No entropy enigmas for N=4 dyons

We explain why multi-centered black hole configurations where at least one of the centers is a large black hole do not contribute to the indexed degeneracies in theories with N=4 supersymmetry. This is a consequence of the fact that such configurations, although supersymmetric, belong to long supermultiplets. As a result, there is no entropy enigma in N=4 theories, unlike in N=2 theories.Comment: 14 page

New supersymmetric higher-derivative couplings: Full N=2 superspace does not count!

An extended class of N=2 locally supersymmetric invariants with higher-derivative couplings based on full superspace integrals, is constructed. These invariants may depend on unrestricted chiral supermultiplets, on vector supermultiplets and on the Weyl supermultiplet. Supersymmetry is realized off-shell. A non-renormalization theorem is proven according to which none of these invariants can contribute to the entropy and electric charges of BPS black holes. Some of these invariants may be relevant for topological string deformations.Comment: 24 pages, v2: version published in JHEP, one reference added and typos corrected, v3: reference adde

Higher Derivative Extension of 6D Chiral Gauged Supergravity

Six-dimensional (1,0) supersymmetric gauged Einstein-Maxwell supergravity is extended by the inclusion of a supersymmetric Riemann tensor squared invariant. Both the original model as well as the Riemann tensor squared invariant are formulated off-shell and consequently the total action is off-shell invariant without modification of the supersymmetry transformation rules. In this formulation, superconformal techniques, in which the dilaton Weyl multiplet plays a crucial role, are used. It is found that the gauging of the U(1) R-symmetry in the presence of the higher-order derivative terms does not modify the positive exponential in the dilaton potential. Moreover, the supersymmetric Minkowski(4) x S^2 compactification of the original model, without the higher-order derivatives, is remarkably left intact. It is shown that the model also admits non-supersymmetric vacuum solutions that are direct product spaces involving de Sitter spacetimes and negative curvature internal spaces.Comment: 32 pages; typos corrected, footnote in conclusions section adde

Beliefs and traditions related to a child´s first year of life : a study of the Northwest of Portugal

In this paper we propose an approach to investigate, in the North-west of Portugal, the parents’ behaviour at birth and during the first year of life of their children. We compare the heritage, specifically the beliefs and traditions, with the changes that resulted from the recent and deep cultural transformations that have taken place in Portugal in the last few decades. In parallel, we tried to determine if the parents’ behaviours, based on beliefs and traditions, can affect the children’s health. We based our investigation on standardized interviews with 76 mothers of one-year-old children (born between January and December 2001) who lived in two parishes of Vizela city. This is a territory where a more traditional way of life prevails than in other territories of the centre and south of the country, where there is a strong attachment for religious and social values and where the influence of the ancestral traditions is still alive. The paper concludes that cultural heritage can have important impact on individual health. Health professionals, who work in primary care and in hospitals, must be aware of the responsibility they have to change this scenario.(undefined

Deficient Wnt signalling triggers striatal synaptic degeneration and impaired motor behaviour in adult mice.

Synapse degeneration is an early and invariant feature of neurodegenerative diseases. Indeed, synapse loss occurs prior to neuronal degeneration and correlates with the symptom severity of these diseases. However, the molecular mechanisms that trigger synaptic loss remain poorly understood. Here we demonstrate that deficient Wnt signalling elicits synaptic degeneration in the adult striatum. Inducible expression of the secreted Wnt antagonist Dickkopf1 (Dkk1) in adult mice (iDkk1) decreases the number of cortico-striatal glutamatergic synapses and of D1 and D2 dopamine receptor clusters. Synapse loss occurs in the absence of axon retraction or cell death. The remaining excitatory terminals contain fewer synaptic vesicles and have a reduced probability of evoked transmitter release. IDkk1 mice show impaired motor coordination and are irresponsive to amphetamine. These studies identify Wnts as key endogenous regulators of synaptic maintenance and suggest that dysfunction in Wnt signalling contributes to synaptic degeneration at early stages in neurodegenerative diseases

BPS black holes in N=2 D=4 gauged supergravities

We construct and analyze BPS black hole solutions in gauged N=2, D=4 supergravity with charged hypermultiplets. A class of solutions can be found through spontaneous symmetry breaking in vacua that preserve maximal supersymmetry. The resulting black holes do not carry any hair for the scalars. We demonstrate this with explicit examples of both asymptotically flat and anti-de Sitter black holes. Next, we analyze the BPS conditions for asymptotically flat black holes with scalar hair and spherical or axial symmetry. We find solutions only in cases when the metric contains ripples and the vector multiplet scalars become ghost-like. We give explicit examples that can be analyzed numerically. Finally, we comment on a way to circumvent the ghost-problem by introducing also fermionic hair.Comment: 40 pages, 2 figures; v2 references added; v3 minor changes, published versio

Phytoplankton dynamics in relation to seasonal variability and upwelling and relaxation patterns at the mouth of Ria de Aveiro (West Iberian Margin) over a four-year period

From June 2004 to December 2007, samples were weekly collected at a fixed station located at the mouth of Ria de Aveiro (West Iberian Margin). We examined the seasonal and inter-annual fluctuations in composition and community structure of the phytoplankton in relation to the main environmental drivers and assessed the influence of the oceano-graphic regime, namely changes in frequency and intensity of upwelling events, over the dynamics of the phytoplankton assemblage. The samples were consistently handled and a final subset of 136 OTUs (taxa with relative abundance > 0.01%) was subsequently submitted to various multivariate analyses. The phytoplankton assemblage showed significant changes at all temporal scales but with an overriding importance of seasonality over longer-(inter-annual) or shorter-term fluctuations (upwelling-related). Sea-surface temperature, salinity and maximum upwelling index were retrieved as the main driver of seasonal change. Seasonal signal was most evident in the fluctuations of chlorophyll a concentration and in the high turnover from the winter to spring phytoplankton assemblage. The seasonal cycle of production and succession was disturbed by upwelling events known to disrupt thermal stratification and induce changes in the phytoplankton assemblage. Our results indicate that both the frequency and intensity of physical forcing were important drivers of such variability, but the outcome in terms of species composition was highly dependent on the available local pool of species and the timing of those events in relation to the seasonal cycle. We conclude that duration, frequency and intensity of upwelling events, which vary seasonally and inter-annually, are paramount for maintaining long-term phytoplankton diversity likely by allowing unstable coexistence and incorporating species turnover at different scales. Our results contribute to the understanding of the complex mechanisms of coastal phytoplankton dynamics in relation to changing physical forcing which is fundamental to improve predictability of future prospects under climate change.Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT, Portugal) [SFRH/BPD/ 94562/2013]; FEDER funds; national funds; CESAM [UID/AMB/50017]; FCT/MEC through national funds; FEDERinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Prospective association between objective measures of childhood motor coordination and sedentary behaviour in adolescence and adulthood

BACKGROUND: Higher levels of gross motor coordination are positively associated with physical activity in childhood, but little is known about how they relate to sedentary behaviour. The aim of this study was to investigate the longitudinal association between gross motor coordination at childhood and sedentary behaviour in adolescence and adulthood. METHODS: Data were from the 1970 British Cohort Study (the age 10, 16, and 42-year surveys). At age 10 the participant's mother provided information on how often participants watched TV and played sports and a health visitor administered several tests to assess gross motor coordination. At aged 16 and 42-years participants reported their daily screen and TV time, respectively, and physical activity status. We examined associations between gross motor coordination at age 10 with sedentary behaviour and physical activity at age 16 and 42, using logistic regression. RESULTS: In multivariable models, higher levels of gross motor coordination were associated with lower odds of high screen time (n = 3073; OR 0.79, 95% CI 0.64, 0.98) at 16-years although no associations with physical activity were observed (OR 1.16, 95% CI 0.93, 1.44). Similar associations were observed with TV time in adulthood when participants were aged 42, and in addition high gross motor coordination was also associated with physical activity participation (n = 4879; OR 1.18, 95 % CI 1.02, 1.36). CONCLUSIONS: Intervention efforts to increase physical activity participation and reduce sedentary behaviour over the life course may be best targeted towards children with low gross motor coordination

Superpulsed low-level laser therapy protects skeletal muscle of mdx mice against damage, inflammation and morphological changes delaying dystrophy progression.

Aim: To evaluate the effects of preventive treatment with low-level laser therapy (LLLT) on progression of dystrophy in mdx mice. Methods: Ten animals were randomly divided into 2 experimental groups treated with superpulsed LLLT (904 nm, 15 mW, 700 Hz, 1 J) or placebo-LLLT at one point overlying the tibialis anterior muscle (bilaterally) 5 times per week for 14 weeks (from 6th to 20th week of age). Morphological changes, creatine kinase (CK) activity and mRNA gene expression were assessed in animals at 20th week of age. Results: Animals treated with LLLT showed very few morphological changes in skeletal muscle, with less atrophy and fibrosis than animals treated with placebo-LLLT. CK was significantly lower (p = 0.0203) in animals treated with LLLT (864.70 U.l−1, SEM 226.10) than placebo (1708.00 U.l−1, SEM 184.60). mRNA gene expression of inflammatory markers was significantly decreased by treatment with LLLT (p<0.05): TNF-α (placebo-control = 0.51 µg/µl [SEM 0.12], - LLLT = 0.048 µg/µl [SEM 0.01]), IL-1β (placebo-control = 2.292 µg/µl [SEM 0.74], - LLLT = 0.12 µg/µl [SEM 0.03]), IL-6 (placebo-control = 3.946 µg/µl [SEM 0.98], - LLLT = 0.854 µg/µl [SEM 0.33]), IL-10 (placebo-control = 1.116 µg/µl [SEM 0.22], - LLLT = 0.352 µg/µl [SEM 0.15]), and COX-2 (placebo-control = 4.984 µg/µl [SEM 1.18], LLLT = 1.470 µg/µl [SEM 0.73]). Conclusion: Irradiation of superpulsed LLLT on successive days five times per week for 14 weeks decreased morphological changes, skeletal muscle damage and inflammation in mdx mice. This indicates that LLLT has potential to decrease progression of Duchenne muscular dystrophy