ABSTRACT
We observe that pretransitional order parameter fluctuations of a skyrmion-forming chiral nematic liquid crystal are slowed down for 4 orders of magnitude, if confined to â²100 nm thin layers. Fluctuating fragments of half-skyrmions are observed in a narrow temperature interval and are explained by thermally activated hopping between the various energy states. Skyrmion fluctuations are accompanied by imbalanced topological charge: positive charges appear at higher temperatures and dominate in the fluctuating region until skyrmions fully condense and negative charges appear at lower temperatures.
ABSTRACT
The Baksan Experiment on Sterile Transitions (BEST) was designed to investigate the deficit of electron neutrinos ν_{e} observed in previous gallium-based radiochemical measurements with high-intensity neutrino sources, commonly referred to as the "gallium anomaly," which could be interpreted as evidence for oscillations between ν_{e} and sterile neutrino (ν_{s}) states. A 3.414-MCi ^{51}Cr ν_{e} source was placed at the center of two nested Ga volumes and measurements were made of the production of ^{71}Ge through the charged current reaction, ^{71}Ga(ν_{e},e^{-})^{71}Ge, at two average distances. The measured production rates for the inner and the outer targets, respectively, are [54.9_{-2.4}^{+2.5}(stat)±1.4(syst)] and [55.6_{-2.6}^{+2.7}(stat)±1.4(syst)] atoms of ^{71}Ge/d. The ratio (R) of the measured rate of ^{71}Ge production at each distance to the expected rate from the known cross section and experimental efficiencies are R_{in}=0.79±0.05 and R_{out}=0.77±0.05. The ratio of the outer to the inner result is 0.97±0.07, which is consistent with unity within uncertainty. The rates at each distance were found to be similar, but 20%-24% lower than expected, thus reaffirming the anomaly. These results are consistent with ν_{e}âν_{s} oscillations with a relatively large Δm^{2} (>0.5 eV^{2}) and mixing sin^{2}2θ (≈0.4).
ABSTRACT
Increased intestinal permeability has been shown to be involved in several diseases associated with low-grade chronic inflammation, including obesity and metabolic syndrome. In the last decade, growing evidence shows the beneficial effects of probiotic-containing food supplementation on these conditions. In this crossover intervention study on 28 asymptomatic overweight adults, we tested the effects of a 3-wk kefir supplementation compared with a 3-wk milk supplementation on serum zonulin levels. The effects on serum glucose, triacylglycerols, low-density lipoproteins, high-density lipoproteins, total cholesterol, markers of inflammation (C-reactive protein and adiponectin), anthropometric variables, mood, and appetite were also determined. Kefir supplementation resulted in a greater improvement of serum zonulin levels (F = 6.812, η2 = 0.275), whereas a significant yet similar improvement in lipid profile and serum glucose levels was found in both supplementations. Positive mood was slightly but significantly enhanced with kefir supplementation, and reduced with milk supplementation. The C-reactive protein, adiponectin, and appetite were unaffected. In conclusion, supplementation with both dairy products had health beneficial effects, but only kefir showed an effect on the intestinal barrier dysfunction marker.
