Specsim: The MIRI Medium Resolution Spectrometer Simulator

MIRI, the Mid-InfraRed Instrument, is one of four instruments being built for the James Webb Space Telescope, and is developed jointly between an EuropeanConsortium and the US. In this paper we present a software data simulator for one of MIRI's four instruments: the Integral Field Unit (IFU) Medium Resolution Spectrometer (MIRI-MRS), the first mid-infrared IFU spectrograph, and one of the first IFUs to be used in a space mission. To give the MIRI community a preview of the properties of the MIRI-MRS data products before the telescope is operational, the Specsim tool has been developed to model, in software, the operation of the spectrometer. Specsim generates synthetic data frames approximating those which will be taken by the instrument in orbit. The program models astronomical sources and generates detector frames using the predicted and measured optical properties of the telescope and MIRI. These frames can then be used to illustrate and inform a range of operational activities, including data calibration strategies and the development and testing of the data reduction software for the MIRI-MRS. Specsim will serve as a means of communication between the many consortium members by providing a way to easily illustrate the performance of the spectrometer under different circumstances, tolerances of components and design scenarios.Comment: 8 pages, 5 figures; A high resolution version is available at http://www.roe.ac.uk/~npfl/Publications/lgw+06.ps.gz (Changed URL of high-res version

Dietary level of fibre and age at weaning affect the proliferation of Clostridium perfrigens in the caecum, the incidence of Epizootic Rabbit Enteropathy and the performance of fattening rabbits

An experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of dietary fibre content and weaning age on Clostridium perfringens proliferation in the caecum and fattening mortality in growing rabbits farmed in a facility having Epizootic Rabbit Enteropathy. The experiment consisted in a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement with two weaning ages (28 days vs. 42 days) and two levels of dietary neutral detergent fibre assayed with a heat stable amylase and expressed exclusive of residual ash (aNDFom; 330 g/kg vs. 425 g/kg). Controls were made during two consecutive experimental periods that differed in hygienic environmental conditions by modifying the intensity of cleaning and disinfection in the farm previous to the trial. An interaction (P<0.001) was detected among the independent variables studied on Cl. perfringens enumeration in the caecal contents, as minimal values for this trait were obtained in non-medicated animals reared in a clean environment, and especially when they were weaned at a later age and fed the diet with the lower fibre content. The treatments studied also led to a variation in fattening mortality (from 4.7% to 34.0%), which was highly and positively correlated (P<0.001) to the average Cl. perfringens caecal counts in each combination of treatments. The results of the current study indicate that high counts of Cl. perfringens in the caecum can be used as an indicator of Epizootic Rabbit Enteropathy, and suggest that strategies designed to control its proliferation in the caecum might help to limit fattening mortality in rabbit fed diets not-medicated with antibiotics

Exploring the reactions of small rings.

PhDSmall rings are frequently found in natural products as well as incorporated into drugs and agrochemicals in which they impart valuable properties on the biological activity of these compounds. Cyclopropanes are also extremely useful as reagents in organic synthesis, in particular as “umpolung” reagents, allowing access to products which would otherwise be more difficult to synthesise. This thesis will describe forays into the synthesis and further substitution of small rings as well as the iminium-catalysed ring-opening of cyclopropanes. The introduction will outline the uses and properties of cyclopropanes, and will also describe some of the more common ways for incorporating cyclopropanes into larger structures. This will include the Horner–Wadsworth–Emmons procedure which has previously been developed by the group. The second chapter describes efforts towards the iminium-catalysed nucleophilic ring-opening of cyclopropanes. This is followed by Chapter 3, in which the Horner–Wadsworth–Emmons methodology for the synthesis of the cyclopropanes used in Chapter 2 is investigated as a procedure for the synthesis of 4-membered heterocycles. Chapter 4 describes the development of a decarboxylative method for the protodecarboxylation of cyclopropanecarboxylic acids. This was developed as the first step towards decarboxylative cross-coupling of cyclopropanes. Decarboxylative cross-couplings have been extensively developed as environmentally friendly and facile alternatives to the current cross-coupling methods. In Chapter 5 the attempted development of a decarboxylative cross-coupling reaction of cyclopropanes is described. Conclusions and future work are outlined in Chapter 6, followed by the experimental details in Chapter 7.Queen Mary University of London

Evolución de la presencia de heces en el nidal durante la lactación en conejas multiparas

El objetivo de este trabajo fue estudiar la evolución de la presencia de heces en el nidal durante los 17 primeros días de lactación. Para ello se utilizaron 40 hembras multíparas recién paridas. El segundo día de lactación se escogieron 20 conejas al azar y se les echó en el nidal 8 heces duras (recogidas el mismo día de 4 conejas también en segundo día de lactación). Los días 3, 6, 10, 13 y 17 post-parto se revisaron todos los nidales y se contaron el número de heces duras, que se devolvieron al nidal, y se anotó la presencia de heces duras mordidas y heces blandas. Los gazapos se destetaron a los 27 d de edad y se tomaron al azar 5 de cada camada con el fin de realizar el seguimiento de la mortalidad. Los animales no recibieron antibióticos. La adición de heces duras al nidal incrementó el número de heces presentes en el nidal (en 13,7 heces de media) durante todo el periodo experimental (P = 0,002). La cantidad de heces duras observada en los nidales aumentó linealmente hasta el día 10 post-parto, reduciéndose linealmente a partir de ese momento hasta el día 17 post-parto (P < 0,001). El día 10 post-parto comenzaron a observarse heces mordidas en los nidales, y la proporción de nidales con presencia de heces mordidas fue máxima el día 13 post-parto, momento a partir del cual se observó una disminución de las misma (P < 0,001). A lo largo del periodo experimental se observaron heces duras mordidas en el 95% de los nidales. La presencia de cecótrofos en los nidales fue más esporádica y sólo se observó en un 55% de los nidales, sin detectarse efecto ni del tratamiento ni del día post-parto. No se observó efecto de la cantidad de heces presente en el nidal sobre la mortalidad durante el cebo que fue de media de un 20%

Efecto de la suplementación con Bacillus amyloliquefaciens y heptanoato sódico sobre los parámetros de crecimiento en conejos en cebo

El objetivo de este trabajo fue evaluar el efecto de suplementar con B. amyloliquefaciens (Ecobiol; EU aditivo zootécnico para piensos número 4b1822; contenido de 1 x 109 CFU de B. amyloliquefaciens CECT 5940 / g) y heptanoato sódico (Hepton) sobre los parámetros de crecimiento del conejo. Se formuló un pienso control (17,3% PB y 36,2% FND, sobre % MS), y otros tres piensos suplementando el pienso control con 500 y 1000 g B. amyloliquefaciens/t (BA1 y BA2) y con 1000 g heptanoato sódico/t. Se utilizaron gazapos destetados a los 25 d gazapos (67/pienso). Los conejos suplementados con el pienso BA2 tendieron a comer menos que el grupo control (P = 0,073), y comieron un 6% menos que los del grupo BA1 (P = 0,036) durante el periodo de 25 a 40 d de edad, si bien no afectó a la ganancia de peso, ni en la eficacia alimenticia. Durante el periodo de 40 a 63 d de edad los gazapos alimentados con el pienso BA2 comieron un 10% menos que el pienso control (P = 0,002), sin modificar la ganancia de peso, lo que se tradujo en una tendencia a mejorar la eficacia alimenticia (P = 0,063). Los animales del pienso BA2 incrementaron la eficacia alimenticia un 8% comparado con los del grupo BA1 durante el periodo de 40 a 63 d (P = 0,031), sin mostrar diferencias en el consumo o en la ganancia de peso. Al evaluar el periodo global, incrementar la dosis de B. amyloliquefaciens (BA2 vs. BA1) tendió a disminuir el consumo medio diario (P = 0,069) y a aumentar la eficiencia alimenticia un 6% (P = 0,006). La suplementación con B. amyloliquefaciens, independientemente de la dosis utilizada (BA2 o BA1), no afectó a la mortalidad en el periodo global del cebo. Durante todo el periodo experimental de 25 a 63 d de edad, la suplementación con heptanoato sódico redujo el consumo de pienso un 5% en comparación con el grupo control (P = 0,050) y, al no modificar la velocidad de crecimiento, aumentó la eficacia alimenticia un 7% (P = 0,003). En comparación con el promedio de los gazapos suplementados con B. amyloliquefaciens los conejos que recibieron heptanoato sódico mostraron una mayor ganancia de peso (5%, P = 0,012), y eficiencia alimenticia (4%, P = 0,024), alcanzando un peso final superior (P = 0,012)

Efecto de la suplementación con celobiosa en el agua de bebida y del nivel e fibra soluble del pienso sobre los parámetros de crecimiento en conejos en cebo

El objetivo de este trabajo fue estudiar el efecto que tiene suplementar el agua con dosis de celobiosa inferiores a 7,5 g/l, en gazapos alimentados con dos niveles de fibra soluble sobre los parámetros productivos en gazapos en crecimiento. Se utilizaron 3 niveles de celobiosa en agua: 0, 3,5 y 7,0 g/l NPC Cello-Oligo combinados con 2 niveles de fibra soluble en el pienso (BF: 8,2 vs. AF: 10,5% sobre MS). Se utilizaron 240 gazapos destetados a los 26 d de edad (40/tratamiento), parte de los cuáles se sacrificaron a los 39 d de edad (8/tratamiento), momento en el que se sustituyeron los piensos experimentales por un pienso común estándar. La celobiosa se retiró a los 42 d de edad. En el periodo de 26 a 39 d de edad, los gazapos alimentados con el mayor nivel de fibra soluble redujeron un 6,4% el consumo de pienso respecto aquéllos alimentados con el nivel bajo de fibra soluble (P = 0,002), por lo que redujeron su ganancia de peso en un 7,0% (P = 0,002). En este periodo la ganancia de peso y la eficacia alimenticia de los animales alimentados con un bajo nivel de fibra soluble y 3,5 g celobiosa/l aumentaron en comparación con el promedio del grupo control y el de la dosis de 7 g/l (PBF(0+7 vs. 3,5) = 0,004 y 0,012, respectivamente), resultando en un peso mayor a los 39 d de edad (PBF(0+7 vs. 3,5) = 0,004). Los tratamientos no afectaron la actividad específica de la sacarasa en el yeyuno a los 39 d de edad. En el periodo global del cebo, el incremento de celobiosa redujo linealmente la ingestión (P = 0,040), tendiendo a mejorar la eficacia alimenticia (P = 0,10). Los gazapos que recibieron 3,5 g celobiosa/l en combinación con el pienso BF ganaron más peso que los que recibieron la dosis 0 ó 7 g celobiosa/l (PBF(0+7 vs 3,5) = 0,019). Por el contrario, los animales que recibieron la concentración intermedia de celobiosa en combinación con el pienso AF ganaron menos peso (PAF(0+7 vs 3,5) = 0,035). El nivel de fibra soluble no afectó a los rendimientos productivos ni a la mortalidad durante todo el periodo de cebo 26 a 56 d, pero el aumento de la concentración de celobiosa tendió a disminuir linealmente la mortalidad en los animales del grupo BF (PBF(0 vs 3,5 vs 7) = 0,069), mientras que los del grupo AF y que recibieron la concentración intermedia de celobiosa la mortalidad tendió a ser más baja (PAF(0+7 vs 3,5) = 0,11)

Gene-environment interaction analysis of redox-related metals and genetic variants with plasma metabolic patterns in a general population from Spain: The Hortega Study

Background: Limited studies have evaluated the joint influence of redox-related metals and genetic variation on metabolic pathways. We analyzed the association of 11 metals with metabolic patterns, and the interacting role of candidate genetic variants, in 1145 participants from the Hortega Study, a population-based sample from Spain. Methods: Urine antimony (Sb), arsenic, barium (Ba), cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), cobalt (Co), molybdenum (Mo) and vanadium (V), and plasma copper (Cu), selenium (Se) and zinc (Zn) were measured by ICP-MS and AAS, respectively. We summarized 54 plasma metabolites, measured with targeted NMR, by estimating metabolic principal components (mPC). Redox-related SNPs (N = 291) were measured by oligo-ligation assay. Results: In our study, the association with metabolic principal component (mPC) 1 (reflecting non-essential and essential amino acids, including branched chain, and bacterial co-metabolism versus fatty acids and VLDL subclasses) was positive for Se and Zn, but inverse for Cu, arsenobetaine-corrected arsenic (As) and Sb. The association with mPC2 (reflecting essential amino acids, including aromatic, and bacterial co-metabolism) was inverse for Se, Zn and Cd. The association with mPC3 (reflecting LDL subclasses) was positive for Cu, Se and Zn, but inverse for Co. The association for mPC4 (reflecting HDL subclasses) was positive for Sb, but inverse for plasma Zn. These associations were mainly driven by Cu and Sb for mPC1; Se, Zn and Cd for mPC2; Co, Se and Zn for mPC3; and Zn for mPC4. The most SNP-metal interacting genes were NOX1, GSR, GCLC, AGT and REN. Co and Zn showed the highest number of interactions with genetic variants associated to enriched endocrine, cardiovascular and neurological pathways. Conclusions: Exposures to Co, Cu, Se, Zn, As, Cd and Sb were associated with several metabolic patterns involved in chronic disease. Carriers of redox-related variants may have differential susceptibility to metabolic alterations associated to excessive exposure to metals.This work was supported by the Strategic Action for Research in Health sciences [CP12/03080, PI15/00071, PI10/0082, PI13/01848, PI14/00874, PI16/01402, PI21/00506 and PI11/00726], CIBER Fisio patología Obesidad y Nutrición (CIBEROBN) (CIBER-02-08-2009, CB06/03 and CB12/03/30,016), the State Agency for Research (PID2019-108973RB- C21 and C22), the Valencia Government (GRUPOS 03/101; PROMETEO/2009/029 and ACOMP/2013/039, IDI FEDER/2021/072 and GRISOLIAP/2021/119), the Castilla-Leon Government (GRS/279/A/08) and European Network of Excellence Ingenious Hypercare (EPSS-037093) from the European Commission. The Strategic Action for Research in Health sciences, CIBERDEM and CIBEROBN are initiatives from Carlos III Health Institute Madrid and cofunded with European Funds for Regional Development (FEDER). The State Agency for Research and Carlos III Health Institute belong to the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation. ADR received the support of a fellowship from “la Caixa” Foundation (ID 100010434) (fellowship code “LCF/BQ/DR19/11740016”). MGP received the support of a fellowship from “la Caixa” Foundation (ID 100010434, fellowship code LCFLCF/BQ/DI18/11660001). The funding bodies had no role in the design of the study and collection, analysis, and interpretation of data and in writing the manuscript.S

Geno-and cytotoxicity induced on Cyprinus carpio by aluminum, iron, mercury and mixture thereof.

Metals such as Al, Fe and Hg are used in diverse anthropogenic activities. Their presence in water bodies is due mainly to domestic, agricultural and industrial wastewater discharges and constitutes a hazard for the organisms inhabiting these environments. The present study aimed to evaluate geno- and cyto- toxicity induced by Al, Fe, Hg and the mixture of these metals on blood of the common carp Cyprinus carpio. Specimens were exposed to the permissible limits in water for human use and consumption according to the pertinent official Mexican norm [official Mexican norm NOM-127-SSA1-1994] Al (0.2 mg L 1), Fe (0.3 mg L 1), Hg (0.001 mg L 1) and their mixture for 12, 24, 48, 72 and 96 h. Bio- markers of genotoxicity (comet assay and micronucleus test) and cytotoxicity (caspase-3 activity and TUNEL assay) were evaluated. Significant increases relative to the control group (po0.05) were observed in all biomarkers at all exposure times in all test systems; however, damage was greater when the metals were present as a mixture. Furthermore, correlations between metal concentrations and biomarkers of geno- and cytotoxicity were found only at certain exposure times. In conclusion, Al, Fe, Hg and the mixture of these metals induce geno- and cytotoxicity on blood of C. carpio.CONACyT-Mexico, Project 18154

Sterile neutrino portal to Dark Matter I: the U(1) B−L case

In this paper we explore the possibility that the sterile neutrino and Dark Matter sectors in the Universe have a common origin. We study the consequences of this assumption in the simple case of coupling the dark sector to the Standard Model via a global U(1)B−L, broken down spontaneously by a dark scalar. This dark scalar provides masses to the dark fermions and communicates with the Higgs via a Higgs portal coupling. We find an interesting interplay between Dark Matter annihilation to dark scalars — the CP-even that mixes with the Higgs and the CP-odd which becomes a Goldstone boson, the Majoron — and heavy neutrinos, as well as collider probes via the coupling to the Higgs. Moreover, Dark Matter annihilation into sterile neutrinos and its subsequent decay to gauge bosons and quarks, charged leptons or neutrinos lead to indirect detection signatures which are close to current bounds on the gamma ray flux from the galactic center and dwarf galaxies

On the nature of the fourth generation neutrino and its implications

We consider the neutrino sector of a Standard Model with four generations. While the three light neutrinos can obtain their masses from a variety of mechanisms with or without new neutral fermions, fourth-generation neutrinos need at least one new relatively light right-handed neutrino. If lepton number is not conserved this neutrino must have a Majorana mass term whose size depends on the underlying mechanism for lepton number violation. Majorana masses for the fourth generation neutrinos induce relative large two-loop contributions to the light neutrino masses which could be even larger than the cosmological bounds. This sets strong limits on the mass parameters and mixings of the fourth generation neutrinos.Comment: To be published. Few typos corrected, references update