Flow equations for generalised TTˉT\bar{T} deformations

We consider the most general set of integrable deformations extending the $T\bar{T}$ deformation of two-dimensional relativistic QFTs. They are CDD deformations of the theory's factorised S-matrix related to the higher-spin conserved charges. Using a mirror version of the generalised Gibbs ensemble, we write down the finite-volume expectation value of the higher-spin charges, and derive a generalised flow equation that every charge must obey under a generalised $T\bar{T}$ deformation. This also reproduces the known flow equations on the nose.Comment: 6 pages, 1 figure; v2 misprint corrected, added reference

An Integrability Primer for the Gauge-Gravity Correspondence: an Introduction

We introduce a series of articles reviewing various aspects of integrable models relevant to the AdS/CFT correspondence. Topics covered in these reviews are: classical integrability, Yangian symmetry, factorized scattering, the Bethe ansatz, the thermodynamic Bethe ansatz, and integrable structures in (conformal) quantum field theory. In the present article we highlight how these concepts have found application in AdS/CFT, and provide a brief overview of the material contained in this series.Comment: v2, published versio

Motor unit conduction velocity at different joint angles

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the dependence of motor unit conduction velocity (MUCV) on the length of the muscle. Methods: Muscle length was modified considering three different ankle angles: 90°,110° and 130°. For each angle the maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) was measured during static ankle dorsiflexion. High-density surface electromyography (HD-sEMG, 128 channels) was recorded from the tibialis anterior muscle (TA) in six young individuals. Subjects executed a volitional effort in which the output tension changed in a trapezoidal ramp fashion (15 s transient and 40 s steady contraction). Two levels of steady contraction were investigated: 10% and 20% of MVC. Using a novel decomposition technique based on HD-sEMG processing (Negro et al. 2016), the individual MUCV values were estimated during the trapezoid steady part. The decomposition was performed at each ankle angle independently, and the MU action potentials were not tracked across different muscle lengths. Results: MVC mean values at 90° and 130° were 91.78% and 78.77% of 110° value respectively. Considering that there was no statistical difference between the MUCV estimations calculated at 10 and 20% MVC, the values were grouped. The average CV was 4.00 ± 0.54 m/ s for 90°, 3.88 ± 0.19 m/s for 110° and 3.77 ± 0.37 m/s for 130°. One-Way Anova analysis showed a weak effect between the three conditions (P = 0.04). Conclusion: MUCV changes were weakly related to the different muscle lengths. Explanation of our results should consider that the muscle fiber can be approximated as a constant volume system and that, from the cable theory, the smaller the diameter the lower the CV is. On these bases, the reduction of muscle fibers transverse diameter during muscle elongation when the ankle angle increases from 90° to 130° could be a possible explanation for our results

Data issues at the Euro-Mediterranean Centre for Climate Change

Climate Change research is even more becoming a data intensive and oriented scientific activity. Petabytes of climate data, big collections of datasets are continuously produced, delivered, accessed, processed by scientists and researchers at multiple sites at an international level. This work presents the Euro-Mediterranean Centre for Climate Change (CMCC) initiative, discussing data and metadata issues and dealing with both architectural and infrastructural aspects concerning the adopted grid enabled solution. A complete overview of the grid services deployed at the Centre is presented as well as the client side support (CMCC data portal and monitoring dashboard)

Resource partitioning revisited: evidence from Italian television broadcasting

The theory of resource partitioning proposes that competition among generalists in the center of a market can trigger a process of resource release that engenders a proliferation of specialist producers outside the center. Previous research has generally examined the relationship between this proliferation and market concentration—a correlate of competitive intensity in the center of the market. In this paper, we extend the theory by arguing that resource release also occurs as the degree of competitive overlap among producers in the center intensifies, even when concentration or other structural features do not vary; we expand its implications by demonstrating that increased competitive overlap in the market center can enhance the viability of producers positioned near the center more than those in the periphery; and we enrich and complete it by specifying the additional assumptions needed to extend the theory of resource partitioning to entry processes. Consistent with our expectations, an empirical examination of the Italian broadcast television industry, from 1992 to 2003, finds that the failure rates of both near-center and peripheral stations decline with greater competitive overlap in the programming of the national broadcasters, with the failure rates of the near-center stations falling more than those of peripheral stations. Greater competitive overlap similarly stimulates the entry of near-center stations more than peripheral one

Surface EMG amplitude does not identify differences in neural drive to synergistic muscles

Surface electromyographic (EMG) signal amplitude is typically used to compare the neural drive to muscles. We experimentally investigated this association by studying the motor unit (MU) behavior and action potentials in the vastus medialis (VM) and vastus lateralis (VL) muscles. Eighteen participants performed isometric knee extensions at four target torques [10, 30, 50 and 70% of the maximum torque (MVC)] while high-density EMG signals were recorded from the VM and VL. The absolute EMG amplitude was greater for VM than VL (p<0.001) while the EMG amplitude normalized with respect to MVC was greater for VL than VM (p<0.04). Because differences in EMG amplitude can be due to both differences in the neural drive and in the size of the MU action potentials, we indirectly inferred the neural drives received by the two muscles by estimating the synaptic inputs received by the corresponding motor neuron pools. For this purpose, we analyzed the increase in discharge rate from recruitment to target torque for motor units matched by recruitment threshold in the two muscles. This analysis indicated that the two muscles received similar levels of neural drive. Nonetheless, the size of the MU action potentials was greater for VM than VL (p<0.001) and this difference explained most of the differences in EMG amplitude between the two muscles (~63% of explained variance). These results indicate that EMG amplitude, even following normalization, does not reflect the neural drive to synergistic muscles. Moreover, absolute EMG amplitude is mainly explained by the size of MU action potentials

Tools to discriminate between targets of CK2 vs PLK2/PLK3 acidophilic kinases

While the great majority of Ser/Thr protein kinases are basophilic or proline directed, a tiny minority is acidophilic. The most striking example of such "acidophilic" kinases is CK2, whose sites are specified by numerous acidic residues surrounding the target one. However PLK2 and PLK3 kinases recognize an acidic consensus similar to CK2 when tested on peptide libraries. Here we describe optimal buffer conditions for PLK2 and 3 kinase activity assays and tools such as using GTP as a phosphate donor and the specific inhibitors CX-4945 and BI 2536, useful to discriminate between acidic phosphosites generated either by CK2 or by PLK2/PLK

The Parkinson's disease-related protein DJ-1 protects dopaminergic neurons in vivo and cultured cells from alpha-synuclein and 6-hydroxydopamine toxicity

BACKGROUND Dopaminergic degeneration is a major finding in brains of patients with Parkinson's disease (PD), together with Lewy bodies, intraneuronal inclusions mainly composed of the fibrillogenic protein \textgreeka-synuclein (\textgreeka-syn). The familial-PD-related protein DJ-1 was reported to reduce dopaminergic degeneration triggered by \textgreeka-syn or by the dopaminergic-selective neurotoxin 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA). OBJECTIVE The aim was to further investigate the role of DJ-1 in dopaminergic degeneration and to see whether a cell-permeable recombinant form of DJ-1 (TAT-DJ-1) could restore dopamine depletion in vivo, thus representing an innovative therapeutic approach. METHODS We developed in vitro (PC12/TetOn cells and mouse primary mesencephalic neurons) and in vivo models including DJ-1 knockout (-/-) mice to investigate DJ-1 in dopaminergic degeneration. RESULTS We found that in PC12/TetOn cells overexpressing \textgreek{a}-syn with the familial-PD linked mutation A30P, DJ-1 silencing increased \textgreek{a}-syn (A30P) toxicity. Primary mesencephalic neurons from DJ-1 (-/-) mice were more vulnerable to a cell-permeable form of \textgreek{a}-syn (TAT-\textgreek{a}-syn) and to 6-OHDA. Intrastriatally administered TAT-DJ-1 reduced 6-OHDA toxicity in vivo in C57BL/6 mice. Finally, when we injected TAT-\textgreek{a}-syn (A30P) in the striatum of DJ-1 (-/-) animals, dopamine was depleted more than in the control strain. CONCLUSION DJ-1 appears to have a protective role against dopaminergic degeneration triggered by \textgreek{a}-syn or 6-OHDA, reinforcing the possible therapeutic importance of this protein in PD