Mass spectrum and decay constants of radially excited vector mesons

We calculate the masses and weak decay constants of flavorless ground and radially excited $J^P=1^-$ mesons and the corresponding quantities for the K^*, within a Poincar\'e covariant continuum framework based on the Bethe-Salpeter equation. We use in both, the quark's gap equation and the meson bound-state equation, an infrared massive and finite interaction in the leading symmetry-preserving truncation. While our numerical results are in rather good agreement with experimental values where they are available, no single parametrization of the QCD inspired interaction reproduces simultaneously the ground and excited mass spectrum, which confirms earlier work on pseudoscalar mesons. This feature being a consequence of the lowest truncation, we pin down the range and strength of the interaction in both cases to identify common qualitative features that may help to tune future interaction models beyond the rainbow-ladder approximation

The dynamics of cytokine d nitric oxide secretion in mice injected with Tityus serrulatus scorpion venom.

AIMS: The effects of Tityus serrulatus venom (TSV) were analysed with respect to the susceptibility of four isogenic mouse, the symptoms following injection of venom and the inflammatory mediators in an experimental model of severe envenomation induced in mice. METHODS: The susceptibility was analysed by lethal dose (LD50) determination, including the symptoms observed during envenomating and glucose levels. The detection of cytokines in serum from mice were analysed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and nitric oxide (NO) was analysed using nitrite determination. RESULTS: The estimated LD50 values were in micrograms per 100 microliters, and the susceptibility of mice to TSV varies with: (a) mouse strain and route of injection (A/J < BALB/c < C57Bl/6 = DBA); (b) mouse strain and sex (A/J female and male < BALB/c female and male); and (c) body weight (all groups of A/J < BALB/c groups). Among the mouse strains studied, BALB/c mice presented moderate sensibility to TSV, with changes in specific signs and serum levels of glucose, several cytokines and NO, when injected intraperitoneally (i.p.) with 1 LD50 of venom. Sweating, salivation and tremor were the specific signs that preceded death. The maximum levels of glucose in sera from mice injected i.p. with 1 LD50 of TSV were observed 60-90 min post-injection. Significant differences were observed in the time-course of cytokine levels, and the venom induced marked elevations of interleukin (IL)-1alpha, IL-1beta, IL-6, IL-10 and interferon gamma (IFN-gamma). The maximum levels of IL-1alpha and IL-1beta were observed 2 h post-injection. The more pronounced levels of IL-6 were observed 4 h post-injection. There was an early increase in IFN-gamma followed by an even higher level after 4 h. IL-10 levels peaked between 6 and 8 h, and this cytokine probably modulates the secretion of IFN-gamma. Tumor necrosis factor release was not detected in BALB/c mice injected with TSV. NO levels attained maximal release after 2 h, following venom injection, while a second peak for NO was at 6 h. CONCLUSIONS: These findings indicate that the susceptibility to the systemic effects of the venom varies among mice of different haplotypes, and that the cytokines such as IL-1, IL-6, IFN-gamma and NO are strongly involved in the pathogenesis caused by this venom and are correlated with the severity of envenomation

THE IMPRINT of RADIAL MIGRATION on the VERTICAL STRUCTURE of GALAXY DISKS

We use numerical simulations to examine the effects of radial migration on the vertical structure of galaxy disks. The simulations follow three exponential disks of different mass but similar circular velocity, radial scalelength, and (constant) scale height. The disks develop different non-axisymmetric patterns, ranging from feeble, long-lived multiple arms to strong, rapidly evolving few-armed spirals. These fluctuations induce radial migration through secular changes in the angular momentum of disk particles, mixing the disk radially and blurring pre-existing gradients. Migration primarily affects stars with small vertical excursions, regardless of spiral pattern. This "provenance bias" largely determines the vertical structure of migrating stars: inward migrators thin down as they move in, whereas outward migrators do not thicken up but rather preserve the disk scale height at their destination. Migrators of equal birth radius thus develop a strong scale-height gradient, not by flaring out as commonly assumed, but by thinning down as they spread inward. Similar gradients have been observed for low-[α/Fe] mono-abundance populations (MAPs) in the Galaxy, but our results argue against interpreting them as a consequence of radial migration. This is because outward migration does not lead to thickening, implying that the maximum scale height of any population should reflect its value at birth. In contrast, Galactic MAPs have scale heights that increase monotonically outward, reaching values that greatly exceed those at their presumed birth radii. Given the strong vertical bias affecting migration, a proper assessment of the importance of radial migration in the Galaxy should take carefully into account the strong radial dependence of the scale heights of the various stellar populations. © 2016. The American Astronomical Society. All rights reserved

The shape of dark matter subhalos in the Aquarius simulations

We analyze the Aquarius simulations to characterize the shape of dark matter halos with peak circular velocity in the range 8<Vmax<200 km/s, and perform a convergence study using the various Aquarius resolution levels. For the converged objects, we determine the principal axis (a<b<c) of the normalized inertia tensor as a function of radius. We find that the triaxiality of field halos is an increasing function of halo mass, so that the smallest halos in our sample are ~40-50% rounder than Milky Way-like objects at the radius where the circular velocity peaks, rmax. We find that the distribution of subhalo axis ratios is consistent with that of field halos of comparable Vmax. Inner and outer contours within each object are well aligned, with the major axis preferentially pointing in the radial direction for subhalos closest to the center of their host halo. We also analyze the dynamical structure of subhalos likely to host luminous satellites comparable to the classical dwarf spheroidals in the Local Group. These halos have axis ratios that increase with radius, and which are mildly triaxial with ~0.75 and ~0.60 at r~1 kpc. Their velocity ellipsoid become strongly tangentially biased in the outskirts as a consequence of tidal stripping.Comment: 12 pages, 11 figures. MNRAS in pres

Both cetaceans in the Brazilian Amazon show sustained, profound population declines over two decades

<div><p>Obligate river dolphins occur only in the rivers of Asia and South America, where they are increasingly subject to damaging pressures such as habitat degradation, food competition and entanglement in fishing gear as human populations expand. The Amazon basin hosts two, very different, dolphins—the boto or Amazon river dolphin (<i>Inia geoffrensis</i>) and the smaller tucuxi (<i>Sotalia fluviatilis</i>). Both species have wide geographical ranges and were once considered to be relatively abundant. Their IUCN Red List conservation status of Data Deficient (DD), due to limited information on threats, ecology, population numbers and trends, did not initially cause alarm. However, the development of dolphin hunting to provide fish bait at around the beginning of this millennium broadly coincided with the onset of a widespread perception that numbers of both species were in decline. Consequently, the need for population trend data to inform conservation advice and measures became urgent. This paper presents a 22-year time series of standardised surveys for both dolphins within the Mamirauá Reserve, Amazonas State, Brazil. Analysis of these data show that both species are in steep decline, with their populations halving every 10 years (botos) and 9 years (tucuxis) at current rates. These results are consistent with published, independent information on survival rates of botos in this area, which demonstrated a substantial drop in annual survival, commencing at around the year 2000. Mamirauá is a protected area, and is subject to fewer environmental pressures than elsewhere in the region, so there is no reason to suspect that the decline in dolphins within the Reserve is more pronounced than outside it. If South America's freshwater cetaceans are to avoid following their Asian counterparts on the path to a perilous conservation status, effective conservation measures are required immediately. Enforcement of existing fishery laws would greatly assist in achieving this.</p></div

Solar Power Integration in Water (H2O) Distillation (SPIN-HD)

As the world faces a looming crisis of water scarcity and contamination, water use and safe consumption have been compromised worldwide. People depend on tap water whose contamination causes a wide range of diseases, which are often life-threatening. Given that water purifying methods are not commonly accessible in households, and solar stills are only efficient with sunlight, this study employed a creation of a solar-powered water distiller prototype that can be used in small settings. The study consisted of designing and building a battery-powered safety testing setup, safety testing, designing and building of the solarpowered water distiller prototype, prototype testing, and data collection. An integration of hardware materials, i.e., 2 stainless steel cylindrical containers, AWG 14, car glow plug heater, customized condensation sloping lid, and 12V4.5Ah battery, was done in building the safety testing setup. The safety testing was followed by the removal of the 12V4.5aH battery, and the consequent integration of the 50-watt solar panel, solar charge controller, and 12V30Ah battery. After five (5) experimental testings, the solar-powered water distiller prototype produced an average volume of 58.6mL in an average heating time of 112.2 minutes, making an average distillation rate of 31.3mL/hr. Such a distillation rate was obtained under an average ambient temperature of 31.2oC, average starting battery voltage of 12.3, and average end battery voltage of 4.1

Dextrin nanoparticles as a protein delivery system: the interleukin-10 case study

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Placentation in dolphins from the Amazon River Basin: the Boto, Inia geoffrensis, and the Tucuxi, Sotalia fluviatilis

A recent reassessment of the phylogenetic affinities of cetaceans makes it timely to compare their placentation with that of the artiodactyls. We studied the placentae of two sympatric species of dolphin from the Amazon River Basin, representing two distinct families. The umbilical cord branched to supply a bilobed allantoic sac. Small blood vessels and smooth muscle bundles were found within the stroma of the cord. Foci of squamous metaplasia occurred in the allanto-amnion and allantochorion. The interhemal membrane of the placenta was of the epitheliochorial type. Two different types of trophoblastic epithelium were seen. Most was of the simple columnar type and indented by fetal capillaries. However, there were also areolar regions with tall columnar trophoblast and these were more sparsely supplied with capillaries. The endometrium was well vascularised and richly supplied with actively secreting glands. These findings are consistent with the current view that Cetacea are nested within Artiodactyla as sister group to the hippopotamids