The Universal Rotation Curve of Spiral Galaxies. II The Dark Matter Distribution out to the Virial Radius

In the current LambdaCDM cosmological scenario, N-body simulations provide us with a Universal mass profile, and consequently a Universal equilibrium circular velocity of the virialized objects, as galaxies. In this paper we obtain, by combining kinematical data of their inner regions with global observational properties, the Universal Rotation Curve (URC) of disk galaxies and the corresponding mass distribution out to their virial radius. This curve extends the results of Paper I, concerning the inner luminous regions of Sb-Im spirals, out to the edge of the galaxy halos.Comment: In press on MNRAS. 10 pages, 8 figures. The Mathematica code for the figures is available at: http://www.novicosmo.org/salucci.asp Corrected typo

The low dimensional dynamical system approach in General Relativity: an example

In this paper we explore one of the most important features of the Galerkin method, which is to achieve high accuracy with a relatively modest computational effort, in the dynamics of Robinson-Trautman spacetimes.Comment: 7 pages, 5 figure

Economic benefit and social impact derived by a food loss prevention strategy in the vegetable sector: A spatial and temporal analysis at the regional level

Introduction: Reduction of food loss in the horticultural sector is critical to simultaneously support the transition toward a diet with higher consumption of vegetables and the achievement of policy goals aimed at halving the quantity of wastage by 2030. However, the lack of precise information and the presence of múltiple interconnected factors makes it difficult to assess the potential socioeconòmic benefits and therefore the decision-making process of food loss reduction strategies. Methods: A case study approach has been used to assess the econòmic loss and nutrional impact of food loss in the horticulture primary production. The selection of the main vegetable products was based on an historical series while econòmic and nutritional impact were estimated starting from national and European indicator. Results: The food loss correspond to 26% of the total production and 14% of the total agricultural production econòmic value. The social analysis confirm the possibility of redistributing food loss among the population even in the most critical months and areas. Discussion: The combination of social and econòmic indicator resulted essential to provide key information at the decision-making level to pave the way for the elaboration of short- and long-term food loss reduction strategies. Indeed, no single-bullet strategy can be applied to overcome the problem of food loss as many actor with different needs are involved

Benzamil inhibits neuronal and heterologously expressed small conductance Ca2²⁺-activated K⁺ channels

Small conductance Ca^{2+}-activated K^{+} (SK) channels are expressed throughout the soma and dendrites of pyramidal neurons in the neocortex and hippocampal formation, where they participate in the local regulation of membrane excitability and synaptic signals. Through their inter-play with Ca^{2+} channels, SK channels regulate Ca^{2+} influx triggered by back-propagating action potentials in dendrites. Inhibition of SK channels affects both the amplitude and duration of Ca^{2+} transients, but the role of Ca^{2+} clearance mechanisms and their link to SK channel activity has not been established. Here we report the effect of the Na^{+}/Ca^{2+} exchanger (NCX) inhibitor benzamil on Ca^{2+} extrusion and SK channels in the regulation of dendritic Ca^{2+} signals. Benzamil increased the duration and amplitude of dendritic Ca^{2+} transients elicited by back-propagating action potentials in hippocampal pyramidal neurons. This data is consistent with previous studies with SK channel blockers and suggests that benzamil inhibits SK channels in addition to the Na^{+}/Ca^{2+} exchanger. Here we show that indeed both the neuronal SK-mediated IAHP current and the currents mediated by heterologously expressed SK channels were inhibited by benzamil. The inhibition of recombinant SK channels was seen with different K+ concentration gradients, and was stronger at negative voltages. The suppression of SK channels by benzamil is consistent with previous findings on the modulation of Ca^{2+} signals by SK channels in neurons. We additionally show that benzamil inhibits neuronal voltage-gated calcium currents. The results prompt a careful reassessment of the effects of benzamil on Ca^{2+} transients in native systems, given the spectrum of ion channels and exchangers this compound targets within a similar range of concentrations

Site selection for dendroclimatological studies with Bertholletia excelsa.

Edição dos abstracts do 24º IUFRO World Congress, 2014, Salt Lake City. Sustaining forests, sustaining people: the role of research

Numerical and structural aberrations in advanced neuroblastoma tumours by CGH analysis; survival correlates with chromosome 17 status

Rapid tumour progression in neuroblastoma is associated with MYCN amplification, deletion of the short arm of chromosome 1 and gain of 17q. However, patients with advanced disease without MYCN amplification and/or 1p deletion have a very poor outcome too, which suggests other genetic defects may predict an unfavourable prognosis. We employed CGH to study 22 tumours of patients at stages 3 and 4 over one year of age (6 and 16 cases respectively). Patients were divided in groups (A) long-term survivors and (B) short-term survivors. CGH showed a total of 226 chromosome imbalances (110 in group A and 116 in group B). The neuroblastoma cells of long-term survivors showed a preponderance of numerical aberrations (54%vs 43%); particularly gains of entire chromosomes 1 (P< 0.03), 7 (P< 0.04) and 19 (P< 0.05). An extra copy of 17 was detected in 6/8 (75%) samples of group A and only 1/14 (7%) samples of group B (P< 0.002). Conversely, tumours of patients who died from disease progression displayed a higher frequency of structural abnormalities (43%vs 35%), including loss of 1p, 9p, 11q, 15q and 18q and gain of 12q, although the difference was not significant (P= 0.24). Unbalanced gain of 17q was detected in 8/14 (57%) tumours of group B and only 1/8 (13%) tumours of group A (P< 0.05). The peculiar genetic difference observed in the tumours of long and short-term survivors may have prognostic relevance. © 2000 Cancer Research Campaig

Crescimento de Bertholletia excelsa em floresta natural em Juína, MT.

Resumo

Management practices for compostable plastic packaging waste: Impacts, challenges and recommendations

The EU Green Deal aims at solving the challenges related to plastic production, (mis-)use, and pollution. While the bioplastic industry is identified as one of the possible avenues to tackle the problem, bioplastic waste collection and management practices are still far from full-development and harmonisation. To inform policy makers on the best practices and their feasibility, this study quantifies environmental and economic impacts of compostable plastic packaging (CPP) waste management schemes by means of Life Cycle Assessment and Costing. Results show that, with respect to climate change and financial costs, the scheme leading to the highest benefits is collecting CPP with conventional plastic waste followed by mechanical sorting and recycling (saving ca. 306 kg CO2eq. t-1 at a net income of 3.7 EUR t-1). The second best option is collecting CPP with bio-waste followed by biological treatment (saving ca. 69 kg CO2eq. t-1 at a cost of 197 EUR t-1). Collecting CPP with conventional plastics followed by sorting and biological treatment is to be avoided. The trend on the other impact categories generally follows climate change. Ideally, closed loop is therefore preferred, but conditioned by (i) having high share of CPP in municipal waste (else sorting is economically unfeasible), (ii) good citizen's behaviour at source-segregation, and (iii) an established market for secondary material. Currently, overall benefits are limited by the low amounts, suggesting that the management choice could ultimately be based on rather simple technical and economic feasibility criteria while regulatory and management efforts should be focused on other waste streams with greater implications on environment