A
bstract
We prove a conjectured lower bound on 〈
T__
(
x
)〉
ψ
in any state
ψ
of a CFT on Minkowski space, dubbed the Quantum Null Energy Condition (QNEC). The bound is given by the second order ...shape deformation, in the null direction, of the geometric entanglement entropy of an entangling cut passing through
x
. Our proof involves a combination of the two independent methods that were used recently to prove the weaker Averaged Null Energy Condition (ANEC). In particular the properties of modular Hamiltonians under shape deformations for the state
ψ
play an important role, as do causality considerations. We study the two point function of a “probe” operator
O
in the state
ψ
and use a lightcone limit to evaluate this correlator. Instead of causality in time we consider causality on modular time for the modular evolved probe operators, which we constrain using Tomita-Takesaki theory as well as certain generalizations pertaining to the theory of modular inclusions. The QNEC follows from very similar considerations to the derivation of the chaos bound and the causality sum rule. We use a kind of defect Operator Product Expansion to apply the replica trick to these modular flow computations, and the displacement operator plays an important role. We argue that the proof extends to more general relativistic QFT with an interacting UV fixed point and also prove a higher spin version of the QNEC. Our approach was inspired by the AdS/CFT proof of the QNEC which follows from properties of the Ryu-Takayanagi (RT) surface near the boundary of AdS, combined with the requirement of entanglement wedge nesting. Our methods were, as such, designed as a precise probe of the RT surface close to the boundary of a putative gravitational/stringy dual of any QFT with an interacting UV fixed point.
Lagoecia cuminoides L. is a very rare and threatened taxon in Italy, never studied before for its ecology and potential use for human consumption. Furthermore, few data are available on the ...biological activities of its metabolites. A phytosociological study was carried out in the only two Italian sites, and its state of conservation was also evaluated according to the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) protocol. The collected plant material was used to make two types of extracts: hot water infusion to evaluate the use of this plant as tea and hydroalcoholic extraction to evaluate the use of it in herbal liqueur preparation. The presence of functional compounds in the extracts were investigated by gas and liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry techniques. Ten non volatiles compounds were identified in the extracts, most of which derivatives of quercetin. Thirty-five volatiles compounds were also identified in the plant aerial part and extracts belonging to the chemical class of terpenoids, and among them β-farnesene, thymol, γ-terpinene and p-cymene were the most abundant. The species is characterized by compounds known for their health effects and for its potential applications for human consumption, being this species already used as decoction in some countries of Middle East. Thanks to its characteristic behaviour to grow in limiting pedoclimatic conditions this species can be potentially used in organic farms situated in rural marginal areas.
Summary
Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection does not usually produce symptoms when it causes primary infection, reinfection, or reactivation because these three types of infection are all controlled by ...the normal immune system. However, CMV becomes an important pathogen in individuals whose immune system is immature or compromised, such as the unborn child. Several vaccines against CMV are currently in clinical trials that aim to induce immunity in seronegative individuals and/or to boost the immunity of those with prior natural infection (seropositives). To facilitate estimation of the burden of disease and the need for vaccines that induce de novo immune responses or that boost pre‐existing immunity to CMV, we conducted a systematic survey of the published literature to describe the global seroprevalence of CMV IgG antibodies. We estimated a global CMV seroprevalence of 83% (95%UI: 78‐88) in the general population, 86% (95%UI: 83‐89) in women of childbearing age, and 86% (95%UI: 82‐89) in donors of blood or organs. For each of these three groups, the highest seroprevalence was seen in the World Health Organisation (WHO) Eastern Mediterranean region 90% (95%UI: 85‐94) and the lowest in WHO European region 66% (95%UI: 56‐74). These estimates of the worldwide CMV distribution will help develop national and regional burden of disease models and inform future vaccine development efforts.
Concentrations of the major ions (Ca
2+
, Mg
2+
, Na
+
, K
+
, NH
4
+
, Cl
−
, HCO
3
−
, SO
4
2−
and NO
3
−
), pH and electrical conductivity (EC) values in the rainwater (RW) samples at 16 stations ...in Syria were determined for characterizing the principal factors affecting the chemical composition of precipitation (P) in this country. Collection of the RW samples was made on a monthly basis during the period (1989–2006). The volume-weighted mean (VWM) values calculated for the different parameters at all stations show VWM values of 6.84 and 96 μS/cm for pH and EC, respectively. The ionic trend of the VWM concentrations (μeq/L) in the RW samples of entire dataset follows the descending order: Ca
2+
≥ HCO
3
−
> SO
4
2−
> Mg
2+
> Cl
−
> Na
+
> NO
3
−
> K
+
> NH
4
+
. The lowest pH and EC values were found for the southern mountainous stations, while the highest were reported for the interior inland stations, depending on the amount of carbonate dust present in the atmosphere. The major part of the RW salinity (> 70%) was due to Ca
2+
, HCO
3
−
and SO
4
2−
concentrations. The highest concentrations of Na
+
and Cl
−
were found for the Tartous coastal station, where the Na
+
/Cl
−
ratio (0.84 ± 0.16) was remarkably very close to that of the Mediterranean Sea (MS) value (0.86), implying thus the sea spray effect. The highest NO
3
−
concentrations (≈ 8–9 mg/L), with relatively high SO
4
2−
/NO
3
−
ratios (> 2 ± 1), were found for the major cities (Damascus, Homs and Aleppo), implying hence the influence of intensive traffics and urban pollutions. The pH parameter was moderately linked with Ca
2+
and HCO
3
−
(
R
2
≈ 0.36), while EC was correlated with all ions, except NH
4
+
. This later ion was weakly correlated with NO
3
−
(
R
2
≈ 0.23). Strong correlations were found between Ca
2+
and SO
4
2−
(
R
2
≈ 0.80) and between Cl
−
and Na
+
(
R
2
≈ 0.95). Ca
2+
and Mg
2+
ions were the most responsible for neutralizing the RW acidity. The role of K
+
and NH
4
+
as acidity neutralizers was small. By using the principal component analysis (PCA), five major factors, explaining ≈ 87% of the total variance, were suggested for the possible sources affecting the chemical composition of RW in this country. The factors are (1) crustal natural materials, (2) sea salts, (3) fossil fuel combustion, (4) rural activity, and (5) biomass burning.
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The combination of nanoparticles (NPs) and surfactant may offer a novel technique of generating stronger foams for gas mobility control. This study evaluates the potential of silica ...NPs to enhance the foam stability of three nonionic surfactants. Results showed that the concentration of surfactant and NPs is a crucial parameter for foam stability and that there is certain concentrations for strong foam generation. A balance in concentration between the nonionic surfactants and the NPs can enhance the foam stability as a result of forming flocs in solutions. At fixed surfactant concentration, the addition of NPs at low to intermediate concentrations can produce a more stable foam compared to the surfactant. The production of small population of flocs as a result of mixing the surfactant and NPs can enhance the foam stability by providing a barrier between the gas bubbles and delaying the coalescence of bubbles. Moreover, these flocs can increase the solution viscosity and, therefore, slow the drainage rate of thin aqueous film (lamellae). The measurements of foam half-life, bubble size, and mobility tests confirmed this conclusion. However, the addition of more solid particles or surfactant might have a negative impact on foam stability and reduce the maximum capillary pressure of coalescence as a result of forming extensive aggregates.
2023: The year in review Ballas, Zuhair K.
Journal of allergy and clinical immunology,
April 2024, 2024-Apr, 2024-04-00, 20240401, Letnik:
153, Številka:
4
Journal Article
Abstract only
Neurodegenerative diseases affect millions of people worldwide and will soon become the most expensive diseases to treat ahead of cancer and diabetes in the next 20–30 years. Most ...neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and Huntington’s are caused by the failure of neurons and glial cells to clear out cellular debris. Autophagy is the process that cells both in the central nervous system as well as in the periphery use to clear out misfolded proteins and damaged organelles from the cytoplasm. This process is incredibly important as it is through this very mechanism that our bodies combat the development of neurodegeneration. This process has been found to be controlled by a protein named Acinus in the Drosophila Melanogaster. Acinus’s role in this process is still not fully understood, but my project has been to elucidate some of its mechanisms through the use of the Drosophila Melanogaster animal model. Before entering the lab, the Kramer Lab at UT Southwestern had just recently published a paper characterizing the kinase of Acinus. A kinase is a protein that phosphorylates another protein to activate/deactivate the receiving protein’s function. The kinase is the first step in understanding the regulatory pathway that triggers the phosphorylation or activation of Acinus. However, since the autophagy process is tightly regulated, meaning the fluctuation of its function can be detrimental to the animal’s well‐being, there must be an inhibitory protein that controls Acinus and prevents Acinus’s fatal overactivity. With this, the dephosphorylation event of Acinus is an equally important phenomenon to understand due to its incredible scope of influence in autophagy.
The approach to study the phosphatase was bipartite. The first would be to screen for a phosphatase using the sensitized Drosophila eye‐system. Through use of an RNAi‐mediated knockdown, flies were engineered using the UAS‐GAL4 system to test which phosphatase would be in some way interacting with Acinus. Acinus over‐expression produced a rough eye as a phenotype so a hit would present as a very rough eye. As a result, 6 possible hits were found possibly interacting and a qPCR found 1 robust candidate. The second experiment was to understand the triggers that cause Acinus to become phosphorylated and trigger autophagy. This would be done by treating flies with a toxic metal ion that is known to be conducive to Acinus phosphorylation to save the cell from toxicological death. As a result, flies that survived longer would show decreased levels of phosphatase inhibition and would live longer. The experiment showed that flies that had a mutant phosphatase and were subjected to toxicological stress had increased phosphorylation which lead to increased survivability on the order of 3–7 days.
This research has shown that increased Acinus phosphorylation led to increased survivability and guides us to research more about what mechanisms the cell employs to combat disease‐specific stresses. This data is exciting because it offers a glimpse into a possible pathway that can be targeted and used to encourage the endogenous autophagy processes within the cell to combat neurodegeneration and hopefully battle the impending health crisis of neurodegenerative diseases.
Support or Funding Information
UT Southwestern SURF Program
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