bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
GENETICS OF THE RED SWAMP CRAWFISH, Procambarus clarkii (GIRARD): STATE‐OF‐THE‐ART
Authors: Black Joe B. , Huner Jay V.
Published: August 2010

The inheritance patterns of three mutants (light blue body color, dark [French] blue body color, and white eye color) of Procambarus clarkii were determined. All were initially discovered in specimens in nature which were subsequently inbred for six to eight generations in the laboratory to determine inheritance patterns. The light blue body color allele, in which specimens appear powder blue and have reduced numbers of chromatophores, was found to transmit as a simple recessive allele to normal body color. The allele for French blue body color is recessive to its normal allele also, but is known only in females. Homozygosity for the French blue allele is apparently lethal to males. Male carriers for the allele have normal pigmentation. The body color of both alleles is partially due to a carotenoid pigment conjugated with protein. The pigment is tentaively identified as crustacyanin which partially replaces the normal astaxanthin in the exoskeleton which retains its blue color when shed in molting. The white eye phenotype results from the absence of distal and retinular screening pigments. The accessory pigments around the bases of the rhabdoms are still present and appear white in reflected light and pinkish brown in transmitted light. The white eye allele is inherited as a simple recessive mutant allele. Specimens with this allele do not see well in bright light but function normally in dim light. Reciprocal dihybrid crosses of these three mutants showed no evidence of linkage. Field records of mutants and estimates of frequency (white eye color) in natural populations are discussed.
WINTER INDUCED MATING IN THE STONE CRAB, Menippe mercenaria
Authors: McConaugha John R. , McNally Kathy , Goy Joseph W. , Costlow John D.
Published: August 2010

Winter field collected animals were maintained in a closed seawater system with a salinity of 30 ppt and gradually acclimated to 25±1°C over a 2.5 week period. A 12:12 day:night cycle was maintained. The crabs were fed a diet of frozen fish, scallops, and clams. Molting and copulation occurred 40 to 57 days after acclimation. Egg masses were produced 82 to 109 days after mating. One female produced a second sponge 45 days later. Larvae from the first two egg masses were reared in the laboratory to the first crab stage. Survival was within the normal range for laboratory culture of this species. This study indicates that it is feasible to maintain a continually reproducing population of Menippe mercenaria under laboratory conditions, which in conjunction with larval mass culture systems could be used to provide seedling stocks for natural resource management and mariculture.
STATUS, POTENTIALS AND PROBLEMS OF MARICULTURE IN COSTA RICA
Authors: Naegel Ludwig C. A.
Published: August 2010

Despite the existence of important fishery resources and a considerable potential for aquaculture the present annual fish consumption in Costa Rica amounts to about 4 kg per capita, which represents only about 2% of the total consumed protein. Due to a low rating of aquatic organisms among the food preferences Costa Rica has in the past shown only a relatively little interest in mariculture.

However, a favorable political climate, limited legal restrictions, production incentives, an existing basic infrastructure, and suitable sites for mariculture, especially for the farming of the blue and white shrimp (Penaeus stylirostris and P. vannamei) and of the freshwater prawn (Macrobrachium rosenbergii), have in the last years attracted the interest of private companies for investment in mariculture, and for the production of luxury food for exportation, mainly to the United States.

The intensive use of fertilizers and pesticides in agriculture endangers many of the existing and potential sites for aquaculture. The lack of trained manpower, willing to do practical work in mariculture enterprises, adds to the difficulties for expanding and intensifying mariculture in Costa Rica.
The Alperin weight conjecture and Uno’s conjecture for the Monster 𝕄, p odd
Authors: An Jianbei , Wilson R. A.
Published: August 2010

Suppose that p is 3,5,7,11 or 13. We classify the radical p-chains of the Monster 𝕄 and verify the Alperin weight conjecture and Uno’s reductive conjecture for 𝕄, the latter being a refinement of Dade’s reductive conjecture and the Isaacs–Navarro conjecture.
Points of low height on elliptic surfaces with torsion
Authors: Jain Sonal
Published: August 2010

We determine the smallest possible canonical height $\hat {h}(P)$ for a non-torsion point P of an elliptic curve E over a function field ℂ(t) of discriminant degree 12n with a 2-torsion point for n=1,2,3, and with a 3-torsion point for n=1,2. For each m=2,3, we parametrize the set of triples (E,P,T) of an elliptic curve E/ℚ with a rational point P and m-torsion point T that satisfy certain integrality conditions by an open subset of ℙ2. We recover explicit equations for all elliptic surfaces (E,P,T) attaining each minimum by locating them as curves in our projective models. We also prove that for n=1,2 , these heights are minimal for elliptic curves over a function field of any genus. In each case, the optimal (E,P,T) are characterized by their patterns of integral points.
The minimal density of triangles in tripartite graphs
Authors: Baber Rahil , Johnson J. Robert , Talbot John
Published: August 2010

We determine the minimal density of triangles in a tripartite graph with prescribed edge densities. This extends a previous result of Bondy, Shen, Thomassé and Thomassen characterizing those edge densities guaranteeing the existence of a triangle in a tripartite graph. To be precise we show that a suitably weighted copy of the graph formed by deleting a certain 9-cycle from K3,3,3 has minimal triangle density among all weighted tripartite graphs with prescribed edge densities.

Supplementary materials are available with this article.
The complexity of the four colour theorem
Authors: Calude Cristian S. , Calude Elena
Published: August 2010

The four colour theorem states that the vertices of every planar graph can be coloured with at most four colours so that no two adjacent vertices receive the same colour. This theorem is famous for many reasons, including the fact that its original 1977 proof includes a non-trivial computer verification. Recently, a formal proof of the theorem was obtained with the equational logic program Coq [G. Gonthier, ‘Formal proof–the four color theorem’, Notices of Amer. Math. Soc. 55 (2008) no. 11, 1382–1393]. In this paper we describe an implementation of the computational method introduced by C. S. Calude and co-workers [Evaluating the complexity of mathematical problems. Part 1’, Complex Systems 18 (2009) 267–285; A new measure of the difficulty of problems’, J. Mult. Valued Logic Soft Comput. 12 (2006) 285–307] to evaluate the complexity of the four colour theorem. Our method uses a Diophantine equational representation of the theorem. We show that the four colour theorem is in the complexity class ℭU,4. For comparison, the Riemann hypothesis is in class ℭU,3 while Fermat’s last theorem is in class ℭU,1.
Integral Medicine: New Methods of Organ-Regeneration by Cellular Encoding Through Path Integrals Applied to the Quantum Medicine
Authors: Bulnes Francisco , Bulnes Francisco H. , Alvarez Eduardo Hernandez , Maya Castellanos Juan C. , Tenorio Fernando Monroy
Published: August 2010

The integral medicine is a subarea of the alternative medicine that bases its cure methods and preservation of the health on the appropriate canalization of the energy code of the human body carrying out correctives actions on the vital field of a person to regenerate it and to recompose him, bringing with it the total reestablishment of the health in the affected part. The present work consists on using certain tools of mathematics called path integrals of the quantum mechanics to code the cellular information coming from its energy nuclei (mitocondrial energy) using the quantum contributions of the integral medicine. As examples, they considered several successful clinical cases of cure under the use of these methods in integral medicine.
Vibration Response Analysis of Doubly Clamped Single Walled Wavy Carbon Nanotube Based Nanomechanical Sensors
Authors: Joshi Anand Y. , Bhatnagar Aashish , Harsha S. P. , Sharma Satish C.
Published: August 2010

In this paper, the vibration signature of straight and wavy single walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) doubly clamped at a source and a drain has been analyzed and is used to represent single mode resonator. The previous study showed the experimentally measured resonance frequencies of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) for straight beams CNT have been used. However, from photomicrographic images of CNTs, it is clear that they are not straight and they have some significant surface deviation such as waviness or curvature associated with them. In the present study; the vibration response analysis of CNTs with waviness has been done. The results showed the sensitivity of the SWCNTs having different waviness to mass (attached at different position along the length of a doubly clamped SWCNT) and different lengths. This study explores the effect of waviness on the mass sensitivity of a nanomechanical resonator.
Dynamic Analysis of a Clamped Wavy Single Walled Carbon Nanotube Based Nanomechanical Sensors
Authors: Joshi Anand Y. , Sharma Satish C. , Harsha S. P.
Published: August 2010

This paper deals with the dynamic analysis of carbon nanotube with surface deviation along its axis. The type of carbon nanotube used in this analysis is a single-walled carbon nanotube that is doubly clamped at a source and a drain and this type of nanotube is used to represent a single mode resonator. In previous studies, experimentally measured resonance frequencies of carbon nanotubes have been used along with classical beam theory for straight beams. However, it is found that these carbon nanotubes are not straight, and that they have some significant surface deviation associated with them. The resonant frequency of the doubly clamped single walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) with deviation (waviness) has been investigated. The results showed the sensitivity of the single-walled carbon nanotubes having different waviness to different masses (attached at the center of a doubly clamped SWCNT) and different lengths. The sensitivity of resonant frequency shifts to tube length and waviness has been demonstrated. The vibration signature exhibits superharmonic and subharmonic responses with different levels of mass. The vibration spectra of CNT with varying attached mass from 10−5 fg to 10−3 fg show dense signature near peak of excitation. It is found that with the increase in mass attached to CNT with 60 nm length, the peak excitation appears in the vibration signature in chaotic nature with reduced vibration amplitude.
Micro- and nanopatterned polymethylmethacrylate layers on plastic poly(ethylene terephthalate) substrates by modified roller-reversal imprint process
Authors: Cheng Chiao-Yang , Hong Franklin Chau-Nan , Huang Chun-Yuan
Published: August 2010

In this article, the modified roller-reversal imprint lithography was carried out to transfer patterned polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) layers from hard molds to plastic poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) substrates. The merit of reversal-imprinting is its high flexibility, while the roller’s manipulation benefits the throughput. It is evident that this process is capable of transferring any patterns with micro- or nanoscale features such as dots, stripes, and pyramids. The process can be divided into several steps, in sequence, including surface modification of hard molds for PMMA coating, O2 plasma treatment of PET substrates for robust transfer, and final roller-reversal-imprinting. To increase the mold surface energy, alkyl benzoic acids (surfactants) with different alkyl chain lengths have been exploited to modify the mold surface pretreated with octadecyl trichlorosilane (OTS) solutions, and the influence on the water contact angle of molds was analyzed. The results exhibited that shorter alkyl chain is more effective in decreasing the water contact angle. It can be attributed to the denser arrangement of shorter chains. Overall, complete and continuous PMMA films can only be obtained on surfactant-treated OTS-molds. On the other hand, the water contact angle on PET substrate is more easily decreased at low pressure plasma treatment. However, for the sake of rapid and simple process, atmospheric plasma treatment should be more suitable. Finally, the operating temperature and contact pressure for roller imprinting play important roles in the conformal pattern transfer. Through the standard process, the thickness of residual layer can be reduced to 130 nm by varying the PMMA concentration. Furthermore, the residual layer is entirely removed by selectively modifying the OTS-mold surface. Whole process including PMMA coating, soft baking, atmospheric plasma treatment, and imprinting can be controlled within 20 min without air bubbles found in the PET films. Based on our demonstration, the atmospheric plasma treatment in combination with the residual-layer-free imprinting in our modified process has provided the possibility toward low cost and high throughput, roll-to-roll production.
α-Synuclein Promotes SNARE-Complex Assembly in Vivo and in Vitro
Authors: Burré Jacqueline , Sharma Manu , Tsetsenis Theodoros , Buchman Vladimir , Etherton Mark R. , Südhof Thomas C.
Published: August 2010

α-Synuclein and Aging

Transgenic α-synuclein can reverse the otherwise lethal neurodegeneration of cysteine string protein-α knockout mice via changes in SNARE proteins, which mediate synaptic vesicle release. Using experiments with purified recombinant proteins, triple αβγ-synuclein knockout mice, and studies of mouse aging,

Burré
et al.

(p.
1663
, published online 26 August) now demonstrate that α-synuclein directly interacts with the SNARE protein synaptobrevin and functions as a catalyst for SNARE-complex assembly. The role of synucleins is fully dispensable in young animals, but becomes essential late in life, which suggests that α-synuclein maintains normal synaptic function during aging.
A comparative analysis of biomedical research ethics regulation systems in Europe and Latin America with regard to the protection of human subjects
Authors: Lamas Eugenia , Ferrer Marcela , Molina Alberto , Salinas Rodrigo , Hevia Adriana , Bota Alexandre , Feinholz Dafna , Fuchs Michael , Schramm Roland , Tealdi Juan-Carlos , Zorrilla Sergio
Published: August 2010

The European project European and Latin American Systems of Ethics Regulation of Biomedical Research Project (EULABOR) has carried out the first comparative analysis of ethics regulation systems for biomedical research in seven countries in Europe and Latin America, evaluating their roles in the protection of human subjects. We developed a conceptual and methodological framework defining ‘ethics regulation system for biomedical research’ as a set of actors, institutions, codes and laws involved in overseeing the ethics of biomedical research on humans. This framework allowed us to develop comprehensive national reports by conducting semi-structured interviews to key informants. These reports were summarised and analysed in a comparative analysis. The study showed that the regulatory framework for clinical research in these countries differ in scope. It showed that despite the different political contexts, actors involved and motivations for creating the regulation, in most of the studied countries it was the government who took the lead in setting up the system. The study also showed that Europe and Latin America are similar regarding national bodies and research ethics committees, but the Brazilian system has strong and noteworthy specificities.
Developing a problem-based learning (PBL) curriculum for professionalism and scientific integrity training for biomedical graduate students
Authors: Jones Nancy L , Peiffer Ann M , Lambros Ann , Guthold Martin , Johnson A Daniel , Tytell Michael , Ronca April E , Eldridge J Charles
Published: August 2010

A multidisciplinary faculty committee designed a curriculum to shape biomedical graduate students into researchers with a high commitment to professionalism and social responsibility and to provide students with tools to navigate complex, rapidly evolving academic and societal environments with a strong ethical commitment. The curriculum used problem-based learning (PBL), because it is active and learner-centred and focuses on skill and process development. Two courses were developed: Scientific Professionalism: Scientific Integrity addressed discipline-specific and broad professional norms and obligations for the ethical practice of science and responsible conduct of research (RCR). Scientific Professionalism: Bioethics and Social Responsibility focused on current ethical and bioethical issues within the scientific profession, and implications of research for society. Each small-group session examined case scenarios that included: (1) learning objectives for professional norms and obligations; (2) key ethical issues and philosophies within each topic area; (3) one or more of the RCR instructional areas; and (4) at least one type of moral reflection. Cases emphasised professional standards, obligations and underlying philosophies for the ethical practice of science, competing interests of stakeholders and oversight of science (internal and external). To our knowledge, this is the first use of a longitudinal, multi-semester PBL course to teach scientific integrity and professionalism. Both faculty and students endorsed the active learning approach for these topics, in contrast to a compliance-based approach that emphasises learning rules and regulations.
Parents' choices in banking boys' testicular tissue
Authors: Murphy Timothy F
Published: August 2010

Researchers are working to derive sperm from banked testicular tissue taken from pre-pubertal boys who face therapies or injuries that destroy sperm production. Success in deriving sperm from this tissue will help to preserve the option for these boys to have genetically related children later in life. For the twin moral reasons of preserving access and equity in regard to having such children, clinicians and researchers are justified in offering the option to the parents of all affected boys. However, some parents may wish to decline the option to bank tissue from their boys because the technique may seem too unfamiliar or unusual, but over time people may become more comfortable with the technique as they have done with other novel assisted reproductive treatments (ARTs). Other parents may wish to decline the option because of moral or religious reasons. A prominent natural law theory holds, for example, that the ARTs that would be involved in using sperm derived from banked tissue to produce a child are morally objectionable. Some parents might not want to bank tissue in order to shield their son from using ARTs they see as objectionable. Clinicians and researchers should respect parents who wish to decline banking tissue, but parents should ordinarily embrace choices that protect the possible interests their sons may have as adult men, including the wish to have genetically related children.
Stent-assisted basilar reconstruction for a traumatic vertebral dissection with a large basilar artery thrombosis
Authors: Hauck Erik F , Natarajan Sabareesh K , Horvathy Dennis B , Hopkins L Nelson , Siddiqui Adnan H , Levy Elad I
Published: August 2010

An individual in their 30s presented with quadriplegia and coma 7 h after a 30-foot free-fall. Angiography confirmed left vertebral artery dissection causing vertebral artery occlusion (thrombolysis in myocardial infarction (TIMI) 0) and basilar artery thrombosis. Deployment of six self-expanding intracranial stents (right P1 to left V3) resulted in recanalization (TIMI 3). Postoperative MRI demonstrated a large brainstem infarction; the patient was ‘locked-in’. In the following 6 months, the patient recovered to ambulation and independence. Aggressive recanalization for symptomatic vertebrobasilar dissection/occlusion may be considered. Despite major diffusion-weighted imaging brainstem lesions, recovery is possible.
Is potroom asthma due more to sulphur dioxide than fluoride? An inception cohort study in the Australian aluminium industry
Authors: Abramson Michael John , Benke Geza Paul , Cui Jisheng , de Klerk Nicholas Hubert , Del Monaco Anthony , Dennekamp Martine , Fritschi Lin , Musk Arthur William , Sim Malcolm Ross
Published: August 2010

Objectives

Although an asthma-like syndrome has been recognised in aluminium smelter workers for over 70 years, the causal agent has been difficult to identify.

Methods

An inception cohort study was conducted at two Australian aluminium smelters where 446 employees participated over a period of 9 years. Cumulative exposures between interviews were estimated from job histories using a task exposure matrix based on measurements in the smelters. Participants completed an MRC respiratory questionnaire, spirometry and methacholine challenge test. Data were analysed with generalised estimating equations to allow for repeated measurements of each participant.

Results

Wheeze and chest tightness, the two symptoms most closely related to asthma, showed associations with occupational exposures. SO2exposure was significantly associated with these symptoms, bronchial hyper-responsiveness (BHR) to methacholine (a feature of asthma), airflow limitation (reduced forced expiratory volume in 1 second/forced vital capacity ratio) and longitudinal decline in lung function. Fluoride exposure was associated with the same outcomes, but less strongly. Inhalable dust and the benzene soluble fraction (BSF) were associated with symptoms of asthma and BHR. Although many of the exposures were highly correlated, further modelling suggested that of the known respiratory irritants, SO2was more likely than fluoride to be primarily responsible for the symptoms observed. Fluoride, inhalable dust and SO2were the most important airborne contaminants associated with effects on lung function.

Conclusions

The observed effects were detected at contaminant levels within occupational exposure standards, so further reductions are required, particularly in SO2exposures.
Symptoms of psychological distress and suicidal ideation among banana workers with a history of poisoning by organophosphate or n-methyl carbamate pesticides
Authors: Wesseling Catharina , van Wendel de Joode Berna , Keifer Matthew , London Leslie , Mergler Donna , Stallones Lorann
Published: August 2010

Objectives

Neuropsychiatric disorders and increased suicide rates have been associated with exposure to cholinesterase inhibiting organophosphates. This study examined symptoms of psychological distress, including suicidal ideation, among banana workers in Costa Rica previously exposed to a cholinesterase inhibiting pesticide.

Methods

78 workers who had received medical attention 1–3 years previously for occupational pesticide poisoning were recruited: 54 had been exposed to organophosphate, 24 to carbamate, and 43 and 35, respectively, had single and multiple poisoning episodes with a cholinesterase inhibitor. Referents were 130 non-poisoned workers randomly selected from company payrolls. Psychological distress symptoms during the month prior to interview were obtained using the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI), which has a general severity index and nine subscale scores. Differences in abnormal BSI scores (T score≥63) were assessed through multivariate logistic regression for all poisoned and for subcategories of poisoned as compared to non-poisoned workers.

Results

Organophosphate poisoned workers reported significantly more symptoms than non-poisoned on all but one symptom dimension. Significant trends of increasing symptoms with increasing number of previous poisonings were seen for somatisation, obsessive-compulsiveness, interpersonal sensitivity, depression and anxiety. Carbamate poisoned workers only had increased scores for somatisation. The ORs for suicidal thoughts were: all poisoned 3.58 (95% CI 1.45 to 8.84); organophosphate poisoned 3.72 (1.41 to 9.81); carbamate poisoned 2.57 (0.73 to 9.81); and 2.65 and 4.98, respectively for 1 and ≥2 poisonings (trend p=0.01).

Conclusions

This cross-sectional study showed a relationship between acute occupational poisoning with organophosphates and psychological distress including suicidal ideation. Stronger designs are needed to address causality.
Secondhand tobacco smoke in bars and restaurants in Santiago, Chile: evaluation of partial smoking ban legislation in public places
Authors: Erazo Marcia , Iglesias Veronica , Droppelmann Andrea , Acuña Marisol , Peruga Armando , Breysse Patrick N , Navas-Acien Ana
Published: August 2010

Objective

To compare air nicotine concentrations according to the smoking policy selected by bars/restaurants in Santiago, Chile before and after the enactment of partial smoking ban legislation in 2007 (establishments could be smoke free, have segregated (mixed) smoking and non-smoking areas, or allow smoking in all areas).

Methods

The study measured air nicotine concentrations over 7 days to characterise secondhand smoke exposure in 30 bars/restaurants in 2008. Owner/manager interviews and physical inspections were conducted.

Results

Median IQR air nicotine concentrations measured in all venues were 4.38 (0.61–13.62) μg/m3. Air nicotine concentrations were higher in bars (median 7.22, IQR 2.48–15.64 μg/m3) compared to restaurants (1.12, 0.15–9.22 μg/m3). By smoking status, nicotine concentrations were higher in smoking venues (13.46, 5.31–16.87 μg/m3), followed by smoking areas in mixed venues (9.22, 5.09–14.90 μg/m3) and non-smoking areas in mixed venues (0.99, 0.19–1.27 μg/m3). Air nicotine concentrations were markedly lower in smoke-free venues (0.12, 0.11–0.46 μg/m3). After adjustment for differences in volume and ventilation, air nicotine concentrations were 3.2, 35.5 and 56.2 times higher in non-smoking areas in mixed venues, smoking areas in mixed venues and smoking venues, respectively, compared to smoke-free venues.

Conclusions

Exposure to secondhand smoke remains high in bars and restaurants in Santiago, Chile. These findings demonstrate that the partial smoking ban legislation enacted in Chile in 2007 provides no protection to employees working in those venues. Enacting a comprehensive smoke-free legislation which protects all people from exposure to secondhand smoke in all public places and workplaces is urgently needed.
NEAR-BOUNDARY AND BULK REGIONS OF A SEMI-INFINITE TWO-DIMENSIONAL HEISENBERG ANTIFERROMAGNET
Authors: VOROPAJEVA N. , SHERMAN A.
Published: August 2010

Using the spin-wave approximation elementary excitations of a semi-infinite two-dimensional S = ½ Heisenberg antiferromagnet are considered. The spectrum consists of bulk modes — standing spin waves and a quasi-one-dimensional mode of boundary spin waves. These latter excitations eject bulk modes from two boundary rows of sites, thereby dividing the antiferromagnet into two regions with different dominant excitations. As a result, absolute values of nearest-neighbor spin correlations on the edge exceed the bulk value.
FORMAL SPECIFICATION AND ANALYSIS OF AN AGENT-BASED MEDICAL IMAGE PROCESSING SYSTEM
Authors: DING JUNHUA , HE XUDONG
Published: August 2010

A mobile agent system is a special distributed system with moving programs in networks. Mobile agent systems provide a powerful and flexible paradigm for building high performance distributed systems. Due to dynamic configuration property, assuring quality of a mobile agent system is a challenge work. Formal specification and analysis of a mobile agent system provides one of the best approaches to ensure the correctness of a system design. However, it is difficult to find a formal specification tool for modeling a mobile agent system with an easy to understand and concise model. In addition, it is a challenge but also important work to provide an automatic formal analysis approach for verifying whether a system specification correctly meets certain requirements in a mobile agent system. In this paper, a framework for specification and analysis of mobile agent systems is defined. First, Predicate/Transition nets are extended with dynamic channels for modeling mobile agent systems. The formalism has the expressive power to naturally model the software architecture of a mobile agent system, and easily capture the properties especially the mobility, mobile communication and dynamic configuration of a mobile agent system. Then, model checking is instrumented to the framework for automatically verifying the correctness of the specification of a mobile agent system. In order to illustrate the capability of the formalism and the verification strategy, a medical image processing system using mobile agents is modeled using the extended Predicate/Transition nets and system properties are verified using the SPIN model checker.
ON THE CREATION OF UNIVERSE OUT OF NOTHING
Authors: BERMAN M. S. , TREVISAN L. A.
Published: August 2010

This work aims at using a semiclassical approach to explain how the universe was created out of nothing, i.e., with no input of initial energy nor mass. The inflationary phase with exponential expansion is accounted for, automatically, by our equation of state for the very early universe.
A FUZZY BAG MODEL FOR NUCLEAR MATTER: A PRELIMINARY APPROACH
Authors: ROCHA A. S. S. , VASCONCELLOS C. A. Z. , FERNÁNDEZ F.
Published: August 2010

In this work we develop an effective formalism for nuclear matter based on the fuzzy bag model. The main objective of our study is to discuss the feasibility of using the fuzzy bag model to describe nuclear matter properties. The physical system is described in our approach by an internal energy function, which has a free term, corresponding to a free Fermi gas, and an interacting one. In the interacting part, pion exchange is taken into account via an effective potential. To avoid superposition of nucleons, we introduce an exclusion volume à la Van der Waals. The internal energy function depends on the nuclear matter density and also on a parameter which will determine the expected volume of a nucleon in matter. We then obtain results for the binding energy per nucleon for the symmetric nuclear matter and for neutron matter, as well as the equation of state within this model. We then determine the mass of neutron stars in hydrostatic equilibrium, using the TOV equations. In spite of utilizing a treatment that is still very preliminary, our results show the feasibility of using this treatment to describe nuclear matter properties.
BLACK HOLE EJECTED FROM THE NUCLEUS OF GALAXY NGC 5236
Authors: DOTTORI H. , DÍAZ R. , ALBACETE-COLOMBO J. F. , MAST D.
Published: August 2010

The Fanaroff–Riley II-type radiosource J 133658.3-295105, which is also an X-ray source, appears to be projected onto the disc of the barred-spiral galaxy NGC 5236 (M 83) at about 1.2 kiloparsecs from the galaxy's optical nucleus. J 133658.3-295105, its radio-lobes, and two other radiosources, neither of which are supernovae remnants or HII regions, are aligned with the optical nucleus of NGC 5236. Due to this peculiar on-the-sky projection, we studied J 133658.3-295105 using GEMINI+GMOS optical spectroscopy and also reanalyzed Chandra spectroscopy which was carried out in 2000. We marginally detected the Hαemission line receding at 130 km/sec with respect to the optical nucleus. We also demostrate that J 133658.3-295105 presents the Fe–Kαemission line at a redshift z = 0.018 ± 0.01. Both, Hαand Fe–Kαpresent redshifts that are compatible with the distance of NGC 5236. That findings reinforce the scenario of a local object for J 133658.3-295105, which could have been ejected from the nucleus of NGC 5236.
A POLYTROPIC APPROACH TO NEUTRON STARS
Authors: FERRARI L. , ROSSI P. C. R. , MALHEIRO M.
Published: August 2010

We analyze here whether polytropic equations of state can be a good approximation for neutron stars. Dividing the matter in the star interior in different regions that can be well-reproduced by different polytropics and imposing the continuity of the pressure among the regions, we obtain the corresponding neutron star mass–radius diagram. A comparison with the results obtained with the polytropic approximation and the exact relativistic mean-field equation of state (EoS) is shown for two compositions of the hadronic matter. We conclude that with more than one polytropic EoS, it is possible to obtain a good fit to neutron stars only if the pressure is written as a power-law in the energy density (or mass density) and not in the baryonic density (the usual polytropic). We also found a correlation between the sound velocity at the star center and its mass. The sound velocity at the interface between the polytropic regions shows a small discontinuity that is greater for the hadronic matter including hyperons.
RENORMALIZATION TOOLS FOR THE NN INTERACTION
Authors: SZPIGEL S. , TIMÓTEO V. S. , DURÃES F. O.
Published: August 2010

In this work we apply the similarity renormalization group (SRG) approach to evolve an effective nucleon–nucleon (NN) potential in leading-order (LO) chiral effective field theory (ChEFT). We present the results obtained for a NN potential in the 1S0 channel derived within the framework of the subtracted kernel method (SKM).
DRAKE EQUATION FOR THE MULTIVERSE: FROM THE STRING LANDSCAPE TO COMPLEX LIFE
Authors: GLEISER M.
Published: August 2010

It is argued that the selection criteria usually referred to as "anthropic conditions" for the existence of intelligent (typical) observers widely adopted in cosmology amount only to preconditions for primitive life. The existence of life does not imply in the existence of intelligent life. On the contrary, the transition from single-celled to complex, multicellular organisms is far from trivial, requiring stringent additional conditions on planetary platforms. An attempt is made to disentangle the necessary steps leading from a selection of universes out of a hypothetical multiverse to the existence of life and of complex life. It is suggested that what is currently called the "anthropic principle" should instead be named the "prebiotic principle."
COMPOSITE DARK MATTER AND PUZZLES OF DARK MATTER SEARCHES
Authors: KHLOPOV M. Y. , MAYOROV A. G. , SOLDATOV E. Y.
Published: August 2010

Positive results of dark matter searches in DAMA/ NaI and DAMA/LIBRA experiments, being put together with the results of other groups, can imply nontrivial particle physics solutions for cosmological dark matter. Stable particles with charge -2, bound with primordial helium in O -helium "atoms" ( OHe ), represent a specific warmer than cold nuclear-interacting form of dark matter. Slowed down in the terrestrial matter, OHe is elusive for direct methods of underground dark matter detection used in cryogenic experiments. However the radiative capture of OHe by Na and I nuclei can lead to annual variations of energy release in the energy interval of 2–5 keV in DAMA/ NaI and DAMA/LIBRA experiments.
NEUTRON STAR MASS CORRELATION WITH SOUND VELOCITY AND INCOMPRESSIBILITY AT THE STAR CENTER IN THE POLYTROPIC APPROXIMATION
Authors: FERRARI L. , ROSSI P. C. R. , MALHEIRO M.
Published: August 2010

In this paper we use a polytropic approximation to the equation of state for the interior of neutrons stars, described by relativistic hadronic mean field models. In this approximation, it is possible to obtain analytic expressions for the sound velocity and the incompressibility at the star center. We found a correlation between these quantities and the star mass. Using two well-known parametrizations of the nonlinear Walecka model for nuclear matter composed only of protons, neutrons and electron in β equilibrium, we obtain for a star mass of 1.43 M⊙ a central incompressibility Kc = (3000±100), around ten times the nuclear matter incompressibility, and a central sound velocity (v/c)2 ~ 0.3.
RADIATING GRAVITATIONAL COLLAPSE WITH SHEARING MOTION AND BULK VISCOSITY REVISITED
Authors: PINHEIRO G. , CHAN R.
Published: August 2010

A new model is proposed to collapsing stars consisting of an anisotropic fluid with bulk viscosity, radial heat flow and outgoing radiation. In a previous paper one of us has introduced a time-dependent function into the grr, besides the time-dependent metric functions gθθ and gϕϕ. The aim of this work is to generalize this previous model by introducing bulk viscosity and comparing it to the non-viscous collapse. The behavior of the density, pressure, mass, luminosity and the effective adiabatic index is analyzed. Our work is also compared to the case of a collapsing fluid with bulk viscosity of another previous model, for a star with 6 M⊙. The pressure of the star, at the beginning of the collapse, is isotropic, but due to the presence of the bulk viscosity the pressure becomes more and more anisotropic. The black hole is never formed because the apparent horizon formation condition is never satisfied, in contrast to the previous model where a black hole is formed. An observer at infinity sees a radial point source radiating exponentially until it reaches the time of maximum luminosity, and suddenly the star turns off. This is in contrast to the former model where the luminosity also increases exponentially, reaching a maximum and decreases thereafter until the formation of the black hole. The effective adiabatic index diminishes due to the bulk viscosity, thus increasing the instability of the system, in both models, in the former paper as well as in this work.
INTERIOR COMPONENTS OF A TILE ASSOCIATED TO A QUADRATIC CANONICAL NUMBER SYSTEM — PART II
Authors: BERNAT JULIEN , LORIDANT BENOÎT , THUSWALDNER JÖRG
Published: August 2010

Let [Formula: see text] be a root of the polynomial p(x) = x2+ 4x + 5. It is well-known that the pair (α, {0, 1, 2, 3, 4}) forms a canonical number system, i.e., that each γ ∈ ℤ[α] admits a finite representation of the shape γ = a0+ a1α + ⋯ + aℓαℓwith ai∈ {0, 1, 2, 3, 4}. The set [Formula: see text] of points with integer part 0 in this number system [Formula: see text] is called the fundamental domain of this canonical number system. It is a plane continuum with nonempty interior which induces a tiling of ℂ. Moreover, it has a disconnected interior [Formula: see text]. In the first paper of this series we described the closures C0, C1, C2and C3of the four largest components of [Formula: see text] as attractors of graph-directed self-similar sets. Each of these four sets is a translation of C0. We conjectured that the closures of the other components are images of C0by similarity transformations. In this article we prove this conjecture. Moreover, we provide a graph from which the suitable similarities can be read off.
ON HAUSDORFF DIMENSION AND TOPOLOGICAL ENTROPY
Authors: MA DONGKUI , WU MIN
Published: August 2010

Let f: X → X be a continuous map of a compact topological space. If there exists a metric function on X and it satisfies some restricted conditions, we obtain some relationships between Hausdorff dimension and topological entropy for any Z ⊆ X. Using those results, we also obtain a variational principle of dimensions, generalize some known results and give some examples.
SIGNAL CHARACTERIZATION USING FRACTAL DIMENSION
Authors: RAGHAVENDRA B. S. , DUTT D. NARAYANA
Published: August 2010

Fractal Dimensions (FD) are one of the popular measures used for characterizing signals. They have been used as complexity measures of signals in various fields including speech and biomedical applications. However, proper interpretation of such analyses has not been thoroughly addressed. In this paper, we study the effect of various signal properties on FD and interpret results in terms of classical signal processing concepts such as amplitude, frequency, number of harmonics, noise power and signal bandwidth. We have used Higuchi's method for estimating FDs. This study may help in gaining a better understanding of the FD complexity measure itself, and for interpreting changing structural complexity of signals in terms of FD. Our results indicate that FD is a useful measure in quantifying structural changes in signal properties.
PREDICTION ACCURACY OF BAND-RESTRICTED RANDOM SIGNALS AND SECURITY RISK IN STATISTICAL KEY EXCHANGE
Authors: LIU PAO-LO
Published: August 2010

Statistical key exchange relies on signals with irreducible randomness to covertly transmit information. Because of causality, there may be disturbances during the transient turn-on, which can pose as a security risk. Linear prediction and the Gerchberg–Papoulis methods are used to analyze the risk quantitatively. With properly generated signals, the probability of leak during the transient turn-on is found to be comparable to that of the steady state. The transient signal does not pose as an additional security risk.
A FUZZY REAL OPTION VALUATION APPROACH TO CAPITAL BUDGETING UNDER UNCERTAINTY ENVIRONMENT
Authors: WANG SHIN-YUN , LEE CHENG-FEW
Published: August 2010

The information needed for capital budgeting is generally not known with certainty. The sources of uncertainty may be the net cash inflows, the life of the project, or the discount rate. We propose a capital budgeting model under uncertainty environment in which the concept of probability is employed in describing fuzzy events and cash flow information can be specified as a special type of fuzzy numbers. The present worth of each fuzzy project cash flow can be subsequently estimated. At the same time, to select fuzzy projects and determine the optimal decision time under limited capital budget, we offer an example to analyze the results of the capital budgeting problem under uncertainty using a fuzzy real option valuation.
Orally administered soymorphins, soy-derived opioid peptides, suppress feeding and intestinal transit via gut μ1-receptor coupled to 5-HT1A, D2, and GABABsystems
Authors: Kaneko Kentaro , Iwasaki Masashi , Yoshikawa Masaaki , Ohinata Kousaku
Published: August 2010

We previously reported that soymorphins, μ-opioid agonist peptides derived from soy β-conglycinin β-subunit, have anxiolytic-like activity. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of soymorphins on food intake and gut motility, along with their mechanism. We found that soymorphins decreases food intake after oral administration in fasted mice. Orally administered soymorphins suppressed small intestinal transit at lower dose than that of anorexigenic activity. Suppression of food intake and small intestinal transit after oral administration of soymorphins was inhibited by naloxone or naloxonazine, antagonists of μ- or μ1-opioid receptor, respectively, after oral but not intraperitoneal administration. The inhibitory activities of small intestinal transit by soymorphins were also inhibited by WAY100135, raclopride, or saclofen, antagonists for serotonin 5-HT1A, dopamine D2, or GABABreceptor, respectively. We then examined the order of activation of 5-HT1A, D2, and GABABreceptors, using their agonists and antagonists. The inhibitory effect of 8-hydroxy-2-dipropylaminotetralin hydrobromide, a 5-HT1Aagonist, after oral administration on small intestinal transit was blocked by raclopride or saclofen. Bromocriptine, a D2agonist-induced small intestinal transit suppression, was inhibited by saclofen, but not by WAY100135. Baclofen, a GABABagonist-induced small intestinal transit suppression, was not blocked by WAY100135 or raclopride. These results suggest that 5-HT1Aactivation elicits D2followed by GABABactivations in small intestinal motility. We conclude that orally administered soymorphins suppress food intake and small intestinal transit via μ1-opioid receptor coupled to 5-HT1A, D2, and GABABsystems.
Mucosal potassium efflux mediated via Kcnn4 channels provides the driving force for electrogenic anion secretion in colon
Authors: Nanda Kumar N. S. , Singh Satish K. , Rajendran Vazhaikkurichi M.
Published: August 2010

Intermediate conductance K+(Kcnn4) channels are present in both mucosal and serosal membranes of colon. However, only serosal Kcnn4 channels have been shown to be essential for agonist-induced (cAMP and Ca2+) anion secretion. The present study sought to determine whether mucosal Kcnn4 channels also play a role in colonic anion secretion. Mucosal-to-serosal and serosal-to-mucosal unidirectional86Rb (K+surrogate) fluxes as well as short-circuit current ( Isc; a measure of anion secretion) were measured under voltage-clamp conditions in distal colon from rats fed either a standard or K+-free diet. 5,6-Dichloro-1-ethyl-1,3-dihydro-2H-benzimidazole-2-one (DC-EBIO) was used to activate Kcnn4 channels. Mucosal DC-EBIO both induced K+secretion and enhanced anion secretion in normal rat distal colon. The DC-EBIO-induced K+secretion was completely blocked by nonspecific (Ba2+) and Kcnn4-specific (TRAM-34) inhibitors, but was not blocked by the large-conductance K+(iberiotoxin), small-conductance K+(apamin), or KCNQ1 (chromanol 293B) specific blockers. Ba2+and TRAM-34 also inhibited DC-EBIO-enhanced anion secretion. The DC-EBIO-enhanced anion secretion was completely inhibited by the nonspecific anion channel blocker 5-nitro-2-(3-phenylpropyl-amino)benzoic acid, whereas it was only partially inhibited by CFTR [CFTRinh-172, glibenclamide]- and CaCC (niflumic acid)-specific Cl−channel blockers. In contrast, mucosal DC-EBIO-enhanced K+and anion secretion was not present in distal colon of dietary K-depleted rats, indicating absence of mucosal Kcnn4 channels. These observations indicate that mucosal Kcnn4 channels are capable of driving agonist-induced anion secretion mediated via CFTR and CaCC and likely contribute to stool K+losses that accompany diarrheal illnesses.
Loss of connexin40 is associated with decreased endothelium-dependent relaxations and eNOS levels in the mouse aorta
Authors: Alonso Florian , Boittin François-Xavier , Bény Jean-Louis , Haefliger Jacques-Antoine
Published: August 2010

Upon agonist stimulation, endothelial cells trigger smooth muscle relaxation through the release of relaxing factors such as nitric oxide (NO). Endothelial cells of mouse aorta are interconnected by gap junctions made of connexin40 (Cx40) and connexin37 (Cx37), allowing the exchange of signaling molecules to coordinate their activity. Wild-type (Cx40+/+) and hypertensive Cx40-deficient mice (Cx40−/−), which also exhibit a marked decrease of Cx37 in the endothelium, were used to investigate the link between the expression of endothelial connexins (Cx40 and Cx37) and endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) expression and function in the mouse aorta. With the use of isometric tension measurements in aortic rings precontracted with U-46619, a stable thromboxane A2 mimetic, we first demonstrate that ACh- and ATP-induced endothelium-dependent relaxations solely depend on NO release in both Cx40+/+ and Cx40−/− mice, but are markedly weaker in Cx40−/− mice. Consistently, both basal and ACh- or ATP-induced NO production were decreased in the aorta of Cx40−/− mice. Altered relaxations and NO release from aorta of Cx40−/− mice were associated with lower expression levels of eNOS in the aortic endothelium of Cx40−/− mice. Using immunoprecipitation and in situ ligation assay, we further demonstrate that eNOS, Cx40, and Cx37 tightly interact with each other at intercellular junctions in the aortic endothelium of Cx40+/+ mice, suggesting that the absence of Cx40 in association with altered Cx37 levels in endothelial cells from Cx40−/− mice participate to the decreased levels of eNOS. Altogether, our data suggest that the endothelial connexins may participate in the control of eNOS expression levels and function.