Phase transition in a super superspin glass

We here confirm the occurrence of spin glass phase transition and extract estimates of associated critical exponents of a highly monodisperse and densely compacted system of bare maghemite nanoparticles. This system has earlier been found to behave like an archetypal spin glass, with e.g. a sharp transition from paramagnetic to non-equilibrium behavior, suggesting that this system undergoes a spin-glass phase transition at a relatively high temperature, $T_g$ $\sim$ 140 K.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figure

Isospin Dynamics in Peripheral Heavy Ion Collisions at Fermi Energies

We present a detailed study of isospin dynamics in peripheral collisions at Fermi energies. We consider symmetric and mixed collisions of (124,112)Sn isotopes at 35 and 50 AMeV to study the isospin transport between the different reaction components (residues, gas and possibly intermediate mass fragments) and, in particular, the charge equilibration in the mixed system. We evaluate the effects of drift terms due to asymmetry and density gradients, which are directly related to the poorly known value and slope of the symmetry energy below saturation density. We verify the importance of an isoscalar momentum dependence of the mean field, which is found to influence the isospin transport since it changes the reaction times. We finally suggest two observables particularly sensitive to the isovector part of the nuclear equation-of-state: the correlation between isospin equilibration and kinetic energy loss for binary events, and the isospin content of the produced mid-rapidity fragments for neck fragmentation events.Comment: 34 pages, 15 figures, Nucl.Phys. A, in pres

Lifestyle Influence on the Content of Copper, Zinc and Rubidium in Wild Mushrooms

The concentration of 18 trace elements in several species of fungi (arranged in three groups: ectomycorrhizae, saprobes, and epiphytes) has been determined. The measurements were made using the methodology of X-ray fluorescence. Higher contents of Cu and Rb (with statistical support) have been found in the ectomycorrhizal species. The Zn content reached higher concentrations in the saprophytic species. According to the normality test and the search for outliers, the species Clitocybe maxima and Suillus bellini accumulate large amounts of Cu and Rb, respectively, so that both can be named as “outliers.” The leftwards displacement of the density curves and their nonnormality are attributed to the presence of these two species, which exhibit hyperaccumulation skills for Cu and Rb, respectively. Regarding Zn absorption, no particular species were classified as outlier; therefore it can be assumed that the observed differences between the different groups of fungi are due to differences in their nutritional physiology

Phase transitions of hadronic to quark matter at finite T and \mu_B

The phase transition of hadronic to quark matter and the boundaries of the mixed hadron-quark coexistence phase are studied within the two Equation of State (EoS) model. The relativistic effective mean field approach with constant and density dependent meson-nucleon couplings is used to describe hadronic matter, and the MIT Bag model is adopted to describe quark matter. The boundaries of the mixed phase for different Bag constants are obtained solving the Gibbs equations. We notice that the dependence on the Bag parameter of the critical temperatures (at zero chemical potential) can be well reproduced by a fermion ultrarelativistic quark gas model, without contribution from the hadron part. At variance the critical chemical potentials (at zero temperature) are very sensitive to the EoS of the hadron sector. Hence the study of the hadronic EoS is much more relevant for the determination of the transition to the quark-gluon-plasma at finite baryon density and low-T. Moreover in the low temperature and finite chemical potential region no solutions of the Gibbs conditions are existing for small Bag constant values, B < (135 MeV)^4. Isospin effects in asymmetric matter appear relevant in the high chemical potential regions at lower temperatures, of interest for the inner core properties of neutron stars and for heavy ion collisions at intermediate energies.Comment: 24 pages and 16 figures (revtex4

Advancing on the road of psychological differentiation of sportsmen. Examples in differences in sex and sport mode

Estudiar lo que identifica psicológicamente al deportista no debe reducirse a establecer una lista de indicadores disposicionales; precisa determinar relaciones, carácter prioritario, variabilidad o compensación de unos sobre otros dentro del sistema deportista–deporte. La muestra (N=623), con una media de 23,96 años, se encuentra aleatoriamente distribuida por sexo (hombres=64,8% mujeres=35,2%) y deporte (individual=32,58%; colectivo=67,41%). Se analizan variables de personalidad, motivación y creencias hacia el éxito deportivo. La variabilidad entre las cualidades del deportista incide en sus relaciones, mostrándose mujeres más tenaces y afables, hombres más estables, mayor afabilidad en deportes colectivos y de apertura mental en individuales, mayor orientación motivacional hacia lo extrínseco, y creencias de esfuerzo hacia el éxito en mujeres y deportes individuales. La particular relación persona-deporte, plantea un marco adecuado para descubrir y aprender actitudes implicadas para desarrollar cualidades como la responsabilidad, superación, autocontrol, motivación de logro, persistencia de esfuerzos, así como otros importantes procesos mediadores.Psychological descriptions of athletes should not be constrained to a list of abilities. Rather, they require descriptions of relations among its priority, variability or compensation within a person-sport system. The sample (N=623), mean age 23.96, is randomly distributed by sex (male=64.8%, female=35.2%) and type of sport (individual=32.58%; team=67.41%). Variables such as personality, motivation, and beliefs in sport success are analysed. Variability among athletes´ qualities has an impact on their relationships with others; in particular, women are gentler, as well as more persistent and determined, while men are more stable and sociable in team sports, and show greater open-mindedness in individual sports, more extrinsic motivational orientation, and beliefs of effort to succes in women and individual sports. The personsport relationship is a framework for discovering and learning which attitudes are involved in the development of traits such as responsibility, achievement, self-control, achievement motivation, persistence of effort, as well as other relevant intermediary processes

Isospin Dynamics in Heavy Ion Collisions: EoS-sensitive Observables

Heavy Ion Collisions (HIC) represent a unique tool to probe the in-medium nuclear interaction in regions away from saturation and at high nucleon momenta. In this report we present a selection of reaction observables particularly sensitive to the isovector part of the interaction, i.e. to the symmetry term of the nuclear Equation of State (EoS) At low energies the behavior of the symmetry energy around saturation influences dissipation and fragment production mechanisms. Predictions are shown for deep-inelastic and fragmentation collisions induced by neutron rich projectiles. Differential flow measurements will also shed lights on the controversial neutron/proton effective mass splitting in asymmetric matter. The high density symmetry term can be derived from isospin effects on heavy ion reactions at relativistic energies (few AGeV range), that can even allow a ``direct'' study of the covariant structure of the isovector interaction in the hadron medium. Rather sensitive observables are proposed from collective flows and from pion/kaon production. The possibility of the transition to a mixed hadron-quark phase, at high baryon and isospin density, is finally suggested. Some signatures could come from an expected ``neutron trapping'' effect.Comment: 10 pages, 5 figures; espcrc1 style; IX Int.Conf. on Nucleus-Nucleus Collisions, Rio de Janeiro Aug.2006; to appear in Nucl.Phys.

Chondrogenic Potential of Subpopulations of Cells Expressing Mesenchymal Stem Cell Markers Derived from Human Synovial Membranes

[Abstract] In this study we analyzed the chondrogenic potential of subpopulations of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) derived from human synovial membranes enriched for CD73, CD106, and CD271 markers. Subpopulations of human synovial membrane MSCs enriched for CD73, CD106, and CD271 markers were isolated using a cytometry sorter and characterized by flow cytometry for MSC markers. The expression of Sox9, Nanog, and Runx2 genes by these cells was measured by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction. The chondrogenesis of each subpopulation was assessed by culturing the cells in a defined medium to produce spontaneous spheroid formation and differentiation towards chondrocyte-like cells. The examination of the spheroids by histological and immunohistochemical analyses for collagen type II (COL2), aggrecan, collagen type I (COL1), metalloprotease 13 (MMP13), and collagen type X (COLX) levels were performed to assess their chondrogenesis capacity. The adipogenesis and osteogenesis potential of each subpopulation was determined using commercial media; the resulting cells were stained with oil red O or red alizarin to test the degree of differentiation. The subpopulations had different profiles of cells positive for the MSC markers CD44, CD69, CD73, CD90, and CD105 and showed different expression levels of the genes Sox9, Nanog, and Runx2 involved in chondrogenesis, undifferentiation, and osteoblastogenesis, respectively. Immunohistochemical analysis demonstrated that COL1, COL2, COLX, MMP13, and aggrecan were expressed in the spheroids as soon as 14 days of culture. The CD271+ subpopulation expressed the highest levels of COL2 staining compared to the other subpopulations. CD105 and Runx2 were shown by immunohistochemistry and genetic analysis to have significantly higher expression CD271+ subpopulation than the other subpopulations. Spheroids formed from CD271-enriched and CD73-enriched MSCs from normal human synovial membranes mimic the native cartilage extracellular matrix more closely than CD106+ MSCs and are possible candidates for use in cartilage tissue engineering. Both cell types have potential for promoting the differentiation of MSCs into chondrocytes, presenting new possibilities for achieving intrinsic cartilage repair.Servizo Galego de Saúde; PS07/86Instituto de Salud Carlos III; CIBER BBN CB06-01-0040Instituto de Salud Carlos III; PI-08/202

Differentiation of Synovial CD-105+ Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells into Chondrocyte-like Cells through Spheroid Formation

[Abstract] Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have the capacity to differentiate into several cell lineages, some of which can generate bone, cartilage, or adipose tissue. The presence of MSCs in the synovial membrane was recently reported. Data from comparative studies of MSCs derived from various mesenchymal tissues suggest that MSCs from synovial membranes have a superior chondrogenesis capacity. Previous chondrogenic differentiation studies have used the total population of MSCs, including cells with several MSC markers, such as CD44, CD90, CD105, or CD73. However the chondrogenic capacity of an individual population of MSCs has not been examined. Our aim was to study the chondrogenic capacity of the cellular MSC subset, CD105+, derived from synovial membrane tissues of patients with osteoarthritis (OA) and normal donors. The tissues were digested with a cocktail of collagenase/dispase and the isolated MSCs were seeded into plates. The subpopulation of CD105+-MSCs was separated using a magnetic separator. The MSCs were then differentiated towards chondrocyte-like cells using a specific medium to promote spheroid formation. Spheroids were collected after 14, 28, and 46 days in chondrogenic medium and stained with hematoxylin, eosin, Safranin O or Alcian blue to evaluate the extracellular matrix. Immunohistochemistry was performed to study collagen types I (COLI) and II (COLII) and aggrecan expression. Phenotypic characterization of the isolated CD105+-MSCs shows that these cells are also positive for CD90 and CD44, but negatives for CD34 and CD45. In addition, this cellular subset expressed Sox-9. Spheroids appeared after 7 days in culture in the presence of chondrogenic medium. Our studies show no differences between MSCs obtained from OA and normal synovial membranes during chondrogenesis. The morphological analysis of spheroids revealed characteristics typical of chondrocyte cells. The intensity of Safranin O, Alcian blue and aggrecan staining was positive and constant throughout the culture period. However, the intensity of COL2 staining was higher at 28 days (84.29 ± 0.1 U) than at 46 days (61.28 ± 01 U), while COL1 staining was not detected in any samples analyzed. These results were confirmed by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction assays. We conclude that the cellular subset of CD105+-MSCs has chondrogenic capacity. The study also show the similar chondrogenic capacity of CD105+-MSCs cultured from normal and OA synovial membranes. J. Cell. Biochem. 108: 145–155, 2009.Servizo Galego de Saúde; PS07/8