Expected Performance of the ATLAS Experiment - Detector, Trigger and Physics

A detailed study is presented of the expected performance of the ATLAS detector. The reconstruction of tracks, leptons, photons, missing energy and jets is investigated, together with the performance of b-tagging and the trigger. The physics potential for a variety of interesting physics processes, within the Standard Model and beyond, is examined. The study comprises a series of notes based on simulations of the detector and physics processes, with particular emphasis given to the data expected from the first years of operation of the LHC at CERN

Variation in MSRA Modifies Risk of Neonatal Intestinal Obstruction in Cystic Fibrosis

Meconium ileus (MI), a life-threatening intestinal obstruction due to meconium with abnormal protein content, occurs in approximately 15 percent of neonates with cystic fibrosis (CF). Analysis of twins with CF demonstrates that MI is a highly heritable trait, indicating that genetic modifiers are largely responsible for this complication. Here, we performed regional family-based association analysis of a locus that had previously been linked to MI and found that SNP haplotypes 5′ to and within the MSRA gene were associated with MI (P = 1.99×10−5 to 1.08×10−6; Bonferroni P = 0.057 to 3.1×10−3). The haplotype with the lowest P value showed association with MI in an independent sample of 1,335 unrelated CF patients (OR = 0.72, 95% CI [0.53–0.98], P = 0.04). Intestinal obstruction at the time of weaning was decreased in CF mice with Msra null alleles compared to those with wild-type Msra resulting in significant improvement in survival (P = 1.2×10−4). Similar levels of goblet cell hyperplasia were observed in the ilea of the Cftr−/− and Cftr−/−Msra−/− mice. Modulation of MSRA, an antioxidant shown to preserve the activity of enzymes, may influence proteolysis in the developing intestine of the CF fetus, thereby altering the incidence of obstruction in the newborn period. Identification of MSRA as a modifier of MI provides new insight into the biologic mechanism of neonatal intestinal obstruction caused by loss of CFTR function

Adipokines: Linking metabolic syndrome, the immune system, and arthritic diseases

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) represents a cluster of metabolic and cardiovascular complications, including obesity and visceral adiposity, insulin resistance, dyslipidemia, hyperglycemia and hypertension, which directly increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) and diabetes mellitus type 2 (DM2). Patients with arthritic diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis, have a higher incidence of CVD. Although recent advances in the treatment of arthritic diseases, the incidence of CVD remains elevated, and MetS has been identified as a possible link between CVD and arthritic diseases. Chronic low-grade inflammation associated with obesity has been established as a significant contributing factor to the increased prevalence of MetS. Adipokines, which play important physiological roles in metabolic activities contributing to the pathogenesis of MetS, are also involved in the regulation of autoimmune and/or inflammatory processes associated with arthritic diseases. Therefore, MetS and dysregulated secretion of pro-inflammatory adipokines have been recognized as a molecular link between CVD and arthritis diseases. In the present paper, we review recent evidence supporting the role played by adipokines, in particular leptin, adiponectin, and lipocalin-2, in the modulation of the immune system, MetS and arthritic diseases. The underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms are discussed, as well as potential new therapeutic strategies.Acknowledgments: OG and FL are Staff Personnel of Xunta de Galicia (Servizo Galego de Saude, SERGAS) through a research-staff stabilization contract (ISCIII/SERGAS). VF is a “Sara Borrell” Researcher funded by ISCIII and FEDER (CD16/00111). RG is a “Miguel Servet” Researcher funded by Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII) and FEDER. CRF is a pre-doctoral research scholar funded by ISCIII and FEDER (Exp.18/00188). OG, MAGG, and RG are members of RETICS Programme, RD16/0012/0014 (RIER: Red de Investigación en Inflamación y Enfermedades Reumáticas) via Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII) and FEDER. FL is a member of CIBERCV (Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Cardiovasculares). The work of OG and JP (PI17/00409), RG (PI16/01870 and CP15/00007) and FL (PI15/00681 PI18/00821 and CB16/11/00226) were funded by Instituto de Salud Carlos III and FEDER. OG is a beneficiary of a project funded by Research Executive Agency of the European Union in the framework of MSCA-RISE Action of the H2020 Programme (Project number 734899). RG is beneficiary of a project funded by Mutua Madrileña 2018. AM wishes to acknowledge financial support from the European Structural and Social Funds through the Research Council of Lithuania (Lietuvos Mokslo Taryba) according to the activity ‘Improvement of researchers’ qualification by implementing world-class R&D projects’ of Measure No. 09.3.3-LMT-K-712 (grant application code: 09.3.3-LMT-K-712-01-0157, agreement No. DOTSUT-215) and the new funding programme: Attracting Foreign Researchers for Research Implementation (2018–2022). The funders had no role in study design, data collection, and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript

Drons col·laboratius

La robòtica col·laborativa és senzillament robots dissenyats per dur a terme treballs de col·laboració amb els humans. Els robots col·laboratius o cobots són cada cop més utilitzats a les indústries. La robòtica col·laborativa és un dels àmbits d'actualitat en aquests moments. Però també és un dels més interessants en més d'un sentit. Com es comuniquen dos drons autònoms que col·laboren per fer una tasca? Com són aquests missatges que s'envien? Que poden fer que no podrien fer sols? Aquestes són algunes de les preguntes que ens volem respondre en aquest projecte. En aquest treball es presenta un disseny i implementació de dos drons terrestres que es comuniquen per col·laborar entre ells per resoldre una tasca.Collaborative robotics is simply robots designed to perform collaborative work with humans. Collaborative robots or cobots are increasingly used in industries. Collaborative robotics is one of the current topics now. But it is also one of the most interesting in more ways than one. How do two autonomous drones that collaborate to perform a task communicate? How are these messages sent? What can they do that they could not do alone? These are some of the questions we want to answer in this project. This work presents a design and implementation of two ground drones that communicate to collaborate with each other to solve a task.La robótica colaborativa es sencillamente robots diseñados para llevar a cabo trabajos de colaboración con los humanos. Los robots colaborativos o cobots son cada vez más utilizados en las industrias. La robótica colaborativa es uno de los ámbitos de actualidad. Pero también es uno de los más interesantes en más de un sentido. ¿Cómo se comunican drones autónomos que colaboran para hacer una tarea? ¿Cómo son estos mensajes que es envían? ¿Qué pueden hacer que no lo podrían hacer solos? Estas son algunas de las preguntas que queremos responder con este proyecto. En este trabajo se presenta un diseño e implementación de dos drones terrestres que se comunican para colaborar entre ellos para resolver una tarea

Antibody Array-Generated Profiles of Cytokine Release from THP-1 Leukemic Monocytes Exposed to Different Amphotericin B Formulations

Cytokine antibody arrays were used to establish the profiles of cytokine release from THP-1 monocytes exposed to different amphotericin B (AMB) drug delivery systems. Fungizone (FZ) and Amphotec (ABCD) caused the release of significantly more inflammatory molecules and the release of inflammatory molecules at higher levels than either AmBisome (L-AMB) or Abelcet (ABLC) after 6 h of treatment. Specifically, tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-8 (IL-8), GRO-(αβγ), monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), RANTES, IL-10, and IL-6 were detected and semiquantified with a chemiluminscence imaging system. TNF-α, IL-8, and MCP-1 were the most predominant; however, little if any TNF-α was present in ABLC- or L-AMB-treated cultures. The TNF- α and IL-8 levels determined by quantitative enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay correlated with the relative cytokine levels measured by using the antibody arrays. Although the viabilities of THP-l monocytes in all AMB-treated cultures were similar by trypan blue exclusion, the amount of lactic dehydrogenase released was significantly larger in FZ- and ABCD-treated cultures than in L-AMB- and ABLC-treated cultures, indicating more membrane perturbations with those formulations. Membrane cation channel formation was also measured in model cholesterol-containing large unilamellar vesicles to directly assess the ion channel formation ability of the system. Only FZ and ABCD induced significant ion currents at concentrations less than 1.5 × 10(−5) M. These results may help provide rationales for the immediate cytokine-mediated side effects observed with FZ and ABCD and the reduced side effects observed with L-AMB and ABLC