19 research outputs found

    The IGEX experiment revisited: a response to the critique of Klapdor-Kleingrothaus,Dietz, and Krivosheina

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    This paper is a response to the article "Critical View to" the IGEX neutrinoless double-beta decay experiment..."published in Phys. Rev.D, Volume 65 (2002) 092007," by H.V.Klapdor-Kleingrothaus, A. Dietz, and I.V.Krivosheina, published as preprint hep-ph/0403056. The criticisms are confronted, and the questions raised are answered. We demonstrate that the lower limit quoted by IGEX, for the half life of Ge-76 neutrinoless double beta decay, 1.57x10**25 y, is correct and that there was no "arithmetical error"-as claimed in the " Critical Review" article

    Módulo experimental para el diseño de sistemas solares pasivos

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    El presente trabajo consiste en desarrollar y ejecutar un proyecto que tenga la incorporación de criterios constructivos Bioambientales cuyo objetivo general es evaluar el ahorro energético en función de la envolvente y la aplicación de una metodología de cálculo para un diseño solar pasivo, para lo cual se desarrolló una programación de mediciones sistemáticas de las temperaturas superficiales, temperaturas del aire, flujos de calor y energías consumidas para mantener el grado de confort en el interior del módulo. En el análisis de este trabajo se buscó relacionando el valor “G" del balance térmico de la envolvente con la energía consumida y las temperaturas exteriores colocando los valores obtenidos en una función lineal que nos permita cuantificar el ahorro energético. Y de esta forma se puede confeccionar o estipular la relación costo - beneficio.Facultad de Arquitectura y Urbanism

    Identification of novel candidate targets for suppressing ovarian cancer progression through IL-33/ST2 axis components using the system biology approach

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    Background: Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) of ovarian cancer (OvC) are the most prevalent element of the tumor microenvironment (TM). By promoting angiogenesis, immunological suppression, and invasion, CAFs speed up the growth of tumors by changing the extracellular matrix’s structure and composition and/or initiating the epithelial cells (EPT). IL-33/ST2 signaling has drawn a lot of attention since it acts as a pro-tumor alarmin and encourages spread by altering TM.Methods: Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) of the OvC tumor microenvironment were found in the GEO database, qRT-PCR, western blotting, and immunohistochemistry, and their presence and changes in healthy and tumor tissue content were examined. Primary cultures of healthy fibroblasts and CAFs obtained from healthy and tumor tissues retrieved from OvC samples were used for in vitro and in vivo investigations. Cultured primary human CAFs were utilized to investigate the regulation and the IL-33/ST2 axis role in the inflammation reactions.Results: Although ST2 and IL-33 expression was detected in both epithelial (EPT) and fibroblast cells of ovarian cancer, they are more abundant in CAFs. Lipopolysaccharides, serum amyloid A1, and IL-1β, the inflammatory mediators, could all induce IL-33 expression through NF-κB activation in human CAFs. In turn, via the ST2 receptor, IL-33 affected the production of IL-6, IL-1β, and PTGS2 in human CAFs via the MAPKs-NF-κB pathway.Conclusion: Our findings suggest that IL-33/ST2 is affected by the interaction of CAFs and epithelial cells inside the tumor microenvironment. Activation of this axis leads to increased expression of inflammatory factors in tumor CAFs and EPT cells. Therefore, targeting the IL-33/ST2 axis could have potential value in the prevention of OvC progression

    The number of tree species on Earth.

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    One of the most fundamental questions in ecology is how many species inhabit the Earth. However, due to massive logistical and financial challenges and taxonomic difficulties connected to the species concept definition, the global numbers of species, including those of important and well-studied life forms such as trees, still remain largely unknown. Here, based on global ground-sourced data, we estimate the total tree species richness at global, continental, and biome levels. Our results indicate that there are ∼73,000 tree species globally, among which ∼9,000 tree species are yet to be discovered. Roughly 40% of undiscovered tree species are in South America. Moreover, almost one-third of all tree species to be discovered may be rare, with very low populations and limited spatial distribution (likely in remote tropical lowlands and mountains). These findings highlight the vulnerability of global forest biodiversity to anthropogenic changes in land use and climate, which disproportionately threaten rare species and thus, global tree richness

    CuO-NPs Improve Biosynthesis of Bioactive Compounds in Lettuce

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    The application of metallic nanoparticles improves the yield and content of bioactive compounds in plants. The aim of the present study was to determine the effects of the foliar application of copper nanoparticles (CuO-NPs) in the yield and content of bioactive compounds in lettuce. Different concentrations of CuO-NPs (0, 0.5, 1, 2, 4, and 6 mg mL−1) were applied in lettuce. The yield, nutraceutical quality, and enzymatic activity were determined. Foliar spraying of CuO-NPs induced an increase in the biosynthesis of bioactive compounds. In addition to an increase in the activity of the enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) in lettuce plants, there were no negative effects on yield. Therefore, with the application of CuO-NPs, better quality lettuces are produced for the human diet due to the higher production of bioactive compounds

    DFT assessments of BN, AlN, and GaN decorated carbon cage scaffolds for sensing the thiamazole drug

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    Sensing drug substances by nanostructures are very important in accordance with the management of targeted drug delivery processes and drug substances detections. Boron nitride (BN), aluminum nitride (AlN), and gallium nitride (GaN) decorated carbon cage (BN-C, AlN-C, and GaN-C) scaffolds were assessed towards sensing the thiamazole (TMZ) drug through the wB97XD/6–31 + G* level of density functional theory (DFT) computations. The singular models were optimized and their combinations to each other were stabilized to obtain the interacting TMZ@Scaffold bimolecular complexes and their corresponding features. The results indicated the existence of non-covalent physical interactions between the substances and their electronic features indicated possibility of sensing function for the investigated scaffolds. Based on the variations of values of adsorption energy and energy gap, the features of recovery time and conductance rate were achieved to predict a sensing function for the models; TMZ@GaN-C was found at the highest suitability in comparison with TMZ@AlN-C and TMZ@BN-C models. The obtained thermochemistry results indicated a spontaneous process for the formation of TMZ@Scaffold complexes. Based on all the obtained results, an order of TMZ@GaN-C > TMZ@AlN-C > TMZ@BN-C was found for describing stability, formation, and electronic features suitability by assigning specific features for each of the singular BN-C, AlN-C, and GaN-C scaffolds towards the TMZ drug. As a consequence, two purposes of detections and adsorptions were approached for the investigated scaffolds to develop sensing functions of BN-C, AlN-C, and GaN-C scaffolds for the TMZ drug
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