A Note on Solid-State Maxwell Demon

Starting from 2002, at least two kinds of laboratory-testable, solid-state Maxwell demons have been proposed that utilize the electric field energy of an open-gap n-p junction and that seem to challenge the validity of the Second Law of Thermodynamics. In the present paper we present some arguments against the alleged functioning of such devices.Comment: 9 pages, 4 figures. Foundations of Physics, forthcoming. arXiv admin note: substantial text overlap with arXiv:1101.505

Unravelling polar lipids dynamics during embryonic development of two sympatric brachyuran crabs (Carcinus maenas and Necora puber) using lipidomics

Embryogenesis is an important stage of marine invertebrates with bi-phasic life cycles, as it conditions their larval and adult life. Throughout embryogenesis, phospholipids (PL) play a key role as an energy source, as well as constituents of biological membranes. However, the dynamics of PL during embryogenesis in marine invertebrates is still poorly studied. The present work used a lipidomic approach to determine how polar lipid profiles shift during embryogenesis in two sympatric estuarine crabs, Carcinus maenas and Necora puber. The combination of thin layer chromatography, liquid chromatography – mass spectrometry and gas chromatography – mass spectrometry allowed us to achieve an unprecedented resolution on PL classes and molecular species present on newly extruded embryos (stage 1) and those near hatching (stage 3). Embryogenesis proved to be a dynamic process, with four PL classes being recorded in stage 1 embryos (68 molecular species in total) and seven PL classes at stage 3 embryos (98 molecular species in total). The low interspecific difference recorded in the lipidomic profiles of stage 1 embryos appears to indicate the existence of similar maternal investment. The same pattern was recorded for stage 3 embryos revealing a similar catabolism of embryonic resources during incubation for both crab species

Sharing data for future research-engaging participants' views about data governance beyond the original project:a DIRECT Study

Purpose: Biomedical data governance strategies should ensure that data are collected, stored, and used ethically and lawfully. However, research participants’ preferences for how data should be governed is least studied. The Diabetes Research on Patient Stratification (DIRECT) project collected substantial amounts of health and genetic information from patients at risk of, and with type II diabetes. We conducted a survey to understand participants’ future data governance preferences. Results will inform the postproject data governance strategy. Methods: A survey was distributed in Denmark, Sweden, The Netherlands, and the United Kingdom. Results: In total 855 surveys were returned. Ninety-seven percent were supportive of sharing data postproject, and 90% were happy to share data with universities, and 56% with commercial companies. The top three priorities for data sharing were highly secure database, DIRECT researchers to monitor data used by other researchers, and researchers cannot identify participants. Respondents frequently suggested that a postproject Data Access Committee should involve a DIRECT researcher, diabetes clinician, patient representative, and a DIRECT participant. Conclusion: Preferences of how data should be governed, and what data could be shared and with whom varied between countries. Researchers are considered as key custodians of participant data. Engaging participants aids in designing governance to support their choices

Detection of DNA of human lymphotropic herpesviruses in patients with HIV-1 infection, classic Kaposi sarcoma and healthy volunteers: prevalence and clinical significance

Human Lymphotropic herpesviruses (CMV, EBV, HHV6, HHV7, HHV8) are ubiquitous viruses, which after primary infection persist in the host in a latent form. The aim of our study was to evaluate the frequency of detection of lymphotropic herpesvirus DNA in the plasma, PBMC and saliva of HIV infected patients, Classic Kaposi Sarcoma patients and healthy volunteers. We analyzed plasma, PBMC and saliva from 36 patients with HIV infection without herpesvirus related diseases (HIV As), 9 patients with classic Kaposi Sarcoma (Cl KS) and 10 healthy volunteers (HV). All samples were previously treated for DNA extraction with a commercial kit and then a multiplex nested PCR was performed for the simultaneous detection of HHV6-, HHV7- and HHV8-DNA. Real time PCR was performed in order to detect EBV- and CMV-DNA, only in plasma samples. For each patient 300 μl of whole blood were incubated 1:1 with RPMI and stimulated with PHA (10μg/mL) for 24 hours at 37°C and 5% CO2. At the end of incubation supernatants (SN) were collected and stored at -20°C. IL1β, IL6, IFNγ, TNFα concentrations were measured by Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assays (ELISA) according to manufacturer instructions. Statistical analysis was performed with SPSS software. The rate of detection of HHV6-DNA was very low in the samples drawn from the three groups of patients (HIV As:3%; Cl KS:22%, HV: 0%). HHV7 was the most commonly detected virus in plasma, PBMC and saliva of HIV AS group and HV. The rate of HHV7 DNA detection was lower in both plasma and PBMC of HIV AS group (31% and 22% respectively) than in HV (50%; p= 0,283 and 70%; p=0,008 respectively). No difference in the rate of detection of HHV7 DNA was found in saliva from HIV AS group and HV (58% and 60% respectively; p=0,6). As expected, the rate of HHV 8 DNA detection was higher in plasma, PBMC and saliva of Cl KS group (33%, 56% and 56% respectively) than in controls (0%, p=0,087; 0%, p=0,011; 0%, p=0,011 respectively). HHV8 DNA was detected in plasma and PBMC of 2 patients and in saliva of 6 patients of the HIV As group. EBV DNA was detected only in plasma of 8 patients from the HIV As group, while CMV DNA was detected only in 1 patient belonging to the Cl KS group. HHV6 and HHV7 were the only two viruses detected in the samples drawn from healthy blood donors. Concerning cytokine production after in vitro stimulation of whole blood, in the HIV AS group those subjects with plasma detection of HHV7 DNA had lower levels of TNFα, IL6, IFNγ, IL1β in SN, in comparison with subjects of the HIV AS and HV groups without plasma detection of HHV7 DNA (see table 1). Among human limphotropic herpesvirus HHV7 is the most commonly detected virus in HIV positive and negative subjects, although it is less frequent in seropositive individuals. HHV7 may provide an inhibitory effect on host inflammation interfering with HIV-1.