Cherenkov mesons as in-medium quark energy loss

We recently showed that a heavy quark moving su ciently fast through a quark-gluon plasma may lose energy by Cherenkov-radiating mesons [1]. Here we review our previous holographic calculation of the energy loss in N = 4 Super Yang-Mills and extend it to longitudinal vector mesons and scalar mesons. We also discuss phenomenological implications for heavy-ion collision experiments. Although the Cherenkov energy loss is an O(1=Nc) effect, a ballpark estimate yields a value of dE/dx for Nc = 3 which is comparable to that of other mechanisms.

X-Ray systems: radiation protection program in basic research applications

Although the radiation doses involved in basic research radiology are relatively small, the increasing number of radiological procedures makes risks becoming increasingly high. Quality control techniques in radiological practice have to ensure an adequate system of protection for people exposed to radiation. These techniques belong to a quality assurance program for X-ray machines and are designed to correct problems related to equipment and radiological practices, to obtain radiological images of high quality and to reduce the unnecessary exposures.

A knowledge based signal processing approach to tonic identification in indian classical music

In this paper, we describe several techniques for detecting tonic pitch value in Indian classical music. In Indian music, the raga is the basic melodic framework and it is built on the tonic. Tonic detection is therefore fundamental for any melodic analysis in Indian classical music. This workexplores detection of tonic by processing the pitch histograms of Indian classic music. Processing of pitch histograms using group delay functions and its ability to amplify certain traits of Indian music in the pitch histogram, is discussed. Three different strategies to detect tonic, namely, the concert method, the template matching and segmented histogram method are proposed. The concert method exploits the fact that the tonic is constant over a piece/concert.templatematchingmethod and segmented histogrammethodsuse the properties: (i) the tonic is always present in the background, (ii) some notes are less inflected and dominant, to detect the tonic of individual pieces. All the three methods yield good results for Carnatic music (90−100% accuracy), while for Hindustanimusic, the templatemethod works best, provided the v¯adi samv¯adi notes for a given piece are known (85%).

Cultured 3T3L1 adipocytes dispose of excess medium glucose as lactate under abundant oxygen availability

White adipose tissue (WAT) produces lactate in significant amount from circulating glucose, especially in obesity;Under normoxia, 3T3L1 cells secrete large quantities of lactate to the medium, again at the expense of glucose and proportionally to its levels. Most of the glucose was converted to lactate with only part of it being used to synthesize fat. Cultured adipocytes were largely anaerobic, but this was not a Warburg-like process. It is speculated that the massive production of lactate, is a process of defense of the adipocyte, used to dispose of excess glucose. This way, the adipocyte exports glucose carbon (and reduces the problem of excess substrate availability) to the liver, but the process may be also a mechanism of short-term control of hyperglycemia. The in vivo data obtained from adipose tissue of male rats agree with this interpretation.

Cultured 3T3L1 adipocytes dispose of excess medium glucose as lactate under abundant oxygen availability

White adipose tissue (WAT) produces lactate in significant amount from circulating glucose, especially in obesity;Under normoxia, 3T3L1 cells secrete large quantities of lactate to the medium, again at the expense of glucose and proportionally to its levels. Most of the glucose was converted to lactate with only part of it being used to synthesize fat. Cultured adipocytes were largely anaerobic, but this was not a Warburg-like process. It is speculated that the massive production of lactate, is a process of defense of the adipocyte, used to dispose of excess glucose. This way, the adipocyte exports glucose carbon (and reduces the problem of excess substrate availability) to the liver, but the process may be also a mechanism of short-term control of hyperglycemia. The in vivo data obtained from adipose tissue of male rats agree with this interpretation.

Plagas de los espacios verdes urbanos: bases para su control integrado

En España, las plagas de los espacios verdes urbanos suponen cada año un notable esfuerzo de control y la aplicación de plaguicidas es la estrategia de control empleada casi exclusivamente, con los subsiguientes riesgos que conlleva para las personas, animales y el medio ambiente. El control integrado es una alternativa pero requiere, para poder ser aplicada, un conocimiento profundo de las especies-plaga implicadas, de su biología, dinámica de poblaciones, daños, metodologías de muestreo y posibles sistemas de control. Esta información es difícil de encontrar en España debido a que existen pocos trabajos publicados sobre plagas de zonas verdes urbanas llevados a cabo de una forma sistematizada y a medio o largo plazo. En el presente artículo se analizan los condicionantes del control integrado de plagas en espacios verdes urbanos y se presenta un ejemplo, a partir de los estudios llevados a cabo en la ciudad de Lleida durante el período 2001-2003, de cómo la información básica necesaria para la implementación de posibles programas de control integrado puede ser obtenida.

Cherenkov mesons as in-medium quark energy loss

We recently showed that a heavy quark moving sufficiently fast through a quark-gluon plasma may lose energy by Cherenkov-radiating mesons [1]. Here we review our previous holographic calculation of the energy loss in N=4 Super Yang-Mills and extend it to longitudinal vector mesons and scalar mesons. We also discuss phenomenological implications for heavy-ion collision experiments. Although the Cherenkov energy loss is an O(1/Nc) effect, a ballpark estimate yields a value of dE/dx for Nc=3 which is comparable to that of other mechanisms.

Cherenkov mesons as in-medium quark energy loss

We recently showed that a heavy quark moving sufficiently fast through a quark-gluon plasma may lose energy by Cherenkov-radiating mesons [1]. Here we review our previous holographic calculation of the energy loss in N=4 Super Yang-Mills and extend it to longitudinal vector mesons and scalar mesons. We also discuss phenomenological implications for heavy-ion collision experiments. Although the Cherenkov energy loss is an O(1/Nc) effect, a ballpark estimate yields a value of dE/dx for Nc=3 which is comparable to that of other mechanisms.

Anàlisi de l'estat de canvis en el patrimoni net i l'estat de fluxos d'efectiu : interpretació i anàlisi 2007-2011

L’objectiu d’aquest treball ha estat l’anàlisi dels dos nous documents comptables, l’Estat de Canvis en el Patrimoni Net – ECPN – i l’Estat de Fluxos d’Efectiu – EFE‐, introduïts amb la reforma comptable de 2007 [Reial Decret 1514/2007 de 16 de novembre i Reial Decret 1515/2007 per a petites i mitjanes empreses]. Aquest anàlisis s’ha portat a terme amb la finalitat d’analitzar com ha millorat i augmentat la informació per la presa de millors decisions tant per les empreses com per analistes externs. El treball consta de dues parts, la primera part està formada per un anàlisis teòric d’aquests dos documents. La segona part està formada per un anàlisis pràctic de les empreses del sector de Materials Bàsics, Indústria i Construcció de la Borsa de Madrid. D’aquestes empreses s’ha realitzat un anàlisis convencional i l’ anàlisis dels corresponents ECPN i EFE de cadascuna de les empreses, amb l’objectiu de comprovar la millora de la informació.

Effects of medium on nuclear properties in multifragmentation

In multifragmentation of hot nuclear matter, properties of fragments embedded in a soup of nucleonic gas and other fragments should be modified as compared with isolated nuclei. Such modifications are studied within a simple model where only nucleons and one kind of heavy nuclei are considered. The interaction between different species is described with a momentum-dependent two-body potential whose parameters are fitted to reproduce properties of cold isolated nuclei. The internal energy of heavy fragments is parametrized according to a liquid-drop model with density- and temperature-dependent parameters. Calculations are carried out for several subnuclear densities and moderate temperatures, for isospin-symmetric and asymmetric systems. We find that the fragments get stretched due to interactions with the medium and their binding energies decrease with increasing temperature and density of nuclear matter.

English as a medium of instruction in teaching other languages: attitudes and practices

Internationalisation of HE and emergence of English as a global academic lingua franca used by people who share neither a common native tongue nor cultural and educational background have not only offered more opportunities but also raised challenges. According to recent European surveys, the percentage of pupils attaining the level of independent user in English varies from 14% to 82%, which evidences the potential and the complexity for English as a medium of instruction at tertiary level. This study aims to present the model of foreign language instruction at Vytautas Magnus University where one third of 30 languages are taught through English. It investigates the attitudes and practices of teachers in delivering their English-medium language courses by discussing the questions whether teaching other languages through English is psychologically, culturally and educationally preferable for teachers and students, whether it can limit the content taught and require a special methodology, how the teaching process changes with multiple languages used in the classroom and what level of English is necessary for teachers and students to ensure high quality of English-medium language teaching. The study is based on qualitative methodology with 12 language teachers participating as respondents. The results reveal areas in need of improvement.

Amyloid Beta Precursor Protein: Proper Credit for the Basic Biochemical Properties of the Most Studied Protein in the 21st Century

The amyloid precursor protein (APP) is mainly known for being the precursor of the ß-amyloid peptide, which accumulates in plaques found in the brain of Alzheimer's disease patients. Expression in different tissues and the degree of sequence identity among mammals indicate an essential and non-tissue specific physiological function. APP is anchored to the membrane and displays a single C-terminal intracellular domain and a longer N-terminal extracellular domain. The basic biochemical properties and the scattered data on research, not related to production of beta-amyloid peptide, suggest that the protein and the molecules resulting from APP proteolytic cleavage may act as adhesion factors, enzymes, hormones/neurotransmitters and/or protease inhibitors. APP deserves to be known for its quite notable properties and its physiological role(s).

Counteracting incentive sensitization in severe alcohol dependence using deep brain stimulation of the nucleus accumbens: clinical and basic science aspects

The ventral striatum / nucleus accumbens has been implicated in the craving for drugs and alcohol which is a major reason for relapse of addicted people. Craving might be induced by drug-related cues. This suggests that disruption of craving-related neural activity in the nucleus accumbens may significantly reduce craving in alcohol-dependent patients. Here we report on preliminary clinical and neurophysiological evidence in three male patients who were treated with high frequency deep brain stimulation of the nucleus accumbens bilaterally. All three had been alcohol dependent for many years, unable to abstain from drinking, and had experienced repeated relapses prior to the stimulation. After the operation, craving was greatly reduced and all three patients were able to abstain from drinking for extended periods of time. Immediately after the operation but prior to connection of the stimulation electrodes to the stimulator, local field potentials were obtained from the externalized cables in two patients while they performed cognitive tasks addressing action monitoring and incentive salience of drug related cues. LFPs in the action monitoring task provided further evidence for a role of the nucleus accumbens in goal-directed behaviors. Importantly, alcohol related cue stimuli in the incentive salience task modulated LFPs even though these cues were presented outside of the attentional focus. This implies that cue-related craving involves the nucleus accumbens and is highly automatic.