495 research outputs found
Statistical Mechanical Theory of a Closed Oscillating Universe
Based on Newton's laws reformulated in the Hamiltonian dynamics combined with
statistical mechanics, we formulate a statistical mechanical theory supporting
the hypothesis of a closed oscillating universe. We find that the behaviour of
the universe as a whole can be represented by a free entropic oscillator whose
lifespan is nonhomogeneous, thus implying that time is shorter or longer
according to the state of the universe itself given through its entropy. We
conclude that time reduces to the entropy production of the universe and that a
nonzero entropy production means that local fluctuations could exist giving
rise to the appearance of masses and to the curvature of the space
Exact solutions of n-level systems and gauge theories
We find a relationship between unitary transformations of the dynamics of
quantum systems with time-dependent Hamiltonians and gauge theories. In
particular, we show that the nonrelativistic dynamics of spin-
particles in a magnetic field can be formulated in a natural way as
an SU(2) gauge theory, with the magnetic field playing the role of the
gauge potential A^i. The present approach can also be applied to systems of n
levels with time-dependent potentials, U(n) being the gauge group. This
geometric interpretation provides a powerful method to find exact solutions of
the Schr\"odinger equation. The root of the present approach rests in the
Hermiticity property of the Hamiltonian operators involved. In addition, the
relationship with true gauge symmetries of n-level quantum systems is
discussed.Comment: LaTeX file, 5 pages, published versio
Zwitterionic Rhodium and Iridium Complexes Based on a Carboxylate Bridge-Functionalized Bis-N-heterocyclic Carbene Ligand: Synthesis, Structure, Dynamic Behavior, and Reactivity
A series of water-soluble zwitterionic complexes featuring a carboxylate bridge-functionalized bis-N-heterocyclic carbene ligand of formula [Cp MIIICl{(MeIm)2CHCOO}] and [MI(diene){(MeIm)2CHCOO}] (Cp* = 1, 2, 3, 4, 5-pentamethylcyclopentadienyl; M = Rh, Ir; MeIm = 3-methylimidazol-2-yliden-1-yl; diene = 1, 5-cyclooctadiene (cod), norbornadiene (nbd)) were prepared from the salt [(MeImH)2CHCOO]Br and suitable metal precursor. The solid-state structure of both types of complexes shows a boat-shaped six-membered metallacycle derived of the ¿2C, C' coordination mode of the bis-NHC ligand. The uncoordinated carboxylate fragment is found at the bowsprit position in the Cp MIII complexes, whereas in the MI(diene) complexes it is at the flagpole position of the metallacycle. The complexes [RhI(diene){(MeIm)2CHCOO}] (diene = cod, nbd) exist as two conformational isomers in dichloromethane, bowsprit and flagpole, that interconvert through the boat-to-boat inversion of the metallacycle. An inversion barrier of ~17 kcal·mol-1 was determined by two-dimensional exchange spectroscopy NMR measurements for [RhI(cod){(MeIm)2CHCOO}]. Reaction of zwitterionic Cp MIII complexes with methyl triflate or tetrafluoroboric acid affords the cationic complexes [Cp MIIICl{(MeIm)2CHCOOMe}]+ or [Cp MIIICl{(MeIm)2CHCOOH}]+ (M = Rh, Ir) featuring carboxy and methoxycarbonyl functionalized methylene-bridged bis-NHC ligands, respectively. Similarly, complexes [MI(diene){(MeIm)2CHCOOMe}]+ (M = Rh, Ir) were prepared by alkylation of the corresponding zwitterionic MI(diene) complexes with methyl triflate. In contrast, reaction of [IrI(cod){(MeIm)2CHCOO}] with HBF4·Et2O (Et = ethyl), CH3OTf, CH3I, or I2 gives cationic iridium(III) octahedral complexes [IrIIIX(cod){(MeIm)2CHCOO}]+ (X = H, Me, or I) featuring a tripodal coordination mode of the carboxylate bridge-functionalized bis-NHC ligand. The switch from ¿2C, C' to ¿3C, C', O coordination of the bis-NHC ligand accompanying the oxidative addition prevents the coordination of the anions eventually formed in the process that remain as counterions
Emotion dysregulation and neuroticism as moderators of group Unified Protocol effectiveness outcomes for treating emotional disorders
The personality dimension neuroticism and difficulties in emotional regulation (ER) are two variables closely related to the onset, course, and maintenance of emotional disorders (EDs). The Unified Protocol for the Transdiagnostic Treatment of Emotional Disorders (UP) is a treatment specifically designed to address neuroticism by training in adaptive ER skills and has been shown to be effective in reducing difficulties in ER. However, the specific impact of these variables on treatment outcomes is not entirely clear. The aim of the present study was to explore the moderating role of neuroticism and difficulties in ER regarding the evolution of depressive and anxiety symptoms and quality of life.
Methods: This secondary study included 140 participants diagnosed with EDs, who received the UP in group format as part of an RCT being conducted in different Spanish Public Mental Health Units.
Results: The results of this study found that high scores in neuroticism and difficulties in ER were associated with greater severity of depression and anxiety symptomatology, and with poorer quality of life. In addition, difficulties in ER moderated the efficacy of UP regarding anxiety symptoms, and quality of life. No moderating effects were found for depression (p > 0.5).
Limitations: We only evaluated two moderators that may influence UP effectivenes; other key moderators should be analyzed in future.
Conclusions: The identification of specific moderators affecting transdiagnostic interventions outcomes will allow the development of personalized interventions and provide useful information to improve the psychopathology and well-being of people with ED
Immunocastration in gilts: a preliminary study of the effect of the second dose administration time on growth, reproductive tract development, and carcass and meat quality
Increasing fatness and avoiding puberty are desirable in gilts intended for high-quality dry-cured ham production. A total of 48 Duroc x (Landrace x Large White) females of 26.5 ± 3.70 kg body weight (BW) were used to evaluate the impact of immunocastration and to find the optimum application time of the second dose for immunocastration on growth; sex hormones; reproductive tract development; and carcass, meat, and fat quality. Gilts were allocated to four experimental treatments (n = 12): control (entire gilts, EG) and immunocastrated gilts (IG), providing the second dose at 12, 9, or 7 weeks before slaughter (with approximately 60, 75, or 90 kg BW, respectively). Mean slaughter BW was 125 kg. Immunocastrated gilts had lighter reproductive tracts and greater fat thickness than EG. Fat from IG was more saturated and less polyunsaturated than that from EG. Numerically, gilts immunocastrated 9 and 12 weeks before slaughter presented higher fatness than those immunocastrated 7 weeks before slaughter. In conclusion, immunocastration is a good strategy to improve the fatness of gilts destined to dry-cured ham elaboration, with the optimum time for the second dose application seemingly between 9 and 12 weeks before slaughter
Tomato geranylgeranyl diphosphate synthase isoform 1 is involved in the stress-triggered production of diterpenes in leaves and strigolactones in roots
Carotenoids are photoprotectant pigments and precursors of hormones such as strigolactones (SL). Carotenoids are produced in plastids from geranylgeranyl diphosphate (GGPP), which is diverted to the carotenoid pathway by phytoene synthase (PSY). In tomato (Solanum lycopersicum), three genes encode plastid-targeted GGPP synthases (SlG1 to SlG3) and three genes encode PSY isoforms (PSY1 to PSY3). Here, we investigated the function of SlG1 by generating loss-of-function lines and combining their metabolic and physiological phenotyping with gene co-expression and co-immunoprecipitation analyses. Leaves and fruits of slg1 lines showed a wild-type phenotype in terms of carotenoid accumulation, photosynthesis, and development under normal growth conditions. In response to bacterial infection, however, slg1 leaves produced lower levels of defensive GGPP-derived diterpenoids. In roots, SlG1 was co-expressed with PSY3 and other genes involved in SL production, and slg1 lines grown under phosphate starvation exuded less SLs. However, slg1 plants did not display the branched shoot phenotype observed in other SL-defective mutants. At the protein level, SlG1 physically interacted with the root-specific PSY3 isoform but not with PSY1 and PSY2. Our results confirm specific roles for SlG1 in producing GGPP for defensive diterpenoids in leaves and carotenoid-derived SLs (in combination with PSY3) in roots
Selective removal of ATP degradation products from food matrices II: Rapid screening of hypoxanthine and inosine by molecularly imprinted matrix solid-phase dispersion for evaluation of fish freshness
A water compatible molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP), synthesized using
theophylline (TPH) as dummy-template and acrylamide (AM) as functional monomer,
has been employed as supporting material in matrix solid-phase dispersion combined
with ultra performance liquid chromatography-photodiode array detection (MSPDUPLC-PDA) for selective determination of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) derivatives in
fish samples. ATP degradation products are used as freshness index for assessment of
fish quality. The solid sample was directly blended with MIP in MSPD procedure
resulting in sample disruption and subsequent adsorption of the compounds on the MIP.
By using n-hexane and ammonium hydroxide aqueous solution at pH 9 as the washing
and elution solvent, respectively, satisfactory recoveries and clean chromatograms have
been obtained. Good linearity for hypoxanthine (HYP) and inosine (INO) has been
observed with correlation coefficients (R2) of 0.9987 and 0.9986, respectively. The recoveries of the two ATP derivatives at three different spiked levels ranged from 106.5% to 113.4% for HYP and from 103.1% to 111.2% for INO, with average relative standard deviations lower than 4.2% in both cases. This new method, which is rapid, simple and sensitive, can be used as an alternative tool to conventional tedious methodsThe study was financially supported by the Ministerio de Ciencia e InnovaciĂłn and FEDER (Ref. no.: IPT-060000-2010-14 MIPFOOD, 6PN Subprograma INNPACTO).S
Inflammatory response induced by Helicobacter pylori infection in lung
Helicobacter pylori is a microorganism that in the last years has been associated with extragastric disorders such as respiratory diseases, however, its impact on lung is partially understood. The aim of this work was to study infection impact of H. pylori on the inflammatory markers expression at the pulmonary level using an animal model. Infection was performed by BALB/c wild type (WT) mice orotracheal instillation with 20 ÎĽl of 1 Ă— 108 H. pylori reference strain suspension once per day throughout 3 days. Inflammatory response was evaluated at 3, 7, 14, 21 and 30 days post infection. Lung was aseptically removed and pulmonary edema index values showed a significant change at 30 days of infection. Hematoxylin-Eosin (H-E) stain allowed to visualizing H. pylori presence in lung samples at 3 days of infection near the phagocytic cells or in the alveoli lumen. Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) was used for inflammatory response evaluation. Lactate dehydrogenase values showed a gradual increase in infected animals along infection time. Protein concentrations in mg/ml from BAL increased significantly at 7 days in infected animals. Macrophages viability obtained from BAL, decreased at the first moment of infection, maintaining constant values along contamination time. Results obtained demonstrate an inflammatory response in lung after orotracheal H. pylori infection and suggest that the pathogenic mechanism is strongly evidenced by tissue damage, endothelial dysfunction inflammatory mediators and markers expression at the pulmonary level.Fil: Arismendi Sosa, Andrea Celeste. Universidad Nacional de San Luis. Facultad de QuĂmica, BioquĂmica y Farmacia; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones CientĂficas y TĂ©cnicas; ArgentinaFil: Salinas Ibáñez, A.G.. Universidad Nacional de San Luis. Facultad de QuĂmica, BioquĂmica y Farmacia; ArgentinaFil: PĂ©rez Chaca, M.V.. Universidad Nacional de San Luis. Facultad de QuĂmica, BioquĂmica y Farmacia; ArgentinaFil: Penissi, Alicia Beatriz. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones CientĂficas y TĂ©cnicas. Centro CientĂfico TecnolĂłgico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto de HistologĂa y EmbriologĂa de Mendoza Dr. Mario H. Burgos. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Ciencias MĂ©dicas. Instituto de HistologĂa y EmbriologĂa de Mendoza Dr. Mario H. Burgos; ArgentinaFil: GĂłmez, N.N.. Universidad Nacional de San Luis; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones CientĂficas y TĂ©cnicas. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Investigaciones BiolĂłgicas - San Luis; ArgentinaFil: Vega, A.E.. Universidad Nacional de San Luis. Facultad de QuĂmica, BioquĂmica y Farmacia; Argentin
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