Analysis of ecosystem services provision in the Colombian Amazon using participatory research and mapping techniques

Over the last two decades indigenous peoples in the lower Caquetá River basin in Colombia have experienced detrimental changes in the provision of important ecosystem services in ways that have significant implications for the maintenance of their traditional livelihoods. To assess these changes we conducted eight participatory mapping activities and convened 22 focus group discussions. We focused the analysis on two types of change: (1) changes in the location of ecosystem services provisioning areas and (2) changes in the stock of ecosystem services. The focal ecosystem services include services such as provision of food, raw materials and medicinal resources. Results from the study show that in the past two decades the demand for food and raw materials has intensified and, as a result, locations of provisioning areas and the stocks of ecosystem services have changed. We found anecdotal evidence that these changes correlate well with socio-economic factors such as greater need for income generation, change in livelihood practices and consumption patterns. We discuss the use of participatory mapping techniques in the context of marginalized and data-poor regions. We also show how this kind of information can strengthen existing ecosystem-based management strategies used by indigenous peoples in the Colombian Amazon

Functional characterization of E- and P-cadherin in invasive breast cancer cells

Background: Alterations in the cadherin-catenin adhesion complexes are involved in tumor initiation, progression and metastasis. However, the functional implication of distinct cadherin types in breast cancer biology is still poorly understood. Methods: To compare the functional role of E-cadherin and P-cadherin in invasive breast cancer, we stably transfected these molecules into the MDA-MB-231 cell line, and investigated their effects on motility, invasion and gene expression regulation. Results: Expression of either E-and P-cadherin significantly increased cell aggregation and induced a switch from fibroblastic to epithelial morphology. Although expression of these cadherins did not completely reverse the mesenchymal phenotype of MDA-MB-231 cells, both E-and P-cadherin decreased fibroblast-like migration and invasion through extracellular matrix in a similar way. Moreover, microarray gene expression analysis of MDA-MB-231 cells after expression of E-and P-cadherins revealed that these molecules can activate signaling pathways leading to significant changes in gene expression. Although the expression patterns induced by E-and P-cadherin showed more similarities than differences, 40 genes were differentially modified by the expression of either cadherin type. Conclusion: E-and P-cadherin have similar functional consequences on the phenotype and invasive behavior of MDA-MB-231 cells. Moreover, we demonstrate for the first time that these cadherins can induce both common and specific gene expression programs on invasive breast cancer cells. Importantly, these identified genes are potential targets for future studies on the functional consequences of altered cadherin expression in human breast cancer

Entanglement of single-photons and chiral phonons in atomically thin WSe2_2

Quantum entanglement is a fundamental phenomenon which, on the one hand, reveals deep connections between quantum mechanics, gravity and the space-time; on the other hand, has practical applications as a key resource in quantum information processing. While it is routinely achieved in photon-atom ensembles, entanglement involving the solid-state or macroscopic objects remains challenging albeit promising for both fundamental physics and technological applications. Here, we report entanglement between collective, chiral vibrations in two-dimensional (2D) WSe$_2$ host --- chiral phonons (CPs) --- and single-photons emitted from quantum dots (QDs) present in it. CPs which carry angular momentum were recently observed in WSe$_2$ and are a distinguishing feature of the underlying honeycomb lattice. The entanglement results from a "which-way" scattering process, involving an optical excitation in a QD and doubly-degenerate CPs, which takes place via two indistinguishable paths. Our unveiling of entanglement involving a macroscopic, collective excitation together with strong interaction between CPs and QDs in 2D materials opens up ways for phonon-driven entanglement of QDs and engineering chiral or non-reciprocal interactions at the single-photon level

Radioterapia de Intensidad modulada versus radioterapia tridimensional en pacientes con cáncer de esófago inoperable: Resultados clínicos, toxicidades y análisis dosimétrico

INTRODUCCIÓN: El cáncer de esófago (CE) es una enfermedad severa, sin embargo, hay un porcentaje de pacientes con enfermedad locorregional que son potencialmente curables. Hay algunos pacientes en los que está claro que la cirugía no es posible, y por lo tanto la quimiorradiación definitiva debe ser usada. Con la incorporación de técnicas de radioterapia de intensidad modulada (IMRT) es posible disminuir la dosis que reciben los órganos a riesgo. Esto es de suma importancia ya que en estudios publicados recientemente se demostró que la dosis cardíaca (V30<45%) y pulmonar (Dmedia<10Gy) son predictores independientes de sobrevida global. OBJETIVO: demostrar la experiencia institucional de los pacientes inoperables tratados con radioquimioterapia definitiva, comparando resultados clínicos, toxicidades y análisis dosimétrico de las técnicas tridimensional (3D) vs Radioterapia de Intensidad Modulada (IMRT). MATERIAL Y MÉTODO: Éste es un estudio descriptivo, retrospectivo y observacional de pacientes tratados con radioquimioterapia definitiva en Centro de Radioterapia Deán Funes, Córdoba, Argentina. Treinta y dos pacientes fueron tratados entre junio de 2016 y marzo de 2019. Radioterapia fue administrada con las técnicas IMRT y 3D a dosis comprendida entre 45-50Gy. Se utilizó el método de Kaplan-Meier para estimar la supervivencia y sobrevida libre de progresión. El análisis univariado (UVA) se realizó con modelo de riesgos proporcionales de Cox. Se utilizó la prueba de chi-cuadrado para las variables categóricas. RESULTADOS La media de seguimiento fue de 17.4 meses (rango 0.1-54.5 meses). La mediana de edad de los pacientes fue de 74 años (rango, 51 a 89 años), con PS 0-1 (91%). La mitad de los pacientes recibieron radioterapia IMRT. La sobrevida global a un año fue de 47% (15 sobre 32 pacientes) y a dos años 25% (8 sobre 32 pacientes). La tasa de recaída local fue de 47% (15 sobre 32 pacientes). En el análisis univariado solo la edad mayor a 75 años fue predictora de peor sobrevida (p0.01, RR 2.82). Con IMRT hubo mayor sobrevida promedio (19 vs 15 meses), sin embargo, no se vio reflejado a una significancia estadística (p: 0.96), con IMRT fue mayor la sobrevida libre de progresión, sin embargo, no fue estadísticamente significativo (p: 0.08). Con IMRT se disminuyó la dosis media cardíaca un 17% (p=0.01) y la dosis pulmonar media 5% (p= 0.44). IMRT permitió conseguir de manera significativa un V30 < 45% (0.01). Toxicidad G1-2 fueron observadas en 43.8% de los pacientes y toxicidades ≥ grado 3 fue observada solo en 9.4% de los pacientes, no habiendo diferencias significativas entre las distintas técnicas aplicadas (p 1.72 y 1 respectivamente). CONCLUSIONES: Radioquimioterapia definitiva es el tratamiento estándar en cáncer de esófago escamoso localmente avanzado siendo un enfoque seguro y con buena tolerancia para aquellos pacientes inoperables, a esto se suma que con IMRT se ofrecen mejores resultados dosimétricos y mayor protección de órganos a riesgo, lo cual podría estar implicado, con un mayor seguimiento y número de pacientes a mejores supervivencias para aquellos pacientes con buenos resultados oncológicos

Measurement of the ratio of branching fractions BR(B0 -> K*0 gamma)/BR(Bs0 -> phi gamma)

The ratio of branching fractions of the radiative B decays B0 -> K*0 gamma and Bs0 -> phi gamma has been measured using 0.37 fb-1 of pp collisions at a centre of mass energy of sqrt(s) = 7 TeV, collected by the LHCb experiment. The value obtained is BR(B0 -> K*0 gamma)/BR(Bs0 -> phi gamma) = 1.12 +/- 0.08 ^{+0.06}_{-0.04} ^{+0.09}_{-0.08}, where the first uncertainty is statistical, the second systematic and the third is associated to the ratio of fragmentation fractions fs/fd. Using the world average for BR(B0 -> K*0 gamma) = (4.33 +/- 0.15) x 10^{-5}, the branching fraction BR(Bs0 -> phi gamma) is measured to be (3.9 +/- 0.5) x 10^{-5}, which is the most precise measurement to date.Comment: 15 pages, 1 figure, 2 table

Search for CP violation in D+→K−K+π+D^{+} \to K^{-}K^{+}\pi^{+} decays

A model-independent search for direct CP violation in the Cabibbo suppressed decay $D^+ \to K^- K^+\pi^+$ in a sample of approximately 370,000 decays is carried out. The data were collected by the LHCb experiment in 2010 and correspond to an integrated luminosity of 35 pb$^{-1}$. The normalized Dalitz plot distributions for $D^+$ and $D^-$ are compared using four different binning schemes that are sensitive to different manifestations of CP violation. No evidence for CP asymmetry is found.Comment: 13 pages, 8 figures, submitted to Phys. Rev.

Opposite-side flavour tagging of B mesons at the LHCb experiment

The calibration and performance of the oppositeside flavour tagging algorithms used for the measurements of time-dependent asymmetries at the LHCb experiment are described. The algorithms have been developed using simulated events and optimized and calibrated with B + →J/ψK +, B0 →J/ψK ∗0 and B0 →D ∗− μ + νμ decay modes with 0.37 fb−1 of data collected in pp collisions at √ s = 7 TeV during the 2011 physics run. The oppositeside tagging power is determined in the B + → J/ψK + channel to be (2.10 ± 0.08 ± 0.24) %, where the first uncertainty is statistical and the second is systematic

Observation of excited Lambda_b0 baryons

Using pp collision data corresponding to 1.0 fb-1 integrated luminosity collected by the LHCb detector, two narrow states are observed in the Lambda_b0pi+pi- spectrum with masses 5911.97 +- 0.12(stat) +- 0.02(syst) +- 0.66(Lambda_b0 mass) MeV/c^2 and 5919.77 +- 0.08(stat) +- 0.02(syst) +- 0.66(Lambda_b0 mass) MeV/c^2. The significances of the observations are 5.2 and 10.2 standard deviations, respectively. These states are interpreted as the orbitally-excited Lambda_b0 baryons, Lambda_b*0(5912) and Lambda_b*0(5920).Comment: Replaced by version published in Phys. Rev. Lett, modified fit with better mass resolution treatmen

Strong constraints on the rare decays Bs -> mu+ mu- and B0 -> mu+ mu-

A search for Bs -> mu+ mu- and B0 -> mu+ mu- decays is performed using 1.0 fb^-1 of pp collision data collected at \sqrt{s}=7 TeV with the LHCb experiment at the Large Hadron Collider. For both decays the number of observed events is consistent with expectation from background and Standard Model signal predictions. Upper limits on the branching fractions are determined to be BR(Bs -> mu+ mu-) mu+ mu-) < 1.0 (0.81) x 10^-9 at 95% (90%) confidence level.Comment: 2+6 pages; 4 figures; Accepted for publication in Physical Review Letter

Measurement of the CP-violating phase phi_s in the decay Bs->J/psi phi

We present a measurement of the time-dependent CP-violating asymmetry in B_s -> J/psi phi decays, using data collected with the LHCb detector at the LHC. The decay time distribution of B_s -> J/psi phi is characterized by the decay widths Gamma_H and Gamma_L of the heavy and light mass eigenstates of the B_s-B_s-bar system and by a CP-violating phase phi_s. In a sample of about 8500 B_s -> J/psi phi events isolated from 0.37 fb^-1 of pp collisions at sqrt(s)=7 TeV we measure phi_s = 0.15 +/- 0.18 (stat) +/- 0.06 (syst) rad. We also find an average B_s decay width Gamma_s == (Gamma_L + Gamma_H)/2 = 0.657 +/- 0.009 (stat) +/- 0.008 (syst) ps^-1 and a decay width difference Delta Gamma_s == Gamma_L - Gamma_H} = 0.123 +/- 0.029 (stat) +/- 0.011 (syst) ps^-1. Our measurement is insensitive to the transformation (phi_s,DeltaGamma_s --> pi - phi_s, - Delta Gamma_s.Comment: 9 pages, 3 figure