Graviton confinement inside hypermonopoles of any dimension

We show the generic existence of metastable massive gravitons in the four-dimensional core of self-gravitating hypermonopoles in any number of infinite-volume extra-dimensions. Confinement is observed for Higgs and gauge bosons couplings of the order unity. Provided these resonances are light enough, they realise the Dvali-Gabadadze-Porrati mechanism by inducing a four-dimensional gravity law on some intermediate length scales. The effective four-dimensional Planck mass is shown to be proportional to a negative power of the graviton mass. As a result, requiring gravity to be four-dimensional on cosmological length scales may solve the mass hierarchy problem.Comment: 23 pages, 6 figures, uses iopart. Misprints corrected, references added, matches published versio

Levantamento de espécies de plantas daninhas na cultura do pinhão manso em Maringá, PR

Jatropha curcas growth, like any other crop, depends on adequate management. However, there is little information about weed interference on the growth and control of this crop. This study aimed to identify the floristic composition of weeds in a J. curcas cultivation area in Maringá (Paraná, Brazil). The study was carried out in an area of 600 m2, where spacing between plants was 3 x 2 m. For the identification and quantification of weeds, we applied the method of inventory square.  Calculated parameters were: frequency, relative frequency, density, relative density, abundance, relative abundance and relative importance index. We identified 27 species of weeds, inserted in 12 families, that is, 10 dicotyledons and 02  monocotyledons. Among the dicotyledons, Asteraceae presented the highest number of weed species, with nine species. Bidens pilosa L. showed the highest relative importance index (Rii), 58,33  in the first sampling and 44,53 in the second one, followed by Thidax procumbens L., with Rii 8,13 in the first sampling and 7,09 in the second one.A produção de pinhão manso assim como de outras plantas depende do manejo adequado da cultura. Poucas são as informações a respeito da interferência de plantas daninhas na cultura e seu controle.  Assim, o presente trabalho teve como objetivo identificar a composição florística de plantas daninhas na cultura de pinhão manso em Maringá, Paraná. Este trabalho foi realizado em uma área  de 600 m2. O espaçamento entre as plantas foi de 3x2 m. Para a identificação e quantificação de plantas daninhas foi aplicado o método do quadrado inventário. Foram calculados: freqüência, freqüência relativa, densidade, densidade relativa, abundância, abundância relativa e o índice de importância relativa. Foram identificados 27 espécies, distribuídas em 12 famílias, sendo 10 dicotiledôneas e 02 monocotiledôneas. Entre as dicotiledôneas, a Asteraceae apresentou registrou maior número de espécies infestantes com nove espécies. Bidens pilosa L. apresentou maior índice de importância relativa (IIr), 58,33 na primeira coleta e 44,53 na segunda coleta, seguido por Tridax procumbens L. com IIr de 8,13 e 7,09 na primeira e segunda coleta, respectivamente

Definition of a time variable with Entropy of a perfect fluid in Canonical Quantum Gravity

The Brown-Kuchar mechanism is applied in the case of General Relativity coupled with the Schutz model for a perfect fluid. Using the canonical formalism and manipulating the set of modified constraints one is able to recover the definition of a time evolution operator, i.e. a physical Hamiltonian, expressed as a functional of gravitational variables and the entropy.Comment: 13 pages, no figures. To be published in Classical and Quantum Gravity. v2: major change

Prevalence of celiac disease among blood donors in Sao Paulo - the most populated city in Brazil

OBJECTIVE: Celiac disease is a permanent enteropathy caused by the ingestion of gluten, which leads to an immune-mediated inflammation of the small intestine mucosa. The prevalence of celiac disease varies among different nations and ethnic backgrounds, and its diversity is determined by genetic and environmental factors. Sao Paulo city is one of the largest cities in the world, with a vast population and an important history of internal migratory flow from other Brazilian regions, as well as immigration from other, primarily European, countries, resulting in significant miscegenation. The aim of the present study was to estimate the prevalence of adults with undiagnosed celiac disease among blood donors of Sao Paulo by collecting information on the ancestry of the population studied. METHODS: The prevalence of celiac disease was assessed by screening for positive IgA transglutaminase and IgA endomysium antibodies in 4,000 donors (volunteers) in the Fundacao Pro-Sangue Blood Center of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil. The antibody-positive subjects were asked to undergo a small bowel biopsy. RESULTS: Of the 4,000 subjects, twenty-four had positive tests, although both antibody tests were not always concordant. For example, ten subjects were positive for IgA tissue transglutaminase only. In twenty-one positive patients, duodenal biopsies were performed, and the diagnosis of celiac disease was confirmed in fourteen patients (Marsh criteria modified by Oberhuber). In this group, 67% claimed to have European ancestry, mainly from Italy, Portugal and Spain. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of celiac disease is at least 1: 286 among supposedly healthy blood bank volunteers in Sao Paulo, Brazil

Carnitine palmitoyl transferase-1A (CPT1A): A new tumor specific target in human breast cancer

Transcriptional mechanisms epigenetically-regulated in tumoral tissues point out new targets for anti-cancer therapies. Carnitine palmitoyl transferase I (CPT1) is the rate-limiting enzyme in the transport of long-chain fatty acids for β-oxidation. Here we identified the tumor specific nuclear CPT1A as a product of the transcript variant 2, that doesn't retain the classical transferase activity and is strongly involved in the epigenetic regulation of cancer pro-survival, cell death escaping and tumor invasion pathways. The knockdown of CPT1A variant 2 by small interfering RNAs (siRNAs), was sufficient to induce apoptosis in MCF-7, SK-BR3 and MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells. The cell death triggered by CPT1A silencing correlated with reduction of HDAC activity and histone hyperacetylation. Docking experiments and molecular dynamics simulations confirmed an high binding affinity of the variant 2 for HDAC1. The CPT1A silenced cells showed an up-regulated transcription of pro-apoptotic genes (BAD, CASP9, COL18A1) and down-modulation of invasion and metastasis related-genes (TIMP-1, PDGF-A, SERPINB2). These findings provide evidence of the CPT1 variant 2 involvement in breast cancer survival, cell death escape and invasion. Thus, we propose nuclear CPT1A as a striking tumor specific target for anticancer therapeutics, more selective and effective as compared with the well-known HDAC inhibitors