Non-Abelian Vortices on the Torus

We study periodic arrays of non-Abelian vortices in an $SU(N) \times U(1)$ gauge theory with $N_f$ flavors of fundamental matter multiplets. We carefully discuss the corresponding twisted boundary conditions on the torus and propose an ansatz to solve the first order Bogomolnyi equations which we find by looking to a bound of the energy. We solve the equations numerically and construct explicit vortex solutions

Photoperiod-sensitivity genes shape floret development in wheat

Lengthening the pre-anthesis period of stem elongation (or late-reproductive phase, LRP) through altering photoperiod sensitivity has been suggested as a potential means to increase the number of fertile florets at anthesis (NFF) in wheat. However, little is known about the effects that the Ppd-1 genes modulating plant response to photoperiod may have on reproductive development. Here, five genotypes with either sensitive (b) or insensitive (a) alleles were grown in chambers under contrasting photoperiods (12 h or 16 h) to assess their effects. The genotypes consisted of the control cultivar Paragon (three Ppd-1b) and four near-isogenic lines of Paragon with Ppd-1a alleles introgressed from: Chinese Spring (Ppd-B1a), GS-100 (Ppd-A1a), Sonora 64 (Ppd-D1a), and Triple Insensitive (three Ppd-1a). Under a 12-h photoperiod, NFF in the genotypes followed the order three Ppd-1b > Ppd-B1a > Ppd-A1a > Ppd-D1a > three Ppd-1a. Under a 16-h photoperiod the differences were milder, but three Ppd-1b still had a greater NFF than the rest. As Ppd-1a alleles shortened the LRP, spikes were lighter and the NFF decreased. The results demonstrated for the first time that Ppd-1a decreases the maximum number of florets initiated through shortening the floret initiation phase, and this partially explained the variations in NFF. The most important impact of Ppd-1a alleles, however, was related to a reduction in survival of floret primordia, which resulted in the lower NFF. These findings reinforce the idea that an increased duration of the LRP, achieved through photoperiod sensitivity, would be useful for increasing wheat yield potential.EEA PergaminoFil: Pérez Gianmarco, Thomas. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Pergamino. Ecofisiología; Argentina. University of Lleida. Department of Crop and Forest Sciences, and AGROTECNIO (Center for Research in Agrotechnology); España. CONICET-UNNOBA. CITNOBA; ArgentinaFil: Slafer, Gustavo A. University of Lleida. Department of Crop and Forest Sciences, and AGROTECNIO (Center for Research in Agrotechnology); España. Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats (ICREA); EspañaFil: González, Fernanda G. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Pergamino. Departamento Ecofisiología; Argentina. CONICET-UNNOBA. CITNOBA; Argentin

Vortex solutions in the noncommutative torus

Vortex configurations in the two-dimensional torus are considered in noncommutative space. We analyze the BPS equations of the Abelian Higgs model. Numerical solutions are constructed for the self-dual and anti-self dual cases by extending an algorithm originally developed for ordinary commutative space. We work within the Fock space approach to noncommutative theories and the Moyal-Weyl connection is used in the final stage to express the solutions in configuration space.Comment: 18 pages, 5 figure

Proyecto de producción y exportación de dulce de membrillo a inmigrantes ecuatorianos que residen en la ciudad de nueva york, estados unidos

Project Production and Export of Sweet Quince aims to reach the market for Ecuadorian migrants residing in the New York City. The market strategy is to appeal to the sentiment of the Ecuadorian immigrants, who yearn to enjoy its typical products of Ecuador. Through market research, it was determined that there is a high degree of acceptance of the product. About 90% of respondents, who have already tried sweet quince, are willing to buy the product. 16% of people who consume traditional sweets Ecuadorians in New York City, they qualify sweet quince as your preference. Regarding the Technical Study emphasizes that the project does not require a large investment in terms of investment in equipment and physical works, which becomes attractive relative to the project. In the Financial Study two scenarios were developed, one with a debt of 40% debt and 60% equity and the other method under 100% of equity. In both cash flows the NPV is a positive value and the IRR is higher than TMAR, making the project profitable

Future teachers confronting extremism and hate speech

Hate speech has become a social problem that needs to be addressed urgently. In many cases, these discourses and ideologies arrive through the media and the internet, and they are transferred to educational contexts. Debates of this type should be addressed at school and should be channelled into a democratic debate, and into the definition of shared objectives through the development of counterspeeches and alternative narratives based on Human Rights. In this research, we investigate the capacity of future teachers (n = 114) to identify online hate speech and how they develop counterspeeches. The results show that the majority are able to identify hate speech. However, future teachers present more difficulties developing counterspeeches or complex alternative narratives, which can be transferred to educational practices. We conclude that teacher training needs to be redesigned if we want them to be able to face these problems in their future educational practice

Bogomolny equations for vortices in the noncommutative torus

We derive Bogomolny-type equations for the Abelian Higgs model defined on the noncommutative torus and discuss its vortex like solutions. To this end, we carefully analyze how periodic boundary conditions have to be handled in noncommutative space and discussed how vortex solutions are constructed. We also consider the extension to an $U(2)\times U(1)$ model, a simplified prototype of the noncommutative standard model.Comment: 23 pages, no figure

Materials Testing for the Development of Biocompatible Devices through Vat-Polymerization 3D Printing

Light-based 3D printing techniques could be a valuable instrument in the development of customized and affordable biomedical devices, basically for high precision and high flexibility in terms of materials of these technologies. However, more studies related to the biocompatibility of the printed objects are required to expand the use of these techniques in the health sector. In this work, 3D printed polymeric parts are produced in lab conditions using a commercial Digital Light Processing (DLP) 3D printer and then successfully tested to fabricate components suitable for biological studies. For this purpose, different 3D printable formulations based on commercially available resins are compared. The biocompatibility of the 3D printed objects toward A549 cell line is investigated by adjusting the composition of the resins and optimizing post-printing protocols; those include washing in common solvents and UV post-curing treatments for removing unreacted and cytotoxic products. It is noteworthy that not only the selection of suitable materials but also the development of an adequate post-printing protocol is necessary for the development of biocompatible devices

An Exogenous Pre-Storage Melatonin Alleviates Chilling Injury in Some Mango Fruit Cultivars, by Acting on the Enzymatic and Non-Enzymatic Antioxidant System

Melatonin (MT) treatment (100 M, 2 h) was applied to four mango fruit cultivars (‘Langra’, ‘Chaunsa’, ‘Dashehari’, and ‘Gulab Jamun’), before being stored at 5 1 C for 28 d, in order to alleviate chilling injury (CI). Maximum CI reduction was observed in ‘Langra’ mangoes, and minimum in ‘Gulab Jamun’ mangoes. This positive effect on quality preservation was associated with an increased concentration of endogenous MT, which prevented the accumulation of reactive oxygen species (H2O2 and O2 ) and stimulated non-enzymatic antioxidants (total phenolic compounds and total flavonoids), possibly due to higher activity of phenylalanine ammonia lyase and tyrosine ammonia lyase. Increased antioxidant activity was also documented in MT-treated ‘Langra’ mangoes, according to four different assays (DPPH, TEAC, FRAP, and CUPRAC) and higher activity of six antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase, catalase, peroxidase, ascorbate peroxidase, glutathione reductase, and dehydroascorbate reductase). In contrast, ‘Gulab Jamun’ mangoes showed minimal or no positive effects on the aforementioned variables in response to the exogenous MT application. ‘Chaunsa’ and ‘Dashehari’ mangoes had some intermediate effects on their antioxidant system (enzymatic and non-enzymatic) and alleviation of CI, when treated with exogenous MT.We conclude that exogenous MT exerts a cultivar-dependent stimulating effect on the antioxidant system of mangoes, which results in an increase in the fruits’ resistance to low temperature

PVDF/BaTiO3/carbon nanotubes ternary nanocomposites prepared by ball milling: Piezo and dielectric responses

Nanocomposites based on poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) filled with barium titanate, BaTiO3, (BT) particles, and multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) were prepared by high-energy ball milling (HEBM) and subsequent hot pressing. This method of materials preparation allowed obtaining uniform dispersions of the nanofillers. The influence of the particles on the polymer structure and morphology was studied. To understand the origin of changes in the PVDF properties, thermal and electrical behaviors of the PVDF/BT/MWCNT nanocomposites were studied as a function of composition. The addition of BT, MWCNT, or its mixture had not any influence on the PVDF polymorphism. However, calorimetric results pointed out that the presence of the nanofillers exerted nucleation mainly ascribed to the surface to volume ratio of the nanoparticles. The capacitance of the composites increased as the nanofiller content increased, being the effect mainly dependent on the surface to volume ratio of the nanoparticles. The dielectric behavior of the materials as a function of frequency was modeled by a Debye equivalent circuit only below the percolation threshold respect to the amount of MWCNT. The piezoelectric behavior of the ternary nanocomposites was highly affected by the incorporation of the nanofillers only when high dielectric losses occurred above the percolation threshold.The authors gratefully acknowledge the financial support from the Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovacion (MAT2010-16815) and the Ministerio de Asuntos Exteriores y de Cooperacion and the Agencia Espanola de Cooperacion Internacional para el Desarrollo for supporting the Ph.D. thesis of F.A.S