First record of Oligochoerus limnophilus (Acoela, Acoelomorpha) from British waters

Primer registro de Oligochoerus limnophilus (Acoela, Acoelomorpha) en aguas británicas Informamos de la existencia de poblaciones del acelo Oligochoerus limnophilus (Acoelomorpha) en la islas Británicas sobre la base de los especímenes capturados en el río Támesis (también conocido localmente como río Isis) a su paso por Oxford, Inglaterra, ampliando así considerablemente el área de distribución de la especie, restringida hasta ahora al continente europeo. La información gráfica que aportamos, imágenes de especímenes vivos y proyecciones CLSM de estructuras informativas seleccionadas por su valor sistemático, corrobora su estrecha relación con el género Convoluta Ørsted, 1843.We report the occurrence of the acoel Oligochoerus limnophilus (Acoelomorpha) from the British Islands, based on specimens captured in the river Thames (locally known as the river Isis) in Oxford, England, thereby considerably widening the distributional range of the species that had formerly been reported only from continental Europe. We further present live images and CLSM-projections of systematically informative structures that corroborate a close relationship with the genus Convoluta Ørsted, 1843.Primer registre d'Oligochoerus limnophilus (Acoela, Acoelomorpha) en aigües britàniques Informem de l'existència de poblacions de l'acel Oligochoerus limnophilus (Acoelomorpha) a les illes Britàniques sobre la base dels espècimens capturats al riu Tàmesi (també conegut localment com a riu Isis) al pas per Oxford, Anglaterra, amb la qual cosa ampliem considerablement l'àrea de distribució de l'espècie, restringida fins ara al continent europeu. La informació gràfica que aportem, imatges d'espècimens vius i projeccions CLSM d'estructures informatives seleccionades pel seu valor sistemàtic, corrobora l'estreta relació amb el gènere Convoluta Ørsted, 1843

Generalised Ornstein-Uhlenbeck processes

We solve a physically significant extension of a classic problem in the theory of diffusion, namely the Ornstein-Uhlenbeck process [G. E. Ornstein and L. S. Uhlenbeck, Phys. Rev. 36, 823, (1930)]. Our generalised Ornstein-Uhlenbeck systems include a force which depends upon the position of the particle, as well as upon time. They exhibit anomalous diffusion at short times, and non-Maxwellian velocity distributions in equilibrium. Two approaches are used. Some statistics are obtained from a closed-form expression for the propagator of the Fokker-Planck equation for the case where the particle is initially at rest. In the general case we use spectral decomposition of a Fokker-Planck equation, employing nonlinear creation and annihilation operators to generate the spectrum which consists of two staggered ladders.Comment: 24 pages, 2 figure

The transient IDEMIX model as a nonorographic gravity wave parameterization in an atmospheric circulation model

The Internal wave Dissipation, Energy and Mixing (IDEMIX) model presents a novel way of parameterizing internal gravity waves in the atmosphere. Using a continuous full wave spectrum in the energy balance equation and integrating over all vertical wavenumbers and frequencies results in prognostic equations for the energy density of gravity waves in multiple azimuthal compartments. It includes their non-dissipative interaction with the mean flow, allowing for an evolving and local description of momentum flux and gravity wave drag. A saturation mechanism maintains the wave field within convective stability limits, and an energetically consistent closure for critical-layer effects controls how much wave flux propagates from the troposphere into the middle atmosphere. IDEMIX can simulate zonal gravity wave drag around the mesopause, similar to a traditional gravity wave parameterization and to a state-of-the-art wave ray tracing model in an atmospheric circulation model. In addition, IDEMIX shows a reversal of the gravity wave drag around the mesopause region due to changes in the momentum flux there. When compared to empirical model data, IDEMIX captures well the summer hemisphere flow reversal, the cold summer mesospheric pole and the alternate positive and negative structures in the meridional mean flow.Comment: 21 pages, 19 figure

Critical boron-doping levels for generation of dislocations in synthetic diamond

Defects induced by boron doping in diamond layers were studied by transmission electron microscopy. The existence of a critical boron doping level above which defects are generated is reported. This level is found to be dependent on the CH4 /H2 molar ratios and on growth directions. The critical boron concentration lied in the 6.5–17.0 X 10 20 at/cm3 range in the direction and at 3.2 X 1021 at/cm 3 for the one. Strain related effects induced by the doping are shown not to be responsible. From the location of dislocations and their Burger vectors, a model is proposed, together with their generation mechanism.6 page

Cutting edge: IgE plays an active role in tumor immunosurveillance in mice

Exogenous IgE acts as an adjuvant in tumor vaccination in mice, and therefore a direct role of endogenous IgE in tumor immunosurveillance was investigated. By using genetically engineered mice, we found that IgE ablation rendered mice more susceptible to the growth of transplantable tumors. Conversely, a strengthened IgE response provided mice with partial or complete resistance to tumor growth, depending on the tumor type. By genetic crosses, we showed that IgE-mediated tumor protection was mostly lost in mice lacking FceRI. Tumor protection was also lost after depletion of CD8+ T cells, highlighting a cross-Talk between IgE and T cell- mediated tumor immunosurveillance. Our findings provide the rationale for clinical observations that relate atopy with a lower risk for developing cancer and open new avenues for the design of immunotherapeutics relevant for clinical oncology. The Journal of Immunology, 2016, 197: 2583-2588

Low temperature transition to a superconducting phase in boron-doped silicon films grown on (001)-oriented silicon wafers

We report on a detailed analysis of the superconducting properties of boron-doped silicon films grown along the 001 direction by Gas Immersion Laser Doping. The doping concentration cB has been varied up to approx. 10 at.% by increasing the number of laser shots to 500. No superconductivity could be observed down to 40mK for doping level below 2.5 at.%. The critical temperature Tc then increased steeply to reach 0.6K for cB = 8 at%. No hysteresis was found for the transitions in magnetic field, which is characteristic of a type II superconductor. The corresponding upper critical field Hc2(0) was on the order of 1000 G, much smaller than the value previously reported by Bustarret et al. in Nature (London) 444, 465 (2006).Comment: 4 pages including 4 figures, submitted to PRB-Rapid Communicatio

Ancestry of the Brazilian TP53 c.1010G>A (p.Arg337His, R337H) founder mutation : clues from haplotyping of short tandem repeats on Chromosome 17p

Rare germline mutations in TP53 (17p13.1) cause a highly penetrant predisposition to a specific spectrum of early cancers, defining the Li-Fraumeni Syndrome (LFS). A germline mutation at codon 337 (p.Arg337His, c1010G>A) is found in about 0.3% of the population of Southern Brazil. This mutation is associated with partially penetrant LFS traits and is found in the germline of patients with early cancers of the LFS spectrum unselected for familial his- tory. To characterize the extended haplotypes carrying the mutation, we have genotyped 9 short tandem repeats on chromosome 17p in 12 trios of Brazilian p.Arg337His carriers. Results confirm that all share a common ancestor haplotype of Caucasian/Portuguese-Ibe- ric origin, distant in about 72–84 generations (2000 years assuming a 25 years intergenera- tional distance) and thus pre-dating European migration to Brazil. So far, the founder p. Arg337His haplotype has not been detected outside Brazil, with the exception of two resi- dents of Portugal, one of them of Brazilian origin. On the other hand, increased meiotic recombination in p.Arg337His carriers may account for higher than expected haplotype diversity. Further studies comparing haplotypes in populations of Brazil and of other areas of Portuguese migration are needed to understand the historical context of this mutation in Brazil.This study was funded by grant # 478430/2012-4 from CNPq (RFA MCT/CNPq - No 14/2012; Universal), Brazil.We would like to thank UFRGS, UFPA, AC Camargo, HC Barretos and University of Minho for their support during this work

Hereditary breast and ovarian cancer: assessment of \ud point mutations and copy number variations in \ud Brazilian patients

Background \ud Germ line mutations in BRCA1 and BRCA2 (BRCA1/2) and other susceptibility genes have \ud been identified as genetic causes of hereditary breast and ovarian cancer (HBOC). To identify \ud the disease-causing mutations in a cohort of 120 Brazilian women fulfilling criteria for \ud HBOC, we carried out a comprehensive screening of BRCA1/2, TP53 R337H, CHEK2 \ud 1100delC, followed by an analysis of copy number variations in 14 additional breast cancer \ud susceptibility genes (PTEN, ATM, NBN, RAD50, RAD51, BRIP1, PALB2, MLH1, MSH2, \ud MSH6, TP53, CDKN2A, CDH1 and CTNNB1). \ud Methods \ud Capillary sequencing and multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification (MLPA) were \ud used for detecting point mutations and copy number variations (CNVs), respectively, for the \ud BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes; capillary sequencing was used for point mutation for both variants \ud TP53 R337H and CHEK2 1100delC, and finally array comparative genomic hybridization \ud (array-CGH) was used for identifying CNVs in the 14 additional genes. \ud Results \ud The positive detection rate in our series was 26%. BRCA1 pathogenic mutations were found \ud in 20 cases, including two cases with CNVs, whereas BRCA2 mutations were found in 7 \ud cases. We also found three patients with the TP53 R337H mutation and one patient with the \ud CHEK2 1100delC mutation. Seven (25%) pathogenic mutations in BRCA1/2 were firstly \ud described, including a splice-site BRCA1 mutation for which pathogenicity was confirmed by \ud the presence of an aberrant transcript showing the loss of the last 62 bp of exon 7. \ud Microdeletions of exon 4 in ATM and exon 2 in PTEN were identified in BRCA2-mutated and \ud BRCA1/2-negative patients, respectively. \ud Conclusions \ud In summary, our results showed a high frequency of BRCA1/2 mutations and a higher \ud prevalence of BRCA1 (64.5%) gene. Moreover, the detection of the TP53 R337H variant in \ud our series and the fact that this variant has a founder effect in our population prompted us to \ud suggest that all female breast cancer patients with clinical criteria for HBOC and negative for \ud BRCA1/2 genes should be tested for the TP53 R337H variant. Furthermore, the presence of \ud genomic structural rearrangement resulting in CNVs in other genes that predispose breast \ud cancer in conjunction with BRCA2 point mutations demonstrated a highly complex genetic \ud etiology in Brazilian breast cancer families.Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (2008/57887- 9).Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (408833/2006-8