We investigate the emergent laws of gravity when dark energy and the de Sitter space-time are modeled as a critical Bose-Einstein condensate of a large number of soft gravitons NG. We argue that this ...scenario requires the presence of various regimes of gravity in which NG scales in different ways. Moreover, the local gravitational interaction affecting baryonic matter can be naturally described in terms of gravitons pulled out from this dark energy condensate (DEC). We then explain the additional component of the acceleration at galactic scales, commonly attributed to dark matter, as the reaction of the DEC to the presence of baryonic matter. This additional dark force is also associated to gravitons pulled out from the DEC and correctly reproduces the modified Newtonian dynamics (MOND) acceleration. It also allows for an effective description in terms of general relativity sourced by an anisotropic fluid. We finally calculate the mass ratio between the contribution of the apparent dark matter and the baryonic matter in a region of size r at galactic scales and show that it is consistent with the ΛCDM predictions.
The development of better laser-based experimental methods and the fast rise in computer power has created an unprecedented shift in turbulent combustion research. The range of species and quantities ...measured and the advent of kHz-level planar diagnostics are now providing great insights in important phenomena and applications such as local and global extinction, pollutants, and spray combustion that were hitherto unavailable. In simulations, the shift to LES allows better representation of the turbulent flow in complex geometries, but despite the fact that the grid size is smaller than in RANS, the push towards realistic conditions and the need to include more detailed chemistry that includes very fast species and thin reaction zones emphasize the necessity of a sub-grid turbulent combustion model. The paper discusses examples from current research with experiments and modelling that focus on flame transients (self-excited oscillations, local extinction), sprays, soot emissions, and on practical applications. These demonstrate how current models are being validated by experimental data and the concerted efforts the community is taking to promote the modelling tools to industry. In addition, the various coordinated International Workshops on non-premixed, premixed, and spray flames, and on soot are discussed and some of their target flames are explored. These comprise flames that are relatively simple to describe from a fluid mechanics perspective but contain difficult-to-model combustion problems such as extinction, pollutants and multi-mode reaction zones. Recently, swirl spray flames, which are more representative of industrial devices, have been added to the target flames. Typically, good agreement is found with LES and some combustion models such as the progress variable - mixture fraction flamelet model, the Conditional Moment Closure, and the Transported PDF method, but predicting soot emissions and the condition of complete extinction in complex geometries is still elusive.
A swirling ethanol spray flame in conditions close to blow-off has been simulated using Large Eddy Simulation (LES) and the Conditional Moment Closure (CMC) combustion model aiming to further ...validate the capability of the LES/CMC approach to capture local extinctions in turbulent spray flames. A detailed chemical mechanism was used and a transport equation of the mixture fraction sub-grid variance, with spray interaction terms included, was solved. Numerical results are in good agreement with the experiment in terms of both instantaneous and mean flame shape and droplet velocity and size. Local extinctions were detected in the region around the bluff-body, resulting in a fluctuating lift-off of the flame there, and the probability density function of the lift-off height was in very good agreement with the experiment, suggesting that the degree of local extinction is captured quantitatively. Analysis of the CMC equation suggested that local extinction was influenced by both transport in physical space and high scalar dissipation rate. The modelling of the latter needs development in areas where the spray evaporation is strong enough to increase significantly the sub-grid mixture fraction fluctuations and their small-scale gradients, possibly leading to deviations from the present usual approach of relating the sub-grid scalar dissipation to the sub-grid mixture fraction variance.
This work investigates the effects of premixed combustion kinematics in pre-chamber volumes on the development of emitted hot jets from the igniter. The effects of fuel type, orifice diameter, and ...ignition location are evaluated experimentally, with high-speed OH∗ and CH∗ chemiluminescence imaging, and computationally with Large-Eddy Simulations (LES). The imaging experiments allowed for simultaneous viewing of combustion processes within a quartz chamber and of the developing jet flow. Results from these experiments provided insight on the temporal evolution of the jet relative to the growth of an ignited kernel within the chamber, as well as information on the emission or lack of emission of radical species from the chamber. Computational results provided data on the temporal behavior of the pressure within the chamber and profiles of the high velocity flow through the orifice. These results, combined, have shown that dependent on the strain rate and effective orifice size, local quenching of radical species at the orifice occurs which fundamentally change whether hot products, reactive layers, or both are present in the turbulent jet emission. The dynamic structure and composition of the turbulent jet controls its relevance as an effective ignition source.
We propose an effective anisotropic fluid description for a generic infrared-modified theory of gravity. In our framework, the additional component of the acceleration, commonly attributed to dark ...matter, is explained as a radial pressure generated by the reaction of the dark energy fluid to the presence of baryonic matter. Using quite general assumptions, and a microscopic description of the fluid in terms of a Bose–Einstein condensate of gravitons, we find the static, spherically symmetric solution for the metric in terms of the Misner–Sharp mass function and the fluid pressure. At galactic scales, we correctly reproduce the leading MOND-like log(r) and subleading (1/r)log(r) terms in the weak-field expansion of the potential. Our description also predicts a tiny (of order 10−6 for a typical spiral galaxy) Machian modification of the Newtonian potential at galactic scales, which is controlled by the cosmological acceleration.
We study different entropies for coherent states representing the geometry of spherically symmetric compact systems. We show that the thermodynamic entropy reproduces the Bekenstein-Hawking result in ...the presence of thermal modes at the Hawking temperature if the object is a black hole and saturates the Bekenstein bound for more general compact objects. We also analyse the information entropy of the quantum coherent state without radiation and find further support against the singular Schwarzschild geometry.
Abstract
A subset of circular RNAs (circRNAs) and linear RNAs have been proposed to ‘sponge’ or block microRNA activity. Additionally, certain RNAs induce microRNA destruction through the process of ...Target RNA-Directed MicroRNA Degradation (TDMD), but whether both linear and circular transcripts are equivalent in driving TDMD is unknown. Here, we studied whether circular/linear topology of endogenous and artificial RNA targets affects TDMD. Consistent with previous knowledge that Cdr1as (ciRS-7) circular RNA protects miR-7 from Cyrano-mediated TDMD, we demonstrate that depletion of Cdr1as reduces miR-7 abundance. In contrast, overexpression of an artificial linear version of Cdr1as drives miR-7 degradation. Using plasmids that express a circRNA with minimal co-expressed cognate linear RNA, we show differential effects on TDMD that cannot be attributed to the nucleotide sequence, as the TDMD properties of a sequence often differ when in a circular versus linear form. By analysing RNA sequencing data of a neuron differentiation system, we further detect potential effects of circRNAs on microRNA stability. Our results support the view that RNA circularity influences TDMD, either enhancing or inhibiting it on specific microRNAs.
Graphical Abstract
Graphical Abstract
Fluorescence nanoscopy imaging permits the observation of periodic supramolecular protein structures in their natural environment, as well as the unveiling of previously unknown protein periodic ...structures. Deciphering the biological functions of such protein nanostructures requires systematic and quantitative analysis of large number of images under different experimental conditions and specific stimuli. Here we present a method and an open source software for the automated quantification of protein periodic structures in super-resolved images. Its performance is demonstrated by analyzing the abundance and regularity of the spectrin membrane-associated periodic skeleton (MPS) in hippocampal neurons of 2 to 40 days in vitro, imaged by STED and STORM nanoscopy. The automated analysis reveals that both the abundance and the regularity of the MPS increase over time and reach maximum plateau values after 14 DIV. A detailed analysis of the distributions of correlation coefficients provides indication of dynamical assembly and disassembly of the MPS.
Osteoporosis poses a significant public health issue. National Societies have developed Guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of this disorder with an effort of adapting specific tools for risk ...assessment on the peculiar characteristics of a given population. The Italian Society for Osteoporosis, Mineral Metabolism and Bone Diseases (SIOMMMS) has recently revised the previously published Guidelines on the diagnosis, riskassessment, prevention and management of primary and secondary osteoporosis. The guidelines were first drafted by a working group and then approved by the board of SIOMMMS. Subsequently they received also the endorsement of other major Scientific Societies that deal with bone metabolic disease. These recommendations are based on systematic reviews of the best available evidence and explicit consideration of cost effectiveness. When minimal evidence is available, recommendations are based on leading experts' experience and opinion, and on good clinical practice. The osteoporosis prevention should be based on the elimination of specific risk factors. The use of drugs registered for the treatment of osteoporosis are recommended when the benefits overcome the risk, and this is the case only when the risk of fracture is rather high as measured with variables susceptible to pharmacological effect. DeFRA (FRAX® derived fracture risk assessment) is recognized as a useful tool for easily estimate the long-term fracture risk. Several secondary forms of osteoporosis require a specific diagnostic and therapeutic management.
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