The Light Stop Scenario from Gauge Mediation

In this paper we embed the light stop scenario, a MSSM framework which explains the baryon asymmetry of the universe through a strong first order electroweak phase transition, in a top-down approach. The required low energy spectrum consists in the light SM-like Higgs, the right-handed stop, the gauginos and the Higgsinos while the remaining scalars are heavy. This spectrum is naturally driven by renormalization group evolution starting from a heavy scalar spectrum at high energies. The latter is obtained through a supersymmetry-breaking mix of gauge mediation, which provides the scalars masses by new gauge interactions, and gravity mediation, which generates gaugino and Higgsino masses. This supersymmetry breaking also explains the \mu\ and B_\mu\ parameters necessary for electroweak breaking and predicts small tri-linear mixing terms A_t in agreement with electroweak baryogenesis requirements. The minimal embedding predicts a Higgs mass around its experimental lower bound and by a small extension higher masses m_H\lesssim 127 GeV can be accommodated.Comment: 20 pages, 3 figures; v2: changes in the conventions; v3: more details on the Higgs mass prediction, version published in JHE

Coffee Genogram: An Analysis of the Tradition of the Rural Family in Southwest Columbia

The analysis of the family context in rural communities can provide helpful insight to promote technology appropriation processes. For this study, the family context and its influence on the coffee tradition were investigated within the framework of a proposal to build knowledge and transfer technology. To address this aim, the construction of genograms was carried out, accompanied by semi-structured interviews with coffee women from a producer’s association in the department of Huila, Colombia. Key elements around their training process as coffee growers were analyzed based on the consolidation of a tradition derived from parents and grandparents, but with unknowns regarding their continuity in future generations. The findings showed a group of women, most of whom have lived and grown around coffee farming, where their role has changed from a position of support in the home to become leading actors in the coffee production processes. Opportunities and challenges were found in the face of the possibilities in the role of woman in the coffee growing development, but important questions arise regarding the role that the following generations may have in the future

Suboptimal Debridement Quality Produced by the Single-file F2 Protaper Technique in Oval-shaped Canals

Abstract Introduction: The aim of this study was to determine whether the debridement quality of the single-file F2 ProTaper instrumentation technique is comparable to a full conventional ProTaper sequence in both round and oval-shaped root canals. Methods: Fifty-four recently extracted vital lower incisors were instrumented with either a full range of ProTaper Universal instruments in rotary motion (group 1) or with the single-file F2 ProTaper technique in reciprocating motion (group 2). Teeth were previously classified as round or oval-shaped by means of bidirectional radiographs, resulting in 24 round canals, 24 oval canals, and 12 controls. After instrumentation, the roots were demineralized, and the apical 3 mm was multi-sliced and processed for histologic examination. The percentage of residual pulp tissue (PRPT) was calculated with the aid of image analysis software. Univariate analysis of variance was used to verify the variables influencing PRPT. Results: Both canal shape and technique significantly influenced PRPT (P < .05). Oval-shaped canals displayed much more PRPT than round canals in both techniques (P < .05). The difference in PRPT between the techniques depended on the root canal shape, since a significant interaction between canal shape and technique was observed (P < .05). Group 1 displayed considerably less PRPT in oval canals than group 2 (P < .05), whereas in round canals no significant difference was found between the 2 techniques (P > .05). Conclusions: The single-file F2 ProTaper technique displayed similar PRPT to the full range of ProTaper instruments in round canals. However, the debridement quality of the single-file F2 ProTaper technique was suboptimal in oval canals

Pattern of humoral immune response to Plasmodium falciparum blood stages in individuals presenting different clinical expressions of malaria

Abstract\ud \ud \ud \ud Background\ud \ud The development of protective immunity against malaria is slow and to be maintained, it requires exposure to multiple antigenic variants of malaria parasites and age-associated maturation of the immune system. Evidence that the protective immunity is associated with different classes and subclasses of antibodies reveals the importance of considering the quality of the response. In this study, we have evaluated the humoral immune response against Plasmodium falciparum blood stages of individuals naturally exposed to malaria who live in endemic areas of Brazil in order to assess the prevalence of different specific isotypes and their association with different malaria clinical expressions.\ud \ud \ud \ud Methods\ud \ud Different isotypes against P. falciparum blood stages, IgG, IgG1, IgG2, IgG3, IgG4, IgM, IgE and IgA, were determined by ELISA. The results were based on the analysis of different clinical expressions of malaria (complicated, uncomplicated and asymptomatic) and factors related to prior malaria exposure such as age and the number of previous clinical malaria attacks. The occurrence of the H131 polymorphism of the FcγIIA receptor was also investigated in part of the studied population.\ud \ud \ud \ud Results\ud \ud The highest levels of IgG, IgG1, IgG2 and IgG3 antibodies were observed in individuals with asymptomatic and uncomplicated malaria, while highest levels of IgG4, IgE and IgM antibodies were predominant among individuals with complicated malaria. Individuals reporting more than five previous clinical malaria attacks presented a predominance of IgG1, IgG2 and IgG3 antibodies, while IgM, IgA and IgE antibodies predominated among individuals reporting five or less previous clinical malaria attacks. Among individuals with uncomplicated and asymptomatic malaria, there was a predominance of high-avidity IgG, IgG1, IgG2 antibodies and low-avidity IgG3 antibodies. The H131 polymorphism was found in 44.4% of the individuals, and the highest IgG2 levels were observed among asymptomatic individuals with this allele, suggesting the protective role of IgG2 in this population.\ud \ud \ud \ud Conclusion\ud \ud Together, the results suggest a differential regulation in the anti-P. falciparum antibody pattern in different clinical expressions of malaria and showed that even in unstable transmission areas, protective immunity against malaria can be observed, when the appropriated antibodies are produced.We would like to especially thank Dr. Cristóvão Luis Pitangueira Mangueira, Flávia Cristina Kinskowski and Milca Geane de Lamos Valim at the Central Laboratory of the Clinical Hospital for participating in the determination of the total IgE and IgA levels. This work was supported by FAPESP (process number 2001/04073-5) and Laboratório de Investigações Médicas do Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo (LIM-48/HCFMUSP)We would like to especially thank Dr. Cristóvão Luis Pitangueira Mangueira, Flávia Cristina Kinskowski and Milca Geane de Lamos Valim at the Central Laboratory of the Clinical Hospital for participating in the determination of the total IgE and IgA levels. This work was supported by FAPESP (process number 2001/040735) and Laboratório de Investigações Médicas do Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo (LIM48/HCFMUSP

Murine model for Fusarium oxysporum invasive fusariosis reveals organ-specific structures for dissemination and long-term persistence

Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Z-extremization and F-theorem in Chern-Simons matter theories

The three dimensional exact R symmetry of N=2 SCFTs extremizes the partition function localized on a three sphere. Here we verify this statement at weak coupling. We give a detailed analysis for two classes of models. The first one is an SU(N)_k gauge theory at large k with both fundamental and adjoint matter fields, while the second is a flavored version of the ABJ theory, where the CS levels are large but they do not necessarily sum up to zero. We study in both cases superpotential deformations and compute the R charges at different fixed points. When these fixed points are connected by an RG flow we explicitly verify that the free energy decreases at the endpoints of the flow between the fixed points, corroborating the conjecture of an F-theorem in three dimensions.Comment: 28 pages, 3 figures, JHEP.cls, minor corrections, references adde

Identification of novel chemotherapeutic strategies for metastatic uveal melanoma

Melanoma of the uveal tract accounts for approximately 5% of all melanomas and represents the most common primary intraocular malignancy. Despite improvements in diagnosis and more effective local therapies for primary cancer, the rate of metastatic death has not changed in the past forty years. In the present study, we made use of bioinformatics to analyze the data obtained from three public available microarray datasets on uveal melanoma in an attempt to identify novel putative chemotherapeutic options for the liver metastatic disease. We have first carried out a meta-analysis of publicly available whole-genome datasets, that included data from 132 patients, comparing metastatic vs. non metastatic uveal melanomas, in order to identify the most relevant genes characterizing the spreading of tumor to the liver. Subsequently, the L1000CDS(2) web-based utility was used to predict small molecules and drugs targeting the metastatic uveal melanoma gene signature. The most promising drugs were found to be Cinnarizine, an anti-histaminic drug used for motion sickness, Digitoxigenin, a precursor of cardiac glycosides, and Clofazimine, a fat-soluble iminophenazine used in leprosy. In vitro and in vivo validation studies will be needed to confirm the efficacy of these molecules for the prevention and treatment of metastatic uveal melanoma

The Large N Limit of Toric Chern-Simons Matter Theories and Their Duals

We compute the large N limit of the localized three dimensional free energy of various field theories with known proposed AdS duals. We show that vector-like theories agree with the expected supergravity results, and with the conjectured F-theorem. We also check that the large N free energy is preserved by the three dimensional Seiberg duality for general classes of vector like theories. Then we analyze the behavior of the free energy of chiral-like theories by applying a new proposal. The proposal is based on the restoration of a discrete symmetry on the free energy before the extremization. We apply this procedure at strong coupling in some examples and we discuss the results. We conclude the paper by proposing an alternative geometrical expression for the free energy.Comment: 40 pages, 7 figures, using jheppub.sty, references adde

Factores de gestión de ejecución de obras y su influencia en el desarrollo de la provincia del Santa, 2020

The purpose of this research work was to determine how the management factors for the execution of works influence the development of the province of Santa, 2020, which were made up of the budget factor, time factor and quality factor. The unit of analysis was the works executed in the province of Santa, the sample was made up of 29 works. The type of study was basic, with a descriptive and explanatory scope, a non-experimental design with a cross section. The research was developed through an adjustment of the variables, where it was obtained that the budget factor influences development, which evidenced a significance level of 0.000 and a coefficient of 1.221, in the same way it was had that the time factor influences development, which had a significance level of 0.000 and a coefficient of 0.439, and finally it was obtained that the quality factor also influences development which had a significance level of 0.008 and a coefficient of 0.238. As a conclusion, it was found that the management factors for the execution of works (budget factor, time factor and quality factor) influence the development of the province of Santa.El presente trabajo de investigación tuvo como finalidad determinar cómo los factores de gestión de ejecución de obras influyen en el desarrollo de la provincia del Santa, 2020., los cuales estuvieron conformados por el factor presupuesto, factor tiempo y factor calidad. La unidad de análisis fue las obras ejecutadas en la provincia del Santa, la muestra estuvo conformada por 29 obras. El tipo de estudio fue básica, con un alcance descriptivo y explicativo, diseño no experimental con corte transversal. La investigación se desarrolló a través de un ajuste de las variables, donde se obtuvo que el factor presupuesto influye en el desarrollo, el cual evidencio un nivel de significancia 0.000 y un coeficiente de 1.221, del mismo modo se tuvo que el factor tiempo influye en el desarrollo, el cual tuvo un nivel de significancia 0.000 y un coeficiente de 0.439, y por último se obtuvo que el factor calidad también influye en el desarrollo el cual tuvo un nivel de significancia 0.008 y un coeficiente de 0.238. Como conclusión se tuvo que los factores de gestión de ejecución de obras (factor presupuesto, factor tiempo y factor calidad) influyen en el desarrollo de la provincia del Santa