Lepton Flavour Violation in charged leptons within SUSY-seesaw

In this paper we review our main results for Lepton Flavour Violating (LFV) semileptonic tau decays and muon-electron conversion in nuclei within the context of two Constrained SUSY-Seesaw Models, the CMSSM and the NUHM. The relevant spectrum is that of the Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model extended by three right handed neutrinos, $\nu_{R_i}$ and their corresponding SUSY partners, ${\tilde \nu}_{R_i}$, ($i=1,2,3$). We use the seesaw mechanism for neutrino mass generation and choose a parameterisation of this mechanism that allows us to incorporate the neutrino data in our analysis of LFV processes. In addition to the full one-loop results for the rates of these processes, we will also review the set of simple formulas, valid at large $\tan \beta$, which are very useful to compare with present experimental bounds. The sensitivity to SUSY and Higgs sectors in these processes will also be discussed. This is a very short summary of the works in Refs. \cite{Arganda:2008jj} and \cite{Arganda:2007jw} to which we refer the reader for more details.Comment: 6 pages, 6 figures. To be published in the proceedings of the Tau08 Conference, Novosibirsk, Russia, 22-25 September 200

Higgs-Boson Mass Limits and Precise Measurements beyond the Standard Model

The triviality and vacuum stability bounds on the Higgs-boson mass (\mh) were revisited in presence of weakly-coupled new interactions parameterized in a model-independent way by effective operators of dimension 6. The constraints from precision tests of the Standard Model were taken into account. It was shown that for the scale of new physics in the region \Lambda \simeq 2 \div 50 \tev the Standard Model triviality upper bound remains unmodified whereas it is natural to expect that the lower bound derived from the requirement of vacuum stability is substantially modified depending on the scale \La and strength of coefficients of effective operators. A natural generalization of the standard triviality condition leads also to a substantial reduction of the allowed region in the (\Lambda,\mh) space.Comment: 18 pages 3 eps figures. The discussion in the appendix was modified slightly and some typographical errors were correcte

Paper-based ZnO self-powered sensors and nanogenerators by plasma technology

Nanogenerators and self-powered nanosensors have shown the potential to power low-consumption electronics and human-machine interfaces, but their practical implementation requires reliable, environmentally friendly and scalable, processes for manufacturing and processing. This article presents a plasma synthesis approach for the fabrication of piezoelectric nanogenerators (PENGs) and self-powered sensors on paper substrates. Polycrystalline ZnO nanocolumnar thin films are deposited by plasma-enhanced chemical vapour deposition on common paper supports using a microwave electron cyclotron resonance reactor working at room temperature yielding high growth rates and low structural and interfacial stresses. Applying Kinetic Monte Carlo simulation, we elucidate the basic shadowing mechanism behind the characteristic microstructure and porosity of the ZnO thin films, relating them to an enhanced piezoelectric response to periodic and random inputs. The piezoelectric devices are assembled by embedding the ZnO films in PMMA and using Au electrodes in two different configurations: laterally and vertically contacted devices. We present the response of the laterally connected devices as a force sensor for low-frequency events with different answers to the applied force depending on the impedance circuit, i.e. load values range, a behaviour that is theoretically analyzed. The vertical devices reach power densities as high as 80 nW/cm2 with a mean power output of 20 nW/cm2. We analyze their actual-scenario performance by activation with a fan and handwriting. Overall, this work demonstrates the advantages of implementing plasma deposition for piezoelectric films to develop robust, flexible, stretchable, and enhanced-performance nanogenerators and self-powered piezoelectric sensors compatible with inexpensive and recyclable supportsComment: 30 pages, 8 figures in main tex

CCR5 deficiency predisposes to fatal outcome in influenza virus infection

Influenza epidemics affect all age groups, although children, the elderly and those with underlying medical conditions are the most severely affected. Whereas co-morbidities are present in 50% of fatal cases, 25-50% of deaths are in apparently healthy individuals. This suggests underlying genetic determinants that govern infection severity. Although some viral factors that contribute to influenza disease are known, the role of host genetic factors remains undetermined. Data for small cohorts of influenza-infected patients are contradictory regarding the potential role of chemokine receptor 5 deficiency (CCR5-Δ32 mutation, a 32 bp deletion in the CCR5 gene) in the outcome of influenza virus infection. We tested 171 respiratory samples from influenza patients (2009 pandemic) for CCR5-Δ32 and evaluated its correlation with patient mortality. CCR5-Δ32 patients (17.4%) showed a higher mortality rate than WT individuals (4.7%; P = 0.021), which indicates that CCR5-Δ32 patients are at higher risk than the normal population of a fatal outcome in influenza infection.This work was supported by the Instituto de Salud Carlos III (Programa especial de investigación sobre la gripe pandémica GR09/0040 and GR09/0023), Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Enfermedades Respiratorias (CIBERES) and the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (BFU 2011-26175)S

Altered protein expression and protein nitration pattern during d-galactosamine-induced cell death in human hepatocytes: a proteomic analysis

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Hepatic injury by d-galactosamine (d-GalN) is a suitable experimental model of hepatocellular injury. The induction of oxidative and nitrosative stress participates during d-GalN-induced cell death in cultured rat hepatocytes. This study aimed to identify protein expression changes during the induction of apoptosis and necrosis by d-GalN in cultured human hepatocytes. METHODS: A proteomic approach was used to identify the proteins involved and those altered by tyrosine nitration. A high dose of d-GalN (40 mM) was used to induce apoptosis and necrosis in primary culture of human hepatocytes. Cellular lysates prepared at different times after addition of d-GalN were separated by two-dimensional electrophoresis. Gel spots with an altered expression and those matching nitrotyrosine-immunopositive proteins were excised and analyzed by mass spectrometry. RESULTS: d-GalN treatment upregulated microsomal cytochrome b5, fatty acid binding protein and manganese superoxide dismutase, and enhanced annexin degradation. d-GalN increased tyrosine nitration of four cytosolic (Hsc70, Hsp70, annexin A4 and carbonyl reductase) and three mitochondrial (glycine amidinotransferase, ATP synthase beta chain, and thiosulfate sulfurtransferase) proteins in human hepatocytes. CONCLUSIONS: The results provide evidences that oxidative stress and nitric oxide-derived reactive oxygen intermediates induce specific alterations in protein expression that may be critical for the induction of apoptosis and necrosis by d-GalN in cultured human hepatocytes

Association of neurexin 3 polymorphisms with smoking behavior.

The Neurexin 3 gene (NRXN3) has been associated with dependence on various addictive substances, as well as with the degree of smoking in schizophrenic patients and impulsivity among tobacco abusers. To further evaluate the role of NRXN3 in nicotine addiction, we analyzed single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and a copy number variant (CNV) within the NRXN3 genomic region. An initial study was carried out on 157 smokers and 595 controls, all of Spanish Caucasian origin. Nicotine dependence was assessed using the Fagerstrom index and the number of cigarettes smoked per day. The 45 NRXN3 SNPs genotyped included all the SNPs previously associated with disease, and a previously described deletion within NRXN3. This analysis was replicated in 276 additional independent smokers and 568 controls. Case-control association analyses were performed at the allele, genotype and haplotype levels. Allelic and genotypic association tests showed that three NRXN3 SNPs were associated with a lower risk of being a smoker. The haplotype analysis showed that one block of 16 Kb, consisting of two of the significant SNPs (rs221473 and rs221497), was also associated with lower risk of being a smoker in both the discovery and the replication cohorts, reaching a higher level of significance when the whole sample was considered [odds ratio = 0.57 (0.42-0.77), permuted P = 0.0075]. By contrast, the NRXN3 CNV was not associated with smoking behavior. Taken together, our results confirm a role for NRXN3 in susceptibility to smoking behavior, and strongly implicate this gene in genetic vulnerability to addictive behaviors

Methods of Inactivation of SARS-CoV-2 for Downstream Biological Assays

The scientific community has responded to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic by rapidly undertaking research to find effective strategies to reduce the burden of this disease. Encouragingly, researchers from a diverse array of fields are collectively working towards this goal. Research with infectious severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is undertaken in high-containment laboratories; however, it is often desirable to work with samples at lower-containment levels. To facilitate the transfer of infectious samples from high-containment laboratories, we have tested methods commonly used to inactivate virus and prepare the sample for additional experiments. Incubation at 80°C, a range of detergents, Trizol reagents, and UV energies were successful at inactivating a high titer of SARS-CoV-2. Methanol and paraformaldehyde incubation of infected cells also inactivated the virus. These protocols can provide a framework for in-house inactivation of SARS-CoV-2 in other laboratories, ensuring the safe use of samples in lower-containment levels

The PAU Survey: Photometric redshifts using transfer learning from simulations

In this paper we introduce the \textsc{Deepz} deep learning photometric redshift (photo-$z$) code. As a test case, we apply the code to the PAU survey (PAUS) data in the COSMOS field. \textsc{Deepz} reduces the $\sigma_{68}$ scatter statistic by 50\% at $i_{\rm AB}=22.5$ compared to existing algorithms. This improvement is achieved through various methods, including transfer learning from simulations where the training set consists of simulations as well as observations, which reduces the need for training data. The redshift probability distribution is estimated with a mixture density network (MDN), which produces accurate redshift distributions. Our code includes an autoencoder to reduce noise and extract features from the galaxy SEDs. It also benefits from combining multiple networks, which lowers the photo-$z$ scatter by 10 percent. Furthermore, training with randomly constructed coadded fluxes adds information about individual exposures, reducing the impact of photometric outliers. In addition to opening up the route for higher redshift precision with narrow bands, these machine learning techniques can also be valuable for broad-band surveys.Comment: Accepted versio

Sustained Cytotoxic Response of Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells from Unvaccinated Individuals Admitted to the ICU Due to Critical COVID-19 Is Essential to Avoid a Fatal Outcome

The main objective of this study was to determine the influence of the cytotoxic activity of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) on the outcome of unvaccinated individuals with critical COVID-19 admitted to the ICU. Blood samples from 23 individuals were collected upon admission and then every 2 weeks for 13 weeks until death (Exitus group) (n = 13) or discharge (Survival group) (n = 10). We did not find significant differences between groups in sociodemographic, clinical, or biochemical data that may influence the fatal outcome. However, direct cellular cytotoxicity of PBMCs from individuals of the Exitus group against pseudotyped SARS-CoV-2-infected Vero E6 cells was significantly reduced upon admission (−2.69-fold; p = 0.0234) and after 4 weeks at the ICU (−5.58-fold; p = 0.0290), in comparison with individuals who survived, and it did not improve during hospitalization. In vitro treatment with IL-15 of these cells did not restore an effective cytotoxicity at any time point until the fatal outcome, and an increased expression of immune exhaustion markers was observed in NKT, CD4+, and CD8+ T cells. However, IL-15 treatment of PBMCs from individuals of the Survival group significantly increased cytotoxicity at Week 4 (6.18-fold; p = 0.0303). Consequently, immunomodulatory treatments that may overcome immune exhaustion and induce sustained, efficient cytotoxic activity could be essential for survival during hospitalization due to critical COVID-19.This work was supported by the Coordinated Research Activities at the National Center of Microbiology (CNM, Instituto de Salud Carlos III) (COV20_00679) to promote an integrated response against SARS-CoV-2 in Spain (Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation) that is coordinated by Dr Inmaculada Casas (WHO National Influenza Center of the CNM); a generous donation provided by Chiesi España, S.A.U. (Barcelona, Spain); the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (PID2019-110275RB-I00). The work of Guiomar Casado is financed by CIBERINFEC, co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund (FEDER) “A way to make Europe”. The work of Montserrat Torres is supported by Instituto de Salud Carlos III (COV20_00679). The work of Fernando Ramos Martín is financed by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (PID2019-110275RB-I00). The work of Mario Manzanares is supported by a pre-doctoral grant from Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII-PFIS FI20CIII/00021). The work of Lorena Vigón is supported by a pre-doctoral grant from Instituto de Salud Carlos III (FIS PI16CIII/00034-ISCIII-FEDER). The work of Sara Rodríguez-Mora is financed by NIH grant R01AI143567.N