Dark Monopoles in Grand Unified Theories

We consider a Yang-Mills-Higgs theory with gauge group $G=SU(n)$ broken to $G_{v} = [SU(p)\times SU(n-p)\times U(1)]/Z$ by a Higgs field in the adjoint representation. We obtain monopole solutions whose magnetic field is not in the Cartan Subalgebra. Since their magnetic field vanishes in the direction of the generator of the electromagnetic group $U(1)_{em}$, we call them Dark Monopoles. These Dark Monopoles must exist in some Grand Unified Theories (GUTs) without the need to introduce a dark sector. We analyze the particular case of $SU(5)$ GUT, where we obtain that their mass is $M = 4\pi v \widetilde{E}(\lambda/e^{2})/e$, where $\widetilde{E}(\lambda/e^{2})$ is a monotonically increasing function of $\lambda/e^{2}$ with $\widetilde{E}(0)=1.294$ and $\widetilde{E}(\infty)=3.262.$ We also give a geometrical interpretation to their non-abelian magnetic charge.Comment: 22 pages; added some comments on possible cosmological implications of Dark Monopoles in the last section and added some references. Published Versio

Urinary iodine in patients with auto-immune thyroid disorders in Santo andré, SP, is comparable to normal controls and has been steady for the last 10 years

OBJECTIVE: Evaluate whether the increase of iodine in the diet would be the triggering factor for auto-immune thyropathies in the city of Santo André, SP. METHODS: Urinary iodine was determined in samples isolated from 58 patients, divided in 4 Groups, and in 13 normal individuals (controls). RESULTS: Urinary Iodine: Group 1 - hyperthyroidism = 203.5±152.71 µg/ L(mean±sd); Group 2 - hypothyroidism = 258.31±148,2 µg/L; Group 3 - chronic auto-immune thyroiditis = 244.29±191.6 µg/L; group 4 (Amiodarone) = 1157.5±261.8 µg/L; Group 5 - Controls = 262.31±146.2 µg/L. On comparing the means of urinary iodine among the groups, the means for groups 1, 2, 3, and 5 did not present significant differences (p>0.05), and all differed from group 4 (p 0,05) e todos diferiram do grupo 4 (p < 0,05). A iodúria dos grupos 1, 2, 3 e 5, obtida em 2002 e 2003, não diferiram dos valores determinados em 1994 em escolares em Santo André. CONCLUSÃO: Este estudo evidencia que o iodo não deve ser considerado o agente responsável pelas tireopatias autoimunes em Santo André, e outros fatores ambientais devem ser investigados.Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Universidade de São Paulo Departamento de Clínica Médica Disciplina de EndocrinologiaUniversidade de São Paulo (USP) Faculdade de Medicina Departamento de Saúde da Coletividade da Faculdade de Medicina da Fundação ABCUniversidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP) Departamento d Medicina, Escola Paulista de Medicina Disciplina de EndocrinologiaUNIFESP, Depto. d Medicina, Escola Paulista de Medicina Disciplina de EndocrinologiaSciEL

Control of mammalian locomotion by ventral spinocerebellar tract neurons

Locomotion is a complex behavior required for animal survival. Vertebrate locomotion depends on spinal interneurons termed the central pattern generator (CPG), which generates activity responsible for the alternation of flexor and extensor muscles and the left and right side of the body. It is unknown whether multiple or a single neuronal type is responsible for the control of mammalian locomotion. Here, we show that ventral spinocerebellar tract neurons (VSCTs) drive generation and maintenance of locomotor behavior in neonatal and adult mice. Using mouse genetics, physiological, anatomical, and behavioral assays, we demonstrate that VSCTs exhibit rhythmogenic properties and neuronal circuit connectivity consistent with their essential role in the locomotor CPG. Importantly, optogenetic activation and chemogenetic silencing reveals that VSCTs are necessary and sufficient for locomotion. These findings identify VSCTs as critical components for mammalian locomotion and provide a paradigm shift in our understanding of neural control of complex behaviors

Development of a screening tool enabling identification of infants and toddlers at risk for family abuse and neglect : A feasibility study from three South European countries

Background: Child abuse is a health and social problem, and few screening instruments are available for the detection of risk in primary health care. The aim was to develop a screening instrument to be used by professionals in the public health care sector, thus enabling the detection of infants and toddlers at risk of emotional and physical abuse and neglect, and to provide evidence for the feasibility of the instrument in Cyprus, Greece and Spain. Method: A total of 50 health professionals from paediatric public health-care centres in the three countries were involved in a three-step process for guiding the development of the screening tool and its application. Results: A nine-item screening tool, consisting of items assessing relational emotional abuse, physical abuse and other risk factors, was developed. The screening tool was applied on a total of 219 families with 0 to 3-year-old children attending public health centres in the three countries. Clinicians reported that they agreed on the inclusion of the questions (86.4-100%) and that they found the questions to be useful for the clinical evaluation of the family (63.2-100%). Conclusion: The screening tool shows considerable face validity and was reported feasible by an international set of clinician

Throphic ecology of lizard Stenocercus modestus(Squamata: Tropiduridae) in a urban area, Lima, Peru

Stenocercus modestus es una especie endémica del Desierto Costero del departamento de Lima, y enfrenta importantes amenazas a la conservación de sus poblaciones. Evaluamos la dieta de esta especie mediante el análisis del contenido estomacal de 17 individuos. La dieta de S. modestusestá compuesta principalmente por insectos, siendo los ítems alimentarios más importantes los coleópteros, arañas e himenópteros. La la-gartija S. modestuspresenta una dieta generalista, a juzgar por la considerable amplitud de su nicho trófico.The lizard Stenocercus modestusis an endemic specie of coastal desert of the department of Lima, and faces important threats to the conservation of its population. We evaluated the diet of this specie through the analy-sis of the stomach content of 17 individuals. The diet of S. modestusis primarily composed by insects, being the coleopterans, spiders and hymenopterans, the most important eating items. The lizard S. modestuswould present a general diet, judging by the considerable amplitude of its trophic niche

Towards the effective potential of the Littlest Higgs model

We compute the relevant parameters of the combined Higgs and \phi scalar effective potential in the Littlest Higgs (LH) model. These parameters are obtained as the sum of two kind of contributions. The first one is the one-loop radiative corrections coming from fermions and gauge bosons. The second one is obtained at the tree level from the higher order effective operators needed for the ultraviolet completion of the model. Finally we analyze the restrictions that the requirement of reproducing the standard electroweak symmetry breaking of the SM set on the LH model parameters.Comment: 23 pages, 3 figures. Version accepted in EPJ

Plan de negocios para la creaci?n de un call center de cobranzas enfocado en desarrollar una cultura organizacional que reduzca los altos ?ndices de rotaci?n maximizando los niveles de productividad

El presente trabajo tiene como objetivo crear una empresa de call center de cobranzas. A trav?s, de la investigaci?n te?rica y estudios cuantitativos se pudo validar la problem?tica de la rotaci?n y la cultura organizacional en los call center de cobranzas. As? tambi?n, a trav?s de estudios cualitativos como entrevistas, encuestas y focus group se pudo determinar o identificar los principales atributos y caracter?sticas que los clientes valoran al momento de contratar una empresa de call center. Se desarrollaron estrategias que pretende eliminar la brecha que existe entre lo que los clientes desean versus lo que el mercado ofrece. La estrategia de recursos humanos desarrolla una cultura organizacional de clan y mercado para retener al personal y elevar la productividad. La estrategia de marketing plantea un precio similar a la competencia, pero con un servicio diferenciado, por los altos niveles de productividad esperados. As? mismo, la estrategia operativa desarrollada permite identificar los procesos cr?ticos que deber?n ser monitoreados y auditados para evitar fallos que pudieran causar insatisfacci?n de los clientes. Con las estrategias definidas se eval?an los costos e ingresos mediante la evaluaci?n econ?mica que resulta con VAN positivo, que indica que el presente plan de negocios es viable

Qualidade de vida de idosos hipertensos e diabéticos em um serviço ambulatorial

Modelo do estudo: Estudo populacional descritivo, de corte transversal. Objetivo: Avaliar a qualidade de vida de pacientes idosos hipertensos e diabéticos em um ambulatório de um hospital universitário no interior do Estado de São Paulo, Brasil. Metodologia: Estudo realizado em um ambulatório de Geriatria, em São José do Rio Preto, envolvendo 62 pacientes idosos com pressão arterial elevada e/ou diabetes mellitus, atendidos no período de dezembro de 2009 a fevereiro de 2010. Os dados foram coletados com o WHOQOL-OLD, analisados com o Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software, com testes Mann-Whitney e Kruskal-Wallis não paramétricos e correlação de Pearson, o nível de significância foi ajustado para um valor de p&lt;0,05. Resultados: 38 (61,3%) idosos eram hipertensos e 23 (37,1%) diabéticos. A idade dos idosos foi de 67±7 (média, DP). Houve prevalência do sexo feminino (58 %), ensino fundamental (87,1%), casados (56,5%), profissões ligadas ao setor de serviços (56,4%), renda de 1 salário mínimo (66,1%) e morando com esposo(a) (58,1%). O maior escore mediano (75,0) foi encontrado nas facetas "Atividades passadas, presentes e futuras", "Participação social", "Morte e morrer" e "Intimidade". A faceta "Autonomia" apresentou o menor escore, correspondendo a 62,5. Os idosos hipertensos tiveram escore inferior aos diabéticos na faceta do "Funcionamento Sensório" (62,2 vs. 73,6, respectivamente). Conclusão: Os idosos apresentaram qualidade de vida inferior na faceta "Autonomia" e melhor qualidade para as facetas "Atividades passadas, presentes e futuras", "Participa- ção social", "Morte e morrer" e "Intimidade". Não houve diferença na qualidade de vida entre diabéticos ou hipertensos, exceto por tendência a menor "Funcionamento do sensório" entre os hipertensosModel of study: The study design was a populational, cross-sectional and descriptive. Objective: To evaluate the quality of life of high blood pressure and diabetic elderly outpatients of a teaching hospital in the interior of Sao Paulo State, Brazil. Methodology: The study was done in a Geriatrics Outpatient Service in São José do Rio Preto, involved 62 elderly patients with high blood pressure and/or diabetes mellitus treated in the period from December 2009 to February 2010. The data were collected with the WHOQOL-OLD, analyzed with the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software, with tests Mann-Whitney, Kruskal-Wallis non-parametric and Pearson's correlation; the level of significance was set to a value of p&lt;0.05. Results: A total of 38 elderly patients studied (61.3%) have high blood pressure, and 23 (37.1%) were diabetics. The age was 67±7 (mean, SD). Characteristics of the sample studied were: female (58.1%), elementary school (87.1%), married status (56.4%), professions linked to the sector of services (56.4%), the income of 1 minimum wage (66.1%) and living with the spouse (58.1%). The highest median score (75.0) was found in the facets "Past, present and future" "Activities", "Social participation", "Death and dying" and "Intimacy". The facet "Autonomy" showed the lowest scoring of 62.5. The elderly with high blood pressure had a lower score compared to patients with diabetes in "Sensory Functioning" facet (62.17 versus 73.64, respectively). Conclusion: The elderly showed a lower quality of life in the "Autonomy" and best quality for facets: "Past, present and future", "Activities", "Social participation", "Death and dying" and "Intimacy". There was not difference in the quality of life among elderly with diabetes and high blood pressure patients, except for a tendency to lower "Sensory Functioning" facet in high blood pressure patient

ASPASIA: A toolkit for evaluating the effects of biological interventions on SBML model behavior

<div><p>A calibrated computational model reflects behaviours that are expected or observed in a complex system, providing a baseline upon which sensitivity analysis techniques can be used to analyse pathways that may impact model responses. However, calibration of a model where a behaviour depends on an intervention introduced after a defined time point is difficult, as model responses may be dependent on the conditions at the time the intervention is applied. We present ASPASIA (Automated Simulation Parameter Alteration and SensItivity Analysis), a cross-platform, open-source Java toolkit that addresses a key deficiency in software tools for understanding the impact an intervention has on system behaviour for models specified in Systems Biology Markup Language (SBML). ASPASIA can generate and modify models using SBML solver output as an initial parameter set, allowing interventions to be applied once a steady state has been reached. Additionally, multiple SBML models can be generated where a subset of parameter values are perturbed using local and global sensitivity analysis techniques, revealing the model’s sensitivity to the intervention. To illustrate the capabilities of ASPASIA, we demonstrate how this tool has generated novel hypotheses regarding the mechanisms by which Th17-cell plasticity may be controlled <i>in vivo</i>. By using ASPASIA in conjunction with an SBML model of Th17-cell polarisation, we predict that promotion of the Th1-associated transcription factor T-bet, rather than inhibition of the Th17-associated transcription factor ROR<i>γ</i>t, is sufficient to drive switching of Th17 cells towards an IFN-<i>γ</i>-producing phenotype. Our approach can be applied to all SBML-encoded models to predict the effect that intervention strategies have on system behaviour. ASPASIA, released under the Artistic License (2.0), can be downloaded from <a href="http://www.york.ac.uk/ycil/software" target="_blank">http://www.york.ac.uk/ycil/software</a>.</p></div