Variation of the ultraviolet extinction law across the Taurus-Auriga star forming complex. A GALEX based study

The Taurus-Auriga molecular complex (TMC) is the main laboratory for the study of low mass star formation. The density and properties of interstellar dust are expected to vary across the TMC. These variations trace important processes such as dust nucleation or the magnetic field coupling with the cloud. In this article, we show how the combination of near ultraviolet (NUV) and infrared (IR) photometry can be used to derive the strength of the 2175 \AA\ bump and thus any enhancement in the abundance of small dust grains and PAHs in the dust grains size distribution. This technique is applied to the envelope of the TMC, mapped by the GALEX All Sky Survey (AIS). UV and IR photometric data have been retrieved from the GALEX-AIS and the 2MASS catalogues. NUV and K-band star counts have been used to identify the areas in the cloud envelope where the 2175 \AA\ bump is weaker than in the diffuse ISM namely, the low column density extensions of L1495, L1498 and L1524 in Taurus, L1545, L1548, L1519, L1513 in Auriga and L1482-83 in the California region. This finding agrees with previous results on dust evolution derived from Spitzer data and suggests that dust grains begin to decouple from the environmental galactic magnetic field already in the envelope.Comment: Accepted in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Societ

Induced Superconductivity in Hybrid Au/YBa2Cu3O7-x Electrodes on Vicinal Substrates

Superconducting electrodes are an integral part of hybrid Josephson junctions used in many applications including quantum technologies. We report on the fabrication and characterization of superconducting hybrid Au/YBa2Cu3O7-x (YBCO) electrodes on vicinal substrates. In these structures, superconducting CuO2-planes face the gold film, resulting in a higher value and smaller variation of the induced energy gap compared to the conventional Au/YBCO electrodes based on films with the c-axis normal to the substrate surface. Using scanning tunneling microscopy, we observe an energy gap of about 10-17 meV at the surface of the 15- nm-thick gold layer deposited in situ atop the YBCO film. To study the origin of this gap, we fabricate nanoconstrictions from the Au/YBCO heterostructure and measure their electrical transport characteristics. The conductance of the nanoconstrictions shows a series of dips due to multiple Andreev reflections in YBCO and gold providing clear evidence of the superconducting nature of the gap in gold. We consider the Au/YBCO electrodes to be a versatile platform for hybrid Josephson devices with a high operating temperature

Biomimetics of microducts in three-dimensional bacterial nanocellulose biomaterials for soft tissue regenerative medicine

The demand for solid organs is increasing worldwide, regenerative medicine aims to develop organs that can replace their human counterparts. In this regard, this study describes a novel biomimetic-based methodology for the incorporation of microducts in 3D bacterial nanocellulose (BNC-3D) biomaterials. Although BNC is a biomaterial that has been used as a scaffold for cell culture purposes, it does not have the microduct structure that solid organs required to maintain cell viability. This study aims to biomimicry the microduct structure (blood vessels) in BNC using a corroded porcine kidney in epoxy resin during BNC synthesis. The resin mold was incorporated into the biological process of producing BNC-3D. After the BNC fermentation, the resin was removed using a novel method (acid hydrolysis) to expose the blood vessels constructs. BNC-3D and BNC-3D with microducts (BNC-3DM) were analyzed using electronic microscopy, infrared analysis, thermogravimetric and biological analysis. Results show that biomaterials biomimicry the blood vessels of the reference organ, moreover, the BNC chemical and morphological properties of BNC was not affected in the biomimetic process. Regarding cell behavior, cell viability was not affected by the incorporation of the microducts, and it was proven that viable cells adhere to the microducts surface, reproducing their shape and migrate into the biomaterial up to 245 mu m for 8 days of culture. To conclude, the data demonstrate the potential of biomimetic in BNC for regenerative medicine, in which the microducts transport fluids (blood, nutrients, and waste products) from and to engineered solid organs via animal counterparts. Graphic abstract The graphical abstract represents the structural modification of bacterial nanocellulose (BNC) with the inclusion of microducts and microporosities. Furthermore, it represents the usefulness of the microducts in future applications, where, they can be used for nutrients inlet to feed the cells and to remove the wastes from the developed tissue, same as do the blood vessels. [GRAPHICS]

Comunicación corta. Diferenciación de cepas vacunales del virus del síndrome reproductor y respiratorio porcino de tipo I y cepas de campo por análisis de polimorfismos en la longitud de fragmentos de restricción

The use of modified live virus (MLV) vaccines is a common procedure to control porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) infection in the great majority of countries from America, Asia and Europe, including Spain. Current discriminatory techniques allow the detection of different MLV type-II vaccine strains. Herein we report a rapid and accurate technique aimed to discriminate between MLV type-I vaccine strains and Spanish field strains. This technique comprises a reverse transcription (RT) and nested polymerase chain reaction (nPCR) amplification of PRRSV ORF5 followed by a digestion of RT-nPCR products with two specific endonucleases, ItaI and AccI. Combined utilization of ItaI and AccI generates restriction fragments length polymorphisms (RFLP) patterns adequate for the differentiation of 30 Spanish field isolates, of which 12 were isolated between 1991 and 1995 and 18 between 2000 and 2003. These different RFLP patterns can be used to distinguish unequivocally between Spanish field strains of PRRSV and the three MLV type-I vaccines used in Spain: AmervacPRRS®, Pyrsvac-183® and PorcilisPRRS®.Para controlar la infección por el virus del síndrome reproductor y respiratorio porcino (PRRSV), en la gran mayoría de países de América, Asia y Europa, incluyendo España, se usan frecuentemente vacunas basadas en virus vivos modificados (MLV). En la actualidad existen técnicas discriminatorias que permiten detectar cepas vacunales del PRRSV de tipo II. El presente trabajo describe una técnica precisa y rápida para la diferenciación de cepas vacunales de tipo I del PRRSV y cepas de campo españolas. Esta técnica se basa en la transcripción reversa y posterior amplificación de la ORF5 del genoma del PRRSV utilizando la reacción en cadena de la polimerasa anidada, seguida de la digestión de los amplicones generados con dos endonucleasas específicas: ItaI y AccI. La utilización combinada de ambas enzimas genera patrones de polimorfismos en la longitud de fragmentos de restricción (RFLP), adecuados para la distinción de las 30 cepas de campo usadas, de las cuales 12 fueron aisladas entre 1991 y 1995 y 18 entre 2000 y 2003. Estos diferentes patrones pueden ser utilizados para distinguir entre cepas de campo españolas del PRRSV y las tres cepas vacunales de tipo I usadas en España: AmervacPRRS®, Pyrsvac-183® y PorcilisPRRS®

The Moyal bracket and the dispersionless limit of the KP hierarchy

A new Lax equation is introduced for the KP hierarchy which avoids the use of pseudo-differential operators, as used in the Sato approach. This Lax equation is closer to that used in the study of the dispersionless KP hierarchy, and is obtained by replacing the Poisson bracket with the Moyal bracket. The dispersionless limit, underwhich the Moyal bracket collapses to the Poisson bracket, is particularly simple.Comment: 9 pages, LaTe

Blackwater fever in a non-immune patient with Plasmodium falciparum malaria after intravenous artesunate

Blackwater fever was typically reported after quinine administration, although it is poor recognized in patients receiving artesunate. This case describes a blackwater fever in a non-immune patient after artesunate for severe malaria. It highlights the importance of monitoring haemolytic parameters in severe malaria to avoid renal impairment or severe anaemia

TERRA regulate the transcriptional landscape of pluripotent cells through TRF1-dependent recruitment of PRC2

The mechanisms that regulate pluripotency are still largely unknown. Here, we show that Telomere Repeat Binding Factor 1 (TRF1), a component of the shelterin complex, regulates the genome-wide binding of polycomb and polycomb H3K27me3 repressive marks to pluripotency genes, thereby exerting vast epigenetic changes that contribute to the maintenance of mouse ES cells in a na\uefve state. We further show that TRF1 mediates these effects by regulating TERRA, the lncRNAs transcribed from telomeres. We find that TERRAs are enriched at polycomb and stem cell genes in pluripotent cells and that TRF1 abrogation results in increased TERRA levels and in higher TERRA binding to those genes, coincidental with the induction of cell-fate programs and the loss of the na\uefve state. These results are consistent with a model in which TRF1-dependent changes in TERRA levels modulate polycomb recruitment to pluripotency and differentiation genes. These unprecedented findings explain why TRF1 is essential for the induction and maintenance of pluripotency

Effect of a Very-Low-Calorie Ketogenic Diet on Circulating Myokine Levels Compared with the Effect of Bariatric Surgery or a Low-Calorie Diet in Patients with Obesity

: The preservation of muscle mass and muscle function after weight loss therapy is currently a considerable challenge in the fight against obesity. Muscle mass secretes proteins called myokines that have relevant functions in the regulation of metabolism and health. This study was aimed to evaluate whether a very low-calorie ketogenic (VLCK) diet may modulate myokine levels, in addition to changes in body composition, compared to a standard, balanced low-calorie (LC) diet or bariatric surgery in patients with obesity. Body composition, ketosis, insulin sensitivity and myokines were evaluated in 79 patients with overweight/obesity after a therapy to lose weight with a VLCK diet, a LC diet or bariatric surgery. The follow-up was 6 months. The weight loss therapies induced changes in myokine levels in association with changes in body composition and biochemical parameters. The effects on circulating myokine levels compared to those at baseline were stronger after the VLCK diet than LC diet or bariatric surgery. Differences reached statistical significance for IL-8, MMP2 and irisin. In conclusion, nutritional interventions or bariatric surgery to lose weight induces changes in circulating myokine levels, being this effect potentially most notable after following a VLCK diet

Effect of a Very-Low-Calorie Ketogenic Diet on Circulating Myokine Levels Compared with the Effect of Bariatric Surgery or a Low-Calorie Diet in Patients with Obesity

The preservation of muscle mass and muscle function after weight loss therapy is currently a considerable challenge in the fight against obesity. Muscle mass secretes proteins called myokines that have relevant functions in the regulation of metabolism and health. This study was aimed to evaluate whether a very low-calorie ketogenic (VLCK) diet may modulate myokine levels, in addition to changes in body composition, compared to a standard, balanced low-calorie (LC) diet or bariatric surgery in patients with obesity. Body composition, ketosis, insulin sensitivity and myokines were evaluated in 79 patients with overweight/obesity after a therapy to lose weight with a VLCK diet, a LC diet or bariatric surgery. The follow-up was 6 months. The weight loss therapies induced changes in myokine levels in association with changes in body composition and biochemical parameters. The effects on circulating myokine levels compared to those at baseline were stronger after the VLCK diet than LC diet or bariatric surgery. Differences reached statistical significance for IL-8, MMP2 and irisin. In conclusion, nutritional interventions or bariatric surgery to lose weight induces changes in circulating myokine levels, being this effect potentially most notable after following a VLCK diet