259 research outputs found
A white dwarf-neutron star relativistic binary model for soft gamma-ray repeaters
A scenario for SGRs is introduced in which gravitational radiation reaction
effects drive the dynamics of an ultrashort orbital period X-ray binary
embracing a high-mass donor white dwarf (WD) to a rapidly rotating low
magnetised massive neutron star (NS) surrounded by a thick, dense and massive
accretion torus. Driven by GR reaction, sparsely, the binary separation
reduces, the WD overflows its Roche lobe and the mass transfer drives unstable
the accretion disk around the NS. As the binary circular orbital period is a
multiple integer number () of the period of the WD fundamental mode (Pons et
al. 2002), the WD is since long pulsating at its fundamental mode; and most of
its harmonics, due to the tidal interaction with its NS orbital companion.
Hence, when the powerful irradiation glows onto the WD; from the fireball
ejected as part of the disk matter slumps onto the NS, it is partially
absorbed. This huge energy excites other WD radial (-mode) pulsations
(Podsiadlowski 1991,1995). After each mass-transfer episode the binary
separation (and orbital period) is augmented significantly (Deloye & Bildsten
2003; Al\'ecyan & Morsink 2004) due to the binary's angular momentum
redistribution. Thus a new adiabatic inspiral phase driven by GR reaction
starts which brings the binary close again, and the process repeats. This model
allows to explain most of SGRs observational features: their recurrent
activity, energetics of giant superoutbursts and quiescent stages, and
particularly the intriguing subpulses discovered by BeppoSAX (Feroci et al.
1999), which are suggested here to be {\it overtones} of the WD radial
fundamental mode (see the accompanying paper: Mosquera Cuesta 2004b).Comment: This paper was submitted as a "Letter to the Editor" of MNRAS in July
17/2004. Since that time no answer or referee report was provided to the
Author [MNRAS publication policy limits reviewal process no longer than one
month (+/- half more) for the reviewal of this kind of submission). I hope
this contribution is not receiving a similar "peer-reviewing" as given to the
A. Dar and A. De Rujula's "Cannonball model for gamma-ray bursts", or to the
R.K. Williams' "Penrose process for energy extraction from rotating black
holes". The author welcomes criticisms and suggestions on this pape
Ischemic Stroke and Epilepsy in a Patient with Tourette´s Syndrome: Association with the Antiphospholipid Syndrome and Good Response to Levetiracetam
The role played by different humoral factors, including antiphospholipid antibodies, in the pathogenesis of Tourette syndrome (TS) is still presently unclear. We present a patient with chronic and severe TS who, at the age of 16 years, presented an ischemic stroke in the left posterior cerebral artery and/or postero-inferior temporal branch of the left medial cerebral artery. A complete study was negative with the exception of a positive lupus anticoagulant. The stroke was related with the primary antiphospholipid syndrome (APS). The stroke manifested visual abnormalities and thereafter by secondary generalized complex partial seizures. The epileptic syndrome was initially difficult to control but responded dramatically to levetiracetam. With this therapy, the manifestations of TS, especially the tics, improved. We conclude that some TS cases may present APS. In addition, levetiracetam may be useful in the management of TS. Further investigations should pursue both these facts
Genome-Wide RNAi Screening Identifies Novel Pathways/Genes Involved in Oxidative Stress and Repurposable Drugs to Preserve Cystic Fibrosis Airway Epithelial Cell Integrity
Recurrent infection-inflammation cycles in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients generate a highly oxidative environment, leading to progressive destruction of the airway epithelia. The identification of novel modifier genes involved in oxidative stress susceptibility in the CF airways might contribute to devise new therapeutic approaches. We performed an unbiased genome-wide RNAi screen using a randomized siRNA library to identify oxidative stress modulators in CF airway epithelial cells. We monitored changes in cell viability after a lethal dose of hydrogen peroxide. Local similarity and protein-protein interaction network analyses uncovered siRNA target genes/pathways involved in oxidative stress. Further mining against public drug databases allowed identifying and validating commercially available drugs conferring oxidative stress resistance. Accordingly, a catalog of 167 siRNAs able to confer oxidative stress resistance in CF submucosal gland cells targeted 444 host genes and multiple circuitries involved in oxidative stress. The most significant processes were related to alternative splicing and cell communication, motility, and remodeling (impacting cilia structure/function, and cell guidance complexes). Other relevant pathways included DNA repair and PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling. The mTOR inhibitor everolimus, the α1-adrenergic receptor antagonist doxazosin, and the Syk inhibitor fostamatinib significantly increased the viability of CF submucosal gland cells under strong oxidative stress pressure. Thus, novel therapeutic strategies to preserve airway cell integrity from the harsh oxidative milieu of CF airways could stem from a deep understanding of the complex consequences of oxidative stress at the molecular level, followed by a rational repurposing of existing "protective" drugs. This approach could also prove useful to other respiratory pathologies
Adult-Onset Eccrine Angiomatous Hamartoma: A Case Report With Ultrasound Findings
[Abstract] Eccrine angiomatous hamartoma (EAH) is a rare, benign cutaneous tumor composed of vascular and eccrine elements. It is most commonly diagnosed during the first years of life, although there are reports of cases diagnosed in adults. We report the ultrasound findings of a 46-year-old patient with a left plantar lesion, histopathological diagnosis of which confirmed suspicion of EAH
Early Universe Constraints on Time Variation of Fundamental Constants
We study the time variation of fundamental constants in the early Universe.
Using data from primordial light nuclei abundances, CMB and the 2dFGRS power
spectrum, we put constraints on the time variation of the fine structure
constant , and the Higgs vacuum expectation value leads to a variation
in the electron mass, among other effects. Along the same line, we study the
variation of and the electron mass . In a purely phenomenological
fashion, we derive a relationship between both variations.Comment: 18 pages, 12 figures, accepted for publication in Physical Review
Isotermas de sorción y transición vítrea de la pulpa de borojó (Borojoa patinoi Cuatr.)
Se han evaluado propiedades fisicoquímicas de la pulpa de borojó fresco y liofilizado, humectado a diferentes niveles de humedad. Se realizaron análisis de humedad (xw), sólidos solubles, ºBrix, carbohidratos (azúcares mayoritarios, pectina (TP) y fibra (TF)), pH, acidez valorable (Ac) y polifenoles totales. Igualmente, se analizaron las isotermas de sorción y se ajustaron adecuadamente a los modelos de BET, GAB, Henderson y Caurie. Las transiciones de fase fueron determinadas mediante calorimetría diferencial de barrido (DSC). Se identificó la temperatura de transición vítrea (Tg) de las muestras en función de la humedad, la Tg de la disolución máximamente crioconcentrada (Tg’ = –46,9 ºC) y la temperatura de formación del último cristal de hielo en el producto (Tm’ = –30,1). La variación de Tg en función de la xw se ajustó al modelo de Gordon y Taylor, lo que permitió obtener la cantidad de agua no congelable de la muestra (Wg’ = 0,177 g agua/g muestra). El análisis conjunto de los datos permitió identificar qué condiciones de almacenamiento ambiente (20 ºC y humedad relativa entre un 35 y un 65%) no aseguran el estado vítreo del borojó liofilizado. Por este motivo, se recomienda la adición de algunas sustancias de alto peso molecular.The physicochemical properties of fresh borojó pulp and lyophilised pulp humidified to different moisture levels were evaluated. Humidity (xw), soluble solids, ºBrix, carbohydrates (major sugars, pectin (TP) and fibre (TF)), pH, titratable acidity (Ac) and total polyphenols were determined. The sorption isotherms were also determined and appropriately fitted to the BET, GAB, Henderson and Caurie models. The phase transitions were determined by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The glass transition temperature (Tg) for the samples as a function of humidity, the Tg of the maximally cryoconcentrated solution (Tg’ = -46.9 °C) and the temperature of formation of the last ice crystal in the product (Tm’ = -30.1) were identified. The variation of Tg as a function of xw was fitted to the Gordon and Taylor model, which enabled us to obtain the amount of unfreezable water in the sample (Wg’=0.177 g water/g sample). The combined analysis of the data enabled us to show that ambient storage conditions (20 °C and relative humidity of between 35% and 65%) do not ensure that the vitreous state of lyophilised borojó pulp is maintained. Therefore, the addition of high molecular weight substances is recommended.Ciencias Experimentale
Reversible control of protein corona formation on gold nanoparticles using host-guest interactions
When nanoparticles (NPs) are exposed to biological media, proteins are adsorbed, forming a so-called protein corona (PC). This cloud of protein aggregates hampers the targeting and transport capabilities of the NPs, thereby compromising their biomedical applications. Therefore, there is a high interest in the development of technologies that allow control over PC formation, as this would provide a handle to manipulate NPs in biological fluids. We present a strategy that enables the reversible disruption of the PC using external stimuli, thereby allowing a precise regulation of NP cellular uptake. The approach, demonstrated for gold nanoparticles (AuNPs), is based on a biorthogonal, supramolecular host-guest interactions between an anionic dye bound to the AuNP surface and a positively charged macromolecular cage. This supramolecular complex effectively behaves as a zwitterionic NP ligand, which is able not only to prevent PC formation but also to disrupt a previously formed hard corona. With this supramolecular stimulus, the cellular internalization of AuNPs can be enhanced by up to 30-fold in some cases, and even NP cellular uptake in phagocytic cells can be regulated. Additionally, we demonstrate that the conditional cell uptake of purposely designed gold nanorods can be used to selectively enhance photothermal cell death
Quark stars and quantum-magnetically induced collapse
Quark matter is expected to exist in the interior of compact stellar objects
as neutron stars or even the more exotic strange stars, based on the
Bodmer-Witten conjecture. Bare strange quark stars and (normal) strange
quark-matter stars, those possessing a baryon (electron-supported) crust, are
hypothesized as good candidates to explain the properties of a set of peculiar
stellar sources as the enigmatic X-ray source RX J1856.5-3754, some pulsars as
PSR B1828-11 and PSR B1642-03, and the anomalous X-ray pulsars and soft
gamma-ray repeaters. In the MIT bag model, quarks are treated as a degenerate
Fermi gas confined to a region of space having a vacuum energy density
(the Bag constant). In this note, we modif{}y the MIT Bag Model by
including the electromagnetic interaction. We also show that this version of
the MIT model implies the anisotropy of the Bag pressure due to the presence of
the magnetic field. The equations of state of degenerate quarks gases are
studied in the presence of ultra strong magnetic fields. The behavior of a
system made-up of quarks having (or not) anomalous magnetic moment is reviewed.
A structural instability is found, which is related to the anisotropic nature
of the pressures in this highly magnetized matter. The conditions for the
collapse of this system are obtained and compared to a previous model of
neutron stars build-up on a neutron gas having anomalous magnetic moment.Comment: 11 pages, 2 figure
Anisotropic Pressures in Very Dense Magnetized Matter
The problem of anisotropic pressures arising as a consequence of the spatial
symmetry breaking introduced by an external magnetic field in quantum systems
is discussed. The role of the conservation of energy and momentum of external
fields as well as of systems providing boundary conditions in quantum
statistics is considered. The vanishing of the average transverse momentum for
an electron-positron system in its Landau ground state is shown, which means
the vanishing of its transverse pressure. The situation for neutron case and
Strange Quark Matter (SQM) in -equilibrium is also briefly discussed.
Thermodynamical relations in external fields as well as the form of the stress
tensor in a quantum relativistic medium are also discussed. The ferromagnetic
symmetry breaking is briefly discussed.Comment: 10 page
GRAVEST EMPIRICAL MODE IN THE SOUTH ATLANTIC SUBTROPICAL GYRE AT 9W TO BE USED BY THE INVERTED ECHO SOUNDERS (IES)
- …