Induced parity violating thermal effective action for (2+1)-dimensional fermions interacting with a non-Abelian background

We study the parity breaking effective action in 2+1 dimensions, generated, at finite temperature, by massive fermions interacting with a non-Abelian gauge background. We explicitly calculate, in the static limit, parity violating amplitudes up to the seven point function, which allows us to determine the corresponding effective actions. We derive the exact parity violating effective action when $\vec{E}=0$. When $\vec{E}\neq 0$, there are families of terms that can be determined order by order in perturbation theory. We attempt to generalize our results to non-static backgrounds through the use of time ordered exponentials and prove gauge invariance, both {\it small} and {\it large}, of the resulting effective action. We also point out some open questions that need to be further understood.Comment: 24 pages. Version to be published in Physical Review D with an added appendix on the consequences of thermal gauge invarianc

Temperature dependence of the anomalous effective action of fermions in two and four dimensions

The temperature dependence of the anomalous sector of the effective action of fermions coupled to external gauge and pseudo-scalar fields is computed at leading order in an expansion in the number of Lorentz indices in two and four dimensions. The calculation preserves chiral symmetry and confirms that a temperature dependence is compatible with axial anomaly saturation. The result checks soft-pions theorems at zero temperature as well as recent results in the literature for the pionic decay amplitude into static photons in the chirally symmetric phase. The case of chiral fermions is also considered.Comment: RevTex, 19 pages, no figures. References adde

Proteomic Analysis of the Cyst Stage of Entamoeba histolytica

We used tandem mass spectrometry to identify E. histolytica cyst proteins in 5 cyst positive stool samples. We report the identification of 417 non-redundant E. histolytica proteins including 195 proteins that were not identified in existing trophozoite derived proteome or EST datasets, consistent with cyst specificity. Because the cysts were derived directly from patient samples with incomplete purification, a limited number of proteins were identified (N = 417) that probably represent only a partial proteome. Nevertheless, the study succeeded in identifying proteins that are likely to be abundant in the cyst stage of the parasite. Several of these proteins may play roles in E. histolytica stage conversion or cyst function. Proteins identified in this study may be useful markers for diagnostic detection of E. histolytica cysts. Overall, the data generated in this study promises to aid the understanding of the cyst stage of the parasite which is vital for disease transmission and pathogenesis in E. histolytica

Plasmodium vivax Sub-Patent Infections after Radical Treatment Are Common in Peruvian Patients: Results of a 1-Year Prospective Cohort Study

BACKGROUND: There is an increasing body of literature reporting treatment failure of the currently recommended radical treatment of Plasmodium vivax infections. As P. vivax is the main malaria species outside the African continent, emerging tolerance to its radical treatment regime could have major consequences in countries like Peru, where 80% of malaria cases are due to P. vivax. Here we describe the results of a 1-year longitudinal follow up of 51 confirmed P. vivax patients living around Iquitos, Peruvian Amazon, and treated according to the Peruvian national guidelines. METHODOLOGY: Each month a blood sample for microscopy and later genotyping was systematically collected. Recent exposure to infection was estimated by detecting antibodies against the P. vivax circumsporozoite protein (CSP) and all PCR confirmed P. vivax infections were genotyped with 16 polymorphic microsatellites. RESULTS: During a 1-year period, 84 recurrent infections, 22 positive also by microscopy, were identified, with a median survival time to first recurrent infection of 203 days. Most of them (71%) were asymptomatic; in 13 patients the infection persisted undetected by microscopy for several consecutive months. The genotype of mostly recurrent infections differed from that at day 0 while fewer differences were seen between the recurrent infections. The average expected heterozygosity was 0.56. There was strong linkage disequilibrium (I(A) (s) = 0.29, p<1.10(-4)) that remained also when analyzing only the unique haplotypes, suggesting common inbreeding. CONCLUSION: In Peru, the P. vivax recurrent infections were common and displayed a high turnover of parasite genotypes compared to day 0. Plasmodium vivax patients, even when treated according to the national guidelines, may still represent an important parasite reservoir that can maintain transmission. Any elimination effort should consider such a hidden reservoir

Identification of European allergy patterns to the allergen families PR-10, LTP, and profilin from rosaceae fruits

High fruit intakes are associated with significant health benefits but fruit allergy sufferers may be discouraged from eating fruit due to the symptoms they experience. Knowledge about allergens involved in fruit allergy and the frequent cross-reactions to other allergens is essential to (a) design the best strategy for fruit allergy testing (b) prescribe optimal avoidance diets, and (c) design technological solutions for development of hypoallergenic fruits. The objective of this review was to investigate whether some characteristic disease entities could be identified in Europe for allergy to Rosaceae fruits. Five allergy patterns were found involving the allergen families PR-10, LTP, and profilin. In the Western Mediterranean area allergies to Rosaceae fruits are caused by monosensitization to LTP, monosensitization to profilin, or co-sensitization to both these allergens. On the contrary, monosensitization to PR-10 and, to a lesser degree, co-sensitization to profilin and PR-10 is dominant in Northern and Central Europe. LTP sensitization is present both in pollinosis and non-pollinosis patients and is associated with peach allergy in particular. The disease pattern for patients sensitized to profilin is characterized by several concomitant allergies including grass and other pollens, Rosaceae and non-Rosaceae fruits. Finally, PR-10 sensitization is primarily associated to concomitant birch pollen and apple allergy

If You're Not Confused, You're Not Paying Attention: Ochrobactrum Is Not Brucella

Bacteria of the genus Brucella are facultative intracellular parasites that cause brucellosis, a severe animal and human disease. Recently, a group of taxonomists merged the brucellae with the primarily free-living, phylogenetically related Ochrobactrum spp. in the genus Brucella. This change, founded only on global genomic analysis and the fortuitous isolation of some opportunistic Ochrobactrum spp. from medically compromised patients, has been automatically included in culture collections and databases. We argue that clinical and environmental microbiologists should not accept this nomenclature, and we advise against its use because (i) it was presented without in-depth phylogenetic analyses and did not consider alternative taxonomic solutions; (ii) it was launched without the input of experts in brucellosis or Ochrobactrum; (iii) it applies a non-consensus genus concept that disregards taxonomically relevant differences in structure, physiology, population structure, core-pangenome assemblies, genome structure, genomic traits, clinical features, treatment, prevention, diagnosis, genus description rules, and, above all, pathogenicity; and (iv) placing these two bacterial groups in the same genus creates risks for veterinarians, medical doctors, clinical laboratories, health authorities, and legislators who deal with brucellosis, a disease that is particularly relevant in low- and middle-income countries. Based on all this information, we urge microbiologists, bacterial collections, genomic databases, journals, and public health boards to keep the Brucella and Ochrobactrum genera separate to avoid further bewilderment and harm.Las bacterias del género Brucella son parásitos intracelulares facultativos causantes de la brucelosis, una grave enfermedad animal y humana. Recientemente, un grupo de taxónomos fusionó las brucelas con las Ochrobactrum spp., principalmente de vida libre y filogenéticamente emparentadas, en el género Brucella. Este cambio, fundado únicamente en análisis genómicos globales y en el aislamiento fortuito de algunas Ochrobactrum spp. oportunistas de pacientes médicamente comprometidos, se ha incluido automáticamente en colecciones de cultivos y bases de datos. Sostenemos que los microbiólogos clínicos y ambientales no deberían aceptar esta nomenclatura, y desaconsejamos su uso porque (i) se presentó sin análisis filogenéticos en profundidad y no consideró soluciones taxonómicas alternativas; (ii) se lanzó sin la aportación de expertos en brucelosis u Ochrobactrum; (iii) aplica un concepto de género no consensuado que ignora las diferencias taxonómicamente relevantes en estructura, fisiología, estructura poblacional, ensamblajes del núcleo-pangenoma, estructura genómica, rasgos genómicos, características clínicas, tratamiento, prevención, diagnóstico, reglas de descripción del género y, sobre todo, patogenicidad; y (iv) colocar estos dos grupos bacterianos en el mismo género crea riesgos para veterinarios, médicos, laboratorios clínicos, autoridades sanitarias y legisladores que se ocupan de la brucelosis, una enfermedad especialmente relevante en países de renta baja y media. Basándonos en toda esta información, instamos a los microbiólogos, las colecciones bacterianas, las bases de datos genómicos, las revistas y los consejos de salud pública a mantener separados los géneros Brucella y Ochrobactrum para evitar más desconcierto y perjuicios.Universidad Nacional, Costa RicaEscuela de Medicina Veterinari