Work distributions in the T=0 Random Field Ising Model

We perform a numerical study of the three-dimensional Random Field Ising Model at T=0. We compare work distributions along metastable trajectories obtained with the single-spin flip dynamics with the distribution of the internal energy change along equilibrium trajectories. The goal is to investigate the possibility of extending the Crooks fluctuation theorem to zero temperature when, instead of the standard ensemble statistics, one considers the ensemble generated by the quenched disorder. We show that a simple extension of Crooks fails close to the disordered induced equilibrium phase transition due to the fact that work and internal energy distributions are very asymmetric

Yogurt cultures survive upon exposure to two antimicrobials and Streptococcus thermophilus ST-M5 acquired resistance to both antimicrobials

Different antimicrobials are added in the manufacturing of dairy products such as flavored yogurts and processed cheese. Potassium Metabisulfite (PM) and Potassium Nitrite (PN) have been reported to have antimicrobial effect on pathogenic microorganisms such as Clostridium botulinum and Listeria monocytogenes. Yogurt is known for its health benefits, due to the presence of cultured bacteria. PM and PN are not commonly used in the dairy industry hence it would be interesting to study their influence in yogurt culture bacteria. The objectives of this study were: 1. to elucidate the influence of PM and PN at various concentrations, on the growth of yogurt culture and 2. to determine the possible acquisition of resistance after prior exposure to low doses of these antimicrobials. For the first objective different concentrations of PM and PN (100, 1,000, 10,000, 100,000 and 1,000,000ppm) were separately added to broth previously inoculated with Lactobacillus bulgaricus LB-12 and Streptococcus thermophilus ST-M5. Control samples did not receive any antimicrobial. Growth was determined by plating at 0, 24, 48 and 72 hours of incubation. For the second objective, treatments consisted of separately exposing cultures to 100 and 1,000ppm of both antimicrobials and after 24, 48 and 72 hours, transferring them into 10,000 and 100,000ppm, of both antimicrobials. Growth was measured at 0, 24, 48 and 72 hours of incubation. Data were analyzed using Proc Mixed and Repeated Measures model of the Statistical Analysis System SAS®. Differences of Least Square Means where used to determine significant differences. Neither PM nor PN had an antimicrobial effect on yogurt culture Lactobacillus bulgaricus LB-12 or Streptococcus thermophilus ST-M5. Both antimicrobials at 1,000,000ppm significantly increased counts of Streptococcus thermophilus ST-M5 6 log CFU/mL compared to control. Prior exposure of Streptococcus thermophilus ST-M5 to both antimicrobials at 100 and 1,000ppm for 72 hours showed resistance to 10,000 and 100,000ppm of both PM and PN with a significant increase of 6 log CFU/mL compared to control. Commercial applications of this study would be to incorporate PM and PN in yogurt manufacture for inhibition of spoilage and pathogenic bacteria to ensure good preservation of the product and improved shelf life

Inducing Illusory Ownership of a Virtual Body

We discuss three experiments that investigate how virtual limbs and bodies can come to feel like real limbs and bodies. The first experiment shows that an illusion of ownership of a virtual arm appearing to project out of a person's shoulder can be produced by tactile stimulation on a person's hidden real hand and synchronous stimulation on the seen virtual hand. The second shows that the illusion can be produced by synchronous movement of the person's hidden real hand and a virtual hand. The third shows that a weaker form of the illusion can be produced when a brain–computer interface is employed to move the virtual hand by means of motor imagery without any tactile stimulation. We discuss related studies that indicate that the ownership illusion may be generated for an entire body. This has important implications for the scientific understanding of body ownership and several practical applications

Slow and Fast Neocortical Oscillations in the Senescence-Accelerated Mouse Model SAMP8

The senescence-accelerated mouse prone 8 (SAMP8) model is characterized by accelerated, progressive cognitive decline as well as Alzheimer's disease (AD)-like neurodegenerative changes, and resembles the etiology of multicausal, sporadic late-onset/age-related AD in humans. Our aim was to find whether these AD-like pathological features, together with the cognitive deficits present in the SAMP8 strain, are accompanied by disturbances in cortical network activity with respect to control mice (SAM resistance 1, SAMR1) and, if so, how the alterations in cortical activity progress with age. For this purpose, we characterized the extracellular spontaneous oscillatory activity in different regions of the cerebral cortex of SAMP8 and SAMR1 mice under ketamine anesthesia at 5 and 7 months of age. Under these conditions, slow oscillations and fast rhythms generated in the cortical network were recorded and different parameters of these oscillations were quantified and compared between SAMP8 and their control, SAMR1 mice. The average frequency of slow oscillations in SAMP8 mice was decreased with respect to the control mice at both studied ages. An elongation of the silent periods or Down states was behind the decreased slow oscillatory frequency while the duration of active or Up states remained stable. SAMP8 mice also presented increased cycle variability and reduced high frequency components during Down states. During Up states, the power peak in the gamma range was displaced towards lower frequencies in all the cortical areas of SAMP8 with respect to control mice suggesting that the spectral profile of SAMP8 animals is shifted towards lower frequencies. This shift is reminiscent to one of the principal hallmarks of electroencephalography (EEG) abnormalities in patients with Alzheimer's disease, and adds evidence in support of the suitability of the SAMP8 mouse as a model of this disease. Although some of the differences between SAMP8 and control mice were emphasized with age, the evolution of the studied parameters as SAMR1 mice got older indicates that the SAMR1 phenotype tends to converge with that of SAMP8 animals. To our knowledge, this is the first systematic characterization of the cortical slow and fast rhythms in the SAMP8 strain and it provides useful insights about the cellular and synaptic mechanisms underlying the reported alterations

La nova edició espanyola de la CDU : arriscar-se al canvi?

Analise of the Medium CDU spanish edition. Avaluation of the news titles, indexs tables, etc

Agua: discurso higienista y práctica municipal (Mallorca, 1855-1936)

El objetivo de este artículo es analizar la relación existente entre el discurso higienista en torno al ciclo del agua y las actuaciones realizadas en esta materia por los ayuntamientos de Mallorca entre 1855 y 1936. Este discurso tenía por finalidad concienciar a la población y, sobre todo, las autoridades municipales de la necesidad de mejorar la provisión del agua de uso público. Las fuentes principales han sido las actas municipales, la prensa de la época y publicaciones científico-técnicas. Nuestra principal conclusión es que, si bien existió un desfase entre las propuestas de los higienistas y las reformas llevadas a cabo, no puede obviarse el avance que supuso el aumento de la cantidad y la calidad del agua que recibían los ciudadanos. Y, sobre todo, no puede desligarse de otras actuaciones sanitarias, tales como las medidas de resguardo o el derribo de las murallas, que protagonizaron en las mismas fechas los ayuntamientos y la diputación, las cuales también tenían el correspondiente respaldo científico .The aim of this article is to analyze the relationship between the hygienistic discourse on water cycle and the sanitary interventions carried out by the town councils of Mallorca from 1855 to 1936. The purpose of the discourse was to make the population and the municipal authorities aware of the importance of improving the water supply. The used sources have been municipal minutes, press and scientific articles from that period. Our main conclusion is the lack of timing between the hygienistic proposals and the undertaken interventions. Nevertheless these late interventions were useful to improve the quantity and the quality of the water that the citizens were supplied. The water interventions were attempted at the same time than other sanitary actions, such as isolation measures (quarantines) or town walls demolition, reforms done by the municipal or provincial authorities having a scientific consensus too