Identification of virulence markers in clinically relevant strains of Acinetobacter genospecies

Nine Acinetobacter strains from patients and hospital environment were analyzed for virulence markers, quorum sensing signal production, and the presence of luxI and luxR genes. The strains had several properties in common: growth in iron limited condition, biofilm formation, and no active protease secretion. Significantly higher catechol production was determined in patient isolates (P < 0.03), but other invasiveness markers, such as lipase secretion, amount of biofilm, cell motility, antibiotic resistance, and hemolysin production, showed large variability. Notably, all members of the so-called A. calcoaceticus-A. baumannii complex, regardless of whether the source was a patient or environmental, secreted medium to long-chain N-acyl homoserine lactones (AHL) and showed blue light inhibition of cell motility. In these strains, a luxI homologue with a homoserine lactone synthase domain and a luxR putative regulator displaying the typical AHL binding domain were identified

Rainfall-simulated quantification of initial soil erosion processes in sloping and poorly maintained terraced vineyards - Key issues for sustainable management systems

In the context of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), understanding landscape evolution is essential to design long-term management plans. In agricultural fields, such as the vineyards on steep slopes, the terraces offer one of the most important morphological changes. However, it is not clear if the poorly managed agricultural terraces are optimal to reduce soil erosion and overland flow, although the trafficability is improved. Therefore, the main aim of this research is to compare the differences between initial soil erosion processes on poorly managed terraced vineyards and sloping vineyards at the pedon scale, considering the key role of the SSC (Soil Surface Components). To achieve this goal, twenty-six rainfall simulations were performed, considering the inclination, vegetation and stone covers, and surface roughness. Our research was carried out in the sloping vineyards (>20°) of the Almáchar municipality, in the Montes de Málaga (Spain). Those vineyards are characterized by bare soils, low organic matter and high rock fragment contents. Our results showed that higher soil losses (42.2 g m−2 vs 9.4 g m−2) and runoff (4.9 l m−2 vs 1.6 l m−2) were detected in the plots of the poorly managed terraced vineyard than in the sloping one. Moreover, the time to runoff generation was lower in the poorly conserved terraces (232 s) than in the sloping vineyard (679 s), showing a faster saturation capacity. The SSC considered as the key factors were the reduction of the stone cover and an increase of roughness. As a conclusion, we confirm that the imminent transformation from sloping vineyards into terraced fields could lead several land degradation processes if a poor management is carried out, and no control measures are applied during the process, such as the conservation of stone walls or vegetation cover above the embankment, which is not in compliance with the SDG.Ministerio de Educación, Cultura y Deporte from Spain for the financial support of the FPU15/0149

High variability of soil erosion and hydrological processes in Mediterranean hillslope vineyards (Montes de Málaga, Spain)

Conventional Mediterranean vineyards from the Montes de Málaga (Axarquía region, Spain) are characterized by high average temperatures, extreme rainfall events during autumn and winter, elevated stoniness and steep slopes (20–50°). Traditionally, several problems of high soil loss, rill and ephemeral gully generation, and elevat- ed runoff are observed by farmers, which are increasing land degradation processes and a decrease of the productivity. According to this, the main aims of this paper were: i) to quantify the initial soil loss, surface flow and infiltration processes; ii) to characterize and describe the hydrological and geomorphological dynamics; iii) to detect the key factors, which control the soil erosion processes. For this purpose, a combined methodology was applied, using soil analysis, a small portable rainfall simulator and a Guelph permeameter on one experimental plot cultivated with vineyards with steep slopes. Results showed a high variability of soil erosion and permeability processes. Soil analysis showed an elevated concentration of silt particles and stoniness, with higher contents of sand particles between 0 and 5 cm, and clays from 5 cm. With a Guelph permeameter, high average of permeability and saturated hydraulic conductivity with elevated standard deviation were observed. Furthermore, an increase of these parameters from the upper to the foot slope was reg- istered. By using rainfall simulations, on the upper and the foot slope positions the highest runoff coefficient and soil loss were registered. The most elevated peak of sediment concentration was obtained on the middle slope. In general, high infiltration coefficients between 66.5 and 100% were observed. In conclusion it was observed that the activation of the soil erosion processes was due to the distribution of the surface soil components (high roughness, several cracks and high stoniness and silt content), the steep slopes and the impact of the soil traditional tillage practices. These Mediterranean hillslope vineyards registered a mixed Hortonian-Hewlettian model, which combines surface and sub-surface flow conditioned by the micro-topo- graphical changes and its saturation degree

Measurement of CP-violating asymmetries in D0→π +π - and D0→K +K - decays at CDF

We report on a measurement of CP-violating asymmetries (A CP) in the Cabibbo-suppressed D0→π +Ï€ - and D0→K +K - decays reconstructed in a data sample corresponding to 5.9fb -1 of integrated luminosity collected by the upgraded Collider Detector at Fermilab. We use the strong decay D *+→D0Ï€ + to identify the flavor of the charmed meson at production and exploit CP-conserving strong ccÌ„ pair production in ppÌ„ collisions. High-statistics samples of Cabibbo-favored D0→K -Ï€ + decays with and without a D *± tag are used to correct for instrumental effects and significantly reduce systematic uncertainties. We measure A CP(D0→π +Ï€ -)=(+0.22±0.24(stat) ±0.11(syst))% and A CP(D0→K +K -)=(-0.24±0.22(stat)±0.09(syst))%, in agreement with CP conservation. These are the most precise determinations from a single experiment to date. Under the assumption of negligible direct CP violation in D0→π +Ï€ - and D0→K +K - decays, the results provide an upper limit to the CP-violating asymmetry in D0 mixing, |ACPind(D0)|<0.13% at the 90% confidence level. © 2012 American Physical Society.This work was supported by the U.S. Department of Energy and National Science Foundation; the Italian Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare; the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of Japan; the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada; the National Science Council of the Republic of China; the Swiss National Science Foundation; the A.P. Sloan Foundation; the Bundesministerium fü̈r Bildung und Forschung, Germany; the Korean World Class University Program, the National Research Foundation of Korea; the Science and Technology Facilities Council and the Royal Society, UK; the Russian Foundation for Basic Research; the Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación, and Programa Consolider-Ingenio 2010, Spain; the Slovak R&D Agency; and the Academy of Finland.Peer Reviewe

Measurement of tt̅ spin correlation in pp̅ collisions using the CDF II detector at the Tevatron

7 páginas, 2 figuras, 1 tabla.-- PACS numbers: 12.38.Qk, 13.85.-t, 14.65.Ha.-- CDF Collaboration: et al.The tt̅ spin correlation at production is a fundamental prediction of QCD and a potentially incisive test of new physics coupled to top quarks. We measure the tt̅ spin state in pp̅ collisions at √s=1.96  TeV using 1001 candidate events in the lepton plus jets decay channel reconstructed in the CDF II detector. In the helicity basis, for a top-quark mass of 172.5  GeV/c2, we find a spin correlation coefficient κ=0.60±0.50  (stat)±0.16  (syst), consistent with the QCD prediction, κ≈0.40.This work was supported by the U.S. Department of Energy and National Science Foundation; the Italian Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare; the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of Japan; the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada; the National Science Council of the Republic of China; the Swiss National Science Foundation; the A. P. Sloan Foundation; the Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung, Germany; the World Class University Program, the National Research Foundation of Korea; the Science and Technology Facilities Council and the Royal Society, UK; the Institut National de Physique Nucleaire et Physique des Particules/CNRS; the Russian Foundation for Basic Research; the Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación, and Programa Consolider-Ingenio 2010, Spain; the Slovak R & D Agency; and the Academy of Finland.Peer reviewe

Search for New T′ Particles in Final States with Large Jet Multiplicities and Missing Transverse Energy in pp̅ Collisions at √s=1.96 TeV

7 páginas, 4 figuras, 2 tablas.-- PACS numbers: 14.65.Jk, 12.60.-i, 13.85.Rm, 14.80.-j.-- CDF Collaboration: et al.We present a search for a new particle T′ decaying to a top quark via T′→t+X, where X goes undetected. We use a data sample corresponding to 5.7  fb-1 of integrated luminosity of pp̅ collisions with √s=1.96  TeV, collected at Fermilab Tevatron by the CDF II detector. Our search for pair production of T′ is focused on the hadronic decay channel, pp̅ →T′T̅ ′→tt̅ +XX̅ →bqq̅ b̅ qq̅ +XX̅ . We interpret our results in terms of a model where T′ is an exotic fourth generation quark and X is a dark matter particle. The data are consistent with standard model expectations. We set a limit on the generic production of T′T̅ ′→tt̅ +XX̅ , excluding the fourth generation exotic quarks T′ at 95% confidence level up to mT′=400  GeV/c2 for mX≤70  GeV/c2.This work was supported by the U.S. Department of Energy and National Science Foundation; the Italian Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare; the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of Japan; the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada; the National Science Council of the Republic of China; the Swiss National Science Foundation; the A. P. Sloan Foundation; the Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung, Germany; the Korean World Class University Program, the National Research Foundation of Korea; the Science and Technology Facilities Council and the Royal Society, UK; the Institut National de Physique Nucleaire et Physique des Particules/CNRS; the Russian Foundation for Basic Research; the Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación, and Programa Consolider-Ingenio 2010, Spain; the Slovak R&D Agency; the Academy of Finland; and the Australian Research Council (ARC).Peer reviewe

Search for the standard model Higgs boson decaying to a bb̄ pair in events with one charged lepton and large missing transverse energy using the full CDF data set

We present a search for the standard model Higgs boson produced in association with a W boson in √s=1.96TeV pp̄ collision data collected with the CDFA II detector at the Tevatron corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 9.45fb -1. In events consistent with the decay of the Higgs boson to a bottom-quark pair and the W boson to an electron or muon and a neutrino, we set 95% credibility level upper limits on the WH production cross section times the H→bb̄ branching ratio as a function of Higgs boson mass. At a Higgs boson mass of 125GeV/c2, we observe (expect) a limit of 4.9 (2.8) times the standard model value. © 2012 American Physical Society.Department of Energy (US); National Science Foundation (US); Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare (Italia); Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (Japan); National Research Council of Canada; Swiss National Science Foundation; Alfred P. Sloan Foundation; Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung (Deutschland); National Research Foundation of Korea; Science and Technology Facilities Council (UK); The Royal Society (UK); Russian Foundation for Basic Research; Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (España); Slovak Research and Development Agency; Academy of Finland; Australian Research Council.Peer Reviewe

Search for anomalous production of multiple leptons in association with W and Z bosons at CDF

This paper presents a search for anomalous production of multiple low-energy leptons in association with a W or Z boson using events collected at the CDF experiment corresponding to 5.1fb -1 of integrated luminosity. This search is sensitive to a wide range of topologies with low-momentum leptons, including those with the leptons near one another. The observed rates of production of additional electrons and muons are compared with the standard model predictions. No indications of phenomena beyond the standard model are found. A 95% confidence level limit is presented on the production cross section for a benchmark model of supersymmetric hidden-valley Higgs production. Particle identification efficiencies are also provided to enable the calculation of limits on additional models. © 2012 American Physical Society.This work was supported by the U.S. Department of Energy and National Science Foundation; the Italian Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare; the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of Japan; the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada; the National Science Council of the Republic of China; the Swiss National Science Foundation; the A. P. Sloan Foundation; the Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung, Germany; the World Class University Program, the National Research Foundation of Korea; the Science and Technology Facilities Council and the Royal Society, UK; the Institut National de Physique Nucleaire et Physique des Particules/CNRS; the Russian Foundation for Basic Research; the Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación, and Programa Consolider-Ingenio 2010, Spain; the Slovak R&DAgency; and the Academy of Finland.Peer Reviewe

Measurements of branching fraction ratios and CP-asymmetries in suppressed B-→D(→K+π-)K- and B-→D(→K+π-)π- decays

8 páginas, 1 figura, 2 tablas.-- PACS numbers: 13.25.Hw, 11.30.Er, 14.40.Nd.-- CDF Collaboration: et al.We report the first reconstruction in hadron collisions of the suppressed decays B-→D(→K+π-)K- and B-→D(→K+π-)π-, sensitive to the Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Maskawa phase γ, using data from 7  fb-1 of integrated luminosity collected by the CDF II detector at the Tevatron collider. We reconstruct a signal for the B-→D(→K+π-)K- suppressed mode with a significance of 3.2 standard deviations, and measure the ratios of the suppressed to favored branching fractions R(K)=[22.0±8.6(stat)±2.6(syst)]×10-3, R+(K)=[42.6±13.7(stat)±2.8(syst)]×10-3, R-(K)=[3.8±10.3(stat)±2.7(syst)]×10-3 as well as the direct CP-violating asymmetry A(K)=-0.82±0.44(stat)±0.09(syst) of this mode. Corresponding quantities for B-→D(→K+π-)π- decay are also reported.This work was supported by the U.S. Department of Energy and National Science Foundation; the Italian Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare; the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of Japan; the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada; the National Science Council of the Republic of China; the Swiss National Science Foundation; the A. P. Sloan Foundation; the Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung, Germany; the Korean World Class University Program, the National Research Foundation of Korea; the Science and Technology Facilities Council and the Royal Society, UK; the Institut National de Physique Nucleaire et Physique des Particules/CNRS; the Russian Foundation for Basic Research; the Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación, and Programa Consolider-Ingenio 2010, Spain; the Slovak R&D Agency; the Academy of Finland; and the Australian Research Council (ARC).Peer reviewe

Measurement of branching ratio and Bs0 lifetime in the decay Bs0→J/ψf0(980) at CDF

14 páginas, 11 figuras, 2 tablas.-- CDF Collaboration: et al.We present a study of Bs0 decays to the CP-odd final state J/ψf0(980) with J/ψ→μ+μ- and f0(980)→π+π-. Using pp̅ collision data with an integrated luminosity of 3.8  fb-1 collected by the CDF II detector at the Tevatron we measure a Bs0 lifetime of τ(Bs0→J/ψf0(980))=1.70-0.11+0.12(stat)±0.03(syst)ps. This is the first measurement of the Bs0 lifetime in a decay to a CP eigenstate and corresponds in the standard model to the lifetime of the heavy Bs0 eigenstate. We also measure the product of branching fractions of Bs0→J/ψf0(980) and f0(980)→π+π- relative to the product of branching fractions of Bs0→J/ψϕ and ϕ→K+K- to be Rf0/ϕ=0.257±0.020(stat)±0.014(syst), which is the most precise determination of this quantity to date.This work was supported by the U.S. Department of Energy and National Science Foundation; the Italian Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare; the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of Japan; the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada; the National Science Council of the Republic of China; the Swiss National Science Foundation; the A. P. Sloan Foundation; the Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung, Germany; the Korean World Class University Program, the National Research Foundation of Korea; the Science and Technology Facilities Council and the Royal Society, UK; the Institut National de Physique Nucleaire et Physique des Particules/ CNRS; the Russian Foundation for Basic Research; the Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación, and Programa Consolider-Ingenio 2010, Spain; the Slovak R&D Agency; and the Academy of Finland.Peer reviewe