Essential oil of Seseli tortuosum L. from Portugal: safety and anti-inflammatory potential evaluation

Several Seseli L. (Apiaceae) species are used in folk medicine for several healing effects, namely herbal remedy for human inflammation, swelling, rheumatism, pain and common cold. In Portugal, there are two taxa usually used in traditional medicine: Seseli tortuosum L. and Seseli montanum subsp. peixotoanum (Samp.). The aim of the present research was to evaluate the anti-inflammatory activity of S. tortuosum and to assess their safety profile in several mammalian cell types at concentrations presenting strong bioactivity. This oil is characterized by high percentage of α-pinene (21.1%), β-pinene (22.6%) and cis-β-ocimene (11.8). The anti-inflammatory potential was investigated in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-triggered nitric oxide (NO) production by macrophages and microglia concomitantly treated with S. tortuosum essential oil. Our results demonstrated a significant decrease of LPS-induced NO production at concentrations up to 0.16 μL/mL, without affecting cell viability. Our findings confirm the safety of S. tortuosum oil in doses with anti-inflammatory activity. These results support further studies envisaging the use of S. tortuosum oil in pharmaceutical formulations for inhalation, topical application or oral administration

Conserved Charges in Even Dimensional Asymptotically locally Anti-de Sitter Space-times

Based on the recent paper hep-th/0503045, we derive a formula of calculating conserved charges in even dimensional asymptotically {\it locally} anti-de Sitter space-times by using the definition of Wald and Zoupas. This formula generalizes the one proposed by Ashtekar {\it et al}. Using the new formula we compute the masses of Taub-Bolt-AdS space-times by treating Taub-Nut-AdS space-times as the reference solution. Our result agrees with those resulting from "background subtraction" method or "boundary counterterm" method. We also calculate the conserved charges of Kerr-Taub-Nut-AdS solutions in four dimensions and higher dimensional Kerr-AdS solutions with Nut charges. The mass of (un)wrapped brane solutions in any dimension is given.Comment: Latex, 28 pages, v2: minor changes, to appear in JHE

Spontaneous Puberty In Girls With Early Diagnosis Of Turner Syndrome [puberdade Espontânea Em Meninas Com Diagnóstico Precoce De Síndrome De Turner]

Objective: To verify if the frequency of spontaneous pubertal development among girls with Turner syndrome (TS) diagnosed in infancy and childhood is greater than that of patients diagnosed later. Subjects and methods: Thirty three girls aged 13 years diagnosed at the same service. Results: Sixteen of 32 informative patients had signs of spontaneous puberty, a frequency greater than that of patients diagnosed later. In six patients, there was no progression of puberty; menarche occurred in six, and one became pregnant, but the fetus was a stillborn. Spontaneous puberty was absent in all cases with 45,X karyotype. Conclusions: The greater prevalence of spontaneous puberty in girls whose diagnosis was not based on pubertal delay suggests that, among those diagnosed later, there is a bias towards patients with hypogonadism. © ABE&M todos os direitos reservados.569653657Bondy, C.A., Turner syndrome study group. Care of girls and women with Turner syndrome: A guideline of the Turner Syndrome Study Group (2007) J Clin Endocrinol Metab., 92 (1), pp. 10-25Reynaud, K., Cortvrindt, R., Verlinde, F., de Schepper, J., Bourgain, C., Smitz, J., Number of ovarian follicles in human fetuses with the 45, X karyotype (2004) Fertil Steril., 81 (4), pp. 1112-1119Conte, F.A., Grumbach, M.M., Kaplan, S.L., A diphasic pattern of gonadotropin secretion in patients with the syndrome of gonadal dysgenesis (1975) J Clin Endocrinol Metab., 40 (4), pp. 670-674Ropelato, M.G., Escobar, M.E., Gottlieb, S., Bergada, C., Gonadotropin secretion in prepubertal normal and agonadal children evaluated by ultrasensitive time-resolved immunofluorometric assays (1997) Horm Res., 48 (4), pp. 164-172Chrysis, D., Spiliotis, B.E., Stene, M., Cacciari, E., Davenport, M.L., Gonadotropin secretion in girls with Turner syndrome measured by an ultrasensitive immunochemiluminometric assay (2006) Horm Res., 65 (5), pp. 261-266Turner, H.H., A syndrome of infantilism, congenital webbed neck and cubitus valgus (1938) Endocrinology, 23, pp. 566-574Lippe, B., Westra, S.J., Boechat, M.I., Ovarian function in Turner syndrome: Recognizing the spectrum (1993) Basic and clinical approach to Turner syndrome, pp. 117-122. , In: Hibi I, Takano K, editors, Amsterdam, NL: Elsevier Science PublishersPrice, D.A., Albertsson-Wikland, K., Demography, auxology and response to recombinant human growth hormone treatment in girls with Turner's syndrome in the Kabi Pharmacia International growth study (1993) Acta Paediatr., 82 (s391), pp. 69-74Lippe, B., Turner syndrome (1996) Pediatric Endocrinology, pp. 387-422. , In: Sperling MA, editor, Philadelphia, USA: WB SaundersPasquino, A.M., Passeri, F., Pucarelli, I., Segni, M., Municchi, G., Italian's Study Group for Turner's syndrome. Spontaneous pubertal development in Turner's syndrome (1997) J Clin Endocrinol Metab., 82 (6), pp. 1810-1813Hjerrild, B.E., Mortensen, K.H., Gravholt, C.H., Turner syndrome and clinical treatment (2008) Br Med Bull., 86, pp. 77-93Hadnott, T.N., Gould, H.N., Gharib, A.M., Bondy, C.A., Outcomes of spontaneous and assisted pregnancies in Turner syndrome: The U.S. National Institutes of Health experience (2011) Fertil Steril., 95 (7), pp. 2251-2256Carvalho, A.B., Guerra Jr., G., Baptista, M.T.M., Marques-de-Faria, A.P., Lemos-Marini, S.H., Maciel-Guerra, A.T., Turner syndrome: A pediatric diagnosis frequently made by non-pediatricians (2010) J Pediatr (Rio J), 86 (2), pp. 121-125Sutton, E.J., McInerney-Leo, A., Bondy, C.A., Gollust, S.E., King, D., Biesecker, B., Turner syndrome: Four challenges across the lifespan (2005) Am J Med Genet A., 139 A (2), pp. 57-66Hagen, C.P., Main, K.M., Kjaergaard, S., Juul, A., FSH, LH, inhibin B and estradiol levels in Turner syndrome depend on age and karyotype: Longitudinal study of 70 Turner girls with or without spontaneous puberty (2010) Hum Reprod., 25 (12), pp. 3134-3141Fechner, P.Y., Davenport, M.L., Qualy, R.L., Ross, J.L., Gunther, D.F., Eugster, E.A., Differences in follicle-stimulating hormone secretion between 45, X monosomy Turner syndrome and 45, X/46, XX mosaicism are evident at an early age (2006) J Clin Endocrinol Metab., 91 (12), pp. 4896-4902Hook, E.B., Exclusion of chromosome mosaicism: Tables of 90 percent, 95 percent and 99 percent confidence limits and comments on use (1977) Am J Hum Genet., 29, pp. 94-97Massa, G., Verlinde, F., de Schepper, J., Thomas, M., Bourguignon, J.P., Craen, M., Trends in age at diagnosis of Turner syndrome (2005) Arch Dis Child, 90 (3), pp. 267-268Hagen, C.P., Aksglaede, L., Sørensen, K., Main, K.M., Boas, M., Cleemann, L., Serum levels of anti-Müllerian hormone as a marker of ovarian function in 926 healthy females from birth to adulthood and in 172 Turner syndrome patients (2012) J Clin Endocrinol Metab., 95 (11), pp. 5003-501

Measurements of long-range near-side angular correlations in sNN=5\sqrt{s_{\text{NN}}}=5TeV proton-lead collisions in the forward region

Two-particle angular correlations are studied in proton-lead collisions at a nucleon-nucleon centre-of-mass energy of $\sqrt{s_{\text{NN}}}=5$TeV, collected with the LHCb detector at the LHC. The analysis is based on data recorded in two beam configurations, in which either the direction of the proton or that of the lead ion is analysed. The correlations are measured in the laboratory system as a function of relative pseudorapidity, $\Delta\eta$, and relative azimuthal angle, $\Delta\phi$, for events in different classes of event activity and for different bins of particle transverse momentum. In high-activity events a long-range correlation on the near side, $\Delta\phi \approx 0$, is observed in the pseudorapidity range $2.0<\eta<4.9$. This measurement of long-range correlations on the near side in proton-lead collisions extends previous observations into the forward region up to $\eta=4.9$. The correlation increases with growing event activity and is found to be more pronounced in the direction of the lead beam. However, the correlation in the direction of the lead and proton beams are found to be compatible when comparing events with similar absolute activity in the direction analysed.Comment: All figures and tables, along with any supplementary material and additional information, are available at https://lhcbproject.web.cern.ch/lhcbproject/Publications/LHCbProjectPublic/LHCb-PAPER-2015-040.htm

Evidence for the strangeness-changing weak decay Ξb−→Λb0π−\Xi_b^-\to\Lambda_b^0\pi^-

Using a $pp$ collision data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 3.0~fb$^{-1}$, collected by the LHCb detector, we present the first search for the strangeness-changing weak decay $\Xi_b^-\to\Lambda_b^0\pi^-$. No $b$ hadron decay of this type has been seen before. A signal for this decay, corresponding to a significance of 3.2 standard deviations, is reported. The relative rate is measured to be ${{f_{\Xi_b^-}}\over{f_{\Lambda_b^0}}}{\cal{B}}(\Xi_b^-\to\Lambda_b^0\pi^-) = (5.7\pm1.8^{+0.8}_{-0.9})\times10^{-4}$, where $f_{\Xi_b^-}$ and $f_{\Lambda_b^0}$ are the $b\to\Xi_b^-$ and $b\to\Lambda_b^0$ fragmentation fractions, and ${\cal{B}}(\Xi_b^-\to\Lambda_b^0\pi^-)$ is the branching fraction. Assuming $f_{\Xi_b^-}/f_{\Lambda_b^0}$ is bounded between 0.1 and 0.3, the branching fraction ${\cal{B}}(\Xi_b^-\to\Lambda_b^0\pi^-)$ would lie in the range from $(0.57\pm0.21)\%$ to $(0.19\pm0.07)\%$.Comment: 7 pages, 2 figures, All figures and tables, along with any supplementary material and additional information, are available at https://lhcbproject.web.cern.ch/lhcbproject/Publications/LHCbProjectPublic/LHCb-PAPER-2015-047.htm

Study of the production of Λb0\Lambda_b^0 and B‾0\overline{B}^0 hadrons in pppp collisions and first measurement of the Λb0→J/ψpK−\Lambda_b^0\rightarrow J/\psi pK^- branching fraction

The product of the $\Lambda_b^0$ ($\overline{B}^0$) differential production cross-section and the branching fraction of the decay $\Lambda_b^0\rightarrow J/\psi pK^-$ ($\overline{B}^0\rightarrow J/\psi\overline{K}^*(892)^0$) is measured as a function of the beauty hadron transverse momentum, $p_{\rm T}$, and rapidity, $y$. The kinematic region of the measurements is $p_{\rm T}<20~{\rm GeV}/c$ and $2.0<y<4.5$. The measurements use a data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of $3~{\rm fb}^{-1}$ collected by the LHCb detector in $pp$ collisions at centre-of-mass energies $\sqrt{s}=7~{\rm TeV}$ in 2011 and $\sqrt{s}=8~{\rm TeV}$ in 2012. Based on previous LHCb results of the fragmentation fraction ratio, $f_{\Lambda_B^0}/f_d$, the branching fraction of the decay $\Lambda_b^0\rightarrow J/\psi pK^-$ is measured to be \begin{equation*} \mathcal{B}(\Lambda_b^0\rightarrow J/\psi pK^-)= (3.17\pm0.04\pm0.07\pm0.34^{+0.45}_{-0.28})\times10^{-4}, \end{equation*} where the first uncertainty is statistical, the second is systematic, the third is due to the uncertainty on the branching fraction of the decay $\overline{B}^0\rightarrow J/\psi\overline{K}^*(892)^0$, and the fourth is due to the knowledge of $f_{\Lambda_b^0}/f_d$. The sum of the asymmetries in the production and decay between $\Lambda_b^0$ and $\overline{\Lambda}_b^0$ is also measured as a function of $p_{\rm T}$ and $y$. The previously published branching fraction of $\Lambda_b^0\rightarrow J/\psi p\pi^-$, relative to that of $\Lambda_b^0\rightarrow J/\psi pK^-$, is updated. The branching fractions of $\Lambda_b^0\rightarrow P_c^+(\rightarrow J/\psi p)K^-$ are determined.Comment: 29 pages, 19figures. All figures and tables, along with any supplementary material and additional information, are available at https://lhcbproject.web.cern.ch/lhcbproject/Publications/LHCbProjectPublic/LHCb-PAPER-2015-032.htm

BB flavour tagging using charm decays at the LHCb experiment

An algorithm is described for tagging the flavour content at production of neutral $B$ mesons in the LHCb experiment. The algorithm exploits the correlation of the flavour of a $B$ meson with the charge of a reconstructed secondary charm hadron from the decay of the other $b$ hadron produced in the proton-proton collision. Charm hadron candidates are identified in a number of fully or partially reconstructed Cabibbo-favoured decay modes. The algorithm is calibrated on the self-tagged decay modes $B^+ \to J/\psi \, K^+$ and $B^0 \to J/\psi \, K^{*0}$ using $3.0\mathrm{\,fb}^{-1}$ of data collected by the LHCb experiment at $pp$ centre-of-mass energies of $7\mathrm{\,TeV}$ and $8\mathrm{\,TeV}$. Its tagging power on these samples of $B \to J/\psi \, X$ decays is $(0.30 \pm 0.01 \pm 0.01) \%$.Comment: All figures and tables, along with any supplementary material and additional information, are available at http://lhcbproject.web.cern.ch/lhcbproject/Publications/LHCbProjectPublic/LHCb-PAPER-2015-027.htm

Constraining the electric charges of some astronomical bodies in Reissner-Nordstrom spacetimes and generic r^-2-type power-law potentials from orbital motions

We put model-independent, dynamical constraints on the net electric charge Q of some astronomical and astrophysical objects by assuming that their exterior spacetimes are described by the Reissner-Nordstroem metric, which induces an additional potential U_RN \propto Q^2 r^-2. Our results extend to other hypothetical power-law interactions inducing extra-potentials U_pert = r^-2 as well (abridged).Comment: LaTex2e, 16 pages, 3 figures, no tables, 128 references. Version matching the one at press in General Relativity and Gravitation (GRG). arXiv admin note: substantial text overlap with arXiv:1112.351