On-shell approach to neutrino oscillations

In the usual quantum field theoretical approach, neutrino oscillations are studied diagonalizing either the mass or matter Hamiltonians. In this paper we analyze the problem from an on-shell amplitude perspective, where Lagrangians or Hamiltonians are not available. We start by studying in detail how flavor enters in the amplitudes and how the Pontecorvo-Maki-Nakagawa-Sakata (PMNS) matrix emerges. We then analyze the elastic amplitude of two neutrinos and two charged leptons that induce matter effects and propose a strategy to obtain the known results of the standard oscillation theory without Hamiltonians. Finally, we extend the previously proposed procedure and use the most general elastic 4-point amplitude to study beyond the Standard Model effects on oscillations

Criminalidade organizada nas prisões e os ataques do PCC

The advent of organized crime in Brazilian prisons, especially in the state of São Paulo, constitutes the object of this article. The waves of attack unleashed by the Capital's First Command (PCC - Primeiro Comando da Capital), in May 2006, which resulted in countless deaths, brought cities to a halt, and cornered authorities in charge preventing them from applying law and order are the starting as well as reference points taken. The advent of organized criminality is analyzed under the light of determined axes: the international scenario and the Brazilian context, the historical antecedents, the taking root of crime in society and the role of penitentiary public policies.A emergência da criminalidade organizada nas prisões brasileiras, em especial no Estado de São Paulo, constitui objeto deste artigo. Tomam-se como ponto de partida e referência para análise as ondas de ataques desencadeadas pelo Primeiro Comando da Capital (PCC), de maio a agosto de 2006, que resultaram em inúmeros mortos, paralisaram cidades e acuaram as autoridades encarregadas de aplicar lei e ordem. A emergência da criminalidade organizada é analisada sob eixos determinados: cenário internacional e contexto brasileiro, antecedentes históricos, enraizamento do crime na sociedade e papel das políticas públicas penitenciárias

Moringa oleifera na alimentação de bezerros lactentes da raça Pantaneira.

Objetivou-se avaliar o desempenho de bezerros da raça Pantaneira durante o período de amamentação. Para tanto, foram utilizados 10 bezerros do nascimento aos 84 dias de vida, com peso corpóreo médio de 23,3Kg, e divididos em dois tratamentos: C - animais que receberam concentrado (grupo controle); e CFM - animais que receberam o concentrado e feno de Moringa Oleifera (Moringa oleífera). O desempenho foi avaliado por meio do ganho de peso médio diário; do crescimento corpóreo, via medições do perímetro torácico e da altura de cernelha e de garupa; do consumo de matéria seca expresso em kg/dia, da porcentagem do peso corpóreo e em função do peso metabólico; dos consumos de proteína bruta e de fibra em detergente neutro; e da conversão alimentar. Adotou-se o delineamento experimental em blocos inteiramente casualizados, com dois tratamentos e cinco repetições, sendo cada unidade experimental representada por um animal. Foram realizadas análises de variância, e teste de Tukey para a comparação de médias, considerando-se um nível de significância de 5% de probabilidade. Os animais apresentaram um consumo de matéria seca, ganho de peso médio diário, porcentagem de peso corpóreo e de peso metabólico semelhantes; para ambos os tratamentos. Do mesmo modo ocorreu para a conversão alimentar e a proteína bruta, exceto para fibra em detergente neutro onde os animais alimentados com feno apresentaram um maior consumo. O desempenho dos bezerros lactentes Pantaneiros não foi influenciado com a inclusão do feno de moringa. Abstract: The present study aimed to evaluate the performance of calves of the Pantaneira breed during the breastfeeding period. For this, were used ten calves, from birth to 84 days of life, with a mean body weight of 23.3Kg, divided into two treatments: C - animals receiving concentrate, and CMH animals receiving concentrate and moringa hay (Moringa oleifera). The performance was evaluated by the average daily weight gain; body growth, via measurements of heart girth and height of the withers and the rump; the dry matter intake, expressed as kg/day, percentage of body weight and as function of metabolic weight; consumption of crude protein and neutral detergent fiber; and feed conversion. The experimental design was a randomized block with two treatments and five replications, each experimental unit represented by an animal. Were realized analyses of variance and Tukey test considering a significance level of 5 % probability. The animals presented a dry matter intake, average daily weight gain, percentage of body weight and similar metabolic weight; for both treatments. Likewise, it occurred for feed conversion and crude protein, except for neutral detergent fiber where hay fed animals showed higher intake. The performance of the suckling calves was not affected by the inclusion of moringa hay

Psychometric properties of the Spanish version of the Clinical Outcomes in Routine Evaluation Outcome Measure

Objective: The objective of this paper is to assess the reliability and validity of the Spanish translation of the Clinical Outcomes in Routine Evaluation – Outcome Measure, a 34-item selfreport questionnaire that measures the client’s status in the domains of Subjective well-being, Problems/Symptoms, Life functioning, and Risk. Method: Six hundred and forty-four adult participants were included in two samples: the clinical sample (n=192) from different mental health and primary care centers; and the nonclinical sample (n=452), which included a student and a community sample. Results: The questionnaire showed good acceptability and internal consistency, appropriate test–retest reliability, and acceptable convergent validity. Strong differentiation between clinical and nonclinical samples was found. As expected, the Risk domain had different characteristics than other domains, but all findings were comparable with the UK referential data. Cutoff scores were calculated for clinical significant change assessment. Conclusion: The Spanish version of the Clinical Outcomes in Routine Evaluation – Outcome Measure showed acceptable psychometric properties, providing support for using the questionnaire for monitoring the progress of Spanish-speaking psychotherapy clients

Efficacy of a dilemma-focused intervention for unipolar depression : study protocol for a multicenter randomized controlled trial

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly citedDepression is one of the more severe and serious health problems because of its morbidity, disabling effects and for its societal and economic burden. Despite the variety of existing pharmacological and psychological treatments, most of the cases evolve with only partial remission, relapse and recurrence. Cognitive models have contributed significantly to the understanding of unipolar depression and its psychological treatment. However, success is only partial and many authors affirm the need to improve those models and also the treatment programs derived from them. One of the issues that requires further elaboration is the difficulty these patients experience in responding to treatment and in maintaining therapeutic gains across time without relapse or recurrence. Our research group has been working on the notion of cognitive conflict viewed as personal dilemmas according to personal construct theory. We use a novel method for identifying those conflicts using the repertory grid technique (RGT). Preliminary results with depressive patients show that about 90% of them have one or more of those conflicts. This fact might explain the blockage and the difficult progress of these patients, especially the more severe and/or chronic. These results justify the need for specific interventions focused on the resolution of these internal conflicts. This study aims to empirically test the hypothesis that an intervention focused on the dilemma(s) specifically detected for each patient will enhance the efficacy of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for depressionPeer reviewe

Potencial leiteiro de animais da raça Pantaneira na região do Alto Pantanal do Mato Grosso do Sul.

Este trabalho teve como objetivo determinar o período de lactação e uma composição físico-química do leite das vacas da raça panteira. ABSTRACT: The Pantaneira breed is in danger of extinction. Due to the lack of scientific information on the Pantanal milk potential, this work had the objective of determining the lactation period and a physical-chemical composition of the milk of cows in second order of parturition. The animals were managed in a pasture system rotated in mombaça grass (Panicum maximum) and individually supplemented with concentrate. The milking was performed mechanically twice a day and the milk weighed daily. The physical-chemical characteristics of the milk were evaluated by the ultrasound method and the lactation curves were estimated using the univariate parameter. The average milk yield was 5.34kg/milk/ day and the fat, protein, lactose and total non-fat solids contents were 5.3, 3.7, 6.0 and 10.7%, respectively. Lactation of the cows in second order of calving ended naturally at 180 days and the peak of milk production was reached between 51 and 60 days. Furthermore, there was no difference in milk composition in the different lactation periods

Novel findings on the impact of chytridiomycosis on the cardiac function of anurans: sensitive vs. tolerant species

Background Understanding of the physiological effects of chytridiomycosis is crucial to worldwide amphibian conservation. Therefore, we analyzed the cardiac function of two anuran species (Xenopus laevis and Physalaemus albonotatus) with different susceptibilities to infection by the causative agent of chytridiomycosis, Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (hereafter Bd). Methods We analyzed the in situ heart rate (fH - bpm), relative ventricular mass (RVM -%), and Ca2+ handling in heart of Bd infected animals compared to uninfected controls of both study species. Results Bd infection resulted in a 78% decrease in contraction force values in P. albonotatus when compared to the less susceptible X. laevis. This negative effect was even more evident (82%) for the cardiac pumping capacity. The time to reach peak tension was 125% longer in P. albonotatus than in X. laevis, and cardiac relaxation was 57% longer. Discussion These results indicate a delay in the cardiac cycle of P. albonotatus on a beat-to-beat basis, which was corroborated by the bradycardia observed in situ. In summary, Bd-sensitive species present impaired cardiac function, which could be a factor in mortality risk. The more pronounced effects of Bd in P. albonotatus may not only result from electrolyte imbalance, as previously reported, but also could be an effect of toxins produced by Bd. For X. laevis, the ability to promote cardiac adjustments seems to be an important homeostatic feature that allows greater tolerance to chytridiomycosis. This study provides new physiological mechanisms underlying the tolerance or susceptibility of amphibian species to chytridiomycosis, which determine their adaptability to survive in the affected environments

Area of Concern: A new paradigm in life cycle assessment for the development of footprint indicators

Purpose As a class of environmental metrics, footprints have been poorly defined, have shared an unclear relationship to Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), and the variety of approaches to quantification have sometimes resulted in confusing and contradictory messages in the marketplace. In response, a task force operating under the auspices of the UNEP/SETAC Life Cycle Initiative project on environmental Life Cycle Impact Assessment (LCIA) has been working to develop generic guidance for developers of footprint metrics. The purpose of this paper is to introduce a universal footprint definition and related terminology as well as to discuss modelling implications. Methods The task force has worked from the perspective that footprints should be underpinned by the same data systems and models as used in LCA. However, there are important differences in purpose and orientation relative to LCA impact category indicators. Footprints have a primary orientation toward society and nontechnical stakeholders. They are also typically of narrow scope, having the purpose of reporting only in relation to specific topics. In comparison, LCA has a primary orientation toward stakeholders interested in comprehensive evaluation of overall environmental performance and trade-offs among impact categories. These differences create tension between footprints, the existing LCIA framework based on the Area of Protection paradigm, and the core LCA standards ISO14040/44. Results In parallel to Area of Protection, we introduce Area of Concern as the basis for a universal footprint definition. In the same way that LCA uses impact category indicators to assess impacts that follow a common cause-effect pathway toward Areas of Protection, footprint metrics address Areas of Concern. The critical difference is that Areas of Concern are defined by the interests of stakeholders in society rather than the LCA community. In addition, Areas of Concern are stand-alone and not necessarily part of a framework intended for comprehensive environmental performance assessment. The Area of Concern paradigm is needed to support the development of footprints in a way that fulfils their distinctly different purpose. It is also needed as a mechanism to extricate footprints from some of the provisions of ISO 14040/44 which are not considered relevant. Specific issues are identified in relation to double counting, aggregation, and the selection of relevant indicators. Conclusions The universal footprint definition and related terminology introduced in this paper create a foundation that will support the development of footprint metrics in parallel with LCA

Nucleophosmin Phosphorylation by v-Cyclin-CDK6 Controls KSHV Latency

Nucleophosmin (NPM) is a multifunctional nuclear phosphoprotein and a histone chaperone implicated in chromatin organization and transcription control. Oncogenic Kaposi's sarcoma herpesvirus (KSHV) is the etiological agent of Kaposi's sarcoma, primary effusion lymphoma (PEL) and multicentric Castleman disease (MCD). In the infected host cell KSHV displays two modes of infection, the latency and productive viral replication phases, involving extensive viral DNA replication and gene expression. A sustained balance between latency and reactivation to the productive infection state is essential for viral persistence and KSHV pathogenesis. Our study demonstrates that the KSHV v-cyclin and cellular CDK6 kinase phosphorylate NPM on threonine 199 (Thr199) in de novo and naturally KSHV-infected cells and that NPM is phosphorylated to the same site in primary KS tumors. Furthermore, v-cyclin-mediated phosphorylation of NPM engages the interaction between NPM and the latency-associated nuclear antigen LANA, a KSHV-encoded repressor of viral lytic replication. Strikingly, depletion of NPM in PEL cells leads to viral reactivation, and production of new infectious virus particles. Moreover, the phosphorylation of NPM negatively correlates with the level of spontaneous viral reactivation in PEL cells. This work demonstrates that NPM is a critical regulator of KSHV latency via functional interactions with v-cyclin and LANA

Sense of coherence and diabetes: A prospective occupational cohort study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Sense of coherence (SOC) is an individual characteristic related to a positive life orientation leading to effective coping. A weak SOC has been associated with indicators of general morbidity and mortality. However, the relationship between SOC and diabetes has not been studied in prospective design. The present study prospectively examined the relationship between a weak SOC and the incidence of diabetes.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The relationship between a weak SOC and the incidence of diabetes was investigated among 5827 Finnish male employees aged 18–65 at baseline (1986). SOC was measured by questionnaire survey at baseline. Data on prescription diabetes drugs from 1987 to 2004 were obtained from the Drug Imbursement Register held by the Social Insurance Institution.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>During the follow-up, 313 cases of diabetes were recorded. A weak SOC was associated with a 46% higher risk of diabetes in participants who had been =<50 years of age on entry into the study. This association was independent of age, education, marital status, psychological distress, self-rated health, smoking status, binge drinking and physical activity. No similar association was observed in older employees.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The results suggest that besides focusing on well-known risk factors for diabetes, strengthening SOC in employees of =<50 years of age can also play a role in attempts to tackle increasing rates of diabetes.</p