Radiative corrections to the Dalitz plot of K_{l3}^\pm decays

We calculate the model-independent radiative corrections to the Dalitz plot of K_{l3}^\pm decays to order (\alpha/\pi)(q/M_1), where q is the momentum transfer and M_1 is the mass of the kaon. The final results are presented, first, with the triple integration over the variables of the bremsstrahlung photon ready to be performed numerically and, second, in an analytical form. These two forms are useful to crosscheck on one another and with other calculations. This paper is organized to make it accessible and reliable in the analysis of the Dalitz plot of precision experiments and is not compromised to fixing the form factors at predetermined values. It is assumed that the real photons are kinematically discriminated. Otherwise, our results have a general model-independent applicability.Comment: RevTex4, 38 pages, 5 figures, 5 tables; some typos corrected; discussion extended to compare with other result

Expression of USP18 and IL2RA is increased in individuals receiving latent tuberculosis treatment with isoniazid

Background. The treatment of latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) in individuals at risk of reactivation is essential for tuberculosis control. However, blood biomarkers associated with LTBI treatment have not been identified. Methods. Blood samples from tuberculin skin test (TST) reactive individuals were collected before and after one and six months of isoniazid (INH) therapy. Peripheral mononuclear cells (PBMC) were isolated, and an in-house interferon-γ release assay (IGRA) was performed. Expression of chemokine ligand 4 (CCL4), chemokine ligand 10 (CXCL10), chemokine ligand 11 (CXCL11), interferon alpha (IFNA), radical S-adenosyl methionine domain-containing 2 (RSAD2), ubiquitin-specific peptidase 18 (USP18), interferon-induced protein 44 (IFI44), interferon-induced protein 44 like (IFI44L), interferon-induced protein tetratricopeptide repeats 1(IFIT1), and interleukin 2 receptor subunit alpha (IL2RA) mRNA levels were assessed by qPCR before, during, and after INH treatment. Results. We observed significantly lower relative abundances of USP18, IFI44L, IFNA, and IL2RA transcripts in PBMC from IGRA-positive individuals compared to levels in IGRA-negative individuals before INH therapy. Also, relative abundance of CXCL11 was significantly lower in IGRA-positive than in IGRA-negative individuals before and after one month of INH therapy. However, the relative abundance of CCL4, CXCL10, and CXCL11 mRNA was significantly decreased and that of IL2RA and USP18 significantly increased after INH therapy, regardless of the IGRA result. Our results show that USP18, IFI44L, IFIT1, and IL2RA relative abundances increased significantly, meanwhile the relative abundance of CCL4, CXCL11, and IFNA decreased significantly after six months of INH therapy in TST-positive individuals. Conclusions. Changes in the profiles of USP18, IL2RA, IFNA, CCL4, and CXCL11 expressions during INH treatment in TST-positive individuals, regardless of IGRA status, are potential tools for monitoring latent tuberculosis treatment

Perfil microbiológico y sensibilidad a antibióticos de microorganismos aislados de infecciones conjuntivales en el Instituto de Oftalmología Fundación Conde de Valenciana. Reporte del año 2012

ResumenIntroducciónLa conjuntiva es el tejido ocular que se infecta con mayor frecuencia. Los agentes patógenos más frecuentes de la conjuntivitis suelen ser los virus y las bacterias. El uso indiscriminado de antibióticos de amplio espectro para tratar la conjuntivitis ha generado microorganismos resistentes.ObjetivoIdentificar los microorganismos más frecuentes aislados de muestras de origen conjuntival y conocer su susceptibilidad antibiótica.Material y métodosRevisión retrospectiva de cultivos provenientes de raspados conjuntivales obtenidos durante el 2012.ResultadosSe obtuvieron 44 muestras de origen conjuntival. Estas provinieron de 21 varones y 23 mujeres. La mediana (25%, 75%) de la edad fue 62 años (39-68). El cultivo fue positivo en 13 de las muestras obtenidas, identificándose 5 microorganismos diferentes. Staphylococcus epidermidis fue el microorganismo aislado con mayor frecuencia (9 cepas). Todas las cepas de S. epidermidis fueron sensibles a vancomicina, gentamicina, cefotaxima, moxifloxacino y ofloxacino. La mayoría de las cepas de S. epidermidis (6/9) mostraron resistencia a múltiples antibióticos.ConclusionesStaphylococcus epidermidis fue el microorganismo aislado con mayor frecuencia en muestras provenientes de infecciones conjuntivales. Todas las cepas de S. epidermidis fueron sensibles a vancomicina, gentamicina y moxifloxacino y la mayoría de ellas fueron multirresistentes a los antibióticos en evaluación.AbstractIntroductionThe conjunctiva is the tissue of the eye that gets infected with more frequency. The most common pathogens of conjunctivitis are viruses and bacteria. The indiscriminate use of broad-spectrum antibiotics to treat conjunctivitis generated resistant microorganisms.ObjectiveIdentify the most common microorganisms isolated from samples of conjunctival origin and know their antibiotic susceptibility.Material and methodsRetrospective review of culture from conjunctival swabs obtained during 2012.ResultsWe collected 44 samples of conjunctival origin. They came from 21 males and 23 women. The median (25%, 75%) of age was 62 years (39-68). The culture was positive in 13 samples, identifying five different microorganisms. Staphylococcus epidermidis was the most common isolated microorganism (9 strains). All strains of S. epidermidis were sensitive to vancomycin, gentamicin, cefotaxime, ofloxacin and moxifloxacin. The multiple antibiotic resistance was identified in the majority of strains of S. epidermidis (6/9).ConclusionsStaphylococcus epidermidis was the most common isolated microorganism from samples of conjuntival infections. All strains of S. epidermidis were sensitive to vancomycin and moxifloxacin and most of them showed multidrug resistance to antibiotics

Maximization of propylene in an industrial FCC unit

YesThe FCC riser cracks gas oil into useful fuels such as gasoline, diesel and some lighter products such as ethylene and propylene, which are major building blocks for the polyethylene and polypropylene production. The production objective of the riser is usually the maximization of gasoline and diesel, but it can also be to maximize propylene. The optimization and parameter estimation of a six-lumped catalytic cracking reaction of gas oil in FCC is carried out to maximize the yield of propylene using an optimisation framework developed in gPROMS software 5.0 by optimizing mass flow rates and temperatures of catalyst and gas oil. The optimal values of 290.8 kg/s mass flow rate of catalyst and 53.4 kg/s mass flow rate of gas oil were obtained as propylene yield is maximized to give 8.95 wt%. When compared with the base case simulation value of 4.59 wt% propylene yield, the maximized propylene yield is increased by 95%

High prevalence of chitotriosidase deficiency in Peruvian Amerindians exposed to chitin-bearing food and enteroparasites

The human genome encodes a gene for an enzymatically active chitinase (CHIT1) located in a single copy on Chromosome 1, which is highly expressed by activated macrophages and in other cells of the innate immune response. Several dysfunctional mutations are known in CHIT1, including a 24-bp duplication in Exon 10 causing catalytic deficiency. This duplication is a common variant conserved in many human populations, except in West and South Africans. Thus it has been proposed that human migration out of Africa and the consequent reduction of exposure to chitin from environmental factors may have enabled the conservation of dysfunctional mutations in human chitinases. Our data obtained from 85 indigenous Amerindians from Peru, representative of populations characterized by high prevalence of chitin-bearing enteroparasites and intense entomophagy, reveal a very high frequency of the 24-bp duplication (47.06%), and of other single nucleotide polymorphisms which are known to partially affect enzymatic activity (G102S: 42.7% and A442G/V: 25.5%). Our finding is in line with a founder effect, but appears to confute our previous hypothesis of a protective role against parasite infection and sustains the discussion on the redundancy of chitinolytic function

Activation of the Innate Immune Response against DENV in Normal Non-Transformed Human Fibroblasts

In this work, we demonstrate that that both human whole skin and freshly isolated skin fibroblasts are productively infected with Dengue virus (DENV). In addition, primary skin fibroblast cultures were established and subsequently infected with DENV-2; we showed in these cells the presence of the viral antigen NS3, and we found productive viral infection by a conventional plaque assay. Of note, the infectivity rate was almost the same in all the primary cultures analyzed from different donors. The skin fibroblasts infected with DENV-2 underwent signaling through both TLR3 and RIG-1, but not Mda5, triggering up-regulation of IFNβ, TNFα, defensin 5 (HB5) and β defensin 2 (HβD2). In addition, DENV infected fibroblasts showed increased nuclear translocation of interferon (IFN) regulatory factor 3 (IRF3), but not interferon regulatory factor 7 IRF7, when compared with mock-infected fibroblasts. Our data suggest that fibroblasts might even participate producing mediators involved in innate immunity that activate and contribute to the orchestration of the local innate responses. This work is the first evaluating primary skin fibroblast cultures obtained from different humans, assessing both their susceptibility to DENV infection as well as their ability to produce molecules crucial for innate immunity

NEOTROPICAL XENARTHRANS: a data set of occurrence of xenarthran species in the Neotropics

Xenarthrans – anteaters, sloths, and armadillos – have essential functions for ecosystem maintenance, such as insect control and nutrient cycling, playing key roles as ecosystem engineers. Because of habitat loss and fragmentation, hunting pressure, and conflicts with 24 domestic dogs, these species have been threatened locally, regionally, or even across their full distribution ranges. The Neotropics harbor 21 species of armadillos, ten anteaters, and six sloths. Our dataset includes the families Chlamyphoridae (13), Dasypodidae (7), Myrmecophagidae (3), Bradypodidae (4), and Megalonychidae (2). We have no occurrence data on Dasypus pilosus (Dasypodidae). Regarding Cyclopedidae, until recently, only one species was recognized, but new genetic studies have revealed that the group is represented by seven species. In this data-paper, we compiled a total of 42,528 records of 31 species, represented by occurrence and quantitative data, totaling 24,847 unique georeferenced records. The geographic range is from the south of the USA, Mexico, and Caribbean countries at the northern portion of the Neotropics, to its austral distribution in Argentina, Paraguay, Chile, and Uruguay. Regarding anteaters, Myrmecophaga tridactyla has the most records (n=5,941), and Cyclopes sp. has the fewest (n=240). The armadillo species with the most data is Dasypus novemcinctus (n=11,588), and the least recorded for Calyptophractus retusus (n=33). With regards to sloth species, Bradypus variegatus has the most records (n=962), and Bradypus pygmaeus has the fewest (n=12). Our main objective with Neotropical Xenarthrans is to make occurrence and quantitative data available to facilitate more ecological research, particularly if we integrate the xenarthran data with other datasets of Neotropical Series which will become available very soon (i.e. Neotropical Carnivores, Neotropical Invasive Mammals, and Neotropical Hunters and Dogs). Therefore, studies on trophic cascades, hunting pressure, habitat loss, fragmentation effects, species invasion, and climate change effects will be possible with the Neotropical Xenarthrans dataset

Guidelines for the use and interpretation of assays for monitoring autophagy (4th edition)1.

In 2008, we published the first set of guidelines for standardizing research in autophagy. Since then, this topic has received increasing attention, and many scientists have entered the field. Our knowledge base and relevant new technologies have also been expanding. Thus, it is important to formulate on a regular basis updated guidelines for monitoring autophagy in different organisms. Despite numerous reviews, there continues to be confusion regarding acceptable methods to evaluate autophagy, especially in multicellular eukaryotes. Here, we present a set of guidelines for investigators to select and interpret methods to examine autophagy and related processes, and for reviewers to provide realistic and reasonable critiques of reports that are focused on these processes. These guidelines are not meant to be a dogmatic set of rules, because the appropriateness of any assay largely depends on the question being asked and the system being used. Moreover, no individual assay is perfect for every situation, calling for the use of multiple techniques to properly monitor autophagy in each experimental setting. Finally, several core components of the autophagy machinery have been implicated in distinct autophagic processes (canonical and noncanonical autophagy), implying that genetic approaches to block autophagy should rely on targeting two or more autophagy-related genes that ideally participate in distinct steps of the pathway. Along similar lines, because multiple proteins involved in autophagy also regulate other cellular pathways including apoptosis, not all of them can be used as a specific marker for bona fide autophagic responses. Here, we critically discuss current methods of assessing autophagy and the information they can, or cannot, provide. Our ultimate goal is to encourage intellectual and technical innovation in the field