Field Theory for a Deuteron Quantum Liquid

Based on general symmetry principles we study an effective Lagrangian for a neutral system of condensed spin-1 deuteron nuclei and electrons, at greater-than-atomic but less-than-nuclear densities. We expect such matter to be present in thin layers within certain low-mass brown dwarfs. It may also be produced in future shock-wave-compression experiments as an effective fuel for laser induced nuclear fusion. We find a background solution of the effective theory describing a net spin zero condensate of deuterons with their spins aligned and anti-aligned in a certain spontaneously emerged preferred direction. The spectrum of low energy collective excitations contains two spin waves with linear dispersions -- like in antiferromagnets -- as well as gapped longitudinal and transverse modes related to the Meissner effect -- like in superconductors. We show that counting of the Nambu-Goldstone modes of spontaneously broken internal and space-time symmetries obeys, in a nontrivial way, the rules of the Goldstone theorem for Lorentz non-invariant systems. We discuss thermodynamic properties of the condensate, and its potential manifestation in the low-mass brown dwarfs.Comment: 19 LaTeX pages; v2: 2 refs added, JHEP versio

Multifunctional nanostructured Co-doped ZnO: Co spatial distribution and correlated magnetic properties

The correlation between the structural and magnetic properties of nanoparticulated Co-doped ZnO is reported and a kinetic-thermodynamic model for the processes of nucleation and growth of the nanoparticles is proposed

Counter-current chromatography for the separation of terpenoids: A comprehensive review with respect to the solvent systems employed

Copyright @ 2014 The Authors.This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits any use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author(s) and the source are credited.Natural products extracts are commonly highly complex mixtures of active compounds and consequently their purification becomes a particularly challenging task. The development of a purification protocol to extract a single active component from the many hundreds that are often present in the mixture is something that can take months or even years to achieve, thus it is important for the natural product chemist to have, at their disposal, a broad range of diverse purification techniques. Counter-current chromatography (CCC) is one such separation technique utilising two immiscible phases, one as the stationary phase (retained in a spinning coil by centrifugal forces) and the second as the mobile phase. The method benefits from a number of advantages when compared with the more traditional liquid-solid separation methods, such as no irreversible adsorption, total recovery of the injected sample, minimal tailing of peaks, low risk of sample denaturation, the ability to accept particulates, and a low solvent consumption. The selection of an appropriate two-phase solvent system is critical to the running of CCC since this is both the mobile and the stationary phase of the system. However, this is also by far the most time consuming aspect of the technique and the one that most inhibits its general take-up. In recent years, numerous natural product purifications have been published using CCC from almost every country across the globe. Many of these papers are devoted to terpenoids-one of the most diverse groups. Naturally occurring terpenoids provide opportunities to discover new drugs but many of them are available at very low levels in nature and a huge number of them still remain unexplored. The collective knowledge on performing successful CCC separations of terpenoids has been gathered and reviewed by the authors, in order to create a comprehensive document that will be of great assistance in performing future purifications. © 2014 The Author(s)

Genetic parameters for faecal egg count, packed-cell volume and body-weight in Santa Inês lambs

Worm infection is one of the main factors responsible for economic losses in sheep breeding in Brazil. Random regression analysis was used to estimate genetic parameters for the factors faecal egg-count (FEC), packed-cell volume (PCV) and body weight (BW) in Santa Inês lambs. Data from 119 female, offspring of nine rams, were collected between December, 2005 and December, 2006, from the experimental flock of Embrapa Tabuleiros Costeiros, the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation located in Frei Paulo, SE, Brazil. After weaning, females were drenched until the faecal egg count had dropped to zero. Two natural challenges were undertaken. FEC heritability was extremely variable, this increasing from 0.04 to 0.27 in the first challenge and from 0.01 to 0.52 during the second. PCV heritability peaks were 0.31 and 0.12 in the first and second challenges, respectively. In the second challenge, BW heritability was close to 0.90. The genetic correlations among these traits did not differ from zero. There is the possibility of increasing parasite resistance in Santa Inês by selecting those animals with lower FEC. Selection to increase resistance will not adversely affect lamb-growth, although lambs with a slow growth-rate may be more susceptible to infection

In Vivo Approaches Reveal a Key Role for DCs in CD4+ T Cell Activation and Parasite Clearance during the Acute Phase of Experimental Blood-Stage Malaria

Dendritic cells (DCs) are phagocytes that are highly specialized for antigen presentation. Heterogeneous populations of macrophages and DCs form a phagocyte network inside the red pulp (RP) of the spleen, which is a major site for the control of blood-borne infections such as malaria. However, the dynamics of splenic DCs during Plasmodium infections are poorly understood, limiting our knowledge regarding their protective role in malaria. Here, we used in vivo experimental approaches that enabled us to deplete or visualize DCs in order to clarify these issues. To elucidate the roles of DCs and marginal zone macrophages in the protection against blood-stage malaria, we infected DTx (diphtheria toxin)-treated C57BL/6.CD11c-DTR mice, as well as C57BL/6 mice treated with low doses of clodronate liposomes (ClLip), with Plasmodium chabaudi AS (Pc) parasites. The first evidence suggesting that DCs could contribute directly to parasite clearance was an early effect of the DTx treatment, but not of the ClLip treatment, in parasitemia control. DCs were also required for CD4+ T cell responses during infection. The phagocytosis of infected red blood cells (iRBCs) by splenic DCs was analyzed by confocal intravital microscopy, as well as by flow cytometry and immunofluorescence, at three distinct phases of Pc malaria: at the first encounter, at pre-crisis concomitant with parasitemia growth and at crisis when the parasitemia decline coincides with spleen closure. In vivo and ex vivo imaging of the spleen revealed that DCs actively phagocytize iRBCs and interact with CD4+ T cells both in T cell-rich areas and in the RP. Subcapsular RP DCs were highly efficient in the recognition and capture of iRBCs during pre-crisis, while complete DC maturation was only achieved during crisis. These findings indicate that, beyond their classical role in antigen presentation, DCs also contribute to the direct elimination of iRBCs during acute Plasmodium infection.São Paulo Research Foundation grants: (2011/24038-1 [MRDL], 2009/08559-1 [HBdS], CAPES/IGC 04/ 2012 [MRDL, CET])

Gelatin microparticles aggregates as three-dimensional scaffolding system in cartilage engineering

A three-dimensional (3D) scaffolding system for chondrocytes culture has been produced by agglomeration of cells and gelatin microparticles with a mild centrifuging process. The diameter of the microparticles, around 10 μ, was selected to be in the order of magnitude of the chondrocytes. No gel was used to stabilize the construct that maintained consistency just because of cell and extracellular matrix (ECM) adhesion to the substrate. In one series of samples the microparticles were charged with transforming growth factor, TGF-β1. The kinetics of growth factor delivery was assessed. The initial delivery was approximately 48 % of the total amount delivered up to day 14. Chondrocytes that had been previously expanded in monolayer culture, and thus dedifferentiated, adopted in this 3D environment a round morphology, both with presence or absence of growth factor delivery, with production of ECM that intermingles with gelatin particles. The pellet was stable from the first day of culture. Cell viability was assessed by MTS assay, showing higher absorption values in the cell/unloaded gelatin microparticle pellets than in cell pellets up to day 7. Nevertheless the absorption drops in the following culture times. On the contrary the cell viability of cell/TGF-β1 loaded gelatin microparticle pellets was constant during the 21 days of culture. The formation of actin stress fibres in the cytoskeleton and type I collagen expression was significantly reduced in both cell/gelatin microparticle pellets (with and without TGF-β1) with respect to cell pellet controls. Total type II collagen and sulphated glycosaminoglycans quantification show an enhancement of the production of ECM when TGF-β1 is delivered, as expected because this growth factor stimulate the chondrocyte proliferation and improve the functionality of the tissue.JLGR acknowledge the support of the Spanish Ministry of Education through project No. MAT2010-21611-C03-01 (including the FEDER financial support). The support of the Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII) through the CIBER initiative of the Networking Research Center on Bioengineering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine (CIBER-BBN) is also acknowledged