Effect of the Gribov horizon on the Polyakov loop and vice versa

We consider finite temperature SU(2) gauge theory in the continuum formulation, which necessitates the choice of a gauge fixing. Choosing the Landau gauge, the existing gauge copies are taken into account by means of the Gribov-Zwanziger (GZ) quantization scheme, which entails the introduction of a dynamical mass scale (Gribov mass) directly influencing the Green functions of the theory. Here, we determine simultaneously the Polyakov loop (vacuum expectation value) and Gribov mass in terms of temperature, by minimizing the vacuum energy w.r.t. the Polyakov loop parameter and solving the Gribov gap equation. Inspired by the Casimir energy-style of computation, we illustrate the usage of Zeta function regularization in finite temperature calculations. Our main result is that the Gribov mass directly feels the deconfinement transition, visible from a cusp occurring at the same temperature where the Polyakov loop becomes nonzero. In this exploratory work we mainly restrict ourselves to the original Gribov-Zwanziger quantization procedure in order to illustrate the approach and the potential direct link between the vacuum structure of the theory (dynamical mass scales) and (de)confinement. We also present a first look at the critical temperature obtained from the Refined Gribov-Zwanziger approach. Finally, a particular problem for the pressure at low temperatures is reported.Comment: 19 pages, 8 .pdf figures. v2: extended section 3 + extra references; version accepted for publication in EPJ

An atlas of line profile studies for SU UMa type cataclysmic variables

We present H-alpha line-profile analyses for the seven SU UMa type dwarf novae AK Cnc, WX Cet, AQ Eri, VW Hyi, RZ Leo, TU Men, and HS Vir. All data sets are treated in the same manner, applying a sequence of techniques for each system. The basic ingredients of this sequence are the diagnostic diagram to determine the zero point of the orbital phase, and Doppler tomography to visualise the emission distribution. We furthermore introduce a new qualitative way of to evaluate the Doppler fit, by comparing the line profile of the reconstructed with the original spectrum in the form of the V/R plot. We present the results of the analysis in the compact form of an atlas, allowing a direct comparison of the emission distribution in our targets. Although most of the data sets were not taken with the intention of a line-profile analysis, we obtain significant results and are able to indicate the type of the additional emission in these systems. Our objects should have in principle very similar physical properties, i.e. they cover only a small range in orbital periods, mass ratios, and mass-transfer rates. Nevertheless, we find a large variety of phenomena both with respect to the individual systems and also within individual data sets of the same object. This includes `canonical' additional emission components from the secondary star and the bright spot, but also emission from the leading side of the accretion disc.Comment: 20 pages, 25 figures, accepted for publication in A&A, figures have been diminished in size and qualit

Lentiviral vectors with amplified beta cell-specific gene expression.

An important goal of gene therapy is to be able to deliver genes, so that they express in a pattern that recapitulates the expression of an endogenous cellular gene. Although tissue-specific promoters confer selectivity, in a vector-based system, their activity may be too weak to mediate detectable levels in gene-expression studies. We have used a two-step transcriptional amplification system to amplify gene expression from lentiviral vectors using the human insulin promoter. In this system, the human insulin promoter drives expression of a potent synthetic transcription activator (the yeast GAL4 DNA-binding domain fused to the activation domain of the Herpes simplex virus-1 VP16 activator), which in turn activates a GAL4-responsive promoter, driving the enhanced green fluorescent protein reporter gene. Vectors carrying the human insulin promoter did not express in non-beta-cell lines, but expressed in murine insulinoma cell lines, indicating that the human insulin promoter was capable of conferring cell specificity of expression. The insulin-amplifiable vector was able to amplify gene expression five to nine times over a standard insulin-promoter vector. In primary human islets, gene expression from the insulin-promoted vectors was coincident with insulin staining. These vectors will be useful in gene-expression studies that require a detectable signal and tissue specificity

A Christmas tale

No abstract available

Room 54

No abstract available

Double non-perturbative gluon exchange: an update on the soft Pomeron contribution to pp scattering

We employ a set of recent, theoretically motivated, fits to non-perturbative unquenched gluon propagators to check in how far double gluon exchange can be used to describe the soft sector of pp scattering data (total and differential cross section). In particular, we use the refined Gribov--Zwanziger gluon propagator (as arising from dealing with the Gribov gauge fixing ambiguity) and the massive Cornwall-type gluon propagator (as motivated from Dyson-Schwinger equations) in conjunction with a perturbative quark-gluon vertex, next to a model based on the non-perturbative quark-gluon Maris-Tandy vertex, popular from Bethe-Salpeter descriptions of hadronic bound states. We compare the cross sections arising from these models with "older" ISR and more recent TOTEM and ATLAS data. The lower the value of total energy \sqrt{s}, the better the results appear to be.Comment: 14 pages, 8 .pdf figures. To appear in Phys.Rev.

Torsion at different scales: from materials to the Universe

The concept of torsion in geometry, although known for a long time, has not gained considerable attention by the physics community until relatively recently, due to its diverse and potentially important applications to a plethora of contexts of physical interest. These range from novel materials, such as graphene and graphene-like materials, to advanced theoretical ideas, such as string theory and supersymmetry/supergravity and applications thereof in understanding the dark sector of our Universe. This work reviews such applications of torsion at different physical scales.Comment: 48 pages, 9 figures incorporated. Invited review, the version matches the published version in the journal Univers

Influence of mobile phase composition on the preparative separation of profens by chiral liquid chromatography

Liquid chiral chromatography of ketoprofen and flurbiprofen enantiomers is carried out using an amylose-based stationary phase. The mobile phases used for profens chiral separations are usually a hydrocarbon-alcohol combination, with high hydrocarbon content. However, profens show poor solubilities in hydrocarbon solvents when compared to alcohols. When the final objective is high productivity preparative separations, besides retention time, selectivity and column efficiency, solubility of the racemic drug is always a mandatory aspect to take into account. This work shows that an increase of the alcoholic content in the mobile phase is possible without a decrease in selectivity and column efficiency. Considering the chiral separation of ketoprofen and flurbiprofen enantiomers, results show that the mobile phase needs only a small quantity of acidic modifier and can be composed by a high or even pure alcoholic content. Additionally, it is found that the type of alcohol to be used can differ, depending on the profen racemic mixture to be separated

Influence of mobile phase composition on the preparative separation of profens by chiral liquid chromatography

The chirality of drugs is an important issue for the pharmaceutical industry, since the different enantiomers of a racemic drug may have distinct pharmacological activities, pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic effects. Because of its chiral selectivity, human body reacts with a racemic drug differently, and metabolise each enantiomer on separate pathways producing different pharmacological activity. Thus, one isomer may produce the desired therapeutic activities, while the other may be inactive or even, in worst cases, produce unwanted effects. Flurbiprofen [2-(2-fluoroo4-biphenyl)-propionic acid] and ketoprofen [2-(3-benzoylphenyl)-propionic acid] belong to a family of chemicals named 2-arylpropionic acids, or profens, an important sub-class of the frequently prescribed and used drugs called nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). A considerable number of these drugs possess antipyretic activity in addition to its analgesic and antiinflammatory actions, and thus have utility in the treatment of fever. The main primary indications for NSAIDs therapy include rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, acute gouty arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis and dysmenorrhea (DeRuiter, 2002). The importance of this class of drugs is supported by U,e fact that, in the last twenty years, drugs like aspirin, phenazone derivatives or acetaminophen are being supplemented by profens (Brune and Hinz, 1998)

Multicomponent chiral separations by analytical and preparative liquid chromatography

This work will present a complete methodology concerning experimental, modelling and simulation results. Both the CHIRALPAK AD and CHIRALPAK IA CSP will be evaluated. The selection of the proper CSP/solvent combination for preparative operation will be fully study taking into account the screening strategy proposed by Zhang et al. Additional results include the measurement of nadolol stereoisomers solubilities, equilibrium adsorption data and fixed bed (breakthroughs) experiments. The complete screening of CSP/solvent combination will lead to the choice of the better solutions for the separation of nadolol stereoisomers, considering the target component or components to be obtained. Simulation and experimental results will be presented for the multicomponent separation of nadolol stereoisomers by multicolumn and Simulated Moving Bed adsorption processes