Voter models on weighted networks

We study the dynamics of the voter and Moran processes running on top of complex network substrates where each edge has a weight depending on the degree of the nodes it connects. For each elementary dynamical step the first node is chosen at random and the second is selected with probability proportional to the weight of the connecting edge. We present a heterogeneous mean-field approach allowing to identify conservation laws and to calculate exit probabilities along with consensus times. In the specific case when the weight is given by the product of nodes' degree raised to a power theta, we derive a rich phase-diagram, with the consensus time exhibiting various scaling laws depending on theta and on the exponent of the degree distribution gamma. Numerical simulations give very good agreement for small values of |theta|. An additional analytical treatment (heterogeneous pair approximation) improves the agreement with numerics, but the theoretical understanding of the behavior in the limit of large |theta| remains an open challenge.Comment: 21 double-spaced pages, 6 figure

Crop rotational complexity affects plant-soil nitrogen cycling during water deficit

One of the biggest environmental challenges facing agriculture is how to both supply and retain nitrogen (N), especially as precipitation becomes more variable with climate change. We used a greenhouse experiment to assess how contrasting histories of crop rotational complexity affect plant-soil-microbe interactions that govern N processes, including during water stress. With higher levels of carbon and N cycling hydrolytic enzymes, higher mineral-associated organic matter N concentrations, and an altered microbial community, soils from the most complex rotation enabled 80% more corn N uptake under two moisture regimes, compared to soil from monoculture corn. Higher levels of plant N likely drove the changes in corn leaf gas exchange, particularly increasing intrinsic water use efficiency by 9% in the most complex rotation. The water deficit increased the standing pool of nitrate 44-fold in soils with a history of complex crop rotations, compared to an 11-fold increase in soils from the corn monoculture. The implications of this difference must be considered in a whole cropping systems and field context. Cycling of 15N-labeled fresh clover residue into soil N pools did not depend on the water regime or rotation history, with 2-fold higher recovery in the mineral vs. particulate organic N pool. In contrast, the water deficit reduced recovery of clover 15N in corn shoots by 37%, showing greater impacts of water deficit on plant N uptake compared to organic N cycling in soil. This study provides direct experimental evidence that long-term crop rotational complexity influences microbial N cycling and availability with feedbacks to plant physiology. Collectively, these results could help explain general observations of higher yields in more complex crop rotations, including specifically during dry conditions

The Nuclear Spectral Energy Distribution of NGC 4395, The Least Luminous Type 1 Seyfert Galaxy

We present X-ray (ROSAT), infrared, and radio observations of NGC 4395, which harbors the optically least luminous type 1 Seyfert nucleus discovered thus far. In combination with published optical and ultraviolet spectra, we have used these data to assemble the broadband spectral energy distribution (SED) of the galaxy's nucleus. Interestingly, the SED of NGC 4395 differs markedly from the SEDs of both quasars and typical low-luminosity active galactic nuclei, which may be a manifestation of the different physical conditions (i.e., black hole masses, accretion rates, and/or accretion modes) that exist in these objects. The nuclear X-ray source in NGC 4395 is variable and has an observed luminosity of just ~ 10^38 ergs/s. Although this emission could plausibly be associated with either a weak active nucleus or a bright stellar-mass binary system, the optical and ultraviolet emission-line properties of the nucleus strongly suggest that the X-rays arise from a classical AGN.Comment: Accepted for publication in PASP (July 1999), 17 pages, including 4 Postscript figure

Executive summary of AAPM Report Task Group 113: Guidance for the physics aspects of clinical trials

The charge of AAPM Task Group 113 is to provide guidance for the physics aspects of clinical trials to minimize variability in planning and dose delivery for external beam trials involving photons and electrons. Several studies have demonstrated the importance of protocol compliance on patient outcome. Minimizing variability for treatments at different centers improves the quality and efficiency of clinical trials. Attention is focused on areas where variability can be minimized through standardization of protocols and processes through all aspects of clinical trials. Recommendations are presented for clinical trial designers, physicists supporting clinical trials at their individual clinics, quality assurance centers, and manufacturers.Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/146453/1/acm212384_am.pdfhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/146453/2/acm212384.pd

Search for the genome of bovine herpesvirus types 1, 4 and 5 in bovine semen

Bovine herpesvirus type 1 (BoHV-1) causes respiratory and reproductive disorders in cattle. Recently, bovine herpesvirus type 5 (BoHV-5) and bovine herpesvirus type 4 (BoHV-4) have been identified to be associated with genital disease. In this study, the presence of the genome of BoHV-1, BoHV-4 and BoHV-5 in bovine semen of Argentinean and international origin was analyzed by PCR assays. The most important finding of this study is the detection of the genome of BoHV-1 and BoHV-4 in semen of bulls maintained at artificial insemination centers. It is particularly relevant that BoHV-1 DNA was also identified in one sample of international origin suggesting the need for extensive quality control measures on international transport of bovine semen.Fil: Moran, P. E.. Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires.. Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias; ArgentinaFil: Favier, P. A.. Ministerio de Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación Productiva. Agencia Nacional de Promoción Científica y Tecnológica. Fondo para la Investigación Científica y Tecnológica; ArgentinaFil: Lomonaco, M.. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro Regional Buenos Aires; ArgentinaFil: Catena, María. Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires.. Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias; ArgentinaFil: Chiapparrone, María Laura. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Tandil. Centro de Investigacion Veterinaria de Tandil; Argentina. Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires.. Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias; ArgentinaFil: Odeon, Anselmo Carlos. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria; ArgentinaFil: Verna, Andrea Elizabeth. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria; ArgentinaFil: Perez, Sandra. Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Tandil. Centro de Investigacion Veterinaria de Tandil; Argentin

Ultrastable shelled PFC nanobubbles:a platform for ultrasound-assisted diagnostics and therapy

Nanoscale echogenic bubbles (NBs), can be used as a theranostic platform for the localized delivery of encapsulated drugs. However, the generation of NBs is challenging, because they have lifetimes as short as milliseconds in solution. The aim of this work has been the optimization of a preparation method for the generation of stable NBs, characterized by measuring: a) acoustic efficiency, b) nano-size, to ensure passive tumour targeting, c) stability during storage and after injection and d) ability to entrap drugs. NBs are monodisperse and ultrastable, their stability achieved by generation of an amphiphilic multilamellar shell able to efficiently retain the PFC gas. The NBs perform as good acoustic enhancers over a wide frequency range and out of resonant conditions, as tested in both in vitro and in vivo experiments, proving to be a potential platform for the production of versatile carriers to be used in ultrasound-assisted diagnostic, therapeutic and theranostic applications

Composite Fermion Wavefunctions Derived by Conformal Field Theory

The Jain theory of hierarchical Hall states is reconsidered in the light of recent analyses that have found exact relations between projected Jain wavefunctions and conformal field theory correlators. We show that the underlying conformal theory is precisely given by the W-infinity minimal models introduced earlier. This theory involves a reduction of the multicomponent Abelian theory that is similar to the projection to the lowest Landau level in the Jain approach. The projection yields quasihole excitations obeying non-Abelian fractional statistics. The analysis closely parallels the bosonic conformal theory description of the Pfaffian and Read-Rezayi states.Comment: 4 pages, 1 figur

Diminishing benefits of urban living for children and adolescents’ growth and development

Optimal growth and development in childhood and adolescence is crucial for lifelong health and well-being1,2,3,4,5,6. Here we used data from 2,325 population-based studies, with measurements of height and weight from 71 million participants, to report the height and body-mass index (BMI) of children and adolescents aged 5–19 years on the basis of rural and urban place of residence in 200 countries and territories from 1990 to 2020. In 1990, children and adolescents residing in cities were taller than their rural counterparts in all but a few high-income countries. By 2020, the urban height advantage became smaller in most countries, and in many high-income western countries it reversed into a small urban-based disadvantage. The exception was for boys in most countries in sub-Saharan Africa and in some countries in Oceania, south Asia and the region of central Asia, Middle East and north Africa. In these countries, successive cohorts of boys from rural places either did not gain height or possibly became shorter, and hence fell further behind their urban peers. The difference between the age-standardized mean BMI of children in urban and rural areas wa

Rotational dynamics of optically trapped polymeric nanofibers

The optical trapping of polymeric nanofibers and the characterization of the rotational dynamics are reported. A strategy to apply a torque to a polymer nanofiber, by tilting the trapped fibers using a symmetrical linear polarized Gaussian beam is demonstrated. Rotation frequencies up to 10 Hz are measured, depending on the trapping power, the fiber length and the tilt angle. A comparison of the experimental rotation frequencies in the different trapping configurations with calculations based on optical trapping and rotation of linear nanostructures through a T-Matrix formalism, accurately reproduce the measured data, providing a comprehensive description of the trapping and rotation dynamics.Comment: (21 pages, 5 figures

CARACTERIZACIÓN DE LA TOXICIDAD DE HONGOS ALTERANTES DE ALIMENTOS UTILIZANDO CAENORHABDITIS ELEGANS

Los alimentos representan una rica fuente de nutrientes para hongos filamentosos que, en condiciones óptimas, tienen un rápido desarrollo. Sin embargo, también son capaces de crecer frente a condiciones no favorables e incluso adversas, tales como pre-tratamientos, condiciones de almacenamiento, incorporación de aditivos, como ocurre en el procesamiento de los alimentos. En el presente trabajo se empleó C. elegans como modelo predictivo para evaluar la potencial toxicidad de extractos de hongos alterantes de alimentos, aislados de productos de comercialización local tales como aceitunas negras y verdes, papaya, mandarina, tomate, pimiento, maíz, salame, pan, pan multicereal, chipá y pan criollo. El objetivo de este trabajo es evaluar la toxicidad aguda y crónica de extractos de hongos alterantes de alimentos en un modelo experimentalcon C. elegans.Fil: Benito Nacir, M. J.. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Químicas. Departamento de Bioquímica Clínica; ArgentinaFil: Carranza, Andrea del Valle. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Córdoba. Centro de Investigaciones en Bioquímica Clínica e Inmunología; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Químicas. Departamento de Bioquímica Clínica; ArgentinaFil: Moran, Yanina Soledad. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Químicas. Departamento de Bioquímica Clínica; ArgentinaFil: Theumer, Martín Gustavo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Córdoba. Centro de Investigaciones en Bioquímica Clínica e Inmunología; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Químicas. Departamento de Bioquímica Clínica; ArgentinaFil: Asis, Ramón. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Córdoba. Centro de Investigaciones en Bioquímica Clínica e Inmunología; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Químicas. Departamento de Bioquímica Clínica; Argentin