The HARPS search for southern extra-solar planets XXXV. Super-Earths around the M-dwarf neighbors Gl433 and Gl667C

M dwarfs have been found to often have super-Earth planets with short orbital periods. Such stars are thus preferential targets in searches for rocky or ocean planets in the solar neighbourhood. In a recent paper (Bonfils et al. 2011), we announced the discovery of respectively 1 and 2 low mass planets around the M1.5V stars Gl433 and Gl667C. We found those planets with the HARPS spectrograph on the ESO~3.6-m telescope at La Silla Observatory, from observations obtained during the Guaranteed Time Observing program of that instrument. We have obtained additional HARPS observations of those two stars, for a total of respectively 67 and 179 Radial Velocity measurements for Gl433 and Gl667C, and present here an orbital analysis of those extended data sets and our main conclusion about both planetary systems. One of the three planets, Gl667Cc, has a mass of only M2.sin(i)~4.25 M_earth and orbits in the central habitable zone of its host star. It receives just 10% less stellar energy from Gl667C than the Earth receives from the Sun. However planet evolution in habitable zone can be very different if the host star is a M dwarf or a solar-like star, without necessarily questioning the presence of water. The two other planets, Gl433b and Gl667Cb, both have M2.sin(i) of ~5.5 M_earth and periods of ~7 days. The Radial Velocity measurements of both stars contain longer time scale signals, which we fit as longer period Keplerians. For Gl433 that signal probably originates in a Magnetic Cycle, while a longer time span will be needed to conclude for Gl667C. The metallicity of Gl433 is close to solar, while Gl667C is metal poor with [Fe/H] ~ -0.6. This reinforces the recent conclusion that the occurence of Super-Earth planets does not strongly correlate with stellar metallicity.Comment: 14 pages, 8 figures, submitted to A&

Engineering <i>Mycoplasma pneumoniae</i> to bypass the association with Guillain-Barré syndrome

A non-pathogenic Mycoplasma pneumoniae-based chassis is leading the development of live biotherapeutic products (LBPs) for respiratory diseases. However, reports connecting Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) cases to prior M. pneumoniae infections represent a concern for exploiting such a chassis. Galactolipids, especially galactocerebroside (GalCer), are considered the most likely M. pneumoniae antigens triggering autoimmune responses associated with GBS development. In this work, we generated different strains lacking genes involved in galactolipids biosynthesis. Glycolipid profiling of the strains demonstrated that some mutants show a complete lack of galactolipids. Cross-reactivity assays with sera from GBS patients with prior M. pneumoniae infection showed that certain engineered strains exhibit reduced antibody recognition. However, correlation analyses of these results with the glycolipid profile of the engineered strains suggest that other factors different from GalCer contribute to sera recognition, including total ceramide levels, dihexosylceramide (DHCer), and diglycosyldiacylglycerol (DGDAG). Finally, we discuss the best candidate strains as potential GBS-free Mycoplasma chassis.</p

Influence of profilin on sensitisation profiles determined by cutaneous tests and IgE to major allergens in polysensitised patients

Background: Profilin sensitisation is considered a diagnostic confounding factor in areas where patients are exposed to multiple pollens. The aim of this study is to assess pollen sensitisation profiles in adults and children and to evaluate, by means of component-resolved diagnosis (CRD) and skin prick testing (SPT), which pollens may be considered as risk factors of profilin sensitisation in order to establish the best diagnostic approach in polysensitised patients. Methods: A total of 231 pollen-allergic patients (adults and children) were included, out of the pollen season, from an area with similar levels of pollen exposure. Allergological diagnosis was performed by SPT and determination of specific IgE (sIgE) to major allergen components (ADVIA-Centaur™). Patients had not received immunotherapy in the last 5 years and had to reside in the area for 5 consecutive years before entering the study. Results: The relation between sensitisation measured by SPT and by sIgE was studied using a model of cases (patients with +sIgE to a specific allergen) and controls (patients with -sIgE to the same allergen). The outcome, in terms of odds-ratios (OR), was statistically significant for Olea (Ole e 1) (p = 0.0005), Salsola (Sal k 1) (p = 0.0118) and Platanus (Pla a 1+ 2) (p = 0.0372). While positivity of SPT to most pollens was statistically associated with a risk of profilin sensitisation, by CRD the association was statistically significant only for Ole e 1 (OR 3.5, CI 95 %, 1.6-7.6, p = 0.0014), and Phl p 5 (OR 11.9, CI 95 %, 4.1-35.2, p < 0.001). When analysing this association using a logistic regression model, Phl p 5 was the only allergen associated with the risk of being sensitised to profilin (p = 0.0023). Conclusions: In patients sensitised to profilin, the concordance between SPT and CRD is much lower than in those not sensitised to profilin. CRD is able to provide refined information about which pollens increase the risk of sensitisation to profilin

Magnetic resonance microscopy and correlative histopathology of the infarcted heart

Altres ajuts:The present study was supported by the EU Joint Programming Initiative 'A Healthy Diet for a Healthy Life' (JPI HDHL INTIMIC-085), Generalitat Valenciana (GV/2018/116), INCLIVA and Universitat de Valencia (program VLC-BIOCLINIC 20-nanomIRM-2016A).Delayed enhancement cardiovascular magnetic resonance (MR) is the gold-standard for non-invasive assessment after myocardial infarction (MI). MR microscopy (MRM) provides a level of detail comparable to the macro objective of light microscopy. We used MRM and correlative histopathology to identify infarct and remote tissue in contrast agent-free multi-sequence MRM in swine MI hearts. One control group (n = 3 swine) and two experimental MI groups were formed: 90 min of ischemia followed by 1 week (acute MI = 6 swine) or 1 month (chronic MI = 5 swine) reperfusion. Representative samples of each heart were analysed by contrast agent-free multi-sequence (T1-weighting, T2-weighting, T2*-weighting, T2-mapping, and T2*-mapping). MRM was performed in a 14-Tesla vertical axis imager (Bruker-AVANCE 600 system). Images from MRM and the corresponding histopathological stained samples revealed differences in signal intensities between infarct and remote areas in both MI groups (p-value < 0.001). The multivariable models allowed us to precisely classify regions of interest (acute MI: specificity 92% and sensitivity 80%; chronic MI: specificity 100% and sensitivity 98%). Probabilistic maps based on MRM images clearly delineated the infarcted regions. As a proof of concept, these results illustrate the potential of MRM with correlative histopathology as a platform for exploring novel contrast agent-free MR biomarkers after MI

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

Single hadron response measurement and calorimeter jet energy scale uncertainty with the ATLAS detector at the LHC

The uncertainty on the calorimeter energy response to jets of particles is derived for the ATLAS experiment at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). First, the calorimeter response to single isolated charged hadrons is measured and compared to the Monte Carlo simulation using proton-proton collisions at centre-of-mass energies of sqrt(s) = 900 GeV and 7 TeV collected during 2009 and 2010. Then, using the decay of K_s and Lambda particles, the calorimeter response to specific types of particles (positively and negatively charged pions, protons, and anti-protons) is measured and compared to the Monte Carlo predictions. Finally, the jet energy scale uncertainty is determined by propagating the response uncertainty for single charged and neutral particles to jets. The response uncertainty is 2-5% for central isolated hadrons and 1-3% for the final calorimeter jet energy scale.Comment: 24 pages plus author list (36 pages total), 23 figures, 1 table, submitted to European Physical Journal

Characterization of S3Pvac Anti-Cysticercosis Vaccine Components: Implications for the Development of an Anti-Cestodiasis Vaccine

Background: Cysticercosis and hydatidosis seriously affect human health and are responsible for considerable economic loss in animal husbandry in non-developed and developed countries. S3Pvac and EG95 are the only field trial-tested vaccine candidates against cysticercosis and hydatidosis, respectively. S3Pvac is composed of three peptides (KETc1, GK1 and KETc12), originally identified in a Taenia crassiceps cDNA library. S3Pvac synthetically and recombinantly expressed is effective against experimentally and naturally acquired cysticercosis.Methodology/ Principal Findings: In this study, the homologous sequences of two of the S3Pvac peptides, GK1 and KETc1, were identified and further characterized in Taenia crassiceps WFU, Taenia solium, Taenia saginata, Echinococcus granulosus and Echinococcus multilocularis. Comparisons of the nucleotide and amino acid sequences coding for KETc1 and GK1 revealed significant homologies in these species. The predicted secondary structure of GK1 is almost identical between the species, while some differences were observed in the C terminal region of KETc1 according to 3D modeling. A KETc1 variant with a deletion of three C-terminal amino acids protected to the same extent against experimental murine cysticercosis as the entire peptide. on the contrary, immunization with the truncated GK1 failed to induce protection. Immunolocalization studies revealed the non stage-specificity of the two S3Pvac epitopes and their persistence in the larval tegument of all species and in Taenia adult tapeworms.Conclusions/ Significance: These results indicate that GK1 and KETc1 may be considered candidates to be included in the formulation of a multivalent and multistage vaccine against these cestodiases because of their enhancing effects on other available vaccine candidates

Engineering Mycoplasma pneumoniae to bypass the association with Guillain-Barré syndrome

A non-pathogenic Mycoplasma pneumoniae-based chassis is leading the development of live biotherapeutic products (LBPs) for respiratory diseases. However, reports connecting Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) cases to prior M. pneumoniae infections represent a concern for exploiting such a chassis. Galactolipids, especially galactocerebroside (GalCer), are considered the most likely M. pneumoniae antigens triggering autoimmune responses associated with GBS development. In this work, we generated different strains lacking genes involved in galactolipids biosynthesis. Glycolipid profiling of the strains demonstrated that some mutants show a complete lack of galactolipids. Cross-reactivity assays with sera from GBS patients with prior M. pneumoniae infection showed that certain engineered strains exhibit reduced antibody recognition. However, correlation analyses of these results with the glycolipid profile of the engineered strains suggest that other factors different from GalCer contribute to sera recognition, including total ceramide levels, dihexosylceramide (DHCer), and diglycosyldiacylglycerol (DGDAG). Finally, we discuss the best candidate strains as potential GBS-free Mycoplasma chassis.This project has received funding from the European Research Council (ERC) under the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme ERC LUNG-BIOREPAIR (101020135). We also acknowledge the support of the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation through the Plan Nacional PID2021-122341NB-I00 and the Centro de Excelencia Severo Ochoa (CEX2020-001049-S, MCIN/AEI /10.13039/501100011033), the Generalitat de Catalunya through the CERCA programme, the Center for Industrial Technology Development (CDTI) through the Neotec programme (SNEO 20211019) and to the EMBL partnership. C.P.-L. acknowledges the support of ‘Programa Torres Quevedo’ grant [PTQ2020-011048] funded by MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033; European Union ‘NextGenerationEU/PRTR’. The proteomics analyses were performed in the CRG/UPF Proteomics Unit which is part of the Spanish National Infrastructure for Omics Technologies (ICTS OmicsTech). We thank T. Hoogenboezem and C. Gago da Graça (Department of Pediatrics, Erasmus MC–Sophia Children's Hospital, University Medical Centre, Rotterdam, The Netherlands) for excellent technical assistance.Peer reviewe

Standalone vertex finding in the ATLAS muon spectrometer

A dedicated reconstruction algorithm to find decay vertices in the ATLAS muon spectrometer is presented. The algorithm searches the region just upstream of or inside the muon spectrometer volume for multi-particle vertices that originate from the decay of particles with long decay paths. The performance of the algorithm is evaluated using both a sample of simulated Higgs boson events, in which the Higgs boson decays to long-lived neutral particles that in turn decay to bbar b final states, and pp collision data at √s = 7 TeV collected with the ATLAS detector at the LHC during 2011