Flavor Changing Neutral Current processes and family discrimination in 3-3-1 models

In 3-3-1 models anomaly cancellation requires that one of the three families of quarks transforms as triplet by $\text{SU}(3)_\text{L}$ with the other two transforming necessarily as anti-triplet. This is an important feature of the model because with it we explain family replication. Thus it is mandatory to discriminate which of the families will transform as triplet by $\text{SU}(3)_\text{L}$ because the main consequence of anomaly cancellation in 3-3-1 models is the arising of processes violating flavor at tree level by means of neutral currents mediated by gauge and scalar fields and each case leads to different results. In this work we consider the 3-3-1 model with right-handed neutrinos. Among the spectrum of 3-3-1 particles that contributes to the flavor changing neutral processes, there is a pseudoscalar that may be the lightest of the 3-3-1 particles and then should give the main contribution to such processes. We then calculate its contribution to the $K^0 -\bar K^0$ mixing transition and confront it with the current experimental results. We do this for the three cases in which one of the family of quarks transforms as a triplet by $\text{SU}(3)_\text{L}$. According to our findings each case leads to different constraints on the mass of the pseudoscalar and the case in which the third family of quarks transforms as triplet seems to be the favoured one. We also obtain the most stringent bounds on the mass of the pseudoscalar of the model.Comment: Typos fixed, references added, conclusions unchanged, 17 pages, 1 figures. Matches published versio

Bounds on quark mixing, MZ′M_{Z^{\prime}} and Z−Z′Z-Z^{\prime} mixing angle from flavor changing neutral processes in a 3-3-1 model

Meson and antimeson mixing constitutes an important source of constraint on models that give tree level contributions to flavor violating neutral processes. In electroweak $SU(3)_L \times U(1)_N$ models, where anomaly cancellation requires that one family of quarks transforms differently from the other ones, processes involving flavor changing neutral currents gain tree level contributions mediated by gauge and scalar fields. Here, we firstly investigate the contributions to the $K^0-\bar K^0$, $B^0-\bar B^0$, and $D^0-\bar D^0$ mixings from the standard Higgs and confront our predictions with experiments. We argue that the results shed light in the quark mixing matrices $V^{u,d}_L$. We, next, evaluate the contributions of $Z^{\prime}$ and $Z$ to $K^0-\bar K^0$ mixing. As a result, we obtain a severe bound on $M_{ Z^{\prime}}$ and $\phi$.Comment: 14 pages, 1 figur

Data standardization of plant–pollinator interactions

Background: Animal pollination is an important ecosystem function and service, ensuring both the integrity of natural systems and human well-being. Although many knowledge shortfalls remain, some high-quality data sets on biological interactions are now available. The development and adoption of standards for biodiversity data and metadata has promoted great advances in biological data sharing and aggregation, supporting large-scale studies and science-based public policies. However, these standards are currently not suitable to fully support interaction data sharing. Results: Here we present a vocabulary of terms and a data model for sharing plant–pollinator interactions data based on the Darwin Core standard. The vocabulary introduces 48 new terms targeting several aspects of plant–pollinator interactions and can be used to capture information from different approaches and scales. Additionally, we provide solutions for data serialization using RDF, XML, and DwC-Archives and recommendations of existing controlled vocabularies for some of the terms. Our contribution supports open access to standardized data on plant–pollinator interactions. Conclusions: The adoption of the vocabulary would facilitate data sharing to support studies ranging from the spatial and temporal distribution of interactions to the taxonomic, phenological, functional, and phylogenetic aspects of plant–pollinator interactions. We expect to fill data and knowledge gaps, thus further enabling scientific research on the ecology and evolution of plant–pollinator communities, biodiversity conservation, ecosystem services, and the development of public policies. The proposed data model is flexible and can be adapted for sharing other types of interactions data by developing discipline-specific vocabularies of termsinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Atlas of Schistosoma mansoni long non-coding RNAs and their expression correlation to protein-coding genes

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been widely discovered in several organisms with the help of high-throughput RNA sequencing. LncRNAs are over 200 nt-long transcripts that do not have protein-coding (PC) potential, having been reported in model organisms to act mainly on the overall control of PC gene expression. Little is known about the functionality of lncRNAs in evolutionarily ancient non-model metazoan organisms, like Schistosoma mansoni, the parasite that causes schistosomiasis, one of the most prevalent infectious-parasitic diseases worldwide. In a recent transcriptomics effort, we identified thousands of S. mansoni lncRNAs predicted to be functional along the course of parasite development. Here, we present an online catalog of each of the S. mansoni lncRNAs whose expression is correlated to PC genes along the parasite life-cycle, which can be conveniently browsed and downloaded through a new web resource http://verjolab.usp.br. We also provide access now to navigation on the co-expression networks disclosed in our previous publication, where we correlated mRNAs and lncRNAs transcriptional patterns across five life-cycle stages/forms, pinpointing biological processes where lncRNAs might act upon

Preparação e caracterização de um biocompósito obtido pela mistura de hidreto de titânio com nitrato de cálcio para implantes dentários

RESUMO Neste trabalho foram realizados estudos sobre a fabricação de um biocompósito à base de titânio para implantes dentários a partir da mistura de pó de hidreto de titânio (92%) com nitrato de cálcio (8% em volume). O pó de hidreto de titânio foi adicionado na solução aquosa de nitrato de cálcio, dissolvido por agitação mecânica, e em seguida os precursores foram misturados e dispersados/homogeneizados por ultrassom. Posteriormente, a mistura foi secada em evaporador rotativo, compactada com 600 MPa à temperatura ambiente, desmoldada e sinterizada em alto vácuo a 1200 oC durante 2 horas. Foi analisada a microestrutrura e fases formadas, as propriedades mecânicas, a rugosidade da superfície, a porosidade aberta, a molhabilidade da superfície e a citotoxicidade do biocompósito. As fases identificadas após a sinterização foram α-Ti e CaTiO3. O limite de resistência em compressão, o módulo de Young (E) e o ângulo de contato do biocompósito diminuíram significativamente com relação ao hidreto de titânio puro sinterizado nas mesmas condições. O limite médio de resistência em compressão do hidreto de titânio foi de 1794,67 MPa e do biocompósito foi de 481,36 MPa. O módulo de Young e o ângulo de contato do hidreto de titânio e do biocompósito foram de aproximadamente 112 GPa e 94 graus, e de 75 GPa e 83 graus, respectivamente. A rugosidade de superfície foi da mesma ordem de grandeza entre os materiais e ficou aproximadamente entre 1,4 e 1,5 µm (Ra) e 1,4 e 1,9 µm (Ra e Sa), medidas com rugosímetro de contato e com microscópio confocal a laser, respectivamente. A porosidade aberta do biocompósito sinterizado foi de aproximadamente três vezes maior do que aquela do hidreto de titânio sinterizado. Nos ensaios de citotoxicidade a porcentagem de células viáveis do biocompósito foi superior àquela do controle negativo e àquela do hidreto de titânio sinterizado

A list of land plants of Parque Nacional do Caparaó, Brazil, highlights the presence of sampling gaps within this protected area

Brazilian protected areas are essential for plant conservation in the Atlantic Forest domain, one of the 36 global biodiversity hotspots. A major challenge for improving conservation actions is to know the plant richness, protected by these areas. Online databases offer an accessible way to build plant species lists and to provide relevant information about biodiversity. A list of land plants of “Parque Nacional do Caparaó” (PNC) was previously built using online databases and published on the website "Catálogo de Plantas das Unidades de Conservação do Brasil." Here, we provide and discuss additional information about plant species richness, endemism and conservation in the PNC that could not be included in the List. We documented 1,791 species of land plants as occurring in PNC, of which 63 are cited as threatened (CR, EN or VU) by the Brazilian National Red List, seven as data deficient (DD) and five as priorities for conservation. Fifity-one species were possible new ocurrences for ES and MG states

Water relations and photosynthesis as criteria for adequate irrigation management in 'Tahiti' lime trees

Irrigation scheduling based on soil moisture status is one of the most useful methods because of its practicality and low cost. The effects of available soil water depletion on evapotranspiration (ETc), transpiration (E), leaf water potential at predawn (psiP) and midday (psiM), stomatal conductance (gs) and net CO2 assimilation (A) in lime 'Tahiti' trees (Citrus latifolia) were evaluated to improve irrigation schedule and minimize water use without causing water stress. The trees were spaced 7 <FONT FACE=Symbol>&acute;</FONT> 4 m and drip-irrigated by four drippers with the available soil water content (AWC) depleted by suspension of irrigation (40 days). Leaf water potential was measured on a pressure chamber (psiP and psiM) and leaf gas exchange was measured by infrared gas analyzer (E, gs and A). Evapotranspiration was determined with the aid of weighing lysimeter. Water soil content and potential (psiS) were monitored with TDR probes and tensiometers, respectively, installed at 0.3, 0.6 and 0.9 m depths. Meteorological variables were monitored with an automatic weather station in the experimental area. The threshold AWC level for the onset of ETc decline was 43%, and 60% for gs, A, E and Y P. Also, psiP was more sensitive to AWC than psiM, and is therefore a better tool for irrigation. When AWC was around 60%, values of psiP and psis were -0.62 MPa and -48.8 kPa, respectively