Systematics, functional morphology and distribution of a bivalve (Apachecorbula muriatica gen. et sp. nov.) from the rim of the ‘Valdivia Deep’ brine pool in the Red Sea

The deep brine pools of the Red Sea comprise extreme, inhospitable habitats yet house microbial communities that potentially may fuel adjacent fauna. We here describe a novel bivalve from a deep-sea (1525 m) brine pool in the Red Sea, where conditions of high salinity, lowered pH, partial anoxia and high temperatures are prevalent. Remotely operated vehicle (ROV) footage showed that the bivalves were present in a narrow (20 cm) band along the rim of the brine pool, suggesting that it is not only tolerant of such extreme conditions but is also limited to them. The bivalve is a member of the Corbulidae and named Apachecorbula muriatica gen. et sp. nov. The shell is atypical of the family in being modioliform and thin. The semi-infaunal habit is seen in ROV images and reflected in the anatomy by the lack of siphons. The ctenidia are large and typical of a suspension feeding bivalve, but the absence of guard cilia and the greatly reduced labial palps suggest that it is non-selective as a response to low food availability. It is proposed that the low body mass observed is a consequence of the extreme habitat and low food availability. It is postulated that the observed morphology of Apachecorbula is a result of paedomorphosis driven by the effects of the extreme environment on growth but is in part mitigated by the absence of high predation pressures.

Search for new phenomena in the dijet mass distribution using pp collision data at s√=8 TeV with the ATLAS detector

Dijet events produced in LHC proton--proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy s√=8 TeV are studied with the ATLAS detector using the full 2012 data set, with an integrated luminosity of 20.3 fb−1. Dijet masses up to about 4.5 TeV are probed. No resonance-like features are observed in the dijet mass spectrum. Limits on the cross section times acceptance are set at the 95% credibility level for various hypotheses of new phenomena in terms of mass or energy scale, as appropriate. This analysis excludes excited quarks with a mass below 4.09 TeV, color-octet scalars with a mass below 2.72 TeV, heavy W′ bosons with a mass below 2.45 TeV, chiral W∗ bosons with a mass below 1.75 TeV, and quantum black holes with six extra space-time dimensions with threshold mass below 5.82 TeV.

Measurements of the Total and Differential Higgs Boson Production Cross Sections Combining the H→γγ and H→ZZ∗→4ℓ Decay Channels at s√=8 TeV with the ATLAS Detector

Measurements of the total and differential cross sections of Higgs boson production are performed using 20.3 fb−1 of pp collisions produced by the Large Hadron Collider at a center-of-mass energy of s√=8 TeV and recorded by the ATLAS detector. Cross sections are obtained from measured H→γγ and H→ZZ∗→4ℓ event yields, which are combined accounting for detector efficiencies, fiducial acceptances and branching fractions. Differential cross sections are reported as a function of Higgs boson transverse momentum, Higgs boson rapidity, number of jets in the event, and transverse momentum of the leading jet. The total production cross section is determined to be σpp→H=33.0±5.3(stat)±1.6(sys)pb. The measurements are compared to state-of-the-art predictions.

Measurement of the production and lepton charge asymmetry of W bosons in Pb plus Pb collisions at root s(NN)=2.76 TeV with the ATLAS detec

A measurement of W boson production in lead-lead collisions at sNN−−−√=2.76 TeV is presented. It is based on the analysis of data collected with the ATLAS detector at the LHC in 2011 corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 0.14 nb−1 and 0.15 nb−1 in the muon and electron decay channels, respectively. The differential production cross-sections and lepton charge asymmetry are each measured as a function of the average number of participating nucleons ⟨Npart⟩ and absolute pseudorapidity of the charged lepton. The results are compared to predictions based on next-to-leading-order QCD calculations. These measurements are, in principle, sensitive to possible nuclear modifications to the parton distribution functions and also provide information on scaling of W boson production in multi-nucleon systems.

Measurements of the top quark branching ratios into channels with leptons and quarks with the ATLAS detector

A measurement of the inclusive cross section for top quark pair production in pp collisions using events with an isolated lepton (muon or electron) and a τ lepton decaying to hadrons (τhad) is reported. Measurements of the branching ratios of top quark decays into leptons and jets using events with tt¯ (top antitop) pairs are also reported. Events were recorded with the ATLAS detector at the LHC in pp collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 7 TeV. The collected data sample corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 4.6 fb−1. The inclusive cross section measured using events with an isolated lepton and a τhad is σtt¯=183±9(stat.)±23(syst.)±3(lumi.)pb. The measured top quark branching ratios agree with the Standard Model predictions within the measurement uncertainties of a few percent.

Searches for Higgs boson pair production in the hh→bbττ,γγWW∗,γγbb,bbbb channels with the ATLAS detector

Searches for both resonant and non-resonant Higgs boson pair production are performed in the hh→bbττ,γγWW∗ final states using 20.3 fb−1 of pp collision data at a center-of-mass energy of 8 TeV recorded with the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider. No evidence of their production is observed and 95% confidence level upper limits on the production cross sections are set. These results are then combined with the published results of the hh→γγbb,bbbb analyses. An upper limit of 0.69 (0.47) pb on the non-resonant Standard Model like hh production is observed (expected), corresponding to 70 (48) times of the SM gg→hh cross section. For production via narrow resonances, cross section limits of hh production from a heavy Higgs boson decay are set as a function of the heavy Higgs boson mass. The observed (expected) limits range from 2.1 (1.1) pb at 260 GeV to 0.011 (0.018) pb at 1000 GeV. These results are interpreted in the context of two simplified scenarios of the Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model.

Pulse wave velocity distribution in a cohort study: from arterial stiffness to early vascular aging

BACKGROUND: By contrast with other southern European people, north Portuguese population registers an especially high prevalence of hypertension and stroke incidence. We designed a cohort study to identify individuals presenting accelerated and premature arterial aging in the Portuguese population. METHOD: Pulse wave velocity (PWV) was measured in randomly sampled population dwellers aged 18-96 years from northern Portugal, and used as a marker of early vascular aging (EVA). Of the 3038 individuals enrolled, 2542 completed the evaluation. RESULTS: Mean PWV value for the entire population was 8.4?m/s (men: 8.6?m/s; women: 8.2?m/s; P??10?m/s). Logistic regression models indicated gender differences concerning the risk of developing large artery damage, with women having the same odds of PWV above 10?m/s 10 years later than men. CONCLUSION: The population PWV values were higher than expected in a low cardiovascular risk area (Portugal). High prevalence rates of EVA and noteworthy large artery damage in young ages were found.

A new page on the road book of inorganic mercury in fish body - tissue distribution and elimination following waterborne exposure and post-exposure periods

prova tipográfica / uncorrected proof

Influence of emphysema distribution on pulmonary function parameters in COPD patients

Objective: To evaluate the impact that the distribution of emphysema has on clinical and functional severity in patients with COPD. Methods: The distribution of the emphysema was analyzed in COPD patients, who were classified according to a 5-point visual classification system of lung CT findings. We assessed the influence of emphysema distribution type on the clinical and functional presentation of COPD. We also evaluated hypoxemia after the six-minute walk test (6MWT) and determined the six-minute walk distance (6MWD). Results: Eighty-six patients were included. The mean age was 65.2 ± 12.2 years, 91.9% were male, and all but one were smokers (mean smoking history, 62.7 ± 38.4 pack-years). The emphysema distribution was categorized as obviously upper lung-predominant (type 1), in 36.0% of the patients; slightly upper lung-predominant (type 2), in 25.6%; homogeneous between the upper and lower lung (type 3), in 16.3%; and slightly lower lung-predominant (type 4), in 22.1%. Type 2 emphysema distribution was associated with lower FEV1 , FVC, FEV1 /FVC ratio, and DLCO. In comparison with the type 1 patients, the type 4 patients were more likely to have an FEV1 < 65% of the predicted value (OR = 6.91, 95% CI: 1.43-33.45; p = 0.016), a 6MWD < 350 m (OR = 6.36, 95% CI: 1.26-32.18; p = 0.025), and post-6MWT hypoxemia (OR = 32.66, 95% CI: 3.26-326.84; p = 0.003). The type 3 patients had a higher RV/TLC ratio, although the difference was not significant. Conclusions: The severity of COPD appears to be greater in type 4 patients, and type 3 patients tend to have greater hyperinflation. The distribution of emphysema could have a major impact on functional parameters and should be considered in the evaluation of COPD patients.

Molecular mass distribution of materials solubilized by xylanase treatment of Douglas-Fir kraft pulp

Irgazyme, a commercial xylanase preparation from Trichoderma longibrachiatum, and xylanase D a purified enzyme from Trichoderma harzianum E58 were tested for their ability to enhance peroxide bleaching of Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) kraft pulp. A treatment with Irgazyme caused a much larger increase in brightness than did xylanase D. A double xylanase treatment with Irgazyme, before and after peroxide bleaching, resulted in the highest final brightness. Alkaline extraction increased the brightness of Douglas-fir brownstock. Treatment with Irgazyme released more lignin and carbohydrates than did xylanase D. The molecular mass of the lignin extracted from Irgazyme-treated brownstock was much larger than that from the control pulp. The lignin-like macromolecules directly solubilized from peroxide bleached pulps were substantially larger than those solubilized from the brownstock, irrespective of whether they were produced during xylanase or control treatments. This indicates that different kinds of materials were solubilized when a xylanase treatment was applied at different points in the bleaching sequence and raises concerns about the role of lignin entrapment in the mechanism by which xylanase enhances peroxide bleaching.

Antibacterial properties of multifunctional coatings Ag-ZrCN for biomedical devices: a novel approach

PhD in Sciences Specialty in Physics