451 research outputs found
Unified approach to study quantum properties of primordial black holes, wormholes and of quantum cosmology
We review the anomaly induced effective action for dilaton coupled spinors
and scalars in large N and s-wave approximation. It may be applied to study the
following fundamental problems: construction of quantum corrected black holes
(BHs), inducing of primordial wormholes in the early Universe (this effect is
confirmed) and the solution of initial singularity problem. The recently
discovered anti-evaporation of multiple horizon BHs is discussed. The existance
of such primordial BHs may be interpreted as SUSY manifestation. Quantum
corrections to BHs thermodynamics maybe also discussed within such scheme.Comment: LaTeX file and two eps files, to appear in MPLA, Brief Review
Chemical Modification of Ginsenoside on Cell Viability and Cytokine Secretion
Background: Rb1 is a ginsenoside steroid glycoside found exclusively in the plant Panax ginseng. In an earlier report, we showed that Rb1 increased cell proliferation and reduced VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor) secretion by human retinal pigment epithelial (ARPE19) cells.
Objective: In the present study, we hypothesized that chemical modification of Rb1 changes the level of VEGF secretion by ARPE19 cells.
Method: Three derivatives of Rb1 were chemically synthesized by hydrogenation (Rb1-H2), acetylation (Rb1-Acyl), and epoxidation (Rb1-Epoxy). Structural modifications were confirmed by 1H Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectra and Mass Spectrometry (MS). To test the biological activity, chemically modified compounds were added to cell culture media and incubated for 72 hours at a concentration of 250 nM at 37°C. Conditioned media were collected and cells were harvested/ counted after treatment. Viable cell numbers were determined by the trypan blue dye exclusion method and VEGF levels by Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assays (ELISA).
Results: Consistent with the prior report, results of the present study show Rb1 increased cell proliferation and decreased VEGF secretion. Similar to Rb1\u27s effect on cell proliferation, treatment with Rb1-H2, Rb1-Acyl and Rb1-Epoxy resulted in an increase in cell numbers. In contrast to Rb1- induced decrease in VEGF secretion, treatment with Rb1-H2, Rb-Acyl and Rb1-Epoxy resulted in increased VEGF levels.
Conclusion: Chemical modifications of the ginsenoside Rb1 significantly affect the biological activity of VEGF secretion by ARPE19 cells. Additional SAR (Structure Activity Relationship) experiments will be conducted to study the detailed mechanisms by which how specific modifications of Rb1 functional groups alter biological activities
Excitons in twisted AA' hexagonal boron nitride bilayers
The twisted hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) bilayer has demonstrated
exceptional properties, particularly the existence of electronic flat bands
without needing a magic angle, suggesting strong excitonic effects. Therefore,
a systematic approach is presented to study the excitonic properties of twisted
AA' hBN using the Bethe-Salpeter equation based on single-particle
tight-binding wave functions. These are provided by a one-particle Hamiltonian
that is parameterized to describe the main features of {\it ab initio}
calculations. The Bethe-Salpeter equation is then solved in the so-called
excitonic transition representation, which significantly reduces the problem
dimensionality by exploiting the system's symmetries. Consequently, the
excitonic energies and the excitonic wave functions are obtained from the
direct diagonalization of the effective two-particle Hamiltonian of the
Bethe-Salpeter equation. We have studied rotation angles as low as
. The model allows the study of commensurate and incommensurate
moir\'e patterns at much lower computational cost than the {\it ab initio}
version of the Bethe-Salpeter equation. Here, using the model and effective
screening of the Keldysh type, we could obtain the absorption spectra and
characterize the excitonic properties of twisted hBN bilayers for different
rotation angles, demonstrating how this property affects the excitonic energies
and localizations of their wavefunctions.Comment: 32 pages, 16 figure
(Non) singular Kantowski-Sachs Universe from quantum spherically reduced matter
Using s-wave and large N approximation the one-loop effective action for 2d
dilaton coupled scalars and spinors which are obtained by spherical reduction
of 4d minimal matter is found. Quantum effective equations for reduced Einstein
gravity are written. Their analytical solutions corresponding to 4d
Kantowski-Sachs (KS) Universe are presented. For quantum-corrected Einstein
gravity we get non-singular KS cosmology which represents 1) quantum-corrected
KS cosmology which existed on classical level or 2)purely quantum solution
which had no classical limit. The analogy with Nariai BH is briefly mentioned.
For purely induced gravity (no Einstein term) we found general analytical
solution but all KS cosmologies under discussion are singular. The
corresponding equations of motion are reformulated as classical mechanics
problem of motion of unit mass particle in some potential V.Comment: LaTeX file, 16 pages, a few misprints are correcte
Fortaleciendo los sistemas tradicionales de producción de semilla en los Andes en Perú.
Los cultivos alimenticios en el Perú han estado históricamente asociados a la pequeña agricultura andina, caracterizada por predios muy pequeños (<3ha), tecnificación tradicional y producción destinada principalmente al autoconsumo y una pequeña proporción para la venta y producción de semilla. El Centro Internacional de la Papa (CIP) a través de su programa Papa Andina/INCOPA promovió una serie de innovaciones que han permitido revalorizar la biodiversidad de la papa y organizar cadenas productivas inclusivas para articular a pequeños productores pobres alto andinos a nuevos mercados. Sin embargo, esta innovación generó demanda por semilla de variedades nativas con potencial de mercado, la cual no ha podido ser satisfecha debido a que el sistema formal de semilla no abastece la demanda interna y las variedades nativas no han sido priorizadas por dicho sistema. Como alternativa, los proyectos del CIP como InnovAndes (Junín y Huancavelica) y McKnight (Pasco), están promoviendo esquemas no convencionales como una alternativa flexible para mejorar los sistemas tradicionales de producción de semilla y responder a la demanda de los pequeños productores. En ambos casos, en las comunidades participantes se organizaron comités de gestión de semillas, que fueron capacitados en técnicas de multiplicación de semilla e identificación de plagas para tener a su cargo la producción de semilla básica en campos semilleros e invernaderos empleando la técnica de selección positiva. La capacitación se realizó a través de escuelas de campo de agricultores (ECA) semilleristas. Como resultado de la intervención, del Proyecto McKnight en las comunidades de La Quinua y Quichas (Pasco) se logró reducir en más del 92% la incidencia de virus (PVX y PVS), enfermedades (P. infestans) e insectos (Epitrix spp, y Diabrótica spp) que afectan la calidad de la semilla, lográndose aumentar el rendimiento promedio de tubérculos en 53%. En este proyecto, el comité de gestión de semillas se constituyó como empresa y cuentan con un invernadero de aeroponia para producir semilla prebásicaa bajo costo, habiendo producido hasta la fecha 54,000 tuberculillos de 6 variedades nativas. En el marco del proyecto Innovandes, los productores de Chicche y Pomamanta (Junín) aprendieron la técnica convencional de propagación y multiplicación de semilla pre-básica en sus respectivos invernaderos. En 2011 la producción fue en total 20,574 tuberculillos de variedades nativas con demanda en el mercado, con lo que han constituido un fondo rotatorio de semilla de las variedades Leona y Cceccorani de uso en gastronomía y la industria, respectivamente. Los resultados indican que la producción de semilla pre-básica en combinación con la técnica de selección positiva ayudará a gestar un mercado regional de semilla de calidad, con posibilidades de evolucionar hacia un esquema o modelo no convencional, similar al de semilla de calidad declarada (QDS)
Total Hydrocarbon Content (THC) Testing in Liquid Oxygen (LOX)
The measured Total Hydrocarbon Content (THC) levels in liquid oxygen (LOX) systems at Stennis Space Center (SSC) have shown wide variations. Examples of these variations include the following: 1) differences between vendor-supplied THC values and those obtained using standard SSC analysis procedures; and 2) increasing THC values over time at an active SSC test stand in both storage and run vessels. A detailed analysis of LOX sampling techniques, analytical instrumentation, and sampling procedures will be presented. Additional data obtained on LOX system operations and LOX delivery trailer THC values during the past 12-24 months will also be discussed. Field test results showing THC levels and the distribution of the THC's in the test stand run tank, modified for THC analysis via dip tubes, will be presented
Minisuperspace Examples of Quantization Using Canonical Variables of the Ashtekar Type: Structure and Solutions
The Ashtekar variables have been use to find a number of exact solutions in
quantum gravity and quantum cosmology. We investigate the origin of these
solutions in the context of a number of canonical transformations (both complex
and real) of the basic Hamiltonian variables of general relativity. We are able
to present several new solutions in the minisuperspace (quantum cosmology)
sector. The meaning of these solutions is then discussed.Comment: 23 pages, latex, 3 figures (uuencoded, separate file
Antiretroviral medications disrupt microglial phagocytosis of β-amyloid and increase its production by neurons: Implications for HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders
Up to 50% of long-term HIV infected patients, including those with systemically well-controlled infection, commonly experience memory problems and slowness, difficulties in concentration, planning, and multitasking. Deposition of Aβ plaques is also a common pathological feature of HIV infection. However, it is not clear whether this accumulation is due to AD-like processes, HIV-associated immunosuppression, Tat protein-induced Aβ elevations, and/or the effects of single highly active antiretroviral therapy (ART). Here we evaluated the effects of several ART medications (Zidovudine, Lamivudine, Indinavir, and Abacavir) alone and in combination on: 1) Aβ1-40, 42 generation in murine N2a cells transfected with the human "Swedish" mutant form of APP; 2) microglial phagocytosis of FITC-Aβ1-42 peptides in cultured murine N9 microglia. We report for the first time that these antiretroviral compounds (10 μM) generally increase Aβ generation (~50-200%) in SweAPP N2a cells and markedly inhibit microglial phagocytosis of FITC-Aβ1-42 peptides in murine microglia. The most significant amyloidogenic effects were observed with combined ART (p < 0.05); suggesting certain ART medications may have additive amyloidogenic effects when combined. As these antiretroviral compounds are capable of penetrating the blood brain barrier and reaching the concentrations employed in the in vitro studies, these findings raise the possibility that ART may play a casual role in the elevated Aβ found in the brains of those infected with HIV. Therefore these compounds may consequently contribute to cognitive decline observed in HIV associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND)
A bound on the scale of spacetime noncommutativity from the reheating phase after inflation
In an approach to noncommutative gauge theories, where the full
noncommutative behavior is delimited by the presence of the UV and IR cutoffs,
we consider the possibility of describing a system at a temperature T in a box
of size L. Employing a specific form of UV/IR relationship inherent in such an
approach of restrictive noncommutativity, we derive, for a given temperature T,
an upper bound on the parameter of spacetime noncommutativity Lambda_NC ~
|theta|^{-1/2}. Considering such epochs in the very early universe which are
expected to reflect spacetime noncommutativity to a quite degree, like the
reheating stage after inflation, or believable pre-inflation
radiation-dominated epochs, the best limits on Lambda_NC are obtained. We also
demonstrate how the nature and size of the thermal system (for instance, the
Hubble distance versus the future event horizon) can affect our bounds.Comment: 9 pages, a reference added, to appear in PL
Stimulation of cannabinoid receptor 2 (CB(2)) suppresses microglial activation
BACKGROUND: Activated microglial cells have been implicated in a number of neurodegenerative disorders, including Alzheimer's disease (AD), multiple sclerosis (MS), and HIV dementia. It is well known that inflammatory mediators such as nitric oxide (NO), cytokines, and chemokines play an important role in microglial cell-associated neuron cell damage. Our previous studies have shown that CD40 signaling is involved in pathological activation of microglial cells. Many data reveal that cannabinoids mediate suppression of inflammation in vitro and in vivo through stimulation of cannabinoid receptor 2 (CB(2)). METHODS: In this study, we investigated the effects of a cannabinoid agonist on CD40 expression and function by cultured microglial cells activated by IFN-γ using RT-PCR, Western immunoblotting, flow cytometry, and anti-CB(2 )small interfering RNA (siRNA) analyses. Furthermore, we examined if the stimulation of CB(2 )could modulate the capacity of microglial cells to phagocytise Aβ(1–42 )peptide using a phagocytosis assay. RESULTS: We found that the selective stimulation of cannabinoid receptor CB(2 )by JWH-015 suppressed IFN-γ-induced CD40 expression. In addition, this CB(2 )agonist markedly inhibited IFN-γ-induced phosphorylation of JAK/STAT1. Further, this stimulation was also able to suppress microglial TNF-α and nitric oxide production induced either by IFN-γ or Aβ peptide challenge in the presence of CD40 ligation. Finally, we showed that CB(2 )activation by JWH-015 markedly attenuated CD40-mediated inhibition of microglial phagocytosis of Aβ(1–42 )peptide. Taken together, these results provide mechanistic insight into beneficial effects provided by cannabinoid receptor CB(2 )modulation in neurodegenerative diseases, particularly AD
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