Non-Abelian Chern-Simons-Higgs vortices with a quartic potential

We have constructed numerically non-Abelian vortices in an SU(2) Chern-Simons-Higgs theory with a quartic Higgs potential. We have analyzed these solutions in detail by means of improved numerical codes and found some unexpected features we did not find when a sixth-order Higgs potential was used. The generic non-Abelian solutions have been generated by using their corresponding Abelian counterparts as initial guess. Typically, the energy of the non-Abelian solutions is lower than that of the corresponding Abelian one (except in certain regions of the parameter space). Regarding the angular momentum, the Abelian solutions possess the maximal value, although there exist non-Abelian solutions which reach that maximal value too. In order to classify the solutions it is useful to consider the non-Abelian solutions with asymptotically vanishing $A_t$ component of the gauge potential, which may be labelled by an integer number $m$. For vortex number $n=3$ and above, we have found uniqueness violation: two different non-Abelian solutions with all the global charges equal. Finally, we have investigated the limit of infinity Higgs self-coupling parameter and found a piecewise Regge-like relation between the energy and the angular momentum.Comment: 9 pages, 13 figure

REST PERIOD FOR STRENGTH RECOVERY DURING ISOKINETIC TESTING

The purpose of this study was to replicate the testing protocol used by Parcell, Sawyer, Valmor, Tricoli and Chinevere (2002) with a female population to determine whether females had the same recovery responses as males when performing isokinetic tests. Eleven female subjects were recruited and tested on 4 separate occasions. A 4 X 5 repeated measures ANOVA was used to analyze the data (p < .05). There were no significant findings. The conclusions were that the females in the study did not understand maximal force production, peak torque averages don't provide the same information as the highest peak torque per set, or the females need more time to become attenuated to the testing apparatus

The dynamically hot stellar halo around NGC 3311: a small cluster-dominated central galaxy

An important open question is the relation between intracluster light and the halos of central galaxies in galaxy clusters. Here we report results from an on going project with the aim to characterize the dynamical state in the core of the Hydra I (Abell 1060) cluster around NGC 3311. Methods: We analyze deep long-slit absorption line spectra reaching out to ~25 kpc in the halo of NGC 3311. Results: We find a very steep increase in the velocity dispersion profile from a central sigma_0=150 km/s to sigma_out ~450 km/s at R ~ 12 kpc. Farther out, to ~25 kpc, sigma appears to be constant at this value, which is ~60% of the velocity dispersion of the Hydra I galaxies. With its dynamically hot halo kinematics, NGC 3311 is unlike other normal early-type galaxies. Conclusions: These results and the large amount of dark matter inferred from X-rays around NGC 3311 suggest that the stellar halo of this galaxy is dominated by the central intracluster stars of the cluster, and that the transition from predominantly galaxy-bound stars to cluster stars occurs in the radial range 4 to 12 kpc from the center of NGC 3311. We comment on the wide range of halo kinematics observed in cluster central galaxies, depending on the evolutionary state of their host clusters.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures, 1 table, accepted for publication in A&

Expressão e distribuição da conexina 32 em fígados de ratos com fibrose induzida experimentalmente

The connexin 32 (Cx32) is a protein that forms the channels that promote the gap junction intercellular communication (GJIC) in the liver, allowing the diffusion of small molecules through cytosol from cell-to-cell. Hepatic fibrosis is characterized by a disruption of normal tissue architeture by cellular lesions, and may alter the GJIC. This work aimed to study the expression and distribution of Cx32 in liver fibrosis induced by the oral administration of dimethylnitrosamine in female Wistar rats. The necropsy of the rats was carried out after five weeks of drug administration. They presented a hepatic fibrosis state. Sections from livers with fibrosis and from control livers were submitted to immunohistochemical, Real Time-PCR and Western-Blot analysis to Cx32. In fibrotic livers the Cxs were diffusely scattered in the cytoplasm, contrasting with the control livers, where the Cx32 formed junction plaques at the cell membrane. Also it was found a decrease in the gene expression of Cx32 without reduction in the protein quantity when compared with controls. These results suggest that there the mechanism of intercellular communication between hepatocytes was reduced by the fibrotic process, which may predispose to the occurrence of a neoplastic process, taken in account that connexins are considered tumor suppressing genes.A conexina 32 (Cx32) é uma proteína que constitui os canais que promovem as comunicações intercelulares via junções comunicantes (CIJC) no fígado, permitindo difusão de pequenas moléculas citoplasmáticas de uma célula à outra. A fibrose hepática caracteriza-se pela alteração da arquitetura normal do fígado e podem alterar as CIJCs. O objetivo deste trabalho foi estudar a expressão e distribuição de Cx32 na fibrose hepática. O objetivo do presente trabalho foi estudar a expressão e distribuição da Cx32 em fígados com fibrose induzida pela administração oral de dimetilnitrosamina em fêmeas de ratos Wistar. A necropsia foi realizada após cinco semanas da última administração da droga e observou-se um quadro de fibrose hepática. Amostras dos fígados com fibrose e de animais controle foram submetidas à análise imunoistoquímica, por Real Time-PCR e por Western-Blot verificando-se a presença de Cx32 difusa e dispersa no citoplasma dos fígados com fibrose. No grupo controle a Cx32 localizou-se na membrana citoplasmática com a formação de placas juncionais. O fígado com fibrose também revelou diminuição da expressão gênica de Cx32, embora sem a redução da quantidade do produto protéico, quando comparado ao grupo controle. Estes resultados sugerem que o mecanismo de comunicação intercelular entre os hepatócitos reduziu-se durante o processo fibrótico, o que pode predispor a ocorrência de processos neoplásicos, uma vez que as conexinas são consideradas genes supressores de tumores.FAPESPCNP

Avaliação da eficácia do aluminosilicato de sódio hidratado na prevenção de câncer hepático induzido por aflatoxina em truta arco-íris

The use of aluminum silicates for decontaminating animal feed containing aflatoxins has yielded encouraging results in chicken and turkey poults. In contrast, very few studies have tested these substances in aquaculture. In this work, we investigated the efficacy of a trout diet containing 0.5% hydrated sodium aluminosilicate (HSAS) in protecting against contamination with aflatoxin B1. Trout were reared on these diets for one year and the experimental groups were examined monthly for hepatic presumptive preneoplastic and neoplastic lesions. Regardless of the presence of HSAS, all of the fish that received aflatoxin in their diet have shown hepatic lesions indicative of a carcinogenic process, presenting also the development of cancer in some fish. The concentration of HSAS used in this study was ineffective in preventing the onset of hepatic lesions induced by aflatoxin B1 in rainbow trout.Resultados encorajadores têm sido observados com o emprego de aluminosilicatos para descontaminação de ração contendo aflatoxina destinada à avicultura. No entanto, raros estudos têm sido destinados a testar essa substância em aqüicultura. Assim, no presente trabalho, foi investigada a eficácia do aluminosilicato de sódio hidratado (HSAS, 0,5%) em proteger a truta arco-íris dos danos hepáticos causados por ração contaminada com aflatoxina B1. Os grupos experimentais foram alimentados com suas respectivas dietas durante 12 meses, mensalmente cada grupo foi amostrado para análises anatomopatológica e histopatológica para verificação da presença de lesões hepáticas. Apesar da presença de HSAS, todos os grupos que receberam dieta contaminada com aflatoxina B1 apresentaram lesões hepáticas indicativas do processo carcinogênico, sendo que exemplares alimentados com essas dietas por mais longo prazo apresentaram hepatocarcinoma ou colangiocarcinoma. Estes resultados indicaram que a concentração de HSAS usada no presente estudo não foi efetiva em prevenir o desenvolvimento de lesões hepáticas induzidas por aflatoxina B1 em truta arco-íris.Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Fundo de Apoio ao Ensino, Pesquisa e Extensão da Universidade Estadual de Campina

Clinical significance of inferolateral early repolarisation and late potentials in children with Brugada Syndrome.

INTRODUCTION: The clinical utility of inferolateral early repolarisation (ER) and late potentials (LP) in children with Brugada Syndrome (BrS) has not been previously evaluated. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of electrocardiographic (ECG) abnormalities in children with BrS, and to investigate their relationship with clinical outcomes. METHODS: 43 patients with BrS and 47 controls aged ≤18 undergoing systematic clinical and ECG evaluation, including signal-averaged ECG (SAECG) and pharmacological provocation testing, between 2003 and 2019 were included. RESULTS: Four patients with BrS (9%) presented with a spontaneous type 1 Brugada pattern; the remaining 39 (91%) were diagnosed following ajmaline provocation testing. Twelve BrS patients (28%) had late potentials (LP) on SAECG compared to 1 (2%) in controls (p = 0.001). LP were more common in 5 patients with a high-risk phenotype (60% vs 24%) but this was not statistically significant. Twelve patients with BrS (28%) had inferolateral early repolarisation (ER) and 2 (5%) had fractionated QRS (f-QRS), but there were no statistically-significant differences with controls in these parameters. A significant arrhythmia (non-sustained ventricular tachycardia or atrial fibrillation) was seen in 4 patients (9%). CONCLUSIONS: This study shows a high prevalence of SAECG abnormalities in children with BrS compared with controls, but this was not significantly associated with a high-risk phenotype

Resolving galaxies in time and space: II: Uncertainties in the spectral synthesis of datacubes

In a companion paper we have presented many products derived from the application of the spectral synthesis code STARLIGHT to datacubes from the CALIFA survey, including 2D maps of stellar population properties and 1D averages in the temporal and spatial dimensions. Here we evaluate the uncertainties in these products. Uncertainties due to noise and spectral shape calibration errors and to the synthesis method are investigated by means of a suite of simulations based on 1638 CALIFA spectra for NGC 2916, with perturbations amplitudes gauged in terms of the expected errors. A separate study was conducted to assess uncertainties related to the choice of evolutionary synthesis models. We compare results obtained with the Bruzual & Charlot models, a preliminary update of them, and a combination of spectra derived from the Granada and MILES models. About 100k CALIFA spectra are used in this comparison. Noise and shape-related errors at the level expected for CALIFA propagate to 0.10-0.15 dex uncertainties in stellar masses, mean ages and metallicities. Uncertainties in A_V increase from 0.06 mag in the case of random noise to 0.16 mag for shape errors. Higher order products such as SFHs are more uncertain, but still relatively stable. Due to the large number statistics of datacubes, spatial averaging reduces uncertainties while preserving information on the history and structure of stellar populations. Radial profiles of global properties, as well as SFHs averaged over different regions are much more stable than for individual spaxels. Uncertainties related to the choice of base models are larger than those associated with data and method. Differences in mean age, mass and metallicity are ~ 0.15 to 0.25 dex, and 0.1 mag in A_V. Spectral residuals are ~ 1% on average, but with systematic features of up to 4%. The origin of these features is discussed. (Abridged)Comment: A&A, accepte

Phenylboronic Acids Probing Molecular Recognition against Class A and Class C beta-Lactamases

Worldwide dissemination of pathogens resistant to almost all available antibiotics represent a real problem preventing efficient treatment of infectious diseases. Among antimicrobial used in therapy, \u392-lactam antibiotics represent 40% thus playing a crucial role in the management of infections treatment. We report a small series of phenylboronic acids derivatives (BAs) active against class A carbapenemases KPC-2 and GES-5, and class C cephalosporinases AmpC. The inhibitory profile of our BAs against class A and C was investigated by means of molecular docking, enzyme kinetics and X-ray crystallography. We were interested in the mechanism of recognition among class A and class C to direct the design of broad serine \u392-Lactamases (SBLs) inhibitors. Molecular modeling calculations vs GES-5 and crystallographic studies vs AmpC reasoned, respectively, the ortho derivative 2 and the meta derivative 3 binding affinity. The ability of our BAs to protect \u392-lactams from BLs hydrolysis was determined in biological assays conducted against clinical strains: Fractional inhibitory concentration index (FICI) tests confirmed their ability to be synergic with \u392-lactams thus restoring susceptibility to meropenem. Considering the obtained results and the lack of cytotoxicity, our derivatives represent validated probe for the design of SBLs inhibitors

Optoelectronic generation of bio-aqueous femto-droplets based on the bulk photovoltaic effect

"© 2020 Optical Society of America. One print or electronic copy may be made for personal use only. Systematic reproduction and distribution, duplication of any material in this paper for a fee or for commercial purposes, or modifications of the content of this paper are prohibited"The generation and manipulation of small aqueous droplets is an important issue for nano- and biotechnology, particularly, when using microfluidic devices. The production of very small droplets has been frequently carried out by applying intense local electric fields to the fluid, which requires power supplies and metallic electrodes. This procedure complicates the device and reduces its versatility. In this work, we present a novel and flexible, to the best of our knowledge, electrodeless optoelectronic method for the production of tiny droplets of biologically friendly aqueous fluids. Our method takes advantage of the photoinduced electric fields generated by the bulk photovoltaic effect in iron-doped lithium niobate crystals. Two substrate configurations, presenting the polar ferroelectric axis either parallel or perpendicular to the active surface, have been successfully tested. In both crystal geometries, small droplets on the femtoliter scale have been obtained, although with a different spatial distributions correlated with the symmetry of the photovoltaic fields. The overall results demonstrate the effectiveness of the optoelectronic method to produce femtoliter droplets, both with pure water and with aqueous solutions containing biological materialMinisterio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades of Spain (MAT2017-83951-R); Marie Sklodowska-Curie Action COFUND (713366-InterTalentum