A general relativistic mass-to-distance ratio for a set of megamaser AGN black holes

In this work we perform a Bayesian statistical fit to estimate the mass-to-distance ratio and the recessional redshift of 10 different black holes hosted at the centre of active galactic nuclei, namely the galaxies NGC 5765b, NGC 6323, UGC 3789, CGCG 074-064, ESO 558-G009, NGC 2960, NGC 6264, NGC 4388, J0437+2456 and NGC 2273. Our general relativistic method makes use of the positions in the sky and frequency shift observations of water megamasers circularly orbiting the central black hole on their accretion disks. This approach also allows us to quantify the gravitational redshift which is not considered in a Newtonian analysis. The gravitational redshift of the megamasers closest to the black hole is found to be within the range 1-6 km/s. The order of the fitted black hole masses corresponds to supermassive black holes and lies on the range $10^6 - 10^7$ M_{sun}Comment: 7 pages, 1 figure, 3 table

CAD-Based Shielding Analysis for ITER Port Diagnostics

Radiation shielding analysis conducted in support of design development of the contemporary diagnostic systems integrated inside the ITER ports is relied on the use of CAD models. This paper presents the CAD-based MCNP Monte Carlo radiation transport and activation analyses for the Diagnostic Upper and Equatorial Port Plugs (UPP #3 and EPP #8, #17). The creation process of the complicated 3D MCNP models of the diagnostics systems was substantially accelerated by application of the CAD-to-MCNP converter programs MCAM and McCad. High performance computing resources of the Helios supercomputer allowed to speed-up the MCNP parallel transport calculations with the MPI/OpenMP interface. The found shielding solutions could be universal, reducing ports R&D costs. The shield block behind the Tritium and Deposit Monitor (TDM) optical box was added to study its influence on Shut-Down Dose Rate (SDDR) in Port Interspace (PI) of EPP#17. Influence of neutron streaming along the Lost Alpha Monitor (LAM) on the neutron energy spectra calculated in the Tangential Neutron Spectrometer (TNS) of EPP#8. For the UPP#3 with Charge eXchange Recombination Spectroscopy (CXRS-core), an excessive neutron streaming along the CXRS shutter, which should be prevented in further design iteration

FUNGOS MESOFÍLICOS E TERMOFÍLICOS IMPORTANTES NA COMPOSTAGEM MECANIZADA DE DEJETOS SUÍNOS

Este estudo foi desenvolvido entre os meses de maio e outubro de 2009, sendo analisadas 60 amostras de dejetos suínos de uma unidade produtora de leitões (UPL) compostados em leira mecanizada, em granja localizada no município de Capitão, RS, com o objetivo de isolar e identificar os principais gêneros de fungos que se desenvolvem neste processo, além de averiguar a temperatura em três pontos da leira. Em cada ponto mediu-se a temperatura em três níveis: superficial, 35 cm e 70 cm de profundidade. Em cada nível foi efetuada a medição em três pontos distintos, equidistantes 10 m no sentido horizontal e 6,25 m no sentido vertical. No nível superficial houve uma variação de 18,3 ºC a 43,8 ºC. A 35 cm observou-se uma variação de 25,9 ºC a 62,4 ºC, enquanto que a 70 cm a variação foi de 25,5 ºC a 52,9 ºC. Os principais gêneros de fungos isolados foram Aspergillus, Penicillium, Mucor e Rhizopus

A Coherent Multiple Beamforming Network for a Non-uniform Circular Antenna Array

This work proposes and describes a modular and innovative beamforming network (BFN) to feed a nonequally spaced circular antenna array. The structure is based on a set of alternated power combiners and dividers that delivers a Gaussian-like amplitude distribution and coherent (in-phase) signals. A multiple beam antenna system to generate two main beams in the same aperture with a coherent network for a nonuniform array with beam shaping and beam steering properties is simulated and analyzed. Furthermore, a comparative analysis based on uniform and nonuniform circular antenna arrays fed by the proposed coherent network is conducted. The complex signals and the nonuniform circular aperture are optimized using the well known differential evolution technique. Numerical experiments show the efficiency and improvement of the coherent network with a nonuniform aperture over uniform, with an advantage in average equal to 1.8dB of directivity and -2dB of side lobe level. Moreover, the simulation results exhibit an aperture reuse and complexity reduction of the proposed coherent network configuration compared with a conventional antenna array with direct feeding, where each main beam is shaped and steered with the half of control signal inputs

3D characterization of CdSe nanoparticles attached to carbon nanotubes

The crystallographic structure of CdSe nanoparticles attached to carbon nanotubes has been elucidated by means of high resolution transmission electron microscopy and high angle annular dark field scanning transmission electron microscopy tomography. CdSe rod-like nanoparticles, grown in solution together with carbon nanotubes, undergo a morphological transformation and become attached to the carbon surface. Electron tomography reveals that the nanoparticles are hexagonal-based with the (001) planes epitaxially matched to the outer graphene layer.Comment: 7 pages, 8 figure

Truncating <em>NFKB1 </em>variants cause combined NLRP3 inflammasome activation and type I interferon signaling and predispose to necrotizing fasciitis

\ua9 2024 The AuthorsIn monogenic autoinflammatory diseases, mutations in genes regulating innate immune responses often lead to uncontrolled activation of inflammasome pathways or the type I interferon (IFN-I) response. We describe a mechanism of autoinflammation potentially predisposing patients to life-threatening necrotizing soft tissue inflammation. Six unrelated families are identified in which affected members present with necrotizing fasciitis or severe soft tissue inflammations. Exome sequencing reveals truncating monoallelic loss-of-function variants of nuclear factor κ light-chain enhancer of activated B cells (NFKB1) in affected patients. In patients’ macrophages and in NFKB1-variant-bearing THP-1 cells, activation increases both interleukin (IL)-1β secretion and IFN-I signaling. Truncation of NF-κB1 impairs autophagy, accompanied by the accumulation of reactive oxygen species and reduced degradation of inflammasome receptor nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain, leucine-rich repeat-containing protein 3 (NLRP3), and Toll/IL-1 receptor domain-containing adaptor protein inducing IFN-β (TRIF), thus leading to combined excessive inflammasome and IFN-I activity. Many of the patients respond to anti-inflammatory treatment, and targeting IL-1β and/or IFN-I signaling could represent a therapeutic approach for these patients