Self-completeness and spontaneous dimensional reduction

A viable quantum theory of gravity is one of the biggest challenges facing physicists. We discuss the confluence of two highly expected features which might be instrumental in the quest of a finite and renormalizable quantum gravity -- spontaneous dimensional reduction and self-completeness. The former suggests the spacetime background at the Planck scale may be effectively two-dimensional, while the latter implies a condition of maximal compression of matter by the formation of an event horizon for Planckian scattering. We generalize such a result to an arbitrary number of dimensions, and show that gravity in higher than four dimensions remains self-complete, but in lower dimensions it is not. In such a way we established an "exclusive disjunction" or "exclusive or" (XOR) between the occurrence of self-completeness and dimensional reduction, with the goal of actually reducing the unknowns for the scenario of the physics at the Planck scale. Potential phenomenological implications of this result are considered by studying the case of a two-dimensional dilaton gravity model resulting from dimensional reduction of Einstein gravity.Comment: 12 pages, 3 figures; v3: final version in press on Eur. Phys. J. Plu

Mass Inflation in the Loop Black Hole

In classical general relativity the Cauchy horizon within a two-horizon black hole is unstable via a phenomenon known as mass inflation, in which the mass parameter (and the spacetime curvature) of the black hole diverges at the Cauchy horizon. Here we study this effect for loop black holes -- quantum gravitationally corrected black holes from loop quantum gravity -- whose construction alleviates the $r=0$ singularity present in their classical counterparts. We use a simplified model of mass inflation, which makes use of the generalized DTR relation, to conclude that the Cauchy horizon of loop black holes indeed results in a curvature singularity similar to that found in classical black holes. The DTR relation is of particular utility in the loop black hole because it does not directly rely upon Einstein's field equations. We elucidate some of the interesting and counterintuitive properties of the loop black hole, and corroborate our results using an alternate model of mass inflation due to Ori.Comment: Latex 20 pages, 7 figure

Sub-Planckian black holes and the Generalized Uncertainty Principle

The Black Hole Uncertainty Principle correspondence suggests that there could exist black holes with mass beneath the Planck scale but radius of order the Compton scale rather than Schwarzschild scale. We present a modified, self-dual Schwarzschild-like metric that reproduces desirable aspects of a variety of disparate models in the sub-Planckian limit, while remaining Schwarzschild in the large mass limit. The self-dual nature of this solution under $M \leftrightarrow M^{-1}$ naturally implies a Generalized Uncertainty Principle with the linear form $\Delta x \sim \frac{1}{\Delta p} + \Delta p$. We also demonstrate a natural dimensional reduction feature, in that the gravitational radius and thermodynamics of sub-Planckian objects resemble that of $(1+1)$-D gravity. The temperature of sub-Planckian black holes scales as $M$ rather than $M^{-1}$ but the evaporation of those smaller than $10^{-36}$g is suppressed by the cosmic background radiation. This suggests that relics of this mass could provide the dark matter.Comment: 12 pages, 9 figures, version published in J. High En. Phy

Dietary Nitrate: Effects on the health of weaning pigs and Antimicrobial activity on seven probiotic Bifidobacterium spp. strains

The potential role of nitrite as an antimicrobial substance in the stomach may be of some importance in the ecology of the gastrointestinal tract and in host physiology. It has been shown that nitrite, under the acidic conditions of the stomach, may kill gut pathogens like Salmonella enteritidis, Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhimurium, and Yersinia enterocolitica, whereas acid alone has only a bacteriostatic effect. An in vivo study was conducted in order to assess the effects of dietary nitrate on microbiota and on the health of the gut (particularly in the stomach and small intestine). 96 weaning pigs were fed a diet containing high nitrate levels (15 mg and 150 mg) and then challenged with Salmonella enterica serovar typhimurium. Differences in composition of the gut microbiota were assessed by analysing samples from the pigs: To date analysis of 48 pigs has been completed.. Preliminary results demonstrated no effect on the population densities of microbial groups either from the challenge or from nitrate intake. However, increasing the time from challenge decreased either the counts of LAB in the stomach and jejunum or of clostridia in the stomach. Bifidobacteria also decreased in the stomach contents as nitrate supplementation increased. Supplementing the feedstuff with high dietary nitrate intake and then challenging with Salmonella did not affect the gastric pH or the degree of ulceration in the pigs. The synergistic bactericidal effects of pH, nitrite and thiocyanate on seven probiotic Bifidobacterium spp. strains were also investigated in an in vitro study. The results of the in vitro study demonstrated that an inhibitory effect exists on the seven probiotic bifidobacteria investigated with an exposure longer than 2 hours and pH values < 5.0. Addition of thiocyanate also increased the susceptibility of the tested strains. In this in vitro study, the most resistant strains at all conditions were B. animalis subsp. lactis Ra 18 and P32 and B. choerinum Su 877, Su 837 and Su 891

Background independence in a nutshell

We study how physical information can be extracted from a background independent quantum system. We use an extremely simple `minimalist' system that models a finite region of 3d euclidean quantum spacetime with a single equilateral tetrahedron. We show that the physical information can be expressed as a boundary amplitude. We illustrate how the notions of "evolution" in a boundary proper-time and "vacuum" can be extracted from the background independent dynamics.Comment: 19 pages, 19 figure

Custo de produção de feijão-caupi com parcagem e tração animal.

O sistema de parcagem consiste basicamente na aplicação localizada de esterco de gado para fertilização do solo, feito por determinado número de animais que ficam confinados durante a noite numa área reduzida. A pesquisa teve por objetivo descrever o sistema de parcagem e avaliar o custo de produção e a produtividade média de feijão-caupi cultivado por um agricultor familiar que representa o perfil da região dos lagos de Tracuateua e utiliza a criação de gado para realização da parcagem como fertilização do solo em sistemas de preparo de área com tração animal. A fertilização do solo foi feita por um agricultor familiar numa área de 3 ha, no período de agosto a dezembro de 2011, que consistiu na contenção de 40 cabeças de gado durante 7 pernoites, em pequenas cercas móveis denominadas de ?caixinhas?, que foram removidas dentro da área a ser cultivada com feijão-caupi até a fertilização completa de toda a área de cultivo. O preparo de solo foi feito em junho de 2012 por meio da tração animal com arado de aiveca, reversível com três juntas de bois. A produtividade de feijão-caupi no sistema de parcagem adotado pelo agricultor foi de 1.260 kg.ha-1. Ao se proceder aos cálculos dos indicadores econômicos, verificou-se que o cultivo de feijão-caupi no sistema de parcagem como fertilização do solo e preparo de área com tração animal é viável em curto prazo

Spinning Loop Black Holes

In this paper we construct four Kerr-like spacetimes starting from the loop black hole Schwarzschild solutions (LBH) and applying the Newman-Janis transformation. In previous papers the Schwarzschild LBH was obtained replacing the Ashtekar connection with holonomies on a particular graph in a minisuperspace approximation which describes the black hole interior. Starting from this solution, we use a Newman-Janis transformation and we specialize to two different and natural complexifications inspired from the complexifications of the Schwarzschild and Reissner-Nordstrom metrics. We show explicitly that the space-times obtained in this way are singularity free and thus there are no naked singularities. We show that the transformation move, if any, the causality violating regions of the Kerr metric far from r=0. We study the space-time structure with particular attention to the horizons shape. We conclude the paper with a discussion on a regular Reissner-Nordstrom black hole derived from the Schwarzschild LBH and then applying again the Newmann-Janis transformation.Comment: 18 pages, 18 figure

THERMODYNAMIC ANALYSIS OF ELECTRIC POWER PRODUCTION TECHNOLOGIES IN COGENERATION SYSTEMS ON FPSO AIMING TO REDUCE CO2 EMISSIONS

Oil platforms are complex structures used to host workers and equipmentneeded in offshore exploration. This study focuses on the platform's heatand electricity cogeneration plant, which supplies a process heat exchangersnet, and provides the necessary electricity for all the equipment used for theprocess and worker's accommodation in the platform. The platform demandwith maximum load is 75 MW, which could be achieved using four gasturbines (25 MW each), one of which is kept for backup purposes or usingsix dual-fuel engines diesel/natural gas (15 MW each), one of which is alsokept for backup purposes. Therefore, the thermodynamic analysis wasperformed - considering five specific demand points of the platform -comparing the two traditional configurations (gas turbines and dual-fuelengines diesel/natural gas) and a combined configuration. The combinedconfiguration is composed of three gas turbines and two dual-fuel enginesdiesel/natural gas (one of the gas turbines kept for backup purposes). Theconfigurations presented respectively 35.5%, 48.4% and 42.6% at highestoverall efficiency; 611.34 g/kWh, 373.45 g/kWh, 472.74 g/kWh at lowestCO2 emissions considering full attendance of electrical and thermaldemands. The configurations using only gas turbines and the combinedfully attended the thermal demand of the platform without using auxiliarypieces of equipment. Therefore, it was possible to observe that thecombined configuration presented several advantages concerning isolatedsystems, proving to be an excellent option for sustainable energygeneration, reducing emissions of polluting gases and greater flexibility ofits operation concerning to configuration only with turbines, and physicaloccupation in relation to configuration only with engines

Symmetries and conservation laws in the Gunther k-symplectic formalism of field theory

This paper is devoted to studying symmetries of k-symplectic Hamiltonian and Lagrangian first-order classical field theories. In particular, we define symmetries and Cartan symmetries and study the problem of associating conservation laws to these symmetries, stating and proving Noether's theorem in different situations for the Hamiltonian and Lagrangian cases. We also characterize equivalent Lagrangians, which lead to an introduction of Lagrangian gauge symmetries, as well as analyzing their relation with Cartan symmetries.Comment: 29 page

Normas e procedimentos de segurança e boas práticas dos laboratórios da Embrapa Agroindústria Tropical.

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