Mechanisms of Spontaneous Current Generation in an Inhomogeneous d-Wave Superconductor

A boundary between two d-wave superconductors or an s-wave and a d-wave superconductor generally breaks time-reversal symmetry and can generate spontaneous currents due to proximity effect. On the other hand, surfaces and interfaces in d-wave superconductors can produce localized current-carrying states by supporting the T-breaking combination of dominant and subdominant order parameters. We investigate spontaneous currents in the presence of both mechanisms and show that at low temperature, counter-intuitively, the subdominant coupling decreases the amplitude of the spontaneous current due to proximity effect. Superscreening of spontaneous currents is demonstrated to be present in any d-d (but not s-d) junction and surface with d+id' order parameter symmetry. We show that this supercreening is the result of contributions from the local magnetic moment of the condensate to the spontaneous current.Comment: 4 pages, 5 figures, RevTe

LAW ENFORCEMENT OF ILLEGAL BUSINESS TRANSACTION ON THE BORDER AREA BETWEEN INDONESIA AND TIMOR LESTE IN A DILEMMA

This study is a type of empirical legal study conducted based on the discrepancy between the existing provisions and theories and the legal facts occurring among the society, that is, the transaction of goods carried out by crossing the border between two countries.Any hindering obstacles and barricades to the law enforcement over illegal businesses can be settled through social and cultural, economic, political, and security approaches. Alternative solutions that should be applied in dealing with such legal issues can be establishing buildings in the border area, which are specifically directed to help accelerate the handling of three fundamental problems faced in the scope of the development of the border area in question, one of which is delimitation and delineation aspects of the state's boundaries, the aspect of affirming national borders on watershed areas between Indonesia and Timor Leste, the aspect of development discrepancy in the form of fulfilling infrastructure needs in the economic field to foster opportunities for the border areas to participate and compete amid both global and regional markets

Gut microbiota disturbance during helminth infection: can it affect cognition and behaviour of children?

Background: Bidirectional signalling between the brain and the gastrointestinal tract is regulated at neural, hormonal, and immunological levels. Recent studies have shown that helminth infections can alter the normal gut microbiota. Studies have also shown that the gut microbiota is instrumental in the normal development, maturation and function of the brain. The pathophysiological pathways by which helminth infections contribute to altered cognitive function remain poorly understood. Discussion: We put forward the hypothesis that gastrointestinal infections with parasitic worms, such as helminths, induce an imbalance of the gut-brain axis, which, in turn, can detrimentally manifest in brain development. Factors supporting this hypothesis are: 1) research focusing on intelligence and school performance in school-aged children has shown helminth infections to be associated with cognitive impairment, 2) disturbances in gut microbiota have been shown to be associated with important cognitive developmental effects, and 3) helminth infections have been shown to alter the gut microbiota structure. Evidence on the complex interactions between extrinsic (parasite) and intrinsic (host-derived) factors has been synthesised and discussed. Summary: While evidence in favour of the helminth-gut microbiota-central nervous system hypothesis is circumstantial, it would be unwise to rule it out as a possible mechanism by which gastrointestinal helminth infections induce childhood cognitive morbidity. Further empirical studies are necessary to test an indirect effect of helminth infections on the modulation of mood and behaviour through its effects on the gut microbiota

Efeito da deficiência de energia na dieta sobre a população de protozoários ciliados do rúmen de bovinos

Ten young rumen-cannulated crossbred steers were randomly divided into two groups: a control group (C; n=4), which was fed a balanced diet for daily weight gain of 900g; and a pronounced energy-deprived group (PED; n=6), receiving 30% less of the required energy for maintenance. After 140 days of these alimentary regimes, rumen fluid and urine samples were collected for biochemical and functional tests, before feeding and at 1, 3, 6, and 9 hours after feeding. The energy-deprivation diet caused a significant reduction in the number of Entodinium, Eodinium, Isotricha, Dasytricha, Eremoplastron, Eudiplodinium, Metadinium, Charonina, Ostracodinium, and Epidinium protozoa. There was no effect of the time of sampling in both groups on the total number of ciliates in rumen fluid. A higher number of protozoan forms in binary division were recorded in the control group, at the 6th and 9th hours after feeding (P<0.019). There was a high positive correlation between the total count of protozoans in rumen fluid and glucose fermentation, ammonia, and urinary allantoin excretion index; and a negative correlation between the total count of protozoa and metilene blue reduction, and a medium correlation between the total count of protozoa and total volatile fatty acids concentration. The determination of the protozoa populations does not imply in the use of complex and hard-to-execute techniques, although it is time consuming and needs practice. This exam particularly helps in clinical expected diagnosis.Foram utilizados 10 novilhos mestiços com cânula ruminal, distribuídos em dois grupos: no grupo controle (C; n=4) receberam dieta balanceada para ganho diário de 900g; no grupo tratado com carência pronunciada de energia (CP; n=6), receberam dieta com 30% a menos do nível de mantença em energia. Após 140 dias sob esses regimes de alimentação, foram coletadas amostras do fluido ruminal e urina, para realização de provas bioquímicas e funcionais, antes e às 1, 3, 6 e 9 horas após o fornecimento do alimento. A carência energética resultou em diminuição significativa na quantidade dos protozoários Entodinium, Eodinium, Isotricha, Dasytricha, Eremoplastron, Eudiplodinium, Metadinium, Charonina, Ostracodinium e Epidinium. Não houve efeito da hora de coleta sobre o total de ciliados nos grupos C e CP. Maior número de formas em divisão binária foi registrado no grupo C, na sexta e nona horas pós-alimentação (P<0,019). Observaram-se altas correlações positivas entre a contagem total de protozoários e a fermentação de glicose, amônia e o índice de excreção urinária de alantoína e negativa entre a contagem total de protozoários e a redução do azul de metileno, e correlação média entre a contagem total de protozoários e os ácidos graxos voláteis totais. A determinação da população de protozoários do rúmen é um método simples de avaliação, além de que particularmente auxilia o diagnóstico clínico da função ruminal

Lytic skull lesion by Leishmaniasis at Makat-Tampu during the Inca Empire: XV-XVI centuries, Rímac Valley, Peru

Paleopathological evidence of mucosal alteration deforming human population of ancient Peru suggests the presence of mucosal leishmaniasis (LM) in the agricultural population living near the endemic area between XV-XVI centuries. The pathological anatomy studies was divided in two phases: 1) pattern of mucosal form in human crania was defined among selected patients, from the Research Center Hospital Evandro Chagas (Fiocruz), with clinical history and destruction of the facial bones, principally oro-nasal cavity. Seven cases were selected. All caused by Leishmania (V.) braziliensis: 6 men and 1 woman with age up to 35 years old. X-ray pictures and axial tomography of the cranium were performed in order to define the pathologic pattern in the bones; 2) archaeological material was analyzed and compared in 241 skulls from the Department of Physical Anthropology of the National Museum of Anthropology, Archaeology and History, Lima, Peru. Material was well preserved and we identified five cases (4 men and 1 woman) with age up to 35 years old presenting naso-palatine destruction, compatible with mucosal form defined by clinical casuistic. It proceeded from the Inca cemetery of Makat-Tampu, Rimac Valley. The rate of mucosal lesions (2.07%) compatible with ML may suggest that there was a high prevalence of L. braziliensis complex infection in the pre-hispanic times and confirm our hypothesis. This study was based on biocultural focus, aiming to reconstruct the quotidian life of the agricultural population of the Rimac valley during the Inca occupation.Evidências paleopatológicas de destruição da mucosa facial em antigas populações humanas do Perú sugerem a presença de Leishmaniose Mucosa (LM) em grupos agrícolas que viveram próximos à área endêmica de LTA entre os séculos XV-XVI. Este estudo foi dividido em duas fases: 1) Através de lâminas de raios X e tomografia axial do crânio, foi definido o padrão de forma mucosa em crânios humanos em sete pacientes (seis homens e uma mulher com mais de 35 anos de idade), selecionados do Centro de Pesquisa Hospital Evandro Chagas (Fiocruz), com história clínica e destruição do maciço facial, principalmente a cavidade oro-nasal. Todos causados por Leishmania (V.) braziliensis', 2) Um material arqueológico bem preservado, constituído de 241 crânios, procedente do cemitério inca de Makat-tampu, vale do Baixo Rímac, foi analisado e comparado. Este se encontra no Departamento de Antropologia Física do Museu Nacional de Antropologia, Arqueologia e História, Lima, Perú. Segundo a observação e descrição anátomopatológica, foram identificados cinco casos (quatro homens e uma mulher acima de 30 anos de idade) com destruição naso-palatina compatíveis com LM. A freqüência desta lesão mucosa (2.07%) pode sugerir que havia uma alta prevalência de infecção pelo complexo L. braziliensis em períodos pré- hispânicos e confirmou nossas hipóteses

Ward Identities, B-> \rho Form Factors and |V_ub|

The exclusive FCNC beauty semileptonic decay B-> \rho is studied using Ward identities in a general vector meson dominance framework, predicting vector meson couplings involved. The long distance contributions are discussed which results to obtain form factors and |V_ub|. A detailed comparison is given with other approaches.Comment: 30 pages+four postscript figures, an Appendix adde