6,135 research outputs found
Isolation of a Novel Phage with Activity against Streptococcus mutans Biofilms
peer-reviewedStreptococcus mutans is one of the principal agents of caries formation mainly, because of its ability to form biofilms at the tooth surface. Bacteriophages (phages) are promising antimicrobial agents that could be used to prevent or treat caries formation by S. mutans. The aim of this study was to isolate new S. mutans phages and to characterize their antimicrobial properties. A new phage, ɸAPCM01, was isolated from a human saliva sample. Its genome was closely related to the only two other available S. mutans phage genomes, M102 and M102AD. ɸAPCM01 inhibited the growth of S. mutans strain DPC6143 within hours in broth and in artificial saliva at multiplicity of infections as low as 2.5x10-5. In the presence of phage ɸAPCM01 the metabolic activity of a S. mutans biofilm was reduced after 24 h of contact and did not increased again after 48 h, and the live cells in the biofilm decreased by at least 5 log cfu/ml. Despite its narrow host range, this newly isolated S. mutans phage exhibits promising antimicrobial properties
Time-motion characteristics and physiological responses of small-sided games in elite youth players: The influence of player number and rule changes
The aim of this study was to examine acute physiological responses and time-motion characteristics associated with 4 soccer-specific small-sided game (SSG) formats (3 vs. 4 players, 3 vs. 3 players + floater, 5 vs. 6 players, and 5 vs. 5 players + floater) and 4 rule changes in elite youth soccer players. Sixteen male youth soccer players (mean ± SD: age = 15.6 ± 0.8 years, stature = 170.8 ± 6.6 cm, body mass = 67.5 ± 6.2 kg, and 20-m shuttle run estimated V̇2 max = 57.4 ± 3.7 ml·kg-1-min-1) participated in the study, in which heart rate (HR), rating of perceived exertion (RPE), blood lactate (La -), and time-motion characteristics were recorded. The rule change requiring extra sprint running had a greater effect on the time-motion characteristics than all other rule modifications but no effect on acute %HRmax, La-, and RPE. Rule changes had no effect on RPE. Fixed underload teams (i.e., lower number of players compared with the opponent team) recorded a significantly higher RPE compared with the fixed overload teams, although there were no differences in %HRmax and La-. The major practical findings are that subtle changes in SSGs playing rules can influence the physiological, perceptual, and time-motion responses in young elite soccer players. Rules that are related to a team's chances of scoring may improve player motivation and thereby increase training intensity during SSGs. There were no differences between fixed and variable formats in terms of physiological and perceptual responses, although both may provide useful technical-tactical training. Coaches should take care in designing different soccer SSGs as each rule or game format change may influence exercise intensity independently. © 2010 National Strength and Conditioning Association
The ISOPHOT-MAMBO survey of 3CR radio sources: Further evidence for the unified schemes
We present the complete set of ISOPHOT observations of 3CR radio galaxies and
quasars, which are contained in the ISO Data Archive, providing 75 mid- and
far-infrared spectral energy distributions (SEDs) between 5 and 200 micron. For
28 sources they are supplemented with MAMBO 1.2 mm observations and for 15
sources with new submillimetre data from the SCUBA archive.
We check the orientation-dependent unified scheme, in which the powerful FR2
narrow line galaxies are quasars viewed at high inclination, so that their
nuclei are hidden behind a dust torus intercepting the optical-ultraviolet AGN
radiation and reemitting it in the infrared. We find that (1) both the quasars
and the galaxies show a high mid- to far-infrared luminosity ratio typical for
powerful AGNs and (2) -- when matched in 178 MHz luminosity -- both show the
same ratio of isotropic far-infrared to isotropic 178 MHz lobe power.
Therefore, from our large sample investigated here we find strong evidence for
the orientation-dependent unification of the powerful FR2 galaxies with the
quasars.Comment: 16 pages, 7 figures, 3 tables, accepted by Astronomy & Astrophysic
Symmetries of the near horizon of a Black Hole by Group Theoretic methods
We use group theoretic methods to obtain the extended Lie point symmetries of
the quantum dynamics of a scalar particle probing the near horizon structure of
a black hole. Symmetries of the classical equations of motion for a charged
particle in the field of an inverse square potential and a monopole, in the
presence of certain model magnetic fields and potentials are also studied. Our
analysis gives the generators and Lie algebras generating the inherent
symmetries.Comment: To appear in Int. J. Mod. Phys.
Infrared to millimetre photometry of ultra-luminous IR galaxies: new evidence favouring a 3-stage dust model
Infrared to millimetre spectral energy distributions have been obtained for
41 bright ultra-luminous infrared galaxies. The observations were carried out
with ISOPHOT between 10 and 200 micron and supplemented for 16 sources with
SCUBA at 450 and 850 micron and with SEST at 1.3 mm. In addition, seven sources
were observed at 1.2 and 2.2 m with the 2.2 m telescope on Calar Alto.
These new SEDs represent the most complete set of infrared photometric
templates obtained so far on ULIRGs in the local universe.Comment: 23 pages, 11 figures, accepted for publication in Astronomy &
Astrophysic
Importance of native language in a population-based health survey among ethnic Chinese in Australia
Objective: To assess the impacts of survey languages on participation and representativeness of the study subjects in a health survey in a Chinese community in Australia
A Letter of Intent to Install a milli-charged Particle Detector at LHC P5
In this LOI we propose a dedicated experiment that would detect
"milli-charged" particles produced by pp collisions at LHC Point 5. The
experiment would be installed during LS2 in the vestigial drainage gallery
above UXC and would not interfere with CMS operations. With 300 fb of
integrated luminosity, sensitivity to a particle with charge
can be achieved for masses of GeV,
and charge for masses of GeV,
greatly extending the parameter space explored for particles with small charge
and masses above 100 MeV.Comment: 19 pages, 7 figure
Direct evidence of the receding `torus' around central nuclei of powerful radio sources
The presence of obscuring material (or a dusty `torus') in active galactic
nuclei (AGN) is central to the unification model for AGN. Two models, the
multi-population model for radio sources and the receding torus model, are
capable of describing observational properties of powerful radio galaxies and
radio quasars. Here, I study the changes of the opening angle of the obscuring
torus with radio luminosity at 151 MHz, [O III] emission-line luminosity and
cosmic epoch aiming to discriminate between two working models. An analytical
expression relating the half opening angle of the torus to the mean projected
linear sizes of double radio galaxies and quasars is derived. The sizes of
powerful double radio sources taken from the combined sample of 3CRR, 6CE and
7CR complete samples are used to estimate the torus opening angle. I found a
statistically significant correlation between the half opening angle of the
torus and [O III] emission-line luminosity. The opening angle increases from 20
to 60 degrees with increasing [O III] emission-line luminosity. This
correlation is interpreted as direct evidence of the receding torus around
central engines of powerful double radio sources.Comment: 8 pages, 6 figures, after substantial revision accepted by A&
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