Dimension-8 SMEFT Analysis of Minimal Scalar Field Extensions of the Standard Model

We analyze the constraints obtainable from present data using the Standard Model Effective Field Theory (SMEFT) on extensions of the Standard Model with additional electroweak singlet or triplet scalar fields. We compare results obtained using only contributions that are linear in dimension-6 operator coefficients with those obtained including terms quadratic in these coefficients as well as contributions that are linear in dimension-8 operator coefficients. We also implement theoretical constraints arising from the stability of the electroweak vacuum and perturbative unitarity. Analyzing the models at the dimension-8 level constrains scalar couplings that are not bounded at the dimension-6 level. The strongest experimental constraints on the singlet model are provided by Higgs coupling measurements, whereas electroweak precision observables provide the strongest constraints on the triplet model. In the singlet model the present di-Higgs constraints already play a significant role. We find that the current constraints on model parameters are already competitive with those anticipated from future di- and tri-Higgs measurements. We compare our results with calculations in the full model, exhibiting the improvements when higher-order SMEFT terms are included. We also identify regions in parameter space where the SMEFT approximation appears to break down. We find that the combination of current constraints with the theoretical bounds still admits regions where the SMEFT approach is not valid, particularly for lower scalar boson masses.Comment: 66 Pages, 14 Figures, 4 Table

Cuadro de mando integral en el sector público: caso de estudio la Gendarmería Nacional Argentina

This research is aimed at verifying the feasibility of applying the Balanced Scorecard (CMI) to the management of resources in the Argentine National Gendarmerie (GNA), as a tool capable of converting the vision and strategies to the organization, communicating and relate objectives and indicators to achieve administrative efficiency. To achieve this, a mixed methodology (qualitative, quantitative, and descriptive) was used, based on the theoretical references linked to the CMI, the analysis of the administration of the Force, the budget, the organizational climate, and the concept of citizens about the GNA. The samples were collected in three phases: in the first, the documentary analysis linked to the management and the available bibliography was carried out; in the second, interviews with senior officers, about knowledge about the instrument; staff survey to inquire about the organizational climate and lastly, an opinion survey of citizens benefiting from the GNA service; the third phase was designed from the BSC prototype applied to the Institution. The validation of the instruments was carried out through the Cronbach's Alpha Coefficient. It is appreciated that the application of this tool is feasible and that it can provide information in a timely manner to monitor activities, prioritize projects, measure the trajectory of the use of resources, align work, facilitate internal communications, and make appropriate decisions in search for efficiency in the use of resources. La presente investigación está orientada a verificar la viabilidad de aplicar el Cuadro de Mando Integral (CMI) a la gestión de los recursos en la Gendarmería Nacional Argentina (GNA), como herramienta capaz de convertir la visión y las estrategias a la organización, comunicar y relacionar objetivos e indicadores con el propósito de alcanzar la eficiencia administrativa. Para lograrlo se recurrió a la metodología mixta (cualitativa, cuantitativa y descriptiva), en función a las referencias teóricas vinculadas al CMI, el análisis de la administración de la Fuerza, el presupuesto, el clima organizacional y el concepto de los ciudadanos sobre la GNA. Las muestras fueron colectadas en tres fases: en la primera se realizó el análisis documental vinculado a la gestión y la bibliografía disponible; en la segunda, entrevistas a los oficiales superiores, sobre el conocimiento sobre el instrumento; encuesta al personal para indagar sobre el clima organizacional y, por último,  una encuesta de opinión a los ciudadanos beneficiarios del servicio de la GNA; la tercera fase se diseñó del prototipo de CMI aplicado a la Institución. La validación de los instrumentos se realizó a través del Coeficiente de Alfa de Cronbach. Se aprecia que es viable la aplicación de esta herramienta y que puede aportar información en tiempo y oportunidad para monitorear las actividades, priorizar los proyectos, medir la trayectoria del uso de los recursos, alinear el trabajo, facilitar las comunicaciones internas y tomar adecuadas decisiones en búsqueda de la eficiencia en la utilización de los recursos.   Palabras clave: Gendarmería Nacional Argentina, Gestión pública, CMI integral, Presupuesto, Eficiencia. &nbsp

Effect of light stress and concentrations of nitrogen and carbon in the production of phytonutrients in the microalga Scenedesmus obliquus (Chlorophyceae, Chlorococcales)

Under stress conditions microalgae produce phytonutrients. However, it is necessary to determine the environmentalconditions that stimulate phytonutrient biosynthesis. We evaluate growth kinetic models and the influence of sodium nitrateand sodium acetate concentrations, as well as the irradiance in the production of total carotenoids, total phenols and proteinsin culture of Scenedesmus obliquus (Turpin) Kützing. The microalga was cultivated in Arnon medium in bioreactors with a 16:8light-darkness photoperiod. When the stationary phase was reached, sodium acetate (0, 2.5, 5 g/L) and sodium nitrate (0.27,44.00, 87.73 g/L) were incorporated and the irradiance [36.7, 69.5, 102.3 µmol/(m2s)] was modified to generate stressconditions. Growth was successfully predicted by the Gompertz model. The maximum content of protein was 4.92 mg/g dwcand of total phenols was 2.31 mg/g dwc using 2.5 g/L sodium acetate, 44 g/L sodium nitrate and irradiance of 65.9 µmol/(m2s).The maximum production of total carotenoids was 374.30 mg -carotene/g dwc with 5 g/L of sodium acetate, 0.27 g/L ofsodium nitrate and irradiance of 65.9 µmol/(m2s). The results showed that this microalga has potential application in the foodindustry in order to improve its nutritional and functional properties.Fil: Zapata, Luz Marina. Universidad Nacional de Entre Rios. Facultad de Ciencias de la Alimentacion. Laboratorio de Análisis de Metales En Alimentos y Otros Sustratos.; ArgentinaFil: Jimenez Veuthey, Mariana. Universidad Nacional de Entre Rios. Facultad de Ciencias de la Alimentacion. Laboratorio de Análisis de Metales En Alimentos y Otros Sustratos.; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Zampedri, Patricia Andrea. Universidad Nacional de Entre Rios. Facultad de Ciencias de la Alimentacion. Laboratorio de Análisis de Metales En Alimentos y Otros Sustratos.; ArgentinaFil: Flores, Agustina. Universidad Nacional de Entre Rios. Facultad de Ciencias de la Alimentacion. Laboratorio de Análisis de Metales En Alimentos y Otros Sustratos.; ArgentinaFil: Zampedri, Carolina Ayelen. Universidad Nacional de Entre Rios. Facultad de Ciencias de la Alimentacion. Laboratorio de Análisis de Metales En Alimentos y Otros Sustratos.; ArgentinaFil: Chabrillón, Guillermina. Universidad Nacional de Entre Rios. Facultad de Ciencias de la Alimentacion. Laboratorio de Análisis de Metales En Alimentos y Otros Sustratos.; Argentin

Eff ects of Irradiance and Diff erent Nitrogen and Carbon Concentrations on the Minerals Accumulation in Scenedesmus obliquus Biomass

Microalgae are capable of absorbing and concentrating constituent elements that have a wide variety of applications in agriculture, food industry, and medicine. Microalgae chemical composition change according to internal and external factors. In this study, the effect of irradiance, sodium nitrate and sodium acetate concentration on the accumulation of essential minerals in Scenedesmus obliquus biomass were evaluated using 23 factorial screening designs. The simultaneous effect of the three experimental factors was studied using three levels for each parameter (irradiance: 36.71, 69.50, 102.30 μE m-2 s-1, sodium nitrate: 0.27, 44.00, 87.73 g L-1 and sodium acetate: 0.00, 2.50, 5.02 g L-1). The response variables were the minerals concentration of Na, K, Ca, Mg, Fe, Zn and Mn. Results show that each mineral has an optimal operation condition in order to improve its concentration in the microalgae biomass. A signifi cant interaction between the variables was observed, which has direct effects on the minerals accumulation in the microalgae biomass. Under these conditions, the maximum concentration of K (1515.77 [mg (100gdw)-1]), Ca (2744.24 [mg (100gdw)-1]), Mg (9697.65 [mg (100gdw)-1]), Fe (2932.42 [mg (100gdw)-1]), Mn (38.48 [mg (100gdw)-1]), Zn (324.00 [mg (100gdw)-1]) and the minimum concentration of Na (5607.20 [mg (100gdw)- 1 ]) were obtained from the microalga biomass. Thus, Scenedesmus obliquus biomass was characterized as good essential mineral source and confi rmed to be potentially valuable ingredient for utilization in the food industry.Fil: Jimenez Veuthey, Mariana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas. Centro Cientifico Tecnologico Conicet - Santa Fe. Instituto de Ciencia y Tecnologia de Los Alimentos de Entre Rios. - Universidad Nacional de Entre Rios. Instituto de Ciencia y Tecnologia de Los Alimentos de Entre Rios.; ArgentinaFil: Zapata, Luz Marina. Universidad Nacional de Entre Ríos. Facultad de Ciencias de la Alimentación; ArgentinaFil: Vezzosi Zoto, Gina Fiorella. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas. Centro Cientifico Tecnologico Conicet - Santa Fe. Instituto de Ciencia y Tecnologia de Los Alimentos de Entre Rios. - Universidad Nacional de Entre Rios. Instituto de Ciencia y Tecnologia de Los Alimentos de Entre Rios.; ArgentinaFil: Sacks, Natalia Agustina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas. Centro Cientifico Tecnologico Conicet - Santa Fe. Instituto de Ciencia y Tecnologia de Los Alimentos de Entre Rios. - Universidad Nacional de Entre Rios. Instituto de Ciencia y Tecnologia de Los Alimentos de Entre Rios.; ArgentinaFil: Flores, Agustina. Universidad Nacional de Entre Ríos. Facultad de Ciencias de la Alimentación; ArgentinaFil: Zampedri, Patricia Andrea. Universidad Nacional de Entre Ríos. Facultad de Ciencias de la Alimentación; ArgentinaFil: Zampedri, Carolina Ayelen. Universidad Nacional de Entre Ríos. Facultad de Ciencias de la Alimentación; Argentin

Suolo, humipedon e gestione forestale

Forest soil is a living and important part of the forest. It is essential for the development and reproduction of plants and for the evolution of the entire ecosystem. Proper management of the forest must also take into account the vitality and biodiversity of the soil. Due to an erroneous and non-biological conception of soil, and consequent difficulty in linking the physical aspect to the biological functioning of this complex ecosystem, the official soil classification of the last 30 years has abandoned the original link with climate, vegetation and the ecology of the environment in which soil evolves and coexists. In recent years the soil profile was divided into three sections (Humipedon, Copedon and Lithopedon), and it was then possible to link the first and most biological section of the soil to the characteristics of the environment and to its genesis. In particular, it is now possible to distinguish organic horizons generated essentially by arthropods and enchytraeids in cold and acidic or dry and arid environments, from organo-mineral horizons created by earthworms in more temperate and mesotrophic situations. Each set of horizons can be assigned to a system or form of humus, with important implications for forestry. For example, earthworms are more present in the early and late stages of sylvogenesis; by completely recycling the litter, they accelerate the provision of the organic and inorganic nutrients of the soil to the roots and the pedofauna. In general, it is now possible to associate a humus system with a given environment, with a spatial and temporal scale suitable for forest management. This paper promotes a more in-depth knowledge of the soil, to encourage foresters to take care of even half of the forest under their boot

Simulation by molecular dynamics of erbium-activated silica-titania glasses

Rare-earth doped silicate-based glasses are widely used in telecommunication technology. A limitation in the performance of active optical devices such as amplifier comes from the rare-earth clustering. Simulation methods give complementary informations to the spectroscopic usual investigations. We present a molecular dynamics simulation of a SiO2-TiO2:Er3+ system in varying its composition. Different distribution functions have been analyzed in order to have information about the clustering of erbium. To this purpose, the titanium distribution has been studied for concentration 7.8 and 15.7% Ti/(Ti + Si). We have simulated the structure of the system doped with 1 and 2.3 mol%. A calculation of the crystal field strength for the different kinds of erbium site has been interpreted in the light of the local structure. The important trend of erbium for clustering in our modeled system has been explained by the energetic requirements of the rare-earth

Plasma pNfH levels differentiate SBMA from ALS

Spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy (SBMA), known as Kennedy disease (KD), is a slowly progressive adult-onset X-linked neuromuscular disorder with no effective treatment. It is characterised by progressive limb and bulbar muscle weakness, associated with metabolic and endocrine alterations.1 2 SBMA is caused by the expansion of a CAG repeat in exon 1 of the androgen receptor (AR) gene; more than 37 repeats are pathogenic.1 While the genetic test is diagnostic, biomarkers would aid the initial differential diagnosis, and furthermore, there is a strong need for disease activity and progression markers to inform effective clinical trials design. Neurofilaments (Nfs), both light and heavy chains, are now becoming a widely accepted marker of neuronal damage and a prognostic biomarker for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and other neurodegenerative disease.3–7 Recently, plasma neurofilament light chain (NfL) levels were unexpectedly found not to be raised in patients with SBMA.8 This finding supports other lines of evidence, including an increase in plasma muscle damage markers, myopathic changes in biopsies and a series of genetic experiments in mouse models, that point to a primary myopathic involvement in SBMA.2 9 10 We here used the highly sensitive single molecule array (SIMOA) platform to investigate plasma levels of phosphorylated neurofilament heavy chain (pNfH), another well-established marker of neuronal damage, in patients with SBMA and in a rodent model of disease