Effective Field Theory Program for Conformal Quantum Anomalies

The emergence of conformal states is established for any problem involving a domain of scales where the long-range, SO(2,1) conformally invariant interaction is applicable. Whenever a clear-cut separation of ultraviolet and infrared cutoffs is in place, this renormalization mechanism produces binding in the strong-coupling regime. A realization of this phenomenon, in the form of dipole-bound anions, is discussed.Comment: 15 pages. Expanded, with additional calculational details. To be published in Phys. Rev.

Effects of experience and body size on refuge choice in the crayfish Orconectes immunis

We investigated whether refuge size or experience with a refuge affected the refuge use of male Orconectes immunis crayfish. Individuals were given choices among seven refuges for 10 consecutive days. Refuges were formed from equal length but different diameter PVC pipe and placed in an array in a random sequence. Three treatments were used. In the Novel Refuge treatment, individuals were placed in a new test arena with a new arrangement of cleaned refuges every day. In the Nonremoval treatment, individuals were left in the same arena with the same set of refuges each day. In the Removal treatment, individuals were removed from the refuges each day but placed back in the same arena with the same set of refuges after the refuges had been cleaned. We found that refuge occupation was correlated with an individual\u27s size; smaller crayfish tended to use smaller refuges than larger crayfish, even though all crayfish could fit in all of the different sized refuges. When first tested, individuals initially chose larger refuges than they would subsequently settle in, suggesting that under duress, they were not as particular about refuge characteristics. Individuals in the Nonremoval and Removal treatments were significantly more consistent in their refuge use than those in the Novel Refuge treatment, suggesting that experience with a particular refuge increased use of that refuge. Individuals from the Novel Refuge treatment that were housed for a month with a single refuge did not increase their use of that sized refuge more than those that were housed without a refuge, indicating that simply occupying a refuge of a given size did not affect refuge preference

Interaction of Temperature and Light in the Development of Freezing Tolerance in Plants

Abstract Freezing tolerance is the result of a wide range of physical and biochemical processes, such as the induction of antifreeze proteins, changes in membrane composition, the accumulation of osmoprotectants, and changes in the redox status, which allow plants to function at low temperatures. Even in frost-tolerant species, a certain period of growth at low but nonfreezing temperatures, known as frost or cold hardening, is required for the development of a high level of frost hardiness. It has long been known that frost hardening at low temperature under low light intensity is much less effective than under normal light conditions; it has also been shown that elevated light intensity at normal temperatures may partly replace the cold-hardening period. Earlier results indicated that cold acclimation reflects a response to a chloroplastic redox signal while the effects of excitation pressure extend beyond photosynthetic acclimation, influencing plant morphology and the expression of certain nuclear genes involved in cold acclimation. Recent results have shown that not only are parameters closely linked to the photosynthetic electron transport processes affected by light during hardening at low temperature, but light may also have an influence on the expression level of several other cold-related genes; several cold-acclimation processes can function efficiently only in the presence of light. The present review provides an overview of mechanisms that may explain how light improves the freezing tolerance of plants during the cold-hardening period

Quantum Anomaly in Molecular Physics

The interaction of an electron with a polar molecule is shown to be the simplest realization of a quantum anomaly in a physical system. The existence of a critical dipole moment for electron capture and formation of anions, which has been confirmed experimentally and numerically, is derived. This phenomenon is a manifestation of the anomaly associated with quantum symmetry breaking of the classical scale invariance exhibited by the point-dipole interaction. Finally, analysis of symmetry breaking for this system is implemented within two different models: point dipole subject to an anomaly and finite dipole subject to explicit symmetry breaking.Comment: 4 page

Emotional behavior in aquatic organisms? Lessons from crayfish and zebrafish

Experimental animal models are a valuable tool to study the neurobiology of emotional behavior and mechanisms underlying human affective disorders. Mounting evidence suggests that various aquatic organisms, including both vertebrate (e.g., zebrafish) and invertebrate (e.g., crayfish) species, may be relevant to study animal emotional response and its deficits. Ideally, model organisms of disease should possess considerable genetic and physiological homology to mammals, display robust behavioral and physiological responses to stress, and should be sensitive to a wide range of drugs known to modulate stress and affective behaviors. Here, we summarize recent findings in the field of zebrafish- and crayfish-based tests of stress, anxiety, aggressiveness and social preference, and discuss further perspectives of using these novel model organisms in translational biological psychiatry. Outlining the remaining questions in this field, we also emphasize the need in further development and a wider use of crayfish and zebrafish models to study the pathogenesis of affective disorders. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.MCS is currently supported by National Funds through FCT ‐ Foundation for Science and Technology. AVK is supported by the Russian Science Foundation grant 19‐15‐00053. KAD is supported by the Fellowship of the President of Russia and SPSU Rector Productivity Fellowship for PhD Students. CM is supported by CNPq/Brazil under Edital Universal 2016 (400726/2016‐5). PMA and FB are supported by the strategic plan of MARE ‐ Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre (UID/MAR/04292/2019)

Efect of maleated anhydride on mechanical properties of rice husk filler reinforced PLA Matrix Polymer Composite

Polylactic acid (PLA) formulated from corn starch has a bright potential to replace the non-renewable petroleum-based plastics. The combination of PLA and natural fbre has gained interest due to its unique performance, as reported in many researches and industries. Meanwhile, rice husk produced as the by-product of rice milling can be utilised, unless it is turned completely into waste. Therefore, in the present study, the rice husk powder (RHP) was used as a fller in the PLA, so to determine the infuence of the fller loading on the mechanical properties of the PLA composite. A coupling agent was selected for treatment from two options, i.e., maleic anhydride polypropylene (MAPP) and maleic anhydride polyethylene (MAPE), by applying the agents with various loading contents, such as 2, 4 and 6 wt%. The composite was fabricated by using the hot compression machine. Both the treated and untreated RHP–PLA composites were characterised via the tensile, fexural and impact strength tests. The increase in the RHP loading content led to the decrease in the tensile and fexural strengths. The applications of the coupling agents (MAPE and MAPP) did not improve the tensile and impact strengths, but the fexural strength was enhanced

Phylogenomic analysis of the Chlamydomonas genome unmasks proteins potentially involved in photosynthetic function and regulation

Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, a unicellular green alga, has been exploited as a reference organism for identifying proteins and activities associated with the photosynthetic apparatus and the functioning of chloroplasts. Recently, the full genome sequence of Chlamydomonas was generated and a set of gene models, representing all genes on the genome, was developed. Using these gene models, and gene models developed for the genomes of other organisms, a phylogenomic, comparative analysis was performed to identify proteins encoded on the Chlamydomonas genome which were likely involved in chloroplast functions (or specifically associated with the green algal lineage); this set of proteins has been designated the GreenCut. Further analyses of those GreenCut proteins with uncharacterized functions and the generation of mutant strains aberrant for these proteins are beginning to unmask new layers of functionality/regulation that are integrated into the workings of the photosynthetic apparatus

Diagnosis and management of glutaric aciduria type I – revised recommendations

Glutaric aciduria type I (synonym, glutaric acidemia type I) is a rare organic aciduria. Untreated patients characteristically develop dystonia during infancy resulting in a high morbidity and mortality. The neuropathological correlate is striatal injury which results from encephalopathic crises precipitated by infectious diseases, immunizations and surgery during a finite period of brain development, or develops insidiously without clinically apparent crises. Glutaric aciduria type I is caused by inherited deficiency of glutaryl-CoA dehydrogenase which is involved in the catabolic pathways of L-lysine, L-hydroxylysine and L-tryptophan. This defect gives rise to elevated glutaric acid, 3-hydroxyglutaric acid, glutaconic acid, and glutarylcarnitine which can be detected by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (organic acids) or tandem mass spectrometry (acylcarnitines). Glutaric aciduria type I is included in the panel of diseases that are identified by expanded newborn screening in some countries. It has been shown that in the majority of neonatally diagnosed patients striatal injury can be prevented by combined metabolic treatment. Metabolic treatment that includes a low lysine diet, carnitine supplementation and intensified emergency treatment during acute episodes of intercurrent illness should be introduced and monitored by an experienced interdisciplinary team. However, initiation of treatment after the onset of symptoms is generally not effective in preventing permanent damage. Secondary dystonia is often difficult to treat, and the efficacy of available drugs cannot be predicted precisely in individual patients. The major aim of this revision is to re-evaluate the previous diagnostic and therapeutic recommendations for patients with this disease and incorporate new research findings into the guideline