Twisted Conjugacy Classes in Lattices in Semisimple Lie Groups

Given a group automorphism $\phi:\Gamma\to \Gamma$, one has an action of $\Gamma$ on itself by $\phi$-twisted conjugacy, namely, $g.x=gx\phi(g^{-1})$. The orbits of this action are called $\phi$-conjugacy classes. One says that $\Gamma$ has the $R_\infty$-property if there are infinitely many $\phi$-conjugacy classes for every automorphism $\phi$ of $\Gamma$. In this paper we show that any irreducible lattice in a connected semi simple Lie group having finite centre and rank at least 2 has the $R_\infty$-property.Comment: 6 page

Bilateral knee dislocation with associated bilateral popliteal arterial injury

Tibiofemoral unilateral knee dislocations are uncommon, making bilateral dislocations even rarer injuries. Knee dislocation is considered one of the most serious injuries that can affect this joint. Associated complications such as popliteal artery injury are responsible for the important morbidity in these patients. The authors report the case of a 52-year-old man with a traumatic bilateral knee dislocation with associated bilateral popliteal arterial injury. His clinical presentation along with radiographic and angiographic findings are described. Surgical and non-surgical treatment and functional outcomes are also reported.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Optimal control measures for a susceptible-carrier-infectious-recovered-susceptible malware propagation model

Purposing to lessen malware propagation, this paper proposes optimal control measures for a susceptible-carrier-infectious-recovered-susceptible (SCIRS) epidemiological model formed by a system of ordinary differential equations. By taking advantage of real-world data related to the number of reported cybercrimes in Japan from 2012 to 2017, an optimal control problem is formulated to minimize the number of infected devices in a cost-effective way. The existence and uniqueness of the results related to the optimality system are proved. Overall, numerical simulations show the usefulness of the proposed control strategies in reducing the spread of malware infections.- Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia, Grant/Award Number: UID/MAT/04106/2019 and UID/CEC/00319/201

Targeted Chromosomal Insertion of Large DNA into the Human Genome by a Fiber-Modified High-Capacity Adenovirus-Based Vector System

A prominent goal in gene therapy research concerns the development of gene transfer vehicles that can integrate exogenous DNA at specific chromosomal loci to prevent insertional oncogenesis and provide for long-term transgene expression. Adenovirus (Ad) vectors arguably represent the most efficient delivery systems of episomal DNA into eukaryotic cell nuclei. The most advanced recombinant Ads lack all adenoviral genes. This renders these so-called high-capacity (hc) Ad vectors less cytotoxic/immunogenic than those only deleted in early regions and creates space for the insertion of large/multiple transgenes. The versatility of hcAd vectors is been increased by capsid modifications to alter their tropism and by the incorporation into their genomes of sequences promoting chromosomal insertion of exogenous DNA. Adeno-associated virus (AAV) can insert its genome into a specific human locus designated AAVS1. Trans- and cis-acting elements needed for this reaction are the AAV Rep78/68 proteins and Rep78/68-binding sequences, respectively. Here, we describe the generation, characterization and testing of fiber-modified dual hcAd/AAV hybrid vectors (dHVs) containing both these elements. Due to the inhibitory effects of Rep78/68 on Ad-dependent DNA replication, we deployed a recombinase-inducible gene switch to repress Rep68 synthesis during vector rescue and propagation. Flow cytometric analyses revealed that rep68-positive dHVs can be produced similarly well as rep68-negative control vectors. Western blot experiments and immunofluorescence microscopy analyses demonstrated transfer of recombinase-dependent rep68 genes into target cells. Studies in HeLa cells and in the dystrophin-deficient myoblasts from a Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) patient showed that induction of Rep68 synthesis in cells transduced with fiber-modified and rep68-positive dHVs leads to increased stable transduction levels and AAVS1-targeted integration of vector DNA. These results warrant further investigation especially considering the paucity of vector systems allowing permanent phenotypic correction of patient-own cell types with large DNA (e.g. recombinant full-length DMD genes)

Risk factors for hepatitis C virus infection among blood donors in southern Brazil: a case-control study

BACKGROUND: In Brazil, it is estimated that between 2.5 and 4.9% of the general population present anti-hepatitis C virus (HCV) antibodies, which corresponds to as many as 3.9 to 7.6 million chronic carriers. Chronic liver disease is associated with HCV infection in 20% to 58% of the Brazilian patients. The objective of this case-control study was to investigate the risk factors for presence of anti-HCV antibody in blood donors in southern Brazil. METHODS: One hundred and seventy eight blood donors with two positive ELISA results for anti-HCV were cases, and 356 controls tested negative. A standardized questionnaire was used to collect data concerning demographic and socioeconomic aspects, history of previous hepatitis infection, social and sexual behaviors, and number of donations. Variables were grouped into sets of hierarchical categories. Cases and controls were compared using logistic regression, odds ratios, and 95% confidence intervals. The statistical significance of the associations was assessed through likelihood ratio tests based on a P value < 0.05. RESULTS: The prevalence of anti-HCV among blood donors was 1.1%. Most of the donors were white and males. In the multivariate analysis, independent predictors of anti-HCV positivity were: intravenous drug use, blood transfusion >10 years earlier, having had two to four sexually transmitted diseases, incarceration, tattooing, sex with a hepatitis B or C virus carrier or with intravenous drug users. CONCLUSION: Intravenous drug use, blood transfusion, and tattooing were the main risk factors for anti-HCV positivity among blood donors from southern Brazil, but sexual HCV transmission should also be considered