The Problem of Matter Stability in the Nambu--Jona-Lasinio Model

We reinvestigate the conditions for stable matter solutions in the Nambu--Jona-Lasinio (NJL) model. In mean field approximation the NJL model can be regarded as an extension of the Walecka mean field model to include negative energy fermion states. While this extension is necessary to allow for a chiral phase transition, it was found some time ago that at the same time it destroys the wanted saturation properties of the Walecka model. We reformulate this problem in terms of the thermodynamic potential and find that there is indeed a connection between these two features. We show that the minimum of the thermodynamic potential which corresponds to stable nuclear matter in the Walecka model is shifted from a finite to zero effective fermion mass in the chiral NJL model. This shift is closely related to the chiral phase transition. Under certain conditions the shifted minima may still lead to stable matter solutions but only in the chirally restored phase. We discuss a possible interpretation of these solutions as a schematic bag model description.Comment: 21 pages, LaTeX, 5 postscript figures, Nucl. Phys. A, in pres

B=1 Soliton of the Nambu - Jona-Lasinio model in medium}

The solitonic sector of the Nambu - Jona-Lasinio model with baryon number one is solved in the presence of an external medium. The calculations fully include the polarization of both the Dirac sea and the medium as well as the Pauli blocking effect. We found that with an increasing density the medium destabilizes the soliton. At finite medium density the soliton mass gets reduced whereas the mean square baryon radius shows an increase - a swelling of the soliton. At some critical density of about two times nuclear matter density there is no localized solution - the soliton disappears.Comment: PHYSTEX, 14 pages, 5 figures (available upon request), Preprint RUB-TPII-26/9

A simple mathematical model for anomalous diffusion via Fisher's information theory

Starting with the relative entropy based on a previously proposed entropy function $S_q[p]=\int dx p(x)(-\ln p(x))^q$, we find the corresponding Fisher's information measure. After function redefinition we then maximize the Fisher information measure with respect to the new function and obtain a differential operator that reduces to a space coordinate second derivative in the $q\to 1$ limit. We then propose a simple differential equation for anomalous diffusion and show that its solutions are a generalization of the functions in the Barenblatt-Pattle solution. We find that the mean squared displacement, up to a $q$-dependent constant, has a time dependence according to $\sim K^{1/q}t^{1/q}$, where the parameter $q$ takes values $q=\frac{2n-1}{2n+1}$ (superdiffusion) and $q=\frac{2n+1}{2n-1}$ (subdiffusion), $\forall n\geq 1$.Comment: 13 pages,3 figure

Iron salt supplementation during gestation and gestational diabetes mellitus

OBJETIVE: To evaluate the association between the use of iron salts during the first two trimesters of gestation in non-anemic women and the development of gestational diabetes mellitus. METHODS: The study used maternal data from the 2015 Pelotas Birth Cohort. All non-anemic women at the 24th week of gestation (n = 2,463) were eligible for this study. Gestational diabetes mellitus was self-reported by women. Crude and adjusted logistic regression were performed considering level of significance = 0.05. RESULTS: Among the women studied, 69.7% were exposed to prophylactic iron supplementation in the first two trimesters of gestation. The prevalence of gestational diabetes mellitus among those exposed was 8.7% (95%CI: 7.4–10.1) and 9.3% (95%CI: 7.4–11.6) among those who were not exposed. Iron supplementation was not associated with increased risk of gestational diabetes mellitus in crude (OR = 0.9; 95%CI: 0,7–1,3) and adjusted analysis (OR = 1.1; 95%CI :0,8–1,6). CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that routine iron use in non-anemic pregnant women does not increase the risk of developing gestational diabetes. This evidence supports the existing national and international guidelines, in which prophylactic iron supplementation is recommended for all pregnant women as soon as they initiate antenatal care in order to prevent iron deficiency anemia

Kerr nonlinearity mitigation in 5 × 28-GBd PDM 16-QAM signal transmission over a dispersion-uncompensated link with backward-pumped distributed Raman amplification

International audienceWe present experimental and numerical investigations of Kerr nonlinearity compensation in a 400-km standard single-mode fiber link with distributed Raman amplification with backward pumping. A dual-pump polarization-independent fiber-based optical parametric amplifier is used for mid-link spectral inversion of 5 × 28-GBd polarization-multiplexed 16-QAM signals. Signal quality factor (Q-factor) improvements of 1.1 dB and 0.8 dB were obtained in the cases of a single-channel and a five-channel wavelength-division multiplexing (WDM) system, respectively. The experimental results are compared to numerical simulations with good agreement. It is also shown with simulations that a maximum transmission reach of 2400 km enabled by the optical phase conjugator is possible for the WDM signal

Spring Commencement, 2017

Program for the One Hundred Eightieth Commencement of Marshall University

Medication use among pregnant women from the 2015 Pelotas (Brazil) birth cohort study

Background: Medication use during pregnancy is a common practice that has been increasing in recent years. The aim of this study is to describe medication use among pregnant women from the 2015 Pelotas (Brazil) Birth Cohort Study. Methods: This paper relies on a population-based cohort study including 4270 women. Participants completed a questionnaire about the antenatal period, including information about medication use. We performed descriptive analyses of the sample and the medications used and adjusted analyses for the use of medications and self-medication. Results: The prevalence of medication use was 92.5% (95% CI 91.7–93.3), excluding iron salts, folic acid, vitamins, and other minerals. The prevalence of self-medication was 27.7% (95% CI 26.3–29.1). In the adjusted analysis, women who had three or more health problems during pregnancy demonstrated higher use of medicines. Self-medication was higher in lower income groups and among smokers and multiparous women (three pregnancies or more). Acetaminophen, scopolamine, and dimenhydrinate were the medications most commonly used. Conclusions: This study describes the pattern of drug use among pregnant women in a population-based cohort study, with a high prevalence of self-medication. Greater awareness of the risks of self-medication during pregnancy is required, focusing on groups more prone to this practice, as well as ensuring qualified multidisciplinary prenatal care

Suplementação de ácido fólico na gestação e sintomas depressivos pós-parto

OBJECTIVE: To verify whether folic acid supplementation during pregnancy is associated with the occurrence of maternal depressive symptoms at three months postpartum, in the 2015 Pelotas Birth Cohort. METHODS: This study included 4,046 women, who were classified into three groups: did not use folic acid supplementation during pregnancy; used during only one trimester of pregnancy; and used for two or three trimesters. Depressive symptoms were assessed at three months postpartum using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS), at cutoff points ≥ 10 (mild symptoms) and ≥ 13 (moderate to severe intensity). RESULTS: The overall prevalence of mild symptoms was of 20.2% (95%CI 19.0–21.5), and moderate and severe was 11% (95%CI 10.0–12.0). The prevalence of EPDS ≥ 10 was of 26.8% (95%CI 24.0–29.5) among women who did not use folic acid and 18.1% for both those who used it during one trimester of pregnancy (95%CI 16.1–20.1) and those who used it for two or three trimesters (95%CI 16.0–20.2). The prevalence of EPDS ≥ 13 was of 15.7% (95%CI 13.5–17.9) in those who did not use folic acid, 9.1% (95%CI 7.5–10.6) in those who used it for one trimester, and 9.4% (95%CI 7.8–11.0) in those who used it for two or three trimesters. In the adjusted analyses, there was no statistically significant association between the use of folic acid during pregnancy and the occurrence of depressive symptoms at three months postpartum. CONCLUSION: Th ere w as n o a ssociation b etween f olic a cid s upplementation d uring pregnancy and postpartum depression at three months.OBJETIVO: Verificar se a suplementação de ácido fólico durante a gestação está associada com a ocorrência de sintomas depressivos maternos aos três meses pós-parto, na Coorte de Nascimentos de Pelotas de 2015. MÉTODOS: Este estudo incluiu 4.046 mulheres, que foram classificadas em três grupos: sem suplementação de ácido fólico na gestação; uso durante apenas um trimestre da gestação; e uso durante dois ou três trimestres. Os sintomas depressivos foram avaliados aos três meses pós-parto, através da Escala de Depressão Pós-Natal de Edimburgo (EPDS), nos pontos de corte ≥ 10 (sintomas leves) e ≥ 13 (intensidade moderada a grave). RESULTADOS: A prevalência geral de sintomas leves foi de 20,2% (IC95% 19,0–21,5), e moderados e graves de 11% (IC95% 10,0–12,0). Entre as mulheres que não fizeram uso de ácido fólico, a prevalência de EPDS ≥ 10 foi de 26,8% (IC95% 24,0–29,5) e 18,1% tanto entre as que utilizaram durante um trimestre da gestação (IC95% 16,1–20,1), quanto entre as que utilizaram por dois ou três trimestres (IC95% 16,0–20,2). Já a prevalência de EPDS ≥ 13 foi 15,7% (IC95% 13,5–17,9) entre as que não utilizaram ácido fólico, 9,1% (IC95% 7,5–10,6) entre as que utilizaram durante um trimestre e 9,4% (IC95% 7,8–11,0) entre as que utilizaram por dois ou três trimestres. Nas análises ajustadas, não houve associação estatisticamente significativa entre o uso de ácido fólico na gestação e a ocorrência de sintomas depressivos aos três meses pós-parto. CONCLUSÃO: Não se observou associação entre a suplementação de ácido fólico na gestação e depressão pós-parto aos três meses

A new remarkable Early Cretaceous nelumbonaceous fossil bridges the gap between herbaceous aquatic and woody protealeans

Dating back to the late Early Cretaceous, the macrofossil record of the iconic lotus family (Nelumbonaceae) is one of the oldest of flowering plants and suggests that their unmistakable leaves and nutlets embedded in large pitted receptacular fruits evolved relatively little in the 100 million years since their first known appearance. Here we describe a new fossil from the late Barremian/Aptian Crato Formation flora (NE Brazil) with both vegetative and reproductive structures, Notocyamus hydrophobus gen. nov. et sp. nov., which is now the oldest and most complete fossil record of Nelumbonaceae. In addition, it displays a unique mosaic of ancestral and derived macro- and micromorphological traits that has never been documented before in this family. This new Brazilian fossil-species also provides a rare illustration of the potential morphological and anatomical transitions experienced by Nelumbonaceae prior to a long period of relative stasis. Its potential plesiomorphic and apomorphic features shared with Proteaceae and Platanaceae not only fill a major morphological gap within Proteales but also provide new support for their unexpected relationships first suggested by molecular phylogenies