High-temperature phase transitions in SrBi_2Ta_2O_9 film: a study by THz spectroscopy

Time-domain THz transmission experiment was performed on a $\rm SrBi_2Ta_2O_9$ film deposited on sapphire substrate. Temperatures between 300 and 923 K were investigated and complex permittivity spectra of the film were determined. The lowest frequency optic phonon near 28 cm$^{-1}$ reveals a slow monotonic decrease in frequency on heating with no significant anomaly near the phase transitions. We show that the dielectric anomaly near the ferroelectric phase transition can be explained by slowing down of a relaxational mode, observed in the THz spectra. A second harmonic generation signal observed in a single crystal confirms a loss of center of symmetry in the ferroelectric phase and a presence of polar clusters in the intermediate ferroelastic phase.Comment: subm. to J. Phys.: Condens. Matte

Human colonic in vitro fermentation of water-soluble arabinoxylans from hard and soft wheat alters Bifidobacterium abundance and short-chain fatty acids concentration

The human intestinal microbiome plays an important role in health due to the large number of beneficial effects related to the bacterial profile and the metabolites generated in the intestine. Arabinoxylans are compounds present in different cereals such as wheat and they can modulate the profile and functioning of some beneficial bacteria from human intestinal microbiota. In the present work, a colonic in vitro fermentation with human faecal inoculum was done using arabinoxylans extracted from Argentinian hard and soft wheat as substrates. Molecular size alteration of arabinoxylans were studied during fermentation and Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium abundance as well as short chain fatty acids concentrations were determined. The arabinoxylans fermentation was proved to induce the growth of Bifidobacterium and the release of short-chain fatty acids. The speed and efficiency of fermentation were different for each of the arabinoxylan extracted from both wheat genotypes, perhaps because of differences in their chemical and physical structures. The consumption of water-extractable arabinoxylans (WE-AX) (either supplemented or enriched) to maintain the balance or modulate in a favorable way the profile of Bifidobacterium can be an important contribution to the human health.Fil: Paesani, Candela. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Ciencia y Tecnología de Alimentos Córdoba. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Químicas. Instituto de Ciencia y Tecnología de Alimentos Córdoba; ArgentinaFil: Sciarini, Lorena Susana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Ciencia y Tecnología de Alimentos Córdoba. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Químicas. Instituto de Ciencia y Tecnología de Alimentos Córdoba; ArgentinaFil: Moiraghi, Malena. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Ciencia y Tecnología de Alimentos Córdoba. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Químicas. Instituto de Ciencia y Tecnología de Alimentos Córdoba; Argentina. Universidad Católica de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Agropecuarias; ArgentinaFil: Salvucci, Emiliano Jesus. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Ciencia y Tecnología de Alimentos Córdoba. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Químicas. Instituto de Ciencia y Tecnología de Alimentos Córdoba; ArgentinaFil: Prado, Samira B. R.. Universidade de Sao Paulo; BrasilFil: Perez, Gabriela Teresa. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Ciencia y Tecnología de Alimentos Córdoba. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Químicas. Instituto de Ciencia y Tecnología de Alimentos Córdoba; Argentina. Universidad Católica de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Agropecuarias; ArgentinaFil: Fabi, João Paulo. Universidade de Sao Paulo; Brasi

CHK1 expression in gastric cancer is modulated by p53 and RB1/E2F1: Implications in chemo/radiotherapy response

Radiation has a limited but relevant role in the adjuvant therapy of gastric cancer (GC) patients. Since Chk1 plays a critical function in cellular response to genotoxic agents, we aimed to analyze the role of Chk1 in GC as a biomarker for radiotherapy resistance. We analyzed Chk1 expression in AGS and MKN45 human GC cell lines by RT-QPCR and WB and in a small cohort of human patient’s samples. We demonstrated that Chk1 overexpression specifically increases resistance to radiation in GC cells. Accordingly, abrogation of Chk1 activity with UCN-01 and its expression with shChk1 increased sensitivity to bleomycin and radiation. Furthermore, when we assessed Chk1 expression in human samples, we found a correlation between nuclear Chk1 accumulation and a decrease in progression free survival. Moreover, using a luciferase assay we found that Chk1’s expression is controlled by p53 and RB/E2F1 at the transcriptional level. Additionally, we present preliminary data suggesting a posttranscriptional regulation mechanism, involving miR-195 and miR-503, which are inversely correlated with expression of Chk1 in radioresistant cells. In conclusion, Chk1/microRNA axis is involved in resistance to radiation in GC, and suggests Chk1 as a potential tool for optimal stratification of patients susceptible to receive adjuvant radiotherapy after surgeryThis work was supported by Instituto de Salud Carlos III–Fondo de Investigación Sanitaria (PS09/1988 to ISP; PI11-00949, pI014-1495 and Feder Funds to RP); Comunidad Autónoma de Madrid-Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (CCG10-UAM/BIO-5871 to ISP); Fundación Leticia Castillejo Castillo and Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (SAF2012-30862 to RSP), Spain

Levantamento semidetalhado dos solos da microbacia do Barro Branco, município de São José do Ubá, Estado do Rio de Janeiro.

O levantamento semidetalhado de solos da microbacia do Barro Branco, no município de São José de Ubá, Rio de Janeiro, teve como objetivos a classificação, o mapeamento e a caracterização física, química e mineralógica dos solos, que constituíram os subsídios básicos para a avaliação da aptidão agrícola das terras. A área da microbacia compreende aproximadamente 580 ha. Utilizou-se como material cartográfico básico, restituição planialtimétrica na escala 1:10.000, com curvas de níveis equidistantes em cinco metros. A partir desta base, foram confeccionados o mapa de declividade e o mapa de formas das vertentes da área, que serviram de base final para o mapa de solos. Utilizou-se a metodologia preconizada pela Embrapa Solos, em todas as fases de execução dos trabalhos de campo, laboratório, escritório. O levantamento permitiu identificar e cartografar as seguintes classes de solos: Argissolo Vermelho Tb Eutrófico típicos, abrúpticos e Sapróliticos; Argissolo Vermelho-Amarelo Tb Distrófico típicos, Lépticos e latossólicos; Argissolo Vermelho-Amarelo Tb Eutrófico típicos e Lépticos, Luvissolo Hipocrômico Órtico Eutrófico típico, Nitossolo Vermelho Eutrófico típico, Gleissolo Háplico Ta Eutrófico típicos e solódicos, Cambissolo Flúvico Tb eutrófico gleico; Cambissolo Háplico Distrófico típico; Neossolo Litólico. As classes de solos acima identificadas foram subdivididas em unidades de mapeamento considerando-se o tipo de horizonte A, características taxonômicas de natureza intermediária, grupamentos texturais, constituição macroclástica, tipos de vegetação e classes de declividade. O produto cartográfico (mapa de Solos) foi elaborado e apresentado na escala 1:10.000, com auxílio do SIG ArcView. Os resultados obtidos constituem subsídios básicos ao projeto Prodetab Aquíferos, tanto para a orientação técnica, como para a instalação e execução de experimentos, bem como para a tomada de decisão e execução de práticas conservacionistas condizentes com a realidade local.bitstream/item/100595/1/BPD-81-Levant-Barro-Branco.pdfContém 1 mapa escala 1:10.000

Potencial de resposta à adubação para N, P, K, Ca e Mg em cupuaçueiros avaliados por diferentes normas DRIS.

O potencial de resposta à adubação é uma ferramenta utilizada para a interpretação dos valores dos índices DRIS, de forma que pode ser útil para verificar se diferentes grupos de normas resultam em diagnósticos distintos ou semelhantes entre si. Neste sentido, objetivou-se avaliar o comportamento do diagnóstico nutricional, submetidos a cinco grupos de normas DRIS. Para isto, amostras foliares de cupuaçueiros foram coletadas de pomares comerciais, cuja idade das plantas variou de 5 a 18 anos, com sistemas de cultivo solteiro ou sistemas agroflorestais (SAF?s) e manejo orgânico ou convencional, obtendo- se para cada relação nutricional entre os nutrientes N, P, K, Ca, Mg, as normas DRIS bivariadas, as quais foram obtidas para o conjunto das populações monitoradas e para subpopulações específicas. As diferentes normas DRIS resultaram em diagnósticos semelhantes para N, P e Ca e distinto para K e Mg

Efficiency of critical level and compositional nutrient diagnosis methods to evaluate boron nutritional status in soybean.

The efficiency of the boron (B) nutritional status in soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) was evaluated by degree of agreement (DA) indicators using different diagnostic methods and by prescient diagnostic analysis (PDA). The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficiency of two interpretation methods of B nutritional status in soybean, that is, compositional nutrient diagnosis (CND) and critical level (CL). An experimental trial was conducted using a randomized block design with five replicates, which evaluated foliar B application rates of 0, 300, 600, 1200, and 1800 g ha-1 . Another study consisted of monitoring 140 commercial farms. We sampled leaves to determine nutrient contents and estimate yield in both studies. All samples were diagnosed by CND and CL methods. A reference value in the literature was obtained by the reduced normal distribution and CL methods by field calibration in the experimental trial. All the methods showed a high DA between diagnoses; the efficiency ratio and accuracy for true deficiency were both low, except for the CL method by field calibration, which exhibited an increase in positive net yield. The DA was ineffective to validate the efficiency of nutritional diagnoses; methods with a higher DA showed negative values for the net increase in production (-46 to -53 kg ha -1). The CL method by field calibration showed greater efficiency in assessing the nutritional status of B in foliar fertilized soybean because the net increase in production was 197 kg ha-1

In silico Analyses of Immune System Protein Interactome Network, Single-Cell RNA Sequencing of Human Tissues, and Artificial Neural Networks Reveal Potential Therapeutic Targets for Drug Repurposing Against COVID-19

Background: There is pressing urgency to identify therapeutic targets and drugs that allow treating COVID-19 patients effectively.Methods: We performed in silico analyses of immune system protein interactome network, single-cell RNA sequencing of human tissues, and artificial neural networks to reveal potential therapeutic targets for drug repurposing against COVID-19.Results: We screened 1,584 high-confidence immune system proteins in ACE2 and TMPRSS2 co-expressing cells, finding 25 potential therapeutic targets significantly overexpressed in nasal goblet secretory cells, lung type II pneumocytes, and ileal absorptive enterocytes of patients with several immunopathologies. Then, we performed fully connected deep neural networks to find the best multitask classification model to predict the activity of 10,672 drugs, obtaining several approved drugs, compounds under investigation, and experimental compounds with the highest area under the receiver operating characteristics.Conclusion: After being effectively analyzed in clinical trials, these drugs can be considered for treatment of severe COVID-19 patients. Scripts can be downloaded at

Measurement of Semileptonic Branching Fractions of B Mesons to Narrow D** States

Using the data accumulated in 2002-2004 with the DO detector in proton-antiproton collisions at the Fermilab Tevatron collider with centre-of-mass energy 1.96 TeV, the branching fractions of the decays B -> \bar{D}_1^0(2420) \mu^+ \nu_\mu X and B -> \bar{D}_2^{*0}(2460) \mu^+ \nu_\mu X and their ratio have been measured: BR(\bar{b}->B) \cdot BR(B-> \bar{D}_1^0 \mu^+ \nu_\mu X) \cdot BR(\bar{D}_1^0 -> D*- pi+) = (0.087+-0.007(stat)+-0.014(syst))%; BR(\bar{b}->B)\cdot BR(B->D_2^{*0} \mu^+ \nu_\mu X) \cdot BR(\bar{D}_2^{*0} -> D*- \pi^+) = (0.035+-0.007(stat)+-0.008(syst))%; and (BR(B -> \bar{D}_2^{*0} \mu^+ \nu_\mu X)BR(D2*0->D*- pi+)) / (BR(B -> \bar{D}_1^{0} \mu^+ \nu_\mu X)\cdot BR(\bar{D}_1^{0}->D*- \pi^+)) = 0.39+-0.09(stat)+-0.12(syst), where the charge conjugated states are always implied.Comment: submitted to Phys. Rev. Let

Measurement of the Lifetime Difference in the B_s^0 System

We present a study of the decay B_s^0 -> J/psi phi We obtain the CP-odd fraction in the final state at time zero, R_perp = 0.16 +/- 0.10 (stat) +/- 0.02 (syst), the average lifetime of the (B_s, B_sbar) system, tau (B_s^0) =1.39^{+0.13}_{-0.16} (stat) ^{+0.01}_{-0.02} (syst) ps, and the relative width difference between the heavy and light mass eigenstates, Delta Gamma/Gamma = (Gamma_L - Gamma_H)/Gamma =0.24^{+0.28}_{-0.38} (stat) ^{+0.03}_{-0.04} (syst). With the additional constraint from the world average of the B_s^0$lifetime measurements using semileptonic decays, we find tau (B_s^0)= 1.39 +/- 0.06 ~ps and Delta Gamma/\Gamma = 0.25^{+0.14}_{-0.15}. For the ratio of the B_s^0 and B^0 lifetimes we obtain tau(B_s^0)/tau(B^0)} = 0.91 +/- 0.09 (stat) +/- 0.003 (syst).Comment: submitted to Phys. Rev. Lett. FERMILAB-PUB-05-324-

Search for Large Extra Spatial Dimensions in Dimuon Production with the D0 Detector

We present the results of a search for the effects of large extra spatial dimensions in $p{\bar p}$ collisions at $\sqrt{s} =$ 1.96 TeV in events containing a pair of energetic muons. The data correspond to 246 \ipb of integrated luminosity collected by the \D0 experiment at the Fermilab Tevatron Collider. Good agreement with the expected background was found, yielding no evidence for large extra dimensions. We set 95% C.L. lower limits on the fundamental Planck scale between 0.85 TeV and 1.27 TeV within several formalisms. These are the most stringent limits achieved in the dimuon channel to date.Comment: 8 pages, 3 figures, 1 table. Published in Phys. Rev. Lett. Minor changes in v2 to match the published versio