, 46.74% of the administered CapSas were found in the faeces within 72 h postadministration, with 47.67% retrieved within the first 24 h, and 28.26% were located in the stomach. The CapSa retrieval was lowest in light pigs (&lt;12 kg). In Study 2, 75.6% of CapSas were recovered in the faeces within 72 h postadministration, with 51.23% retrieved within the first 24 h. The CapSa retrieval rates varied depending on the administration time point being lowest at T1 and T3 and highest at T2 with intermediate values at T4 and T5. In both studies, the pH levels were affected by transit time (P &lt; 0.01), resulting in a more acidic content when capsules were expelled after 36–40 h. To the contrary, the volume of the CapSa content was never affected by transit time (P &lt; 0.05). In both studies, postmortem observations showed no health-related issues except one pig from Study 2 excluded due to respiratory distress. The present study describes a valid procedure for administering CapSa or any other swallowable devices in pigs. Moreover, this procedure is applicable to singular and repetitive administrations over the lifespan of pigs