13,001 research outputs found
One-loop conformal anomaly in an implicit momentum space regularization framework
In this paper we consider matter fields in a gravitational background in
order to compute the breaking of the conformal current at one-loop order.
Standard perturbative calculations of conformal symmetry breaking expressed by
the non-zero trace of the energy-momentum tensor have shown that some violating
terms are regularization dependent, which may suggest the existence of spurious
breaking terms in the anomaly. Therefore, we perform the calculation in a
momentum space regularization framework in which regularization dependent terms
are judiciously parametrized. We compare our results with those obtained in the
literature and conclude that there is an unavoidable arbitrariness in the
anomalous term .Comment: in European Physical Journal C, 201
Optimization conditions of UV-C radiation combined with ultrasound-assisted extraction of cherry tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) lycopene extract
The aim of this work was to study the effect of UV-C radiation on ultrasound assisted extraction
(UAE) of cherry tomato bioactive compounds. Cherry tomatoes were exposed to two UV-C radiation
doses (0.5 and 1.0 J cmâ2
) and stored at 20 Âą 0.5 oC for 7 days. Next, they were lyophilized, and
the bioactive compounds were extracted by UAE at 20 KHz. To evaluate the effectiveness of the
extraction process of the bioactive compounds, a CCRD (central composite rotational design) was
used together with RSM (response surface methodology), for extraction times from 4 to 12 minutes
and concentrations (g of lyophilized product / L of ethanol) of 1:10, 1:20 and 1:30. The extracts
obtained from the irradiated tomatoes presented 5.8 times more lycopene content than the controls
and higher antioxidant activity was obtained for 4 and 8 min, in the concentrations 1:10 and 1:20 (m
vâ1). Through numerical model optimization, optimal extraction conditions were obtained. The results
demonstrated that by previously irradiating tomatoes with UV-C light, the UAE yielded considerably
higher amounts of lycopene and other bioactives.CNPq (National Council of Technological and Scientific
Development, Brazil), Erasmus Mundus action 2; Fellow
Mundus Project; Department of Chemical Engineering and Food Engineering
(UFSC - Brazil) and the Department of Food Engineering (UAlg - Portugal) .info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Tunneling spectroscopy of the superconducting state of URu2Si2
We present measurements of the superconducting gap of URuSi made with
scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) using a superconducting tip of Al. We find
tunneling conductance curves with a finite value at the Fermi level. The
density of states is V shaped at low energies, and the quasiparticle peaks are
located at values close to the expected superconducting gap from weak coupling
BCS theory. Our results point to rather opened gap structures and gap nodes on
the Fermi surface
Assessment of Lactobacillus crispatus´ role in vaginal infections: friend or foe?
Lactobacillus spp. are the most prevalent microorganisms in the vaginal milleu. Several probiotic mechanisms have been associated with Lactobacillus, but the most relevant one is lactate production â resulting in a low pH value, typical of the healthy vagina. However, its pathogenic state is still unknown. We aim to elucidate the role of a commensal vaginal microorganism, Lactobacillus crispatus, in vaginal infections. Twenty-four vaginal washes have been collected from women attending a gynaecology consultation of a private clinic. The samples were categorized according with clinical diagnosis at the time of sampling. The distribution of bacterial species, and their prevalence was assessed by Next-Generation Sequencing of the 16S rRNA V4 region. In addition, L- and D-lactate concentration, and LDH enzymatic activity was quantified in all washes by a commercial kit. Detection of Candida spp. was performed by PCR. L. crispatus was dominant (>70%) in 11 out of 24 samples â diagnosed for vaginal atrophy (VA, 3), cytolytic vaginosis (CV, 2) and lactobacillosis (LB, 2). Lactate was increased in CV, LB and VA cases only. The remaining samples, diagnosed for vulvovaginal candidosis in its majority, had lower prevalence of L. crispatus; and lower to moderate lactate metabolite. There was not a direct relationship between LDH enzymatic activity and clinical diagnosis. L. crispatus dominance, associated with increased lactate production, was observed in CV, LB and VA cases. These results indicate that this microorganism might have a role in dysbiosis of the vagina associated with these specific pathologies.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Role of Lactobacillus crispatus in vaginal infections: insights from metagenomics and metabolomics studies
Objective: Lactobacillus spp. constitute the most prevalent bacterial microorganism in the vaginal milleu. Several probiotic mechanisms have been associated with Lactobacillus, but the most relevant one is lactate production â resulting in a low pH value, typical of the healthy vagina. We aim to elucidate the role of a native vaginal microorganism, Lactobacillus crispatus, in vaginal infections.
Methods: Twenty-four vaginal washes have been collected from women (mean 38Âą14 years of age) attending a gynecology consultation of a private clinic. The samples were categorized according with clinical diagnosis at the time of sampling. The distribution of bacterial species, and their prevalence was assessed by next-generation sequencing of the 16S V4 region. In addition, lactate was quantified in all washes by a commercial kit.
Results: L. crispatus was dominant (>70%) in 11 out of 24 samples â diagnosed for vaginal atrophy (VA, 3), cytolytic vaginosis (CV, 2), lactobacillosis (LB, 2) and vulvovaginal candidosis (VVC, 1). For three samples, diagnostic was inconclusive. Lactate was increased in CV, LB and VA cases only. One sample, diagnosed with VVC had 23% dominance of L. crispatus; and lower lactate metabolite. L. crispatus was not detected in the remaining 12 cases (6 VVC, 4 VA, 1 healthy and 1 inconclusive). Of these, only 5 samples had moderate lactate metabolite.
Conclusions: L. crispatus dominance, associated with increased lactate production, was observed in CV, LB and VA cases. These results indicate that this microorganism might have a role in dysbiosis of the vagina associated with these specific pathologies.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
A Comprehensive View of a Strongly Lensed Planck-Associated Submillimeter Galaxy
We present high-resolution maps of stars, dust, and molecular gas in a strongly lensed submillimeter galaxy (SMG) at z = 3.259. HATLAS J114637.9â001132 is selected from the Herschel-Astrophysical Terahertz Large Area Survey (H-ATLAS) as a strong lens candidate mainly based on its unusually high 500 Îźm flux density (~300 mJy). It is the only high-redshift Planck detection in the 130 deg^2 H-ATLAS Phase-I area. Keck Adaptive Optics images reveal a quadruply imaged galaxy in the K band while the Submillimeter Array and the Jansky Very Large Array show doubly imaged 880 Îźm and CO(1â0) sources, indicating differentiated distributions of the various components in the galaxy. In the source plane, the stars reside in three major kpc-scale clumps extended over ~1.6 kpc, the dust in a compact (~1 kpc) region ~3 kpc north of the stars, and the cold molecular gas in an extended (~7 kpc) disk ~5 kpc northeast of the stars. The emissions from the stars, dust, and gas are magnified by ~17, ~8, and ~7 times, respectively, by four lensing galaxies at z ~ 1. Intrinsically, the lensed galaxy is a warm (T_(dust) ~ 40-65 K), hyper-luminous (L_(IR) ~ 1.7 Ă 10^(13) L_â; star formation rate (SFR) ~2000 M_â yr^(â1)), gas-rich (M_(gas)/M_(baryon) ~ 70%), young (M_(stellar)/SFR ~ 20 Myr), and short-lived (M_(gas)/SFR ~ 40 Myr) starburst. With physical properties similar to unlensed z > 2 SMGs, HATLAS J114637.9â001132 offers a detailed view of a typical SMG through a powerful cosmic microscope
Exponential Distributions in a Mechanical Model for Earthquakes
We study statistical distributions in a mechanical model for an earthquake
fault introduced by Burridge and Knopoff [R. Burridge and L. Knopoff, {\sl
Bull. Seismol. Soc. Am.} {\bf 57}, 341 (1967)]. Our investigations on the size
(moment), time duration and number of blocks involved in an event show that
exponential distributions are found in a given range of the paramenter space.
This occurs when the two kinds of springs present in the model have the same,
or approximately the same, value for the elastic constants. Exponential
distributions have also been seen recently in an experimental system to model
earthquake-like dynamics [M. A. Rubio and J. Galeano, {\sl Phys. Rev. E} {\bf
50}, 1000 (1994)].Comment: 11 pages, uuencoded (submitted to Phys. Rev. E
Processing of conductive filled polymers using microinjection
Polystyrene granules were coated by sputtering
with an innovative film of stainless steel
obtaining this way a composite. To compare
results it was necessary to prepare two different
composites, mixing polymer granules with steel
fibers mechanically in a drum.
Microinjection molding is a processing
technique that allowed obtaining a
representative sample of each composite.
Scanning electron microscope (SEM) allowed
the characterization of the coating thickness
while the dispersion and distribution of metal
particles were analyzed by optical microscopy
in polarized light. Results showed a uniform
thickness of the coating and good dispersion of
the reinforcements in the matrix. Electrical and
mechanical properties of the composites were
characterized by measuring the electrical
resistivity and flexural tests. Considerable
values of conductivity were exhibited in
composites with carbon nanotubes and a slight
increase in the modulus of the polymers due to
reinforcement incorporation was noticed
Pressure induced effects on the Fermi surface of superconducting 2H-NbSe
The pressure dependence of the critical temperature and upper critical
field has been measured up to 19 GPa in the layered superconducting
material 2H-NbSe. Relating the behavior of to Fermi surface
parameters, we find that the electron phonon coupling of the 2D Nb 4d derived
bands shows a peak at 5 GPa when the charge density wave (CDW) order is
suppressed. On the other hand, shows a bell shaped curve with a
maximum at 10.5 GPa, well above the pressure for the suppression of the CDW
order. Changes in the band structure produce this shift in the maximum of
, demonstrating that 2H-NbSe shows important differences with
respect to other compounds where has a maximum in the temperature-density
phase diagram shaped by the suppression of another, non-superconducting, ground
state.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures. Small changes in discussion. Typos correcte
Point-contact spectroscopy on URuSi
Tunnel and point contact experiments have been made in a URuSi single
crystal along the c-axis. The experiments were performed changing temperature
and contact size in a low temperature scanning tunneling microscope. A
resonance develops at the Fermi level at K. This resonance splits
and becomes asymmetric when the 17.5 K phase transition is crossed. These
results are consistent with the existence of Kondo like bound states of the
U ionic configurations and the conduction electrons. Below the
transition, these configurations are split by the development of quadrupolar
ordering. The peak separation can be interpreted as a direct measurement of the
order parameter. Measurements on a policrystalline UAu_2Si_2$ sample are also
reported, with a comparative study of the behavior of both materials.Comment: 4 pages (Latex) + 2 postscript figure
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