54 research outputs found
Electrified branes
A geometrical form of the supersymmetry conditions for D-branes on arbitrary
type II supersymmetric backgrounds is derived, as well as the associated BPS
bounds. The treatment is general and allows to consider, for instance,
non-static configurations or D-branes supporting a non-vanishing electric flux,
hence completing previous partial results. In particular, our discussion
clarifies how the notion of calibration can be extended in order to be
applicable to the most general supersymmetric configurations. As an
exemplifying preliminary step, the procedure followed is first applied to
fundamental strings.Comment: 36 page
On Flux Quantization in F-Theory
We study the problem of four-form flux quantization in F-theory
compactifications. We prove that for smooth, elliptically fibered Calabi-Yau
fourfolds with a Weierstrass representation, the flux is always integrally
quantized. This implies that any possible half-integral quantization effects
must come from 7-branes, i.e. from singularities of the fourfold. We
subsequently analyze the quantization rule on explicit fourfolds with Sp(N)
singularities, and connect our findings via Sen's limit to IIB string theory.
Via direct computations we find that the four-form is half-integrally quantized
whenever the corresponding 7-brane stacks wrap non-spin complex surfaces, in
accordance with the perturbative Freed-Witten anomaly. Our calculations on the
fourfolds are done via toric techniques, whereas in IIB we rely on Sen's
tachyon condensation picture to treat bound states of branes. Finally, we give
general formulae for the curvature- and flux-induced D3 tadpoles for general
fourfolds with Sp(N) singularities.Comment: 46 page
A special road to AdS vacua
We apply the techniques of special Kaehler geometry to investigate AdS_4
vacua of general N=2 gauged supergravities underlying flux compactifications of
type II theories. We formulate the scalar potential and its extremization
conditions in terms of a triplet of prepotentials P_x and their special Kaehler
covariant derivatives only, in a form that recalls the potential and the
attractor equations of N=2 black holes. We propose a system of first order
equations for the P_x which generalize the supersymmetry conditions and yield
non-supersymmetric vacua. Special geometry allows us to recast these equations
in algebraic form, and we find an infinite class of new N=0 and N=1 AdS_4
solutions, displaying a rich pattern of non-trivial charges associated with
NSNS and RR fluxes. Finally, by explicit evaluation of the entropy function on
the solutions, we derive a U-duality invariant expression for the cosmological
constant and the central charges of the dual CFT's.Comment: 41 pages; v2, v3: minor improvements, references added, published
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O ensino das ciências experimentais no liceu, em Portugal, na I República (1910-1926)
O ensino das ciências experimentais (ECE) em Portugal ficou, como pretendemos demonstrar, fortemente marcado pela instauração da República, que comemorou no ano transacto o seu centenário. A República de 1910 pretendeu reformar toda a mentalidade portuguesa, através do pilar base – a educação – pela qual seria capaz de sacudir a nossa maneira de ser, lançando desta forma o país para um progresso de nível europeu. O estudo a que nos propomos, uma investigação documental no domínio da História da Ciência1, visa aprofundar os conhecimentos existentes sobre esta época e perceber o impacto da reforma do ECE, principalmente nos Liceus, caracterizando as principais figuras, políticas e docentes responsáveis pela sua conceptualização e aplicação. Através desta investigação procuraremos lançar as primeiras bases para descobrir as origens deste pensamento, querendo ainda comparar os fundamentos psicopedagógicos, epistemológicos e sociológicos da época com as principais ideias actualmente presentes no ensino da Ciência. Com este trabalho pretendemos, num primeiro momento, apresentar e divulgar o desenho da investigação e os seus objectivos, na procura de estabelecer parcerias e receber contributos da comunidade académica interessada por esta problemática
Epithelial to Mesenchymal Transition by TGFβ-1 Induction Increases Stemness Characteristics in Primary Non Small Cell Lung Cancer Cell Line
Cancer Stem Cells (CSCs) hypothesis asserts that only a small subset of cells within a tumour is capable of both tumour initiation and sustainment. The Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition (EMT) is an embryonic developmental program that is often activated during cancer invasion and metastasis. The aim of this study is to shed light on the relationship between EMT and CSCs by using LC31 lung cancer primary cell line.A549 and LC31 cell lines were treated with 2 ng/ml TGFβ-1 for 30 days, and 80 days, respectively. To evaluate EMT, morphological changes were assessed by light microscopy, immunofluorescence and cytometry for following markers: cytokeratins, e-cadherin, CD326 (epithelial markers) and CD90, and vimentin (mesenchymal markers). Moreover, RT-PCR for Slug, Twist and β-catenin genes were performed. On TGFβ-1 treated and untreated LC31 cell lines, we performed stemness tests such as pneumospheres growth and stem markers expression such as Oct4, Nanog, Sox2, c-kit and CD133. Western Blot for CD133 and tumorigenicity assays using NOD/SCID mice were performed.TGFβ-1 treated LC31 cell line lost its epithelial morphology assuming a fibroblast-like appearance. The same results were obtained for the A549 cell line (as control). Immunofluorescence and cytometry showed up-regulation of vimentin and CD90 and down-regulation of cytocheratin, e-cadherin and CD326 in TGFβ-1 treated LC31 and A549 cell lines. Slug, Twist and β-catenin m-RNA transcripts were up-regulated in TGFβ-1 treated LC31 cell line confirming EMT. This cell line showed also over-expression of Oct4, Nanog, Sox2 and CD133, all genes of stemness. In addition, in TGFβ-1 treated LC31 cell line, an increased pneumosphere-forming capacity and tumours-forming ability in NOD/SCID mice were detectable.The induction of EMT by TGFβ-1 exposure, in primary lung cancer cell line results in the acquisition of mesenchymal profile and in the expression of stem cell markers
Low levels of 3,3′-diindolylmethane activate estrogen receptor α and induce proliferation of breast cancer cells in the absence of estradiol
The changing clinical profile of celiac disease: a 15-year experience (1998-2012) in an Italian referral center
Preparation and Characterization of SnO2 Nanocrystals in Silica-based Glasses Prepared by Sol-Gel Method
A series of nano-sized SnO2 doped silica glasses were prepared by a sol-gel method at different temperatures using TEOS and
SnCl4⋅5H2O as precursors. X-ray diffraction(XRD), Infrared spectroscopy and transmission electron microscope(TEM) were used to characterize the structure and phase of these samples. The results show that SnO2 nanoparticles become larger with the increasing temperature and the diameter of SnO2 nanoparticles is about 23 nm when the temperature is 1050 ℃
Preparation and characterization of plasticized gelatin films cross-linked with low concentrations of Glutaraldehyde
Properties and characteristics of nanocomposite films from tilapia skin gelatin incorporated with ethanolic extract from coconut husk
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