The Kentucky Noisy Monte Carlo Algorithm for Wilson Dynamical Fermions

We develop an implementation for a recently proposed Noisy Monte Carlo approach to the simulation of lattice QCD with dynamical fermions by incorporating the full fermion determinant directly. Our algorithm uses a quenched gauge field update with a shifted gauge coupling to minimize fluctuations in the trace log of the Wilson Dirac matrix. The details of tuning the gauge coupling shift as well as results for the distribution of noisy estimators in our implementation are given. We present data for some basic observables from the noisy method, as well as acceptance rate information and discuss potential autocorrelation and sign violation effects. Both the results and the efficiency of the algorithm are compared against those of Hybrid Monte Carlo. PACS Numbers: 12.38.Gc, 11.15.Ha, 02.70.Uu Keywords: Noisy Monte Carlo, Lattice QCD, Determinant, Finite Density, QCDSPComment: 30 pages, 6 figure

Hamiltonian Study of Improved U(1U(1 Lattice Gauge Theory in Three Dimensions

A comprehensive analysis of the Symanzik improved anisotropic three-dimensional U(1) lattice gauge theory in the Hamiltonian limit is made. Monte Carlo techniques are used to obtain numerical results for the static potential, ratio of the renormalized and bare anisotropies, the string tension, lowest glueball masses and the mass ratio. Evidence that rotational symmetry is established more accurately for the Symanzik improved anisotropic action is presented. The discretization errors in the static potential and the renormalization of the bare anisotropy are found to be only a few percent compared to errors of about 20-25% for the unimproved gauge action. Evidence of scaling in the string tension, antisymmetric mass gap and the mass ratio is observed in the weak coupling region and the behaviour is tested against analytic and numerical results obtained in various other Hamiltonian studies of the theory. We find that more accurate determination of the scaling coefficients of the string tension and the antisymmetric mass gap has been achieved, and the agreement with various other Hamiltonian studies of the theory is excellent. The improved action is found to give faster convergence to the continuum limit. Very clear evidence is obtained that in the continuum limit the glueball ratio $M_{S}/M_{A}$ approaches exactly 2, as expected in a theory of free, massive bosons.Comment: 13 pages, 15 figures, submitted to Phys. Rev.

Desenvolvimento de uma versão portuguesa do nutritional risk screening NRS 2002

O Nutritional Risk Screening (NRS 2002) é um instrumento que foi desenvolvido pela Danish Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition. Trata-se de um sistema válido que permite detetar a presença do risco de desnutrição ou de desnutrição em indivíduos hospitalizados e que é aplicado pelos profissionais de saúde. Procedeu-se ao desenvolvimento de uma versão para a língua Portuguesa do NRS 2002 com equivalência linguística e cultural ao original, recorrendo à metodologia proposta pela Organização Mundial da Saúde "Processo de tradução e de adaptação de instrumentos". Realizou-se uma tradução avançada e a retrotradução, através das seguintes etapas: tradução (1.ª etapa), retrotradução efetuada por um ou mais especialistas (2.ª etapa), pré-teste (3.ª etapa) e preparação da versão final (4.ª etapa). Este artigo tem como objetivo divulgar este processo e também a versão Portuguesa do NRS 2002.The Nutritional Risk Screening (NRS 2002) is a tool that was developed by the Danish Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition. It is a valid system that allows the detection of the risk of undernutrition or of undernutrition in hospitalized individuals and is applied by health professionals. A Portuguese language version of NRS 2002 was developed with linguistic and cultural equivalence to the original using the WHO proposed methodology "Process of translation and adaptation of instruments". Advanced translation and back-translation were carried out through the following steps: translation (1st stage), back-translation performed by one or more specialists (2nd stage), pre test (3rd stage) and preparation of the final version (4th stage). This article aims to describe this process and also the Portuguese version of NRS 2002

Synchronous diversification of Sulawesi's iconic artiodactyls driven by recent geological events

The high degree of endemism on Sulawesi has previously been suggested to have vicariant origins, dating back to 40 Ma. Recent studies, however, suggest that much of Sulawesi’s fauna assembled over the last 15 Myr. Here, we test the hypothesis that more recent uplift of previously submerged portions of land on Sulawesi promoted diversification and that much of its faunal assemblage is much younger than the island itself. To do so, we combined palaeogeographical reconstructionswithgenetic andmorphometric datasets derived from Sulawesi’s three largest mammals: the babirusa, anoa and Sulawesi warty pig. Our results indicate that although these species most likely colonized the area that is now Sulawesi at different times (14 Ma to 2-3 Ma), they experienced an almost synchronous expansion from the central part of the island. Geological reconstructions indicate that this area was above sea level for most of the last 4 Myr, unlike most parts of the island. We conclude that emergence of land on Sulawesi (approx. 1-2 Myr) may have allowed species to expand synchronously. Altogether, our results indicate that the establishment of the highly endemic faunal assemblage on Sulawesiwas driven by geological events over the last few million years

Mouse Chromosome 11

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/46996/1/335_2004_Article_BF00648429.pd

The evolving SARS-CoV-2 epidemic in Africa: Insights from rapidly expanding genomic surveillance

INTRODUCTION Investment in Africa over the past year with regard to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) sequencing has led to a massive increase in the number of sequences, which, to date, exceeds 100,000 sequences generated to track the pandemic on the continent. These sequences have profoundly affected how public health officials in Africa have navigated the COVID-19 pandemic. RATIONALE We demonstrate how the first 100,000 SARS-CoV-2 sequences from Africa have helped monitor the epidemic on the continent, how genomic surveillance expanded over the course of the pandemic, and how we adapted our sequencing methods to deal with an evolving virus. Finally, we also examine how viral lineages have spread across the continent in a phylogeographic framework to gain insights into the underlying temporal and spatial transmission dynamics for several variants of concern (VOCs). RESULTS Our results indicate that the number of countries in Africa that can sequence the virus within their own borders is growing and that this is coupled with a shorter turnaround time from the time of sampling to sequence submission. Ongoing evolution necessitated the continual updating of primer sets, and, as a result, eight primer sets were designed in tandem with viral evolution and used to ensure effective sequencing of the virus. The pandemic unfolded through multiple waves of infection that were each driven by distinct genetic lineages, with B.1-like ancestral strains associated with the first pandemic wave of infections in 2020. Successive waves on the continent were fueled by different VOCs, with Alpha and Beta cocirculating in distinct spatial patterns during the second wave and Delta and Omicron affecting the whole continent during the third and fourth waves, respectively. Phylogeographic reconstruction points toward distinct differences in viral importation and exportation patterns associated with the Alpha, Beta, Delta, and Omicron variants and subvariants, when considering both Africa versus the rest of the world and viral dissemination within the continent. Our epidemiological and phylogenetic inferences therefore underscore the heterogeneous nature of the pandemic on the continent and highlight key insights and challenges, for instance, recognizing the limitations of low testing proportions. We also highlight the early warning capacity that genomic surveillance in Africa has had for the rest of the world with the detection of new lineages and variants, the most recent being the characterization of various Omicron subvariants. CONCLUSION Sustained investment for diagnostics and genomic surveillance in Africa is needed as the virus continues to evolve. This is important not only to help combat SARS-CoV-2 on the continent but also because it can be used as a platform to help address the many emerging and reemerging infectious disease threats in Africa. In particular, capacity building for local sequencing within countries or within the continent should be prioritized because this is generally associated with shorter turnaround times, providing the most benefit to local public health authorities tasked with pandemic response and mitigation and allowing for the fastest reaction to localized outbreaks. These investments are crucial for pandemic preparedness and response and will serve the health of the continent well into the 21st century

Association between alcoholism and increased hepatic iron stores

Although alcoholic liver disease is often associated with some increase in hepatic iron stores, it is now established that when gross iron overload is present, this is due to genetic hemochromatosis. Furthermore, there appears to be a critical iron concentration necessary for the induction of hepatic fibrosis. Lipid peroxidation induced by ethanol and/or iron would appear to play a major role in hepatic damage in both humans and experimental animals. Although the exact mechanism(s) of induction of lipid peroxidation by ethanol and iron remains to be elucidated, both toxins can exert a synergistic effect upon hepatic lipid peroxidation. Iron overload has also been shown to stimulate directly hepatocyte and hepatic procollagen mRNA expression, which is further stimulated by ethanol. The observed synergism between iron and alcohol with respect to both hepatic lipid peroxidation and collagen biosynthesis offers a possible explanation of the apparent early onset of fibrosis and cirrhosis in patients with iron overload who have an excessive alcohol intake

The 1H NMR visibility of intracellular lactate in Streptococcus faecalis

H NMR studies of glycolysis in washed cell suspensions of Streptococcus faecalis indicated that intracellular lactate is not H NMR visible. Evidence for this was gained from time course studies of glycolysis at increasing concentrations of glucose. A close correlation existed between the relative increase in the lactate integral and the enzymatically determined extracellular lactate concentration [Lo]. When ionophores which cause the collapse of the positive intracellular/extracellular lactate gradient were added to cell suspensions following fermentation of 5, 10 and 50 mM glucose, the increase in the lactate integral was proportional to the respective increase in [Lo]. A more direct method for determining the origin of the lactate signal involved centrifugation of a cell suspension after fermentation of 50 mM glucose and measurement of lactate in the extracellular and intracellular fluid. H spectra of the cell suspension, supernatant and sonicated pellet revealed that the lactate observed in the cell suspension was equivalent to the lactate in the supernatant alone. The intracellular lactate contained in the pellet represented 42% of the total lactate, indicating that only 58% of lactate is detected by in vivo H MRS of S. faecalis. This result is in contrast with the high percentage (70–90%) of in vitro lactate which is detected by in vivo H MRS of mammalian brain tissue (Williams S. R. et al. Magn. Res. Med. 7, 425–431, 1988). This may be due to a higher proportion of extracellular lactate in mammalian tissue or differences in the intracellular environments of bacterial and mammalian cells