Mass-degenerate Higgs bosons at 125 GeV in the Two-Higgs-Doublet Model

The analysis of the Higgs boson data by the ATLAS and CMS Collaborations appears to exhibit an excess of h --> gamma\gamma events above the Standard Model (SM) expectations; whereas no significant excess is observed in h --> ZZ* --> {four lepton} events, albeit with large statistical uncertainty due to the small data sample. These results (assuming they persist with further data) could be explained by a pair of nearly mass-degenerate scalars, one of which is a SM-like Higgs boson and the other is a scalar with suppressed couplings to W+W- and ZZ. In the two Higgs doublet model, the observed \gamma\gamma and ZZ* --> {four lepton} data can be reproduced by an approximately degenerate CP-even (h) and CP-odd (A) Higgs boson for values of \sin(\beta-\alpha) near unity and 0.7 < \tan\beta < 1. An enhanced \gamma\gamma signal can also arise in cases where m_h ~ m_H, m_H ~ m_A, or m_h ~ m_H ~ m_A. Since the ZZ* --> {four lepton} signal derives primarily from a SM-like Higgs boson whereas the \gamma\gamma signal receives contributions from two (or more) nearly mass-degenerate states, one would expect a slightly different invariant mass peak in the ZZ* --> {four lepton} and \gamma\gamma channels. The phenomenological consequences of such models can be tested with additional Higgs data that will be collected at the LHC in the near future.Comment: 18 pages, 19 pdf figures, v2: references added, v3&v4: added refs and explanation

Da trama ao drama: problematização sobre a posição das artes e do indivíduo na sociedade

"Da trama ao drama", configura-se como um estudo antropológico que procura dar evidência sobre a multiplicidade de espaços de encontro e desencontro que o conceito de arte nos aufere na educação e por consequência a níveis sociais, económicos e políticos. Assente na análise e comparação de leituras distintas da experiência do apreciar, conceber e apropriar arte no longo arco temporal que dinamizo nesta reflexão, darei a possibilidade de navegarmos pelas múltiplas lógicas e conflitos que a investigação sobre o exercício artístico nos traz, entendendo sempre que o vasto leque de vivências emocionais e simbólicas experienciadas e conceptualizadas pelos nossos antepassados e contemporâneos propiciam de forma enriquecedora o desenvolvimento individual e coletivo, tanto de quem escreve como de quem lê este documento. Do governo dos outros e de si ao cuidado de si, da emancipação do sujeito ao sujeito aprisionado nos labirintos modernos da sua individualidade, da consagração cultural e simbólica à cultura de cancelamento, da vigilância de Deus à vigilância virtual, reconhecendo que educação pela arte é uma metodologia que abrange todas as extensões do ser humano, existirá o objetivo de identificar e analisar o uso da sua razão tanto a nível individual como coletivo e os seus palcos de (re)produção e dinamização. É a propósito da procura por uma educação artística, que se quer versátil, inclusiva e significativa para a melhor formação de cada um de nós, que deveremos focar o nosso olhar nos seus espaços de conceptualização, na dissecação dos seus atores e públicos, no modo como as tecnologias de dominação são fabricadas, de que maneira as suas fraturas são, no mundo moderno, inevitavelmente criadas e quais os perigos e benefícios advindos das mesmas no desenvolvimento de cada sujeito

Mass-degenerate Higgs bosons at 125 GeV in the Two-Higgs-Doublet Model

The analysis of the Higgs boson data by the ATLAS and CMS Collaborations appears to exhibit an excess of h --> gamma\gamma events above the Standard Model (SM) expectations; whereas no significant excess is observed in h --> ZZ* --> {four lepton} events, albeit with large statistical uncertainty due to the small data sample. These results (assuming they persist with further data) could be explained by a pair of nearly mass-degenerate scalars, one of which is a SM-like Higgs boson and the other is a scalar with suppressed couplings to W+W- and ZZ. In the two Higgs doublet model, the observed \gamma\gamma and ZZ* --> {four lepton} data can be reproduced by an approximately degenerate CP-even (h) and CP-odd (A) Higgs boson for values of \sin(\beta-\alpha) near unity and 0.7 < \tan\beta < 1. An enhanced \gamma\gamma signal can also arise in cases where m_h ~ m_H, m_H ~ m_A, or m_h ~ m_H ~ m_A. Since the ZZ* --> {four lepton} signal derives primarily from a SM-like Higgs boson whereas the \gamma\gamma signal receives contributions from two (or more) nearly mass-degenerate states, one would expect a slightly different invariant mass peak in the ZZ* --> {four lepton} and \gamma\gamma channels. The phenomenological consequences of such models can be tested with additional Higgs data that will be collected at the LHC in the near future.Comment: 18 pages, 19 pdf figures, v2: references added, v3&v4: added refs and explanation

Solar thermo-photocatalytic methanation using a bifunctional RuO2:TiO2/Z13X photocatalyst/adsorbent material for efficient CO2 capture and conversion

A novel bifunctional photocatalyst/adsorbent material based on the RuO2:TiO2/zeolite 13X (Z13X) composite was developed to enhance solar-driven methanation through simultaneous carbon dioxide (CO2) capture and thermo-photoconversion. The activity/stability of the hybrid material towards methane (CH4) production was assessed by varying the (i) photocatalyst composition (Ru load and semiconductor type), (ii) bifunctional material composition (photocatalyst-to-zeolite ratio) and impregnation method, (iii) illumination source and power (simulated sunlight and UVA/Visible LEDs), (iv) temperature, and (v) catalyst reuse. Additionally, adsorption equilibrium isotherms were determined to characterize the adsorption ability of the bifunctional material for both CO2 and CH4 gases. The hybrid RuO2(4.0%):TiO2(26.3%)/Z13X material (30 mg), synthesised by the solid-state impregnation method, showed the best results under simulated sunlight (0.75 W) at 150 ºC, achieving a 88% CO2 thermo-photoreduction after 100 min, corresponding to a specific CH4 production of 29.2 mmol gactive_cat−1 h−1 (309 mmol gRu−1 h−1) and apparent quantum yield of 20.7%. In adsorption equilibrium isotherms, the bifunctional material's adsorption was about 2.6-fold higher than the photocatalyst at 150 ºC, suggesting that enhanced methanation performance can be attributed to the synergistic action of CO2 capture and thermo-photoconversion.This work was supported by sources provided by: (i) national funds through Fundaç˜ao para a Ciˆencia e a Tecnologia (FCT), and Minist´erio da Ciˆencia, Tecnologia e Ensino Superior (MCTES), Portugal, in the framework of Programa de Investimento e Despesas de Desenvolvimento da Administraç˜ao Central (PIDDAC), under Project CO2-to-CH4, 2022.01176.PTDC (DOI: 10.54499/2022.01176.PTDC); and (ii) Norte Portugal Regional Operational Programme (NORTE 2020), in the framework of the PORTUGAL 2020 Partnership Agreement, through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), under the project HyGreen&LowEmissions, NORTE- 01–0145-FEDER-000077. This research was also funded by (iii) FCT/ MCTES (PIDDAC): LSRE-LCM - UIDB/50020/2020 (DOI: 10.54499/ UIDB/50020/2020) and UIDP/50020/2020 (DOI: 10.54499/UIDP/ 50020/2020); and ALiCE - LA/P/0045/2020 (DOI: 10.54499/LA/P/ 0045/2020). Larissa O. Paulista acknowledges the Ph.D. fellowship supported by FCT (reference SFRH/BD/137639/2018 and COVID/BD/152922/2022). Vítor J.P. Vilar and Tˆania F.C.V. Silva acknowledges the FCT Individual Call to Scientific Employment Stimulus 2017 (CEECIND/01317/2017 and CEECIND/0138/2017).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Assessment of symptoms of urinary incontinence in women with polycystic ovary syndrome

OBJECTIVES: The pelvic floor muscles are sensitive to androgens, and due to hyperandrogenism, women with polycystic ovary syndrome can have increased mass in these muscles compared to controls. The aim of this study is to compare reports of urine leakage and quality of life between women with and without polycystic ovary syndrome. METHODS: One hundred thirteen 18-to 40-year-old nulliparous women with polycystic ovary syndrome or without the disease (controls) were recruited at the University Hospital of School Medicine of São Paulo University at Ribeirão Preto City, Brazil. The subjects were not taking any hormonal medication, had not undergone previous pelvic surgery and did not exercise their pelvic floor muscles. The women were divided into the following four groups: I-polycystic ovary syndrome with normal body mass index (n = 18), II-polycystic ovary syndrome with body mass index >25 (n = 32), III-controls with normal body mass index (n = 29), and IV-controls with Body Mass Index >25 (n = 34). Quality of life was evaluated using the SF-36 questionnaire, and the subjects with urinary complaints also completed the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire Short Form to evaluate the severity of their urinary incontinence. RESULTS: The replies to the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire Short Form revealed a significant difference in urinary function between groups, with 24% of the subjects in group IV reporting urinary incontinence. The mean scores for the SF-36 questionnaire revealed that group II had the lowest quality of life. CONCLUSIONS: The control obese group (IV) reported a higher prevalence of urinary incontinence. There was no difference in the reported frequency of urine loss between the polycystic ovary syndrome and control groups with normal body mass index or between the polycystic ovary syndrome and control groups with body mass index >25

Difusão multicomponente durante a salga mista de queijo prato

The relation between NaCl and arterial hypertension has stimulated a partial substitution for KCl on cheese. However, it is very important to guarantee an adequate proportion of NaCl/KCl, and also the homogeneous distribution of these salts, to maintain the final quality of the product. Therefore, the models that calculate the salty concentration are useful tools to control the quality. In this study an analytic resolution of Fick's 2 law, generalized for two salts, was used to simulate the salting in stationary brine. The analytic resolution, carried out through a computer program, allowed an adjustment of the diffusion coefficients and to evaluate the external resistance. The results calculated show a close comparison of the experimental values (an deviation of 2.7% to NaCl and 6.6% to KCl), validating the proposed model. The simulation can be used to adjust productivity (reducing the salting time) through the salting-time calculation for a required saltiness.A relação entre o NaCl e a hipertensão arterial tem estimulado a sua substituição parcial por KCl em queijos. Entretanto, para manter a qualidade final do produto, é de suma importância assegurar uma proporção adequada de NaCl/KCl, bem como a distribuição homogênea destes sais. Os modelos que estimam a concentração salina, portanto, são valiosas ferramentas para o controle de qualidade. Para simular a difusão multicomponente durante a salga em salmoura estática, foi proposto um modelo unidimensional, baseado na solução analítica da 2ª lei de Fick generalizada para dois solutos. A solução analítica, implementada através de um algoritmo computacional, permitiu o ajuste dos coeficientes de difusão e a avaliação da resistência externa. Os resultados da simulação obtidos apresentaram boa concordância com os valores experimentais (desvio de 2,7% para o NaCl e 6,6% para o KCl), validando a capacidade preditiva do modelo proposto. Além disso, a simulação pode permitir um ajuste de ganhos de produtividade (redução do tempo de salga) através da estimativa do tempo de salga para teores salinos desejados

Monitoring bubble production in a seagrass meadow using a source of opportunity

Under high irradiance, the photosynthetic activity of dense seagrass meadows saturates the water forming oxygen bubbles. The diel cycle of bubble production peaks at mid-day, following light intensity pattern. It is well known that bubbles strongly affect the acoustic propagation, increasing signal attenuation and decreasing the effective water sound speed, noticeable at low frequencies. Thus, the diurnal variability of bubbles may show an interference pattern in the spectrograms of low frequency acoustic signals. In an experiment conducted in July 2016 at the Aquaculture Research Station of the Portuguese Institute for the Sea and Atmosphere in Olhão, Portugal, the spectrograms of low frequency (<20kHz) broadband noise produced by water pumps in a pond of 0.48ha covered by the seagrass Cymodocea nodosa showed interference patterns that can be ascribed to the variability of the sound speed in the water. Preliminary analysis suggests that the daily cycle of bubble concentration can be inferred from these interference patterns.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Active neutralizing mats for corrosive chemical storage

Laboratories and industries that handle chemicals are ubiquitously prone to leakages. These may occur in storage rooms, cabinets or even in temporary locations, such as workbenches and shelves. A relevant number of these chemicals are corrosive, thus commercial products already exist to prevent material damage and injuries. One strategy consists of the use of absorbing mats, where few display neutralizing properties, and even less a controlled neutralization. Nevertheless, to the authors’ knowledge, the commercially available neutralizing mats are solely dedicated to neutralizing acid or alkali solutions, never both. Therefore, this work describes the development and proof of a completely novel concept, where a dual component active mat (DCAM) is able to perform a controlled simultaneous neutralization of acid and alkali leakages by using microencapsulated active components. Moreover, its active components comprise food-grade ingredients, embedded in nonwoven polypropylene. The acid neutralizing mats contain sodium carbonate (Na2CO3 ) encapsulated in sodium alginate microcapsules (MC-ASC). Alkali neutralizing mats possess commercial encapsulated citric acid in hydrogenated palm oil (MIRCAP CT 85-H). A DCAM encompasses both MC-ASC and MIRCAP CT 85-H and was able to neutralize solutions up to 10% (v/v) of hydrochloric acid (HCl) and sodium hydroxide (NaOH). The efficacy of the neutralization was assessed by direct titration and using pH strip measurement tests to simulate the leakages. Due to the complexity of neutralization efficacy evaluation based solely on pH value, a thorough conductivity study was performed. DCAM reduced the conductivity of HCl and NaOH (1% and 2% (v/v)) in over 70%. The composites were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), differential calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The size of MC-ASC microcapsules ranged from 2 µm to 8 µm. Finally, all mat components displayed thermal stability above 150 ◦C

Exosomal aβ-binding proteins identified by “in silico” analysis represent putative blood-derived biomarker candidates for alzheimer´s disease

The potential of exosomes as biomarker resources for diagnostics and even for therapeutics has intensified research in the field, including in the context of Alzheimer´s disease (AD). The search for disease biomarkers in peripheral biofluids is advancing mainly due to the easy access it offers. In the study presented here, emphasis was given to the bioinformatic identification of putative exosomal candidates for AD. The exosomal proteomes of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), serum and plasma, were obtained from three databases (ExoCarta, EVpedia and Vesiclepedia), and complemented with additional exosomal proteins already associated with AD but not found in the databases. The final biofluids’ proteomes were submitted to gene ontology (GO) enrichment analysis and the exosomal Aβ-binding proteins that can constitute putative candidates were identified. Among these candidates, gelsolin, a protein known to be involved in inhibiting Abeta fibril formation, was identified, and it was tested in human samples. The levels of this Aβ-binding protein, with anti-amyloidogenic properties, were assessed in serum-derived exosomes isolated from controls and individuals with dementia, including AD cases, and revealed altered expression patterns. Identification of potential peripheral biomarker candidates for AD may be useful, not only for early disease diagnosis but also in drug trials and to monitor disease progression, allowing for a timely therapeutic intervention, which will positively impact the patient’s quality of life.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio