Cambiando el pasado: ventajas de la retrocausación

Since its inception, quantum mechanics has faced a series of “mysteries” that emerge from it if we consider this scientific theory from a realistic point of view. In the early development of the theory, scientists like Albert Einstein noticed the consequences of accepting a theory like this, which allow phenomena such as non-locality. This led a part of the scientific community to believe that quantum mechanics was an incomplete theory, since there should be variables that might explain those “disturbing” phenomena such as the correlation between entangled particles.Different interpretations of quantum mechanics have been proposed that have tried to reveal or explain the reality underlying its formalism. One of those interpretations is the “Transactional Interpretation” of quantum mechanics, advocated mainly by physicist John G. Cramer. According to this interpretation, quantum events are understood as causal interactions between delayed waves traveling forward in time and advanced waves traveling backward in time. This interpretation opens the door to accept a model of causation to the past or retrocausation.Authors like Phil Dowe or Huw Price have shown a favorable attitude toward the model of retrocausation because it seems to be capable of effectively solve some of the most disturbing features derived from quantum mechanics. Despite the intuitive cost is rather high, retrocausation is one of the possible interpretations for the results of the correlation between entangled particles to provide us with an explanatory framework with some interesting advantages.In this paper we explore such advantages, as the retrocausation gives us a generalizable explanatory model for all cases of this type and assumes processes and entities that are not only in the  field of speculation but allow certain possibilities of testing. Also, we will rescue the importance of not-predictive explanatory models as has been the case in other fields of natural sciences, provided that those model do not be ad hoc due to restrictions that prevent its application to any case.Desde sus orígenes, la mecánica cuántica nos ha enfrentado a una serie de “misterios” que se desprenden de ella si es que consideramos esta teoría científica desde una perspectiva realista. En los primeros años del desarrollo de la teoría, científicos de la talla de Albert Einstein notaron las consecuencias de aceptar una teoría como esta, la que permitiría fenómenos como la no-localidad. Esto llevó a una parte de la comunidad científica a considerar que la mecánica cuántica era una teoría incompleta, pues debían existir variables que pudieran explicar los fenómenos “perturbadores” tales como la correlación entre partículas acopladas.Se han propuesto diferentes interpretaciones de la mecánica cuántica que han intentado develar o explicar la realidad subyacente a su formalismo. Una de estas interpretaciones es la llamada “Interpretación Transaccional” de la mecánica cuántica, defendida principalmente por el físico John G. Cramer. Según esta interpretación, los eventos cuánticos se entienden como interacciones causales entre ondas retrasadas viajando hacia adelante en el tiempo y ondas avanzadas viajando hacia atrás en el tiempo. Esta interpretación abre la puerta para aceptar un modelo de causación hacia el pasado o retrocausación.Autores como Phil Dowe o Huw Price han mostrado una postura favorable a un modelo de retrocausación por la capacidad de resolver efectivamente algunas de las características más perturbadoras derivadas de la mecánica cuántica. A pesar de que el costo intuitivo es bastante alto, la retrocausación es una de las interpretaciones posibles de los resultados de la correlación entre partículas acopladas que nos provee un marco explicativo con algunas ventajas interesantes.En este trabajo exploramos tales ventajas pues la retrocausación nos otorga un modelo explicativo generalizable para todos los casos de este tipo y presupone procesos y entidades que no quedan solamente en el campo especulativo sino que permitirían ciertas posibilidades de testeo. Rescataremos también la importancia de modelos explicativos no predictivos como ha sido el caso en otros campos de las ciencias naturales, siempre que no resulten ad hoc gracias a las restricciones que impiden su aplicación a cualquier caso

Evaluation and comparison of the efficiency of two incubation systems for Genypterus chilensis (Guichenot, 1848) eggs

Indexación: Web of Science; ScieloActualmente la tendencia de la acuicultura mundial está orientada hacia la diversificación de los cultivos, principalmente de especies nativas. El congrio colorado Genypterus chilensis es un pez nativo de alta demanda gastronómica y explotación estacional que lo proyecta como candidato para el desarrollo de su tecnología de cultivo. El objetivo de este trabajo fue evaluar la eficiencia de dos sistemas de incubación de masas de huevos de G. chilensis, uno con circuito cerrado de agua (SICC) y el otro con circuito abierto (SICA); su eficiencia fue medida por el porcentaje de eclosión de huevos. Dos ensayos fueron realizados midiendo y comparando los porcentajes de fecundación y eclosión de huevos en cuatro réplicas entre los dos sistemas, encontrándose solo diferencias significativas entre los porcentajes de fecundación del bioensayo 2. El bioensayo 1 tuvo un 81% promedio de fecundación de los huevos y el porcentaje promedio de eclosión para el SICC fue 42,9 ± 34,5% y para el SICA fue 0,0 ± 0,0%. El bioensayo 2 tuvo un porcentaje promedio de fecundación de los huevos de 87,3 ± 2,6% para el SICC y 79,8 ± 3,2% para el SICA y el porcentaje promedio de eclosión para el SICC fue 27,9 ± 33,7% y para el SICA fue 4,8 ± 5,6%. Se discuten los parámetros de incubación para obtener una máxima eclosión y se entrega una proposición para mejorar el sistema SICC. El sistema de incubación con circuito cerrado de agua generó mayores sobrevivencias en los huevos de G. chilensis.The current trend in world aquaculture is towards the diversification of cultures, mainly native species. The red cusk eel Genypterus chilensis is a native Chilean species of high gastronomic demand and seasonal exploitation that is projected as a candidate for the development of farming technology. The objective of this study was to test the efficiency of two incubation systems for G. chilensis egg masses, one with a closed water circuit (SICC) and the other with an open water circuit (SICA). Efficiency was measured by the percentage of eggs hatched. Two assays were performed, measuring and comparing the percentages of egg fecundation and hatching in four replicates between the two incubation systems. Significant differences were only found between the percentages of fecundation of bioassay 2. On average, in bioassay 1, egg fecundation reached 81%, and the average of hatching for the SICC was 42.9 ± 34.5% and for the SICA was 0.0 ± 0.0%. Bioassay 2 had an average fecundation of 87.3 ± 2.6% for the SICC and 79.8 ± 3.2% for the SICA, and the average for hatching was 27.9 ± 33.7% for the SICC and 4.8 ± 5.6% for the SICA. Incubation parameters for maximum hatching were discussed and a proposal was made for improving the SICC system. The incubation system with a closed water circuit generated greater survival of G. chilensis eggs.http://www.scielo.cl/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0718-560X2012000100018&nrm=is

Bacterial Toxicity of Potassium Tellurite: Unveiling an Ancient Enigma

Biochemical, genetic, enzymatic and molecular approaches were used to demonstrate, for the first time, that tellurite (TeO(3) (2−)) toxicity in E. coli involves superoxide formation. This radical is derived, at least in part, from enzymatic TeO(3) (2−) reduction. This conclusion is supported by the following observations made in K(2)TeO(3)-treated E. coli BW25113: i) induction of the ibpA gene encoding for the small heat shock protein IbpA, which has been associated with resistance to superoxide, ii) increase of cytoplasmic reactive oxygen species (ROS) as determined with ROS-specific probe 2′7′-dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate (H(2)DCFDA), iii) increase of carbonyl content in cellular proteins, iv) increase in the generation of thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARs), v) inactivation of oxidative stress-sensitive [Fe-S] enzymes such as aconitase, vi) increase of superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, vii) increase of sodA, sodB and soxS mRNA transcription, and viii) generation of superoxide radical during in vitro enzymatic reduction of potassium tellurite

Evaluación y comparación de la eficiencia de dos sistemas de incubación de huevos de Genypterus chilensis (Guichenot, 1848) Evaluation and comparison of the efficiency of two incubation systems for Genypterus chilensis (Guichenot, 1848) eggs

Actualmente la tendencia de la acuicultura mundial está orientada hacia la diversificación de los cultivos, principalmente de especies nativas. El congrio colorado Genypterus chilensis es un pez nativo de alta demanda gastronómica y explotación estacional que lo proyecta como candidato para el desarrollo de su tecnología de cultivo. El objetivo de este trabajo fue evaluar la eficiencia de dos sistemas de incubación de masas de huevos de G. chilensis, uno con circuito cerrado de agua (SICC) y el otro con circuito abierto (SICA); su eficiencia fue medida por el porcentaje de eclosión de huevos. Dos ensayos fueron realizados midiendo y comparando los porcentajes de fecundación y eclosión de huevos en cuatro réplicas entre los dos sistemas, encontrándose solo diferencias significativas entre los porcentajes de fecundación del bioensayo 2. El bioensayo 1 tuvo un 81% promedio de fecundación de los huevos y el porcentaje promedio de eclosión para el SICC fue 42,9 ± 34,5% y para el SICA fue 0,0 ± 0,0%. El bioensayo 2 tuvo un porcentaje promedio de fecundación de los huevos de 87,3 ± 2,6% para el SICC y 79,8 ± 3,2% para el SICA y el porcentaje promedio de eclosión para el SICC fue 27,9 ± 33,7% y para el SICA fue 4,8 ± 5,6%. Se discuten los parámetros de incubación para obtener una máxima eclosión y se entrega una proposición para mejorar el sistema SICC. El sistema de incubación con circuito cerrado de agua generó mayores sobrevivencias en los huevos de G. chilensis.The current trend in world aquaculture is towards the diversification of cultures, mainly native species. The red cusk eel Genypterus chilensis is a native Chilean species of high gastronomic demand and seasonal exploitation that is projected as a candidate for the development of farming technology. The objective of this study was to test the efficiency of two incubation systems for G. chilensis egg masses, one with a closed water circuit (SICC) and the other with an open water circuit (SICA). Efficiency was measured by the percentage of eggs hatched. Two assays were performed, measuring and comparing the percentages of egg fecundation and hatching in four replicates between the two incubation systems. Significant differences were only found between the percentages of fecundation of bioassay 2. On average, in bioassay 1, egg fecundation reached 81%, and the average of hatching for the SICC was 42.9 ± 34.5% and for the SICA was 0.0 ± 0.0%. Bioassay 2 had an average fecundation of 87.3 ± 2.6% for the SICC and 79.8 ± 3.2% for the SICA, and the average for hatching was 27.9 ± 33.7% for the SICC and 4.8 ± 5.6% for the SICA. Incubation parameters for maximum hatching were discussed and a proposal was made for improving the SICC system. The incubation system with a closed water circuit generated greater survival of G. chilensis eggs

Evaluation and comparison of the efficiency of two incubation systems for Genypterus chilensis (Guichenot, 1848) eggs

The current trend in world aquaculture is towards the diversification of cultures, mainly native species. The red cusk eel Genypterus chilensis is a native Chilean species of high gastronomic demand and seasonal exploitation that is projected as a candidate for the development of farming technology. The objective of this study was to test the efficiency of two incubation systems for G. chilensis egg masses, one with a closed water circuit (SICC) and the other with an open water circuit (SICA). Efficiency was measured by the percentage of eggs hatched. Two assays were performed, measuring and comparing the percentages of egg fecundation and hatching in four replicates between the two incubation systems. Significant differences were only found between the percentages of fecundation of bioassay 2. On average, in bioassay 1, egg fecundation reached 81%, and the average of hatching for the SICC was 42.9 +/- 34.5% and for the SICA was 0.0 +/- 0.0%. Bioassay 2 had an average fecundation of 87.3 +/- 2.6% for the SICC and 79.8 +/- 3.2% for the SICA, and the average for hatching was 27.9 +/- 33.7% for the SICC and 4.8 +/- 5.6% for the SICA. Incubation parameters for maximum hatching were discussed and a proposal was made for improving the SICC system. The incubation system with a closed water circuit generated greater survival of G. chilensis eggs

<i>In vitro</i> tellurite reduction generates superoxide in <i>E. coli.</i>

<p>Superoxide generation was evaluated using an <i>in vitro</i> tellurite reduction assay previously developed in our laboratory <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0000211#pone.0000211-Caldern1" target="_blank">[34]</a>. The system makes use of the O₂⁻ specific reactive compound WST-1. WST-1 reduction was determined in the presence of catalase and NADPH (Cat); catalase, tellurite and NADPH (Cat/Te); catalase, tellurite, NADPH and purified superoxide dismutase (Cat/Te/SOD); catalase, tellurite, NADPH and β-amylase (Cat/Te/amylase).</p

Tellurite increases the oxidation of cytoplasmic proteins and membrane lipids in <i>E. coli.</i>

<p>Effects of K₂TeO₃ (0.5 µg/ml) and H₂O₂ (100 µM) on protein carbonyl (A) and TBARs content (B) of <i>E. coli</i> BW25113 cells exposed to these compounds for 30 min. A, protein oxidation was determined by a chemical protein carbonyl assay by derivatizing total cellular proteins with DNPH and reading specific carbonyls absorbance at 370 nm. B, membrane peroxidation products were determined as thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances present in crude extracts of <i>E. coli</i> BW25113 by the method described by Rice-Evans et al. <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0000211#pone.0000211-RiceEvans1" target="_blank">[19]</a>.</p

Tellurite-induction of β-galactosidase activity in <i>E. coli</i> reporter strains.

<p> <i>E. coli</i> reporter strains ADA100 [AB734 λΦ(<i>ibp</i>::<i>lacZ</i>)], ADA310 [AB734λΦ (<i>cspA</i>::<i>lacZ</i>)], ADA410 [AB734 λΦ(p3<i>RpoH</i>::<i>lacZ</i>)] and ADA510 [AB734 λΦ(<i>sulA</i>::<i>lacZ</i>)] containing the stress-responsive promoters <i>ibpA, cspA, p3RpoH</i> and <i>sulA</i> fused to the <i>lacZ</i> gene respectively, were used to study transcription induction in cells treated or untreated with K₂TeO₃ (0.5 µg/ml). β-galactosidase activity was evaluated at time 0 and after 3 h with or without tellurite treatment. The fold induction was calculated dividing the value obtained at 3 h by the value at time 0. Results are the average of at least 4 determinations.</p

Tellurite induces <i>katG</i> and <i>soxS</i> mRNA synthesis in <i>E. coli.</i>

<p>DNA fragments (300 bp) from <i>E. coli sodA, sodB, katG, soxS</i> and <i>gapA</i> genes were amplified by RT-PCR and fractionated by electrophoresis on agarose gels (1.5%). Total RNA from cells grown with (K₂TeO₃) or without (control) 0.5 µg/ml potassium tellurite was used as template for the RT-PCR. The estimated DNA (ng) content determined for each band is shown (see <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0000211#s4" target="_blank">Material and Methods</a> for details).</p